Chapter 71: A Crazy Guy, a Drunk Guy, and an Enigmatic Guy

“Maybe I should just take you away.”  

Lucas stared at me intently with a serious look in his eyes.

Am I some kind of object to be taken? Ugh, look at those eyes.

“You’ve been saying weird things since earlier, but I’m a married woman, a taken lady. So stop wasting your time and leave.”

“If I take you, will you come with me?”

“I’m not an object!”

Can we please have a normal conversation for once?

“Then what should I do? In the Beast Kingdom, a strong male gets the woman. That’s the rule.”

“…….”

“Oh, I’ve got it. I’m okay with polygamy. That’s how we are.”

“Hah.”

“It’s not mating season, but I think it’ll be fine. And if you want, I can get along with Duke Xavier. I’ll be husband number one, and Duke Xavier can be husband number two. How about it?”

“What the….”

He asked with his eyebrows raised, and I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

This crazy guy. Did you think I’d go, “Oh, so that’s how the Beast Kingdom is, amazing!” after hearing that?

I don’t know how that brain of his manages to hold meetings.

“Sigh. I don’t want to hear it. If we part ways here, I won’t scream, so just go back.”

“Hmmm.”

I tried to leave, threatening Lucas with my pink parasol.

“Ah!”

In the blink of an eye, my parasol was caught in the hands of the man with dark-circles under his eyes,

“Were you trying to hurt me with this? How adorable.”

He grinned, showing his teeth. For a moment, I doubted my eyes.

Crazy and ridiculously cute. He’s totally like Lulu. This is insane, but he’s adorable. Ugh, no, this isn’t right.

I shook my head vigorously from side to side. Being around this lunatic is making me crazy too.

“Your Highness!”

At that moment, an angry woman’s voice pierced through the air. A massive eagle appeared in the clear blue sky.

“What the heck is that?”

“Oh dear, looks like I’ll get my back clawed by an eagle. Think carefully about divorce.”

Before I knew it, Lucas disappeared with a poof right before my eyes. When I came to my senses, I saw Lulu dashing away on all fours down the neatly paved garden path. I screamed with all my might.

“Hey! You crazy raccoon bastard!”

But Lucas, now a raccoon, didn’t look back and vanished. Giving up, I started climbing the stairs I had come down earlier to head to the west wing.

“Ugh, what a total psycho.”

He looks like an idol but acts like a lunatic. Even as I cursed while climbing the moss-covered stone stairs, my anger didn’t subside.

“He’s seriously insane! Divorce, really?!”

Is that something you say to a married duchess? I’m never meeting him again.

There’s no benefit to Xavier knowing about this incident.

My neck felt stiff. Ugh, it’s like my life is hanging by a thread.

But seriously.

“Argh! How many stairs are there?”

I hadn’t noticed on the way down, but the top seemed so far away.

“Huff, puff, this is exhausting. No elevator either! Maya! Rosetta!”

But no response came to my calls. I reached the door with great effort, massaging my calves and thighs.

‘Huh? Where did everyone go?’

Beneath the door, heart-shaped blue leaves were messily sticking out.

“Why are there so many leaves here?”

As I tried to open the door, something soft and heavy seemed to push against it slightly.

‘Why is the door so stiff? It’s like something is blocking it.’

Using all my strength, I pushed, and something slid away with a ‘swoosh’ and then scurried off with a ‘pitter-patter’ sound.

“Mya!”

Kiki?

We kissed this morning, so there’s no way he turned into an animal again, right? What’s going on now?

The moment I saw the peppermint-scented leaves scattered on the floor, a chill ran down my spine.

Could these be poisonous plants too?

I squeezed through the gap in the open door and quickly shut it behind me.

“Xavier? Kiki!”

Did the Crown Prince meddle again, like at the campsite? Feeling scared, I called out for Kiki.

“Meow!”

On the bed, bathed in soft sunlight, Kiki was rolling around, rubbing his back. His mouth was full of blue leaves, and he looked utterly content.

The bed was covered in green leaves scattered everywhere.

“Xavier, did you make this mess, Xavier?”

“Mya?”

Kiki, now Xavier, lifted his head to look at me briefly before rolling around again.

“Xavier!”

“Myaa?”

“What’s wrong with you? Don’t you understand everything I say?”

Kiki flipped onto his back and gave me a sultry look. Drool was dripping from his mouth.

Seriously, how are we going to deal with this embarrassing moment later? His dazed eyes made him look like he was drunk.

“Are you drunk?”

“Yuria?”

This is unbelievable. My ears must be deceiving me.

I opened the crumpled pouch lying on the bed. Written in large letters on the front were the words:

“Catnip?”

“Myaa.”

Meanwhile, Kiki was flipping around 180 degrees, causing a complete ruckus.

“You said you’d rather die than turn into a cat, but I didn’t know you liked this sort of thing.”

“Meow?”

Those big teal eyes looked so dazed.

“You’re acting like a drunkard now, but just wait until you sober up.”

I decided to clean up the mess before the maids arrived.

But when am I going to pick all this up?

I put my hands on my hips and glared at Kiki, but it was useless. He was waving his paws at the ceiling, as if he was in heaven.

“Meow, meow, meow.”

What is he trying to grab? Shaking my head, I started picking up the catnip.

＊

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince?”

Rosetta saw a distinguished man in a white uniform walking toward her and immediately bowed her head.

“Rosetta greets the Empire’s Little Sun.”

“The greeting is enough. It’s been a while.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Oh, he remembers me! What a kind person.

The warm consideration the Crown Prince showed during the victory banquet softened Rosetta’s demeanor. She momentarily set aside the flowers she was holding and awkwardly bent her knees, bowing politely.

“Thank you for inviting me to the banquet last time.”

“Those flowers?”

Arthur asked, gesturing toward the basket of flowers Rosetta had set down.

“I was going to leave them in the Duchess’s quarters. They smell wonderful.”

“Is that so? By the way, Miss Rosetta.”

Arthur gently called her name with a kind smile on his lips.

“Yes?”

Rosetta instinctively responded to his sweet voice, and Arthur asked,

“It seems the Saintess has been unwell. I heard you gathered herbs?”

Actually, he hadn’t heard anything. Arthur was merely making an educated guess. Someone like Rosetta, who naturally lacked guilt, would likely spill the details easily.

“Oh… The Duchess wasn’t unwell. The three of us—her, General Ethan, and I—went to the Everlasting Snow Mountains.”

“The Everlasting Snow Mountains?”

“Yes.”

After answering, Rosetta hesitated for a moment. Not for any particular reason, but because she thought of the Duchess.

‘The Duchess doesn’t even think of me.’

She quickly brushed off the sour feeling. Well, it’s not like the Duke was sick or anything.

“The flowers must be heavy.”

Before Count Willem, who had been following behind, could intervene, Arthur picked up the basket of flowers from the ground. Rosetta could only watch with wide eyes at his actions.

Caught off guard by Count Willem’s sharp glare, she spoke up out of courtesy.

“Your Highness, it’s heavy.”

“Helping the Saintess’s maid is akin to helping her, so don’t worry.”

“Oh….”

If it’s to help the Duchess, I should be happy, but why does my chest feel tight? Is it because I’m still upset with her?

“Where are the Duke and Duchess’s quarters? I’ll deliver these.”

“Really?”

“Your Highness!”

Startled, Count Willem, interrupted. But he immediately shrank back under Arthur’s cold, golden gaze.

‘What is His Highness thinking? He’s so hard to read.’

After briefly glaring at Count Willem, Arthur leaned in and whispered softly so only Rosetta could hear.

“In return, could you keep me company for a moment?”

“Pardon?”

Rosetta’s dark eyes, which seemed to hold stars, wavered.

At one point, Arthur had thought those eyes were the most beautiful in the world. As such thoughts flitted through his mind, Arthur met her gaze directly.

“To be honest, I have many questions for the Saintess, but it’s difficult to ask because of the Duke. After all, she’s a married woman.”

“Oh! If that’s the case, I’ll help. What are you curious about? Ask me anything, Your Highness. You’ve been so kind to me.”

You’re still the same, Rosetta. Neither good nor evil, but somewhere in between. Hard to deceive, but easy to manipulate.

Arthur smiled gently, his eyes curving.

“Then shall we have tea together? I’ll have someone else deliver the flowers.”

“Wow, really? Tea with Your Highness?”

“Why not?”

As Rosetta beamed, Arthur led her down the corridor, their eyes meeting occasionally over the flower basket.

‘What a kind person. I’m so grateful that the Crown Prince remembers me, and now he’s inviting me for tea. Maya will faint when she hears this.’

“Count Willem.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Count Willem, who had been following at a distance, quickly stepped forward to take the flower basket. Arthur opened the door himself, holding the knob.

“This way.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The maids who were waiting inside approached to take Arthur’s coat. He guided Rosetta to the sitting room next to the bedroom and offered her a seat.

“Tea, is that alright?”

“Yes.”

Arthur called for the palace maids to prepare black tea and honey tea. Watching this, Rosetta asked absentmindedly,

“Do you like honey tea, Your Highness?”

“Oh, that’s for you, Miss Rosetta.”

“For me?”

Arthur’s hand briefly brushed hers as he placed it on the table, drawing her gaze. When she looked back at him, he was staring at her intently.

“I must admit, I’m very interested in you, Miss Rosetta.”

“……”