“It’s not strange that you don’t know. It’s not an easy skill to develop.”
The Emperor said proudly. Dalia tilted her head.
“In short, I lent you some power. It’s an interference to prevent Dalia’s power from being manifested to anyone. You can’t be wary of anyone you touch when you don’t know who you’re going to meet right?”
The Emperor took a plain-looking silver ring from the drawer and gave it to Dalia.
“It’s power is connected to this ring. If Miss Dalia wants to purify your brother or me, you can take off this ring and touch us.”
“Th, thank you!”
Dalia immediately took off her gloves and put the ring on the second finger of her right hand.
It was really a necessary item for her. She was frustrated since she couldn’t take off the gloves even during the hot summer.
“Hikan can’t make anything like this right?”
Contrary to his playful tone, the Emperor’s gaze was warm.
He stroked Dalia’s head a few times and looked at Hikan while raising one eyebrow. Hikan couldn’t say anything this time either.
The Emperor looked down at Dalia again.
“You’re going to greet Cedric, aren’t you? I’ll tell the servant, so you can follow him. Hikan, you stay.”
“……I can’t let Dalia go alone.”
“You think I’m doing this because I want the two of them to get closer? I need to talk to you about something else, so come here.”
“…….”
Hikan looked at the Emperor suspiciously.
But can he disobey the Emperor’s orders? Dalia tapped Hikan on the back and signaled him to go.
And before he could say anything, she hurriedly bowed to the Emperor and left the room.
As Dalia closed the door and walked out, Hikan’s expression became cold.
“Are you trying to tie them together this way?”
He touched his forehead in frustration.
“You don’t seem to believe it, but Cedric is not the man who can succeed in a love marriage in the first place. From the moment Miss Dalia said so, the engagement is a failure. I have to find another way to save my son.”
“…….”
“That child, he doesn’t have the emotions that normal humans should have.”
The Emperor seemed to have no idea that Cedric had already declared ‘I fell in love for the first time’ towards Dalia.
Hikan decided to keep it a secret forever.
“Cedric is…….”
Meanwhile, the Emperor began to tell Cedric’s story, which Hikan did not ask, maybe it was his parents’ instinct that eager to talk about his son.
Anyway, it wasn’t a bad story to hear. Instead of stopping him, Hikan focused and began to listen to the Emperor.
* * *
Dalia followed the servant to the Imperial Palace’s greenhouse.
There was no need to wear gloves anymore because of the ring given by the Emperor. But even if that’s not the reason, it was difficult to guard against a person who did not go mad or imprisoned in the original.
Besides, he even helped Dalia and Hikan.
Cedric was reading a book inside the greenhouse. Then he looked at her and closed the book.
Dalia was amazed looking at his appearance.
Last time, she was so distracted that she didn’t realize, but being surrounded by ivy circling from under the greenhouse’s pillars and flowers hanging on the branches, he looks so unreal as if he was a figure in a famous painting.
“Hi, Dalia.”
“Hello, Your Highness Prince Cedric.”
When Dalia tried to show her courtesy, he held her back.
“You don’t have to do that. What are you doing here?”
“Back then…… thank you for your help.”
Cedric smiled furtively.
“Really? That’s not a big deal. Anyway, come sit down. I’ll have them bring something sweet that you’ll like.”
He called for a servant and gave the instructions. Then he looked at Dalia and said.
“Because all the chefs at the palace have their own job.”
“Ah…….”
She needs to refuse.
‘Adrisha told me to not get close to this person.’
However, Cedric’s attitude wasn’t different from what she saw before, and it was just refreshing.
‘Adrisha is not someone who would misunderstand…….’
But it’s not polite to turn down the dessert the Prince gives her.
In this situation, Dalia slightly hated herself for trying to rationalize just for dessert.
But it’s been too long since she had something sweet, as recently her nanny worried about the cavities and has strictly restricted sweets. Besides, the Imperial Palace’s desserts are of the highest quality.…..it’s going to be delicious!
The dessert was really delicious, it made her want to cry. Although it was small enough to fit in one bite, it was Dalia’s favorite.
Dalia ate everything in no time, from chocolate with whipped cream to sour sherbet with lemon scented.
Cedric continued to read the book that he was reading before while Dalia was eating dessert, and smiled slightly when he confirmed that she had finished.
“Do you want more?”
“N, no. It’s okay!”
There was silence again. Cedric went through the book again.
‘Was it a misunderstanding……?’
Dalia suddenly felt embarrassed. Feeling like she had to talk to him for some reason, she spoke first.
“The book that you’re reading……may I ask what book it is?”
Cedric looked at Dalia. And he glanced at the cover of the book and replied.
“Ah, this one? It’s a romance novel.”
“……what?”
It was a completely unexpected answer. Why would he read a romance novel?
Cedric said, flipping through several pages.
“I used to wonder what kind of stupid people do that…… I think I know now.”
“Re, really?”
“Yes.”
Cedric looked at Dalia and showed his eye smile. Then he closed the book he was reading and put it down.
Somehow she thought that she had asked the wrong question. An ominous feeling crept up on Dalia’s back.
She really wanted to run away, but she couldn’t get up right away since she ate the dessert.
Cedric said with a still refreshing smile.
“Dalia, there’s no time to lose, so I’ll tell you right away.”
“…….”
“Marry me.”
Dalia stiffened.
‘Adrisha! You were right!’
This guy is weird!
Dalia laughed awkwardly and immediately pulled back her hand.
“I, I don’t think that’s possible.”
“Why?”
Cedric said with a look of pure ignorance.
“I want to have a romantic love marriage.”
“Isn’t the premise of marriage always accompanied by love?”
When he said that with a smile as if he had no idea, her mind was in a daze.
Dalia had a hunch right away. She can’t communicate with this person. If it doesn’t work, she has no choice but to speak straightforwardly.
‘Can I do that to the prince?’
Such common-sense questions arose, but Dalia quickly shook her head.
“Th, the Emperor is on my side!’
No matter what she says here, he’ll take her side. Dalia concluded and said to him.
“Prince Cedric is not my taste.”
“What’s your taste then? I’ll fix it.”
“…….”
She was speechless again.
As Cedric tried to open his mouth again, Dalia hurriedly cut him off. She has to describe a man who can’t be Cedric!
“I, I like people that are like humans!”
“……Human?”
For the first time Cedric frowned.
“I don’t know what that means. Can you give me an example?”
“…… fi, first!”
“Uh-huh.”
“You have to know how to see other people’s pain and know how to share it together!”
One of Cedric’s eyebrows went up.
“Then?”
“And if you think a child will be hit by a carriage, you should save him instead of just watching it.”
“When he has nothing to do with me?”
“Yes!”
Cedric had a look on his face that shows that he didn’t understand. Dalia continues on with this momentum.
“And you have to know how to love others!”
“Love? Is it okay if I love someone other than you?”
Honestly, she wondered what was wrong with him, but Dalia tried to talk to him so that he could understand as much as possible.
“N, not like that, but human being……together…… more like transcendent…….”
“…….”
Cedric’s expression was still ambiguous. But there’s nothing more to say. Dalia swept her chest with ease.
“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about.”
‘……Of course you are.’
Dalia thought to herself.
Cedric will never understand such a thing. As the original suggests, he lacks many things that a normal person should have.
“So that’s why, prince is not my…… ”
“So you can teach me from now on.”
“……what?”
“Tell me what living like a human being is, from now on.”
Cedric rested on his chin and grinned.
