I Tamed the Monstrous Prince - Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Fear gripped me. I couldn’t explain why, but my fingertips tingled with tension, damp with sweat.
“There, all done.”
Mercedes was washing Cesar’s face, gently drying it with a towel. In that instant, the fissure, the hollow emptiness, vanished. A field of spring flowers bloomed in its place, a gentle breeze whispering through them, carrying no hint of danger.
“You promised Her Majesty, the Empress, didn’t you?” Mercedes asked, turning to tidy the washing utensils.
“Yes, Cesar and I agreed to attend the Empress’s ball in three months.”
“…The ball.” Her voice was flat, devoid of inflection, making it impossible to discern her emotions. I stared at her back.
“What are your plans for today?” she continued, still facing away.
“It’s time for breakfast. Starting today, I’ll be teaching Cesar etiquette.”
Her hands stopped abruptly.
“Etiquette?” The peaceful image shattered, replaced by a sharp edge. It was just a fleeting premonition, a suspicion, nothing more. I still didn’t know how to approach her.
“Yes, etiquette. Enough so he won’t be an embarrassment in public.”
Mercedes whipped around. What was that look in her eyes? A strange silence fell, and I wondered what I had said to provoke her.
“I see.”
Her expression softened. Greenery sprouted, covering the great fissure with grass, flowers, and trees. The spring breeze returned. But now, the vast, vibrant landscape no longer felt safe. There were dangers lurking within such beauty, vipers, predators, bottomless bogs.
I wet my dry lips and spoke, forcing brightness into my voice, “Yes, it will be fine.”
These words, meant for Mercedes, were also meant for myself. ‘I will be fine. I always am. I can overcome this.’
“Is that so?” Mercedes replied calmly, her expression carefully neutral. But the implication was clear, she didn’t like it. She hid it well, but that was the message in her face.
***
The Empress had given me three months. Not a long time, but not too short either. Just enough time to barely, precariously, construct a semblance of a person.
Defining what constitutes a person is a complex philosophical question, one not easily answered. But I knew what would satisfy Cornelia.
‘What you mentioned. If Cesar can walk on two legs, use tools, and speak.’
That was it. Those were her conditions for humanity. It seemed daunting, but in a way, it was simple. Just three things. Not easy, but not hopeless either.
At least Cornelia hadn’t demanded a philosophical debate, an impromptu poem, or a jousting championship. Just a minimum of human-like behavior.
Three months. I didn’t expect perfection by then. So, I needed one thing, deception. A brief illusion for the duration of the ball.
We were royalty, honored guests. We wouldn’t be glued to our seats the entire time. I wasn’t an expert on balls, but I could imagine the general proceedings.
Greet people, sit and eat, smile. Appearances were key. People judged based on what they saw. Cultivate the surface. Smooth the rough edges, file them down until they were polished, like freshly manicured nails.
