I Tamed the Monstrous Prince - Chapter 61
Chapter 61
“So, Cesar came to save me?” He sighed deeply and nodded. His gesture was so endearing that I giggled again.
“Thank you for waking me up.”
“Yes.”
We held each other for a long time. My eyelids grew heavy as my tension eased. I slowly lay down, burying my head in the pillow. A familiar warmth nestled against my side, a presence I had grown so accustomed to that its absence would feel strange.
Just moments ago, I was afraid to fall asleep, but now I felt at peace. I didn’t think I would have any more nightmares. And even if I did, Cesar would wake me. With that thought, I drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke to find Cesar’s side of the bed empty. His sudden disappearances were frequent enough that it no longer surprised me. I called for Delphina, who was waiting outside to help me get ready. As expected, Mercedes was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is Mrs. Aroncho?” Delphina offered a strained smile. I had told Mercedes I no longer needed her assistance, but it was still concerning that she hadn’t been seen since.
“They said the Madam hasn’t left her room all morning.”
“I see.”
This was the first I’d heard of her since our parting.
My gaze drifted. From what I’d observed, Mercedes was a quiet and demure woman. But she occasionally revealed unexpected facets, a deep darkness that often made those around her uneasy. I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was hiding another side of herself.
“What kind of person is Mrs. Aroncho?” Delphina’s hand, which had been wiping my face with a sponge, stopped abruptly. She lowered her head. She seemed to struggle to answer.
“The Madam is…” She hesitated, searching for the right words.
“Be honest with me.” I added, prompting her to continue.
“She cares deeply for His Highness.” Of course, we all knew that. Delphina knew I wasn’t looking for such obvious information. Her eyes trembled slightly.
“Sometimes, that love feels… excessive.”
“I see.” Excessive love. She had pinpointed exactly what I had felt. There must have been a reason for her to say such a thing.
“Has Mrs. Aroncho ever… caused any trouble?”
“That…” Delfina hesitated, her lips parting and closing before she spoke with sudden resolve. “Before Your Highness arrived at the palace, there were other betrothed.”
“Yes, there were.” I had momentarily forgotten. Cesar had betrothed—four of them, all dead. Her words reminded me that I was the fifth.
“I haven’t met all of them, but I’ve heard stories about how Mrs. Aroncho treated them.” The previous four betrothed had stayed at the palace before their weddings, ostensibly for bridal training. And each time, there had been friction with Mercedes.
“Especially the fourth candidate, the daughter of Marquis Peregrino. Mrs. Aroncho was furious when she caused a scene at the wedding ceremony.”
“A scene?”
“Yes, I heard she made a huge fuss, saying she couldn’t go through with the marriage.”
“Marquis Peregrino…” The Peregrinos were a prestigious noble family, rivals of the Flores. But the name felt familiar for another reason…
‘I, the only daughter of Marquis Peregrino, have to marry that imbecile!’
It was the name I had heard in my dream last night. And the situation matched what I had seen. Could that dream have been the Peregrino daughter’s memory? But how? Did that mean the dream wasn’t just a dream?
“She definitely said… Peregrino…” A chill ran down my spine as realization dawned. A wave of dizziness washed over me, and I groaned softly as my vision darkened. Cold sweat poured down my face.
“Your Highness, you’re pale.” Delphina, noticing my distress, quickly brought a vinaigrette bottle to my nose. The pungent smell of vinegar made my face scrunch up. It jolted me awake, but the unsettling feeling lingered.
“Th-thank you.” This had happened before. I had had these dreams before.
I looked into Delphina’s hazel eyes. It was the dream I had the night before she was falsely accused. Because of what I saw in that dream, I was able to identify the real culprit who stole the jewels.
Perhaps…
