The Princeliest Prince of All - Chapter 38
To make Leticia anxious… what a terrible thing to do.
Theodoric reflected on his clumsy actions.
“I was looking for a flower.”
“Looking for a flower?”
Leticia’s eyes widened. He had already bought so many flowers, and yet he was still searching for more?
But Theodoric had only one purpose from the start.
“You told me before, remember? When you were a child, you saw a golden flower by the sea, that it was the most beautiful thing you had ever seen.”
“Ah…”
A short sigh escaped Leticia’s lips.
Had they ever talked about that?
She barely even remembered it, a fleeting comment from long ago. But Theodoric hadn’t let it slip past him.
He had kept it in his heart all this time, and as soon as spring arrived, he had gone searching for that flower.
Through endless inquiries, he had managed to learn its name—but he hadn’t been able to find the actual flower.
So every day, he had visited a new shop, buying flowers while asking about it. The countless bouquets he purchased couldn’t be brought home, so he sent them to the Imperial Palace instead. After all, the Crown Prince had recently taken an interest in gardening—surely he could make use of them.
After searching tirelessly, he had finally found a clue.
Since all the traveling performers had gathered in the capital for the festival, someone among them might have brought plants from their homeland—even if it wasn’t for sale, it might be used as decoration.
“I wanted to present it to you properly…”
He had gone to look for a gift shop, but before he could, guards had suddenly surrounded him.
Treason? At first, he had thought it was a ridiculous misunderstanding, but perhaps he had brought it upon himself.
With the feeling of confessing a crime, Theodoric revealed what he had been hiding behind his back—a small potted plant.
“Is this the flower you remember?”
There was only one flower, but countless tiny, star-shaped blossoms clustered together, forming a round bouquet.
Just as Leticia had remembered—like stardust gathered from the night sky.
Her golden eyes, reflecting the same light, filled with shimmering tears.
“Theo!”
She threw herself into his arms.
Theodoric nearly dropped the flowerpot in surprise but quickly smiled and embraced her.
At that very moment, the sun dipped behind the hills, dyeing the sky a golden hue.
It was a breathtaking sight.
Sera flapped her hands in silent applause.
That’s a proper male lead moment. Just when you think he’s forgotten, he does something like this. Bravo!
Watching Theodoric’s hand clutching the flowerpot, Sera was reminded of Leonard.
He wasn’t as dashing or perfect as a male lead, but to her, he was the most precious man in the world.
Unlike in the past, when even a single blade of grass was rare in the Crown Prince’s palace, now, every spring, the gardens bloomed with flowers.
This year was no exception—the gardeners worked tirelessly, planting and tending to the trees.
And every year, Leonard suffered through his springtime headaches as if having a seizure.
Yet, he never once ordered the gardens to be torn down.
Even with a face twisted in misery, he still took Sera’s hand and went on walks with her.
Sera thought she might know where that seaside Leticia had spoken of was.
She had only gone once with Leonard to a royal villa by the sea. He had grimaced the entire time while walking on the sand, flatly refusing to set even a toe in the water.
So in the end, she had pushed him in.
Even now, he shuddered whenever he remembered it—but he had never gotten mad about it.
It had only been half a day since they separated, but the main couple looked like they had no intention of ever parting again.
As Sera stood watching them blankly, a familiar presence approached her from behind.
She didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was.
Leonard stopped a step away from her.
“Sera, let’s go home.”
Sera slowly turned around.
She had been wondering when he’d show up—he was a bit late.
Since she had only one place to go after storming out, he must have stopped by the manor first before searching for her.
Leonard couldn’t quite meet her eyes and kept his gaze lowered.
After Sera had run away, he hadn’t immediately chased after her.
Instead, he had gone to the nursery.
He had watched as the nanny changed Adrian’s dirty diaper, then gently wiped the baby’s tiny hands and the drool at the corner of his lips.
That was all he could manage.
Yet, even so, Adrian had smiled brightly at him.
Their beautiful, precious child.
Leonard was convinced—at least Adrian’s soul took after Sera more than him.
He wanted to be a better person.
That was a common thought when in love, but for him, it was a desperate wish.
Because having Sera by his side still felt like a miracle.
“I’ll try harder—”
“Don’t overdo it.”
At Sera’s cool response, Leonard’s already-shriveled confidence deflated even further.
If even he felt frustrated, how exasperated must she be?
Maybe she really was starting to fall out of love.
Seeing how crushed he looked, Sera sighed and continued in a grumbling tone.
“I said, don’t overdo it. I already know.”
Leonard lifted his gaze.
His eyes, wide with disbelief, locked onto hers.
Sera opened her arms wide.
As if pulled by an invisible force, Leonard stepped forward without hesitation.
He wrapped his arms around her tightly.
At that moment, nothing else mattered.
Sera buried her face against his chest.
He smelled faintly like a baby.
It hadn’t even been half a day since they had parted.
But neither of them seemed to have any intention of letting go.
With a deep sigh, the guard captain ordered his men to disperse.
The imperial knights, who had been watching, simply sat down on the ground, resigned.
Sera suddenly wondered.
Do we look as beautiful to others as the main couple does?
But then again…
Even if we don’t, it doesn’t really matter.
Because the world they saw together was already beautiful enough.
