The Princeliest Prince of All - Chapter 9
“Still… this is too much.”
“If you feel like vomiting, let me know. I’ll move away immediately.”
Saying that now, if she did move away, he’d really look like a weakling who throws up easily.
Leonard nodded and walked stiffly.
The two walked arm in arm past the palace boundaries.
Leonard felt the same dizziness and nausea as always.
Being outside added labored breathing and a rapid, strong heartbeat.
He worried about the embarrassing possibility of fainting.
Leonard’s uneasy golden eyes glanced at Sera’s profile.
Sera wasn’t looking at him but at the garden.
The garden was filled with red and yellow flowers blooming on the branches.
The wind carried their fragrance and pollen.
Leonard turned his head away.
“There are flowers in the greenhouse at the back.”
“What?”
What was this sudden talk about flowers?
Was he suggesting she go there and inhale all the pollen so it wouldn’t fly around?
Sera stared intently at Leonard’s profile.
His face and neck were flushed, possibly due to allergies, and he cleared his rough throat.
“You don’t have to come all the way here to see flowers.”
“Oh, yes.”
Sure, the esteemed prince could say that.
But the flowers Sera sought weren’t in the greenhouse at the prince’s palace.
She came to see Leticia, who bloomed in the princess’s palace for only a brief time each morning and afternoon.
“Oh, hide!”
Sera stomped her feet and suddenly pushed Leonard against the building’s outer wall.
She puckered her lips and brought a finger to them, whispering a soft shh.
Leonard couldn’t get angry at her for touching a royal’s body without permission.
It was the task he had given her.
Moreover, his gaze was fixed on a single point.
Her small, red lips were opening slightly, showing glimpses of her red tongue.
“Achoo!”
Sera sneezed loudly, spraying Leonard’s chin with saliva droplets.
Leonard’s face turned pale with disbelief.
What was on his face now was someone else’s saliva, spit.
This was madness.
“Oh no, Your Highness! I’m so sorry!”
Sera hastily pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket.
It was a new one she had made after Leonard confiscated the previous one, with mint green leaves embroidered on it.
The soft, clean cloth carefully wiped Leonard’s face.
Leonard suddenly became aware of the warmth of Sera’s fingers through the thin fabric.
“I’m so sorry! Your face looks like it’s going to burst. Do you feel like throwing up? Do you want to wipe it yourself?”
Seeing Leonard’s face turning completely red, Sera quickly handed over the handkerchief.
Even through the brief contact, Sera’s warmth was transmitted.
Despite the gloves and handkerchief, not a bit of bare skin touched.
Leonard couldn’t understand why he suddenly missed the feel of someone else’s skin, which had always disgusted him.
Sera’s gaze shifted away from the dazed Leonard, who was still holding the handkerchief to his chin.
Seeing the back of her head, Leonard felt a surge of anger.
How dare she turn away after splattering spit on a prince?
“You.”
“Shh! Shh! Be quiet.”
Sera quickly turned back and almost covered Leonard’s mouth with her hand before lowering it again.
Why?
Why didn’t she cover his mouth?
Leonard’s eyes followed Sera’s gaze.
Under the blue sky, in the middle of the garden, was a tea table with a white canopy.
And sitting under it was Leonard’s sister, Leticia.
Sera quickly pulled Leonard behind some bushes.
Leonard couldn’t understand why they had to hide from the princess in her palace.
Sera, glancing at Leonard, hesitantly spoke.
“Well, since you followed me here, I might as well tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Please pretend you didn’t see what you’re about to see.”
Sera said with a very serious expression.
Could she really be a spy planted by someone?
It seemed unlikely that Sera, who had spent five quiet years in the palace eating cookies, would do such a thing.
Or maybe it was because the Brandt family was so poor?
“You’re not planning to steal something, are you?”
Steal?
Sera, who had never even connected to someone else’s wifi, jumped at Leonard’s absurd suspicion.
She only wanted to keep Leticia’s secret romance hidden, but now there was this ridiculous misunderstanding.
“Are you insane… No, I mean uh, Your Imperial Highness, you are gravely mistaken. It’s nothing like that, so please promise.”
Despite Sera’s calm explanation, Leonard remained suspicious.
A handsome man staring intently made her heart flutter slightly, but the golden eyes she wanted to see were behind her.
Not here.
“If you don’t promise, I’ll resign immediately.”
“I promise.”
“Then let’s pinky swear. Or, since you can’t, just consider it done.”
Sera turned back quickly.
Leonard slowly lowered his outstretched pinky.
Sera was looking at the tea table where Leticia sat.
There was only one guard with her instead of maids.
What was his name again?
“Dimetric.”
“It’s Sir Theodoric.”
“Like I care.”
Sera gave Leonard a disdainful look for getting the name of the male lead wrong.
Well, he didn’t even know the names of the maids in his own palace, so it was understandable.
