The Prince's Taste - Chapter 3.5
As Richard comforted Judy Esther, he pondered whether he should take a few more laps around the hall. He needed her to sober up a bit; entering the room in this state would only lead to the worst possible outcomes. After waiting five years, what’s thirty more minutes? Walking was the best way to sober up.
“Your Highness?”
At the familiar, teasing voice, Richard slightly lowered his head. Standing beneath his line of sight was Countess Ingrid, the social butterfly of Adrian’s high society.
“Countess Ingrid, it’s been a while.”
“I’ve been standing here the whole time. But then again, would you have even noticed me with your attention fixed on Lady Emers? Hohoho.”
Given Richard’s height of over six feet (183 cm), it was no wonder that he might not have noticed the diminutive Countess Ingrid, who barely reached five feet (152 cm). However, despite her small stature, the intriguing stories that reached Countess Ingrid’s ears were said to travel all the way to Adrian’s remote areas before the next sunrise. Looking up at him with curious eyes while fanning herself, it was clear that by tomorrow, news of their romance would spread throughout the kingdom, and by the end of the National Founding Day would reach neighboring countries across the border.
“When did you become so close with Lady Emers, Hohoho?”
Richard hesitated to answer easily. He was committing an irreversible act but still didn’t know Judy Esther’s true feelings. With his power, it would be easy to claim her as his woman.
That was typically how royal seats were filled.
However, every time his father took another wife or half-brothers were born, Richard had witnessed his mother’s tears. The queen should not be jealous of her husband’s women, nor should the king favor one woman over another; thus, he assigned nights according to a schedule. Every time this ritual was carried out, his father suffered because the woman he loved was his mother. Yet because his mother’s family lacked the political influence expected of a queen, the king had no choice but to accept daughters of high-ranking nobles as consorts. It was the king’s duty to the crown; for the stability and prosperity of the royal family, many offspring had to be produced. His father dutifully fulfilled this obligation, but it left Richard with half-siblings constantly eyeing his position.
Richard knew that if he were not significantly superior to them, he might have struggled to keep his position. With a mother who only looked at him and half-brothers vying for his place, he often felt suffocated by the pressure weighing on his shoulders.
‘If only Lady Emers could become the Crown Princess, I’d have no greater wish’
With those passing words from his mother, Richard became aware of Judy Esther’s existence. She was the same lady that even the mothers of the second and third princes had in mind as a potential princess consort.
Truthfully, he hadn’t been interested at first. It didn’t matter who became the crown princess; after all, political marriages were all the same.
‘She’s disappeared again.’
While everyone was trying to curry favor with him, the crown prince, there was one young lady who vanished like the wind. At first, he thought it might be his imagination, but over time, it became undeniable.
‘Could she really be avoiding me?’
Even on the day of the National Founding Day Ball, Judy Esther would mysteriously disappear from the hall as soon as he arrived. The lady whom his mother had chosen as his match, Judy Esther Emers, the Marquis’ daughter, known as Adrian’s fairy, would flinch whenever their eyes met and quickly vanish—like a mouse fleeing from a cat.
Initially, it had been curiosity; then it turned into stubborn determination. For five years, they had been playing this game of chase and hide. Finally, he held her in his arms.
“Just think of me as one of the men who adore Judy.”
“Oh my, I didn’t realize even Your Highness is an ‘Ayosa’.”
He recalled that ‘Ayosa’ was a term coined for the young men who admired Adrian’s fairy.
“But it seems Your Highness is a man of action. The old saying holds true: the brave win the beautiful.”
Countess Ingrid fanned herself while glancing around the hall. The expressions of those she referred to as ‘members’ were quite entertaining to her.
“…That’s absurd. My fairy…”
The voice of the second prince, a fervent member of ‘Ayosa,’ could be heard. Today, dressed sharply, he kept muttering in disbelief.
“Second Brother, please tell me I’m seeing things wrong. Why is my Judy Esther in Big Brother’s arms?”
The anguished cry of the third prince, another enthusiastic member of ‘Ayosa,’ followed suit.
“Judy, didn’t you say you disliked royals?!”
“Not only that, but he’s also the crown prince! Judy Esther, please, come to your senses!” Richard’s half-brothers shouted at her. It seemed she had rejected them simply because they were royalty. It was amusing to see them shout so loudly that veins bulged in their necks; after all, royalty is still royalty.
Judy Esther rolled her eyes with a sulky expression. Then she pouted her lips and muttered,
“Well, it’s not like I can resist a handsome face, can I?”
“You think I’m handsome?”
With slightly dazed eyes, Judy Esther’s dreamy gaze fixed on him. Her expression was answer enough. Aside from his golden eyes, which were a hallmark of royalty, his handsome features were clearly inherited from his mother, who had been the most beautiful woman in Adrian.
“Your face is everybody’s ideal type.”
Judy Esther murmured, her voice trailed off as she added,”It would be perfect if you weren’t royalty…”
“Big brother won her over with his face.”
“Judy, I have the same face as him. Look at me.”
