The Prince's Taste - Chapter 4.9
“Do you know my father?”
Judy Esther had never told the man her name or her family background. Seeing his brazen expression, it seemed he had known who she was from the start and had approached her with that knowledge.
“No, rather than that, why are you treating me like this? What do you want from me?”
If he suggested a night together, she thought she would kick him in the shins even if it meant having her head separated from her body. Judy Esther tensed her toes.
After two days of Richard’s relentless passion, her body was in no condition. This secondary male character would likely be no less, given his status. Even if she was a villainess, if he thought he could take advantage of her with tricks he wouldn’t dare try on the heroine, she would make sure to give him a hard time.
It was also a reliable death route for a villainess to fall for a secondary male character and surrender her body and mind. Judy Esther decided that as soon as she got home, she would pack her bags and leave Adrian without hesitation. There was no need to stick around to see the ending. Now that the secondary male character had appeared before her, she had no idea what kind of situation lay ahead. It was wise to escape first and think later.
“Shall we eat first?”
“Why should I eat with a man I don’t know?”
“Then get to know me first.”
What kind of logic is this? It’s clear why he became a supporting male character despite having a great physique. Or is it because I’m not the heroine? Does it make sense for someone who isn’t the heroine to be treated like this?
“Aren’t you even a little curious about my name?”
“No!”
Absolutely not. More than anything, she didn’t want to get entangled with another man.
The silver-haired man looked baffled, as if he had never been treated this way by a woman before. Judy Esther snorted and opened her mouth.
“Don’t say something cliché like, ‘This is the first time I’ve been treated like this.’”
“I’m also surprised. I’ve met a woman who’s given me so many firsts.”
The man’s expression relaxed slowly, amused. Except for his hair and eye color, he was almost a copy-paste of Richard. Why do the male leads in romance novels all seem so similar?
“Now I’m curious. What’s your type?”
“A muscular man, a swordmaster, plus, a civil servant.”
Judy Esther strongly emphasized, “You’re not it!” No matter how she looked at him, he was dark, fit, and far from being a civil servant.
“Ah, then I’m not that guy either.”
Something seemed amusing, and her lips twitched.
“You don’t think so, do you?”
“Why do you think not?”
“Because you’re not a knight, you’re not a civil servant, and besides, the muscles I want are…..”
The man, seeing Judy Esther squirm, playfully patted his chest with a mischievous look on his face.
“I can show you if you want.”
“I’ll pass.”
Judy Esther arched an eyebrow and looked him up and down. Would she fall for it once and then again? The mention of showing off his muscles reminded her of how she had been trapped in the crown prince’s palace for two days and two nights.
Now that she thought about it, Richard’s muscles were quite impressive. Judy Esther suddenly squeezed her eyes shut as Richard’s physique overlapped with the man’s in her mind. While this man might be similar, she didn’t particularly want to confirm it.
“Also, a woman like you is a first.”
“Yes, I’m a bit special. But please don’t fall for me. It’s complicated.”
She had to double down to survive, and Richard alone was already too much to handle.
The man found her words amusing and started laughing loudly. After laughing for a while, he said, “You’re the first woman ever to make me laugh like this.”
Judy Esther snorted, thinking, “This guy really likes firsts, huh.”
* * *
Meanwhile, Richard returned to the crown prince’s palace after attending a luncheon for foreign dignitaries with the king.
“Where is Lady Emers?”
“She said she wasn’t feeling well and went back to the marquisate.”
Hans, who had rushed to Richard’s room upon hearing of his return, reported as calmly as possible,
“Did you confirm that she safely entered the marquisate?”
“The Shadows followed her. If you wish, I can have them report to you immediately.”
Hans bowed his head, subtly exhaling the breath he had stifled under Richard’s suffocating presence. He could sense the rising tension in the air—the Crown Prince wasn’t bothering to hide his displeasure. As Hans’s voice trailed off, Richard’s gaze sharpened even further. Hans felt like he was about to die.
As Richard walked out of the room and down the corridor, he pulled out a communication device from his b****t pocket that allowed him to contact the Shadows. The device flickered to life.
“……”
Richard stopped walking. On the wall where his portrait had once hung, a strange painting was now in its place. It depicted a dark-faced man with his hands pressed on his cheeks, mouth agape as he screamed, his body twisted in an undulating motion, reminiscent of a monster.
This painting definitely hadn’t been there this morning.
