Weeping Men: The Innocent Princess's Secret Delight - Chapter 1.7
Judith’s words and actions were all taken as intended. The knights fell into the delusion that the Princess had been observing them and became giddy.
“….”
Kaizen didn’t add any words to their conversation. But his sharpened gaze made it clear that his mood had soured.
This should be enough groundwork. Now it’s time to reel in the fishing line she had cast.
“Excuse me, Sir Pentmian.”
Kaizen responded to Judith’s call.
“What are your orders, Your Highness?”
“Do you see that shop at the end of the alley?”
“Yes.”
“That’s a cake shop that’s become famous by word of mouth recently.”
“I’ll escort you there.”
“No! No. I don’t want to disrupt the atmosphere by all of us going together. So, if it’s alright…”
“Would you like me to purchase and bring it back for you instead?”
“Yes… I heard that the shop owner admires you, Sir Pentmian! Wouldn’t it be nice if it could be a gift-like encounter for the owner too?”
“…”
Kaizen didn’t answer readily. It seemed less that he didn’t want to go, and more that he was reluctant to leave Judith alone with these men.
“I’ll stay right here and won’t go anywhere!”
Judith deliberately put on an even more innocent expression.
“Please be careful. I’ll be back shortly.”
Finally, Kaizen accepted the order with a sigh.
As expected, as soon as Kaizen was out of sight, the knights became more aggressive.
“Have you really never played splashing in water before?”
“Hmm. No. I suppose not?”
“Then, perhaps, we know a good place nearby for playing. How about it? We’ll ensure your safety without a single scratch.”
If Judith hadn’t been constantly pretending to be gentle, she would have frowned at that last comment. It was such a crude invitation, showing no sense of propriety or situational awareness.
‘Why would I want to sneak off with you for some fun?’
While inwardly making such scathing remarks, outwardly she skillfully displayed hesitation and concern.
“That sounds fun! But right now… isn’t it a bit inappropriate? I made a promise with Sir Pentmian too…”
“When will you have another chance to come out like this? We’ll make up some excuse to the captain, so Your Highness can just act as you please.”
They showed not the slightest respect for their organization’s leader. Judith praised her own judgment.
‘I chose well with these guys who’ll be of no help to the knighthood.’
When her plan to entrap Kaizen succeeds, these bait-like figures won’t be able to remain in the knighthood.
“I really shouldn’t.”
She refused gently but firmly. They too knew their limits and didn’t push further.
“Your Highness. Did you find your pendant?”
Instead, they approached from a different angle. Judith almost clicked her tongue.
‘They should have brought that up earlier.’
That’s why she deliberately sent Kaizen away too. While inwardly chiding them, she continued her act outwardly with perfect nonchalance.
“No…”
“Could it perhaps be a teardrop-shaped topaz pendant?”
“That’s right!”
“I’m glad. It seems we’ve found the item Your Highness was looking for.”
The knight grinned as he met Judith’s sparkling eyes. Then he took out the pendant from inside his jacket.
Judith put on an expression of great delight, then suddenly turned her back.
“Would you put it on for me?”
Before they could even be surprised, she lifted her hair, revealing her neck.
As her loose-fitting robe slipped down, Judith’s neckline and back were fully exposed.
“….”
The sound of breathing behind her grew rough.
She had planned this from the start, wearing a low-back dress under a loose robe when she came out.
But even though she had anticipated it, having the lust of unwanted individuals pouring over her was quite unpleasant. Judith endured it with effort.
“…Your Highness…”
After a while, a response came. Along with a voice heated with excitement, a hand was urgently reaching for Judith’s bare skin when—
“What insolence is this.”
“Aaagh!”
Kaizen, who had approached like the wind, grabbed the knight’s outstretched arm and twisted it upwards. There was a chilling sound of bone breaking.
“Sir Pentmian?!”
“Sir, step aside! Didn’t Her Highness give us permission?!”
The blinded knights, not even recognizing their superior, protested roughly.
‘What permission?’
Judith, who had only intended to encourage them a little, felt a chill.
If Kaizen had been just a bit later, she might have been violated by these three men right here in this open street.
It seems Kaizen also hadn’t expected the knights to lose their judgment to this extent. Even more enraged, he spoke through gritted teeth.
“Who do you think stands before you right now?”
Killing intent flowed out in streams. It was raw killing intent, too much for ordinary knights who had never even bloodied their swords in real combat to handle.
They shrank back in an instant. In the meantime, Kaizen snatched the pendant and handed it to Judith along with the cake, warning her:
“It would be better if you refrain from making personal requests to subordinates in the future.”
“Umm…”
Having also been intimidated by the killing intent Kaizen was emitting, she was able to produce a much more natural face of disappointment and embarrassment.
“You’ve achieved your purpose, so it would be best to return now.”
“I understand…”
As Judith’s head drooped down, this is what she was thinking:
‘Even his angry look is sexy…’
***
Upon returning from his duty of escorting the Princess, Kaizen immediately started on his paperwork. However, his pen tip stopped almost every three minutes, making progress slow.
Kaizen eventually buried his head on the desk, ruffling his hair as he muttered.
“I overstepped…”
The day’s events kept bothering him.
‘I wonder if she was displeased? She must have been… The fault lay with those guys, yet I only reprimanded Her Highness…’
He was deeply regretful of his handling of the situation. He wanted to rectify it if given the chance.
But it wouldn’t do for a direct descendant of the Pentmian Ducal family to belatedly correct and apologize for past actions. Kaizen had to struggle to force himself to fit into what he had been taught by his family.
‘Besides, there’s no way I could see Her Highness just because I want to rectify what happened earlier today.’
As he was stewing over various reasons, there was a knock. The sound came not from the door, but from the window.
Kaizen’s demeanor changed instantly.
Could a visitor who couldn’t make an official visit and was trying to sneak in through the window possibly be a normal visitor?
‘No way.’
