Chapter 56
The Easy Man and the Difficult Woman
‘Oh, right! There’s going to be a royal banquet soon! The monster subjugation tournament’s sponsorship gala!’
That much, Kylian was right about.
Rather than wandering around a plaza full of commoners on a date, if they showed affection at a noble gathering like they were truly in love, that would be the perfect opportunity to spread convincing rumors.
Especially ones that would reach that author Andrea’s ears!
“Alright then, let’s practice right here.”
Kylian tilted his head slightly and tapped his cheek with his finger.
“R-right now?”
“Go ahead.”
“I-I mean, I get what you mean, but I need a moment to prepare my mind…”
“Oh? Then should I just keep doing it myself?”
“Fine, fine! Just—wait a second. Let me breathe. Haa… haa… haa…”
“Himena!”
“Yes, yes, I’m doing it!”
Smooch!!
A brief silence followed.
“Wh-what?”
“Haa… Himena, even kids don’t do it like that. That was just bumping lips—neither a peck nor a kiss.”
Kylian frowned in disbelief.
“Tch… fine. I’ll just do it again, then…”
Blushing furiously, Himena hesitated for a moment, then slowly leaned forward and planted a light kiss on his cheek.
Smooch!
“H-how was that?”
Her warm breath brushed pleasantly across his skin before her lips touched him, and Kylian’s lips curved faintly upward.
“Hmm… still not quite right. Try on this side.”
He pointed to his other cheek and turned his head.
“Alright, then this time…”
Himena pressed her lips together in determination and gently kissed his opposite cheek.
Smooch…
“Was that… better?”
Kylian smiled approvingly.
“Heh, you learn fast. Much better.”
“Really? Well, I do tend to pick things up quickly.”
Flushed and proud from the compliment, Himena beamed.
“Want to try again?”
“Yes!”
“Then this side.”
Just as Himena puckered her lips and leaned in again—
Whip!
Smooch!
“Huh?”
He’d turned his head on purpose, making their lips meet directly.
Himena froze.
“I’d like… permission for at least this much,” he murmured, cupping her face and gazing at her with longing.
“Y-you scammer! Liar!”
Whack!
“Ugh!”
Himena kicked his shin hard and ran to the corner of the sitting room.
“Himena! A scammer?”
Kylian rubbed his leg, utterly dumbfounded.
“You said you didn’t have much dating experience! You’re a total player! You lied! You’ve dated tons of women, haven’t you?”
Her face flushed crimson with anger.
“Ha!”
Kylian couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
‘Isn’t this the same woman who used to drag men onto balconies at every party? And now she’s blushing and throwing a fit over one little kiss?’
He sighed and approached her.
“Haa… Himena, I never lied to you. What makes you think otherwise? Because of a single kiss? In that case, you’re the one who…”
“I said it’s my first time! I’ve never done anything like that with a man before! And you just—without warning—!”
“What?”
Tears welled up in her eyes, trembling with emotion. There was no way she was acting.
“…I-I’m sorry. I acted impulsively…”
“Kissing on the lips is off limits! Even if it’s just acting! What if someone who actually likes you saw that? It would hurt them! I won’t hurt anyone just to make myself look good!”
Still flustered, she kept him at a distance. Kylian sank onto the sofa, rubbing his forehead.
“Himena… what are you talking about? Who’s this person that supposedly likes me? Who would get hurt if we pretend to be a couple? Who is she?”
“T-that’s…”
“You say the strangest things sometimes. Like you know the future, or like you’re from another world entirely. Sometimes… it’s like you’re not even the same person.”
“Gasp!”
Himena clamped a hand over her mouth, panicking.
‘Oh no! What have I done? Stupid! Idiot! You’re going to ruin everything!’
She bit her lip hard, unable to answer.
Watching her, Kylian suddenly remembered the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet.
That night, he’d only exchanged polite greetings with the extravagantly dressed Himena, ignoring her hopeful look as he spoke with other men about the monster tournament.
When he got bored and stepped into the palace garden, he overheard voices above him.
Looking up, he saw two figures on a second-floor balcony—Himena and Crown Prince Felix.
His face had instantly darkened.
‘So now she’s seducing the married Crown Prince too? Unbelievable.’
Disgusted, he had left immediately. Later, as he returned, Himena had called after him on the palace steps, saying she had something important to tell him—then confessed she loved him. He’d rejected her coldly, calling her disgusting.
And that led to the accident.
‘Did I really see them being affectionate that night? No… I think I left before anything happened. Seeing her so flustered by a simple kiss now… maybe I was completely wrong about her.’
Realizing that, he couldn’t bring himself to scold her further.
“Himena, I’m truly sorry. I shouldn’t have done that without asking. It won’t happen again.”
He apologized sincerely. She calmed down, fidgeting awkwardly.
“I-I’m sorry too… I might’ve overreacted…”
“…So you forgive me?”
“…Yes.”
“Then stop standing there and come closer, will you?”
Like a scolded child, she shuffled over hesitantly.
“Phew… Himena.”
He took her hands gently.
“My leg’s killing me.”
“What?”
“The one you kicked.”
“Ah! A-are you okay?”
Panicking, she bent to check, but he chuckled.
“Heh, no, it’s fine. But… as a peace offering, how about a hug?”
“Uh… sure. I can do that…”
He wrapped his arms around her waist from where he sat, and she awkwardly patted his head.
‘So I have to ask every single time, huh… this girl is going to drive me mad.’
He sighed, realizing this fake relationship might turn out to be an endurance trial.
“Himena… you really are a difficult woman.”
“Tch! What, did you think I’d be an easy one?”
“And me? Am I an easy man to you?”
He looked up at her.
‘You’re not an easy man… you’re someone else’s man. Someone I shouldn’t really get involved with…’
She pouted.
“Kyle’s… a bad man pretending to be easy.”
“What?”
“You know! Saying it’s ‘practice’ and then stealing someone’s first kiss like some flirt…”
“Ha! I can’t believe this.”
Grab!
“Huh?”
Kylian pulled her onto the sofa beside him, frowning.
“Enough. Before we worry about public image, we need to straighten out what we really think of each other.”
“Wh-what do you mean?”
“Come on—first I’m a ‘pretty boy,’ then a ‘pervert,’ now a ‘flirt’? What kind of reputation do I have with you?”
“T-that’s because… well, you act like it! And the pretty boy thing—I just heard that rumor! You talked about inking my butt, hugged me without warning, kissed me…”
“Oh, so you’re saying you believe rumors over the truth?”
“T-that’s not—”
“Then should I believe the rumors about you, too? That you behead your servants on a whim and summon men to your chambers every night to… mmpf!”
Himena gasped and clapped both hands over his mouth.
“T-that rumor… reached Acticos too?”
He nodded silently.
“Oh… hahaha. So that’s how it is… ha…”
Her soul looked like it had left her body.
“Hey, Kyle? If we ever have an engagement ceremony, can’t we just hold it quietly at my house? I don’t think I can go there. No. I refuse. I’m not going. When Lois and Mari get back, I swear…”
“Himena.”
He gently moved her hands aside and said calmly,
“I don’t believe those rumors. I know the woman in front of me isn’t like that. I’ll always trust what I see and experience myself, not gossip. And…”
He tilted her chin up to meet his gaze.
“If I love a woman, I don’t care how many men she’s been with or how far things went. What matters is whether the woman I love… loves me back.”
“Ah…”
Even through her embarrassment, Himena couldn’t help but be drawn in by the fierce, honest warmth in his eyes.
‘Inés must be so lucky… A man like this would love her sincerely, not just in words. Ugh, author, couldn’t you make more men like him and spread them around a bit?’
Her expression softened with a trace of sadness.
“I’m sorry, Kyle. I took the joke too far. I know you’re not that kind of person.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Now, what was next… ah, right. The ‘flirt’ accusation. Honestly, that one hurt the most.”
“No, I didn’t mean—”
“Himena, I want you to be honest with me. I’ll be honest too.”
At the word honest, Himena stiffened nervously.
