Chapter 06:
As the bell rang, I could feel spiritual power slowly settling into my body.
I have to control it!
I have to suppress everything I see and hear—no one can find out!
If I lose consciousness here, I might really end up locked in some kind of hospital.
I crossed my arms tightly around myself and forced my trembling shoulders to stay still.
Strange visions flashed through my mind, and I could even hear voices.
Following those sounds, I let out a trembling cry.
“No… don’t…!”
“Giselle?”
Back then, I had only pretended to be a possessed child, but when my mother performed the initiation ritual for me, she said that one day I would follow the will of the spirits.
Otherwise, my body would suffer…
She didn’t want me to share her fate.
But isn’t that how life goes?
Living exactly the way you want… is incredibly difficult.
“Giselle? Your Highness?”
I faintly heard Adrian calling me.
A vision?
Why do I see him crying?
Who is he holding…? A woman?
I pressed my trembling hands against the table and forced myself to stand up.
Then I reached out toward the small bell in Prince Benjamin’s hand.
“May I have that? The sound is giving me a headache.”
Benjamin glanced at the Queen, and when she nodded, he handed me the bell.
I gripped it tightly so it wouldn’t ring and finally let out a shaky breath as I sat back down.
“…Ha… the bell I was looking for… I found it.”
Then I pressed a hand to my chest and looked at the Queen and Benjamin apologetically.
“Mother, I’m sorry for startling you. And Benjamin, I’m sorry too. I wasn’t angry… when I fell from the horse, I heard a bell sound. The horse stopped suddenly and I fell, so… I still get scared.”
Benjamin nodded and replied in a cute voice,
“That makes sense, noona. I choked on grapes once, so I don’t like grapes anymore.”
“Thank you for understanding!”
As I let out another breath, Father looked worried, and Lucas lightly tapped my shoulder, checking my condition.
“Are you feeling unwell again?”
“No, I’m fine. Please continue eating, Father, Brother.”
As I steadied my breathing, I felt someone’s gaze and looked toward Adrian.
Why is he frowning again?
Is he worried… or does he just dislike me?
Feeling uncomfortable under his attention, I tried to change the mood.
“Why aren’t you eating at all? Do you have a better chef at home than ours?”
Adrian replied in a calmer tone than before.
“No. I’ve eaten enough. Are you… still unwell?”
“Well, I’ve never been that healthy to begin with.”
“……”
“Sir Adrian, if this makes you uncomfortable, you can refuse to attend gatherings like this. I’ll continue to respect you as my brother’s friend, but meeting like this must be difficult for you too.”
Maybe I was being a little spiteful—because I remembered the vision of him crying while holding another woman.
He’s not even my man, so it shouldn’t matter…
But seeing someone so cold toward me, yet so emotional with someone else—it left a bad taste.
***
“Huh? Adrian, why are you coming out of His Majesty’s quarters? Were you summoned today?”
Hugo spotted Adrian coming out toward the garden and quickly approached him.
Adrian nodded and loosened the tie around his neck.
“Yeah… there was a lunch.”
Hugo frowned immediately.
“Why? Don’t tell me the princess changed her mind? Did they tell you to marry her again?”
Adrian shook his head.
“No. It was just a meal together.”
“Oh… I see. Maybe to thank you for taking care of her yesterday?”
“……”
Throughout the lunch, Adrian had been suppressing a suffocating feeling.
He had already realized the princess wasn’t the same as before—but there was clearly something else he didn’t understand.
The way she acted as if she had never liked him…
As if she remembered nothing…
It bothered him more than he expected.
And the princess who had burst into Lucas’s office yesterday—
She was nothing like the timid Giselle he knew.
She was lively, carefree, and smiled so easily.
“Oh wow, looks like everyone’s busy here!”
She had walked around the office as if dancing a waltz, then approached Tristan, one of his fellow knights, and asked if he had a lover.
Tristan glanced nervously at Adrian, but when Giselle smiled brightly at him, he couldn’t help but smile back.
“No, I don’t. I’d like to meet someone as beautiful as Your Highness.”
Giselle covered her mouth and laughed.
“You’ve got good taste! Do you like parades? Don’t go anywhere on the national holiday—go watch the parade. You might meet even prettier ladies than me!”
Then she turned and winked at Hugo, who was staring at her in shock.
“Sir Hugo, you’re great, but don’t hide your true feelings too much. You’ll make yourself sick. One day, that passion might burn you—so express it, even if it’s slowly.”
At Giselle’s strange words, every man in the room seemed stunned.
Wearing a light blue dress and smiling brightly, she looked like a fresh daffodil covered in dew.
She had always walked with her head down and passed by quickly—so no one had ever seen her like this before.
At that moment, Lucas frowned deeply and grabbed her wrist.
“What are you doing? We’re working here!”
“Brother!”
“What?”
Giselle leaned her head lightly against his chest and spoke in a playful tone.
“Brother, I’m jealous!”
“Of what?”
“Of seeing so many handsome men every day.”
“Did you drink?”
“Drink? No way… Look! Those young knights over there—and our Adrian… no, Sir Adrian doesn’t count… Sir Hugo, that man who said he doesn’t have a lover, and even that one glaring at me—they’re all so handsome! So handsome! Whew—!”
She put her fingers to her lips and let out a cute whistle.
Silence instantly filled the office.
Adrian didn’t know where to look and lowered his gaze.
Timid Giselle. Innocent Giselle. Hurt Giselle.
Weren’t those the words that described her?
But now she was bold… even charming.
He found this sudden change completely unfamiliar.
Lucas pulled away from her and raised his voice.
“Have you lost your mind? What kind of embarrassing behavior is this?!”
Then he quickly looked around at the knights and tried to explain.
“She’s been unwell since her fall. She didn’t wake up for days—the physician even told us to prepare for the worst. Tsk!”
As if defending her, Lucas made excuses.
Giselle lowered her head—and laughed again.
“But in the end, it turned out well, didn’t it? The Giselle that Sir Adrian couldn’t stand… came to her senses after the fall and canceled the marriage. Isn’t that a happy outcome for him?”
“……”
Everyone’s gaze turned toward Adrian.
Couldn’t stand her? Me?
Adrian looked at Giselle’s face—calm, but with a hint of loneliness.
It was true that he had refused the marriage.
But he had never despised her.
And hearing her say that canceling the marriage was something she did for his happiness… strangely bothered him.
Giselle crossed her arms and declared,
“I’m going to marry someone who truly loves me. What else could I possibly want? If there’s anyone who likes me—send them all my way!”
Right after saying that, she suddenly collapsed onto the carpet like a deflated balloon.
Lucas ran a hand over his face in shock, while Lin rushed in shouting, “Your Highness!”
Giselle lay there, pale, her long eyelashes resting over her closed eyes.
Adrian quickly lifted her into his arms—surprised by how light she was.
“I… injured my back at training, so… yes. You take her to her room.”
Lucas held his waist and exaggerated his pain.
If he carried her out himself, rumors would spread instantly—and more than that, he wanted Adrian and Giselle to have even a brief moment together.
If I had known she was this hurt, I should have stepped in earlier… Lucas regretted it belatedly.
Without another word, Adrian carried her out of the office, following Lin through the door.
