Chapter 31
“Haon.”
Prince Si approached Haon, who was in shock.
“Are you alright?”
Normally, Haon would have smiled brightly and been delighted. After all, it was Prince Si showing concern for him!
But right now, he had no mental space for that.
Haon was crouched on the floor with his knees up, burying his head in his arms.
Prince Si silently watched him.
“I heard they sent a rescue team as soon as dawn broke. The mountains are vast, but the terrain isn’t too rough, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.”
Prince Si delivered the news as if to comfort Haon.
Haon felt even heavier having to guard the spot alone, where he had been with Princess Pireone before going hunting.
“I really thought it was Prince Di.”
Haon’s voice was heavy.
“All the horses look the same. I just assumed it was Prince Di because it was a white horse.”
“That’s understandable. White horses aren’t common. However, they are popular, so many nobles own them—that’s the problem.”
Prince Si’s attempt at comfort was awkward. It started as consolation but ended up as a blunt fact, deepening Haon’s despair.
“It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have sent Princess Pireone that way. I shouldn’t have left. I just… saw a white horse and naturally assumed it was Prince Di.”
Haon continued blaming himself.
Prince Si gently pressed Haon’s shoulder.
“Nothing serious will happen.”
“I can’t just sit here doing nothing!”
Haon abruptly stood up.
Prince Si held him back.
“Are you planning to go look for her?”
“I can’t just wait. What if something happens to Princess Pireone?”
“The rescue team is already searching the mountains. You going won’t help much.”
Prince Si was entirely rational.
“But… what if we miss each other while searching?”
“That’s… true.”
Prince Si wasn’t wrong.
Still, sitting idle couldn’t ease Haon’s anxiety.
In the end, Haon went to the entrance of the mountain path and waited. He stood pacing, staring blankly into the forest.
“Th-there!”
Haon shouted, pointing.
Among the green trees, a flash of red appeared. It was unmistakably Princess Pireone’s flaming red hair.
Squinting into the forest, Haon felt certain.
“Princess!”
Haon shouted, rushing toward Princess Pireone.
She appeared along the mountain path. Haon, running toward her with a bright smile, suddenly stopped. His eyes widened and mouth gaped.
“Why…?”
Haon froze, his shock summed up in a single question:
Why are you there?
Haon’s gaze fixed not just on Princess Pireone, but on the person right beside her.
Trillinia, draping one arm over Princess Pireone’s shoulder and practically letting herself be supported by her.
Princess Pireone was supporting Trillinia. And Prince Al was with them, leading three horses behind them.
“What… is this combination?”
Haon was bewildered by this unexpected group.
Moreover, of all people, Trillinia? Haon’s mental image of Trillinia only made the confusion worse.
“They’re back!”
“Everyone’s together.”
Those who had been anxiously waiting rushed out.
It was chaotic, even more so than when Haon and Prince Si appeared.
Prince Si approached quietly.
“Even Prince Al and Miss Trillinia have returned. Everyone who went missing has appeared.”
“Come to think of it, there were several who hadn’t returned,” Haon realized.
Focused on Princess Pireone, he hadn’t asked who else had disappeared.
But to see them return together with Prince Al and Trillinia was astonishing.
“What happened yesterday?”
“You’ll know if you ask them,” Prince Si replied, as always, an answer that ended all questions.
“Shouldn’t we attend to Princess Pireone first?”
“Of course.”
Haon shook his head, briefly startled, then regained composure.
Meanwhile, Princess Pireone’s group was guided to the pavilion. The doctors on standby became busy.
A prince, a princess, and a noble lady—all too important to spend even one night outdoors in the mountains.
Prince Si’s return was unusual; normally, this would have been a harrowing experience.
“Definitely a different reaction than when Prince Si returned,” Haon thought, feeling bitter.
Trillinia seemed slightly injured, but the doctors weren’t attending to her alone. The attention was more on the seemingly fine Princess Pireone and Prince Al.
“Ah, the horses?”
Haon noticed three horses tied near the pavilion while approaching Princess Pireone.
There was Princess Pireone’s black horse, Trillinia’s brown horse that had overtaken at full speed, and a white horse—the remaining one.
“Prince Al has the white horse too?”
The white horse belonged to no one else.
“Could this be the horse I saw yesterday?”
Haon faced the white horse but couldn’t tell it apart from Prince Di’s horse. He wasn’t even sure if it was the same horse he saw yesterday.
Still, judging from the circumstances, it seemed likely.
Haon stared at the white horse while approaching Princess Pireone.
“Princess! Are you alright?”
“You didn’t return to the palace,” Princess Pireone said, sitting on a makeshift bed.
“I only just came down. We got lost in the mountains and had to sleep outside.”
“You too? No wonder you look tired.”
Despite sleeping on the dirt floor against a dirt wall, she seemed relatively fine.
Haon bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Princess. I should have stayed with you. It’s all my fault.”
Princess Pireone was surprised by the sudden apology. She reached out and gently placed her hand over Haon’s tightly clenched one.
“How is this your fault? It’s not. I was the one who told you to go ahead first.”
“No. I insisted on coming again… and acted recklessly…”
Haon’s gaze kept returning to the white horse beside the pavilion.
“Did you try the direction I mentioned yesterday?”
“Yes, though there were no deer.”
Princess Pireone leaned back, scanning the area.
“Did you… meet Prince Al there?”
Her eyes froze. She didn’t even blink.
Haon’s gaze locked on her lips, tense.
“Well… yes.”
Princess Pireone answered nonchalantly.
“I knew it!”
Haon’s voice rose, thrilled to be right.
Princess Pireone looked startled.
“Why?”
“Nothing, really.”
He couldn’t admit that he had intentionally suggested that direction after seeing the white horse.
‘If it was Prince Al, that’s a relief.’
Haon worried that he had sent Princess Pireone the wrong way after seeing the white horse. It wasn’t the Prince Di he wanted, but Prince Al would suffice.
‘He feels… safe.’
If asked who the most harmless person in the world was, Haon could immediately name Prince Al.
Haon finally relaxed.
“I want to return to the palace soon. Why are we still here?”
Princess Pireone murmured tiredly.
“Shall I get some cool water?”
Haon, reassured, moved briskly.
After asking the attendants, he returned with a bottle of cool water and went back to the pavilion. Someone was standing next to Princess Pireone—it was Prince Al.
“What? Why are they together again?”
Prince Al hadn’t been lying on the makeshift bed? Despite his high rank in succession, the palace took great care of him. Yet he was looking after Princess Pireone.
Haon felt uneasy seeing them together.
“Even…”
His eyes flickered anxiously.
Princess Pireone’s expression toward Prince Al was unusually gentle.
“Is she covering her mouth while smiling?”
Like a shy girl, she lightly covered her lips with a fist.
Haon approached, stiff-faced.
“Princess, I brought water.”
“Thank you.”
Princess Pireone took the cup and immediately asked Prince Al,
“Aren’t you thirsty?”
“I’d gladly accept a drink if you share.”
His tone was gentle.
“What to do… I only brought one cup.”
It was true, but Haon noticed her tone sounded oddly stiff.
Prince Al waved his hand, saying it was fine, and Princess Pireone suddenly offered her cup.
“You don’t mind using the cup I drank from, do you?”
What? Princess, are you serious?
Haon was astonished. She was offering her cup—her own lips had touched it—to the prince.
He couldn’t believe it. And then something even more unbelievable happened.
“I… am fine. But I thought you might be uncomfortable, Princess…”
Prince Al’s reaction made Haon leap in shock.
‘Why is his face turning red?!’
A shy young man, blushing and unsure what to do—it was adorable enough to elicit a motherly smile. But…
If the person was our princess, it was a different story!
Haon’s eyes blazed as he ran forward.
“I’ll bring a new cup!”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll take care of the princess properly.”
Prince Al smiled gently at Haon.
His fresh smile made Haon’s heart tingle, and he regretted being sharp with him.
After telling Princess Pireone to rest well, Prince Al left.
Haon hesitated but finally asked.
“Princess, what happened in the mountains yesterday?”
“Miss Trillinia was hurt.”
Princess Pireone’s story began unexpectedly.
“She couldn’t move on her own, and when Prince Al tried to support her, it caused a fuss. As a woman, I had no choice but to step in.”
Even Princess Pireone’s detailed explanation felt strangely long-winded to Haon.
“No, not that… I mean… about Prince Al and the horse.”
Haon couldn’t help but ask, pointing to what really concerned him.
“…Prince Al?”
To Haon, Princess Pireone’s voice seemed to waver.
