Chapter 62
“Sorry, but that’s going to be a bit difficult.”
He forced a smile. They say you can’t spit at a smiling face.
“Difficult?”
Nerian raised one eyebrow high on her forehead. Haon maintained his smile stubbornly despite the obvious displeasure on her face.
“I can’t escort Princess Pireone tonight. Not just tonight, actually—I won’t be able to escort her anywhere at any time in the future. Sorry.”
“Sorry? You can’t escort her? And you have the nerve to laugh while saying something like that after doing… what exactly?”
But the notoriously ill-tempered Nerian was someone who could hurl curses even at a smiling face.
“What the hell kind of ✕✕ nonsense are you spouting? Do I have to ✕✕✕✕✕ you to make you come to your senses?”
Nerian’s twisted lips unleashed her terrifying words without filtering a single one.
Haon’s face, which had been curling into a small “O” with his lips, gradually stiffened.
“Uh, Nerian? Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”
“Harsh? Harsh my ✕! I should just ✕✕✕✕ and be done with it!”
Whenever Nerian spoke, the words seemed more filtered than actual coherent speech.
Haon felt his ears rot and his mood sour. That’s how curses work—they spoil the mood just by being heard, and when directed at oneself with full malice, the effect is even worse.
As Nerian continued her relentless stream of crude talk, Haon’s patience accumulated damage bit by bit.
Gradually, even his consciousness felt distant.
Letting it slide or responding with equally harsh curses didn’t suit Haon’s nature.
Then he remembered a story he had read somewhere on the internet: that Korean double-consonant words sound like extreme swearing to foreigners.
“You little Jjapagetti covered in black bean sauce!”
Haon raised his voice.
They say all it takes is a loud voice.
He couldn’t let the momentum slip. Haon raised his voice to the max, shouting out double-consonant words as if cursing. Emphasizing the double consonants was a bonus.
“Jjamppong mixed with Ssang Ssang Bar, stuck with Tteokbokki! Tteokkochi! Ppangppare! Jjolrabokki! Kimchi jjigae! Jjigae! Jjigae!”
Trying to find words Nerian wouldn’t understand, Haon ran out of options and eventually just shouted double-consonant words.
“You… you…”
Nerian’s finger trembling, pointed at Haon.
“What on earth are you babbling now?”
Her tone was still sharp, but her voice had weakened. She no longer used curses.
They say a reckless opponent only understands when met in kind. As expected, this timeless truth worked across East and West.
“You’re not the only one allowed to curse, so let’s speak nicely.”
Haon lowered his voice and spoke calmly. Nerian rolled her eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
No matter how she tried, she could never understand the meaning of that string of double-consonant words. Her imagination filled in the blanks.
It sounded like a curse, but since it made no sense, Nerian imagined the worst possible insult she could.
Nerian cleared her throat and scowled.
“Such crude and vulgar language. Truly, some people…”
“You started it first.”
Haon’s voice rose again, and Nerian hesitated and stepped back.
Haon took a step closer.
“Want me to do it again? You little—”
“Anyway! I already said it! Don’t you dare disobey Prince Di’s orders! Tonight! In the grand garden at the center of the palace!”
Nerian covered her ears and shouted as she ran off.
Imagination truly is the scariest weapon.
Watching Nerian’s flustered retreat, Haon felt very satisfied.
But that satisfaction didn’t last long.
“What about Prince Di?”
Clearly, Haon couldn’t let Nerian handle it all.
Watching Nerian leave the walls of the palace, concern settled on Haon’s face.
Time flew unusually fast that day.
As the sun slowly set, Haon cautiously spoke.
“Um, Princess Pireone?”
“Why?”
Princess Pireone didn’t lift her eyes from her book as she answered. Only Haon’s gaze toward her was desperate.
“You’ll take a night stroll with Prince Al again, won’t you?”
“Shh!”
Pireone quickly closed her book and put her finger to her lips, glaring at Haon. Then her gaze quickly shifted to Anten.
Anten, who had been waiting through Pireone’s long reading session, couldn’t resist the warm afternoon sun and had dozed off, nodding gently. Normally, Haon would have succumbed to sleepiness too, but the thought of Prince Di left him alert.
“Haon, remember it’s a secret.”
“That’s why I asked quietly.”
Haon’s voice grew faint. Seeing her so weak, Princess Pireone softened her rebuke.
“Yes. The weather isn’t bad, so I suppose I’ll go for a walk.”
“Exactly as I thought.”
Haon sighed.
“Haon, is something wrong?”
Princess Pireone spoke kindly even to a junior attendant. Her gentle tone almost made Haon blurt out something about Prince Di.
But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
Haon pressed his lips tightly and shook his head.
“No. I just want the princess to be happy.”
Yes, Princess Pireone’s happiness. Nothing else mattered.
Haon’s mind was filled with thoughts of Pireone and Prince Di, so he forgot to go to the Fifth Palace’s flower garden that day.
His eyes didn’t leave the clock.
When the sun had fully set and the moon hung high, Haon cautiously left the palace, avoiding other people’s eyes.
The grand garden at the palace’s center was the heart of the entire palace. From the large rotunda in front of the garden, paths led to various wings.
Haon had always passed by but never entered.
His steps were careful, his anxious heart trembling with each movement. Even the sound of leaves brushing in the wind startled him.
By the time he reached the fountain at the center of the garden,
“Ha~on!”
A cheerful voice rang out. Having experienced its sudden change before, Haon looked at it warily.
Nerian appeared, her brilliant orange hair flowing.
“What a cooo-incidence to meet like this! We really do get each other, don’t we!”
Nerian laughed and slapped Haon’s arm. Haon awkwardly chuckled and rubbed his arm.
The forced tone made Haon feel uncomfortable. It was clear from Nerian’s tone that someone else was nearby.
Ignoring Nerian’s setup, Haon asked directly:
“Where is Prince Di?”
“Our prince is right over there—”
Nerian looked toward the fountain but then her eyes flickered, and she came close, whispering in Haon’s ear:
“You really didn’t bring Princess Pireone?”
“I said it would be difficult.”
“You!”
Ignoring Nerian’s tantrum, Haon headed toward the fountain.
The sound of cascading water and the damp air greeted him. Dodging the dense foliage, he saw Prince Di standing by the fountain.
It was hard to tell whether the sparkling droplets were reflecting the moonlight or the prince’s golden hair. His dazzling beauty took Haon’s breath away.
The rustling of leaves made Prince Di turn his head. When his violet gaze met Haon, a thrilling shiver ran through his body.
“Prince Di.”
Haon approached, calling him, but the prince’s eyes only scanned behind him—waiting for someone else, and Haon had to shatter that anticipation.
“Sorry, Princess Pireone isn’t coming.”
The look in Haon’s eyes was cold. Even his slightly furrowed brow was beautiful.
“What do you mean?”
“Sorry. I think I made a premature promise. It seems I can’t really help you, Prince.”
“Are you mocking me?”
Prince Di clenched his teeth and muttered in a low voice.
Haon tensed immediately. Anyone would be upset if someone promised to help and then reneged, especially when the prince had been blindsided by a maid. Haon prepared to apologize.
“I wanted to help, but on second thought, manipulating things from behind seems like it would inconvenience the princess. I feel sorry for her…”
“Useless.”
Prince Di didn’t even listen to the rest. His judgment was quick and decisive.
“Do you understand the consequences of deceiving me?”
Prince Di raised his hand. He pulled out a hair ornament, part of the long hair he had twisted up. Its tip was sharp.
The ornament, raised high like a punishment tool, glittered in the moonlight.
Ah. So this is the Heosen-style punishment. Prince Si had only threatened before, and Princess Pireone had been gentle, so Haon had never experienced punishment from a superior.
A sharp sound sliced through the air—Haon squeezed his eyes shut.
His first experience of H-punishment.
“Brother!”
Someone stepped between Prince Di and Haon.
