Chapter 37
Finn’s eyes widened. It was because of the endless stream of boxes coming from the carriage the moment Arnulf finished speaking.
The boxes came in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and Finn heard that they contained gifts sent by Sigmund to Arnulf. This would have been impossible if there hadn’t been something going on between the two of them.
“Huh…”
Arnulf was equally flustered. Though his expression remained calm, his eyes betrayed him, shaking with each new box that appeared.
“Damn that Sigmund.”
As he watched the large carriage finally empty and the workers who had been carrying the goods bow and leave, Arnulf muttered to himself. Perhaps he thought his voice was quiet enough to blend with the surroundings.
“Huh?”
But Finn, who was standing right beside Arnulf, fully aware of him, heard the comment.
“Hmm?”
“You just said… something about Lord Sigmund…?”
“Nothing.”
Arnulf, slightly taken aback, replied nonchalantly. Perhaps his mind had grown more relaxed these days, because he seemed to make more careless mistakes.
I have to be careful.
Especially in front of Sigmund.
But for now, the important thing was figuring out how to deal with all these gifts.
Arnulf stood with his arms crossed, staring at the mountain of gift boxes.
“Your Highness.”
A polite voice called out, and when he turned, the tailor Hermann was smiling at him.
“What is it?”
“If you don’t mind, could you spare a moment? I think it would be good for you to try on the fitted clothes. What do you think?”
“Clothes? Ah…”
Right, that too. Arnulf remembered something he had completely forgotten amidst the overwhelming boxes.
“Yes. Once you try on the clothes, you should also choose your accessories, so I ask for your cooperation.”
The jeweler standing next to Hermann gave a sales-driven smile. Arnulf briefly wondered if he should have kept them from coming in. But regret is always too late once it sets in.
“Josef, hurry. Since these are from Lord Sigmund, you need to check them.”
Finn, who had been just as stunned as Arnulf a moment ago, now twinkled with excitement as he urged him. For Finn, it was significant that Sigmund had sent gifts specifically for Arnulf, including items for the ball.
Arnulf frowned but eventually moved obediently to the dressing room. He knew there was no turning back now.
But he shouldn’t have. Arnulf immediately began to regret it.
“Wait a moment.”
“Excuse me? Your Highness? Is there a problem with this shirt? Shall we try the next one?”
Hermann, holding a purple silk shirt, paused and gestured to his assistant. It was a signal to switch to a slightly lighter shade of purple.
“No. That’s not it. How many outfits am I supposed to change into?”
Arnulf quickly shook his head at the shirts, which all looked similar to him, only differing in color.
He was a prince, of course, used to having to dress properly since childhood. Even then, he had only chosen what was necessary, never doing something this thorough.
I’d rather spend a few hours swinging a sword.
When Arnulf muttered this with a sigh, the jeweler and the tailor widened their eyes. Simultaneously, the same thought crossed their minds: The rogue prince would rather practice swordsmanship?
It was shocking. They exchanged glances to confirm what they had heard.
“Josef, that can wait until the afternoon. For now, just continue trying them on.”
Arnulf’s servant answered calmly, showing no sign of surprise. This startled the two even more.
“This should be enough. What more…”
The rogue prince, known for getting into fights and cursing, was now speaking gently to his servant—an unbelievable sight.
“Still, please try this one. It’s a gift from Lord Sigmund, after all.”
At the mention of Sigmund’s name, Arnulf frowned slightly but ultimately told the tailor to bring another shirt. He figured it was better to follow through diligently, as Finn suggested, than to resist and cause trouble later when Sigmund arrived.
Thus, Arnulf’s ordeal finally began to wind down after lunch. Only after choosing clothes and accessories was it finally over.
“Are you very tired?”
Finn asked, concerned, as Arnulf slouched at a table on the sunlit terrace, though a smile remained on Finn’s lips.
“Yes.”
Arnulf’s curt reply made Finn twitch his lips in amusement. It wasn’t indifference; it was exhaustion. Finn knew this instinctively.
He probably never would have thought like this before, but lately, Finn often found his prince unexpectedly cute in moments like this.
“Don’t smile. Bring hearty food. You have to eat well.”
“Yes! I’ll be right back.”
Finn answered quickly and left. Alone, Arnulf exhaled slowly, staring at the cloudless blue sky.
What on earth is he thinking these days?
Lately, he had no idea what was going on in Sigmund’s head. He had spent the night with him in a drunken stupor, proposed the next day, and when that didn’t work, suggested dating instead.
A new form of revenge, perhaps.
“What are you going to do about it?”
Arnulf sharply turned his head at the sudden voice. Had he been speaking about himself?
Sigmund stood with a smile, arms crossed.
“…You’ve come.”
Arnulf sat up from the chair he had been leaning on.
The slight relaxation in Arnulf’s posture made Sigmund’s smile deepen. It seemed Arnulf had finally eased some of his tension.
“But is it really true?”
It felt like Sigmund’s statement troubled him more than Arnulf himself. Arnulf muttered to himself, loud enough for Sigmund to hear.
“Then what?”
Was he joking? Or was it serious? Arnulf studied Sigmund’s face again. But seeing no change in his usual expression, he couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth.
“Well… what can I do? I’ll play along until Lord Sigmund is satisfied.”
“Until you’re satisfied?”
Sigmund tilted his head, repeating Arnulf’s words, as if asking if it was truly okay. Arnulf flinched. He realized he had said something utterly ridiculous.
“No, I mean…”
“If you say so, I’ll gladly do it.”
Sigmund’s eyes curved almost into a semicircle with a genuine smile. Arnulf, however, couldn’t hide his dismay. What had possessed him to say such a thing, especially after insisting he needed to return to the duchy?
“Oh? You’ve come, Lord Sigmund!”
Finn, who was just bringing the food, saw Sigmund and brightened.
Arnulf watched Finn’s reaction, baffled. How often had Sigmund been coming and going for Finn to greet him so warmly?
“Dinner is late.”
“Yes. The tailor and jeweler who were sent to the mansion just left.”
“Ah…”
Sigmund nodded at Finn’s reply, then turned back to Arnulf.
“Did you find clothes you liked? I sent plenty just in case.”
Arnulf remembered his recent ordeal, and his body tensed further.
“What is all this?”
“What do you mean?”
“All these clothes, jewels, and accessories.”
Sigmund tilted his head in confusion. Why ask that? his expression seemed to say.
“Of course, it’s for the ball.”
“I could have handled that myself.”
“Weren’t you short on money for your return to the duchy, and that’s why you went to the bank?”
Arnulf fell silent. Indeed, he had gone to the bank for money—but not to borrow, only to retrieve funds stored in the safe. The problem was that Sigmund knew about the safe.
Arnulf glanced at Sigmund instinctively. Had he realized what was taken?
Come to think of it, we met in front of the bank then.
He had brushed it off as a coincidence, lucky they hadn’t met inside. Who would have thought it would come back like this?
“I apologize.”
“…Excuse me?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt your pride.”
Arnulf was surprised by the apology. He hadn’t been silent for that reason, but it seemed Sigmund had misunderstood.
“Or is the gift too burdensome?”
Yes, that was it. But he hesitated to say it outright. Unconsciously, Arnulf was gauging Sigmund’s mood. Unnoticed by Arnulf, Sigmund had already noticed, seeing him avoid eye contact and stare elsewhere. A mischievous glint appeared in Sigmund’s eyes.
“Still, please accept it. Aren’t we close enough for that?”
Wait… we?
Arnulf secretly thought, and turned his head sharply. Sigmund was already looking at him, and their eyes met head-on.
“For someone you’re dating, it’s only natural.”
Sigmund’s fresh smile accompanied the embarrassingly bold statement.
