CHAPTER 61……………………………..
. Love Is Difficult!
The carriage carrying Mick and me was rolling swiftly toward Malau Castle for the negotiation with the Malau Kingdom.
The only difference from usual was that Mick—who normally rode ahead on his stallion Bloodstorm—was sitting in the carriage with me this time.
Thanks to that, I was leaning comfortably against his broad chest, enjoying a relaxed and cozy carriage ride.
“Mick, aren’t you uncomfortable riding in the carriage? You usually race ahead on Bloodstorm.”
“With Millie not here, how could I possibly leave you behind and go first?”
He pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead. The tender gesture made me smile without realizing it.
“When we arrive in Malau, there’s something you need to be careful about.”
“What is it?”
“Don’t make eye contact with them if you can help it. Especially with men. Especially with the king of Malau—don’t even look at him.”
At first, I thought he was joking, but Mick’s face was completely serious.
“But I’m visiting Malau officially as the queen of Freetan. How could I possibly avoid even looking at their king?”
“Damn it… maybe I should’ve gone alone. What if we turn back now and send you safely home to Freetan?”
When Mick suddenly suggested sending me back, I frowned sharply.
“There’s that sly princess who strips the moment she sees my husband—how could I possibly let you go there alone? No way! Absolutely not!!”
My angry outburst, my face flushed red, only made him even more delighted. He wrapped me in his arms and began covering my cheeks and eyes with kisses. He had no idea how frustrated I was!
When I pulled away in a huff, he caught my hand and kissed my palm, long and slow.
“Alright, alright. I won’t say I’ll go alone again, okay? Forgive me.”
That soothed me a little, and I recalled what he had said earlier.
“So… why exactly shouldn’t I look at the Malau king?”
“Oh, that?”
Scratching his brow awkwardly, he muttered,
“The men there are all just…”
“All just… what?”
“Excessively seductive.”
“Well, that’s true.”
I had already met three young envoys from Malau.
But if Mick was especially worried about the king, did that mean the king’s allure was on a whole different level? Just how “excessively seductive” could someone be? My curiosity spiked.
Smack!
“Ow!”
Maybe my curiosity showed too plainly, because Mick flicked my forehead hard.
I clutched my forehead and glared at him, and he scolded me with a stern face.
“At the Malau salon party, you kept rolling your eyes back and forth, thinking I wouldn’t notice, didn’t you?”
“Well, it wasn’t just me. Even Duchess Zenon—”
“So you’re not denying it.”
Ack! I should’ve kept my mouth shut. My clumsy excuse just dug me deeper.
“Honestly, aside from Sir Julmon, the rest of the envoys barely left an impression. Really!”
“That’s only because they were holding back that day. If they’d decided to show their true colors… even William said their allure was so suffocating that he nearly couldn’t breathe.”
“Oho~”
“Oho~??”
“Ah!”
Not a good reaction—his face was growing darker and darker.
“I can’t exactly keep you in my pocket. Just the thought of releasing you in the middle of demons oozing seduction from every pore makes me sit up in bed at night.”
“Come on, I’m still the queen of Freetan. I won’t behave without dignity.”
“My queen does have a weakness for handsome faces, though.”
I couldn’t deny that. But for the sake of peace on this journey, I’d better soothe him.
“Mick, don’t you know? You’re the only one who can make my heart race like this.”
“…Really?”
“It’s true. My mother told me to marry a ‘man blessed with looks,’ but even she couldn’t have imagined her son-in-law would be this perfectly handsome.”
“Ahem…”
The compliment was so obvious it made me cringe a little—but oh my, it actually worked! He softened visibly.
I slipped back into his arms.
“No matter how handsome the Malau king is, I won’t fall for him. So don’t worry—”
Suddenly, he cupped my face in both hands and devoured my lips, cutting me off mid-sentence. So much for “attending to me in the carriage”!
I tried resisting weakly, pressing my lips together, but his urgent, coaxing breath soon melted my willpower.
When I wound my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, he frowned briefly at the awkward position, then scooped me onto his lap in one smooth motion.
His hand slid slowly up my back from my waist, his lips trailing from my jawline down to my collarbone. He knew far too well how to unravel me.
My heart pounded so violently I could only cling to his shoulders and gasp for breath.
While Mick’s unique “service” left me dazed, the carriage carried us steadily closer to the Malau Kingdom.
Meanwhile…
Outside the carriage, William and Ralph rode alongside the escort knights, guarding the royal couple.
Because Lea had expended much energy using her healing power, they had slowed the pace of travel, making the journey more relaxed.
Now and then, the king and queen’s laughter drifted from inside, easing the tension of the guards.
Then, William edged his horse closer to Ralph at the rear, looking as though he had something to say.
“What is it, Captain?” Ralph prompted.
“Not as your captain—as your friend.”
“…Is this about romance?”
“…Yeah.”
“Sorry, but we’re on duty right now.”
Ralph’s curt reply made William wilt. He turned dejectedly back to the head of the procession.
Watching him, Ralph clicked his tongue inwardly. In moments like this, William was too much like his twin brother Freddy—impossible to truly hate.
But still, how could he of all people ask me for advice about Millie?
Ralph felt resentful, but seeing William slouch at the front softened his heart. He glanced around cautiously, then drew up beside him again.
“Will five minutes do?”
“Huh? Uh… yeah.”
“So, what’s going on?”
“Ralph… I proposed to Millie.”
William stole a glance at Ralph, but Ralph’s face was unreadable.
“…I see. Congratulations.”
Then Ralph smirked wryly to himself.
“Seems the charm of the Giles men is real after all.”
After all, the famous countess of the Giles family had rejected countless suitors, only to choose Count Giles.
And now Millie had chosen William, said to resemble the count the most. Clearly, there was some inexplicable magic at play—though Ralph had no desire to understand it.
“So you’re telling me this just to brag?”
“…She turned me down.”
“What?”
That was surprising. Even Ralph had noticed how devoted Millie was to William.
“Did you stupidly forget the ring when you proposed?”
“No, I didn’t!” William growled at the insult.
“She wouldn’t give a reason, but suddenly Her Majesty called me in and asked what my parents would think of me marrying a commoner.”
“…Her Majesty wouldn’t bring that up for no reason.”
“Exactly! Do you think maybe she met my parents?”
Ralph gave him a withering look, and William snapped defensively,
“What? What now?”
“Isn’t it more likely that your parents met Millie, and she told the queen?”
“Ahhhh!”
William nodded as realization dawned.
“But my parents wouldn’t have said anything harsh to her. Yet the queen spoke as though they’d strongly oppose the marriage.”
“…Hmm.”
“So I should ask them about it when we return to Freetan, right?”
“Sure. That way Millie becomes the tattletale, and your parents will hate her even more.”
“What!?”
“Which gives me a chance. So yeah, I recommend that.”
William glared at him, but quickly sagged again.
“…Ralph, what would you do?”
“If it were me, I’d pretend I knew nothing about them meeting Millie. Instead…”
“Instead?”
“I’d drive a few nails in. Make the marriage a done deal any way I can.”
“Damn it, Ralph, be more specific!”
“Watch your tone.”
“I—I didn’t mean it like that…”
William immediately backed down, and Ralph sighed deeply before explaining.
“You’re the second son, so you’ll need a separate household. Find a house now and decorate it to Millie’s taste. Hand over all your savings and assets to her.”
“Ohhh.”
“Take her to social events. Demand the heirloom jewels your family gives to daughters-in-law, even before the wedding.”
“But won’t that hurt Mother’s feelings?”
“Then give up on Millie.”
“….”
“Be shameless if you have to. Force your parents to accept that Millie is your one and only wife.”
William nodded eagerly with each word.
“Her Majesty told me to stir up trouble, threaten, do something. Maybe this is what she meant.”
“…Good grief. I can’t believe I have to teach you this.”
Scowling, Ralph dropped back to the rear of the convoy.
“Thanks, Ralph! I’ll ask you to be my groomsman!”
“In your dreams.”
Ralph snapped, but William couldn’t stop smiling.
At Malau Castle
“Is everything ready for the banquet? And how’s the kitchen for the feast?”
“All proceeding as planned, Your Majesty. Please don’t worry.”
The Malau king, exhausted from preparing to host Freetan’s king, was receiving a final report from Chancellor Yamal.
“Yamal, prepare Shine’s chambers as the bridal suite. Once the contract is signed, he might demand to consummate right away. Make sure our Malau pride leaves him breathless the moment he enters.”
“I doubt His Majesty of Freetan would do such a thing…”
“A man’s a man. You never know.”
The Malau king muttered, hope glinting in his eyes.
In truth, the contract was heavily disadvantageous to Malau. Freetan would gain both the enchanted heating crystal technology and Princess Shine.
But the king couldn’t let go of his desire to have Mick as his son-in-law. If Shine had to make a political marriage, who could be a better match? Young, strong, wealthy, and a king who wouldn’t fill his palace with concubines—where else in the world could they find such a man?
Yamal, however, still remembered vividly the humiliation Shine had suffered when she barged into Mick’s bedchamber uninvited. The king’s command seemed pointless, but for caution’s sake, he agreed to prepare.
After all, by tomorrow the Freetan king would arrive at Malau Castle, and everything had to be ready.
