Part 2 Chapter 97
“Sniff… I just want to fall in love too…”
“Ha! Why are you acting so weak over something like love!”
Nike snapped. He looked upset seeing Ryan so down.
Ryan, still leaning pitifully in Nike’s arms like a sad princess, pouted.
“Your Majesty, weren’t you the one who gave up a whole kingdom for love?”
“……”
That sudden jab made Nike fall silent.
Ryan sighed, got up slowly, and plopped down onto his bed.
“It’s not just about love. It’s that… the thing I’ve been afraid of actually happened.”
“What thing?” I asked, sitting beside him.
“Well, I always knew things would change once people found out about my power.”
He started talking in a slightly gloomy voice.
“You remember my uncle? The one who had the ‘instant death’ ability?”
“Oh… yeah.”
“He was always an outsider. Both outside and inside the family.”
“…I see.”
“Ordinary people are already scared of ability users, but he was different. Even other ability users avoided him.”
That made sense.
The ‘Instant Death’ power wasn’t called a unique, top-class ability for nothing.
It was literally a power beyond powers—something even other ability users couldn’t handle.
In fact, many families had been wiped out because they tried to challenge a holder of that ability.
“Since he was the first to ever have it, he didn’t even know how to control it. He couldn’t build normal relationships. I think he was really lonely.”
“……”
“He used to tell me that his power wasn’t cool at all… and now I finally understand what he meant.”
I understood too.
People who knew Ryan well could talk to him and treat him normally, but strangers?
It’d be hard for them.
Just being in the same room might make their palms sweat. They’d be terrified of saying the wrong thing, constantly watching his reactions.
It’s sad, but that’s the kind of thing Ryan will face every time he tries to make new connections.
“When everyone thought you were powerless, it must’ve been easier to form friendships,” Nike said quietly.
Ryan nodded.
“Yeah. In a way, I guess that was a blessing. While pretending to be powerless, I got to meet good people who saw me without prejudice.”
Then he suddenly pointed at me.
“And you! You’re the weirdest of them all. How could you know what I was and still come find me?”
“……”
“Ah, right. Probably because you’re even more of a monster than me.”
He answered his own question and flopped back onto the bed again. I lay down beside him in the same way.
“Well, at least you’ve got good people around you now. That’s something, right?”
“Yeah.”
Nike came closer, looked down at us, and chuckled softly.
“And so what if you never get married? You’ve got such a cute little sister by your side.”
“……”
Ryan turned to look at me. I blinked and tried my best to make a sweet, pretty face.
A perfect, heartwarming moment…
Then Ryan suddenly frowned and shouted toward Nike:
“Are you cursing me or something?! I’ll find love one day too, you know?!”
***
That evening — Dinner at the Belzer estate.
“Everyone! We’ve got a special guest tonight, so I made something extra delicious!”
Our kind nanny Emma Hughes proudly carried a steaming gratin to the table.
The “special guest” was…
“Not going home, I see?” Ryan asked Nike, who was sitting at the head of the table.
Yep, the guest was my husband.
“Don’t you have work at the knights’ order tomorrow?”
“Bania won’t go home, so I’ll just stay here and head straight to work in the morning.”
“Ha…” Ryan sighed and glared at me.
“Bunny, eat your food and go sleep in your own house! You’re a married woman! How many days has it been now?”
“Eeeh~~”
“Don’t ‘Eeeh’ me! You always do that when you want to dodge things!”
“Bania can’t go home today!”
That came from Krista, sitting beside me. She raised her fork mid-air and yelled,
“Emma said she’d bake stollen tonight! We already planned to stay up playing poker and eating!”
“What?”
At that, Richard flinched.
Ryan sighed again and turned to him.
“Good job, teaching your sisters that kind of game.”
“It’s not gambling! It’s just cards… for fun.”
“And card games turn into gambling how, exactly?”
“Hahaha! He’s right, Dad!”
Alex piped up from beside Ryan, pointing at me.
“Yesterday, sis said it was boring without money involved and told us to bet something!”
“Whaaat?”
“Alex! You little traitor!”
Oh, no.
“Kids, count me out tonight.”
At the far end of the table, Prince Märchen spoke, dark circles heavy under his eyes.
“I could handle the game itself, but Bania and Krista talk nonstop. My ears are still ringing.”
“Haha, come on, brother. Play with us. Their voices are sweet like nightingales!”
“They’re attacking nightingales. I need sleep.”
“Then let’s ask Rivan to join!” I said, pointing to Rivan, who was helping Emma serve food.
He immediately shook his head.
“I’m busy. And anyway—where’s that Kali girl? Ain’t she back yet?”
Everyone looked at me.
Since Kali was my bodyguard, I answered,
“Um… I told her to take a break. She’s probably out drinking with her comrades.”
Not exactly wrong—but not the full truth either. The “comrades” were just one person: Max.
After twenty years of unspoken love, Max had finally decided to confess to our icy Kali.
“Went out with Max, huh?” Ryan guessed instantly.
Of course he’d figure it out. Everyone in the family knew Max liked her.
Ryan sighed deeply.
“Great. Everyone’s out there living in romance land except me.”
He glared at both me and Nike — the only couple at the table — forcing us to bear the full weight of the lonely lion’s jealousy.
“Don’t sulk at Bania. If you want love, go out and find someone yourself,” Nike said calmly. “If you don’t move, nothing will happen.”
Ryan pouted.
“Then, oh wise romance master, care to give me some tips?”
“Ask her to eat with you.”
“And then?”
“Take her to see flowers.”
“Then?”
“Give her a gift. Walk her home.”
“Wow!” Alex’s eyes sparkled.
“That’s all? Is that how you got sis to fall for you? That’s so easy!”
“No, Alex.”
Krista shook her head, waving a hand around her face.
“You also need to be handsome. That’s the key. Those moves only work if you’re good-looking.”
“Ah?”
“If His Highness were ugly, do you think Bania would’ve gone flower viewing with him?”
“…Wha—I didn’t—!”
“But our cute little Alex is handsome, so you’ll be fine~ You can get a girlfriend easily with those tips!”
“Haha, really?”
Krista giggled, and Alex blushed bright red.
Tap, tap!
“And what about me?” Ryan hit the table for attention.
“Those tips only work for handsome guys, huh? Am I not handsome?”
“You are!” Krista said cheerfully, dipping her bread in soup. “But you’ve got a big problem. People find you scary. So my advice? Find someone like Bania.”
“Huh?”
Everyone looked at her.
Krista said casually, “Bania doesn’t care about anything else as long as someone’s handsome.”
“……?!?”
I gasped.
“What are you talking about?! That’s not true!”
“You used to say it all the time when we were kids.”
“When did I—”
Oh no.
“I’m gonna marry the most handsome man in the world! A face so pretty I’ll never get tired of looking at it. Even if we fight, I’ll forgive him the moment I see his face.”
…Okay, maybe I did say that. When I was like eight.
“Oh, right!” Richard exclaimed. “Krista, do you remember Fred?”
“Of course. The little page from Windsor Castle. Bania used to follow him everywhere.”
Oh no. My past is rising from the grave.
Fred… The mention made cold sweat run down my back. I glanced sideways—and locked eyes with Nike.
“Fred was a brat,” Richard continued mercilessly. “He used to pinch Bania and Krista, pull their hair, and even lift their skirts—”
“B-brother! Stop! That’s enough!”
“No, keep going!” Ryan’s eyes gleamed, clearly entertained.
I was doomed.
