Chapter 37 - Princess Lyn P9 (1/2)

Lyn didn't think of the possibility of things being awkward.

Well, other than her avoiding eye contact with Allen. After what happened she felt awkward around him, and she stopped visiting him. She didn't want to avoid him. But Lyn knew that her visiting him would do no good. After all, the two of them need some time apart to think things through. It never occurred to her that she had a choice regarding their marriage. It never occurred to her that Allen even saw her as a woman who he would desire though Lyn is still skeptical on the last part.

For the first few minutes of the dinner, father and Kazuya made some light talk regarding the Kingdoms.

Kazuya impressed her.

Though she knew about his title as the Sound Kingdom Ambassador, this was the first time she ever saw him in this manner. Contrary to the goofy grin he wore on his face, and his laid back attitude. Sometimes he is serious too. But it's not the type of serious that made her feel comfortable. Kazuya does not wear a fake smile on his face like Allen does.

Kazuya laughed at her reaction and reached over to ruffle her hair, ”Impressed?”

”Ah-huh.”

”Mmm, well you'll learn.”

Her eyes lit up; it's okay for her to listen? She felt awkward listening in. But if Kazuya gave her permission, she beamed happily when his hand brushed across her cheek.

”Eat your food, Lyn.”

”Okay!”

Lyn didn't realize that she spent the first few minutes only looking at her surroundings and avoiding eye contact with Allen. She glanced down at her food and paused; it looked like a simple meal consisting of various meat dishes alongside some vegetables. Lyn cut a slice of chicken with her fork and brought it to her mouth. The moment she took a bite, a crispy sensation filled her mouth.

”Yummy!” Lyn exclaimed.

Kazuya laughed, ”You're cute. I knew you'd like it.”

Cute?

Despite how good the chicken was, her attention turned to Kazuya. He wore his usual smile and nothing seemed amiss. She wonders if he understands how misleading those words sound.

....

Lyn enjoys the rest of her meal. Kazuya offered to get her some dessert, while she said she was dull. He flicked her forehead and told her that there was no need to be formal here. Kazuya made a point there, so she agreed.

Unconsciously since she's in front of her father and Allen, she maintained her formal manners and posture when she ate. Lyn realized how stupid that was afterward. Though she did enjoy the food, she wished she savored it a bit more. Perhaps dining with them was a bad idea.

There are walls all around her, literal and imaginary walls.

The walls are there, but people don't see them.

The people who knew of her existence still see her as Lyn, the abandoned daughter. The cursed child. The loner. There are many words used to describe her, but these are the two Lyn has repeatedly heard over the years. It's something that doesn't change. She is somebody who spends a long time adding bricks along the way to make the surrounding walls taller and stronger. She keeps adding layers and layers as each year, each month, each day, each second goes past.

She does this to reinforce the wall so that nobody could break it. This way she will always remain in her safety bubble of protection. But that's wrong, deep down Lyn waited for that one particular person to come to her. The one special person who rather than break the walls around her. Rather than break the barriers though, she wants that particular person to climb over the walls. To rise through the walls, she reinforced over the years. If that person can overcome it, even without her lowering those walls, then that person would become her most important person.

But Lyn never expected that person to be someone from another Kingdom.