Chapter 152 (1/2)

Chapter 152: Chapter 152

I blinked my eyes slowly.

The reason I felt frustrated and as if all my efforts were in vain was because I felt I was following the fate already determined regardless of my intention, not because I was resentful about him who could not resolve this situation.

As I could do nothing, he would have done nothing else. The marriage involving a royal family member was politically motivated and arranged to promote each other’s interests without reflecting the opinions of the bride and bridegroom.

So, the crown prince didn’t have to apologize to me. In fact, he tried his best to buy me some more time.

“But I promise you this. Let me swear on my name that I will not force you to do what you don’t want. I will never force you to be my wife if you don’t change your mind even one year from now.”

Something warm began to fill my empty heart. The ray of hope he gave me in his words when I felt so empty made me very excited. Tears pricked my ears when he promised to respect my intentions under his name and not to force his will.

“So, please be tough and hang in there until then … ”

“… ”

“Just don’t ignore me.”

“… Your Majesty.”

I pulled my face from his chest and looked up at him. When I felt a little relieved, I could feel his expression. I saw his sincerity not only in his earnest promise and expression as he looked at me seriously.

I suddenly realized that he was really different from the old him.

If the young man in front of me was the old him, he would never have said this to me.

If he was the same man of the past who always looked down on me arrogantly, if he was the same man of the past who was armed with a cold reason, he would not have cared for me like this. If he had been the old him, he would immediately have accepted me along with Jiun from the moment he confirmed my middle name.

Suddenly, I made a bitter smile. He asked me to see him as he was, but I was comparing the two again unconsciously.

‘When can I be freed from my past memory?’

I let out a sigh out of frustration. As I tried to disengage my body from him with a bitter smile, I felt him tightening his arms holding me. He said with a subdued voice, “… Why are you so skinny?”

“… Your Majesty.”

“If somebody looks at you, they might think your father is starving you. Are you eating properly? ”

“… Yes, Your Majesty. ”

“You must have been in a hurry to see me in the morning. Did you eat anything?”

I was silent. I felt sorry to see him beating around the bush. I felt grateful but awkward when I found him trying hard to care for me. Taking his hand off my shoulder, he asked, looking at me, “It seems like you didn’t eat anything today, right?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty. ”

“You know you are small, and you shouldn’t skip meals. Come with me to eat something.”

“No, thanks, Your Majesty, I ‘m fine.”

“It’s my order.”

I looked up at him blankly as he spoke firmly with a straight face. His navy blue eyes were staring at me firmly.

As I was hesitant, at a loss what to say, he reached out. I helplessly put my hand lightly on his hand with a sigh.

It seems that he already arranged for the attendant to prepare food for me.

When I and the crown prince went into the crown prince’s palace after going around the place, the chief attendant, who was now familiar to me, escorted us. As soon as I sat at the table, food was served. The plates started to pile up on the table.

‘So many kinds of foods!’

I tilted my head a bit. He prefered a simple course for food, so it was unusual that the table was served with too many foods like this.