Chapter 54 (1/2)

‘We came separately, but now we are going back together.’

There was a rather awkward silence in the carriage. Generally at times like this, it was Annette who filled the silence with her soft voice. Raphael looked sideways and found her sitting beside him with her eyelashes lowered, completely lost in thought. Eventually, Raphael couldn’t take it anymore and opened his mouth first by coughing.

“Your Royal Highness seemed to be fine. He looked so perfectly fine that I wondered whether he faked his illness.”

Raphael sneakily brought up Ludwig’s fake illness. Ludwig, who had been lying on the floor acting as if he was dying, jumped up as soon as Annette left. Raphael was dumbfounded when he saw it. Thanks to that, the ruckus around the prince’s seizure ended safely, but Ludwig was indeed shameless to the end. He was really a little fox, if not so, then how could a person change their words so quickly.

Raphael learned a lesson from today’s event. He finally understood that Harold’s words, ‘Pretend to be pitiful’ somewhat referred to Ludwig’s behavior. His shamelessness was really at an incomparable level. He didn’t even feel a little bit embarrassed before Annette. This gave Raphael a great enlightenment.

“Anyway don’t worry about the prince. As far as I’ve observed, he’ll eat and live well until his senility.”

In Raphael’s eyes, he was not a man but a little fox monster*. He said brusquely, trying not to tremble. Annette, who was pulled out of her thoughts, blinked hearing Raphael’s strong intonation. Ludwig had long disappeared from Annette’s head and now another man was plaguing her mind.

*[The words fox and monster are actually metaphors for a scary cunning person. Ludwig left quite an impact on Raphael, lol.]

“Oh, Raphael, I met your benefactor. He’s Count Harold Evans, right?”

“Did you meet that old man? When?”

Raphael furrowed his eyebrows. Harold’s words came to his mind, that he would expose his shameful history to his wife as a retaliation for forcing him to attend the party. Sure enough, Annette looked at him and smiled softly.

“As soon as I arrived at the party, I was lucky to meet him right away. He seems to know you very well.”

“Did he say anything stupid to you? Like what I was like when I was a kid?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

Annette smiled ambiguously and kept her words short. She couldn’t tell Raphael all the bad things that Harold had told her about him. The benefactor whom he valued him so much badmouthed him behind his back. So in Annette’s eyes, Raphael, who knew nothing about this, was really pitiful.

“Don’t believe anything what the old man said. He exaggerates everything.”

Raphael leaned back and spat out with an indifferent face. Listening to his words, Annette nodded her head silently. Because of this, silence fell in the carriage again. Raphael, who felt stuffy inside, eventually couldn’t overcome his temper. He grabbed Annette and placed her on his lap.

“What the hell are you thinking, Annette?”

Raphael growled, as he grabbed Annette’s head and turned her to face him. Alarmed by this sudden action, Annette looked down at him and responded softly.

“I wasn’t thinking about anything.”

“Lies! Don’t tell me you’re concerned about the crown prince. He’s a swindler.”

Raphael’s blue eyes flared up when he remembered Ludwig’s tricks earlier. Seeing that he was not likely to calm down easily, Annette sighed and leaned against his chest. This made Raphael immediately stop venting his anger. Annette said quietly in the meantime.

“Ludwig just needs some time. Time to admit that I’m not his anymore. I’m sorry for what happened at the party. Because of me, you got involved with him.”

After saying these words, Annette wriggled her body a little and took a comfortable position. As she leaned her head against the gap between Raphael’s firm shoulders and neck, she felt a strange sense of stability. ‘He’s a man whom I’ll leave one day, then why do I always feel like this when I’m with him?’ Annette turned her dull eyes to the side so that Raphael wouldn’t see it.

“It’s okay. You’re my wife. It’s my duty to protect you from such strange people. So don’t say sorry for something like this.”