Twisted Truth (6)

Knock, knock.

There was no response inside even though she knocked. Soon after, she saw the maids who brought clothes and items needed for the banquet.

‘Am I earlier than I thought?’

Seeing her standing at Arthur’s door, the maids hurriedly bowed their heads and greeted her.

“Princess…… he’s not ready yet.”

“Not yet? I’m sure you’ve been preparing since the morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

At every word she said, the maids trembled with contemplation. Arthur said while looking at the tightly closed door.

“Well, I was the one who came before the banquet, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

She didn’t mean to scold them. Her fault when she came was big, but when she saw the clothes they prepared, she couldn’t see the blue clothes she had told them about.

“Why can’t I see any blue clothes?”

“In fact, I was bringing the clothes back because of that. He said he wouldn’t wear it…….”

“He refused?”

Smirking. Laughter came out. The maids nodded hurriedly. She waved her hand at them saying they would say it again somehow.

“It doesn’t matter.”

She didn’t think he’d say no, nor was he trying to call her out.

She knocked once again. This was the last consideration she could give.

Knock knock~

“Grand Duke Arthur.”

“…….”

As expected, there was no answer. She stood in front of the door, took a deep breath, and rolled up her sleeves. She knocked but did not get a response.

So Arthur would have expected this, too.

“Hwa, the empress, in here!”

The maid urgently stopped her, but she didn’t give in. Considering that the door is not locked, she thinks he wanted her to come. She opened the door and went in.

“Wearing clothes…….”

The maid stood up a little to her with a devastating look. She leaned against the door and crossed her arms and stared at Arthur.

Arthur was seen buttoning his shirt. A solid upper body was revealed through the buttons that were not fastened.

“…Mary.”

“Why did you refuse? Is it to make me come this way?”

The maids bowed their heads in surprise. She told them to bring blue clothes again, and they closed the door on their way out.

“That’s why you are here. So I won.”

Arthur slowly finished buttoning up. He, who neatly filled his sling tie around his neck, handed her the documents. It was an engagement contract.

“Why?”

She asked Arthur while looking at the contract on the table. His actions embarrassed her. Why is he pushing the contract in this situation?

What is he trying to tell her?

“The engagement was only formal from the beginning, so it doesn’t matter if you rip it off here.”

“What do you mean by this?”

There was no way he would listen to what she wanted without any consideration.

Who can believe that he said he couldn’t let go of her and that he would be by her side, but he would get rid of the reason why he could be by her side.

“What do you want?”

She said looking up at Arthur without touching the contract.

Knock knock~

“Princess, can I come in…?”

She said it was okay to go after opening the door and accepting the clothes at the maid’s words. When the maid looked at Arthur and her alternately with anxious eyes and was restless, Arthur smiled brightly and reassured the maid.

She hates his smile.

The maid quickly closed the door and left the suffocating space.

Her heart cooled down again.

“I told you from the beginning, what I wanted.”

Arthur’s eyes suddenly changed. She instinctively stepped back from him. It was dangerous as always when Arthur looked at her like that.

She clenched her trembling fists. She can’t get away from him, and this is because Arthur has already settled deep in her heart. The more she tried to push him, the more he approached her.

Avoiding Arthur’s gaze, she bit her lips tightly.

‘Wake up.’

It was her who promised not to be shaken. She has no intention of forgiving him for what he has done to her, and she resents herself enough to want to kill herself for giving him her heart.

“Mary, it’s just your heart.”

Arthur’s hand pulled her hand. As she faced his gaze, her heart began to fluctuate. She was already contained in the dark eyes that she couldn’t see an inch ahead of her.

His sincerity toward her was revealed. He is now deeply regretting his past.

Silence.

She couldn’t dare to say anything other than the eyes of the two.

She thought she’ll be revealed if she does that. She hates him, but she’s afraid Arthur will notice that there are other emotions inside.

Maybe he knows but pretends not to know and is asking for forgiveness from her.

He said that he could forgive her because he had her in his heart, and that he would understand if it was her.

“I did it because I loved you.”

“Then break the contract with Nox right now.”

“It won’t be possible.”

“Ah, all you can do is whine to me?”

What can she say to him who is hovering around her asking for love?

He was horrified, chopping a person’s heart and longing for love. What did he think when he saw her struggling to live?

“It’s creepy. You and Nox.”

“There’s no way even if I want to break it. Nox… he won’t tell me.”

Arthur’s words, which he was struggling to say, we’re no longer reliable. Yeah, they hurt each other so much.

His hand, holding her hand, gained strength.

“Yeah, I guess so”.

Her eyes also cooled down as she saw Arthur’s hand, which was blunt and punched. It was miserable and unfair.