Chapter 27

Freya looked dumbfounded as she asked, “Your Highness, do you want me to pour water over your back?”

“What else does it look like I’m asking for?”

Hearing the cold tone in his voice, Freya shrunk her shoulders. She had to remember that this was the Crown Prince of the empire, not Archer.

“Okay.” Freya put water in a small bucket and carefully started to pour it on him. Her hands shook as she poured it out, little by little, and she didn’t even contemplate brushing his back. There was a possibility that if Freya wet his pants, he might want to kill her, using that as an excuse. She didn’t know how she’d gotten out of favor with him. Sighing to herself, she thought of the many ways there were to torture someone, and Freya cursed him silently.

She then saw a large scar at the end of the water stream, which landed on the back of his neck. It was so thick and terrifying. And it looked as if a snake had curled up on top of his skin. Freya couldn’t help but wonder why a scar like that was on someone considered so precious, and she could feel the pain because of the size of the markings.

Freya may not know how to greet royals, but she knew a thing or two about being punished. She could almost feel the pain from the scar on her forehead, and her nose started to tingle. The pain was the same for everyone, and therefore, she could empathize. Freya suddenly came to her senses and tipped the remaining water out of the bucket. But she didn’t see Lucius lifting his body. And Alas, the water she poured splashed into his face. “I, I’m sorry.” Freya couldn’t look at Lucius directly because he was completely soaked, and she was highly embarrassed.

Earlier, Lucius had hidden behind a bulky tree and spied on Archer and Freya in the hopes that he would uncover their secret himself. He’d squinted and tried his best to look for some odd behavior from the strange lady. But no matter how long he stared at her, he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. There seemed to be nothing secretive about her, let alone any magic ability.

Peeking out from behind the big tree, he’d wondered what was going on when he heard the man complaining as he bent over. The lady then poured water over him. When the man screamed, the lady was laughing as if she’d done something very amusing.

Lucius wasn’t sure why that scene had bothered him. And so he asked the same thing to be done to his back. However, no laughter ensued as he’d expected. After shaking the water off his hair, Lucius asked, “Is this payback for what I did earlier?”

Freya shook her head from side to side and pleaded. “I, I’m sorry! Please let me live!” Still holding the empty bucket, her cheeks turned bright red.

The sound of Freya’s teeth chattering echoed through the surrounding forest, and Lucius smiled at Freya, who was trembling. “You should look into a person’s eyes when you’re talking to them. Especially someone like me.”

Freya lifted her head at his threatening words, and her mouth opened wide. She was petrified to say anything, but she was also mesmerized by Lucius’s face. As a water droplet rolled down his cheek, Freya admired his beauty, which reminded her of a perfect sculpture. Her heartbeat as he gracefully brushed his hair back. She had not noticed how handsome he was before.

The way he moved was so elegant, and she forgot all about the awful rumors. Lucius was opposite to Archer, looks-wise. And Freya found it difficult not to stare at his well-balanced muscles that went from his arms to his broad shoulders and then to his chest. Are you insane? You splashed water on the Crown Prince and keep gawking at his body.

Right now, Freya was at his mercy, and she quickly lowered her head again to look at the green grass at her feet instead.

Lucius cleared his throat after putting on his shirt and said, “So we’re tied since we attacked each other once already.”

“I beg your pardon?” Lucius left after saying something that she couldn’t comprehend. She was clueless about what he’d meant about an attack and what he’d been referring to when he’d said that they’d tied. Freya was at a loss for words and stood on the same spot for some time, holding the small bucket. She wondered if ghosts come out in the middle of the day, as it felt like she may be possessed.

Managing to shake off the silly thoughts, Freya continued organizing the rest of the laundry. She shuddered as she thought of His Highness, “He is stranger than the rumors have it.”

Because of the Crown Prince’s interruption, Freya’s chores took longer than usual, and as she returned to the tent, exhausted, the sun was setting. “Stupid royal people, they’re no help in life.”

She could barely lift the tent flap since she had no strength left. Suddenly, a small object flew above her forehead. “Archer, why are you upset?” Freya lifted her hand quickly and caught a little handkerchief pocket.

“Why are you coming back so late!” Archer bellowed.

“What?” Freya was tired and became frustrated because Archer was angry. She wanted to yell at him, but then she stopped herself as she saw his wet eyes. What is a big bear-like man doing all curled up on the bed? Was he perhaps worried about me?

Freya couldn’t get used to such an unfamiliar feeling, and she said, “It’s because of the bath,” but she couldn’t tell him that she’d screwed up while trying to wash Sire Lucius’s back, so she stopped trying to explain her late return. Freya was sure the loyal subordinate, Archer, would be angry if he found out.

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