Chapter 242

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to @JedKezzelCruz. Thank you for correcting me on some wrong words or grammar that I missed, it really helped me a lot!

Happy Reading!

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(Florentia's POV)

Perez followed me without a word.

I've been walking as fast as I can, but I can't beat Perez.

Eventually, the carriage departed with Perez in it.

I knew he was sitting next to me, but I didn't turn my head towards him.

After sitting close to the window, I didn't look back at Perez.

I didn't want to show my face right now.

At first, I wasn't going to say anything, but it was me who opened my mouth first after coughing a little.

Perez's restless gaze must be desperate.

"...Why did you follow me?"

Fortunately, my voice was fine.

"You seem to be busy with your previous engagement."

I'm getting emotional again.

As soon as the meeting was over, he went out like an arrow, and when I remembered the appearance of the guy who was with Ramona, I was upset.

Even though I know well that I deserve it.

"You have to get off before leaving the Imperial palace..."

Oh, I'm screwed.

I was holding it well.

The body's instinct to stop the runny rose eventually won.

"...Tia?"

Perez's voice trembled as he approached a little closer.

And I felt a careful hand reaching out to me.

"Why, what..."

I replied bluntly, as if nothing happened, turning further to the other side.

But he didn't fall for it.

A slightly trembling hand like a voice pulled my face toward him.

Eventually, Perez saw my face.

A little blurry view showed his red eyes.

The red eyes were shaking like an earthquake.

Perez kept looking at me with a shocked face.

As if it had hardened, the guy who had no fine movement asked with a voice that seemed to be strangled.

"....Are you crying?"

"No, I'm not crying."

I said so and wiped my face with my sleeves.

But it didn't work.

"Gosh."

I wonder if my tear glands suddenly broke.

Tears streamed wildly, ignoring my unwillingness to cry in front of Perez.

Maybe it's because I'm embarrassed.

"Tia, don't cry. When you cry..."

Perez frowned and wiped away my tears.

It was showing a painful expression, as if he had been hit hard by someone.

I don't even know why I'm crying.

"Why are you crying?"

Look at this.

I was angry at myself for a moment.

Why are you crying?

It was a decision I made, and I decided to accept it.

"Tia, please. Please tell me."

At that time, Perez held my hand tightly.

His warm hands were always cold and hard, telling me how desperate he was.

But I can't tell you.

I definitely thought so.

However, my body once again betrayed me.

"Perez, because you smiled at someone else."

"...?...What?"

"You smiled in front of someone other than me, you...."

"That's..."

Perez looked a little embarrassed.

I quickly shook my head and hit the lead.

"I know how stupid I am right now."

It's just a smiling face.

No matter how little he expresses his emotions, he's been close to Ramona for several years since their time in the Academy.

They may be a lot closer than I thought.

"I know, but it's weird. My heart is weird."

To be honest, I was scared.

"I'm sorry, Perez. But I lost myself."

"Lost?"

"I will watch you with someone else..."

Tears burst from my eyes again saying so.

I can't stop it.

Hic! 

When I started crying again, Perez was at a loss.

He was in more pain as he wiped away my tears with his trembling hands.

I squeezed the hem of Perez's clothes and said.

"I don't want you to have someone more precious than me."

Perez, who had been constantly wiping my cheeks, stopped.

Then he hugged me tightly and said,

"I swear."

His big hand pulled me until I couldn't get any closer.

"No one is more precious than you. Now and forever."

And the red eyes looked deep into me.

"If you cry like this, I feel like I'm going to die..." Then Perez's gaze was stuck on my lips.

"How can I---"

The horse hovered in place.

Perez, who was holding me, fell into my hands.

At that time, the carriages rattled and rang once.

Maybe it was because we were passing through the front gate of the palace.

"Ah."

Perez slowly blinked his eyes, as if he had woken up.

And he muttered in a low voice.

"That was close."

"...What?"

But he didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at my lips for a moment with a little drowsy eyes and sighed briefly.

And finally, he wiped away my half-dried tears with his thumb.

"So don't cry."

It was a strange logic.

I looked him in the eye and said.

"You."

"Yes?"

"What if I was doing this with another man in a carriage?"

As soon as I finished speaking, Perez's face hardened.

As if you can hear the sound of something cracking.

As if the tide fell, emotions washed away from Perez's face.

At the same time, the temperature inside the carriage seemed to drop by a few degrees.

It wasn't enough to bother me, but it was definitely there.

The carriage shook greatly once again.

Even though there wasn't anything on the floor.

"What's wrong with you?"

There was a sound of bewilderment by the coachman from outside as he talked to the horses.

Horses that were much more sensitive to this kind of energy than humans, seemed to be frightening and raving for them.

I said with a smile.

"Yes, that's how I felt."

In fact, Perez was only guilty of smiling.

Let's just skip that little difference.

"So let's take some time to think about it."

I said, just like Perez did, sweeping his cheek once.

"I need time to organize my thoughts."

"Tia."

Perez said in a hurry.

"If it's because of the inability to serve as the Empress and a Patriarch under the current law--"

"I know there is a way."

Perez paused at my words and shut his mouth.

"That's why I'll think about it more carefully."

Other people would have no reason to worry like this.

I like it, but what else do I need to think about when I like it this much?

"Because you and I are a little different. We're not the kind of people who can meet and break up just because we feel like it."

"..Break up."

Perez's face darkened rapidly.

"No, that's not what I'm saying!"

Umm.

I hesitated for a moment and spoke in a very small voice.

"I like you. It's really nice. But if we want to be together, we need to be prepared."

It started out small, but my speech got smaller and smaller.

Even I couldn't hear it in the end.

"Oh."

However there seemed to be no problem for Perez, who in many ways exceeded human limits.

"All right..."

My face turned red as if it were going to burst soon.

This is really... It's embarrassing for the person who said it.

"Well, that...It's not the first time I'm talking about it."

I patted him on the shoulder and said.

But my fist quickly fell into Perez's hands.

"I can't."

He said, bringing hot lips on my knuckles.

And with the other hand, I pointed at the chair behind my back.

As he approached, a small noise was heard from the heavy chair.

"Perez..."

I tried to stop him.

Because I know what those eyes mean, like the embers of red charcoal.

But Perez whispered in a very desperate voice.

"Just once."

It's worth getting used to it now.

His face looks pleading with his long eyelashes.

"Tia, just once."

The low voice tickled my ears and I felt dizzy once.

His lips hovered right in front of mine, as if asking permission.

"Please."

Oh, I lost.

I closed my eyes silently.

His fingers dug between my fingers.

In the end, Perez didn't get off the carriage until I arrived at the restaurant.

****

(Florentia's POV)

"We've arrived."

The carriage stopped, and a coachman was heard from outside who announce the arrival.

Of course, I was ready to get out of the carriage, dressed up neatly again.

But when I just put my hand on the doorknob of the carriage.

"Wait a minute."

Perez came up and stole my lips.

"There are still some traces of me left."

"Hmm."

I coughed small and deliberately opened the carriage door wide and got off.

"Hmm? You Highness the Prince?"

"Did you ride this far together?"

The nobles who had already arrived and were waiting for me in front of the restaurant, recognized Perez and whispered.

"Please take the Crown Prince back to the Palace."

I deliberately spoke to the coachman in a more confident manner.

"Then see you later, Your Highness."

Then Perez, who poked his face out of the edge of the open carriage door, looked at me.

He's smiling right now!

The others don't know, but I know.

His face is expressionless, but his eyes are slightly thin and smiling secretly.

"Yes, thank you for your work today. I feel like my worries have disappeared thanks to the Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi. Return unharmed, Deputy Lombardi."

He looked very decent.

There's no breach of etiquette anywhere.

It was so different from what he looked like a while ago...

"Let's go and eat."

About to turn red again, I hurried back, saying so.

Some persistent, hot gaze followed me persistently until I entered the restaurant.

****

(Florentia's POV)

Perez and I met again sooner than expected.

"You've made sure that there's no one left inside, right?"

"Yes, Deputy Patriarch of Lombardi."

Today was the day to close and seal the house of the Angenas family.