The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 213

“Whaaaat?! No…!”

No matter how much she had lived shut away in the countryside, she wasn’t ignorant of how elderly Devran’s king was. But a prince who was even older than that king?! Evelyn was horrified and, feeling fortunate that she hadn’t paid attention to that article earlier, pulled her body back. He smiled and folded the newspaper, then extended his hand.

“Shall we go?”

“Where… to?”

“Since we have to leave the capital early tomorrow, we should do some sightseeing in the remaining time today, Miss Lena.”

That embarrassing title of “Miss Lena” was becoming a bit less bothersome as she kept hearing it. Evelyn stood up and before placing her hand on his arm, she poked his side, but he persisted in playing dumb. She grumbled as they left the hotel lobby.

“Lord Cayan, are you going to keep doing this?!”

“I have no choice if I’m to protect my precious Miss Lena.”

“Really…! You made a firm promise yesterday and now you’re being too much.”

“Stop sulking and choose where to go. At this rate, the sun will set.”

His eyes, while he smiled with only the corners of his mouth raised in response to her, were coldly hardened beyond being merely cool-headed. It was an expression that would be difficult for her to see even if she stood on her tiptoes given her height, so she couldn’t notice it.

Evelyn had probably met him not long after she had spread out that newspaper.

That article was problematic because it really introduced this country’s prince, the Crown Prince of the Helia Empire, and several other princes of marriageable age in the front section to entice naive young ladies, but then devoted almost half a page to introducing the new marriage of that decrepit prince from some country who was four years older than Devran’s king, which was the main point and purpose of the article…

Judging by that cute reaction, it seemed she had only read the title and hadn’t looked closely at even the first line.

「Prince Asar Devran, the prodigy of the Kingdom of Devran and first in line to succession, and Kamil, the one and only Crown Prince of the Helia Empire. Let’s learn about the two most wonderful princes on the continent.」

In Cassis’s opinion, putting these two names side by side was evidence that the journalist who wrote the article and the newspaper’s publisher loved Devran terribly. He knew better than anyone how different the weight of a mere small kingdom was compared to an empire that commanded the continent.

‘Could that even be unknown?’

That was his impression after going into Devran’s royal palace in yet another disguise today to see Asar, but he had never seen the Crown Prince of the Helia Empire himself, so it was difficult to gauge. Evelyn, who had been led out by him, grabbed his arm and urged him forward when he stopped walking. Though just earlier she had been going on about leaving or not leaving, now she was saying the exact same thing as him.

“Hurry up, the sun is going to set.”

“There’s no need to worry. Miss Lena’s nagging is so tremendous that I feel like that sun could rise again and then some.”

“Really…!”

Miss Lena—such a cute and endearing name that suits her well. Cassis looked down at her cheeks, which had puffed out as she seemed to have gotten sulky, and resolved that if they were to go out like this in the future, he would have to use this name again.

Since he had already earned her dislike, his wicked desire to see more of her startled reactions came back to life. After leaving the hotel, he caught her hand and lifted it up in the middle of a deserted street. Then, with a completely serene expression, he gracefully bent at the waist and kissed it. Like a knight escorting a lady.

“……!”

The warmth from her cheek beside him flaring up hot could be clearly felt. Before he could receive any scolding, he struck first.

“I tried being a knight for once, Miss Lena. Though I’m called a knight, I’ve lived almost decades in other occupations, so it was a bit awkward, but this makes it complete.”

It was a statement containing nothing but pure truth. There would be no one who would dare speak of chivalry or escorting him, who had become a king.

“Hnngh…!”

He could feel her trembling as she became extremely agitated. Though she couldn’t bring herself to say anything with words, if he behaved just a little more wickedly, it seemed like she would slap his cheek with her soft palm. Somehow, he felt like he could even take that with a smile.

He roamed the capital everywhere with Evelyn. They went to boutiques, hat shops, and even blacksmith shops, but wherever Evelyn went and whatever she saw, she felt the same as when she first lay on the hotel bed. For some reason it felt unfamiliar and awkward, though it got better after some time passed.

Having finished their simple tour of the capital, they left the hotel around dawn the next day. Despite going to bed relatively early, Evelyn seemed tired as she kept rubbing her eyelids.

“Mmm….”

“Sleep more. I’ll wake you just before we arrive.”

Unlike yesterday, his tone wasn’t teasingly pressing, but she still didn’t let her guard down. At first, she had been happy that Cassis was showing her his rare side, but not today.

“No.”

For the sake of Evelyn’s stamina and the welfare of the fake jasmine branch, they were traveling by carriage. She looked much more comfortable than when they had come by cart, which put his mind somewhat at ease. Though he never forgot the thought that his lovely Miss Lena might burst into tears once they arrived at the rural village.

The cool early summer breeze kept flowing in through the small window they had left open. Evelyn, who had been twitching her nose lightly, blinked her sleepy eyes.