The Prince’s Taste - Chapter 4.1 - The Prince’s Taste

A beast.

He was, in a nutshell, a rampaging beast.

After experiencing the overwhelming passion of the high-level male protagonist’s prowess, Judy Esther couldn’t muster the strength to even lift a finger. She should return home—the marquis’ household must be in an uproar by now. But more than that…

‘That was amazing!’

Although the prince appeared to be lean at first glance, once undressed, she was utterly floored. His body wasn’t hulking with bulging muscles but rather sculpted with smooth, toned ones, and she couldn’t help but wonder how he managed to store that colossal thing in his middle. The man she’d thought of as gentle and kind transformed into a fierce beast in bed.

If only he weren’t the man who would soon fall in love with Ella. Richard whispered sweet words of love to Judy Esther all night, but she couldn’t believe it. Richard hadn’t met Ella yet.

The original story’s setup of love at first sight and a fated romance—could the male lead really avoid being drawn to the female lead?

‘Should I let him go?’

Judy Esther thought of her beloved family. Even if the original story spiraled out of control, she would never let herself go crazy. Her dad, mum, brother—so long as they were by her side, she could endure anything.

Because enduring was better than dying.

Richard was like a wind in her life, and if it intensified and became a typhoon, he could completely ruin her existence. Supporting characters like her were no better than mayflies; their lives dictated by the whims of the protagonists. Judy Esther never forgot for a moment that she was one of those supporting characters. There were many stories of transmigrators who twisted the original tale and lived to tell the tale, but there was no guarantee that the miracle of the exception would happen to her. She had to consider everything and assume the worst-case scenario.

“Let’s stop thinking.”

A sigh escaped her lips involuntarily. Thinking any further would only give her a headache and dig a deeper hole for herself. She decided not to worry about things that hadn’t happened yet. Even if Ella showed up, it wouldn’t go down the same way as in the original.

She hadn’t chased after him, nor were they engaged. Like Ella, their accident happened during a ball. If he dared to abandon her, that would make him a real bastard. She decided to think lightly of it.

Judy Esther tugged on the bell pull and asked the maids to bring her comfortable clothes. The rumors must have spread far and wide, so she resolved to go out boldly. With the maids’ help, she dressed and finally left the room after two days.

Her legs wobbled as she left the room. The corridor leading to the stairs seemed unusually long. She walked slowly down the corridor, taking in as much as she could. Statues of people she hadn’t seen on the way in, people from the royal family, filled the empty corridor.

As she descended the stairs, her steps faltered. Richard’s portrait hung on the wall as if to see her off.

“He’s handsome!”

“Handsome,” she muttered in genuine admiration. The portrait, detailed to the point of being almost photographic, was stunning. She even entertained the idea of taking it home as a keepsake from their two-night stand. Perhaps if they parted, she could use it for target practice…

“Ugly. Ugly.”

She told herself not to get messy over this situation. A bitter smile crept onto her face. As their physical relationship deepened, so did emotional attachments; it seemed that lingering feelings had already taken root in her heart.

“Didn’t he tell me to wait?”

Richard had left the Crown Prince’s palace earlier with a displeased expression after being summoned by the king. He had an unavoidable schedule to meet with foreign delegations. Before leaving, he’d repeatedly told Judy Esther to wait for him.

Waiting for him until he returned wasn’t difficult at all. However, his words made Judy Esther stubbornly resentful. She hated being someone who had to wait when told to wait and go when told to go. The sheer unpredictability of her life in his hands infuriated her.

“He wouldn’t understand a day like this.”

If she were Richard, she’d find herself perplexing too. Rejecting and pushing him away, despite his declarations of love—it wouldn’t make sense. Yet how could she explain to him that this world was a fictional novel, that he’d eventually fall for another woman and betray her? It would be fortunate if he didn’t think she was crazy.

It was a future that hadn’t happened yet, but could she truly nonchalantly watch another woman by his side? How could she avoid going crazy like Judy Esther in the original story?

“Haa… Whether I emigrate to the empire or retreat to the countryside, I need to go somewhere where I can block my eyes and ears.”