The Prince’s Taste - Chapter 6.3

Judy Esther handed over some coins to the stall owner and received the darts. Although she threw the darts with great concentration, more of them flew wide, missing the dartboard entirely. Richard stepped up.

“Judy, tell me which ones you want.”

“Um……”

She scanned the prizes and pointed at a large teddy bear, similar to one she had hugged as a child in Korea, stirring a wave of nostalgia.

“A teddy bear, huh?”

“You only need to hit the board eight times to win the teddy bear,” the stall owner said while handing him a dart set.

Richard stared at the dartboard in concentration. He hadn’t been this nervous when he was studying imperial studies or practising swordsmanship. He threw the darts with the same intense concentration he’d used in his sword duel with Alex. With a loud thud, the first dart hit the bullseye. Cheers erupted around him as he threw the second dart.

Though two darts missed, he managed to land eight darts on the board, winning the teddy bear for Judy Esther.

“Is there anything you can’t do, Your Highness?”

He threw the darts with all his energy, eager to hear such praise. A man who wants to look good in front of a woman he loves becomes childish. Although he once mocked men who acted this way, he never imagined he would, too. Just as all men in love are like that.

“Shall I carry it for you?”

“It’s not heavy.”

“You look uncomfortable.”

Instead of asking a Shadow to bear it, the man in love wanted to carry the teddy bear himself.

“My father must be very angry.”

Judy Esther sighed, offering the teddy bear to Richard. Though she had escaped, her heart felt heavy.

“Shall we find out?”

“…..I‘d really rather not know.”

Do you have to dip in it and taste it to know if it’s poop or miso?

“I’m afraid that if I go home today, my legs may wind up broken.”

It’s just festival-time frolic, maybe they’ll go easy on you.”

“Wasn’t that the whole point of running away with me––because you knew they wouldn’t go easy on us?”

Richard had received reports that the atmosphere at the banquet was tense, which was why he’d avoided it. But now, he was starting to worry.

“Your Highness, you don’t have a solution either, do you?”

“Well…”

“Aren’t you being a bit irresponsible?”

Judy Esther frowned in disbelief.

“I said I’d take responsibility, so I’m thinking about how best to handle this so there won’t be any fallout.”

If his authority alone were enough, he wouldn’t be so worried. But thinking of the Marquis of Emers and the young Duke of York, who would do anything for Judy Esther, gave Richard a headache. The only way was to ask his father for help and push the royal marriage forward as soon as possible.

“Judy, let’s get married.”

“What’s with this out-of-the-blue proposal? Isn’t marriage as a solution to avoid trouble a bit old-fashioned?”

“Your reaction is even more unexpected.”

Richard stopped walking, turned toward Judy Esther, and gave her the most affectionate smile he could muster.

“Did you never intend to marry me, Judy?”

“Marriage is something you should consider carefully.”

“I know how fickle the human heart can be. I understand your distrust of me. But Judy, I made a vow to God.”

Richard looked Judy Esther straight in the eyes.

“I swore I’d make my woman happy. So trust me.”

“You do have a trustworthy face.”

“You said everything about me is your type, not just my face. Then take me and live with me.”

He had finally come to stand by her side, and he couldn’t bear to be parted from her again.

Richard never imagined he’d become so obsessed with one woman. If she looked anywhere but at him, he felt anxious. If she wasn’t in his arms, he feared she’d run away. He was already utterly taken with Judy Esther.

“I want to hold you, but this bear is in the way.”