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In that moment, words escaped me.

It was not just the suddenness of the situation, but the sheer absurdity of it all.

It wasn’t the first time I had come to meet Elena; at the very least, there shouldn’t be anyone here unaware of my engagement. I never imagined someone would boldly confess their feelings in such a crowded place.

No, to be precise, I had never considered that I might receive a confession from someone else.

Confessing to someone who already has a betrothed? That was beyond my understanding. It wasn’t that I couldn’t fathom the possibility of others confessing to Elena, but she was special—she was different from me.

If I were to gather everyone in the world and declare that Elena was the most beautiful, no one would think it strange.

Because it’s true.

This isn’t just me being blinded by love; objectively speaking, it’s the truth.

Her sparkling white hair that resembled starlight and her smooth skin like fine porcelain. Her translucent lavender eyes were unmatched by any jewel, and her beauty was so stunning it felt like she was the masterpiece created by a god when forming humanity.

Her looks were so captivating that the phrase “stunning beauty” instantly came to mind.

Looking back at the characters in the original story who had fallen for her, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate to say so. I mean, the title of the novel itself was <The Princess is Loved.>, wasn’t it?

Considering the original work had precedents, I had been on guard just in case. Who would have thought I would become the target of such an incident?

It’s not that I have a complex about my appearance or undervalue myself, but I always viewed such extraordinary situations as exclusive to Elena.

From the moment I became Elena’s lover, I, Damian, essentially turned into a barrier against the men who approached her, just as she became a wall for me. I never thought people would see any charm in me that could make them want to break through that wall.

All I could come up with was my position as the heir of Kraus, and maybe that’s about it?

Our family wielded power equivalent to the royal family in the south, so I found it easier to think that the family’s influence was the goal. Even if my background was considered attractive, I wasn’t sure if it qualified as charm.

It was an unexpected situation; I hesitated a bit, but I knew what I had to say.

“I must decline.”

“Huh?”

“I have a fiancée, and I am her lover. I hope that explains everything. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

“Wait, hang on!!”

I had no desire to continue the conversation here.

With all the eyes on us, there was no reason to prolong the discussion.

To those oblivious to the situation, it might have seemed like a romantic surprise, but to me, it felt like a bolt from the blue. Someone whose name and face I had just learned today suddenly declares their love for me—wasn’t it more strange not to be shocked?

The primary purpose of my visit was to meet Elena, and since she should be in this garden, I didn’t want to inadvertently create misunderstandings.

She was… rather sensitive about things like this. Though I had teased her about being jealous, I didn’t want things to escalate into a serious situation.

Thinking it best to wrap up the conversation quickly and leave, I ignored the girl and moved away.

“I’m not finished yet!!”

The confident girl who had stood before me was no longer the same. Clearly taken aback by my abrupt rejection, she looked clueless. What on earth gave her the confidence…? Did I really come off as that kind of man?

Despite my words, she appeared unwilling to give up, reaching out her hand to stop me. Not wanting to engage in another repetitive conversation, I attempted to swat her hand away a bit forcefully.

If I didn’t clarify things here, such incidents could very well happen again.

“Ugh?!”

But my hand never reached its destination. Before it could touch her, her hand was blocked by someone else.

“Enough.”

Ultimately, the worst-case scenario I had feared came to fruition.

*

A chilling voice, as frigid as the northern winds, pierced my ears. Usually, her voice thrilled my heart more than the spring breeze, but right now it was colder than any winter wind.

The girl who had faced off against Elena lost all her bravado; she seemed completely thrown off guard. Not just her, but everyone around us was in the same state. The raw emotions she displayed projected a sense of intimidation that made everyone feel like they were standing before a wild beast.

Even I, accustomed to the creatures’ habitat, found myself flinching. How must those children, who had little exposure to such things, have felt? They all became mute, silenced in the face of Elena’s overwhelming presence.

The girl, whose hand was captured by Elena, shook like a leaf. Her face, drained of color from fear, indicated she was far from being in a normal state, yet Elena had no intention of letting up.

Elena pulled the girl closer, their breaths nearly mingling, and with a voice that weighed heavier than before, she said:

“This conversation ends here. Do you understand?”

“…”

“Answer.”

“Y-yes…”

As if to imprint her fear firmly onto the girl, even after hearing her reply, Elena didn’t release her grip. It was only a few seconds, but Elena’s actions were enough to push the girl’s psyche to its limits. Once Elena let go, the girl collapsed like a marionette whose strings had been cut.

No one was there to catch her as she fell to the ground.

Elena briefly looked down at the fallen girl before turning her head to me. Elena’s gaze, usually so warm, now retained a trace of unspent emotion.

I tried to say something, but it felt like anything I said would come across as an excuse, so I stopped. After all, excuses are what people use to evade the consequences of their actions, and the atmosphere suggested that was precisely the case. One wrong word, and I might set off an explosion.

Seeing Elena this furious was a first for me; I was somewhat dazed.

Without a word, Elena approached and took my hand; the strength she held was a clear indication of how she perceived the situation. Gripping her hand tightly, I walked alongside her as she led the way.

Upon reaching a more secluded area, Elena loosened her grip and then embraced me instead. The pressure against my body felt intense; it was as if she was trying to prevent me from going anywhere else.

This wasn’t just my impression; pressing her face against my chest, Elena said:

“You can’t leave.”

A lot was left unspoken, but I could understand what Elena meant by those words. This was why I had tried to distance myself from the situation. If something similar happened again, I’d need to just leave without any words.

“If I leave, where would I go? I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.”

To reassure Elena, I placed my hand on top of her head, just as I always did.

If Elena were in my position, she would likely have drawn her sword immediately; just like when I first saw Richard in the north. Thus, I didn’t fault her for her feelings, but there was still a need for a little calm.

Having experienced such panic before, I understood how chaotic one’s mind could become, so I spoke to Elena slowly, trying to draw out the unease growing inside her.

“Don’t worry. I won’t leave your side.”

“…”

“Hmm, you seem to not believe me?”

“No…”

Before long, Elena began to relax her grip on my arm. It was a sign that she was calming down. Yet, she still held onto me, and I didn’t mind that at all.

Elena buried her face in my chest, and judging by the blush in her ears, it appeared she had belatedly realized how embarrassing her earlier actions were. She certainly looked different from how she usually did, but what was there to be embarrassed about? She was just being wonderful.

Honestly, while I was surprised when Elena got mad, it felt good.

The reason she was upset stemmed from her love for me, and it reaffirmed that our feelings were in sync.

“You were amazing.”

As soon as I said that, for some reason, Elena lightly punched my chest with her tiny fist.

Naturally, it didn’t hurt at all.

 

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