The Royal Deal

Chapter 29 – Who Is the Idiot? (2)

After another ordinary day, she had finished her daily tasks and had headed to bed, but yet again, Amethyst found herself unable to fall asleep. She started to feel worried as the wedding approached. She wondered if she had made the right choice, and whether this was the best choice for the future.

She had judged that it would be easier to spend her time in the duke’s estate, where, unlike the Count’s estate, nobody knew her. But she couldn’t shake off a nagging feeling.

Finally, she had started addressing herself as Amethyst. She called herself Amethyst but hadn’t forgotten who she really was. Perhaps that was why she found it hard to sleep.

Then suddenly, she was reminded of Alexcent. She wondered if he was working late tonight as well. She got out of bed, put on her dressing gown and went out into the darkness.

Just like the day before, light leaked out through the door.

Knock knock.

After knocking once, she opened the door before she could hear a reply.

Alexcent was seated behind his desk surrounded by piles of documents, but something must have not been going well as a deep frown marred his usually mischievous expression.

“Busy?”

“Yes.”

She couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed that he didn’t even look up at her when he replied.

“Even then, surely you can spare a moment to look at me when you speak to me!”

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“Ahhh. Of course.”

He looked up and met her gaze briefly before returning to his documents.

‘He really must be busy. There was no choice; if it was something urgent then it was understandable to her.

Back at work she had times where she would be so focused on something that she lost all sense of time. Any unwanted interruption got on her nerves.’

Amethyst sighed and sat on the sofa opposite him. She suddenly spoke, “Do you know the story about the village idiot Ondal and Princess Pyeonggang?”

“What are you going on about? Pyeonggang what?”

Even though he responded that way, he still paid attention and interacted with her.

“Long long ago, there lived a Princess named Pyeonggang. Every time she cried, her father, the king of the country, told her he would make her marry the village idiot Ondal, if she didn’t stop crying.”

“….”

She studied his impassive reaction before continuing on.

“Anyway, Princess Pyeonggang one day, threw a tantrum and said that she wanted to marry the village idiot, to which the king replied and said that she couldn’t as he was an idiot. But the princess insisted so, the angry king threw her out of the castle.

The banished princess goes on to find idiot Ondal and marries him. Then she teaches him martial arts, makes him study and turns him into a general. The village idiot Ondal no longer is an idiot and later becomes the General Ondal.”

“So…in summary, are you saying I am the village idiot Ondal and you are Princess Pyeonggang?” He asked innocently.

“I never said that.”

“You didn’t, per se. However, it’s exactly what you meant.”

“No.”

“Yes. You placed an awful lot of emphasis on the word idiot.” His lips twitched, betraying both his knowledge and amusement.

‘This man isn’t as slow as I thought.’

Amethyst just shrugged, in her defence.

“That story is wrong.” He suddenly remarked.

“Wrong?”

“Yes, it’s more like Prince Ondal and the idiot princess.”

“Ha? Are you calling me an idiot?”

“No.”

“I think you are?”

“I doubt it.”

As expected, It was impossible to win with words. Amethyst gave up and was about to lean against the sofa, when there was a knock and a voice heard behind the door.

“Your highness, It’s Gen.”

“Come in.”

The assistant who had come in through the door in the late night, seemed surprised to find Amethyst inside.

“I have something to report-”

“Oh, then I’ll take my leave.” Amethyst stood up, and was about to leave, when Alec got up as well.

“You wait here. I’ll take you back.”

“What? Oh no, I’m fine. You should get back to your work.”

Alexcent looked at Gen, to which Gen quickly replied. “It’s nothing urgent. I’ll wait right here.”

“Let’s go.”

Alexcent left Gen in his office and left along with Amethyst.

*

“You really didn’t have to-” Amethyst trailed off and couldn’t help but glow with joy on the inside, at Alexcent’s consideration for her.

“Aren’t you going to hold it today?”

“Sorry? Hold what?” She saw him subtly offer his hand.

‘Ahhh. He wants to hold hands like yesterday, does he?’

“Well there’s nobody passing by today so there’s no reason to.”

“….”

‘Why does he suddenly look gloomy?’

All along, as they walked along the corridor, he seemed expressionless. But it seemed like someone was upset about something.

*

“What is it?” Alexcent asked Gen in a low unenthusiastic tone as he returned to his office.

“Your highness, I just received a message from the Alst. Apparently Celeos from the Pontifex has repaid his principal as well as the interest.”

“Paid back the money?”

“Yes.”

“All of a sudden? How? With what kind of money?”

“After some digging, I found out that the empress had recently donated a large amount of money to the pontifex.”

“Belice?”