Chapter 22:
“Why are you giving it all to me? Aren’t you going to eat any?”
“I don’t need to.”
“But isn’t this something you like?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m giving it to you. This isn’t usually given to just anyone, right?”
Of course, that was a lie.
Lately, I’d fallen into a sugar hell.
As I’d heard from the Second Prince before, awkward rumors about me were spreading around the palace, which made Margaret’s affection over-the-top.
So I couldn’t escape this sugar-bomb snack situation.
Sure, in previous rounds, Margaret’s love had always been proportional to the amount of sugar in her snacks, but this time it was especially extreme.
‘Maybe it’s because it’s the first time I wandered around and ran into that Second Prince and heard unpleasant things to my face?’
I secretly hoped Father would intervene, but he seemed to feel the same way as Margaret—pushing snacks at me and telling me to eat more.
Anyway, that’s why I was actually a little glad when the First Prince came today.
He awkwardly picked up one of the snacks in front of him and tried it.
I rested my face in my hands, pressing my cheeks flat, and watched indifferently.
Still, even as a prince, he ate elegantly.
Eucled actually liked sweet snacks, but because he was the heir, he acted maturely and kept away from sugary treats.
I’d also heard he usually drank bitter black tea instead of sweet drinks.
So even though he pretended otherwise, he’d secretly be happy with the snacks I’d given him today.
‘Of course, I’m not giving him my snacks for his sake.’
I drifted into a brief memory as I watched the First Prince slowly chew the snack.
Looking back now, it feels like ages ago, but in the first round of the story, I really liked him.
If my mental state hadn’t been wrecked in that first round, I might have kept a corner of my heart reserved for him…
“…It’s good.”
“Oh, right?”
When he muttered that quietly, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Finally, I’ve hooked him like planned!’ and secretly rejoiced.
“I’ll give you all of this—eat everything on this plate!”
I couldn’t miss this opportunity.
I enthusiastically pushed the plate closer to the First Prince.
His face, which had hesitated for a moment, quickly turned cold.
He swallowed what was in his mouth and said in a detached tone:
“No, I only said that out of politeness. I don’t particularly like sweet snacks…”
“What are you talking about? You like them!”
Wait, is he trying to pull a trick?
“I know what you really like. No need to lie to me.”
What’s the point of pretending in front of a five-year-old?
And if you act coy like that, no one else will eat my snacks for me!
Seeing my firm face, the First Prince’s eyes wavered slightly, as if embarrassed.
“I’m not lying….”
“Ah, okay, okay. Let’s just say that counts. If you leave any, our palace chef will be sad. So instead of talking, just eat.”
“Uh!”
Too lazy to argue further, I shoved a snack into his mouth myself.
The First Prince, caught off guard but obediently taking the sweet snack from me again, looked a little shaken.
Luckily, he didn’t spit it out or throw a tantrum.
His jaw, which had stiffened for a moment, slowly began to move.
After a while, having chewed and swallowed all the snacks I’d fed him, the First Prince mumbled hesitantly:
“Fine, fine. I’ll eat it because you’re insisting.”
“Ha, good.”
“Don’t just give them all to me—you eat some too.”
“I’m fine.”
Ignoring his words, I carefully observed his face again.
The First Prince flinched at my gaze, then lowered his head and continued chewing.
He seemed to eat faster and faster, as if he really liked the snacks.
Seeing that, I felt there was a chance and subtly suggested:
“You know, would you like to come here sometimes to eat snacks?”
“What?”
“Every time you come, I’ll give you all my snacks. So just come by and have some snacks sometimes.”
You, become my snack shuttle!
Wait, no—in this case, since I’m giving him snacks, I’m actually becoming his snack shuttle.
Whatever, it doesn’t matter.
I didn’t expect I’d want to see him often again, but right now I genuinely did.
I liked Margaret, but honestly, I was hitting my limit.
Even Pio and Kino, who used to share snacks with me, no longer touched Margaret’s sweets.
Maybe that’s why I found myself looking at the First Prince with a bit of desperation.
“You don’t have to bother talking to me. Really, just come and eat the snacks and go.”
Good for both of us—kill two birds with one stone.
But I refused to become a conversation partner for such a little kid.
We weren’t the type to sit around laughing and chatting together, and I was too lazy for that anyway.
“You…”
But for some reason, the First Prince’s eyes suddenly moved more than ever when he heard me.
He lowered his head deeply, like before.
“Ha… I kind of suspected it last time, but it was really… like that?”
Then, he wiped his face as if drying it with his hands and let out a deep sigh.
Suddenly, he radiated a melancholic atmosphere.
Huh? What’s going on?
Why is he suddenly serious?
“I’ve never really done anything nice for you…”
From the First Prince muttering to himself, I understood why.
“When did you start liking me so much?”
I stopped chewing and stared blankly at him.
Am I hearing this right…?
“What? Even at your last birthday banquet, I said mean things instead of celebrating… but you still threw yourself in front of me to save me.”
Well, yeah, the intent wasn’t entirely pure, but still, I did save him, so fine.
“And when you insisted on going outside with me, you made sure to avoid other palace members, wanted to stay with me alone, and even insisted I carry you in my arms.”
Uh… uh…
I was so flabbergasted I could only gape.
“Now, you even found out about the snacks I secretly liked and gave them to me to eat…”
Um, excuse me?
“And on top of that, you begged me to come visit you several times just to get closer…”
Hey, you’re completely misunderstanding this!
“I didn’t even know you liked me that much.”
But the First Prince was already lost in his delusion and didn’t seem to notice my shocked face.
After a moment, he finally calmed down, lifted his head, and spoke:
“Alright… I’m busy with classes, but I’ll make time to come by occasionally.”
His face returned to its usual composed, mature look.
“Like you said, talking while eating snacks isn’t so bad. I don’t find it that bothersome, so don’t worry.”
Yet his ears, peeking through his blonde hair, were slightly red.
I stared dumbfounded at the First Prince.
‘This… this guy. Is he blushing?’
Even though he looked cold and serious, secretly blushing was part of the First Prince’s character.
In the first round, no amount of cute or friendly gestures from me worked, yet now he’s doing this on his own—it was ridiculous.
‘What did I even do? Just telling him to eat my snacks makes him shy? He wasn’t that easy before. Or did my desperate insistence seem so sincere?’
As if sensing my thoughts, the First Prince shyly pushed a cream-filled snack toward me.
“Here, you eat this too.”
I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t speak, and in the end, I had to let him leave without clearing up his misunderstanding.
“Hah.”
I let out a dozen exasperated laughs.
Ever since First Prince Eucled visited our palace, I’d been in this state.
No matter how much I thought about it, it was absurd.
His soft, shy face as he pushed the snack plate toward me kept lingering in my mind.
‘Hah… totally doesn’t suit him.’
Of course, he wasn’t the only one to approach me favorably in this life.
Recently, La Bellarica’s mother had suddenly given me a gift too.
But there was a decisive difference.
‘At least Mother, though previously indifferent, never looked disgusted at me like the First Prince did.’
Meanwhile, the First Prince had even despised me for being fake.
‘So is it any wonder I’m so baffled right now?’
Still, both had kept a distance, yet I seemed biased?
Hah, whatever. I’m naturally more lenient toward women!
—Thus continues the free-spirited life plan of the rogue princess.
