Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Translator: Yonnee

—

As he observed my demeanor, Albert crossed his arms and shrugged.

While looking back at him, I tried to respond calmly.

“I’m taking it back, Prince. It’s canceled.”

“I expected that.”

Contrary to my concerns, Albert stood up without any qualms. Nothing else happened.

But it’s kind of a shame that you’re listening to me so obediently…

No, wait, don’t be sad about that. This is Albert’s way of flirting. If you start thinking like that, you’ll get swept away.

With my eyes wide open now, I shook off these sentiments. No thoughts, head empty. No thoughts, head empty.^[1]

“Are you sad?”

“No, that’s impossible.”

I answered Albert in an instant. It was a robotic answer to hide what I was really feeling.

With his eyes curved beautifully, he smiled.

“But that’s regrettable, Rosé. I’m sad.”

I had nothing to say to this even if Albert said so.

“I shouldn’t have revealed it too quickly.”

There ensued a moment of silence. As I sneakily averted my eyes, Albert calmly said.

“Let’s get prepared for the return trip.”

“Already?”

Albert raised his brows.

“You must like this place.”

“The room’s big and it’s pretty, so I like it. My room in the tower looks so desolate.”

“We have to go back soon, but look around the room. I’ll charge you later, so you can take anything you want.”

“Really?”

“I’ve never taken back my words before.”

“Prince, I love— no, thank you very much.”

Like a habit, I almost said ‘I love you’. It’s a common expression I say towards my friends, so sometimes it pops out without even my control.

…But he confessed to me, so I can’t do this. I wonder if he noticed from the beginning.

Albert’s expression was calm as if nothing had happened.

At this, I figured it’d be okay to just move on, but.

“Why are you changing your words in the middle of talking? Continue what you were saying.”

I’m not sure if he knew it’s something that came out unconsciously, but it’s flustering me that he was asking me to continue so openly.

“…Prince.”

“I know you’re saying that without meaning to.”

“……”

“So just say it without thinking much.”

The weight of those words changed completely from before.

Albert continued staring into my eyes. He applied that silent pressure that was as natural as breathing was for him, just in the same way that he naturally said and acted out those perplexing thoughts and actions.

But that’s why I can’t do that anymore.

“Prince, I can’t say…”

Shhk, shhk. After getting out from under the blankets, I got out of the bed and stood up.

“Here’s a substitute instead.”

I placed both hands over my head to make a big heart shape—a heart of love. The meaning was the same, but the weight of it wasn’t as heavy.

“This heart equals love.”

“…I don’t think that gesture means the same thing.”

“It has a mini-me, too.”

With my thumb and index finger together, I made a smaller heart. This is the Korean finger heart!

“I don’t know what that is either.”

Albert responded offhandedly, but the atmosphere was definitely softer than before.

Then, there was a knock on the door. Albert’s smile changed subtly.

His expression contained only sincerity until then, but there was now a mask over his features.

Just like when I first met him.

“Who is it?”

“Your Highness, it’s me, Duke Masen.”

Albert breathed out and stroked his chin.

“I told you to rest more. I don’t understand why you rose from your bed.”

“I couldn’t just let Your Highness leave like that, which is why I’ve come here.”

Duke Masen was the reason why Albert was here.

I fidgeted with my clothes.

“You’re being self-conscious.”

“No way, of course not. How can I possibly look away from the Prince? I’m just maintaining proper etiquette towards any other person.”

I’m embarrassed that I’d be meeting someone for the first time while I was in a blanket burrito. I answered back skillfully while slightly biting back. Albert narrowed his eyes.

“I have a hunch that’s not the only reason, but that’s probably my misunderstanding.”

“There’s no one as handsome as you, Prince.”

These words were sincere, but Albert was kind of on the mark. It’s inevitable to anticipate one’s first meeting with a duke.

In romance novels, the duke was bound to be either the male protagonist or the second male lead. As long as I’m this close to Albert, there’s a high chance that I’d meet Seo Ina later. So it’s also highly probable that the duke was the second male lead.

In romance novels, the male leads were always handsome, right? If Schubert was a young man whose looks you could look forward to in the future, then what about Duke Liam Masen?

What did he look like?

Three cheers! Three cheers for hotties!

“Come in.”

“Yes.”

Ba-dump, ba-dump. I stared at the door as though I was watching a movie. When the door opened, Duke Liam Masen stepped inside.

“Your Highness.”

The duke’s voice was huskier than Albert’s sweet voice.

Liam was quite the looker, with his short black hair and green eyes. He definitely looked older than Schubert, and considering his strong physique and the scabbard at his side, it was clear that he was someone who wielded a sword.

Even if I looked at his tanned face for a long, long time, I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it.

…As expected. Just catching sight of a romance novel’s male leads made my eyes endlessly blissful.

¹ What Rosé chants here is this mantra: 무념무상무념무상 (munyeom, masang, munyeom, masang) and the dictionary definition for it is a [ state of impassivity ] or [ the act of attaining a spiritual state of being that is free from all thoughts and worries ] and sure, I could translate that into a more sensible English mantra, but my brain is fried and I literally can’t think of anything but that meme xD ↩