Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince - Side Story 28
Side Story 28
Translator: Yonnee
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* * *
As soon as I reached the upper floor, I started turning on the lamps I had placed around the room.
Since they were closer to the floor than the ceiling, it made more sense to place the lamps on the ground.
Though electricity wasn’t available, there were magical alternatives far better suited for this era.
When I breathed magic into the round lamps adorned with drawings, the soft light illuminated the pictures on their surfaces.
The gentle glow created a warm atmosphere, reminiscent of a winter fireplace.
Through the larger window, sparkling stars could be seen.
The scenery outside looked as if painted by an artist’s brush.
The window framed the view like a picture in an ornate frame.
“…You found time to decorate like this.”
Albert, who had followed me, looked around and blinked at his desk.
“Do you like it?”
The potted plants on his desk, the bookshelf filled with the books he had been reading recently, the cozy room that combined the feel of a library and a forest, and the light green bedding all seemed part of a perfect picture.
I raised my hand and pointed to the window, gesturing for Albert to look.
He carefully examined the room.
He knew exactly where my touch had been.
As he looked around, he gradually approached me. Finally standing before me, Albert smiled brightly.
The way his lips slowly curled up and his eyes crinkled reminded me of a pure-hearted child, unlike when he tried to seduce me.
“I love it, Jung-in. But…”
Still smiling, Albert lightly kissed my forehead.
“The one I love most here is you.”
He whispered, looking straight at me.
“If you’re not here, none of this means anything to me.”
“I feel the same. This place only has meaning because you’re here. It’s where we met and made many memories.”
If it weren’t for Albert, this tower would hold no significance for me either.
It might have remained the worst place where I almost died.
It’s funny how things turn out. I vividly remember the days I had to flatter just to survive.
“Albert, thank you for stepping into my life.”
I echoed the words he always said to me.
“You’re speaking unusually sweet words for so long. Sweeter than any dessert you’ve ever brought me.”
Albert’s face, though he only smiled slightly, clearly showed his delight.
He may not show it outwardly, but I know how much Albert appreciates this.
Staying with Mercy to prepare the surprise gift and taking care of Joos recently made me reflect on whether I’d been neglecting him.
‘I have been busy with Joos.’
I reflected on that.
Living with Albert has made me complacent, it seems.
I’ve grown accustomed to the love, words, and attention he shows me, accepting them as a given.
It’s natural to adapt and grow used to these things when living together.
But I understand how precious the mundane is.
I know how precious the happiness I’m experiencing right now is.
So today, I want to reflect and also express my gratitude.
‘Though I haven’t completely failed to express it…’
When Mercy asked how I seduced him, I felt a bit guilty.
I can’t deny that Albert has always been more expressive.
Even in the beginning, Albert fell for me before I even tried to seduce him.
“Thank you for loving me.”
The greatest miracle of my life is you.
Meeting him, expressing our feelings, getting married, and living together every day feels like a wonder.
Albert looked at me quietly.
“Why are you surprising me so much today?”
He laughed again.
“But I need to correct you.”
He gently brushed my hair and spoke softly.
“Thank you for giving me the chance to love you.”
His eyes were unusually clear. They looked at me more deeply and clearly than the night sky we had just seen.
“For stepping into my life.”
I thought of Albert’s childhood. What would have happened if I hadn’t appeared then?
Could the wounded, broken child have gotten back up?
“Thank you for saving me.”
It’s pointless to dwell on what-ifs.
I’ve decided to view all the events that happened then as the foundation of our present.
The feeling was different from whenever Albert seduced me, more like someone tickling my heart with feathers.
Maybe Albert felt the same.
We stood still, gazing at each other as if time had stopped.
“Being alone together like this reminds me of when we first met.”
“Yes, it does.”
The time spent in the tower is still vivid.
It feels like it happened just yesterday.
It was an important connection and the starting point of our relationship.
“You used to say so many incomprehensible things…”
Albert gave me a sly look.
I admit, I talked to myself a lot back then because I wasn’t used to this place yet.
“You used to praise me like breathing.”
“I did say a lot of nice things back then…”
Even now, I’m not immune to Albert’s beauty, but it was even more overwhelming back then.
“You kept calling me ‘Prince, Prince’ and showering me with compliments. It was truly ridiculous.”
Albert’s eyes sparkled with mischief as he reminisced.
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