NOVEL NEXT chapter 77
“Welcome, Yohan. I’ve been waiting for you.”
Najima Princess greeted me warmly with a bright smile, but I couldn’t manage a smile in return. At the sight of my rigid face and the forced grin I offered, she cocked her head in confusion.
“Is something wrong? Did something happen?”
“I—I…” Before I could speak, I swallowed dryly. Skipping lunch two days in a row—the only time I could see Rikal—hurt my heart, but there was no time to think about that. The moment ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ I came to my senses, I feared that her kindness would only bring me misfortune, and I had to stop that from happening. Drawing a shaky breath, I forced my voice out.
“Yesterday… I went to that waterfall, just as you said.”
“Ah, the nanny took you safely, right? And the clothes fit well. I’m relieved. How’s your body?”
Najima’s gentle smile almost brought tears to my eyes. My nose tingled, and I lowered my head. She frowned in concern.
“Yohan, what’s wrong? Did something happen at the waterfall?”
“It—it’s like this.” My tongue felt like stone as I struggled for words. Najima waited patiently, giving me courage.
“I was washing at the waterfall when… His Highness appeared.”
Najima’s brow furrowed. She clearly hadn’t expected that.
“The crown prince?”
“Yes.” I nodded and exhaled sharply. “He found me and got angry… I barely escaped…”
“Perhaps he feared you might harm me.”
Najima finished the thought I couldn’t voice.
“That’s all that happened between you and His Highness? He didn’t see your face?”
“No, no… probably not.”
I looked up at her anxiously, but she only smiled with curiosity.
“But how did you evade him? You didn’t knock him out.”
Najima scanned me with a puzzled look. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I blurted out,
“N-no, of course not… I just slipped away when I saw a chance.”
“How?”
Her tone brooked no half answers. Panic seized me; I couldn’t admit that my pheromones had driven him into rut. I could only stammer,
“He… he lost consciousness somehow, so I ran.”
“You mean he fainted? His Highness?”
“How’s your body?”
“Huh?”
Startled, I echoed her question. She smiled kindly.
“I mean your injuries. Did washing help?”
“Oh, yes… thank you. It… helped.”
I had to look away. Unable to hold back, I confessed,
“I’m sorry, I’m not sure… I was too panicked yesterday…”
“Today, you were too preoccupied telling me this.”
Najima finished for me. Then she said,
“Thank you for your honesty. If you’d lied, I’d never trust you again. You must have a reason for not telling everything. That’s fine. Let’s drop it. …I do wonder why His Highness returned so suddenly. I’ll inquire.”
She summoned the nanny, who sent a page to learn the prince’s business. Then Najima turned back to me.
“After you left, I called the physician and got medicine. Be sure to take it when you go. It would help if he could see your wounds.”
I couldn’t tell her the truth, nor lie. I could only bow and apologize. Najima gave a wry smile and said,
“You hardly worked yesterday. I felt bad, so I did a bit. It should be fine, right?”
“Huh?”
Only then did I notice the loom. Najima had woven as much as I would take three days to finish, flawlessly. My own work looked meager beside it. Staring, I whispered,
“Thank you…”
Najima smiled.
“I was afraid I’d ruin your work. I’m glad I helped.”
We exchanged uneasy smiles. Then muffled voices drifted in. Najima’s eyes flicked to the door as it opened and a handmaiden entered hastily.
“Princess, forgive the intrusion. His Highness is coming this way.”
Najima dismissed her. Peeking out, she returned.
“It’s too late to send you out—you’d meet him.”
Fear made me stare at Najima. She seemed to think the same.
“It’s okay, Yohan. I have a plan. He won’t lay a hand on me. Hide for a moment, okay? Nanny.”
“This way.”
Najima led me behind a thick tapestry that hung a few inches off the wall, offering perfect cover. I crawled in and curled up, my heart pounding. Then the door opened, and a cold breeze carried a sweet scent.
“Your Highness.”
Najima’s voice. I held my breath. Footsteps approached and stopped.
“It’s an honor you would seek me out here…”
“I heard you used that waterfall yesterday.”
His voice cut Najima off mercilessly. She laughed lightly.
“Let me finish, Asgail.”
“I don’t have time for nonsense.”
His tone was flat, emotionless—only a demand for facts. I braced myself. Asgail asked,
“What did you do yesterday?”
Najima chuckled.
“Exercising marital rights already, Asgail?”
“Answer.”
Najima answered smoothly,
“I didn’t go. I planned to but was too tired.”
I dared to hope. Then Asgail’s voice dropped,
“You say you don’t know?”
Najima retorted casually,
“Really don’t know. Asgail, with your headaches, have you gone mad?”
I froze at her boldness. After a pause, Asgail said,
“Fine. If you’re confident.”
A faint sneer touched his words.
“I gave you a chance, Najima. You missed it.”
He paced, footsteps slow, as if seeking me out. For a moment they moved away—I dared hope he’d leave. Then they quickened and closed in. Najima’s urgent whisper reached me,
“Asgail, what are you—”
Her words vanished in a crack of light. I shut my eyes. His cool voice came down,
“So it was you.”
I opened my eyes to see him towering over me, the chandelier backlighting him in shadow. In his hand, he held the heavy tapestry. He let it drop with a dull thud that felt like my heart hitting the floor. The air thickened with pheromones. A faint sneer curved his lips. He parted them and whispered, almost tenderly,
Found you.