Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Translator: Yonnee

—

He whispered into my ear.

“Have you gone back to the tower yet?”

“No, not yet. I do still need to get the rest of my clothes though.”

“…Then let’s go to the tower together before you leave. Despite everything, I’m starting to miss that place.”

What he said made me feel relieved.

Now that I was in a wide, open space like this, there were times when I’d suddenly remember that small room over there, in a place where only he and I existed.

…I didn’t know I’d miss such a tiny place. I’ve left the place I wanted to leave all that time, yet I’m starting to miss it, like a disobedient child who never followed what she’s told.

I nodded.

At that moment, Blanc woke up from his nap and went to my lap, getting snug as he found his place. Albert coldly stared at Blanc, but the little dragon then responded with a cold stare of his own.

The relationship between these two was getting worse and worse.

Albert was usually kind to his people, but Blanc was an exception—he was always strict with him. I patted Blanc’s head and sighed.

“…Prince, Blanc isn’t the same dragon that you met when you were young.”

I read this in a book, but apparently dragons were a lot harder to meet than I thought.

If they could catch someone’s eye, then that person could become a contractor. However, as the probability of their death would increase over time, dragon cubs also tended to avoid people more.

“Right, it must’ve been another dragon… But they strangely resemble each other.”

Albert narrowed his eyes, but I replied.

“Strangely resemble each other?”

“Their eyes, and their energies—I feel like they’re similar. And I told you before, I really don’t like dragons. I’ve felt the same way ever since I was young.”

This conversation was like a Möbius strip. I wanted to avoid these two from starting a fight, so I changed the topic.

“…There’s actually something I wanted to ask you today.”

At my words, Albert looked up and met my gaze. He tilted his head to the side in question.

“What is it?”

“…How should I call you now? You’ve become Your Majesty the King now, but I still keep calling you ‘Prince’.”

Mercy, Liam and all the others have since changed the way they addressed him after he became the new king, but I was still calling him ‘Prince’.

I was also used to calling him ‘Your Highness’ at first, but I’ve become more accustomed to calling him ‘Prince’.

Despite vowing that I’d soon call him properly as ‘Your Royal Majesty’, the word ‘Prince’ still kept popping out of my lips. It’s become a habit by now.

“Indeed, the way you’ll call me now is a problem.”

He also seemed to think so. After all, it was unreasonable to continue calling the incoming king as prince, still. He probably didn’t want to hear it either.

I should be more careful about his title.

“Then call me Albert.”

It took me a while to process what Albert just said. With a baffled expression, I asked back.

“…Huh?”

As he perched his chin on one hand, Albert’s eyes curved like crescent moons. There was a sly smile on his lips, and just the sight of it bewitched me as though he was a siren.

“You called my name well enough while I was asleep.”

You weren’t sleeping back then?!

“I don’t understand why you’ve closed your mouth as if you’ve glued it now.”

One eyebrow went up. He clasped the back of my hand and covered it with his own hand.

“When it’s just the two of us, I don’t think it’s bad to hear you call my name.”

No, I mean, who one earth calls the king by his name? He’s not even a prince anymore. He’s the king, for pete’s sake.

No matter how much Albert and I flirted, it’s difficult to say we’re that close to each other.

I couldn’t imagine what kind of repercussions there would be if I ever unintentionally called him by his name in public.

So, I was about to open my lips and firmly turn down the suggestion, but then Albert suddenly spoke up, and his words soon got stuck in my ears.

“Hearing someone call my name feels better than I imagined.”

“……”

“I didn’t know that my name would sound so good, Rosé.”

A soft, singsong voice tickled my ears like a spring breeze. I couldn’t deny his words.

Calling a person’s name had more effects than one could think. And, true enough, I was also excited every time he called me Rosé.

“I don’t care about what you call me in front of other people. If you want to continue calling me ‘Prince’, then you can continue doing so. I’ll accept whatever you call me.”

As he stroked my hand, it felt like there was a feverish heat brushing over my skin.

“Rosé, try calling me ‘Albert’.”

Prompting me to say it right away, his gentle voice urged me.

“You said it’s alright to call you Prince.”

I mean, you’re the ‘Prince’ so that’s what I’m calling you. But Albert flowed without pause, and it was as if he was truly concerned.

“If you’re having a hard time saying it, just think of it as an order and call me like that.”

Honestly, I do want to call him by his name. Rather than calling him ‘Prince’, I would feel much closer to him if it was his name instead.

First his title was ‘Your Highness the Prince’, and now ‘Your Majesty the King’. No one ever said his name.

After realizing that I’d be the only one who’s allowed to call him by his name, I felt myself wavering.

“Rosé.”

And after hearing that pleading tone, I finally shaped my lips to utter his name.

The name lingered upon my lips first, but soon flowed out through the air with my voice.

“Albert.”

The evening had come upon us, but his face was as bright as the day.

As if he didn’t expect me to say it so quickly, Albert’s wide-open eyes contained emotions that were usually difficult to see.

The corners of his lips rose somewhat shyly, his expression turning boyish.

He closed his eyes for a moment, as if to savor the sound, then he opened them once more.

“Again.”

With one hand, he gently raised my chin.

“Albert.”

Once more, I uttered his name.

This name that could be heard by only the two of us—I quite liked it as well. I was embarrassed, but just as I was excited and happy to hear him say my name, I wanted him to experience the same thing as well.

“Rosé, thank you.”

“……”

“Because of you, I started thinking that it’s good to be alive.”

“……”

“Rather than just living for the sake of revenge, thank you for giving me a meaning to my life.”

…I’m the one who’s fortunate to have met you, Albert.