Chapter 22.
I’m screwed.
Those three words were all that filled my mind. When did time fly by so quickly?
I’d been so focused on pretending to be fine while accepting and drinking the alcohol that I hadn’t paid any attention to the passage of time.
First, stay calm. Unless Friedrich is an idiot, he would have slipped away to somewhere out of sight before midnight struck.
‘…But that makes it even worse.’
There was no way for me to find Friedrich now that he’d turned into a child. I couldn’t ask anyone for help either.
‘He couldn’t have gone far, though.’
I hurriedly excused myself from the admirers and began searching for Friedrich.
“Your Highness, you don’t look well. Is something wrong?”
“It seems the men prepared by Your Highness’s followers weren’t up to par.”
“After all, seeing Prince Friedrich every day, it’s no wonder nothing else satisfies.”
Ignoring the conversations I overheard along the way, I confirmed that Friedrich wasn’t anywhere in the ballroom.
‘Did he go back to Rene Palace?’
That seemed the most hopeful possibility right now, but what if midnight hit while he was on his way to Rene Palace?
‘Considering the travel time, I can’t rule out that he hid somewhere nearby from the start.’
In that case, I couldn’t rashly head back to Rene Palace myself.
If he wasn’t there, everyone would think it strange.
For a normal couple, I could brush it off as a lovers’ quarrel, but that’s impossible for us.
‘I’ll search this area thoroughly first, and if he’s not here, then go to Rene Palace.’
That was the safest option for now.
‘Let’s check all the rooms in the palace first.’
The palace hosting the ball had empty rooms prepared for attendees to rest midway through.
The problem was…
“Um… Eek! Your Highness?”
“…My mistake.”
I quickly closed the door. Oh, I’d seen something I shouldn’t have.
It couldn’t be helped, given that the main users of these rooms were couples who’d caught each other’s eye.
‘I get that you’re in a hurry, but please lock the door!’
After that, I encountered similar scenes several more times.
It wasn’t exactly pleasant to see half-naked men and women flushing red and hastily kneeling before me.
But even after witnessing all those uncomfortable and embarrassing sights…!
‘Where on earth is he?’
There was no sign of Friedrich. Maybe he did go to Rene Palace? I was pondering that when.
“Your Highness.”
A low voice came from behind me. It was Joachim. Ah, I don’t have time to deal with him right now.
But I couldn’t show how rushed I was. I turned around with a deliberately calm expression.
“Duke Rommel.”
Joachim looked far more haggard than the last time I’d seen him.
No wonder rumors of him being lovesick were circulating. His pitiful appearance made it instantly believable.
“I greet the brilliant morning star of Stade. Are you looking for someone?”
“No?”
I brazenly shook my head.
“I just stepped out for some fresh air.”
Joachim stared at me quietly before continuing.
“I don’t see Prince Friedrich tonight.”
“I sent him back to Rene Palace first.”
I lied without batting an eye.
After all, people would assume I’d be playing with those men all night anyway.
“You know the reason, I’m sure.”
“Do I?”
Joachim kept staring at me as he went on.
“Perhaps that reason is…”
At that moment, a child emerged from behind Joachim. It was a familiar face. My expression hardened before I could even think to control it.
“Because of this appearance?”
Friedrich, now a child, was there. He looked at me with a devastated and humiliated expression, then bowed his head deeply as if ashamed.
I stared at Joachim, momentarily speechless. Surprisingly, his face remained composed.
“…Yes.”
At this point, I had no choice but to play the villain. I shrugged nonchalantly.
“I did this to him.”
At that, Joachim burst into laughter. It seemed… my lie had failed.
“I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness. However…”
A moment later, Joachim composed his smile and spoke.
“I know that no matter how strong Your Highness’s magic is, it’s a different matter from turning an adult into a child. Moreover.”
Joachim smiled weakly as he stroked Friedrich’s head.
“I also know that Your Highness’s tastes are definitely not for children.”
“…”
“That’s why I couldn’t understand when you said you’d marry the prince who’d just come of age.”
Joachim still wore a face that hadn’t accepted that fact. He let out a short sigh and muttered.
“What are we to do about this? A curse that turns him into a child at night. How bizarre and ominous.”
“What do you want?”
I decided to drop the act altogether. I frowned and asked directly.
Joachim gazed at me steadily before replying.
“You already know what I want, Your Highness. Keep me by your side and take me under your wing.”
“Duke Rommel, that’s already a settled matter…”
“How long do you think you can hide the prince’s curse?”
Joachim asked calmly.
“There will be more occasions ahead where you’ll need to appear in public past midnight, like tonight. You got through this crisis safely because I was here, but.”
“…”
“What do you plan to do going forward? Will no one suspect if Your Highness’s partner keeps disappearing right after midnight?”
He had a point. It wouldn’t just happen once or twice; repeated absences would make someone suspicious. I was silent for a moment before asking.
“What changes if you become my lover?”
“I introduced this child to others earlier as my relative.”
I was taken aback to hear he’d already revealed Friedrich’s child form. Joachim met my eyes steadily and continued clearly.
“With me around, there would be two people to coordinate stories about the prince’s whereabouts after midnight. For instance, I could take this child to Rene Palace pretending he’s my relative.”
“…”
“You’ll need at least one collaborator, Your Highness. If you truly want to protect this child.”
Friedrich glared at Joachim for keeps calling him ‘child,’ but Joachim ignored it and waited only for my answer.
I narrowed my eyes at Joachim before asking.
“How can I trust that you’ll cooperate with me?”
Joachim smiled weakly. As if he understood my distrust but still felt hurt by it.
“I’m not foolish enough to be unaware of what happens to those who betray Your Royal Highness.”
That’s true. I nodded as if acknowledging it was a foolish question, then gestured to him with my eyes.
“Follow me.”
Then I went into one of the empty rooms I’d checked earlier while searching for Friedrich.
When Joachim and Friedrich hesitated outside, I beckoned with an expression that said, ‘What are you waiting for?’
Finally, the two entered the room together, and I firmly locked the door behind them.
The eyes of both men wavered.
“You said you want to live as my lover.”
Joachim nodded a beat late.
“We can’t return to Rene Palace in this state, so tonight, the three of us will spend it here.”
Fortunately, the bed looked big enough for three.
I claimed the left side of the bed and lay down, then gestured as if to say, ‘Come on up.’
Joachim approached the bed hesitantly, and I said in a stern voice.
“Friedrich, you get up here too.”
Child Friedrich’s eyes widened in surprise. His gaze asked if that was really okay, and I let out a wry laugh.
“Or were you planning to sleep on the bare floor?”
Friedrich quickly shook his head and climbed onto the bed even faster than Joachim.
Then, boldly claiming the middle spot, Joachim gave him an incredulous look and quipped.
“That seems like my spot, kid.”
“Let him sleep in the middle. It’s cramped for three; what if he falls off?”
Joachim seemed momentarily speechless at my words, then nodded with a magnanimous expression.
“Since he’s a child, I’ll understand.”
Friedrich glared at Joachim again, but Joachim countered with a scoffing smile.
…Suddenly, both of them seem to have the mental age of children.
I let out a short sigh and cupped Friedrich’s cheeks with my hands. At that, both Friedrich and Joachim’s eyes widened in shock.
“You shouldn’t glare at adults like that, Friedrich.”
