Fiance's Lover (Dropped)

Chapter 11

"Nice to meet you, Lady Entera. I'm Rick Egelot from the Egelot Family."

"Ah, ah, hello. I, I, I...."

Karen stops talking and takes a deep breath. She looks just like how Katrina first met her, with her head bows down.

"I'm Karen Entera from the Entera Family. It's an honor to meet you!"

"You don't have to give me such a formal greeting. Thank you very much for hanging out with my younger sister."

Wow. Rick, who responds with a quiet smile, sounds kind and friendly like an educated gentleman. Even though he's always seen in public, I feel strange inside every time I see it with my two eyes. I used to laugh outright at him for being different in public and in private, but not anymore. Rick's ability to act properly is an essential virtuosity that I should also learn from accordingly.

"Who's not good enough? That's funny. Lady Karen, don't take him seriously. He's trying to make a joke."

Rick hasn't even responded to me, which is unfair, seeing how he always asks me to get things for him, like grabbing a book from the study or calling for a maid. What's the point of asking him to hang out with a beautiful girl and make her comfortable?

After asking Karen to have patience, I leave the library and go down the stairs. Seeing how the maids are wandering near the hall with bright faces, Nesar must have visited. I don't need to go to Lockhurd's room, so I go to the parlor on the first floor. When I open the door widely, there's a scenario that's a bit different from what I expected. The first person I saw is Lockhrrd sitting near the door.

"Oh, who is this? Our Egelot's Thousand Chubby Puppy is here."

Surprisingly, it's Pansion, not Nesar, next to him. I stutter silently and then bend my waist belatedly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were in a meeting."

Why is Sir Pansion here? If he came before me, it meant that he got on the carriage as soon as he left the chrysanthemum flower garden. As far as I know, this is the first time he has visited the Castle of Egelot, and on a holiday, not a weekday.

When I turn away to shut the door quietly, I hear Nesar's voice from the inside of the parlor.

"It's okay. Come in, Kate. I'm about to finish anyway. Sir Pansion?"

"Yes, then see you at the imperial palace, Your Majesty."

"Yes. You worked hard this holiday."

Pansion slowly gets up. It's a heavy and dull movement like he has just woken up.

Recently, I feel like they have been having frequent meetings. It isn't just a feeling because it has been difficult to see the faces of Nesar, along with Lockhurd, these past few days.

Straightening his posture, Pansion lifts a teacup and pours the last drop in his mouth. It's a controlled movement.

"Come here, Kate."

Nesar, who's leaning against the sofa tiredly, beckons me to him. His drowsy voice echoes around the living room, and instinctively, I run to him. Then, I stop and shake my head. There's something that I have to do right now.

"No. I... I have some business with Sir Pansion."

An empty silence sinks into the still room as if there's a blizzard coming from the North Pole. Why does the atmosphere get tense whenever I speak? Especially in places with Nezar. What the hell am I doing wrong?

"Is that right? Then you don't have to go out, and you can do it here."

It was a gentle laughter, but at the same time, it's so harsh that the hairs on the back of the neck stand up. From my experience, in cases like this, Nesar's mood can be condensed into two reasons. Either I did something wrong, or I'm on the verge of doing something wrong. Either way, the problem is directly connected to being my fault. Honestly, I can't accept either option.

Normally, the best response is to give Nesar an eager look no matter what he says. Unfortunately, now is not the time to grab his attention because my first, precious friend is being neglected at home!

"No. It's personal, so I think it'll be a bit difficult. Sir Pansion? If you're okay with it, can you give me a moment?"

Pansion's gaze turns to Nesar for a moment. After my request, he moves toward me.

"Yes, for a bit."

"Ah, then I have to get up too. Your Majesty will still be here, right? Haha! Even if you don't tell me, I know that you'll be here for a while."

Lockhurd gets up quickly, fixes his clothes, passes by Pansion, and approaches me. Nesar's expression is a dreadful one. I look at him with my head tilted down before turning away quickly.

Nesar's mind is difficult to understand even after nearly seven years. What is making him so unhappy? It's not like he's a narrow-minded person, but it's very obvious when he's upset. Isn't it obvious that he's acting like a 15-year-old rather than me?

"Tsk... you're always so tactless when you shouldn't. Why should I care about Nesar's feelings for you, you idiot!"

Lockhurd passes by and touches my forehead. I try to say something, but I have to leave it because Pansion is coming.

I left the parlor feeling nervous because Nesar's usually persistent, but he isn't today. If it bothers me when he's disappointed, it's even more frustrating when he's as quiet as now. After all, having someone deep in your heart is something that should be avoided. I'm tired of being bothered by whatever he does.

"Shall we move to another place?"

We just met at the chrysanthemum flower garden four hours ago. Even after just four hours, Pansion's face looks drained. Why are they having separate meetings on holidays?

"No, I don't think that is necessary."

"I thought you would be in Entera at least until sunset."

"I thought so too."

Unlike his tired face, his smile is very soft. I'm not confident in meeting his eyes, so I look away and open my mouth again.

"Karen also came here with me. I thought that I should tell you."

Pansion widens his eyes.

"I see. Is there a reason why you both came to Egelot?"

​​Why? That's because your maids bother her!

"Yes, I want Lady Karen to stay over for two days. I was so disappointed that our meeting today was short, so I invited Lady Karen. If you don't mind, I'd like to get permission from Sir Pansion."

Oh, that's not it.

What I was trying to say is that Karen came to Egelot because she wanted to stay with me for a few more days, so please allow her to stay overnight. However, contrary to what I have decided on, my mouth can't open easily since Karen, the person involved, is reluctant to inform Pansion.

"If only that child is okay, it doesn't matter to me. By the way, did Lady Karen really ask to see me for that reason?"

Pansion's expression is unchanged and calm. Is it obvious that I made that up on the spot? After all, it seems that it's not easy to deceive others. Since it turns out like this, I decided that I should just act comfortably. The situation Karon is going through, in a nutshell, is domestic violence. Tolerating it would not be a good decision.

"No. Actually, what I was trying to tell you is a slightly different story."

Let's hang in there. When Karen can't bear it anymore, she can tell him then.

"Since you gave me permission, I will spend two days with Lady Karen in Egelot. Don't worry too much about her because the maids and I will take care of her. Egelot's employees aren't rude like others."

Of course, it's meant to indirectly inform without being blunt. Did you understand the meaning of my words? Pansion still has an unreadable expression.

He bows his head briefly and then turns his back to me. After a while, the dark blonde disappears around the corner. I turn and push the door of the parlor open. I just wanted to find Nesar a lover, but how did I even meddle in someone else's family affairs? With a sigh, I step inside.

"What did you say?"

As soon as I lie down, Nesar opens his mouth. His silent gaze is on the big map on the table.

"Hmm."

I wet my lips at his question. The map Nesar's looking at was different from the one I know. The arrows and letters appear to indicate the path of logistics.

"The correlation between a peaceful home and a shallow friendship?"

"What the hell is that?"

"You know, what's more important to Nesar? A friend's pride or comfort?"

Nesar, who was looking down at the table quietly, frowns at me. The eyes I meet are dead as if he has been staying up these past few days.

"Is that friend Sir Pansion?"

"Sir Pansion or not, I'm not referring to a specific person, just a friend. What's more important to Nesar?"

The interior of the parlor is cold, despite it being filled with the vermilion of the late afternoon, and Nesar's breath, which falls to my forehead, is as hot as steam.

"Worrying about your friend's comfort must have hurt their pride."

"I think that it may be like that."

"Then you just have to worry about their comfort and not hurt their pride."

"Did you even hear what I said? What if that doesn't work?"

"You don't have to worry."

Reaching out to the other side of the table, he puts the teacup that's rolling all over the map upright. Then he brings out a teapot that I didn't know existed and pours it into a cup. Seeing that the steam isn't even visible, it must have cooled from being neglected.

"All you have to do is not to let the other person know, right? Then you can move in whatever way you want without anyone's notice."

It's an unexpected answer. No, this isn't advice in the first place, right? It's just telling me to be sneaky.

"Somehow, it seems like I just spoke a lot. How accustomed are you to deceiving someone?"

"Not at all. You must be mistaken."

"I don't think so...Do you often deceive people who cross you? And then hiding it till the end?"

Nesar dryly laughs briefly at my question.

"That's an act of the weak, Kate. You have to win other people's favor as their perception determines your social perception. Therefore, if something complicated happens to you, don't waste your time mulling over it and tell me. There won't be a better answer than me."

I act calm, but I feel like a lot of cold sweat has spread from my back from my contact with the sofa. Of course, it can just be an illusion. Nevertheless, Nesar's words seem to have read my mind. I quickly lower my head because it becomes difficult to look at him for no reason. Apart from the trembling, Nesar's words make me feel embarrassed, making my face hotter.

"Are you so concerned about me because I'm your fiancée?"

Nesar, who was drinking tea, looks at me with only his eyes. His red eyes, which were originally dark, have now completely dulled like the night sky.

Oh, yes. Now I realize what's so strange. Throughout my conversation with him today, Nesar hasn't worked his facial muscles properly. He feigns a smile, but it's all pretense. In fact, from the time I first appeared in the parlor, he has constantly maintained a stiff expression.

Is something bad going on?

He slowly blinks his eyes with a grim expression and then takes the teacup off his lips.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Really."

Shocked by the words he said, I jump up from my seat. How can he say it with such a casual expression?

"Isn't that too much? At times like this, even if it is correct, you don't have to give a courteous answer! You're the Crown Prince, Nesar. Did you forget?"

Nezar laughs. It's literally a very short one before a deep sigh falls from his lips. Unlike before, he looks cold. I'm tired of speaking, so I dig my butt into the sofa. Even though he tries to show that he's not tired, he hasn't teased me. In fact, today, he looks like he's nearing his limit.

"You said that you went out to meet Lady Entera?"

Where did you hear that from?

"I met her by chance when I went to the Imperial Castle. Lady Karen invited me directly. She even wrote a letter. Isn't that incredible?"

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T/N: I said this before and I'll say this again, Nesar is my type of character. Straight forward except when it comes to his fucking feelings but he's 19 so I'll give him a pass. His future is Charles if he doesn't get his shit together.

Also, I just wanna say, Pansion is sus....very sus and if you think otherwise, I question your taste.

P.S. The reason I don't update this story as much is because some asshat decided that they would request a group to pick this story up, so alas, it's also being done by another group on novelupdates. No hate to that group because they didn't know. Once that group catches up to me, I'll remove this stories and just put it privately on my site.