“Her Highness must have had her own recipe.”
“That's right. It was really delicious. Besides, the Crown Prince liked it, didn't he?”
Edon agreed with Melissa.
“But aren't those dishes too unique?”
“It's no problem since the Crown Prince likes it.”
Although it was true that the dishes made by the Crown Princess were rather unique, Melissa was happy to see someone looking out for the Crown Prince.
“Well, you are right.”
Hans smiled softly.
After the Emperor returned, they would be interrogated about the reckless dismissal of the servants, but Melissa, Hans and Edon vowed to protect both of them from any harm.
As she was the wife that the Crown Prince cherished so dearly and also the only person who managed to restore his buried happiness, the Crown Prince’s people unanimously accepted Ancia as their own master.
***
One of the maids that used to aid Blake was also laid-off under Ancia's orders. She had acted sweet and gentle on the surface, but after Blake was forced down from the Crown Prince's position, her gentle demeanor did a complete 180.
She would call Blake ugly and hideous because of the black inscriptions on his skin and would wear an expression of abject disgust at the mere sight of him. When Ancia thought of the maid’s treachery, her blood boiled in anger.
Even those who pitied Blake would be reluctant to directly touch him because they thought that the curse was contagious.
There was no guarantee that switching to a different maid would stop this from repeating, so I decided to help Blake bath myself.
“Your Highness, from now on I'll assist you when bathing.”
“…”
At the moment, Blake was reading a book, and when he heard my words, he raised his head and prepared to escape. I knew he would react like this, so I firmly held his shoulders down.
“Go to the bathroom, please.”
“No! What if you get infected by the curse?!”
“I won’t.”
“What if you become unlucky?!”
‘When someone sees or touches the cursed inscriptions, either the curse will be passed on to them or the person will become unhappy.'
Due to such false rumors, the bearer of the curse was not allowed to come outside and abandoned in a southern island.
Blake was also pushed down from his Crown Prince position and forced to go to a southern island as soon as the cursed inscriptions appeared. But thanks to the Emperor’s strong opposition, he was able to stay in a faraway palace.
“I'm not going to be unhappy. That's a false rumor, so you can just ignore it.”
“What if it's not just a rumor?!”
Did he keep the rumors in mind? Sure, in the original book, the author said that a person would become unhappy if they stayed next to Blake for a long time, but I didn't think so.
“I’ve already seen your face and held your hand.”
“The inscriptions on my face are small, but the ones on my body are big!”
“It's just a false rumor. Come on, let’s go!”
I pulled his hand, but he didn't budge.
Due to the curse, Blake was weak and small. I was two years older and ahead of his height and strength, yet, there was nothing I could do when the boy made up his mind to hold on stubbornly.
“Your Grace, come on.”
“No! I’m hideous!”
Blake burst into tears as he shouted.
Rumors were just an excuse. In fact, he just didn't want me to see the cursed inscriptions on his body. Initially, I thought I’d be sick because I already saw the sentences on his face and hands, but I was wrong. It hadn't been long since Ancia tried to kill herself because she was shocked by his face. No wonder Blake was worried.
“Your Highness…”
“You will hate me after you see it!”
Blake cried as he curled up into a ball. I squatted down in front of him.
“Your Highness, don't look down and look at me.”
Blake slowly raised his head. His already red eyes were even redder.
“I told you before. You're not a monster. And if you're a monster, then do you think I'm a monster too?”
“Ancia is different. You’re so pretty!”
I felt happy to hear that my groom thought I was pretty. I smiled and stroked the cursed inscriptions that covered the left side of his face. Blake shivered.
“It's not hideous. And touching it doesn't make me unhappy. I've been happy every day since I married you.”
“…you are happy?”
“Yes, I’m happy that you are my husband.”
“Me too, me too. I'm happy to be married to Ancia.”
Blake jumped into my arms. I gave him a big hug too.
“Your Highness, don't say that sort of thing again.”
“Yes.”
“I'll be mad if you say that again next time.”
“I won't. Don't be mad.”
“Then, shall we take a bath now?”
Blake flinched and shook his head.
“What is it?”
“I’m embarrassed…”
The moment I heard his subdued voice, I burst into laughter.
“Oh my, were you embarrassed?”
“D-don’t make fun of me!”
“I'm not teasing you. You’re really cute.”
Usually people would bathe with their private parts covered. Furthermore, the royal family and aristocrats had everything taken care of for them from the moment they were born, so it was quite strange for Blake to be so self-conscious and embarrassed like this.
Moreover, he would become the second male lead of an R-19 novel.
“You're making fun of me!”
“How did you turn out to be so shy?”
“It was Ancia, so….”
“Am I the only one that you discriminate against?”
“No way!”
“Then, come on in.”
I pulled Blake's hand lightly. Blake reluctantly nodded and walked into the bathroom.
“Don't be scared!”
He was afraid I'd be scared to see his body before he even undressed.
“You can't hate me once you see it”
“I’ll get really mad if you say that again.”
“You can’t leave!”
“…”
I kept reassuring him not to worry, but he wouldn't stop talking. I must leave before Blake becomes an adult. The only person that can free the Crown Prince from his curse is the heroine, Diana. My role is to just keep this little boy from getting hurt, and then, step down in time.
“Why aren't you answering? Ancia, are you going to leave me?”
Tears welled up in his crimson eyes again. I quickly gave him a bright smile.
“No…”
It was a lie.
“Where would I go leaving my cute husband?”
Another white lie.
“Really?”
“Of course. This is my home.”
I wiped his tears away with my hands.
“Come on, take a bath.”
“Yes.”
Blake hesitated and took off his clothes carefully. I put on my best poker face. Blake would be hurt if I showed even a little surprise.
When he took off his shirt, a small body covered in the sentences of the curse was revealed. He was only eight years old, and the sentence covered half of his body.
Blake noticed and took my hand, worried that I might run away or jump into the lake again. I smiled softly.
“How can you be so skinny? I think I look fat because my lower body is too thin. I should lose weight from now on.”
“Don't do that! You must eat a lot!”
“Eat a lot?”
“Yes, you're still skinny.”
“I'm bigger than you are though?”
He glanced up at my top of the head and pouted his lips.
“I'll grow up soon!”
“I'm going to grow up, too.”
“I'll grow up faster!”
I laughed when I saw Blake’s sudden burning desire to win.
“Okay, I'll look forward to it.”
“Yes! Look forward to it!”
“Come on, let's get in the tub. You're going to catch a cold.”
I led Blake into the bathtub.
His skin was soft, but the areas with the cursed inscriptions were rough. It was said that whenever a cursed inscription spread, it would be accompanied by pain in the flesh. Just how much pain must this young boy have felt?
When I touched the curse, Blake trembled.
“Don't do it. What if the curse….”
“It won’t.”
I couldn't completely lift Blake's curse since I wasn’t the heir of light, but I stroked the black sentences engraved on his back, hoping that the small power of light I had would slightly ease his pain.
“Oh no, my husband has a big tummy.”
“I don't!”
I was taken aback by his fierce resistance. I was about to apologize, but seeing Blake adorably puff up his cheeks, I felt like teasing him a little
“It's because I ate a lot!”
“That’s what causes you to have a big tummy.”
“I'm not going to eat any more!”
“Then you'll still be smaller than me.”
“Oh no!….”
Blake's eyes widened, as if he realized something important.
“Your Highness, I’m kidding. Your tummy is not big, so you should eat a lot. That's how you’ll grow up.”
“Yes! I'll eat a lot and grow up fast!”
“Yes, grow up fast.”
Blake was so thin that it made me worried.
***
Blake loved Korean food. He wasn’t just saying it was delicious because I made it. It really did suit his tastes.
Blake loved it a lot so I enjoyed making it too. Hence, my ambitions grew further and I wanted to make a full-fledged meal.
I'll build a furnace and a cauldron!
There was a limit to making Korean food with a stove and oven.
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