TYWN Ch 12

“May I join you?”

“Suit yourself.”

He looked as if he would wait there, unmoving, if she refused. Radia didn’t bother stopping Julian as he pulled out the chair opposite her. He was the type to do what he wanted anyway. Instead, she hid her face completely behind her newspaper.

She didn’t want to be noticed. Getting involved with this man was even more out of the question.

Even though she knew this man would likely take care of any potential for rumors…

“I asked you to call me by my name.”

“I can’t do that.”

He sat down opposite her, took off his hat, and ordered his own coffee. It was unusual for someone who supposedly only drank coffee brewed by the royal barista.

Thinking cynically, Radia took another sip of her coffee. She hadn’t touched her brunch. There was a high probability she would choke if she tried to eat.

The server’s eyes widened in recognition of Julian. When Julian put his index finger to his lips and winked, the server nodded vigorously and returned to their position.

It shouldn’t have been possible, but Julian’s gaze felt like it was piercing the thin paper of the newspaper, reaching her face.

“What brings such a busy person to a place like this?”

“I had some business to attend to, and I happened to see you.”

It was nonsense, but Radia pretended to accept it and said nothing. The fact that he even asked if she was here meant he had been looking for her.

“By the way, I met Yuris yesterday.”

The newspaper tilted slightly at the mention of Yuris’s name. Julian curled his lips as he looked at her, his dark, intense eyes fixed on her.

“We had quite an interesting conversation.”

“….I don’t know what it was about, but I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

Despite her stiff reply, the man grinned slyly and asked in a casual tone,

“Have your feelings for him finally cooled?”

Perhaps because there was no one around, instead of answering the man who wasn’t showing much formality, Radia kept her eyes on the newspaper.

Julian rested his arm on the table and stared at Radia. A faint flicker of anticipation appeared and disappeared in his red eyes.

‘Does he not realize Yuris has lost his memory?’

After a moment of consideration, Radia slowly replied, “No.”

“Then, has he lost his memory?”

Radia inhaled sharply at the sudden question. She almost answered unconsciously but managed to close her mouth just in time. However, the perceptive man didn’t miss the hesitation. Julian clasped his hands and leaned back in his chair.

“That’s the answer.”

“….How…”

“He didn’t seem to remember the incident at the Baralen Palace.”

His suspicions began there, but he became certain something was amiss the moment Yuris spoke to Radia with less respect than usual. He might humble himself, but he was always steadfast in his regard for Radia. He never showed such deference before Julian.

As if this woman, of unremarkable lineage and family, dared to claim she was even more precious than Julian himself.

“Wouldn’t it be appropriate to act your station?”

She expressed her disapproval of him toying with people so elegantly. Julian’s eyes, fixed on Radia as she spoke quietly, lest anyone overhear, turned crimson.

He tapped his fingers on the table, then slowly reached out and covered Radia’s hand as she reached for another newspaper. His index finger subtly rubbed the top of her wrist.

“Are you going to break up with Yuris?”

Radia pulled her hand away with a somewhat rough movement. One of the stacked newspapers tumbled to the floor. She rubbed her hand on her trousers as if trying to erase the sensation of his touch, quickly wrinkling the fabric.

“No.”

Her stiff, pale face showed no trace of excitement. Honestly, she was creeped out, but she hid her shaken face behind the newspaper. The man before her was the crown prince, beloved by the nation. She didn’t know what would happen if a picture of them was taken.

She had heard that he was cousins with Yuris and Claude, but how could they be so different?

Averting her gaze from its restless wandering, Radia calmly replied, “Why are you asking such things?”

“You know why.”

“I clearly expressed my feelings before.”

She made it clear that she didn’t want to talk to him anymore, but this prince, as always, was persistent. Radia felt a faint weariness at his lazily smiling face, like a well-fed predator.

She didn’t understand why he was so insistent on giving her unwanted attention. Even if it was to provoke Yuris, it was excessive.

“He was Yuris’s then, but he isn’t now, is he?”

The lightly thrown words pierced Radia’s heart. Her hand, resting on her lap, tightened.

“Please don’t treat people like objects. It’s unpleasant.”

This was a country where the monarchy still lived. Most of the citizens were proud of the royal family, admired the lives of the upper class, and aspired to be like them. In fact, many of the trends circulating among the newly rich were awkward imitations of the upper class.

The man sitting opposite her was born into the royal family, at the pinnacle of all this admiration, possessing lineage, ability, appearance, and arrogance.

“You’re still prickly. That’s also interesting, though.”

So perhaps, this man had never been rejected by anyone before. Except for her. Was that why he was so persistent? Sometimes, when she saw his picture in the newspaper or saw him standing on a distant podium, she never thought he’d be swayed by such childish sentiments. Of course, she had similar thoughts when she only knew Yuris unilaterally.

But it was definitely different.

“And you still want to do this to me after causing that commotion?”

“Of course. There’s no one here to lose their temper and swing a cane at my head.”

Radia swallowed a sigh as she watched him casually wave his right hand. Who was he calling crazy? It wasn’t appropriate coming from the man who had forcibly restrained her.

Back then, this prince had openly coveted her, and Yuris had a particularly short fuse when it came to matters involving her. It was fortunate that it ended with a fractured arm instead of a head injury.

The server brought an espresso and a semla and placed them in front of Julian. Julian raised an eyebrow, seemingly a bit embarrassed that the semla was complimentary, but he picked up a fork, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and put it in his mouth.

An arrogant and cold prince who was generous and gracious to the goodwill of his people. Julian Felice was that kind of person. He was completely different from Yuris, who was so unpretentious as to be called a scoundrel, too informal for a nobleman.

A distant being, like a star in the sky. He wasn’t someone who should be in a place like this. Radia gazed intently at Julian drinking his coffee, then opened her mouth.

“I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“You don’t understand?”

To Julian, who tilted his head slightly, Radia said in a calm tone, “You keep showing up out of the blue. What do you think will happen if I tell Yuris about this?”

Even if it was an obsession with a plaything, it was excessive. For the past three years, he’d pop up unexpectedly and try to joke with her or start a conversation, which was extremely uncomfortable.

She had thought he might restrain himself if she got married, but she discarded the idea because she didn’t want to make a decision about this issue based on someone else’s actions, not her or Yuris’s.

Of course, she wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, demanding to know why he was doing this to her.

“But you still haven’t said anything. Not for me, but for Yuris.”

Although it was clearly self-defense, Radia remained silent, knowing there had been some kind of agreement between the royal family and the Astrian family because injuring the crown prince was considered an excessive response. If Yuris found out about this, there was no guarantee that such a situation wouldn’t happen again.

Fortunately, the crown prince hadn’t tried to touch her forcibly again since that day. That’s why these strange and bizarre encounters could continue.

“Do you remember what I said?”

Radia’s hand, which had just been lifting her mug, stopped in mid-air. A faint afterimage hung over the rippling brown surface.

[I want you to hate me.]

Julian had smiled as he said those words.

Against the bluish darkness of the twilight sky, a spark of madness glimmered in the man’s calm, downcast eyes.

They were outside, and there were other people nearby. Even though she thought he wouldn’t do anything in front of others, she gripped her cocktail glass tightly.

[Because another bastard already has the emotion I desire most.]

Harsh words came from the man’s mouth, which seemed as though it should only utter refined language. They were words too intense to claim she didn’t remember. Radia clearly remembered her response.

[If you’re saying that because you want me to feel something special for you, you’d better stop. I already have too much to hate.]

Julian let out a short laugh at her answer. It was an unexpected reaction, but Radia just turned away. Even as she walked towards the other people, her back felt cold. She didn’t look back, even though she felt like a prey animal with its back to a predator.

“I don’t know why you’re twisting things. I simply like you.”

“Like” was a word that could be interpreted in many ways. Radia immediately retorted, “I’m not a toy. I have no intention of catering to Your Highness’s whims.”

“Oh dear, after three years, you should start to believe me.”

“Perhaps it feels more compelling because it seems difficult.”

“Did you say the same thing to Yuris?”

Radia placed her cup on the table with a thud. The table gave a short groan at the rather rough handling. Deep emotions surged in her dark eyes as she stared directly at Julian.

“Yuris has never taken me for granted.”

“I’m sure. But I think he might have a different opinion now.”

Radia slowly closed her mouth. This kind of bickering was familiar. Every time Julian came, he asked how long she thought Yuris’s affection would last, and Radia always drew the line, saying it was between the two of them.

She knew his suggestive prodding was meant to provoke both her and Yuris. He was a man with a very unpleasant personality, despite his outwardly pleasant appearance. She could understand why Yuris disliked him.

Elegant actions didn’t necessarily have elegant intentions. To put it crudely, it was a ploy to create a rift between them.

So she should respond calmly as always, but the words wouldn’t come. A precarious feeling churned inside her, as if the bedrock that had supported her had cracked.

“And no matter what Your Highness wants from me, your position won’t allow it.”

“If the law is a problem, it can be amended. A commoner crown princess. I think it would be good publicity for the people.”

“It would be good publicity indeed. As one of the people, I congratulate you.”

Julian looked at Radia quizzically.

“Why do you reject me so vehemently?”