My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 58

Janggi is similar to chess, but the rules are simpler.

 

Tehez was confident whether it was chess or janggi. She had never played with Dennis, but she had played with Sasha often at the academy. She was also in the palace, and often with Daniel. Of course, it was mostly her win.

 

But he can’t possibly know this.

 

Tehez smiled while hiding her true feelings.

 

“Should a coin flip decide the colour?”

 

Dennis covered the coin borrowed from the courtier with both hands.

 

“I will do the numbers side, Prince.”

 

“Then I’m on the other side.”

 

He flicked the coin with his finger and threw it in the air.

 

What came out was the side with numbers written on it.

 

“I am a hundred.”

 

Tehez moved one of her pieces to the centre, and the pieces could only move diagonally without distinction.

 

Then Dennis also advanced his play.

 

A few turns went by.

 

Tehez gradually took control of the game. It was a situation that seemed to be equal. Tehez, however, took three of his pieces at once and put pressure on Dennis.

 

Dennis must have been taken aback by her better-than-expected skills, but he made a mistake. There was a gap in his last row.

 

It was dangerous for Dennis as Tehez’s piece reached his last row, and she could be promoted to king.

 

His eyes were shaking.

 

Tehez reached his last row and made her piece king. A king in this game, that can have multiple kings, could move more range than a piece.

 

Unable to defend herself, Dennis was helplessly attacked by her.

 

It wasn’t that his skills weren’t great. From her point of view, he was much better than Sasha.

 

With his skills, he could have fought back more, but he seemed to be drawn into her somehow.

 

Tehez glanced at Dennis’ face.

 

While reading the situation, he seemed to be contemplating what to do.

 

Tehez looked down at the board.

 

She had 7 pieces left, including 3 kings, and he had 1 king and 2 pieces left.

 

After a few more turns, only one white piece was left on the board.

 

“I lost, Tehez.”

 

She accepted his declaration of defeat.

 

“Shall we play the next round?”

 

He smiled naturally and suggested the next round.

 

“I never said we’d just play one game.”

 

“All right, let’s do it.”

 

Tehez intended to win the next round as well.

 

So that she can press this man’s nose flat.

 

In the second round, he was a hundred.

 

As if Dennis had finished her grasp on her, he started attacking from the beginning.

 

And in the end, he stopped her every move.

 

“I lost.”

 

Tehez said calmly.

 

This is a one vs one situation.

 

Dennis said, sorting out the words.

 

“Tehez, the way you play…”

 

“Yes, Prince?”

 

“You seem overly defensive.”

 

Dennis looked into Tehez’s eyes and said.

 

Tehez avoided his gaze as if her intentions were revealed.

 

“If you don’t have the confidence to win, you’ll have to do well to protect.”

 

If she was confident of winning, she was on the aggressive side. But otherwise, Tehez played defensively.

 

Tehez replied calmly, “It’s 1-1 because I lost, Prince. Do you want to play the last game?”

 

“Sounds great.”

 

The last game has begun.

 

It was just a bet.

 

Both Dennis and Tehez were overly immersed.

 

Of course, it was nice to see them spending time affectionately.

 

Is that a friendly play?

 

The courtiers tilted their heads.

 

The sun was already setting after hours of playing janggi.

 

In the last game, both sides were close to winning.

 

Perhaps because the opponent’s abilities and weaknesses were identified, the game did not end easily.

 

Each time they both advanced a piece, they went a long way.

 

After a while.

 

“I lost.”

 

Tehez declared defeat. All of her pieces were impassable.

 

It was because, after losing her concentration in the middle for a while, she could not withstand his attacks.

 

Tehez looked at him with a slightly flushed face. She was a little tired from playing the game for hours.

 

Dennis said, organizing his words.

 

“Tehez. Did you always play games so carefully?”

 

“…No.”

 

“Then?”

 

“It seems to have been like that from some point on, Prince.”

 

From some point on…

 

Tehez counted when that was. Maybe it was from the time she entered the palace.

 

She was very aggressive when he played checkers with Sasha during her academy days. Back then, it was clear that she would win, so she had no qualms about moving her last row of pieces.

 

But from that point on, Tehez became hesitant to move the last row of pieces.

 

Because if the pieces don’t keep their places, the opponent will wear the crown. Then you will lose.

 

She hesitated, knowing that the heart rather made her lose.

 

The reason why she lost to Danielle several times was because she was eaten up while playing the game defensively.

 

As Tehez looked at the board in silence, Dennis opened his mouth.

 

“But you can’t keep the pieces in the last row forever.”

 

“…”

 

“It’s not bad to attack first if you have a chance, Tehez.”

 

Wouldn’t it be hard to say that not knowing whether you can win or not is an opportunity?

 

For her, ‘opportunity’ was perfectly the word she used to win.

 

Tehez responded to Dennis’ words.

 

“I don’t want to do anything foolish to bet on things that aren’t certain. I have so many things to protect.”

 

The Ingeliger family behind her name, her status and face as a princess, and him…

 

“…Am I included in the things I need to protect?”

 

At Dennis’ question, who seemed to know her mind, Tehez looked at him for a while before opening his mouth.

 

“Why are you asking that?”

 

“I’m just curious.”

 

“…”

 

“I think it would be good to break the habit of not answering.”

 

“I’m sorry, Prince.”

 

Dennis waved his hand when she apologized quietly.

 

“I didn’t mean to get an apology. It’s not something that can be protected just because I’m hiding it behind me, right?”

 

Tehez couldn’t respond to Dennis’ passing words.

 

Having put all his pieces together, Dennis rose from his seat.

 

“Are you going to leave? I will use the wish I got today at the right time.”

 

“All right.”

 

He greeted her nicely with his playful face. Then all the serious atmosphere from a while ago flew away somewhere.

 

She raised her head and looked out.

 

“The sun has set already. Would you like to have dinner, Prince?”

 

“That’s the offer I was hoping for.”

 

Dennis escorted her.

 

A cold wind brushed the tip of her nose as she left the garden.

 

It was the beginning of a long winter in Lubern.

 

“Cold?”

 

“No.”

 

Tehez leaned on his arm and walked.

 

It wasn’t cold, being by his side.

 

No matter how strong the wind was…

 

He said, walking toward her palace.

 

“You know what, Tehez?”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s your birthday soon. Your birthday present, you can look forward to it. I’m choosing several. Of course, one is already ready. But I think it’s lacking something, so I’m thinking about it.”

 

Tehez laughed out loud.

 

“Who says that in advance?”

 

“Really? Should I keep it a secret? Actually, I was going to ask you what you need. Sylvan threw it at me to decide on his own, but you didn’t even give me a hint.”

 

“Usually, you don’t ask what I need, nor do I tell you in advance, Prince,” she said, leaning on his arm.

 

“Why do they make it so complicated? You can ask what you need.”

 

Dennis had a troubled face.

 

His troubled face was so rare that he looked so cute.

 

Tehez recalled the gifts he had sent her on her birthday for the past six years.

 

All of them were precious jewels.

 

Blue, red, transparent, yellow jewels…

 

In terms of value, she could easily afford a mansion with it.

 

Every year on her birthday, Tehez received his gift and could not feel any excitement.

 

Those jewels were just a tool to remind him of how heartless he was.

 

Each time she looked down at the gift and slammed it into the depths of her jewellery box.

 

Tehez still seemed to be in a dream. Because she had wished for it for so long.

 

Unless that man with friendly eyes looked down at her, something different filled her heart.

 

Her earnest prayer had come true.

 

When she looked at his green eyes, everything felt fine. Even if it was someone evil to her.

 

That kind of thing, it didn’t even matter when she was in front of him.

 

When she looked into his eyes, her confidence welled up that she could do anything.

 

As she stared at him, he tilted his head, wondering if something was on his face.

 

She shook her head.

 

She then asked about his gift, looked into his green eyes and answered.

 

“Because I want the other person to think of me as much as that time.”

 

“Thoughts…”

 

After answering, he didn’t say anything about what he was thinking.

 

“And if it’s a gift that the other person has been thinking about and preparing for a long time, that time and sincerity are as good as receiving it with the gift.”

 

“Well.”

 

As if feeling something, he nodded.

 

Upon arriving at her palace, dinner was already prepared in the dining hall.

 

In a friendly atmosphere, Dennis and Tehez enjoyed a meal.

 

“Tehez, why don’t you eat more?”

 

Dennis served her favourite roasted vegetables.

 

“Thanks, Prince.”

 

“You need to gain some weight.”

 

There were many cases where people ate roughly or went hungry. It was no wonder that she didn’t gain weight.

 

“You seem to say the same thing as the royal physician.”

 

“Really? My opinion is more sincere. There are two people who want it.”

 

Tehez, who had been in a bad mood lately, was mostly eating salads or soup.

 

However, when he personally took care of her food, she ate more than usual.

 

Tehez opened her small mouth and chewed on the food, and Dennis looked at her with a proud look.

 

The two looked as if they were newlyweds again.

 

No, the word ‘newlywed’ between the two will have to be redefined.

 

It was a time that did not exist during their honeymoon.

 

Like, a normal couple.

 

The courtiers watched them with expressions of affection and pride.

 

Tehez was not the only one waiting for this moment to come.

 

At first glance, the courtiers were anxious and worried about the relationship between the First Prince and his wife, which seemed friendly but dry.

 

Although the cold winter wind was blowing hard outside.

 

This space was warm and peaceful as if the cold of winter could not permeate.

 

Tehez raised her head and looked out of the window.

 

Unlike the inner space, the world outside the window was different.

 

The palace, immersed in darkness, was emitting chilly air.

 

It was as if a black mist had swallowed the entire palace.

 

Tehez trembled all over her body involuntarily.

 

“The sound of the wind sounds like crying.”

 

A strange sound came from the shaking shutters.

 

It sounded like a monster crying.

 

If you listened closely, you could hear someone talking to you.

 

“It’s not for nothing that there are many winter ghost stories in Lubern.”

 

A ghost story was widespread in Lubern that listening to the sound of windows shaking in the wind would drive you crazy.

 

Maybe that’s why the s**cide and crime rates were exceptionally high in winter.

 

In particular, since such incidents often occur in the winter, sensitive people were reluctant to go through the winter.

 

“Shall I draw the curtains?”

 

“It’s okay…”

 

At Dennis’ words, Tehez unintentionally looked out the window again and captured something flickering light in his retinas.

 

The light seemed to emanate a disturbing colour.

 

“That…”

 

Well, before she could say anything, the door to the dining hall burst open.

 

The guard who opened the door, gasping for breath, discarded etiquette and shouted.

 

“We are in trouble! It’s a riot!”

 

Tehez correctly confirmed what she saw through the window.

 

The shimmering light was the fire that was engulfing Lubern.

 

(To be continued in the next episode)

 

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