The Hero is Standing in My Way - Chapter 35

Chapter 35

 

I burst into laughter. There was no reason for me to say that I hated him. I was obviously taken aback by Count Paresa’s unexpected proposal at first. But I didn’t show anything like that to Count Paresa now, so isn’t it a bit unusual for Siegfried to react like this?

 

“It’s not that I hate it, but I would like it if you restrain yourself a little more.”

 

“But that Count only sees you everyday. As soon as you came to the habitat, he got hurt like that and you only looked at him today as well.”

 

Did I not take care of Siegfried like that? He talked as if I never did. But before that, how does Siegfried know if the Count was looking for me or not?

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“Because I only look at you every day.”

 

“….”

 

Why is Siegfried, who was five years younger than  me, making me suffer like this? I would have felt very excited if I heard that from a 20-year-old man the same age as me. Of course, his face should be Siegfried’s.

 

“Don’t look at me like that.”

 

“How do I look at you?”

 

“Uhm, like a puppy?”

 

“I would rather you swear.”

 

“How can I dare swear to Your Highness?”

 

“You’re good at that even with your eyes.”

 

You got me there. In any case, that’s because he was quick witted with the strangest things.

 

Since the situation reached up to this point, I think I should stop now and put ointment on Siegfried’s cheek. He clearly would hate it even if I asked the priest to go away. Even so, he needs to protect that pretty face of his. I got up from  my seat.

 

“Let’s go upstairs together, Your Highness. Didn’t you come down solely for this purpose?”

 

“That’s right. You knew me very well.”

 

“I think it would be strange not to know.”

 

“Is it?”

 

Siegfried smiled shyly. It was when I got up from my chair that I saw the bowl in front of him was still full.

 

“You shouldn’t skip your meals as you have exhausted your body. I’ll wait for you until you finish eating.”

 

“But I don’t have any appetite.”

 

“Then no treatment.”

 

“You’re really too much.”

 

“Would you like to know who is being too much between Your Highness and me? Is it Your Highness who was so opposed to other people’s marriage, or is it me who was very concerned with your meals?”

 

“I suddenly feel hungry.”

 

“You should.”

 

I nodded my head in satisfaction.

 

Siegfried quietly returned to the table and sat down. But he kept taking anxious glances at me as I was still standing. Would you mind if I wander around while you are eating?

 

“Would you like to go up after you eat? I’ll go to my room first and have a rest.”

 

“No.”

 

What’s that rejection for? That doesn’t mean that you weren’t meant to go up. I tried to ask Siegfried, but his answer was clear with his  actions rather than words. He grabbed my wrist and started eating.

 

“Your Highness was more like a five-year-old rather than a fifteen year old teen.”

 

“I would like it if you don’t go anywhere and talk too much. That’s just my petty wish.”

 

“I don’t do this to other people.”

 

“That’s a huge relief.”

 

Siegfried patted his chest as if he was relieved by it. Pondering what I had said, he then asked me, “Does it mean that I am some sort of special if you aren’t doing this to other people?”

 

“Aren’t you interpreting it in a very positive way?”

 

“So tell me if I am right or not.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness is a special person, not just to me, but to everyone.”

 

“I’ll just act as if I didn’t hear that.”

 

I don’t get what the point of him asking if he’s going to interpret it that way.

 

Siegfried finished his meal in the midst of our conversation in any case. The hem of my sleeve he was holding was eventually already crumpled by that time. Why didn’t we just hold hands from the beginning? This is also the clothes I will be wearing tomorrow. No, rumors would have spread even if Count Paresa kept his mouth shut in that case.

 

I still felt that everything was late even now. What was weirder was that Siegfried was still quietly following behind me. I would have been labeled as Siegfried’s woman if this was in the capital or the high society without any regards.

 

I took Siegfried upstairs. There was an open space near my room for relaxation. I asked him to sit there and went into my room to get the ointment. I sat down next to him after washing my hands.

 

“Seeing this reminds me of the first time we met.”

 

I suddenly remembered the first time I met  Siegfried as I was squeezing the ointment. I was so scared of him at that time as he ferociously glared at me. Siegfried frowned slightly as if he was resenting me.

 

“I wasn’t in my best condition that time, and you weren’t unpleasant. I can say it for sure now.”

 

“Then what was it? What did Your Highness tell me at that time… You felt nauseous and queasy….”

 

“I never said that. Don’t exaggerate.”

 

Oops, I got caught. I smiled and scratched my cheek. Siegfried smirked.

 

“You have to deceive the person you deceive. You were also staring at me.”

 

“I was.”

 

I was very excited the first time I saw the male lead, so I stopped. And I’m probably not the only person who looked at Siegfried that way. It was only natural for everyone to take a glance at him if he had a heavenly beauty that looked like he was blessed by the heavens.

 

“Why did you look at me like that then?”

 

“Because you’re pretty.”

 

“……Is that all?”

 

“No, not all.”

 

Thinking of it now, my heart pounded like crazy as soon as I saw Siegfried, but there’s no need to talk about that now. I would obviously provoke Siegfried for nothing.

 

“Then what?”

 

“Don’t change the subject. So what was that feeling?”

 

“I felt heavy and stuffy in my stomach… I couldn’t take my eyes off you, and my heart was beating fast and non-stop. It was no different than now to be honest.”

 

It seemed like I could understand what Siegfried was trying to say even without the need to listen to him. It would be irreversible if I listened to him.

 

I quickly raised my hand. About to speak, Siegfried tilted his head to the side. As I looked at him, I repeated to myself:

 

In front of me now is a puppy – a big, oversized puppy. I also need to calm down. My opponent is  still a young child, a Prince, and the male lead, and he will be going to war in a few weeks. It was only at least five years later that we could be reunited after he returned home as a war hero. 

 

I decided to play with him after contemplating for a while. Siegfried perhaps wouldn’t find his way and just fall for me.

 

“Don’t tell me, Your Highness fell in love with me at first sight? Ey, get tired of it.”

 

“…why is that tiring?”

 

I waved my hand and smiled.

 

Siegfried fell silent for a moment and asked me in a weak voice. I couldn’t help but feel guilty when I saw him hurt like that.

 

I paused and looked into his eyes. This… wasn’t the reaction I intended. His purple eyes quivered and averted my gaze. He lowered his eyes attempting to hide his feelings, but I already saw how his fist placed on his thigh trembled.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“Why was it tiring?”

 

“….”

 

“Why are you trying to judge my feelings? Say it again. Do you really think it’s tiring?”

 

I was getting cornered more in this situation, and didn’t have any idea on what to do. I couldn’t find an answer that would otherwise satisfy him.

 

I don’t have the exact same feelings as Siegfried, though my heart also thumped when I first met him. But what can I do? I don’t consider that as love at first sight. How could Siegfried reveal his heart to me so frankly? Is it because he is still young?

 

Suddenly, he gently grabbed my chin. It wasn’t meant to kiss me; it was just an action to check my face as I bowed my head. Then at some point, he got up first. The tip of his hard, calloused thumb gently brushed my lips.

 

“Good night.”

 

Siegfried didn’t seem to want to force me to answer. He passed me by after a light night goodbye.

Chapter 35

 

I burst into laughter. There was no reason for me to say that I hated him. I was obviously taken aback by Count Paresa’s unexpected proposal at first. But I didn’t show anything like that to Count Paresa now, so isn’t it a bit unusual for Siegfried to react like this?

 

“It’s not that I hate it, but I would like it if you restrain yourself a little more.”

 

“But that Count only sees you everyday. As soon as you came to the habitat, he got hurt like that and you only looked at him today as well.”

 

Did I not take care of Siegfried like that? He talked as if I never did. But before that, how does Siegfried know if the Count was looking for me or not?

 

“How do you know that?”

 

“Because I only look at you every day.”

 

“….”

 

Why is Siegfried, who was five years younger than  me, making me suffer like this? I would have felt very excited if I heard that from a 20-year-old man the same age as me. Of course, his face should be Siegfried’s.

 

“Don’t look at me like that.”

 

“How do I look at you?”

 

“Uhm, like a puppy?”

 

“I would rather you swear.”

 

“How can I dare swear to Your Highness?”

 

“You’re good at that even with your eyes.”

 

You got me there. In any case, that’s because he was quick witted with the strangest things.

 

Since the situation reached up to this point, I think I should stop now and put ointment on Siegfried’s cheek. He clearly would hate it even if I asked the priest to go away. Even so, he needs to protect that pretty face of his. I got up from  my seat.

 

“Let’s go upstairs together, Your Highness. Didn’t you come down solely for this purpose?”

 

“That’s right. You knew me very well.”

 

“I think it would be strange not to know.”

 

“Is it?”

 

Siegfried smiled shyly. It was when I got up from my chair that I saw the bowl in front of him was still full.

 

“You shouldn’t skip your meals as you have exhausted your body. I’ll wait for you until you finish eating.”

 

“But I don’t have any appetite.”

 

“Then no treatment.”

 

“You’re really too much.”

 

“Would you like to know who is being too much between Your Highness and me? Is it Your Highness who was so opposed to other people’s marriage, or is it me who was very concerned with your meals?”

 

“I suddenly feel hungry.”

 

“You should.”

 

I nodded my head in satisfaction.

 

Siegfried quietly returned to the table and sat down. But he kept taking anxious glances at me as I was still standing. Would you mind if I wander around while you are eating?

 

“Would you like to go up after you eat? I’ll go to my room first and have a rest.”

 

“No.”

 

What’s that rejection for? That doesn’t mean that you weren’t meant to go up. I tried to ask Siegfried, but his answer was clear with his  actions rather than words. He grabbed my wrist and started eating.

 

“Your Highness was more like a five-year-old rather than a fifteen year old teen.”

 

“I would like it if you don’t go anywhere and talk too much. That’s just my petty wish.”

 

“I don’t do this to other people.”

 

“That’s a huge relief.”

 

Siegfried patted his chest as if he was relieved by it. Pondering what I had said, he then asked me, “Does it mean that I am some sort of special if you aren’t doing this to other people?”

 

“Aren’t you interpreting it in a very positive way?”

 

“So tell me if I am right or not.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness is a special person, not just to me, but to everyone.”

 

“I’ll just act as if I didn’t hear that.”

 

I don’t get what the point of him asking if he’s going to interpret it that way.

 

Siegfried finished his meal in the midst of our conversation in any case. The hem of my sleeve he was holding was eventually already crumpled by that time. Why didn’t we just hold hands from the beginning? This is also the clothes I will be wearing tomorrow. No, rumors would have spread even if Count Paresa kept his mouth shut in that case.

 

I still felt that everything was late even now. What was weirder was that Siegfried was still quietly following behind me. I would have been labeled as Siegfried’s woman if this was in the capital or the high society without any regards.

 

I took Siegfried upstairs. There was an open space near my room for relaxation. I asked him to sit there and went into my room to get the ointment. I sat down next to him after washing my hands.

 

“Seeing this reminds me of the first time we met.”

 

I suddenly remembered the first time I met  Siegfried as I was squeezing the ointment. I was so scared of him at that time as he ferociously glared at me. Siegfried frowned slightly as if he was resenting me.

 

“I wasn’t in my best condition that time, and you weren’t unpleasant. I can say it for sure now.”

 

“Then what was it? What did Your Highness tell me at that time… You felt nauseous and queasy….”

 

“I never said that. Don’t exaggerate.”

 

Oops, I got caught. I smiled and scratched my cheek. Siegfried smirked.

 

“You have to deceive the person you deceive. You were also staring at me.”

 

“I was.”

 

I was very excited the first time I saw the male lead, so I stopped. And I’m probably not the only person who looked at Siegfried that way. It was only natural for everyone to take a glance at him if he had a heavenly beauty that looked like he was blessed by the heavens.

 

“Why did you look at me like that then?”

 

“Because you’re pretty.”

 

“……Is that all?”

 

“No, not all.”

 

Thinking of it now, my heart pounded like crazy as soon as I saw Siegfried, but there’s no need to talk about that now. I would obviously provoke Siegfried for nothing.

 

“Then what?”

 

“Don’t change the subject. So what was that feeling?”

 

“I felt heavy and stuffy in my stomach… I couldn’t take my eyes off you, and my heart was beating fast and non-stop. It was no different than now to be honest.”

 

It seemed like I could understand what Siegfried was trying to say even without the need to listen to him. It would be irreversible if I listened to him.

 

I quickly raised my hand. About to speak, Siegfried tilted his head to the side. As I looked at him, I repeated to myself:

 

In front of me now is a puppy – a big, oversized puppy. I also need to calm down. My opponent is  still a young child, a Prince, and the male lead, and he will be going to war in a few weeks. It was only at least five years later that we could be reunited after he returned home as a war hero. 

 

I decided to play with him after contemplating for a while. Siegfried perhaps wouldn’t find his way and just fall for me.

 

“Don’t tell me, Your Highness fell in love with me at first sight? Ey, get tired of it.”

 

“…why is that tiring?”

 

I waved my hand and smiled.

 

Siegfried fell silent for a moment and asked me in a weak voice. I couldn’t help but feel guilty when I saw him hurt like that.

 

I paused and looked into his eyes. This… wasn’t the reaction I intended. His purple eyes quivered and averted my gaze. He lowered his eyes attempting to hide his feelings, but I already saw how his fist placed on his thigh trembled.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“Why was it tiring?”

 

“….”

 

“Why are you trying to judge my feelings? Say it again. Do you really think it’s tiring?”

 

I was getting cornered more in this situation, and didn’t have any idea on what to do. I couldn’t find an answer that would otherwise satisfy him.

 

I don’t have the exact same feelings as Siegfried, though my heart also thumped when I first met him. But what can I do? I don’t consider that as love at first sight. How could Siegfried reveal his heart to me so frankly? Is it because he is still young?

 

Suddenly, he gently grabbed my chin. It wasn’t meant to kiss me; it was just an action to check my face as I bowed my head. Then at some point, he got up first. The tip of his hard, calloused thumb gently brushed my lips.

 

“Good night.”

 

Siegfried didn’t seem to want to force me to answer. He passed me by after a light night goodbye.