Chapter 24: Chapter 24

The person who was more surprised by the Crown Prince’s allowance of calling him by name was not Layla, the direct party involved, but Cecil, who was bringing over some freshly brewed milk tea.

Upon overhearing the conversation, the surprised nanny looked at the Crown Prince with widened eyes before immediately lowering her eyes towards the floor again.

“Besides, I’d rather be addressed as Bioust than the Crown Prince when it comes to you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Isn’t it better to regard me as someone other than the Crown Prince? In all honesty, I was glad that you had not recognized me as the Crown Prince when we’d first met. Everyone in the world sees me as the Crown Prince, and not Bioust. For importance being placed on my status…”

‘… it was as if they were choosing a horse,’ Bioust continued in his thoughts.

“It feels as if everyone is looking at me, yet they are not actually seeing me,” Bioust said with a faraway look as he just stared towards the empty space momentarily.

The bitter smile that played on his lips was enough for any outsider to tell that the Crown Prince was lonely despite being surrounded by so many people.

In other words, it was such a sad, forlorn look that would inspire a woman’s maternal instinct to come into effect to a point that she would want to just embrace the seemingly pitiful man.

‘… What the hell are you talking about?’ Layla thought to herself but instead said “I don’t understand what exactly you’re saying but you’re basically telling me to do whatever I want, right?”

“Yes, at the very core, that is what I intend.”

“Okay, I understand, Your Highness.”

“Oh, you may do whatever you want, but I still prefer being addressed as Bioust by you.”

“Why?”

“That is because I wish to be only a man named Bioust and not the Crown Prince when it comes to you.”

Despite the bold confession, Layla frowned as if it was nothing more than utter nonsense.

“Of course I see you as a man. Who will see you as a woman?”

“… I see,” Bioust simply said as he drank water.

“Anyway, Bioust… What I want to ask is… why are you being so nice to me?”

“Haven’t we already gone over this matter?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Well, it’s because you’re cute and pretty.”

“Nonsense!”

“Yes, you did say the same reply back in the carriage. However, my answer will remain the same. I will continue to take good care of you because you’re cute and pretty.”

“I dislike that reasoning,” Layla said with a sullen look. “I’d rather work and get paid for doing well.”

“I’m being nice to you because I genuinely want to do so. What I’d like to be rewarded with is—”

“I don’t like it. It’s uncomfortable. I feel weird when someone is nice to me!” Layla said angrily.

Bioust watched Layla with a troubled expression.

“I want to be nice to you, but it’s difficult for you and that becomes difficult for me as well.”

“Yes, so just put me to work. That way, neither of us will be troubled.”

It was a perfectly reasonable suggestion.

“Very well. What are you good at, Layla?”

“I…”

Layla could not, for the life of her, answer the question. As she thought hard about it, her eyes scanned around the room, as if grasping for a source of inspiration from the items and furniture in the room.

“Cooking?” Bioust suggested upon seeing Layla being so deep in thought for a long time.

Layla glanced at the food that lay in front of her.

‘There is no way I’d be able to make such a delicious meal,’ Layla thought to herself.

“… No.”

“How about sewing?” Bioust asked but to Layla, it was all the same.

‘Making anything as fancy and complicated as the clothes I’m even wearing is beyond my level of capabilities.’

The only sewing Layla could do was to stitch up the holes in her socks, dress and mop back when she was living in the forest cabin.

Moreover, Layla may have yet to learn about the royals but one thing she knew for certain was that there was no necessity for Bioust to wear socks that have holes in it or ripped clothes. He most definitely would not need to patch up a mop by stitching together old and worn out clothes.

“… No.”

“Hm… Then what else can you do? Cecil, is there anything that Layla could do within my residence?”

“Well…” Cecil pondered for a moment before answering, “If I had to say, what about cleaning?”

“Ah, I see. Then how about I clean?” Layla turned towards Bioust.

“… Wouldn’t you see people while performing the task?” Bioust asked Layla.

‘She did say that she didn’t like meeting people,’ Bioust thought to himself.

“A-Ah—” Layla stuttered and looked towards the floor in embarrassment.

Bioust nodded his head and there was an awkward moment of silence.

“I have to work…” Layla mumbled before abruptly lifting up her head to face Bioust, “Please give me a job!”

As Layla clenched her jaw and pressed her lips tightly together, it was clear to anyone who saw her expression that the girl was determined to work.

‘Even so, it doesn’t make it less awkward,’ Bioust thought to himself.

“Are you really fine with this?”

Noticing that Cecil’s expression was full of concern, Layla was about to ask the nanny for the reason behind the worry. However, before she could do so, the nanny simply bowed to Bioust and said, “Yes, I understand.”

***

Cecil opened the door with a small sigh. The door opened with a squeaky sound despite the fact that it was not used much, let alone it being part of the Imperial Palace.

“I’ll have to oil it,” Cecil murmured as Layla bravely entered the room.

Whether the intent was for better ventilation or not, the ceiling of the room was ten times Layla’s height. A soft light was cast from the few small windows of the room, illuminating the otherwise dark room.

There were piles of books wherever the eyes could see.

Where Layla had been assigned to clean was the library of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

This was the library where the Crown Prince had once studied and read books since he was young. However, the library was used once the Crown Prince had become an adult.

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As Bioust’s knowledge topped most of the scholars in the empire, there was no longer a need to learn further. Moreover, the necessary books that he may need as reference are located in the main palace rather than in the library. The vast numbers of books that are left in the library are only for education purposes.

Thus, Layla was assigned to cleaning the library for it has not been used for several years as its owner no longer enters the place.

“My Lady, His Highness has written down a rough layout of the interior structure of this library,” Cecil said as she handed Layla a piece of paper. There was a list of types and locations of the many bookshelves in the library.

“…What does it say?” Layla asked.

“Pardon?”

“It’s annoying to read. What does it say?”

In truth, it was not annoying at all. However, Layla had no intention of revealing her weakness of her incapability to read.

‘She may be smiling now, but that is because she’s being paid to endure the smell. However, I don’t know what will happen later on… She might return home and tell people of my existence… She might even spread rumours of seeing an evil, stinky witch,’ Layla thought to herself.

‘When the rumours have reached enough ears, there will be a mob gathering to kill the witch. I’ve no idea if they will do it in the Imperial Palace itself, but they will definitely burn me at the stake.’

However, in truth, it was only Layla who thought of this.

“Erm… All the bookshelves are classified according to the type of subjects. So, I don’t need to move books between the different shelves. All I’ve to do is to arrange the books in spelling order on each shelf.”

“Spelling… order?”

“Yes.”

Cecil just nodded as if what Layla just read out loud was correct. Layla, on the other hand, pressed her lips tight together and looked down towards the floor.

Layla did not know how to spell nor read words that are formed.

“Is there a problem?”

“Oh, no. It’s just…”

Layla hastily looked away from the nanny and scanned the surroundings of the library. Floating specks of dust can be seen to be somewhat dancing in the air wherever the light that came from the windows touched.

“I think I need to clear up the books before cleaning.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

Cecil turned to look towards the area Layla was gazing at.

It was obvious that the dust in the library would have to be removed, but just the sight of the dust dancing in the sunlight gave it a calm and cozy feel to it. For a little while, both Cecil and Layla just watched in silence.

In that moment, everything felt peaceful, like nothing could ever happen.

***

“You did a good job today.”

Cecil smiled broadly when she saw Layla returning after cleaning the library. However, when she stepped closer to help Layla remove the dusty clothes, Layla quickly retreated.

“You should wash up quickly.”

“Yes, I’m going to.”

“You can’t wash up with your clothes on, right?”

“I’ll do it myself.”

Cecil sighed upon looking at Layla’s determined expression.

‘I don’t know why a noble woman would prefer doing things on her own so much. It was the Lady who wanted to change and wash up on her own from the moment she entered the imperial palace,’ Cecil thought to herself.

‘After finally obtaining work from the Crown Prince by being very stubborn about it, I’d insisted on cleaning up the library on my own. I didn’t want the nanny’s help because I’m working to earn my keep. I’d kicked the nanny out of the library and I’ve to keep kicking her out of my bedroom. I just want to do things on my own,’ Layla thought as she stared at Cecil.

“Leave,” Layla said firmly as she pointed towards the door.

Cecil sighed softly.

“Yes, I understand, but I’ll be back soon.”

Layla’s eyebrows furrowed at Cecil’s reply.

“His Highness said that he will be having dinner with you,” Cecil elaborated.

“Can’t the Crown Prince eat alone? Why does he keep saying that he’ll dine together with me every morning and evening?”

“It’s not that the Crown Prince is unable to dine on his own. His Highness is just worried that you’d be feeling lonely.”

Layla frowned more upon hearing Cecil’s reply.

‘Bioust thought that I’d be lonely?’ Layla glared at Cecil.

As if able to read the exact meaning behind Layla’s expression, Cecil continued.

“Hmm… Maybe His Highness is the one who is lonely.”

Layla’s wary gaze instantly relaxed like the ice melting under the sunlight in spring.

“Bioust is lonely?”

“Yes, His Highness has always dined alone. On rare occasions, his uncle, the Grand Duke, and his father, the Emperor, would dine together. However, the Crown Prince has always dined alone in his residence.”

“Everyone eats alone,” Layla simply stated.

“But wouldn’t it be more fun to eat together?”

Layla was rendered speechless and looked towards her feet.

“If you talk together, recommend delicious food, or eat while doing something like that, the meal becomes more enjoyable.”

Layla continued to look at her feet despite Cecil’s insight.

To be exact, Layla had always eaten alone. She had never once thought about the taste of the food she consumed. Eating food was just a means to living through another day.  Although there were times where the food was somehow tasty, Layla never pondered much about it and would quickly devour the food that lay before her.

Then again, the meals Layla had shared with Bioust were somewhat different.

‘Although it was annoying to talk about unimportant issues and recommend dishes that taste good, the food was delicious… But that is that either… Having meals together with Bioust has always felt different…’

“I’ll help you wash up so that you will look pretty when you dine with His Highness later…”

“Leave.”

Cecil, who tried to persuade Layla into allowing her to attend to her while washing up, was once again swiftly rejected.

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“So stubborn.”

Cecil shook her head and was about to leave the room when the door of the bathroom swung open and Layla peeked out from it.

“I’m going to have dinner with Bioust. Come back later.”