"Is it that funny?"
"How could it not be?"
Laura was grinning widely as she looked at the smartphone in her hand. Over her shoulder, I could see the image on the screenâa perfectly timed photo of Aihenhart getting knocked out by a flick on the forehead, the exact moment captured by none other than me.
In the photo, Aihenhartâs head was slumped forward, her shoulders raised, her face scrunched up as if suppressing a sneeze, and her arms awkwardly bent like a T-Rex.
"You donât seem to like her much. Laughing at a photo like that."
"Itâs not that I dislike her. Itâs just a one-sided awkwardness on my part because of a truth I have to hide. How could I not feel uncomfortable when another woman harbors feelings for me? And sheâs serious about it, not just because of her family."
"For you? Or for the Crown Prince?"
"Of course, for the Crown Prince. Why even ask? Sheâs not attracted to women, so once the truth is revealed, sheâll naturally distance herself. But my father in this world says itâs not yet time to reveal my true gender. It should be done when I ascend to the throne."
Although the succession war ended with Lauraâs complete victory, and it seemed like it wouldnât matter if the truth came out now, the Emperor likely knows better than I do about such things. So, I decided to let it go.
"Still, being courted by someone of the same gender with romantic intent is quite a burden, isnât it? Didnât you feel it keenly when you thought of me as the Crown Prince and not the Crown Princess?"
"â¦"
I felt it very keenly. When I put myself in Lauraâs shoes and thought of Aihenhart as her, I instantly understood Lauraâs feelings.@@novelbin@@
"I rejected her clearly, saying sheâs not my type, but then she asked what my type was so she could become that type of woman. She even said that although she had to maintain the dignity of a duchess in public, she would be willing to act like any vulgar woman in bed."
"Seems like sheâs really fallen for you. Why not accept her, considering her sincerity?"