The One Who Won't Be Abandoned - Chapter 39

Ignoring my friend’s advice to leave early and get some rest, I stayed at the castle. It wasn’t long before I regretted that decision.

While helping to prepare the banquet, I froze the moment I saw the guests entering the grand hall.

The princess, now dressed in a deep red gown with a plunging neckline, clung to Andre’s side as they entered.

She had been in a cheerful mood all day, but now her laughter rang through the hall like delicate chimes—except to me, it felt like tiny needles pricking my chest. I could barely focus on my tasks.

Unable to endure it any longer, I slipped out of the banquet hall and went straight to Lady Judith. Thankfully, she took one look at my pale face and readily granted me leave for the night.

I wandered through the streets of Longta, my steps heavy.

Just yesterday, I had found it odd how indifferent the townspeople were to me. Now, I was grateful they didn’t seem to notice me at all.

As I neared my home, I spotted Mr. Jun loitering near the shop, looking as if he were waiting for something—or someone.

He turned his head absentmindedly, and when our eyes met, he flinched in surprise. Then, as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t, he hurriedly turned away and made a break for the shop.

But this time, I was faster.

Gone was my exhausted sluggishness; like a hunting cheetah, I lunged forward, grabbing his arm with all my strength. Clinging onto him, I begged him to listen.

At first, he firmly refused, but when I assured him it wasn’t about the same topic as before, he finally let out a long sigh and nodded, though his expression remained sour.

We sat side by side on the wooden bench outside his shop, a cold mug of beer in my hands—a peace offering from Jun. It wasn’t free, of course. He made it clear I’d have to pay him back by tomorrow.

I had considered refusing at first, but temptation won. The moment I took a sip, I knew I had made the right choice. It was perfectly chilled, smooth, and bitter in all the right ways.

After I hesitantly shared my story, Jun finally spoke.

“So, let me get this straight. The kid you practically raised brought home the woman he’s going to marry, and now you feel… betrayed? Maybe even a little jealous?”

I hesitated. “…Yes. I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but I hate him for it. And I can’t even stand to look at her.”

“You said you practically raised him, right?”

“Something like that.”

The reason I had come to Jun with my troubles was simple: he didn’t know Andre or the princess personally. He had no reason to be biased, which meant his advice would be brutally honest.

And, of course, it was.

“Then it’s simple,” Jun declared with a shrug. “You’ve got classic mother-in-law syndrome.”

“…Excuse me?”

“You know, like those mothers who think their son is their son forever, and then one day he shows up with some young, pretty thing and says he’s in love, that he wants to build a life with her. And boom—suddenly, the mother feels like she’s been stabbed in the back. Trust me, I’ve seen this before.”

My jaw practically dropped.

“Mother-in-law syndrome? Are you serious?”

“Dead serious.”

“She is pretty, I’ll admit that. But young? She’s two years older than me! And six years older than him! How does he show up with a woman that much older and expect me to just accept it?”

Jun smirked. “So she’s really that beautiful, huh?”

I scowled, but he just nodded sagely, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

“Either way, you’re clearly feeling a sense of loss,” he continued.

“Loss?”

Jun, now fully embracing his role as the all-knowing wise man, nodded again.

“It’s simple. You feel like she took something that belonged to you.”

His words made me bristle. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” He leaned back lazily. “Loss, jealousy—call it what you want. But at the end of the day, it all comes down to this: you feel like you’re being left behind.”

I had no response.

Because, unfortunately… he was right.

“Look, you two grew up together. Of course, it’s natural to feel that way. There’s nothing weird about it.”

Despite his seemingly kind advice, Jun looked at me as if I were the most pathetic person on earth.

“The answer is simple,” he said. “Just stop thinking of him as a little brother. He was never really your family to begin with.”

“…But we’ve spent so many years together—”

“This woman, seriously,” Jun sighed, shaking his head.

Frustrated by my hesitation, he snatched my beer from my hands and downed it in large gulps. Even in my daze, I had the fleeting thought that at least I wouldn’t have to pay for it now.

Wiping the foam from his mustache with the back of his hand, he continued.

“That guy might say you’re like family, like a sister, but in reality? He’s always seen you as a complete stranger. That’s why he had no problem introducing her to you now, instead of sooner. So don’t waste your time feeling hurt over his engagement. And honestly?” He gave me a pointed look. “You’re making a damn fool of yourself.”

I felt like I’d been smacked over the head with a brick. The words stunned me into silence.

“…Then what am I supposed to do?” I asked weakly, feeling utterly lost.

Jun grinned. “Date someone.”

“…What?”

“Find a guy. Get into a relationship. You’re so obsessed with him because you’ve got no one else in your life. Once you’re busy with your own romance, all that jealousy and resentment will disappear.”

“Oh, sure,” I scoffed. “And who am I supposed to date? Relationships don’t happen alone, you know.”

“There are plenty of men in the castle,” he said with a shrug. “Knights, servants—just grab one and go for it.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded.

He spoke so casually, like this was the simplest thing in the world. But by his logic, he could also count as “anyone.”

I narrowed my eyes, scrutinizing him for the first time.

If I ignored his scruffy, unkempt appearance, he was actually… decent-looking. He was only thirty—not much older than me—and as far as I knew, he wasn’t seeing anyone.

Perhaps the alcohol had already begun to cloud my judgment, because I heard myself say something I never would have said otherwise.

“Jun… how about you? Why don’t we date?”

He didn’t even hesitate.

“You think I’m the kind of guy who dates just anyone? I have standards.”

I gawked at him.

This man—who had just told me to grab any random guy—was now acting like he had the right to be picky?

Annoyed, I snatched my beer back from him and drained the last few drops.

“Well, you’re not my type either.”

“Glad to hear it,” he replied with a smirk.

Not only had I been rejected instantly, but now he was mocking me, too.

What an absolute bastard.

* * *

As the night deepened, the noise from the streets grew louder.

Tonight, for some reason, the usual hum of the city grated on my nerves. Even after shutting the window, the muffled sounds seeped through the cracks, keeping me awake. Just the night before, the same noise had been a comforting lullaby.

I tossed and turned—lying on one side, then the other, then on my back, even on my stomach—but sleep refused to come. Instead, I felt more awake with every passing minute. The bed that had once felt so soft and inviting now felt like a torture rack.

Still, I stubbornly kept my eyes shut. If I opened them now, I knew I wouldn’t sleep at all. But no matter how hard I tried to block everything out, my thoughts ran wild, filling my sleepless mind with distractions I couldn’t stop.

The Gresian princess I had imagined from reading the newspapers was the embodiment of a villainess.

I had pictured her with a cruel expression, her face twisted with arrogance. In my mind, she had piercing eyes full of contempt for others, lips painted a deep red, stretched into a mocking sneer. She was a witch.

But the reality was nothing like that.

The woman who had looked up at Andre with a bright, innocent smile… the woman who had greeted the servants with gentle nods… she was nothing like the villainess I had envisioned.

She was radiant. Her eyes sparkled, her soft pink lips curved into an effortlessly graceful smile.

She really was beautiful.

I recalled how she had spoken to Andre in the banquet hall—leaning in, murmuring softly. Andre, in turn, had tilted his head toward her, listening intently.

Before he left for the capital, Andre had told me he didn’t love the princess. That their engagement wouldn’t last.

But after seeing them together, I knew.

It was only a matter of time before he fell for her.

She was beautiful, lively—irresistible. She stood out like a jewel among the dull, gray servants, shining in a way that made her seem almost destined to be here.

She belonged in D’Hel.

She belonged at Andre’s side.

She was the perfect woman to be Lady of Kaiman.

Andre was smart. He would realize soon enough how well they suited each other. Even if he resented the Emperor, the princess herself had done nothing wrong. When the time came, he would accept her willingly, happily.

And when that day arrived…

Would I be able to truly congratulate him?

Would I be able to smile and tell him, If your heart turns to her, don’t hold back—she deserves your love?

I will do what’s best for Andre. That much was certain.

But if Andre truly came to love the princess…

Then I…

Even though I already knew the answer, I tortured myself, replaying the thought over and over, suffocating myself with endless, self-inflicted pain.

* * *