TWFLLYM Ch 8

Love for One Who Has Never Loved

[Eaton] "There will be rumors, Your Highness."

He finally voiced his concerns. Of course, his own worries were likely inconsequential, and he knew Kalart would never do something without a calculated reason. Still, he could not remain silent.

There had been enough noise about the cat’s owner when she first entered the Crown Prince’s Palace, with many claiming she lacked the proper status. Now, Kalart had settled her in the room right next to his—the very suite intended for the future Crown Princess. To make matters worse, he had even gifted her a dress belonging to the late Empress.

[Eaton] "People will misunderstand your intentions. To those who don’t know the full story, it looks exactly as if..."

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to say the words. He couldn't voice the suspicion that the cat was merely an excuse and that Kalart had taken a mistress. He hoped the brilliant Crown Prince would catch his meaning without him having to speak it aloud.

Clack.

Kalart closed the book he had been holding out of habit before sleep. Though he didn't show it outwardly, he had been struggling to focus on the pages, which was quite unlike him.

[Kalart] "Do I look as though I am doing something foolish?"

Eaton took a deep breath and nodded.

[Eaton] "With all due respect, yes."

He reminded himself that he had never seen Kalart in such proximity to a woman before. If it had been any other woman, he would have been thrilled. Had she been a noble lady fit to be the Crown Princess, he would have welcomed her with open arms. But the fact that it was someone who could never hold that title was the problem.

Kalart seemed to reflect for a moment before nodding.

[Kalart] "Perhaps I am."

[Eaton] "Pardon?"

Eaton’s mouth hung open at the ease of the reply. He found himself at a loss for words.

[Kalart] "I told you her voice was beautiful."

He had indeed said that. Eaton searched his memory, trying to recall if the cat's owner really possessed such a lovely voice. She was certainly pretty, but he wondered if a mere voice was enough to change Kalart so suddenly.

[Kalart] "When I listened to it with my eyes closed, it made me feel strange."

[Eaton] "Strange... in what way, Your Highness?"

[Kalart] "It made me wonder if this is what it feels like to want to hold a woman."

[Eaton] "Ex-excuse me?"

He was so flustered that he actually stumbled backward. He didn't regain his composure until he nearly lost his footing. To his shock, Kalart followed that with a question even more unsettling.

[Kalart] "Do I look lonely to you?"

[Eaton] "Your Highness... with all respect, I dare not answer that question."

Kalart had not expected Eaton to have an eloquent response. He had simply tossed the question out, as someone might do when momentarily confused by a new experience.

[Kalart] "She said it was a relief that I finally understood what warmth felt like."

[Eaton] "What does that... was your bedroom cold, perhaps? Should I tell them to stoke the fire?"

[Kalart] "It’s not that."

[Eaton] "If not that, then..."

[Kalart] "She was soft and gentle."

[Eaton] "I..."

Eaton wiped away a cold sweat. He was certain he was thinking of something very different from the Prince when it came to things that were "soft and gentle."

[Kalart] "It was interesting. Both those words and her existence. Everything is a first for me."

The most striking part was her claim that once he knew warmth, he would never be the same. Perhaps that was why the warm sensation of Clobellina’s fur seemed to linger in his hands like a phantom touch. The feeling was addictive. He couldn't erase it from his mind. He realized his thoughts regarding her voice were even more intense.

Suddenly, Kalart stood up from his desk. Eaton, who had been looking troubled, brightened immediately.

[Eaton] "Ah, Your Highness. Are you heading to your bedroom?"

It was already past the hour he usually retired. Given his busy schedule, it was time for him to sleep and prepare for tomorrow.

[Kalart] "Yes."

[Eaton] "I shall escort you."

[Kalart] "Before that, I must see my cat."

[Eaton] "Ah, yes..."

Eaton opened the library door with a pale face. He was still confused about whether Kalart’s interest lay with the cat or the cat’s owner.

As he followed the Prince toward the bedroom, he spent the entire walk wondering who he should talk to about this crisis.

---

She dreamed. In her dream, she met her late grandmother. It was the day her grandmother first took her into the forest.

[Grandma] "The forest is a city for witches, Roserikta. It is the most vibrant, noisy place, filled with everything a witch needs."

The forest, which had seemed so silent at first, suddenly became loud at those words. The sounds of birds, insects, wind, and trees all tangled together, as bustling as a marketplace.

[Grandma] "A witch must be able to hear every sound the forest makes. Do you know what that squirrel just said?"

Roserikta ran to a squirrel darting between the branches and listened intently. It chattered incessantly, and the squirrel did not stop until she understood. Finally, she turned back and beamed.

[Roserikta] "He says they found a giant chestnut tree. They’re going to gather all the nuts and have a feast when the full moon rises tonight."

Grandmother laughed.

[Grandma] "That sounds fun. Ask him to invite us."

Roserikta spoke to the little squirrel with great effort. The squirrel shook its head repeatedly, looking apologetic.

[Roserikta] "He says no. Humans eat too much; the chestnuts would be gone in an instant."

[Grandma] "When that happens, you make an offer. Tell him that if he invites us to the feast, we will give him a handful of dried oats every day all winter long."

Success. Roserikta was overjoyed, and Grandmother stroked her hair, teaching her how to enjoy a forest celebration.

[Grandma] "First, you must know the Song of the Forest. It’s hard to make friends if you don’t know how to sing."

[Roserikta] "What kind of song is it?"

[Grandma] "Listen carefully."

Grandmother began to sing in a low voice. A soft humming blended with the endless sounds of the woods. The distinct noises eventually harmonized, turning into a long, ancient, and never-ending song.

Everything was a part of the forest, and the forest was a part of everything. All things living outside the cities of men became one in that way.

[Grandma] "Can you do it?"

She nodded and followed the song her grandmother had sung.

[Grandma] "Well done. You have plenty of talent to become a wonderful witch."

Happy to be praised, Roserikta sang even harder.

[Roserikta] "Grandmother..."

She missed her. She missed her every single day.

Tears began to fall, but she didn't stop singing. She sang as if doing so would allow her to stay in that seven-year-old’s forest with her grandmother forever.

[Roserikta] "I miss..."

She woke up because she felt something touching the corner of her eye.

[Roserikta] "...?"

She opened her eyes. Because of the flickering fire in the hearth, she couldn't clearly make out the figure sitting in front of her at first.

[Roserikta] "Who is it…? Grandmother?"

[Kalart] "Not quite."

[Roserikta] "...!"

Startled, she sat up quickly. The person sitting there was not her grandmother, but the Crown Prince. He was sitting by the fireplace with a purring, dozing Clobellina on his lap, watching her.

[Roserikta] "Your—Your Highness!"

Her first thought was one of worry. She wondered if the effects of the love potion had become so uncontrollable that Kalart was now sleepwalking.

[Kalart] "I didn't realize I would wake you. Or rather, I didn't realize you were asleep. You were singing."

[Roserikta] "I was? No, more importantly, why are you here, Your Highness?"

[Kalart] "I came to see my cat before going to bed."

[Roserikta] "Pardon?"

[Kalart] "Is there a problem?"

She swallowed a sigh and her bewilderment at the same time.

While entering someone’s room in the middle of the night to watch them sleep was a serious problem, this was the Imperial Palace.

Since the man committing the madness was the Crown Prince, she suspected it wouldn't be considered a problem at all. He had likely settled her in the room next to his for this very purpose.

[Roserikta] "No, Your Highness."

But the fact that there was "no problem" was exactly the issue. It was a massive problem for her. Her heart sank at the thought of the Prince walking in while she was doing something else—like using Axaca powder or riding her broom—instead of just falling asleep over a recipe book.

She realized she would have to be careful at all times. She discreetly hid the recipe book that was spread out on the floor under her skirt. However, he didn't seem interested in the book.

[Kalart] "Can you continue?"

[Roserikta] "Continue what, Your Highness?"

[Kalart] "The song."

She tilted her head in confusion.

[Roserikta] "The song...?"

[Kalart] "The one you were singing in your sleep. Or anything, really."

Setting aside the randomness of the request, she was curious about the reason. She reminded herself that he was supposedly in love with Clobell, so she wondered why he was asking her to sing. Then she remembered him saying his ears were sensitive. It seemed he was reacting to her voice, which carried the lineage of a witch.

She felt uneasy, realizing this wouldn't lead to anything good. Seeing how he tended to claim anything he liked, she worried that his obsession might expand to a second target.

She cleared her throat. She needed to find a way to refuse politely without breaking imperial law.

[Roserikta] "I have never properly learned music, Your Highness. If you wish to hear a song, perhaps you should hire a musician?"

[Kalart] "I want to hear a song sung by your voice."

[Roserikta] "With all due respect, singing is not my profession. I fear my clumsy voice might only bother your ears."

[Kalart] "I know. That is why I am asking if it’s possible, not giving an order. And I will be the one to judge how it sounds to my ears."

She found that quite unexpected. The man who had told her not to talk back while he was undressing her was being surprisingly reasonable.

She wondered if he actually distinguished between rank and the person. She thought it must be difficult for someone born as a Crown Prince to do that, and concluded he was a strange man. Regardless, she had to remain cautious.

[Roserikta] "I am sorry, Your Highness. I do not wish to do something that is not part of my duties."

[Kalart] "That is... regrettable."

At her refusal, Kalart stroked the cat once. Despite the movement, Clobellina continued to breathe deeply in her sleep. His lap seemed to be quite comfortable for her.

[Kalart] "What if I buy your song?"

He did not give up easily. As he had said, he had only recently awakened to beauty, and he couldn't go back to the way he was before.

[Roserikta] "You mean you would pay me?"

[Kalart] "Anything. Money, land, or a title—whatever I can give. Tell me what you want."

Her lips twitched. She worried the situation was more serious than she had thought.

She wondered if this was also because of the potion, and if it made him obsessed with everything he liked. Or perhaps he was already out of his mind because of the drug’s effects. It was frustrating not knowing for sure.

She decided the only answer was to make the antidote as quickly as possible. But she wondered when she would manage it at this rate. Then, a good idea struck her. Her eyes brightened with life.

[Roserikta] "Your Highness. Instead of money, would something else be possible?"

[Kalart] "Tell me."

[Roserikta] "For every song I sing, you must grant me one request."

He looked amused.

[Kalart] "Instead of money or a title?"

[Roserikta] "I do not need those. My requests may be trivial from your perspective. For example..."

[Kalart] "Continue."

[Roserikta] "I would like you to send word before you come to see Clobell. And if I am asleep, like today, please wake me so I have time to prepare."

She had a few other things in mind as well. If she asked about symptoms from the potion, she would be able to get answers easily, and she wouldn't have to worry about how to secretly administer the antidote once it was finished. She could even ask to be sent home once the effects of the drug had vanished.

He thought for a moment before nodding.

[Kalart] "It sounds like a fair deal."

It was the same for her.

[Kalart] "Then continue the song."

[Roserikta] "Yes, Your Highness."

She fidgeted with the hem of her clothes. It was still quite embarrassing to sing in front of someone.

[Roserikta] "Your Highness, if you would allow it, may I turn around? I think I will be less nervous that way."

[Kalart] "I will allow it."

[Roserikta] "Thank you."

She turned her back to him. She felt more at ease once she could no longer see his face, which was as beautiful as a witch’s.

Sitting toward the fire, she closed her eyes and imagined she was in the forest. She told herself it was fine because everyone sang in the forest, so there was no need for shame or nerves.

And so, the Song of the Forest began.

[Clobell] "Meow."

Hearing the song, the sleeping Clobellina moved closer to Roserikta. Her purring blended with the song like a harmony.

How much time passed? The Song of the Forest was endless.

When she felt she had sung enough, she finished the song and turned around.

[Roserikta] "It’s finished, Your Highness. Oh..."

She saw that he had fallen asleep, his eyes closed and his head resting against the edge of the bed.

[Roserikta] "He fell asleep."

[Clobell] "What a ridiculous human. Why make you sing if he wasn't even going to listen?"

[Roserikta] "No, Clobell."

She thought he must have fallen asleep because he was listening so well. That was the nature of the Song of the Forest. It gave rest to the weary, warmth to the cold, and comfort to the lonely.

She took the blanket she had been using and covered the sleeping prince.

The flickering fire cast shadows across his picturesque face. Now that he was asleep and his usual aura of intimidation and indifference had vanished, the Prince was breathtakingly beautiful. He looked strangely like someone who was exhausted, cold, and lonely—like a man who had finally found a place to rest and had fallen into a deep slumber.

[Roserikta] "It’s strange. This man is a Crown Prince."

She thought few people wouldn't love him, standing as he did at the pinnacle of wealth, power, and beauty. She wondered why she felt this way.

[Roserikta] "Why would he offer a title just to hear a song?"

[Clobell] "Did he? That is strange. Is there no one in the Imperial Palace who can sing well?"

[Roserikta] "I don't think that's it. I think... he just never had anything he liked before."

[Clobell] "What do you mean?"

[Roserikta] "He told you, Clobell. He said he had never seen anything as pretty as you."

[Clobell] "Well, obviously. He took that potion, so I look like the most beautiful thing in the world to him."

[Roserikta] "Yes. But doesn't that also mean he never loved anyone until he was forced to by the potion?"

[Clobell] "Now that you mention it, I suppose so. Even if he’s weird, he’s still the Crown Prince; if he had liked someone, wouldn't he have married them by now?"

[Roserikta] "Yes. I think so."

Just then, his head shifted in his sleep. She carefully held his head and adjusted his position. She laid him down on the floor so he could sleep comfortably and placed a pillow beneath his head. His smooth silver hair brushed through her fingers. She swallowed hard at the unexpected sensation.

[Roserikta] "We’ll end up staying awake all night at this rate. Let’s go to sleep, Clobell."

[Clobell] "Fine. I’ve slept plenty, but I can sleep more."

[Roserikta] "Yes, let's sleep."

In truth, she was escaping into sleep. She felt that if she kept looking at that sleeping prince, she might reach out and touch him without realizing.

The appearance that had merely been surprising when she first saw him was now joined by a subtle, unknown emotion that made him seem dear and lovely.

Roserikta lay as far away from the Prince as possible and pressed her hand against her heart.

She told herself it was nothing and that she only felt this way because he was so handsome. She reminded herself she had never seen such a handsome man in her life.

A witch who had not revealed her identity must never be the first to fall for a human. Such things always ended in tragedy. If that human was the Crown Prince, it would be even more so.

She forced herself to seek sleep, telling no one the secret that her heart continued to pound against her ears until she finally drifted off.

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