TWFLLYM Ch 99

Between Common Sense and Nonsense

[Kalart] "What do you mean?"

[Mazi] "From the moment a witch conceives, the baby draws lunar energy from her. This means Rosie's body will grow weaker until the birth. You must use everything in your power to care for her with the utmost devotion."

His complexion shifted slightly. Roserikta's eyes widened.

Is that the truth, Grandmother?

It was a lie. Mazi only said it because she wanted Kalart to treasure Roserikta even more.

[Mazi] "Of course, it's the truth. Now, I'm really leaving."

Clobellina clung to the witch's leg.

[Clobell] "Hing. Don't go. If you must go, step over me."

[Mazi] "Why would I step on you? You must look after Rosie. Keep a close eye on her once the baby arrives."

[Clobell] "Leave it to me. I'll scratch the Crown Prince every time he gets lazy."

[Mazi] "How admirable. I'll trust you, then."

She patted Clobellina's back and waved her staff.

[Mazi] "Don't bother seeing me out. I'll be gone in a flash."

[Roserikta] "Grandmother. Don't do that, stay for a cup of tea…… ah."

In that brief moment, the witch vanished.

[Roserikta] "Ah…… she's gone."

Her hands twitched as she failed to hide her disappointment. Kalart hugged her from behind.

[Kalart] "She'll return."

[Roserikta] "Yes…… she'll come at least once before the baby is born."

[Kalart] "Then let's wait together. Don't be too sad."

[Roserikta] "……Okay."

She nodded. He smiled, released his arms, and took her hand instead.

[Kalart] "Shall we go then?"

[Roserikta] "Where?"

[Kalart] "Anywhere. We can't stay here forever."

[Roserikta] "I can, but aren't you busy, Your Highness?"

[Kalart] "Not anymore."

She wasn't sure if he meant he finished his work for today or something else.

[Roserikta] "Until when?"

[Kalart] "Until the baby is born."

[Roserikta] "What? Oh, stop."

She laughed it off, but Kalart was entirely serious. He intended to leave all official business to his secretaries and stay glued to her side.

The moment he heard her body would weaken during the pregnancy, he made a decision no one could break.

[Kalart] "First, think about what you want to do most right now."

[Roserikta] "Hmm…… I don't know. I don't think there's anything in particular I want to do."

[Kalart] "Then that means you want to do nothing."

[Roserikta] "Hmm?"

How does it mean that?

[Kalart] "That's a good idea. I feel the same."

He meant he wanted to be alone with her, doing absolutely nothing.

[Kalart] "Shall we go to the room, then?"

He held her hand tightly and walked toward the bedroom.

[Clobell] "Going by yourselves? Can't you even see me?"

Clobellina grumbled from behind, but Kalart didn't hear her.

By the time Eaton rushed back with a glass of water, the people who needed it had already disappeared. Clobellina snatched the glass from him.

[Clobell] "Give it here. Watching them makes my throat dry."

Eaton watched Clobellina lap up the water, splashing droplets everywhere, with a look of shared understanding.

---

[Roserikta] "Your Highness."

She waved her fingers in front of his face.

The deep sunset dyed the room in warm colors. Roserikta turned her head. The golden embroidery on the white curtains sparkled in an exotic pink as the fading sunlight touched them.

So beautiful. Can something be this lovely?

This quiet happiness was so sweet and tender that it felt like an unrealistic dream.

[Kalart] "Why……?"

He slowly rose and rested his forehead on her shoulder.

They had fallen into a light nap in that very spot before the fireplace. When they woke, the world looked like this. This lazy day was somewhat ridiculous.

[Roserikta] "Are you awake?"

[Kalart] "Not yet."

Yes, even this is ridiculous.

She gave his hair a light tug.

[Roserikta] "Open your eyes. You even missed your meal."

[Kalart] "I'm not hungry. Can't we stay like this a bit longer?"

He rubbed his forehead against her shoulder. Roserikta pulled his hair a little harder.

[Roserikta] "The whole day will be a mess. How will you sleep at night?"

[Kalart] "It's because I love being like this too much."

He loved it so much that he napped away the entire afternoon. The problem was that when they were together, nothing else in the world mattered.

I love it too…… but we can't keep doing this, can we?

[Roserikta] "I'm a little hungry."

His eyes snapped open at those words.

[Kalart] "Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

[Roserikta] "……"

I did wake you.

Kalart jumped up and opened the door. He didn't forget to plant a kiss on her forehead in the process.

Moments later, his voice echoed outside as he scolded Eaton and the head maid for not keeping track of meal times.

[Roserikta] "Goodness. He was the one sleeping as the world had ended."

As a lover, Kalart showed many sides that differed from the Crown Prince she previously knew. Those moments would stack up and become something called happiness. Roserikta felt she could ask for nothing more.

Kalart returned to the room after finishing his swift lecture.

[Kalart] "The meal will be ready soon…… ah, wait."

He suddenly grabbed her face as she tried to stand up and showered her with kisses.

[Roserikta] "Why……?"

[Kalart] "Because you looked so lovely just now."

[Roserikta] "……"

As always, she didn't know why Kalart suddenly became so stirred. But she liked it. He was always like a surprise gift.

[Kalart] "What should I do?"

After finishing the kisses, he let his lips slide down to her chin and sighed softly.

[Kalart] "If you look like this every day, I'll be in trouble."

[Roserikta] "Why?"

[Kalart] "Because I won't be able to do anything else."

The biggest problem was that she felt the same way.

[Roserikta] "We're being too relaxed, aren't we? There's so much to do, and the Black Witch is still out there somewhere."

[Kalart] "I suppose so."

He held her cheeks and pressed his forehead against hers.

[Kalart] "Ha…… I need to clear my head."

[Roserikta] "Yes. You should."

[Kalart] "Mhm."

Only after a long, lingering kiss did he help her up.

[Kalart] "Can you walk?"

[Roserikta] "I'm not a patient."

[Kalart] "Still, you must be careful."

He took her hand and led her forward, one slow step at a time. He was stricter than someone teaching a toddler to walk.

[Roserikta] "Your Highness."

[Kalart] "What?"

[Roserikta] "You know this is too much, right?"

[Kalart] "I don't know."

He was serious.

[Kalart] "What exactly is too much?"

[Roserikta] "I know how to walk."

[Kalart] "If your body weakens, you might fall suddenly."

[Roserikta] "That might be true, but…… I haven't become weak yet."

[Kalart] "You might not know it yourself. People are usually slow to notice things about their own bodies."

[Roserikta] "I'll say it again, it's far too early for the baby to even exist."

[Kalart] "Even so, we can't be careless."

Well, they reached the table with those agonizingly slow steps while bickering.

[Kalart] "Wait a moment."

He supported Roserikta with one arm and pulled out a chair with the other.

[Kalart] "Now, sit."

She now felt like someone who couldn't walk or even stand on her own.

[Roserikta] "Your—"

[Kalart] "Why? Is something uncomfortable?"

The moment she opened her mouth, Kalart showed a dozen worries on his face.

Goodness, I'm too scared to even call him.

[Roserikta] "I wanted to say thank you."

She decided to compromise. This would pass. If she looked perfectly fine for a while, his worry would fade.

[Kalart] "Don't mention it. It's naturally my duty."

Those words made her worry again.

It isn't natural; it's a bit excessive. Well, I'll let it go for now.

A knock sounded at the door.

[Aldwin] "Your Highness. May we prepare the meal for you both?"

[Kalart] "Come in."

[Aldwin] "Yes."

Servants led by the chamberlain entered in a line, carrying large silver trays that filled the table.

This time, Roserikta had to accept food from Kalart as if she didn't know how to use her own hands.

---

[Roserikta] "Living like this will actually be worse for my health."

Her compromise didn't even last two hours. She wanted to take a walk because she was too full after dinner, but the result was her being carried on Kalart's back for a lap around the garden.

She gave the back of his hair a gentle tug, mixing in a bit of resentment.

[Kalart] "Impossible."

He just laughed, even though his hair was pulled.

[Roserikta] "No. It's true. Did you forget? I'm a pharmacist. I know plenty about the human body."

[Kalart] "You don't seem to know much about the body of a witch carrying a child. You didn't even know your body would weaken the moment you conceived."

What is this man even saying?

She decided she would have to seriously question Grandmother Mazi about the truth of those words later.

[Roserikta] "Even if that's true, it's far too early."

[Kalart] "What are you talking about? We must prepare from now on."

Why is this man so serious?

[Roserikta] "Then let's do this, Your Highness. Carry me only to that fountain. I'll walk from there."

[Kalart] "Why should I?"

First, because my feet are perfectly fine. Second, because I'm incredibly embarrassed to be seen by the Royal Guards following ten steps behind us.

However, such sensible reasons didn't seem likely to work. When it came to her, Kalart became a completely irrational person.

[Roserikta] "Because I want to walk arm-in-arm with you."

He flinched for a moment.

[Kalart] "……That sounds like an excuse to win me over."

I can't say it isn't.

[Roserikta] "Do you dislike it, Your Highness?"

[Kalart] "Sigh…… I'll think about it."

Does this really require a sigh and deep thought?

[Kalart] "Then let's do this."

He stopped walking at the fountain. His deliberation was quite long.

[Kalart] "Only five minutes of walking. If you want to walk more, you get back on my back."

[Roserikta] "Five minutes? That's too short."

You have to say something that makes sense.

[Kalart] "Then how long?"

[Roserikta] "An hour?"

She felt she needed to walk at least that much to digest the heavy meal.

He let out a short laugh as if it were ridiculous.

[Kalart] "Say something that makes sense."

This man has been saying the same thing to me.

[Roserikta] "I think five minutes makes even less sense."

[Kalart] "It's common sense compared to an hour."

Wait. Who is the one without common sense here?

[Roserikta] "The irrational thing is taking a walk while being carried. A sensible walk is done on one's own feet."

[Kalart] "It seems you don't even need five minutes."

He tried to keep walking while carrying Roserikta.

[Roserikta] "No, wait."

She regretted it too late.

Why did I quietly let him carry me from the start?

She was tempted because she had never been carried like that before. It felt nice. She thought he would stop after a moment and say she was heavy, but she didn't expect him to go this far.

I should have negotiated before he picked me up.

[Roserikta] "Then twenty minutes."

He shook his head.

[Roserikta] "Fifteen?"

[Kalart] "Ten."

[Roserikta] "No, that's too short."

In the end, they compromised at twelve minutes. Because of this, Eaton had to follow behind while checking his watch. It looked like he would face a lecture if even a second passed beyond twelve minutes.

[Roserikta] "I thought Your Highness was a man of common sense."

She finally couldn't help but say it. Annoyingly, Kalart smiled brightly.

[Kalart] "I thought so too. But I don't think I need that with my lover."

[Roserikta] "Why?"

[Kalart] "Common sense isn't important in romance."

[Roserikta] "That can't be true."

[Kalart] "I believe it is."

[Roserikta] "No way."

[Kalart] "I'm telling you, it is."

He stopped and faced her, who was holding his arm.

[Kalart] "Common sense says you shouldn't take a long twelve-minute walk since your body is weak from the baby, but I'm participating in your nonsense, aren't I?"

She wrinkled her nose despite herself.

[Roserikta] "I don't think Your Highness knows the difference between common sense and nonsense. With all due respect."

[Kalart] "Not at all. I know exactly what they mean. Right now, I see your cute lips pouting because you don't believe me, but instead of being angry, I want to laugh. That's proof that romance is irrational."

[Roserikta] "……"

What? He actually knows how to say something right.

[Kalart] "So, I'm having an irrational thought that if you kiss me with those cute pouting lips, I might renegotiate."

The moment he finished speaking, Roserikta stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips firmly against his.

[Roserikta] "Thirty minutes?"

He burst into loud laughter.

Eaton, who was looking at his watch, looked up in confusion before letting out a soft smile himself.

After five more kisses, Roserikta's walking time became twenty-five minutes.

The scent of the moon brushing her nose felt a bit brief, but it was a decent amount of time for a night walk.