Chapter 45

Prince Ark stood at the entrance of the domain, looking haggard, and I couldn't let him return in such a state. Despite his repeated claims that he was going to leave, I insisted on keeping him.

If it were to get around that Prince Ark had returned from my domain looking thin, it would cause a serious situation. I was determined to prevent that, so I took him out into the town to lift his spirits.

"How about it? The town in my domain is quite lively, isn't it?"

"Yeah," was the only response I got from him. His face didn't look good either.

How much is he still dwelling on yesterday?

"Don't be so down. Look, there are plenty of cute town girls here."

Sure enough, there was a group of cute girls in the direction I pointed. Young girls were freely shopping in the town.

From the perspective of a lord, it's a wonderful sight. Young girls enjoying their free time is also a sign that the domain is thriving.

But today, that perspective isn't necessary. Today, I need to entertain the prince.

Prince Ark is handsome. He's also a genius who can do anything. If he just stays quiet, he's bound to be popular. I'm certain of that.

If he walks through the town silently and gets the girls to squeal, he'll return to the capital in high spirits. If I send him back with some watermelons, a specialty of my domain, as a gift, it would be perfect. It's an easy job.

"Let's go over there."

I guided the hollow-eyed prince to the group of young girls.

They seemed to be shopping at a stall selling accessories. I guided the prince, and we both approached the store.

At the same time, the young girls noticed us and suddenly became excited. One of them let out a "Kyaa!" and the others followed, making the atmosphere lively.

I confirmed with a sidelong glance that they were definitely interested in us. Now, all we have to do is wait for someone to speak up.

"Excuse me."

Here it comes! I caught one right away! I turned to look at the girl, and she was a beauty, not someone you see every day in the town. This will help him forget Iris and enjoy the present. Come on, beautiful girl, make your move!

"Excuse me, are you Lord Kururi?"

"Yes."

What, me?

"I've always admired you, Lord Kururi. If it's not too much trouble, could I have a handshake?"

"Ah, sure. That's fine."

"Kyaa, I did it. Then, let's go."

I shook the hand she extended. It was slender and beautiful.

"Sorry! Can I have one too?" Another girl called out.

"Ah, sure."

She was also beautiful, with a beautiful hand. Then, one after another, the town girls lined up. Before I knew it, a queue of dozens of people waiting for a handshake had formed.

Yeah, it feels good.

No, that's not why I'm here!

I quickly looked at the prince, who was looking at me with dead fish eyes. Why? Why did I win over the prince?

Prince Ark is undoubtedly handsome. If he just stays quiet, he's incredibly cool. So why did I win so completely?

"Ha."

It was then that I finally realized.

It's the difference between home and away.

There are plenty of domain residents who don't know Prince Ark's face. However, I often show my face in the domain, and the residents know me well.

So, in terms of looks, the prince is better. But I, Kururi Heran, am also a decent-looking man. In terms of looks, there isn't much of a difference.

The difference was in something that women love.

Titles!

Two handsome men standing side by side.

One is an unknown handsome man.

The other is a handsome man who is the next lord.

It's no wonder I won. Darn! But it's too late now.

Still, the women in my domain are reliable. I think they will all make good wives in the future. But today, that choice is a mistake.

After all, the person next to me is a prince.

It's not just a good marriage; it's a chance to ascend to heaven from a town girl! Pay attention!

"..."

Look, the prince is about to cry. I can't stand it anymore.

"Sorry, but that's enough handshakes. I have a friend with me today."

"Aw," came a voice from the queue.

It felt like I had become a star.

I waved to everyone and quickly fled with the prince.

"When did I become your friend?"

"Never mind that."

"You're lucky. You're popular with women."

"..."

I felt a murderous aura, so I pretended not to hear.

"By the way, I gave you the letter from Eliza yesterday. Could that be it?"

Tch, he remembered.

"That's not it. It was just a summer greeting."

That was the content. I was a bit surprised by the detailed description of Eliza's daily life, but it was unexpectedly ordinary.

"Ha, when did I become such a pitiful man?"

The prince finally sat down, his eyes distant, lost in thought.

This is bad; I don't know how to encourage him.

The prince was so cool in the original story. You never know where you might trip up. Ah, how cruel.

"Eliza used to chase after me all the time."

"..."

"She was so persistent, it was annoying. Her self-centered personality made me lose my temper a few times. But now, I miss those days."

It's like he's become an old man on his deathbed.

"Eliza doesn't chase after me anymore. At first, it felt like a spirit had left me, but thinking back, those might have been the brightest days of my life."

"Eliza is busy, they say."

"You realize what you've lost only when it's gone."

"Is that so?"

If he starts crying, he should just go on a journey. He'll surely write a great collection of poems.

"You're lucky. You're close to Iris and you get letters from Eliza. You're taking everything from me."

That's a baseless accusation.

But it shouldn't have come to this. Is it my fault?

"Ryel is often with you these days. Are you going to take my best friend too?"

"No, that's not true."

I have to deny this immediately. He's a bit dangerous. I don't want to get close to him anymore.

I feel like the prince is getting thinner by the second. He must have never experienced failure before, especially in love.

A man who has won 99 out of 100 battles, suffering his first and only defeat.

Is this his destined partner?

Pfft, it's kind of funny.

"Cheer up. There are plenty of girls out there."

"You can say that because you're popular."

His words were filled with loneliness, as if he had forgotten his past popularity.

"They say giving gifts to women is a good idea. If there's someone you like, why don't you try giving her a gift?"

"There's no one like that."

But he's probably thinking of Iris.

"But when I gave a gift before, it was rejected. It might have even made her feel bad."

"What did you give her?"

"A diamond necklace."

"..."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"No."

"Is it really that wrong!? Has my sense of style become outdated and turned into a relic of the past!?"

"No, calm down. It's not like that."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, if someone gave me something like that... wouldn't you be scared?"

"..."

"I don't understand. I don't understand people's feelings."

People are hard to understand.

People are scary.

People...

It sounds like it could go on. No choice. Before he turns into a beast, I'll share my limited knowledge with him.

"I once gave a flower to a woman, and she was very happy."

"Flowers... Okay, then I'll send her an entire garden!"

"No, that might scare her too."

"..."

"I don't understand. I don't understand people's feelings."

People... (omitted).

"One flower is enough."

"One flower? Isn't that a bit cheap?"

"Not really. In the Heran domain, there's a very rare flower. It's said that only one blooms in a vast garden. If you find it and give it to her, any woman would be happy."

"Ah! I understand. I understand that feeling!"

People...

People are warm.

People are kind.

People are love.

Oops, I shouldn't mock the prince in my heart anymore.

Without further ado, he asked me to show him the garden. I introduced him to the largest garden in the domain. It's a vast area. He would surely find it there.

"The flower is called 'Hermione.' It has six petals, each a different color: red, white, blue, yellow, green, and pink. The flower's meaning is 'a miracle of this world.' Finding it will surely bring good fortune!"

"Ah, I feel my energy returning! Yes, I'll find it, and then... No, everything depends on finding it first!"

"That's the spirit!"

"Thank you, Kururi. I'll do the rest on my own! You can go back to the mansion."

"Sure, I'll be waiting for you!"

"Leave it to me!"

With that, I returned to the mansion and enjoyed a pleasant holiday with Lasser and the others. A holiday without distractions is truly enjoyable. Lasser is a good guy. Vain is a fun guy. Iris always brings a fresh feeling. It's a great holiday!

I was so absorbed in the enjoyable holiday that I forgot about Prince Ark.

Three days later, I finally remembered his existence when I saw him return, looking haggard and almost in tears.

...It seems he couldn't find it. The prince looked even thinner.

"...Sorry, man." That's all I could say.

Spring might never come for the prince.