[Adilun's POV]
I could see Physis talking with Selina, who had bright red hair, contrasting to my dark blue hair.
From the time we first met, Selina was a strangely intrusive person.
Even at a glance, it was clear to me that the person in question was the polar opposite of myself.
Seeing such a woman wagging her tail at Physis, dark emotions welled up inside me.
I knew that it was just an act.
But still, it was quite hard to see Physis gossiping about me in front of a woman like that.
'Isn't that contradictory?'
If I didn't want to see him like that, I shouldn't have forced him to do this act.
But I couldn't help it. Because I needed reassurance.
'Physis… … I'm sure you won't turn your back on me.'
"You seem to be in a lot of trouble, Princess Rodenov."
"Ah, Sir William Devaton."
As I was looking at Physis, suddenly William Devarton came and started talking to me.
At that, I hardened my expression.
"I was surprised that you changed so drastically. It's a pity that such a beautiful figure was covered by such scales."
'Even if he says something like that now, does he thinks I will get over everything?'
The situation was quite ridiculous, to the extent that even someone who despised me remarked that I looked different. The person in front of me had an unappealing demeanor that made me feel repulsed to the point where just facing him made hatred run through my body.
"Don't you have anything to do?"
"It's not that I don't have much to do… … But... You look uncomfortable."
"Then just go. Let's not talk. As Sir said, I am very, very, very uncomfortable right now."
William's expression hardened at my words, without the slightest hint of lies. That stiff face was unsightly.
"And sir."
"Yes?"
"You also don't want to see a monster face today. You didn't think I wouldn't know, did you? These are the words you have told me."
"What do you mean by that?"
It was shameless to see him drop his pretense. Did he think I didn't hear? No, he knew but was pretending not to know.
"A monster princess with disgusting scales… … . Who said this? But now that you've come and talked to me, it's disgusting."
"That's… … !"
"As you say, I am a monster, so my senses are a bit more developed than others. Seeing you in the first place, I didn't want to come to a place like this at all… …. Be grateful that I came because I thought of your family's face."
His expression contorted.
'Well, he should have been careful.'
"And tell your friends too. If they don't want to be roasted by magic, refrain their filthy mouth."
With those words, I distanced myself from him.
.
.
.
.
I was in a bad mood.
But there was still work to be done. I thought Physis will start acting now… …Wanting to focus on that a little bit, I quietly strengthened my hearing.
Amidst the noise of the banquet hall, a pleasant low-pitched voice and a voice that was annoying to hear were blending together. It was definitely the voices of Physis and Selina.
"So Sir Physis is forced to stay in Rodenow right now?"
"You can see that. To be honest, it's disgusting and uncomfortable. Rodenov is the worst place for me."
As soon as I heard that, my expression naturally turned miserable. even though I knew that everything he said was acting.
'No. Could it be that he is actually thinking that in his heart?'
'The place I love the most... is it, in fact, the place he hates the most?'
The anxiety buried in a corner of my mind was slowly becoming real.
'No. That's not true, He is just acting.'
I comforted myself and focused on their conversation to catch the timing when I needed to step out.
And finally…
…Physis started talking about me.
"I hate Princess Rodenov. It wouldn't change anything if she took off those terrible scales now. Just looking at her fills me with disgust."
Hearing this, even knowing it was acting, made my heart ache.
I walked towards them, matching his cold voice.
Selina and Physis looked at me with puzzled expressions, and I looked back at them with my still distorted expression.
'Ah, sorry!'
- Smack!!
With a silent apology in my mind, I fiercely hit Physis on the cheek.
.
.
.
.
The hand that slapped his cheek tingled.
'Oh...'
'Ah... No... Did I hit too hard?'
Even though I knew it was an act, I was emotionally agitated by the gossip coming out of his mouth, so I unknowingly slapped him on the cheek so hard.
Physis covered his cheeks with a bewildered expression and in a moment, he looked at me with a very soft smile. It was for a short time that it would be impossible to know unless someone was looking at him from the front.
Strangely it looked like he was saying that I did well.
"What are you doing?"
Cold words flowed from his mouth, but his expression was different from his cold words.
The doubt that he would suddenly change began to disappear from my heart, and instead, a belief that he was not just acting started to fill it up little by little.
"What am I doing? If you spread gossip about me like that, did you think I wouldn't know?"
"Ugh. So, did I say something that wasn't true?"
"At least it's something we should have solved ourselves."
"How would I solve an issue with someone I can't communicate with?"
"Do you know that the same goes for you?"
We continued acting. I teamed up with him and released bad words about each other.
Even so, the expression he looked at me with was exciting, like seeing something interesting, but I was sure of one thing.
He didn't seem angry with me. Even if I did something stupid like this.
I felt a little bit sad, and I shed a tear without even realizing it.
His face, which had been relaxed all along, turned to bewilderment, and I felt that the surroundings were in a commotion from the tears I shed.
In the end, people intervened between us and stopped our quarrel, and the banquet ended like that.
Having successfully ruined the social gathering, I returned to the accommodation given to me with a slightly pounding heart.
As soon as I entered the room, my legs gave up without even realizing it, and I sat down.
With the attitude of Physis I saw today, I was finally able to be sure that he would not turn his back on me.
'Thank god. really, I'm really glad.'
However, the feeling of guilt continued to grow.
'How the hell am I supposed to apologize to him?'
Worry and anxiety began to rise in my heart.
Even if the situation was over, the disapproval he felt for me could still be there, so apart from the expression he showed me earlier, he could have come to hate me.
'I hate that.'
I didn't like him chatting with other girls, and I didn't want him to hate me. So I wanted to see his face and apologize quickly, but I couldn't even go to his room.
'No. Wait a minute.'
There was a way.
'Couldn't I use the invisibility magic and sneak into his room?'
The method that came to my mind seemed pretty good, so I immediately deployed the invisibility magic on my body.
Confirming my disappearance in the mirror, I moved toward Physis's room.
* * *
[Physis's POV]
My cheeks tingled from being hit by Adilun. Judging by how sharp her hands were, I was sure that she could learn any martial arts quickly.
Even though I tried to distract myself with such idle thoughts, Adilun's crying face still flickered in front of my eyes.
Seeing her like that my mood turned pretty terrible, so when Selina asked me if I was okay, I nodded and went straight into my room.
'I should have talked to her… … What should I do? Shall I secretly sneak into her room? I have already remembered the structure of the mansion, so it might be okay.'
The banquet was ruined by the two of us, so there was nothing to do, and from tomorrow onwards, there would be quite a few princesses approaching me.
All I had to do was now to sort out Adilun's enemies and allies… …It was better to unravel Adilun's heart today. Because she seemed to be very hurt.
With this thought in mind, when I opened the door, I could feel that there was someone in front of me, although there was no one in front.
When I activated my senses, thinking it might be a trickle, I began to see the shape of Adilun, shimmering in front of my eyes.
"Adilun… …?"
As soon as I called her name, she entered my room and closed the door.
After closing the door, she revealed herself to me. Apparently, it seemed that she used invisible magic.
After canceling the invisibility magic, she immediately handed me an apology.
"I-I'm sorry. It hurts a lot, right?"
Adilun said that and stroked my cheek.
"Okay, it's okay. I'm also really sorry. I spoke too harshly…"
In the momentary warmth that hit me, I couldn't help but stutter without even realizing it, and she shook her head vigorously, startled by my words.
"It's what I said you to do. So I'm fine too..."
However, the expression on her face when she said that seemed quite dangerous.
"Are you really okay? Please tell me the truth."
I gave her a worried look, and she let out a sigh, perhaps realizing it, she opened her mouth.
"No. Actually, I'm not okay. Even though I know it's acting, my heart hurts so much… …I-I'm so sorry. I've done a bad thing to you... I just shouldn't have done this."
Little by little, tears started to form in her eyes. It was quite heartbreaking to see her like that.
I grabbed her hand as she stroked my cheek and held her in my arms.
"It's really okay, don't cry."
"No. I... I... Physis, it was a test."
"I know that."
"You know that I tested you on my own. But you still want to forgive me like this?"
"It's okay. Because I know the truth that why you were trying to test me. Perhaps you were also anxious. You must have thought that I might suddenly turn my back on you... And I would become like I was in the past."
"… …Yes."
"So I understand why you did this. Because I knew that the wounds I inflicted on you during the year were quite large. You must have had your own reassurance. But are you sure now that I won't turn my back on you anymore?"
"Yes. Yes."
"Why is that? why are you sure now?"
"When you looked at me earlier, looking at that expression… … I-I was sure. So I'm even more sorry. I was selfishly testing someone like you."
"That's fortunate. Anyway, I forgave you, so don't feel guilty."
"… …Y-yes."
I loosened my arms and let her go. Adilun stared at me with her swollen, red eyes, then smiled broadly and said.
"Thanks, Physis. I will trust you now."
"It is such an honor."
My heart raced for a moment, but I didn't show it, I replied to her playfully and smiled at her.
'Little by little, little by little...'
'If we move forward step by step like this, that time will surely come someday.'
'I'll wait for that time.'