The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 64

Chapter 64: Secret Garden (4)

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Jealousy, one of the most dangerous human emotions, mentioned even in the Ten Commandments and the Seven Deadly Sins, has varying degrees and types.

There's the jealousy born from feeling inferior to others, and the jealousy born from seeing a loved one's affection directed elsewhere.

Both types can manifest differently depending on the situation and the individuals involved. But it's generally accepted that if a romantic partner experiences the former type of jealousy, it's the fault of the other partner.

For example, prioritizing friends over a lover, or showing more respect to a stranger than to one's spouse.

Familiarity breeds contempt, as they say. Perhaps those who neglect their spouses, focusing on superficial courtesies towards strangers, believe their partners already know their true feelings.

And I, it seemed, had committed a similar offense. My thinking had been shortsighted.

Listening to Lili's complaints, I realized that while she framed her anger as romantic jealousy, it was actually closer to the former type, the jealousy born from feeling neglected.

"I asked you multiple times. If everything was alright, if you had said goodbye to your party members before coming to Wiridia."

She explained that she had heard rumors about Anna and me behaving inappropriately in a cafe, but she had trusted me, believing it was a misunderstanding, like with Grace, and waited for me to explain.

So, unsure of whether I had actually done anything wrong, she had asked me various questions, trying to figure out what had happened between Anna and me.

And my response?

"'Yes, nothing happened.' Seriously? And why didn't you tell me about the prosthetic eye…?"

How could she not be angry? She had only just learned about the prosthetic eye from Marianne.

That alone was bad enough, something that warranted an apology.

But it got worse. Much worse.

"How could I possibly learn about your prosthetic eye from Marianne? You should have told me first… or at least mentioned it when we saw each other…!"

And even after that,

If I had just told her when she brought it up—'-The new prosthetic eye is red? It does make the odd eyes less noticeable. I liked the old one, but this one suits you better, it's more familiar.'—she wouldn't have been so upset. Even after learning about it from her maid.

Yes, I had been careless.

I had assumed she would figure it out, since Anna had offered to make the prosthetic eye in front of her. I thought she would simply deduce that I had met with Anna to get it.

Even if she had figured it out, as romantic partners, especially in the early stages of a relationship, it was natural to want to share even the smallest details of our lives. And I had failed to realize that.

And a prosthetic eye wasn't exactly a "small detail," so she must have been stewing over this for a while.

"We even kissed! And you initiated it last time! You said your everything belonged to me… I don't expect that, I just… I don't want to be left out…"

Was this jealousy? Or a perfectly valid complaint?

Honestly, there were reasons for my negligence.

First, I had been preoccupied with the changing storyline, the potential threats to our lives and our future. I was constantly thinking about Lili, but not in a romantic context.

Second, I was completely inexperienced in relationships.

While Lili was also inexperienced, women were generally more attuned to the nuances of relationships.

And I had never even had a proper friend, let alone a girlfriend.

The only person I could consider a friend in this world was Ian.

While I could easily make friends now, I had avoided forming close relationships for a reason.

'Well, that aside… I need to figure out how to appease her.'

A thoughtless apology was a bad idea. I had learned that the hard way. The moment I started apologizing—"Your Highness… I'm sorry… I don't know what I did wrong…"—she had become even angrier.

"And why are you suddenly apologizing?! At least own up to your actions…! Think about how I felt! My heart sank! I thought you were apologizing for… for doing something with Anna, like the rumors said!"

She had been trying to rationalize my behavior, to give me the benefit of the doubt, and my sudden, unexplained apology had only fueled her anger.

"Your Highness…"

"Honestly, I'm also insecure about Anna and Grace. They're both so cute and pretty… they have the kind of charm that men like…"

Anna, eternally adorable, her childlike appearance eliciting protective instincts from everyone.

Grace, a saintly virgin with an impossibly voluptuous figure, the embodiment of kindness and compassion, attractive to 'almost' every man.

Lili, surrounded by women who possessed the very qualities men often listed as their ideal type—cuteness, curves, and kindness—couldn't help but feel insecure.

It was like the classic complaint: A girl with too many male friends. Is she really girlfriend material?

And what if those male friends were all handsome and charming?

And Lili wasn't finished.

"Even if you don't have any feelings for them, they might have feelings for you! Anna was even dressed up… and haven't you noticed how the other girls have been looking at you lately?"

Had the girls' gazes changed? Become more… suggestive?

Perhaps because I was now a man, or perhaps because their gazes no longer held any malice, I hadn't noticed. But it seemed Lili found even those innocent glances irritating.

Was our Lili unaware of how she was perceived by men?

No, she couldn't be. Before she knew I was Finn, she had even boasted about her own beauty.

So, there was only one explanation.

The classic YouTube scenario: a girl, clearly out of her league, declaring, "This squid is mine! Back off!"

While Finn was undeniably handsome, he wasn't that attractive.

The men in the academy only dared to leer at Lili from afar. They didn't dare approach her.

Because she was simply out of their league.

An Imperial Princess, a top scorer, and her beauty rivaled even Selina's.

Honestly, between Selina and Lili, it was a matter of preference.

So, Selina might have a chance, but these other girls… they were just small fry, and yet, Lili was feeling strangely competitive.

'Selina should be the one who's insecure. Ian is a notorious flirt.'

But I was the one who was at fault. I had been careless, insensitive to her feelings, my inexperience in relationships showing.

Trying to defend myself—"Do you know how much I've suffered because of you, Your Highness?"—would only make things worse. She might lock herself in her room and refuse to eat.

She had dropped the honorifics and was calling me "Finn" again, which meant her anger had subsided somewhat.

While I had no real experience in relationships, I believed it was a process of compromise, of shaping yourself to fit your partner, like pieces of a puzzle.

How could you expect to find a perfect match right away? It was a process of trial and error.

So, instead of waiting for her anger to subside, I had to act.

As always, once I made up my mind, I acted swiftly.

I stood up, took her hand, and spoke honestly, without any pretense.

She flinched at my sudden touch, but didn't pull away. A good sign.

"I apologize if I've caused you any concern, Your Highness. This… relationship… is new to me, so I'm still learning."

"I-It's not like I'm… experienced either…!"

I hadn't anticipated that response.

Lifre and Bianca, sitting on the bench across from us, might overhear our conversation, so I pulled her close, cutting her off mid-sentence.

She still had the "fiancé" setting, after all.

"W-What are you doing… Finn…?"

Her voice was soft, devoid of any anger. It seemed my impulsive action had worked.

"This attendant, captivated by Your Highness's radiant presence, has been negligent in his duties, failing to consider your feelings. I am truly sorry."

"You haven't been negligent… I don't think so…"

"I have. It was negligence born of ignorance. So, Your Highness, would you… enlighten this unworthy attendant? I don't know how to read your heart, how to anticipate your feelings, like you do."

"…Shouldn't you be asking me to teach you about women's hearts, then?"

She peeked out from my embrace, asking, since I didn't understand romance, shouldn't I be asking her to teach me about women?

I had an answer ready.

I smiled brightly.

"There's only one woman in my world, Your Highness. This small vessel is more than full with you alone. So, I don't need to know about women's hearts. I need to know about your heart."

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