The Extra Saved the Terminally Ill Princess and Ran Away - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Secret Garden (1)

***

"But Finn… about us… shouldn't we explain the situation to avoid misunderstandings?"

Lili, her cheeks still flushed from our kiss, looked up at me and asked.

"…Y-Yes? What… situation?"

Or perhaps I was the one still lost in the afterglow.

I couldn't meet her gaze, my eyes drifting down to her lips, their color returning as her lipstick wore off.

I averted my gaze, feigning ignorance, hoping she wouldn't notice my flustered state.

-Haah… haah… Finn….

Perhaps because it was my first time experiencing such a passionate kiss, or perhaps because her soft moans, whispered against my chest, were so intoxicating,

Her warm breath, her parted lips, the memory of our kiss replayed in my mind every time I looked at her.

Her pleading gaze, her whispered requests for more, for me to continue, wouldn't leave my thoughts.

"Finn…? What's wrong…? Oh."

"Y-Yes?! …Oh."

A classic case of a guilty conscience.

When Lili called my name, her voice laced with curiosity, I instinctively turned to face her, not wanting her to see my flustered state.

But I hadn't bothered to hide my blushing cheeks.

We both turned away at the same time, our faces burning with embarrassment.

'What should I say? "Did you like it?" No, that's not right. "Are you okay?" That's not right either…'

Despite my supposed maturity, my supposed experience in life, I was rendered speechless by this childish embarrassment. I struggled to find the right words.

"Um… Finn?"

Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even heard her approach. She was standing right in front of me, her hand on my sleeve, her gaze fixed on my face.

Her cheeks were still flushed, but she had gathered her courage and approached me.

"Yes… Your Highness?"

"If… you want to do it again… it's okay…"

"…."

My eyes darted towards her.

She met my gaze for a fleeting moment, then quickly looked away, embarrassed.

She was so shy, yet she had gathered her courage and approached me.

How could someone be so adorable?

I pulled her close, hugging her tightly, swaying back and forth.

I wanted to nibble on her cheeks, but I would probably die of embarrassment if I did that.

"F-Finn?!"

"Your Highness."

"Yes?"

Holding her close, I felt a sense of calm, a warmth that soothed my racing heart.

My voice steadied as I continued, my arms still around her,

Recalling her earlier question.

"I don't think we need to… broadcast our relationship to everyone."

The rumors about our relationship, about me being involved with a princess who had a fiancé, about me being a homewrecker.

"Why? Everyone's misunderstanding the situation. If we explain…"

"Do you really think they'll believe us?"

Some people would believe us, of course.

But the potential consequences outweighed the benefits.

"But if we don't say anything…! Finn and I will continue to be…"

She looked up at me, pleading. She didn't want our relationship to remain a secret, a source of gossip and speculation. She wanted to be recognized, accepted.

I agreed. I didn't want to keep our relationship a secret forever either, so I pulled her closer, whispering,

"I'm not saying we should keep quiet forever."

"…Then?"

"It's just… not the right time yet."

If we announced our relationship now, explained the situation, told everyone they were mistaken,

The people close to us might believe us, but would anyone else care?

No, they wouldn't.

This was Solus Academy, a place where students from all over the world gathered, a place with its own unique autonomy.

The Empire's laws didn't apply here, and even royalty wasn't treated differently.

That's why even the instructors addressed Lili as "Cadet Lili."

What would happen if the Imperial Princess started airing her dirty laundry, revealing her personal affairs, in such a place?

No one would believe us, and even if they did, it would only create more problems.

Rumors about the Imperial Princess gossiping about her private life.

And since students from all over the world attended the academy, including those from nations hostile to the Empire,

We couldn't risk spreading such rumors.

A simple relationship issue could escalate into a political problem for the Emperor, who had just recently consolidated his power.

People tended to believe only the rumors they found interesting or convenient.

How did I know? Personal experience.

Gossipmongers didn't care about the truth, about our perspective. They only cared about entertainment, and the moment we reacted, they would only amplify their stories, their voices growing louder.

So, why risk losing more than we gained?

Wasting time, effort, and mental energy?

I felt Lili's gaze on me, a sidelong glance.

She seemed to have realized that I had a plan, her voice calming down as she asked,

"So, you're saying we should wait?"

"Yes."

But perhaps, we wouldn't even need to explain.

My goal was simple.

To become so renowned, so powerful, that the rumors about Lili's fiancé would be overshadowed by my own achievements.

For example, my swordsmanship.

Almost half of my hidden abilities had already been revealed.

There was no point in holding back now, and since Ian was known as the strongest swordsman in the academy's history, I, too, would earn a similar title.

So, it wouldn't be long before everyone knew my name. And then, I could reveal the truth myself, my words carrying far more weight.

The influence of a Sword Saint was undeniable.

Or perhaps, by then, rumors about Lili's discerning eye for talent, her choosing me before anyone else, would spread, rendering any explanation unnecessary.

In short, there was only one solution.

To become so powerful that my achievements silenced all other rumors.

To the point where everyone would say, "No wonder the Princess fell for him…."

***

"…Berry, are you alright?"

Ian peeked into the waiting room, his eyes filled with concern.

What had I just said?

To prove myself with my strength, my achievements?

And yet, my mind was still preoccupied with my last conversation with Lili.

'Since it's almost summer break, would you like to visit the Secret Garden? We have the pass, after all.'

Perhaps I shouldn't have added that slightly suggestive remark.

The Secret Garden, as its name implied, was located in Wiridia, the elven kingdom.

And Wiridia was far away.

Which meant a visit to the Secret Garden required an overnight stay.

But it wasn't the Secret Garden itself that was bothering me, but Lili's summer break plans.

-Oh? Should we? But I… I promised Father I would visit the Empire during summer break… Ah! We can visit the Secret Garden on our way there!-

'On our way… where?'

-The Secret Garden and the Empire! I have to see Father! He'll probably be surprised when he hears the news. If we had a better way to contact him, he would have rushed here already.-

The sudden realization that I would have to meet her father, the doting Emperor.

-Why are you making that face! Are you scared of meeting Father? You, the Emperor's Shadow?-

The fact that she knew about my past, even though I hadn't told her.

-Ah… I didn't tell you that I knew… did I? But I'm sure Father would have figured it out… Mr. Emperor's… Shadow?-

And the fact that her father knew as well.

"Damn it."

My past actions, my chuunibyou-esque antics, were now a source of deep embarrassment, a diary I didn't want anyone to read.

And the thought that her family, her father, knew everything was mortifying.

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