0&1 Ch 21.9

“Really? You thought I wouldn’t worry about the exam because I’m smart?”

“Yes.”
“What should I do? I’m really worried.”

Why is he so cute? I couldn’t believe he was the same age as Grey.

Alex shyly lowered his head and said, “And even if you fail, you can just take the exam again.”

“Huh?”

“Yes?” Alex looked confused. “Doesn’t the academy allow retakes?”

“It’s not that.”

“Then…?” Alex looked at me as if to ask what the problem was.

That’s right. If you fail the exam, you can just take it again. It’s held every year. It’s not like anyone will come after you and kill you if you don’t get in.

Huh?

Something felt incredibly off.

No, that’s not right. Joffrey has to be at the academy. He’s a target character, isn’t he?

Joffrey has to meet the heroine at the academy, and he has to be with Edward…

I felt a strong sense of unease.

I had felt this strange feeling before. It was the sensation of thoughts that weren’t mine controlling me.

When I saw young Joffrey’s memories in my dream, his emotions and thoughts were so vivid that I couldn’t tell the difference between him and me.

“Your Highness?” 

I heard Alex’s voice.

“Yes.”
“Do you need a rest? You look flushed.”
“Yeah. I need to sleep.”

Joffrey?

Something felt different. It was a familiar feeling, but something was different.

Joffrey has to go to the academy. The Earth spins.

Both felt like scientific facts of the same level.

Both were facts that were happening or had to happen, and I already knew that.

If I wanted to avoid friction with Edward, it would be better for me to fail the Academy entrance exam. A Prince who fails the Academy entrance exam would look really stupid.

If I didn’t get into the academy, I wouldn’t be able to see Edward or meet the heroine. Edward would still hate me, but at least I would avoid the catalyst that made him want to kill me.

So why did I work so hard for the exam?

Once I realized the discrepancy, everything seemed strange.

Was I just stupid?

I saw Alex. Alex, whom I had completely forgotten and left behind at the academy today…

It was possible that I was just stupid.

Okay. I needed to rest.

I sat down on the bed and took off my shoes. I was so tired that my head hurt.

I was about to lie down without even washing up, but I propped myself up with my arms. I still hadn’t heard an answer.

“Alex, do you forgive me?”
“Forgive you? For what?”

Alex, who was putting away my shoes, looked up from where he was crouching.

“… You didn’t listen to me.”
“I did, Your Highness.”
“Then why are you pretending you didn’t hear me…?”

Alex’s expression changed as he realized what was going on.

“Oh. Today’s incident. Do I have to forgive you?”

“Huh?”

I was wide awake now.

Was he that angry? He couldn’t forgive me?

“I didn’t think it was something you needed to be forgiven for.”

Alex neatly arranged my shoes and stood up with a satisfied look on his face.

Huh? 

“Why?”
“Doesn’t forgiveness mean not punishing someone who has done something punishable?”
“That’s… right? No, isn’t it? Don’t you use it when someone has done something to make you angry?”

“Yes. Your Highness didn’t do anything punishable, nor did you make me angry,” Alex said clearly.

Really? 

Aren’t you too nice?

I felt the same way when he forgave me for the orphanage incident. Alex was incredibly generous. What am I going to do? He’s so kind that it’s scary.

“It’s okay now, but you might feel hurt later. Is there anything you want? I’ll do whatever I can.”
“What? No.”
“At least think about it.”

Alex placed a lit candle on the side table and pulled the blanket out from under me. I alternated lifting my legs so Alex could easily pull it out.

Alex awkwardly covered me with the blanket and said, “Then… Please let me guard His Highness’s bedroom.”

“My bedroom?”
“Yes.” 

Alex looked at my expression.

“You mean here? You want to guard me here?”
“Yes.”

Why would that be a gift to him?

“Are you sure that’s okay?”
“Yes. Are you giving me permission?”
“Of course. It’s no trouble. Are you worried about the security here? Do you think it’s lax?”

“Yes. Last night, I was on guard so that I could protect you if anything happened, but I’m in the next room, so I can’t react quickly.”

Alex relaxed and smiled.

“You were on guard last night too? Didn’t you sleep at all?”
“No.”

I was speechless and stared at Alex. It’s great that the person who’s become my knight is so loyal, but…

“How many hours have you been awake?”

Alex tried to calculate it, but I tapped the side of the bed before he could strain his tired brain.

“Lie down.”
“Your Highness?”
“Close your eyes and go to sleep. We’re not separated by a wall, and you’re protecting me in the same bed, so there’s no need to be nervous.”

“But…” Alex hesitated. He must be wondering how he can sleep in the same bed as a Prince. What’s the big deal?

“We slept together when we were kids. Why, is it uncomfortable? Where did you plan to sleep in this room?”
“I thought it would be nice to sleep next to the bed, Your Highness.”
“Next to the bed? Where?”

There wasn’t even a small chair for a servant in this room. There was a single armchair, but it was by the window.

There was nowhere to sleep.

“I was going to stand next to the bed,” Alex said matter-of-factly.

“What kind of punishment is that?”

Am I a piece of trash? You expect me to sleep while someone stands guard over me all night?

I don’t know who he thinks I am. I don’t think I’ve ever treated Alex badly. Of course, I did abandon him at the academy, but that’s different!

“What? No. It would look strange if the guard sat down.”

Don’t pretend to be reasonable. It’s much stranger to stand by the bed all night.

I feel like I’m being suffocated. What if I open my eyes and Alex is looking down at me? I feel like I’m going to suffocate and wake up.

“No, it’s like a horror movie. I don’t like it. Come lie down.”
“What is a horror movie?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to sleep. I’m tired. If I’m attacked while I’m asleep, are you sure you can protect me?“

”Yes.“ Alex looked serious.

”Then let’s sleep together.”

I pulled back the covers. The bed was big enough for two, and there were three pillows. Two made sense since it was a double bed, but what was the third one for?

Alex approached hesitantly. He didn’t look like he wanted to, but he couldn’t disobey a prince’s order.

I gave Alex one pillow and lay down with the other. I wondered where to put the last one, and decided to put it between Alex and me.

“Sleep well.”

Alex’s reply reached my ears just as I was drifting off to sleep.

“Good night, Your Highness.”

“Your Highness? Sir Alex! What are you doing?”

I woke up to Dot’s scream. The sunlight was pouring in. Dot must have pulled back the curtains and taken the blanket.

“Dot, give me the blanket…”
“Your Highness!”

Even without the blanket, my body felt warm. Dot continued to scream. I couldn’t keep my eyes closed.

“What’s wrong?”  When I opened my eyes, I saw Dot’s face. He looked upset. “Whoa. What’s going on?” 

Startled, I sat up, and Dot shook his head.

“Your Highness, you are not eleven years old anymore! How can you sleep with someone else when you are about to come of age?”

“Nowadays, do they call sleeping in the same bed as your bodyguard sleeping together?”

Dot screamed again when I asked in disbelief.

“They called it sleeping together even a hundred years ago! Sir Baumkuchen, I trusted you! No, it’s my fault. I didn’t teach you properly about sex, which led to this situation…“

Sex education? Was that part of Joffrey’s curriculum?

”I’m sorry, Dot. But I swear I didn’t touch His Highness with a single finger,“ Alex said. He was kneeling on the bed, looking flustered.

“There’s no need for oaths! Who would believe that nothing happened between two people of marriageable age who woke up in the same bed?” Dot screamed silently and turned pale.

“If this had happened at the academy instead of an inn, Your Highness’s reputation would be ruined. Oh, no. Your Highness, I tried desperately to stop the rumors from spreading in the royal court, but…”

What rumors?

“If word gets out, it’ll be a disaster. People will say you’re a homosexual!”

What? Isn’t that a good thing?