Love & Poison (5)
“H-huh? Whaaat?”
The moment the girl he liked said he was handsome, Edwin’s heart began to pound like it had lost its mind.
“I-I, um…”
Edwin covered his burning face with his arm and stammered.
“You… you think I’m handsome? Really?”
“Yes.”
Bridget let out a playful laugh, clearly amused by his transparent reaction.
“I mean it. You seem even more beautiful than Her Highness the Second Consort, who is said to be the most beautiful woman in the empire.”
“What? D-don’t joke about that.”
Should he be happy about being called prettier than his mortal enemy?
Edwin pictured the Second Consort and gave a small shudder.
She was beautiful, yes, but the memory of that chilling, goosebump-inducing face left him feeling strangely uneasy.
“Why? Do you dislike being told you’re as beautiful as Her Highness the Second Consort? That’s an incredibly high compliment…”
“S-stop it already. And calling a man beautiful is a little…”
The two of them were crouched in front of the flower garden, bickering back and forth, when an unwelcome guest appeared.
Perhaps it was because they had spoken the Second Consort’s name. The Second Prince of the empire, Lloyd, had arrived.
“Bridget!”
Lloyd strode toward her with quick steps, clearly delighted to see her.
But the moment he spotted Edwin crouched beside her, his face soured.
“…You’ve been showing up quite often lately, Edwin.”
He raised one eyebrow at Edwin, who no longer cowered in fear the instant he saw him.
“How annoying.”
Normally, Edwin would have simply stayed silent and let the remark pass.
But for some reason, today he didn’t want to let it go.
Edwin glanced at Bridget sitting beside him, then slowly opened his mouth.
“…This is still part of the imperial palace. There’s no reason I can’t come here.”
“Ha, what did you just say?”
Lloyd ground his teeth.
Under normal circumstances, he would have punched that arrogant face without hesitation, but he couldn’t do that now.
Bridget was right here.
In the end, Lloyd decided to ignore Edwin.
“Hey, Bridget.”
He called her name with an exaggeratedly haughty expression.
“I believe I told you I have never permitted anyone except my father to use my name.”
“Ah, yes. Lady Crowner.”
Despite the cold response that would have discouraged most people, Lloyd immediately changed how he addressed her.
“Your birthday is coming up soon, isn’t it? I heard the Empress’s palace is hosting a celebration banquet.”
“That is correct.”
“Is there anything you want? Just say the word. I can get you anything.”
It was the kind of thing only an imperial prince could say.
More precisely, only a prince whose maternal family was the Redcliffe Marquisate—the wealthiest house in the empire—could say it.
Compared to him…
Edwin unconsciously wore a dejected expression.
He had neither a powerful maternal family nor any significant support.
“I wonder.”
Meanwhile, Bridget stared at Lloyd with eyes full of obvious annoyance.
“As I have told you before, I am in a position where I can obtain anything I desire. I am not so destitute that I would need Your Highness’s help.”
“But…”
“Ah, though there is one thing I would like to request.”
Bridget widened her eyes as she spoke.
“Could you please stop following me around all the time? Her Highness the Second Consort has even sent a message to Her Majesty the Empress. She said it’s causing problems because Your Highness keeps skipping classes just to chase after me.”
“What…”
“But that’s not my fault, is it? You’re the one following me around one-sidedly.”
Bridget slowly rose to her feet and looked Lloyd straight in the eye.
She gave the flustered prince a sweet, crescent-eyed smile.
“So please exercise some self-restraint. Having a man I’m not even interested in follow me around all day is quite exhausting, you know?”
At the words “a man I’m not even interested in,” Lloyd’s face turned beet red.
He clenched both fists, not knowing what to do with himself, then looked at Edwin and flushed even deeper.
“Then what about that guy?”
It seemed even more humiliating to be rejected in front of the person he despised most.
Lloyd glared sharply at Edwin, who awkwardly averted his gaze the moment their eyes met.
“Why are you hanging around with him?”
Lloyd continued, frowning.
“Lady Crowner, do you even know what kind of person he is?”
Instead of answering, Bridget simply stared at him quietly.
Lloyd let out a mocking laugh.
“I see you really don’t know. That guy’s nickname is the Shabby Prince.”
“Shabby?”
“That’s right. Did you know his mother was a princess from Lionel? His Majesty the Emperor married her thinking Lionel would be useful to the empire, but the country fell not long after. How ridiculous is that?”
Lloyd began spilling every one of Edwin’s shameful secrets.
From his origins to his track record and all the baseless rumors.
“In short, he’s completely useless. That’s why he’s called the Shabby Prince.”
Edwin lowered his head.
It was embarrassing enough that his weaknesses were being laid bare in front of Bridget, but what stung even more was that he couldn’t refute a single word Lloyd said.
Whatever else, it was all true.
“…I see.”
Bridget, who had been listening silently, gave a short reply.
Then she added one more thing.
“So?”
“What?”
This was not the reaction Lloyd had expected.
He scrunched his face in confusion.
“Did you not understand what I said?”
“I understood perfectly. You’re saying I shouldn’t associate with someone who’s useless, correct?”
“Yes. So…”
“But that is merely Your Highness’s opinion.”
Bridget answered confidently, her teal eyes sparkling brightly.
“Other people’s evaluations don’t matter to me. I decide for myself who I want to spend time with.”
She gave the stiff-faced Lloyd a gentle smile.
“So while I appreciate your concern, I would be grateful if you stopped worrying about that as well.”
Edwin stared blankly at Bridget standing in front of him.
Her back was small and delicate, yet at this moment, it felt more reliable than anything else in the world.
“Y-you… how could you…”
The moment Lloyd trembled with a sense of betrayal and tried to speak—
“Your Highness!”
Lloyd’s attendant came running from afar.
He paused briefly upon seeing Edwin and Bridget, then gave a slight bow.
Perhaps because she was with him. Edwin’s eyes widened when the attendant greeted him as well.
In the past, the man would have pretended not to see him. This was truly remarkable progress.
“What is it? What’s going on?”
“Her Highness the Second Consort is urgently looking for you.”
“What? Mother? Why?”
“I’m not entirely sure…”
Of all times.
Lloyd shot Bridget a resentful look before glaring at Edwin.
It seemed he was disappointed he couldn’t humiliate Edwin further in front of the young lady.
“Something urgent came up, so I have to go. Farewell.”
“Take care.”
Lloyd barely acknowledged Bridget’s farewell before turning on his heel.
Once he and his attendant had disappeared into the distance, Bridget spoke.
“Honestly, I really can’t stand persistent men.”
It was a casual remark.
But Edwin felt a sting in his chest.
Because he realized he wasn’t the only man who had been bothering her.
Hadn’t he been following her around like a puppy until now?
She must be disappointed in me too.
Winning one hunting competition didn’t suddenly turn the Shabby Prince into a prince on a white horse.
Edwin glanced at Bridget, who stood silently, then lowered his head.
If he were her, he probably wouldn’t want to get close to a prince with no backing and no trust from the Emperor.
“Your Highness Edwin.”
At Bridget’s call, Edwin cautiously lifted his head.
She was looking straight down at him.
“My birthday banquet is in one week. Would Your Highness like to attend?”
“H-huh?”
Still crouched, Edwin’s eyes widened into perfect circles.
He had never dreamed she would bring up the birthday banquet at this moment.
He had even worried that Lloyd’s words might drive them apart forever.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Ah, um… that is…”
It was something he had desperately wanted, yet now that it was happening, he couldn’t even speak.
Bridget watched Edwin flounder in confusion, then slightly turned her head away.
Her rosy cheeks were dyed a deeper shade than usual.
“It’s the imperial palace, so I can’t invite just anyone, and there aren’t many people I want to invite anyway. I thought it might be nice if Your Highness could come and fill a seat. If you don’t want to, you can refuse…”
“No! I’d love to!”
Edwin shot up from his crouch and grabbed her hand.
“I’ll go! I’ll definitely go!”
“Ah…”
Bridget stared at him with wide eyes.
He was the first man besides her father to grab her wrist without permission, yet strangely, she didn’t feel any aversion.
She only felt that the place he was holding seemed unusually warm.
“I’ll come for sure! Absolutely!”
“…I-I understand, so could you please let go…”
Edwin, who had been shouting with a face full of joy, finally realized his mistake.
He looked at Bridget’s wrist still caught in his hand and flinched, quickly releasing her.
“S-sorry! Did that hurt?”
“…I am not that fragile.”
Bridget gently frowned as she rubbed her wrist.
“Then I shall take that as your acceptance.”
“Yeah!”
“I should be going now as well. I have an appointment to have tea with Her Majesty the Empress. I will send the invitation to the Third Prince’s Palace by the end of today.”
Edwin nodded so vigorously at her words that it looked like his head might fall off.
Bridget watched him for a moment, then gave a polite bow and went on her way.
“…Hehe.”
The moment she disappeared, Edwin let out a laugh without realizing it.
A genuinely happy smile spread across his face, which was brightly lit by the sunlight.
It was such a bright smile that it made anyone who saw it want to smile too.