Flower of Steel

I was stupid for the second time in my 18 years of living and unable to do anything out of shock.
The Crown Prince opened his mouth again, seeming to have more rude words to throw at me, “But.”

I was readying myself for whatever mean words he was about to hurl at me.
Yeah, I’m ugly, you good-looking a*sh*le.
While I was thinking, I heard his voice.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re ugly.”

I was bewildered by this.
It doesn’t matter if I’m ugly? Then I felt like my heart was going to stop as he continued, “What’s important isn’t the face.
It’s the nature of it that matters.”

What’s important isn’t the face.
I felt strange.
Why did the unpleasantness that I felt suddenly lift away as soon as I heard that? I know it wasn’t a compliment, but it didn’t feel bad at all.
Actually, it felt like he recognized me for the way I was.
It felt like he was telling me that even though I look like this on the outside, I was useful because of what was on the inside.

My heart raced and became delighted.
Then I heard his voice once more in my excitement, “Yeah, I don’t need anything else.”

He doesn’t need anything else? My heart churned.
I felt like I would jump around in excitement.

“…You just need to keep your promise.”

I sighed and felt my bubble popping.
What nonsense was I thinking just now? Ugh, I want to hide in a rat hole if I can.
Damn it, I knew it! I was a fool! He’s handsome, but he’s still crazy! He even refused the most beautiful girl Elise, so why would he do that to me? I was screaming in embarrassment in my mind when I heard the nutjob’s voice again.

“If you don’t keep your promise, then I will destroy this place without mercy.”

I had to question if what I had heard was correct, ‘W-what did you say? Y-You beast!’

That’s right.
This was all part of his highly calculated scheme.
This handsome nutjob had studied how to bully me so that I would truly suffer.
I should’ve known when he was acting out of the ordinary.
He was trying to stab my back when I least expected it.
This was the first time someone had threatened me like this… I was frustrated because this was a method that I had never thought of or heard of.

“And by promise, you mean…?”

I asked him just in case.
He frowned and answered with an unpleasant expression, “…That.”

Yeah, well.
I knew it already as I was just asking him about it just in case.
From his response, he wasn’t being direct about the subject, so I could confirm my suspicion was correct.
It was about the damn doll.
It seems that the doll lover had grown anxious.
Of course, he is! He must have grown nauseous waiting, as he must have been excited to add a new doll to his collection!

Ah, but I still can’t forget the astonishment I felt when I first saw the garden with my own eyes.
I think I can do anything for this garden since I have laid my eyes on it now.
To me, this place was like a treasure of humanity that should never be destroyed.
Ugh, he’s got my weakness now.

“Yes, I will do my best to craft it,” I answered.

Oh, how unlucky I am.
I was placed in such a miserable situation because I offered this crazy a*sh*le a doll.
But it was strange.
Why was my heart still pounding? Hmm, maybe it was because of the garden.
I concluded my thought and bid him farewell.

‘It’s a shame.’ A sudden thought came over me, and I was surprised by it.
Then I realized.
Yeah, I am just feeling ashamed of having to leave this beautiful garden behind, not being able to look at it further.

I turned around to have another look at the garden.
The Crown Prince was standing there with his eyes closed as if he was tired.
He looked so holy that he even looked like a god living in paradise.
I had to take my eyes off the sight that made me want to glue my gaze on it.
Dissatisfied, I then moved my footsteps toward my office.