No Matter What You Look Like (6)

A mixture of breath and saliva lingered still. It was extremely sweet to share in the breath of the one you absolutely loved.

They stroked each other’s cheeks and trailed along one another’s warmth. After the kiss, which seemed highly unlikely to end, Kergel eventually released Roelin, albeit slightly, from his arms and only then did he finally realize the condition of the garland in his hand.

“Oh no…”

The flower crown that he had made for her as a gift was terribly crushed. It was due to the fact that he had utterly forgotten the existence of the garland that he was holding in his hand while kissing Roelin just a while ago.

“Sorry, it’s all a mess now. I’ll make it once again.”

“It’s okay. Just put it on me.”

Roelin grabbed Kergel’s wrist that was trying to throw away the garland as she smiled and said so. Then, Kergel instantly shook his head and opened his mouth yet again.

“No, I can’t since it’s all broken apart already. I’ll make it again—oh, never mind. Let’s just go back to the Palace and get the things that I’ve already prepared for your birthday instead…… Roelin?”

When he was talking, Kergel instantly opened his eyes wide as soon as he saw that Roelin had already taken the garland from his hand and put it on top of her head.

The flower crown was slightly damaged as some of the flowers had come out and flowed down, but it unexpectedly fluttered down with her hair as well, which ultimately gave her a different sense of beauty in return.

“What do you think? Does it look good on me? I really love it.”

Roelin raised her hands and arched her eyes while touching the garland carefully.

“……Yes, it suits you so well. How pretty.”

He didn’t want to show this side of hers to anyone at all. Kergel held back the surging possessiveness in his heart and hugged her close once again.

“Oh! The garland……”

As a result, the garland was further damaged and Roelin became even more embarrassed as she tried to open her mouth, but her words were soon stopped. It was because of a kiss that started once again.

Thank you.

I love you.

He took his lips off of her and placed them on her forehead. Roelin’s face was instantly reddened by the long kiss.

“I love you, Roelin.”

Her face was hot from the warmest blush as she was still feeling embarrassed. He swallowed a smile and soon hugged her from behind her knee.

“Kergel? Please put me down. Hey, I can just sit in that chair instead.”

“Let’s just go back like this.”

“But the chair……”

“I can just ask someone to bring it over.”

Kergel strode as if he had no intention of letting go of Roelin at all. Roelin had an awkward expression on her face as she softly fiddled with the garland above her head. Then, she tilted her head all of a sudden and looked up at him before she asked him a question.

“But how did you even know of my birthday? I didn’t even remember it myself.”

“Heinez told me before. It’s the time when most merchants on the continent get busy since Rakain’s Princess’s birthday gradually approaches.”

“……Oh, I see.”

Roelin nodded as if she was convinced by Kergel’s answer.

Every year on her birthday, no, Erita’s birthday, the Royal Palace gradually became so noisy as they held a grand celebration party since it was called as the ‘only’ Princess’s birthday. The celebration had been so loud that she could still hear it even though she was living in the Separate Palace.

During that celebration, no one had even mentioned her own birthday. Neither the mother who gave birth to her nor her very own brother nor even her own twin sister, who was born on the same day, ever cared about Roelin at all.

So, she didn’t give much of a thought to take care of her own birthday herself either. ‘Thank you for being born’, she never even thought about celebrating it by herself.

What did they even mean, congratulations?

Rather, it was actually a terrible day for her. It didn’t make any sense to celebrate the day when she got thrown into such a lonely and harsh life.

But…

“And so, I was actually preparing a birthday party without you knowing it all. But this and that had happened unexpectedly and everything just ended up passing by like this. I was truly going to settle everything before your birthday and return at once.”

Kergel muttered in a very regretful tone. As she listened to him, Roelin recalled something and her eyes started to open wide.

“………Did you actually mean that when you said that you’d definitely be back in 15 days?”

She remembered the promise that Kergel had made as he left to subjugate the monster. She never understood the promise at that time, but now, she could finally comprehend it.

And at that time, she could also feel faintly that there were strange actions among the people of the Imperial Palace, including Kergel himself.

“……I was the only one who didn’t know of it. Everyone was actually preparing for my birthday.”

Roelin murmured softly as she sensed that a part of her chest was feeling absolutely touched.

It was so surreal that they had seriously been secretly plotting something as with the other people who also did in order to celebrate her birthday without her even realizing it all.

She wouldn’t even have believed it if it wasn’t for Kergel himself.

“……”

She put her hand up again and took off the garland from her hair. Then, she held it in her arms and stroked it ever so carefully.

“It’s a mess, right? The flowers must have withered a little in the meantime. So, just throw it away.”

Kergel walked with Roelin in his arms as he spoke in a rather awkward tone. Roelin immediately shook her head while still fiddling with the flowy petals.