A Saint Who Was Adopted by the Grand Duke

Side Story 13: More Than Friends (VIII)

Side Story 13: More Than Friends (VIII)

The moment Noah’s lips touched Esther’s forehead, the air around them felt tight like someone had pulled a bowstring.

When Esther’s nervous eyelashes trembled, Noah lightly kissed her eyes as if to soothe her.

From the forehead to the eyes, from the eyes to the nose.

Noah didn’t stop, lowering his lips little by little, lightly kissing wherever it touched.

Whenever his lips touched, It was just for a brief moment. But each time, both of them held their breath. And it repeated again.

As his lips descended further down her nose and their lips were mere millimeters away, Noah paused and gazed at Esther.

Tension could be felt from both.

Catching the other’s gaze, the two eventually burst into smiles and laughter.

“Thank you for confessing. I am really happy.”

“Thank you for accepting me.”

Noah put his hand on top of Esther’s, which was gripping the edge of the bench, and pulled it off.

“I like you.”

Then, interlocking their fingers, Noah properly pressed his lips against Esther’s.

Their soft lips overlapped tightly, and both of them closed their eyes to focus on the moment.

The excitement, as if being struck by lightning, spread rapidly from their toes to their whole body.

The time that seemed to last forever passed in an instant, and the lips of the two slowly parted.

“…Ah.”

Taking in a deep breath, Esther opened her eyes.

“I don’t want to let you go, but it’s someone else’s garden.”

Noah groaned as he ran a finger across Esther’s lips.

“Why are you staring at me like that?”

Esther was embarrassed by Noah’s blatant admiring gaze and averted her eyes.

“I just like it.”

“I’m embarrassed, so stop looking at me.”

Noah loved this sight of Esther, fanning her face with her cheeks flushed. Grinning, he tightly embraced her again.

Of course, his ears were no less redder than hers.

It was afternoon right now, when the sun was bright, so they could see each other’s blushing faces especially well.

“But I feel like my heart is beating too fast. I’m not going to die right?”

“Is yours going faster than mine?”

Noah took Esther’s hand and placed it on his chest.

“What do you think? Is it too fast?”

“Maybe we’re both normal.”

In this happy, warm atmosphere, Esther and Noah laughed together.

Bright sunlight was pouring down on their faces as if to bless them.

“To think our first kiss is in Leo’s garden. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.”

“We should thank Brother Leo.”

If Esther had promised to meet with Noah alone instead of at a tea party, Judy or Dennis would have insisted on coming along.

It was all thanks to Leo that they met without the twins’ interference and were able to escape from the crowd at the party.

Yes, certainly, this situation would not have happened if Leo had not invited Esther and called her out.

“I know. I’m very grateful, but it’s a little ambiguous. It’s because he likes you, right? If it’s up to me, I’ll put him on standby…”

“No! Don’t!”

When Noah muttered so with a jealous face, a shocked Esther took hold of his shoulder and shook him.

Then Noah laughed, claiming it was a joke. He added as he playfully poked Esther’s cheeks.

“Leo is a very important talent for the imperial family as well. I won’t be petty. Instead, we should be very close from now on.”

Noah assured Esther with determined eyes.

He had already thought about Leo.

So that Leo would no longer have other thoughts about Esther, he intended to make him one of his people.

“You shouldn’t bother me.”

Esther was a little uneasy with Noah’s answer, but she decided to trust his words that he would aim to be friends with Leo.

“Anyway, Esther, I’ll write a diary entry when I go back today.”

“You keep a diary?”

It was the first time she had heard of it, so she glanced quizzically at him.

“No. I don’t.”

“But?”

“I want to record today’s events.”

“Just… Because of the kiss?”

“That’s right. Do you know? If I write a diary, it will be kept as a history book. Perhaps even people hundreds of years from now will know what happened today.”

“Oh my god.”

Esther touched her forehead with a tearful expression.

“No, don’t do it. Pretend nothing happened today.”

“I can’t do it? It’s already perfectly written in my head.”

Noah gave Esther a smile that anyone would love, his eyes turning into crescents.

“I want everyone to know that you’re dating me.”

Giddy with joy, Noah kept smiling and giggling. But Esther’s face suddenly became solemn.

“Noah, we have a problem.”

“What is the problem?”

“What if my dad and brothers found out about this?”

Noah’s face turned dark. He hadn’t thought of it until that point.

Having been by Esther’s side for a long time, he knew the characters of the twins and Deheen well.

“Maybe they will keep an eye on you so we won’t be able to meet again.”

“I might be banned from going out.”

Esther and Noah simultaneously let out a deep sigh.

They were at a loss as to how to get permission.

“Still, it’s impossible to meet secretly.”

Whenever the two made an appointment to meet, somehow, one of the twins would appear like a ghost.

Permission was necessary for them to go on a formal date in the future.

“Don’t worry too much. I will go to your house and tell them.”

Having made up his mind, Noah clenched his fists and said bravely.

“You are coming to my house? What if you get hit?”

Esther’s gaze dropped as she shook her head in worry.

“It’s okay if they hit me. If that can get us permission, it’s okay.”

“If you get hit by my dad and brothers, it won’t end until your bones are broken.”

Additionally, if Noah, the crown prince, was beaten and injured by the grand duke… It was perfect for people who liked to slander them to use them as a cause of a rebellion or civil war.

“I’ll talk to my dad and my brothers first.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. I think it would be better to ease them into it.”

“I’m worried… If you think you will be kicked out of the house, come to the Imperial Palace.”

Noah muttered that it would be nice to live with her in the palace, but Esther slapped him on the back.

“It’s a mountain we must climb at least once. Both my dad and brothers tend to be overprotective of me.”

“It’s because they care for you very much. I fully understand that feeling.”

They were glad they confirmed each other’s feelings, but the mountain they had to overcome was too high, so they couldn’t help but laugh.

“Let’s go in. It’s been so long that people will think it’s strange.”

“Should we go back? Let’s sneak out together.”

As Esther got up from the bench, Noah held her arm, telling her not to go.

His longing gaze moved slowly from her eyes to her lips.

“Brother Leo will think it’s strange. I’ll go in first!”

Recalling the memory of the kiss, Esther turned around and ran away, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“…It’s a shame.”

Noah ran to Esther’s side. He touched his lips, unable to shake off the lingering feelings.

???

The day after tea time.

Esther was about to explode from thinking all day about how to get permission.

“Lady Esther, what are you worried about? The ground will go out like this.”

Unable to watch Esther sighing once every three seconds, Dorothy invited her to confide in her.

“That’s…”

Frustrated alone, Esther stared at Dorothy, loosening her hand which was supporting her chin.

“Are you on my side?”

“Yes. You’re asking the obvious.”

“Even if you’re on my side, if my father asks about me, you’ll tell him everything we talk about.”

“But, but I’m hired by His Excellency the Grand Duke.”

Dorothy wept, saying that she could not help it.

“Then I can’t tell you.”

“Ah, I’m going to keep what you’re about to say a really tight secret. So tell me.”

“You promised?”

“Yes!”

Esther took a few deep breaths and straightened her posture.

Then, in a very hushed voice, she began to tell Dorothy.

“This is not me, it’s just my imagination. How do you think my dad and brothers will react if I tell them I’m dating someone?”

“What?”

Dorothy, who saw through the word ‘imagination’, opened her mouth wide in surprise and let out a loud noise.

“Does this mean you’re dating His Highness the Crown Prince… eup!”

“Shh! Quiet.”

Esther freaked out and ran over to Dorothy to cover her mouth.

“Sorry. I’ll try to not be too surprised.”

“I told you. It’s just imagination.”

“Anyway, it’s an assumption about what it would be like to date the crown prince, right?”

“That’s right.”

There was nothing to ponder over, Dorothy answered right away.

“It’s only natural that the mansion turns upside down, and judging from past experiences, they might kidnap and torture His Highness the Crown Prince…”

“Nonsense.”

“I’m joking. They might be surprised, but they will respect your opinion.”

As Esther’s face was about to turn white, Dorothy smiled kindly, saying it would never happen.

“Is it really so? Won’t they put a curfew on me so I can’t go out or starve me for a few days?”

“How can that be? How much does the grand duke and young masters value you? Won’t they rather rebel than starve you?”

“That scares me even more!”

Esther wrapped her arms around herself and wept.

“So, uh… it’s imaginary, but you want to be allowed to go out with the crown prince, right?”

“That’s right. It’s an imagination.”

As Dorothy lowered her voice, Esther perked her ears up and her eyes brightened.

“There is one way to have guaranteed success.”

“What?”

Even though it was only the two of them in the room, Dorothy drew closer to Esther and whispered secretly.

“A declaration of fasting.”

“Ah, will that work?”

When Esther heard the method, she slumped down on the bed and shook her legs.

“You know how much the grand duke and the young masters care for you. If you say you won’t eat, they’ll do whatever it takes to get you to eat.”

Dorothy assured Esther that there could be no surer way.

It was unbelievable that his method would work, but she was tempted to grab straws.

“Okay. I’ll try it tonight.”

“Tonight? Didn’t you say it’s an imagination?”

Esther blinked rapidly, wanting to say no to Dorothy’s naughty question.

“That, uh… ahhhh. Suddenly, I feel very sleepy. I’m going to sleep for a bit, so wake me up before dinner later.”

Instead of answering, she quickly laid down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her head.

“Hahaha. Congratulations.”

Dorothy couldn’t hide her happy smile as she properly spread out Esther’s blanket, which was only covering her face.

Ame: *reads ‘we should thank brother Leo* Tsk tsk, this two loveable idiots, don’t rub salt on a poor man’s wounds!

*reads ‘how about I go to your house and tell them’* awww, you go Noah! Take courage and go! Wait, Esther, why are you stopping him!?

*three minutes later* noooooOooo! Dorothy! What a bad advice!