Chapter 52: Concerned Friend
Under the fully bloomed moon in the night sky, Kaisen and his friends once again found themselves dining with the queen.
However, the princess was notably absent, as she was undergoing medical treatments.
Alice and Llyod were unaware of the princess's condition, assuming she was perfectly normal based on their interactions with her during the previous night's dinner.
The duo found it all confusing.
They remembered the princess being there last night, sitting at the table just fine.
So her absence now was a bit weird.
But they didn't dare ask about it, 'cause that'd be nosy and disrespectful to the queen and the princess's privacy.
So they just kept quiet and ate their dinner, trying not to think too much about it.
In truth, Kaisen secretly reveled in the princess's absence.
He knew that even if she didn't outright mock him, she'd find some way to express her disdain—whether through her eyes, her mouth, or her hands.
And he couldn't shake the feeling that she'd mock him tomorrow when they departed, and the thought made him squirm uncomfortably in his seat.
After dinner, one by one, they all made their way back to their respective rooms.
Yep, even Kaisen had his own room this time, and he couldn't have been happier about it.
"Take care. Don't go wandering around like last night, okay."
Alice said, giving him a playful wink before disappearing into her room.
'Time for a good night sleep.'
Kaisen's room was located just after the princess's, and he made sure to walk on tiptoe as he passed her door.
He didn't want to encounter her at all, not in the slightest.
But luck hadn't exactly been on his side lately.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief after successfully passing her door, he heard a click followed by a creaking sound from behind him.
'Ah, you gotta be shitting me.'
Kaisen suddenly froze in his tracks, one leg suspended in the air while the other remained tiptoed, and his hands hovering in mid-air.
Then, the voice came:
"So, where's my souvenir, Sir Kaisen?"
Kaisen cursed his luck under his breath before slowly turning around, feeling as though he were facing a serial killer.
Princess Esmeralda leaned against her door, her arms crossed beneath her breasts, pushing them upwards enticingly.
Her knee-length white nightie was thin and see-through, leaving little to the imagination.
Her dark hair was damp, droplets of water trickling down her neck and disappearing into the inviting valley of her cleavage.
It was clear she had just come from taking a shower.
He remained silent, his eyes locked on her smug smile that adorned her beautiful face.
'Don't wanna deal with her. Look at her dress, damn it.'
With a gulp, he quickly turned around, hoping to escape the awkward encounter.
But her voice stopped him in his tracks.
"Oh, don't leave this poor girl alone here, oh brave warrior who fought against a magnificent beast."
She said sarcastically, her tone dripping with mockery and she was getting on his nerves.
"Well, I can't blame you now, can I?"
Esmeralda's voice rang out mockingly in the empty corridor.
"After all, you need proper rest to recover from getting your balls crushed by a damn horse, right?"
Her giggles echoed off the walls, and Kaisen could feel his cheeks burning with embarrassment.
He was getting increasingly irritated by her mocking tone.
"Must have been real nice to get punished by a stupid horse."
She continued, her giggles morphing into full-blown laughter.
"Ah, it must be the curses of the countless women you teased and played with, am I right, you pervert?"
Her laughter rang out like that of a witch's cackle, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she doubled over with amusement.
Kaisen seethed with anger, both at Esmeralda's knowledge of his embarrassing mishap and her audacity to mock him openly.
Her laughter only fueled his frustration, and he felt a burning desire for revenge building within him.
"Think it's funny, do you?"
He spat out, his lips curling into a sneer while Esmeralda's turned downwards.
Her laughter faltered as Kaisen took a menacing step forward, his eyes ablaze with fury.
"You want to see if my balls work properly? Want a closer look, Princess?"
Esmeralda's amusement turned to apprehension as she slowly took a step back, sensing the danger in Kaisen's demeanor.
"It's getting dark, Kaisen-kun. Get some sleep. Sleep tight."
Her laughter faltered as she took another hesitant step backward, her crooked leg hindering her movements.
Kaisen's smile widened into a predatory grin as he began to advance toward her.
"Going somewhere, princess? Don't you want to know if my balls are okay or not?"
"No, I'm good. Good night, Kaisen-kun."
She stammered, her voice trembling.
But Kaisen wasn't about to let her off that easily.
"Oh, come on, princess. Don't be shy now. Let me show you my ball."
Her hands touched the door behind her, and she took another step backward, now standing just inside her room.
This proximity gave her a newfound sense of confidence, and a smirk formed on her lips.
"I don't know, Kaisen-kun. Do you still have balls left after the horse broke your little jewels?"
She taunted, trying to regain control of the situation.
with that, she attempted to slam the door shut, her hand suddenly met an unexpected obstacle.
Horror flooded her expression as she realized that Kaisen's hand was blocking door.
"Oops..."
Kaisen smirked, relishing the situation.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
Esmeralda pleaded, frantically trying to close the door with all her strength, which was practically nonexistent compared to Kaisen's.
"Come on, princess. Don't be shy."
Kaisen forced the door open as Esmeralda tried to block him by placing her body against it.
But that only seemed to spur him on, and with a mighty shove, the door slammed open, sending Esmeralda stumbling forward.
She barely managed to regain her balance, limping away to the safety of her bed.
Kaisen's smirk only widened as he slowly stepped inside, closing the door behind him and locking it for good measure.
Esmeralda gulped nervously as she took refuge behind her bed, hoping desperately that he wouldn't catch her there but all in all, she was giggling.
"Come on, princess. As my friend, I know you're worried about my family jewels, right?"
Kaisen mocked, his tone dripping with sarcasm as he stepped closer to the bed, closing in on Esmeralda.
She bit her lip nervously, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she slowly circled the bed, trying to keep a safe distance between them.