Chapter 10

Unable to look at him, I turned and ran upstairs, back to my room, and slammed the door shut. I touched my cheek, still burning hot.

Strange, so strange, my heart was pounding like crazy, and my ears felt like they were on fire.

I had never felt this way before. Just thinking about his eyes, lips, and breath made my eyes heat up, and I felt an urge to cry. I had to admit that my feelings for him had reached a point where I could no longer deceive myself. I had fallen for him, whether it was the normal Lambert or the beast he turned into.

After falling for him, I thought I would start to hesitate, but strangely, all my previous concerns disappeared. I no longer worried about the gap between our identities, whether he understood me or how long we could be together. I just wanted to tell him that I liked him.

I sat on the terrace for most of the day, and the heat on my face finally subsided, but the feeling of my heart racing never went away. I picked up a book, forcing myself to immerse in its world, but I was restless, my mind filled with the thought of having lunch with him soon.

If I confessed to him, how would he respond?

At that moment, I heard the heavy sound of the castle’s main door slowly opening downstairs. The castle door was always closed.

Who could it be?

I gently opened my room door and walked to the back of the corridor’s stone pillars. At the same time, Ulysses’ voice rang out: “Brother, I’ve come to visit you again.”

In the hall, Ulysses was dressed in a snow-white military uniform, with epaulettes adorned with golden tassels like wheat ears, and a white cloak trailing behind him, as if he had just rushed over from some grand ceremony. He glanced at the red roses on the long table and smiled: “You actually picked the roses outside the castle. How rare.”

Lambert’s attire was completely opposite. He wore only a black coat and white shirt, with black leather gloves—very simple. Possibly due to weakened vision from his beast transformation, he wore a pair of gold-framed glasses with a fine gold chain hanging down to his jawline, looping into the dense black scales at the back of his neck. Paired with his beautiful yet sharp features, there was an elegant yet wild sensuality about him. He usually ignored Ulysses’ provocations, but today, he looked directly at him and thoughtfully said, “Did you pay respects to Mother early?”

Ulysses’ face changed: “You have no right to mention her!”

Lambert frowned slightly and walked over to Ulysses. The atmosphere was tense as they stared at each other. Lambert, however, patted Ulysses on the shoulder and calmly said, “I remember this is the military uniform I wore when I went to war. Father gave it to you, which means he has recognized you as the crown prince.”

Ulysses shook off his hand: “My matters with Father don’t need your judgment!”

Lambert shook his head: “Mother only gave birth to you and me, and since you had no ambition growing up, our brotherly bond is purer compared to other royal families. Growing up in such an environment, it’s inevitable that you have a simple and naive nature.”

I didn’t understand his words. Wasn’t it Ulysses who turned him into a beast? Why would he say Ulysses has a simple nature?

Lambert’s tone was like that of a true elder, earnest and sincere: “You still have a child’s nature. How can you govern a country like this?”

This high and mighty, seemingly gentle yet mocking attitude instantly angered Ulysses. He suddenly drew his sword and pressed it against Lambert’s shoulder, just a hair’s breadth from his neck: “You still have the face to mention Mother and our relationship? I really can’t understand how a gentle and kind woman like Mother could give birth to someone as hypocritical and cold-blooded as you!”

Lambert grasped the blade, brushing it off like dust, and threw the sword aside: “Childish words. When you stand in my position, you will make the same choice as me.”

The more I listened, the more confused I became. So their conflict wasn’t about vying for the throne?

“What choice? Do you think I would be as cold-blooded as you?” Ulysses stepped closer, his eyes almost red, “Tell me, what were you thinking at that time? As the crown prince, you wanted to centralize power, so you expelled the witches, I can understand that. You wanted to expand the territory, invading neighboring lands, and I can understand that, too. But what I can’t understand is, on the battlefield, when the enemy threatened you with Mother’s life to make you retreat, you chose to sacrifice Mother rather than retreat?”

Lambert was silent for a moment, then calmly said: “I had to be responsible for the soldiers and the people at the border.”

“Ridiculous. Is their life more valuable than Mother’s? We are nobles, and soldiers should fight to death for our safety!”

“Childish thoughts,” Lambert said.

“Don’t talk to me like that!” Ulysses’ voice was dark and oppressive, “Yes, you are more rational than me, rational enough to sacrifice your own mother for the safety of commoners, and wiser than me, governing the country in an orderly manner, but so what? At least I’m not as heartless as you! Do you know, when the witch asked me what time limit to put on your curse, I chose without hesitation to make it last until you give your true heart. Someone as cold and heartless as you could never truly love anyone. Until you die of old age, you don’t deserve to turn back into a human, only to stay in the desolate castle as a beast that never sees the light of day!”

So, this is the truth behind Lambert’s transformation into a beast…

I looked at Lambert. He removed his gold-framed glasses with one hand and rubbed his brow: “You’re such a child. One day, you’ll understand my choice back then.” His tone was colder than I had ever heard. He felt no remorse for his mother’s death.

As a commoner, I should be grateful for his self-sacrificing decision. Undoubtedly, he is an excellent crown prince. But as his admirer, I felt confused. Although he wasn’t as exaggerated as the rumors, he was close enough. In a way, he was indeed rational to the point of coldness and heartless to the point of cruelty. Such a man is suited for wielding power and making decisive judgments, but absolutely not suitable as a family member or lover.

On the battlefield, he could rationally weigh the value of life. I couldn’t help but wonder if, in his eyes, I was just a tool to break the curse?

After all, according to Mrs. Teapot and the others, he had fallen in love with me, and I had fallen for him too. The curse should have been lifted. Yet the castle remained unchanged, and he was still in his half-human, half-beast state.

Perhaps he never truly loved me.

Thinking of this, a dull pain hit my chest like a heavy stone, extinguishing my desire to confess to him. I took two steps back and returned to my room.

After a while, there was a knock on the door. It seemed Ulysses had left. Thinking that he might never have liked me, my heart sank. I sat on the bed, hugging my knees, and said softly, “I’m not hungry today, no need to call me.”

The knocking stopped. I thought he had left, and while I felt relieved, my mood sank even further. The next second, the door opened, and I looked up in shock to see Lambert walking towards me: “What’s wrong?” he asked, “Are you feeling unwell?”

He frowned, checked my forehead’s temperature, and reached out to touch my stomach. I quickly moved back a bit: “It’s nothing. Maybe I overate this morning. I’ll be fine after a rest.”

“Overate? You only had a piece of bread.” He seemed genuinely concerned about me, remembering exactly what I had eaten, “If you’re not feeling well, you must tell me, no hiding.”

“Okay, okay.” I nodded, “Please go out. I want to be alone for a while.”

He looked at me for a few seconds, then suddenly asked: “Are you still mad at me?”

My mind was in a mess, and I answered purely on instinct: “Mad about what?”

He sat down beside me. I didn’t want to see him, so I looked away. He propped one hand on the bed and leaned down, and the fine gold chain of his glasses dangled onto my cheek, swaying lightly in front of my eyes.

I wanted to brush away the chain, but he grabbed my wrist and said softly: “After turning into a beast, I didn’t lose my mind, just control over my body.”

I was stunned: “Then, at that time…”

“During the beast transformation, my instincts were amplified, and my body was completely driven by them.” His voice was hoarse. “That’s why I was so angry when ‘it’ got close to you.”

In other words, at that time, he instinctively approached me, instinctively kissed me, and instinctively wanted to be close to me.

Is that it? My emotions were in turmoil again. Should I believe what he said?

“I don’t know if ‘it’ is a part of me…” He looked down at me, his gaze so focused that for a moment, I truly believed he had fallen for me, “I only know that when ‘it’ kissed you, I was very jealous, extremely jealous.”