Chapter 90

Love can make people foolish. At this moment, the prince could be considered
a clever fool. He sensed the priest’s underlying meaning, which showcased his
cleverness. However, he persisted in asking, “What is the truth?”
This was clearly the behavior of a fool.

The priest pushed the prince aside and walked towards the bathroom, pulling
up his pants.

The prince stood still. If he were smart enough at this moment, he would
have pulled up his pants and left promptly to avoid being completely at a
disadvantage. However, after a brief daze, the prince immediately followed.

The priest was in the bathroom, drying himself with a wet towel.

The prince hurried over, breathing heavily. “Father, please clarify
what you just meant?”

Faced with the prince’s repeated foolish actions, the priest replied coldly,
“I thought you would understand my meaning.”

“No, I don’t understand,” the prince said firmly, his pride
rising. He even felt a bit angry, though he didn’t understand where this anger
came from. His heart was pounding intensely, but it was clearly different from
the intensity of being immersed in love; it carried a hint of discomfort.

“Very well,” the priest said calmly, “the truth is, I don’t
love you.”

He said it so bluntly!

The prince felt dizzy. He had no cane in his hand and his steps were
unsteady, as if he had been struck heavily and was about to collapse.

“Oh, you don’t love me…” The prince repeated the priest’s
answer, his expression somewhat dazed. “But I… when you say this… I
mean… you…” The prince’s words became disjointed. With sheer
willpower, he managed to control his throat and finally uttered a complete
sentence, “I mean, you were very forward just now…”

“Yes,” the priest didn’t deny it. “I was indeed willing to
spend such a pleasant time with you.”

“Pleasant time together?”

The prince parroted the priest’s words, staring directly at him.

The priest, with disheveled golden hair and a white robe, looked calm,
devoid of any cruelty. He naturally had a compassionate look, and now he seemed
to be pitying the prince.

Those unfocused green eyes were so beautiful, the color of green grass and
lively, representing life. Green, also the color of emeralds, is cold and
dazzling, merely a dazzling gem without life. 

The prince stepped back.

Born into royalty, as a prince of Lecy, he had heard enough about the dirty
things and chaotic relationships in the circles of the aristocracy.

The prince understood. He fully understood the priest’s meaning.

He still had a chance. As long as he politely expressed to the priest that
it was no big deal, that he understood these games, shrugged it off as if it
didn’t matter, then gracefully left, perhaps even confirming the details of
their rendezvous tonight, packaging himself as a playboy familiar with such
matters, especially emphasizing that all those words of love were just part of
the act, asking the priest not to get carried away with unnecessary thoughts.
Yes, by doing so, he could salvage his dignity.

The prince was not unintelligent; he understood everything clearly and
immediately.

Yet at the same time, he roared in his heart, “Why should I pretend in
front of him? Am I afraid of losing face? No, I feel no shame for myself. I
genuinely love him. Why should I feel ashamed of that? The one who should be
ashamed is him—”

“Thank you, generous priest,” the prince said coldly. “I
don’t have the habit of messing around with people just for physical pleasure.
I apologize. I loved you sincerely, thinking you loved me too…” Anger
flashed in the prince’s eyes. “Thank you for clearing up the
misunderstanding between us.”

The prince turned around, limping quickly out of the bathroom. He
tremblingly straightened his clothes, picked up his cane from the floor, and
shouted towards the bathroom, “I won’t come tonight.” With two taps
of his cane, he added loudly, “Or ever again!”

Bill greeted the prince, who was swiftly descending the stairs, “Your
Highness, what’s wrong? Did you argue with the priest?”

The prince’s expression was terrifying. Bill had seen the prince in various
states of anger, but the icy demeanor of the prince now left him too scared to
speak.

The prince returned to his room, closing the door directly, leaving Bill
outside, trembling with fear, wondering what had happened to the prince today,
and why there were so many unusual behaviors.

The room had just been cleaned, the floor was so clean it could reflect, the
window was open, and a cool breeze came in through the shade of the trees
outside. With a clatter, the cane was thrown to the ground. Randes rudely undid
the buttons of his collar, one after another, feeling like he was suffocating.

Randes sat on the bed with his shirt open, his chest heaving. A strong heat
lingered in his chest. He wanted to shout, to break things, to ride his horse
and go hunting in the woods!

Oh God—

The prince lowered his head, his hands clutching his head.

He felt truly miserable.

How could he treat him like this… Was this how he viewed his love? What
did he take him for?! Pleasant time together… damn pleasant time! Just…
just feeling pleasant? Just for pleasure? He didn’t love him, he believed he
understood that, even though they hadn’t known each other for long, the prince
felt as if they were kindred spirits as if they had known each other for a long
time. He truly believed that he had been in love with him for a long time, even
before they met. Oh, but what the priest said, he didn’t love him… dear God,
his heart was breaking…

The prince was in unbearable pain, his eyes stinging and blurred. He
couldn’t believe he was crying, but what did it matter if a man shed a few
tears for love? Who in this world could resist the torment of love?

Why? Why would the priest treat him like this?! He had never thought that
perhaps the greedy, vain, ambitious priest was more than that?

“He’s a whore,” the prince stared at the water stains on the
ground, his eyes fixed, “he’s a whore who sleeps with anyone.”

“Your Highness?”

Bill knocked on the door.

The prince didn’t respond.

“The captain of the guard is here.”

The prince roared, “Get out—”

Bill’s face wrinkled. Without a doubt, something had happened between the
prince and the priest.

The captain of the guard was waiting outside the church. After some thought,
Bill immediately chose to go upstairs to find the priest.

“In two days, there will be a baptism ceremony in the palace, so from
today, you must stay in the palace with the prince. The ceremony needs to be
rehearsed in advance, and you need to try on ceremonial robes. The prince also
needs to. The king also wants to see you. Anyway, the captain of the guard is
waiting outside the church…”

Bill said pitifully, “Father, did something unpleasant happen between
His Highness and you?”

The priest gently said, “No, nothing of the sort.”

“But His Highness looks very angry.”

“The prince should control his temper.”

Bill defended the prince again, “Most of the time, the prince is very
calm. He rarely gets truly angry, but once he does…” Bill’s expression
became even more pitiful, “no one can stop him.”

“Is that so?” the priest suggested, “Go and ask the captain
of the guard to talk to him.”

Bill didn’t know what to say for a moment. He thought the priest would help
with this matter, but perhaps the priest was powerless too.

“I’ll go pack some things. You go quickly to fetch the captain of the
guard,” the priest said.

Bill nodded and said reluctantly, “Then you should pack your things
first.”

The loyal servant hurried downstairs. After he left the cottage, the priest
also descended the stairs.

“Knock knock—”

The knocking didn’t elicit a response.

“Your Highness, the captain of the guard is here.”

Still, there was silence.

“Throwing a tantrum over personal emotions is a privilege reserved for
children.”

The door opened.

The prince’s shirt was open, and there were still traces of tears in his
deep brown eyes, but the priest couldn’t see them. The prince said coldly,
“Thank you for your reminder, but I’m not throwing a tantrum, nor is it
because of personal emotions. It’s because I’m heartbroken over someone’s
shameless promiscuity.”

“I thought you knew, Your Highness.”

The prince gritted his teeth. “Go upstairs. I don’t want to see you
right now.”

“Very well,” the priest shrugged off, “It’s a pity you don’t
have the same blindness as I do.”

The prince was furious, not because of the priest’s sarcastic remarks, but
because of the priest’s indifferent attitude. It felt like a sharp blade
piercing into his heart, extinguishing the rage he had been struggling to
contain. His left eye twitched painfully, but he held back his tears, knowing
that the person in front of him couldn’t see them. “Go up. I remember our
agreement. Just don’t make me want to break it.”

The priest felt the prince’s raging anger emanating from him. He naturally
delighted in this, relishing in people’s pain and torment, especially when it
came to tormenting the powerful. It gave him genuine pleasure. This destructive
desire was innate, providing the most primitive form of joy to mankind. The
priest actually wanted to reach out and playfully tug on the prince’s chin or
pinch his nose, just for fun. It would be amusing, but doing so might delay
their arrival at the palace tonight.

When the captain of the guard arrived, the prince was already waiting
downstairs, and the priest stood not far away, holding a small suitcase.

“Oh, Randes…”

The captain of the guard glanced at the prince’s servant, Bill, with
surprise. “Your Highness, you’re here…”

“Don’t bother with small talk,” the prince said coldly, removing
his hat and bowing to his uncle. Brune approached and hugged him. “I heard
you were quite unusual today. Whatever unpleasantness you’re dealing with,
let’s have a drink in the palace and resolve it!”

“It’s already been resolved.”

The prince put on his hat, its shadow obscuring his eyes. “Nothing
major.”

The priest rode alone in a carriage. Out of respect, Brune helped the priest
into the carriage. The prince was also getting into his carriage. As he looked
back, the priest’s hand rested on the silver armor of Brun’s arm. “Thank
you, Captain of the Guard.”

“It’s my duty,” Brune kissed the priest’s hand and politely said,
“You deserve my respect.”

After Brune closed the carriage door for the priest, he returned to the
front carriage. The prince had one foot in the carriage, his eyes cold and
fierce as he stared at the captain of the guard.

Brune was taken aback by his gaze. “What’s wrong, Randes?”

The prince didn’t answer, just entering the carriage.

Brune looked at Bill, who gave him a look that said, “Now do you
understand?”

The prince sat in the carriage, still wearing his hat, staring out of the
window.

The priest, the priest, he couldn’t get the priest out of his mind.

Why didn’t he love him? He knew he was ugly, crippled, and arrogant… Oh,
forget it, those were indeed his shortcomings, but the focus was on the priest,
the priest’s attitude towards love! He was so casual… The prince’s heart
clenched in pain. Invisible hands were twisting and playing with his heart,
causing unbearable agony.

The prince was lost in thought the whole way, almost motionless like a
statue in the carriage until the carriage stopped. Bill called to him several
times before he snapped out of it.

“Your Highness, please alight from the carriage.”

Bill waved to him and gestured backward.

The prince let out a sigh and was about to step down from the carriage when
he suddenly heard voices outside.

Someone was laughing, a laugh the prince recognized with disdain, one that
sounded cultured, restrained, and elegant.

The prince looked back through the window of the carriage.

The captain of the guard stood solemnly aside, and the priest leaned halfway
out of the carriage, his hand held in a pair of well-groomed hands. His fingers
were being gently kissed, and the Crown Prince, seemingly in awe of the
priest’s beautiful face, couldn’t conceal the admiration in his eyes. His lips
moved gently, speaking to the priest, and the prince’s hand clenched tightly
around the window frame. He watched as the priest, supported by the Crown
Prince, stepped out of the carriage, their heads close together in
conversation. Sharman began his irritating laughter again, and the priest, with
his head bowed, listened attentively, his golden hair falling on either side of
his face.

The prince felt his whole body tremble. At that moment, the priest turned
his face gently towards the window, and though blind, his gaze was directed
straight at the reddened eyes of the prince. The prince froze for a moment,
staring into those emerald green eyes. A flash of light seemed to pass through
them and landed on the priest’s slightly upturned lips, a smile that was
fleeting, as if it was meant just for him…