Chapter 134
The Reincarnated Princess’ Adoration (3)
Sponsored Content
“Sir Leonhard…?”
I said, confused as to why he would grab my hands so suddenly .
“Princess, I’m…”
He tried to say something before his voice trailed off . The rest of the words had disappeared and never materialised into sound . With wrinkles between his brows, Sir Leonhard desperately searched for the right words .
But in the end, when nothing came to mind, he gave up and went back to his usual self . He turned his eyes downcast and slightly shook his head .
When I saw that, I thought he was trying to comfort me . He cares for me and for my tattered hands .
You’re so kind .
It’s not even your fault .
“It’s okay . Actually, I didn’t give it much thought in the first place… I truly don’t care, but it’s a pity that I don’t, isn’t it?”
I smiled as I said so . But soon after that, I knew I had failed .
I wanted him to laugh, but if I say something so self-deprecating, it would surely put someone as kind-hearted as Sir Leonhard in a tight spot .
“That’s not true!”
“…?”
Leonhard denied me, his voice raised . My body stiffened up from the sudden pressure that he gave off .
Sponsored Content
Seeing me like that, he sighed and backed down .
“I’m terribly sorry… I didn’t intend to scare you . ”
Leonhard squeezed out his voice filled with regret .
I bit my lips and shook my head in reply . I, too, didn’t want you to make a face like that .
“…”
Silence fell upon the room .
‘Sigh,’ Leonhard exhaled with a smile .
He lowered his gaze again, his eyes full of self-mockery . The unusually carefree expression he was making relaxed my stiffened shoulders . We held hands and laughed as we faced each other .
“I am a despicable man . I was so busy being afraid of hurting you, I ended up making you anxious instead . If this is how it is, then I should’ve been honest from the beginning… Princess . ”
“Yes?”
“If you feel that my words hurt you, even if it’s just a little, can you please tell me right away?”
“Yes . ”
When I obediently nodded, Sir Leonhard looked more relieved .
Aaah, I’m happy even though I’m in trouble . I love you so much that I’m just nodding along to whatever you do .
Leonhard held up my left hand and touched on a wound on my thumb .
“…This is a new scar, isn’t it?”
“Um… It was when I was cooking a while back… I was peeling veggies but my mind was somewhere else . ”
“And this one?”
Sponsored Content
He traced a large scar running through my palm . However, since it was originally quite shallow and had now mostly disappeared .
“Ah, that one was from when I stayed at the Kua village . I was collecting some ingredients and the leaves were quite sharp . ”
“Is this… a burn mark?”
Sir Leonhard’s attention was suddenly brought to a reddish mark along the edge of my right hand, near the wrist .
“I was stirring medicine in a pot and a little bit of it got on me . But it really was just a little . ”
Leonhard traced each scar with his fingers as he confirmed each of them one by one .
He had a look of worry on his face the whole time, even guilt at some point, but he didn’t stop checking .
“Princess . I do not wish for you to be hurt . ”
“Sir Leon…”
“But I can’t say that you wouldn’t be in danger if you were by my side . ”
‘Though, I do realise this isn’t the best time to be saying cool lines like that,’ so he said, playfully laughing and reducing the tension in the room, while doing so with a pained expression .
“I’m sure that you will always be yourself, no matter who stands next to you . ”
‘No!’ …Is what I couldn’t say .
Even if Sir Leonhard were the one to be beside me, I still couldn’t leave everything to him in the end . That’s because Iーbecause who I am won’t allow it .
“Considering who you are, I can’t stop you trying to help others, or rather, I don’t want you to stop… So, princess, the following are the words that I want to convey to you . ”
“…”
I silently awaited Sir Leonhard’s next words .
Sponsored Content
I was ready for him to be angry . I acted as I wanted, and went in way over my head many times . As a result, some things flowed in a good direction as small victories, but one misstep, and I would’ve easily lost my life .
If anything happens to me, it would bother a lot of people . It wasn’t my problem alone .
…Ah, but, if you’re not angry, then what should I do?
What if you say, ‘I’ve had enough,’ and push me away?
After imagining the worst-case scenario, my fingertips became stiff .
I closed my eyes and bit my lips in anticipation .
“All in all, you’ve done admirably . ”
“…Huh?”
For a moment, I didn’t quite catch what he said .
What he said was such a far cry from my expectations, and I couldn’t register his words at first; It felt like he was speaking in a foreign language . With my eyes wide open, I looked at Sir Leonhard’s face .
He was laughing .
His eyes, full of endless kindness, did not contain a hint of disappointment .
“I don’t know everything you’ve been through on your journey . However, when I looked at your hand, I now understand very well . ”
‘They are the hands of a hard-working person,’ Leonhard said as he wrapped his hands around mine .
The heat from his rough palms gradually warmed up my stiffened fingers from before .
It permeated throughout my whole body and slowly melted away my worries .
The tension, the front I put on, everything was peeled off and dissolved . The only thing left was me .
The pitiful and uncool excuse of a woman who loves Sir Leonhard .
“It may be insensitive of me to say this… But please don’t be ashamed of your wounds that you’ve earned . ”
“…Even though they’re so ragged?”
I tried to laugh it out, but my voice shook .
The back of my nose was stuffy and my throat hurt .
“Even if it’s ragged . ”
Leonhard gave a small nod .
“To me, these hands are the most beautiful of all . ”
“…”
The moment I heard those words, my tears flowed .
Sir Leonhard panicked when he saw droplets fall from my eyes .
“Princess… I’m sorry . ”
“No…! No, it’s nothing like that . ”
I shook my head and squeezed out a strained voice .
It was nasally and unbefitting . But I didn’t want to be misunderstood, so I had to continue on .
“I’m glad . ”
I could see Leonhard’s wide eyes through all the tears .
After a few blinks, his eyes gently narrowed . His big hand reached out to softly pat my head .
Ah… I’m glad .
I’m truly glad that I love him .