Chapter 102: The Sleeping Prince
“…You’re still sleeping.”
I pressed my ear against the wall, but all I could hear was Dogeon’s breathing. The next room was quiet, as if Yeonho had fallen into a deep sleep along with him.
…Hmm. Should I wake him up now?
I hadn’t disturbed him at lunchtime since he was sleeping so soundly, but skipping dinner as well didn’t seem like a good idea. If I left him alone, he might end up sleeping until the next day.
I guess I have no choice. I’ll have to go wake him myself.
Marking my place in the novel I was reading, I set the book aside and put on some clothes. I should probably write in my journal soon… Well, I can do that later.
But dinner isn’t something you can put off.
I knocked on his door out of courtesy, but there was no response. So, I just opened it and stepped inside.
The first thing I saw was Yeonho—who was still afraid of me—and Dogeon, fast asleep in his school uniform.
Then, a subtle scent of blooming nightflowers filled the air.
Until yesterday, I couldn’t remember what the smell was, no matter how hard I tried. But now, I didn’t even need to think about it.
…Now that I think about it, he really is a guy.
I wasn’t sure whether the feeling washing over me was disappointment or just the realization that, in the end, he was human like everyone else.
Not that I was saying anything bad… but to think I lost to a mere hand.
I should get myself together.
Resolving myself, I started searching around his room.
At one point, Yeonho started pestering me for food, so I poured some kibble for him—though I did give him a little scare since I didn’t like his attitude.
Dogeon’s room was cluttered with all sorts of things. Problem sets I had given him, random gifts he might have prepared for another girl, scattered sheets of paper… and stiffened tissues.
He really didn’t seem to have any talent for tidying up. His finishing touches were sloppy, and even important things were just strewn about. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d lost an assignment somewhere in the mess and couldn’t find it later.
Maybe I should help him.
Deciding to wait for him just a little longer, I started cleaning his room.
I threw the used tissues into the trash, carefully placed the workbooks I had given him onto the bookshelf, and straightened up other things here and there. Even with all the noise I was making, Dogeon remained in a deep, unmoving sleep.
How is he even going to survive without me?
Forgetting that I was partly to blame, I looked down at his face.
Compared to before, the traces of distress and exhaustion had faded, making him look much better.
I wasn’t sure what had been resolved, but… I hoped he could live without worries from now on.
With that wish in mind, I called his name.
“Dogeon. Wake up. It’s already dinnertime. You need to eat. Hey, wake up…!”
I tried speaking right next to his ear, shaking him, and even rubbing his nose with my tail, but he wouldn’t wake up.
…Isn’t he sleeping too deeply?
I even considered slapping his cheeks a few times, but that seemed a bit much.
Now, what do I do? I can’t just leave him like this.
Then, a certain fairy tale came to mind.
Sleeping Beauty.
I had forgotten most of the story, but there was one thing I remembered. The princess woke up after a kiss from a prince.
Or was that Snow White?
Well, same difference. It didn’t really matter.
Still, I wanted to be sure.
Of course, I hesitated for a moment.
After insisting for so long that we were just friends, now I was about to give him a wake-up kiss?
But… it should be fine, right?
We weren’t just friends anymore. We were lovers now.
There was nothing weird about it.
Yeah. No problem.
Once I made up my mind, it was easy to act.
I brushed his hair to one side so it wouldn’t get in the way and positioned myself beside the bed.
If I climbed on, it might shake too much.
The last thing I wanted was for him to wake up just before our lips touched, making things awkward.
After all, it would be the worst if the mood was ruined.
Up close, he looked so peaceful and happy that I almost wanted to let him sleep a little longer.
But no. He had to eat.
He was still growing, after all.
So, skipping meals was absolutely not an option.
Still, being this close to his face made me feel a little embarrassed.
I’d done things even more intense than this before, so why was my heart still racing?
“…Wake up, my prince.”
Hoping he would wake soon, I pressed my lips to his.
***
“Oh? Cecile. And Ethan. It feels like it’s been a while. Have you been well?”
Their meeting was purely coincidental.
Though they all studied under Hoyeon, they weren’t particularly close.
Ethan was briefly taken aback by the sudden encounter, but he soon returned her greeting.
“It hasn’t been that long, but… yes. It’s good to see you, Lady Anastasia. And you as well, Eric.”
“It’s been a while! Have you already eaten?”
Unlike Ethan, Cecilia cheerfully responded to Anya’s greeting and asked if they were on their way somewhere.
“We just finished eating. What a shame. If we had timed it better, we could have dined together.”
“Is that so…? Well, we can always meet up another time!”
With her characteristic optimism, Cecilia was about to bid them farewell.
However, Ethan had something to ask.
“Pardon me, Lady Anastasia, but have you heard the rumors about Lady Hoyeon?”
“…Ah, if you mean what happened today…”
“Yes. Lady Hoyeon normally wouldn’t behave like that. Do you have any idea why?”
Since Anya was close to Hoyeon, Ethan hoped she might have answers that he didn’t.
“…Hmm.”
Though not to the extent of Dogeon, Anya knew a fair bit about Hoyeon’s true nature.
It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened.
Most likely, just like what she and Eric had done before… Hoyeon and Dogeon had overslept after getting up to something.
However, Anya couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud.
She didn’t want to tarnish her friend’s reputation in such a way.
Sometimes, it was better for certain truths to remain hidden.
Knowing how hard Hoyeon tried to appear flawless in front of others, Anya decided to keep quiet.
“I’m not sure. This is the first time I’ve seen her act like that as well…”
“I see. Apologies for keeping you. Have a good evening.”
“You too, Ethan. Take care.”
After casting a brief, concerned glance at his fingers and eyes, she quickly hurried back to Eric’s side.
“…So, even she doesn’t know.”
“Don’t worry, Ethan. It’s not that big of a deal. More importantly, we should focus on the mystery of the World Tree at the academy.”
They had been investigating the World Tree that had rejected their child.
Though they felt like they were forgetting something, they dismissed it as a minor lapse—since they had been so busy lately.
However, unlike their small worries, the enigmatic World Tree, which was somehow thriving in an inhospitable environment, was a real problem.
It wasn’t something they could ignore.
But, much like their investigation into Hoyeon, they weren’t making any progress.
“We’ll be visiting my homeland soon for our field trip. Let’s ask the elders then. They might know something.”
“Yes. I expected this to be difficult, but… the more we dig, the harder it gets.”
Frustrated by the ever-multiplying problems, Ethan let out a deep sigh.
“After hardship comes joy. The goddess bestows blessings on those who strive.”
I hope that’s true.
Muttering to himself, Ethan closed his eyes.
“Ethan, look.”
Suddenly, Cecilia’s quiet voice made him open them again.
She was pointing at something.
There, walking together, were Hoyeon and Dogeon.
They held their breath, observing them.
At first glance, they seemed to be walking side by side.
But if one looked closer, it was clear—Hoyeon was leading Dogeon.
“…You’re saying there’s nothing you want to eat?”
“Yes, ma’am. I just woke up, and all I can think about is crawling back into bed.”
“Hmm. I understand how you feel, but I won’t allow it. Skipping meals is unacceptable. Now, I’ll personally serve your food. Come here. Hup.”
Ethan could only imagine how much Dogeon had suffered under Hoyeon as he watched her coax and drag along his sluggish figure.
“Lady Hoyeon, that’s the seafood section…”
“I know. But I’m not the one eating it—you are. So don’t worry. Ugh, the smell.”
Hoyeon then began piling various items onto Dogeon’s plate—oysters, seaweed, eel.
Meat, chives, roasted garlic, eggs, and so on.
Her choices were very telling.
Dogeon let out a bitter smile.
“…Lady Hoyeon, I’m not really fond of chives… Couldn’t I have something else instead?”
“You do realize that being picky about food is bad, right? How do you expect to build up strength if you only eat greens?”
“And yet, Lady Hoyeon, you avoid seafood yourself.”
“…Tsk. Annoying brat.”
With a hint of irritation, Hoyeon grabbed a few pieces of seafood and placed them on her own plate.
Seeing this, Dogeon let out a chuckle and said to her,
“Alright, alright. I’ll try. Why not.”
Ethan silently observed the two.
At one point, his eyes met Hoyeon’s, but she merely acknowledged him and let them be.
After all, they weren’t even capable of being obstacles.