I’m Supposed to Be the Neglected Princess in the Future, but Something Seems Strange... - 26 - Trap – Part 3

Rose returned to Raphael’s room on the third floor with him, looking nervous and unsure.

As soon as they got back, Raphael sat down on the sofa and made Rose sit beside him. His right arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulders, almost like he was stopping her from running away. In his left hand was the letter Rose had secretly kept in her pocket—the one she received from “Lea” at the restaurant.

Raphael quickly scanned the short letter, then frowned deeply and let out a big sigh.

“This handwriting isn’t Lea’s.”

“Huh?”

Rose’s eyes went wide with surprise.

Raphael tapped her forehead gently with his finger and continued.

“You probably didn’t notice because you’re not used to Lea’s handwriting. Even though it looks shaky, this wasn’t written by her. Well, the men from that room are probably being questioned now, so we’ll find out who’s behind it soon enough… But that’s not the real problem here.”

Raphael leaned in closer and stared at Rose from just inches away.

“You were way too reckless!”

“I’m sorry!”

Rose apologized right away as Raphael scolded her, and he sighed again.

“It was my mistake to leave you alone. I need to watch you more carefully from now on. At least while we’re on this ship, you’re not allowed to go out alone. If you want to go anywhere, you have to be with me, one of your maids, or one of my guards. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

As Rose looked down sadly, Raphael crushed the letter in his hand and threw it behind him. Then he pulled Rose into a tight hug.

“Sigh… Do you know how worried I was when I heard you went to the third-class cabins alone?”

“…I’m sorry.”

She had no idea Raphael would worry that much.

Rose slowly looked up while wrapped in his strong arms. He was hugging her so tightly, it almost hurt.

Raphael was clearly angry. But strangely, even though he was scolding her, part of her felt happy.

She gently rested her head on his shoulder. Raphael still didn’t let go of her. It was the first time someone had ever held her like this. But her racing heart wasn’t just because of the hug—it was because it was Raphael who was holding her.

Whose heartbeat was she hearing now—hers or his?

She felt like she wanted this moment to last forever. Just as she closed her eyes—

Knock knock.

There was a knock at the door. Rose quickly looked up, startled.

Raphael clicked his tongue quietly and let her go. He looked over his shoulder toward the door.

He called out, and the door opened silently. It was Count Molt.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“You can see that for yourself.”

“My bad. But we finished up on our end, so I came to report.”

Count Molt smirked as he glanced at Rose. Raphael sighed and held his forehead.

“…I completely forgot.”

“Hey, she’s still your fiancée, you know. Don’t act like it doesn’t matter.”

Count Molt gave a small laugh and turned around.

“The room she used was the one Princess Rose had stayed in before. She was crying and screaming so much that we gave her a sleeping drug. She’s resting now with guards watching. Come by once you’re ready.”

What were they talking about?

Rose tilted her head in confusion. Raphael, who gave a half-hearted reply to Count Molt, let out another sigh and said:

“We caught Lea. What now? Do you want to see her?”

Rose’s eyes went wide with shock.