Show Your Face, Prince! Chapter 79

“Ugh…”

Letier groaned softly.

What the…?

She blinked at the completely changed scene before her eyes.

The sky? Are we… in the trees?

And this net all around us—what is going on…?

“You okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Dante’s voice came from below.

Letier looked down—and found herself sitting squarely on top of him.

Like… a very cozy human couch.

“Ah! I’m so sorry! Oh no—!”

She tried to shift off him, but they were trapped in a narrow net, suspended in the air, and her movements were clumsy and restricted.

She flailed awkwardly, trying to make him more comfortable.

Dante grabbed her shoulders to steady her and said,

“I’m fine. Just don’t move around too much. If we shake this net too much, it might fall.”

“N-Net…?”

Letier blinked again and looked around.

So this net…

“Looks like we accidentally triggered a capture trap—probably meant for large animals.”

As Dante said, they were dangling in a massive net strung between trees.

Letier gave a soft sigh and tried to push the netting away from her face.

“I’m really sorry. I must’ve stepped on the trap…”

“No way to know it was here. It’s not your fault.”

Dante’s voice was calm, reassuring.

Then Letier suddenly remembered something.

“Oh! The dagger—do you still have it? Maybe we can cut through this…?”

“You mean that dagger?”

Dante pointed down.

Letier followed his gesture and spotted the dagger lying on the ground, far below.

“…That’s totally my fault.”

She mumbled in a small voice.

Seeing her deflate instantly, Dante chuckled.

“I wasn’t blaming you. There’s not much we can do now but wait. Whoever set this trap should be back soon.”

“How do you know?”

He pointed again.

“Didn’t notice it before, but from up here, you can clearly see human footprints.”

“Footprints?”

Letier narrowed her eyes and looked down.

Just as he said, faint tracks circled the net area below.

“Judging by their depth and pattern, I’d say the hunter checks this trap a few times a day. Probably prefers catching animals alive instead of arriving after they’re dead.”

“Ahh…”

Letier nodded, accepting his logic.

Then Dante, still pinned underneath her, spoke up a bit awkwardly.

“But Letier, this position is a little…”

“Sorry?”

He shifted suddenly, lifting himself up.

Letier, still straddling his thigh, gasped and grabbed the net to steady herself.

“Sorry, just let me move a little.”

He slipped his arms around her back and legs and gently shifted positions—settling Letier onto his lap in a more comfortable posture, with his arms around her.

She was now face-to-face with his firm chest, so close she could hear his heartbeat.

“…You okay?”

“Y-Yes, I’m fine…”

Letier ducked her head.
It was hard to meet his eyes in such close quarters.

This is kind of… awkward…

“Let’s just wait like this a bit.”

Dante adjusted his hold and looked off into the distance.

Letier nodded and joined him in staring out—though there wasn’t much to see but forest and sky.

Time passed slowly.

Still no sign of a hunter.

As the light dimmed and the sky darkened, Letier began shifting slightly in the uncomfortable position.

Dante glanced down immediately.

“Are you uncomfortable?”

“I can manage.”

“Don’t push through—just lean on me.”

He gently nudged the back of her head toward his chest.

Letier hesitated but rested her cheek against him.

“It’s fine, really…”

But then she heard it—the steady thump thump of his heartbeat, warm and close.

The heat of his body seemed to wrap around her.

Letier blinked rapidly, tense all over.

We came to investigate a village and now… we’re trapped. Like animals.

“I hope the hunter gets here soon. We really don’t have time for this…”

“At least we’re not hurt.”

Letier, still leaning against him, hesitated—then asked,

“But… why did the Empress call for you all of a sudden? Did something happen in the Empire…?”

“I think she’s caught on.”

“Caught on to what?”

She lifted her head to look at him.

Dante gently guided her head back to his chest.

“That Eustian is starting to support me. Politically.”

“Oh…”

“She’s angry. Angry enough to send a breakup request to the King of Eustian without thinking.”

“A breakup request…?”

Letier’s eyes widened and she sat up again.

“You mean… to break off your engagement with Princess Rubia?”

“We were planning to end it anyway. It just happened a little sooner than expected.”

He paused, frowning slightly.

“Knowing her, it might already be finalized by the time I get back. She’s… efficient, I’ll give her that.”

But Princess Rubia…

Letier remembered their last conversation—Rubia had insisted she had no intention of ending the engagement.

Just then, a flicker of light appeared in the distance.

Hmm?

It grew brighter, moving closer.

“Your Highness…!”

Letier whispered, pointing.

Dante turned to see it too—a growing light.

“It’s a person, I think!”

Moments later, tall grasses rustled aside and two women in hoods emerged, one holding a torch.

“Wha—huh?!”

The shorter woman froze, staring up at them in shock.

After a second of awkward silence, she lifted her torch and asked,

“…You’re not animals, right?”

“Obviously not.”

“Oh! R-Right! Hang on, we’ll get you down!”

 

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

“Are you okay?”

The shorter woman hurriedly untangled the net and asked. Once freed, Letier stood up slowly, helped by the taller woman who reached out from behind.

“Ah, thank you.”

“…”

“Um…”

Letier blinked as she met the tall woman’s gaze. The face looked strangely familiar, but before she could place it, the woman turned and approached Dante.

Before the woman even offered help, Dante was already getting to his feet.

“Oh my, what on earth brought you here… This is the first time someone’s been caught in my trap.”

“I suppose that’s so…”

“I’m actually not a very skilled hunter, so it’s been a while since anything’s been caught here. I caught a large shadow in the dark—it was thrilling and terrifying—then suddenly realized it was people! I was so startled.”

The shorter woman spoke rapidly. She knelt on the ground and began rolling up the net that had trapped Letier and Dante.

“I haven’t seen anyone this far in ages.”

“Ah… do you live around here?”

“Yes. Everyone else left long ago. My aunt and I live in a cabin inside. Decades ago, this was once a sizable village… but one by one, people left. Oh! I talk too much, sorry—I haven’t met anyone aside from my aunt in a long time.”

She offered an embarrassed smile. Letier returned it.

“No, actually, we wanted to visit the village site… Could you guide us there?”

“You… came to see the old village?”

The shorter woman stopped rolling and looked at Letier intently.

“Yes.”
“Why would you want to?”

The tall woman, who’d been silent, suddenly asked, her expression turning defensive as she scanned Letier and Dante.

Wow, she’s really on guard…

“Why are you seeking the village ruins after all this time?”

Letier paused, then Dante spoke for her:

“We fled here to avoid attention.”

“Fled?”

The woman frowned further. Oh, Your Highness—why that lie…!

“We had our reasons. That’s why we walked here, empty-handed, deep into these woods.”

“….”

“Would you be so kind as to offer us shelter for the day? We will reward you accordingly. Also… my—wife has hurt her ankle after walking so long today.”

Dante’s voice trailed off, and he looked down. My wife? Me?

The tall woman frowned, then glanced at Letier standing beside him. Letier responded with her warmest, most innocent smile.

Finally, the woman sighed and removed her hood.

“…Please, come with me.”

Snow-white hair, gleaming pale under the moonlight, cascaded down past her waist.