Extra S*ave Saves the Crown Prince – Chapter 27

Author: B0ucha

“Stay just like that. Don’t move.”

At the familiar low voice, I froze on the spot. Was he feeling better now? This was the incinerator area where only the lower servants came—how did he end up here?

But why is he telling me not to move and coming so close? Why? My chest filled with a storm of thoughts in an instant.

I was frozen in the posture of holding the bow when suddenly I felt a hot presence behind me. I almost turned around, but when I caught a glimpse of his chest, I faced forward again. My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would leap out.

A long arm reached from behind, grasping the bow, and his other hand took hold of the bowstring. He took the bow I was holding just as it was.

It was as if, with the bow between us, I was trapped inside his arms. It wasn’t a cold night at all, but his warmth felt so comforting and safe.

“Stay still, just like that.”

The low voice resonated in my ears and went straight to my heart, making it race. Right now, I felt like he could definitely hear the sound of my heartbeat. I quietly lifted my fingers off the bow, one by one. I was barely breathing.

As my last finger left the bow, he took a deep breath behind me. I could feel his breath settle over the top of my head. He slowly released the tension in the string, then lifted the bow upward and stepped away from me.

He backed away about five paces, holding the bow, then let go with one hand. The bow spun in his grasp for a moment, then with a sudden force, snapped in two with a loud crack.

“Gasp.”

I sucked in a breath. He had snapped the bow cleanly over his thigh. It had felt so heavy, yet it broke like a twig in his hands.

“Haa.”

He tossed the bow into the incinerator and finally let out a deep breath. I was so glad to see him for the first time in two days, but everything had happened so fast that I just stared blankly into his golden eyes.

“If it had broken, you could have been seriously hurt.”

He closed the distance between us again. Urgency was clear in his voice.

“Ah. I’m sorry.”

“There’s a reason why a weapon is discarded.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

He was right, a hundred, a thousand times over. It wasn’t like I was possessed—why did I suddenly pick up the bow? There was no one around, and I just got curious about drawing the string once. It was a very bad idea.

“Show me your face.”

I was feeling embarrassed and guilty, staring at the ground and reflecting, when his words landed softly over my head. I couldn’t refuse his command, so I carefully lifted my face.

There was a faint trace of worry lingering in his eyes.

“Your hand.”

He gently pulled my wrist, the one that had drawn the string, and checked it with his eyes. The incinerator area was relatively dark, so maybe he couldn’t see well; he brought my hand very close. I couldn’t breathe, so I just let my heart race. I was fine, though.

I couldn’t have fully drawn the string anyway. It felt like even my fingertips had a heartbeat.

“Um, Your Highness. Is your arm all right?”

It wasn’t a wound that could heal in just two days. Seeing him holding and inspecting my perfectly fine wrist made my nose sting.

When I glanced at the spot where his wound was hidden under his clothes and asked, the grip on my wrist tightened for a moment. It was strong enough to hurt a little, but I didn’t show it and just bit my lip slightly.

“Sez.”

“Yes.”

Why does this name sound so sweet every time he says it?

“Do you have time right now?”

I’d finished cleaning the herb storage and just needed to prepare for tomorrow before going to bed. At the palace, most work was done at night, but here, everyone slept together at the same time. I just had to start a bit earlier in the morning.

But that was just a routine. It wasn’t anything that should make the crown prince ask if I had time.

Even if it was a busy hour, there was no way I wouldn’t have time. He said such an incredible thing with a calm expression. Would a crown prince ever ask a slave if they had time? He always broke down the walls of protocol so easily…

“Yes. Anytime.”

You could have just said yes, Sez. Why did you add “anytime”? Why did I say that? I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth.

“There’s somewhere I want to go with you.”

He slowly released my wrist. I looked up at him with eyes that said, “I’ll follow you anywhere.” He met my gaze, then turned and walked ahead.

I followed him, and before I knew it, we had passed the barracks and reached the end of the fortress. Everyone bowed deeply and made way for us, so I couldn’t even lift my head as I walked. They were all of higher status than me.

Some openly sent curious glances, but I was too busy keeping up with his pace to pay attention.

‘Are we going into the mountains?’

The fortress was a wall connecting mountain to mountain. It looked like he was heading into the mountain where the fortress ended.

He glanced back at me for a moment, then entered the mountain. There was a path through the woods, made by someone’s footsteps. It was so narrow that two people could barely walk side by side.

Walking through the mountain for the first time in a while reminded me of the forest on Salt Island. That forest felt dark and as if the ground might collapse at any moment, but here, paradoxically for a battlefield, the forest felt full of life.

The fresh scent of the woods flowed in with each breath. Occasional moonlight shone through, guiding the way like lanterns. And just watching his back as he walked ahead made me feel endlessly at ease.

If it weren’t for me, he would have gone much faster. Even without looking back, he matched his pace to mine.

Tap, tap.

He made almost no sound as he walked. I was much smaller and lighter, yet only my footsteps echoed.

It felt like I was a cat, stepping exactly where his front paw had landed. That alone felt fascinating and fun.

‘Are we going to the summit?’

It looked like it would be quite a climb to the top, but I didn’t mind. I felt like I could climb all the way to the sky. The weather was perfect—not too hot, not too cold.

『Your hand.』

The wrist he’d held earlier occasionally felt hot, so I rubbed it. Not because it hurt, but because the heat seemed branded there.

He glanced at me for a moment, then turned left at a fork in the path. That way looked even more overgrown, as if the path ended there.

He lifted branches for me to pass, then let them go. Where were we going? If the person ahead wasn’t him, I would have been scared, but I trusted him completely, so I wasn’t afraid at all.

Instead, my anticipation grew. Where were we going?

After pushing through several thick branches, we came to a place where huge trees stood.

We weaved between the tree trunks, and soon he stopped and called me over with his gaze.

“Ah.”

As I approached him, an unbelievable sight unfolded before my eyes. There was a huge lake, and all around it were trees covered in white blossoms. Petals fluttered in the breeze and settled on the lake’s surface. The ground at my feet was thickly carpeted with petals, glowing white in the moonlight.

“Wow.”

I was speechless. The Milky Way flowed over the black lake. The starlight in the sky was reflected perfectly, sparkling on the water.

It was as if there were two skies, one above and one below, facing each other. “Beautiful” wasn’t enough—I didn’t know what to say.

I took two more steps toward the lake. Countless fluttering white petals and starlight beyond measure. An ecstatically beautiful scene that made me want to cry was unfolding right before me.

I was sure I would never forget this view for the rest of my life.

I could feel each detail being branded deep into my heart.

My hands trembled, so I clasped them near my chest. And the one who made this space even more perfect was standing right behind me.

I slowly turned to look at him. He was leaning against a tree, watching me.

A petal drifted down and landed on his shoulder. Somewhere inside me, something seemed to collapse without end.

“Your Highness.”

“It seems you like it.”

He’d asked if I had time, led me here, just to show me this view. He wanted to share this place with me.

“Yes. It’s so, so beautiful.”

My voice trembled with emotion. Every time the wind blew, the branches shook and petals scattered. Even though it was night, the moonlight was so bright that the flowers seemed to shine with their own light.

“Your Highness. May I sit here for a moment?”

The petal-covered ground looked cozy and soft. My legs trembled, and I wanted to sit there for a while. He nodded.

“Thank you.”

Facing the lake, I sat down on the petals. I scooped up a handful and tossed them toward the lake.

They danced lightly on the breeze, as if playing with me. I laughed out loud. If someone asked me when I was happiest since coming here, I now had a moment I could answer without hesitation.

I sensed movement and saw him come over and sit on a rock shaped like a chair. He was just out of arm’s reach. He spread his legs slightly and rested his arms on them.

His profile as he gazed at the lake looked like a perfectly sculpted statue. No, perhaps no sculptor could create something so flawless. Worried that my gaze might feel too intense, I turned my head to look ahead.

Petals floated across the lake, brushing the Milky Way. If I listened closely, I could hear the sound of water flowing—maybe from a waterfall or stream nearby. A perfectly pleasant breeze kept blowing, and just sitting there made me feel like I could fly.

‘I hope he feels as happy as I do right now.’

I glanced over at him, but froze. I thought he’d be admiring the scenery, but he was looking at me. Our eyes met.

“Your Highness. Thank you. For letting me see such a beautiful place.”

He slowly blinked, listening to my words. He always had an expressionless face, but now I couldn’t read what he was thinking.

I was truly grateful to him. If I gathered all my gratitude for him, it would reach the sky and beyond.

“Sez.”

My heart thudded so hard I couldn’t answer right away.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

He gazed at me with deep eyes.

“Do you know my name?”

“Pardon? Of course. There’s probably no one in the Empire who doesn’t.”

“Say it.”