ITD

CHAPTER XlX

Something had gone terribly wrong. Completely wrong.

Courtney could hardly remember how she had even managed to bid farewell to the Crown Prince. Even long after he had left, her mind was in utter chaos, and the bulging shape kept floating around in her thoughts.

Why? Why was he… aroused in that situation?

She was in denial, but deep down, Courtney already knew the answer.

Based on everything that had happened, it wasn’t just a suspicion—it was practically a certainty.

His strange request to treat him like she treated her family, the nonsensical demand to curse at him, the bizarre plea to hit him. And finally, the fact that he had become aroused. That’s what sealed the truth.

Crown Prince Richard was a pervert.

An irredeemable pervert.

“Yes, this is how it’s done. For your first time, it was excellent.”

Despite the evident bulge in his pants, Richard kept talking as if he were still the perfect prince. Courtney had no idea where to look. The moment she let her guard down, her gaze would drift downward again, only to be confronted by that unmistakable presence, leaving her feeling stifled.

The budding affection Courtney had started to feel for the prince had nearly withered away completely, but then…

“Courtney.”

Just before leaving, Richard extended his hand to her, as if asking for a dance. The person who should have been embarrassed was so composed that Courtney couldn’t find the words to call him out. Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his, and he bowed gracefully, placing a kiss on her knuckles.

It was a picture-perfect scene, and it reignited the warmth in Courtney’s heart. Blushing, she listened as Richard spoke to her in a tone laden with meaning.

“You are the person I’ve dreamed of. So be confident.”

It was something no one had ever said to her before. His gentle voice struck deep in her heart. Any woman would have been swept away by such sweet words from a handsome man, despite the fact that, at that very moment, he was still… erxct.

What kind of woman was the perverted prince dreaming of? A witch from legend? A temptress from the history books? If that were the case, he’d come to the wrong person.

Courtney slammed her forehead onto her desk repeatedly. It was all because of that handsome face. That was why she had accepted his proposal without much thought.

The real identity of the prince on a white horse was that of a devil cloaked in the guise of an angel.

But did this make her reconsider the marriage? …Not really. In a way, it was almost a relief. It was easier to accept that she had unknowingly appealed to his bizarre tastes than to be anxious over unexplained favors. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about him suddenly losing interest and disappearing.

“Then… we’ll meet again soon.”

Would he return to make more ridiculous demands next time? Courtney wanted to scream at him, to tell him she didn’t know how to satisfy a pervert like him.

She pressed her hot cheek against the cold surface of the desk, trying to cool down. Somewhere in her mind, she kept recalling Richard’s strange expression, and the bulge that had been impossible to hide.

“Uuuugh…!”

Courtney stomped her feet under the desk in frustration. Why couldn’t he just be one thing—either a perfect gentleman or a creepy pervert?

Could she really build a normal married life with a man who was a prince on the outside and a pervert on the inside? She tried to imagine her future, but it was like a fog had descended over it, making it impossible to see anything clearly.

***

Though Richard had bewildered Courtney with his bizarre behavior, he was true to his word. Following the prince’s instructions, Hanson immediately sorted through the staff, sending away those not absolutely necessary and returning the excess luxury goods to the palace.

Courtney worked with Hanson to post job openings for new household staff, replacing the extravagant items with more practical furniture. Naturally, House Devon, who had been basking in their dream of luxury, resisted. But in the end, Courtney held all the power. Once they realized that they couldn’t touch a penny of the wedding funds or dowry without her approval, they fell silent.

They were probably dreaming of living large once she was married, but there was no chance of that. Courtney had already devised a solid plan to deal with them afterward.

For now, however, her family’s issues were more pressing than her distant worries about the pervert prince.

“Alright, Eddy. Let’s read this again.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Courtney was in her nephew’s room, helping him with his reading lessons as usual. Despite never having a proper tutor, young Edvard was quick to understand things, much faster than other children his age, making her proud.

She had taken over his education, stepping in where his careless parents had failed.

However, the book they were reading today was one of the new ones that had arrived just yesterday. Every time she saw what her nephew could now enjoy, Courtney felt reassured that marrying Richard had been the right decision—even with the unexpected twist.