20 X Dynasty~Tha Is Surely Love ! ! !

Prince Ruka's POV

Ahh~ I'm glad to finish the solace on the South border after weeks of enormous endeavors! Clearly that I already deciphered the catastrophe but I am still conspiring for the next step. Through the remorse that I felt, I still want to help them, I can't afford to lose people's life.

Striding towards the familiar room, I went to scrutinize what was the Princess doing at this hour.

Gawking from afar, I can observe that she is skimming something. So I moved on the window to surprise her.

'I want to surprise my Princess, I hope she won't mind it. We haven't encountered each other for many weeks.' I clambered at the roof to wait for the perfect moment to surprise her and moon bathing at the same time.

I shut my eyes. 'I used to do this with Yuki....' I opened my eyes again and drew my attention to the brown-haired girl, the Princess.

'Yuki...I feel precise again. You know...Uhh, I don't comprehend if I adore her or not. Just let that be, we all know that I love you the most...You know lately, I have been sensing weirdness around her or every time I think about her.' I conversed with Yuki on my mind. I flushed at the thought. What?! I am in love with Nana?!

I averted my thoughts on Nana, she seems so occupied skimming what is inscribed on the paper. 'Time for me to surprise her.' I prepared myself to lunge at the window without bringing any noise, which I successfully did.

'You're still busy at that letter, huh? Let's see what I can do!' I nearly clasped her nightgown but I accidentally took a glimpse at the letter that she skims.

'Huh? This calligraphy....why does it look like it is the property of a royal family?' I halted, I crouch on the window again without earning a slight noise to take a nicer glimpse at the paper.

'Uh...I couldn't see anything. But that calligraphy...seems like I saw calligraphy similar to that when I was just a kid.' I stared at the paper skeptically.

I can detect that Nana gazes at the paper lovingly. 'Eh-eh, what's up? Did something happen when I am away? Hey, I understand that you won't love me back. But please don't tell me that you have a relationship with the Prince Regent, Issa Suzuki, which is the grandson of the 18th emperor of this dynasty.'

I couldn't put up with it anymore. I admit that I have...maybe...already love her.

I came down from the window and entered her room, I couldn't understand why am I commending this or why does it ache to see her gaze at the letter lovingly but not at me.

With the strength I have after that discouraging incident, I mustered an ordinary "Good to see you, Princess."

She almost freaked out as soon as she heard my eerie voice, my voice has never been eerie like this before.

She turns around, slightly loosening her tensed shoulders the moment that she saw my face.

"Greetings, Prince. My apologies, I couldn't entertain you quickly and the tea here is not ready yet. What can I do for you?" She answered back shortly, a little embarrassed from recent happenings.

I approached her to touch her cheeks, then collecting evidence of whether she had an affair with another man while I am away.

After checking, I cleared the suspicion in my mind. Looks like it's not a love affair, perhaps a court affair.

"No, that's okay. By the way, I am here to announce that you have to be early tomorrow morning, the concubine selection will begin tomorrow." I reminded with a close-eyed smile, hopefully, it's not creepy.

"C-concubine selection?! Prince, are you out of your mind?!" She lands her hand on the table angrily.

'Woah, why? I can't do anything about this matter.' Standing up, I attempted to soothe her down.

"Relax, my life lies in my father's hands the day I am born. I can't do anything about this consequence anymore since father instructed me to do it, I am only puppet Crown Prince in his eyes." I shrugged off, making obvious that I can't do anything anymore.

Yes, indeed, I can't do anything about this matter anymore. I have to accept concubines to please their fathers to ally with us.

"But...." I quieted down her.

"I can't do anything about it. One day, if I become an Emperor, I'll get rid of them one by one. In that, no one can manipulate me ever again." I sighed, life can be very harsh sometimes.

"You should have at least fight for yourself a little. However, I did that in the past too, I never won....." I heard her murmur, expressing a little care for me.

"You still love him, right?" I asked, tucking the flower of peony that I picked up in the garden a while ago behind her ear.

"W-who?!" She stammered, making clear that she still love him until now.

"Ah, I didn't recall his name. But I remember that he resides on the mountains."

"Oh him, I-- I am very sorry--" I interrupted her from spitting other statements again, it might hurt me.

"Hush, I understood it. We are only married because of superiority. Your family needs money for the soldiers, my father desires your family's military power." I clarified to her.

"There's no requirement to love me, our families are just sustaining their desires from us," I added, facing back Nana.

I paused a little from leaving. "Good night, Princess." Leaving the Princess dumbfounded. I will just sleep at the Flying Feather Mansion, feeling sad.

"Forget everything, I will just sleep and get ready for tomorrow." I sighed disappointingly.

Thinking back about what occurred earlier, I got unsettled by my thoughts.

'Eh, is that love? Or just purely for power?' I am having such a dilemma on this issue and seems like I am the only one who can help myself.

I raised a question on myself one more time; 'is it love or just power in the future?'

Then before drifting off to sleep, I heard a female voice saying 'That is surely love!~'