16 Reason #14: He is Not My Type

"Mask Festival?"

Prince Leon finally told Ivy as they approached their destination.

"Yes, every year, Ester lake holds a Mask Festivals where nobles and commoners will come around and enjoy the festival in disguise. So I thought it would be a great chance for us to enjoy ourselves."

"Ester Lake?!!! But that's half a day's ride away from home! How can we make it back in time ?!"

The Prince sneered, "We don't."

Ivy gawked in shock, and she slowly distances herself away from the Prince again.

The Prince notices her movements and leans closer to her instead.

He smiled at her flirtatiously and spoke softly in her ear.

"Why do you looked so afraid? Do you think I'll do something to you?

Or do you wish I do something to you instead?"

Ivy trembled and blushed while Prince Leon softly chuckled.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything that you won't want me to do... Even if I want to."

Hearing his last words made Ivy glared back at him with doubts.

"You don't sound reassuring at all."

The Prince then rested his head on her shoulder as he said.

"I promise you I won't do anything. So please let me stay by your side, just for tonight."

"Anyways..."

Ivy tries to change the subject as she avoids answering his question.

"What about my parents? We didn't tell them anything when we left. Did Father permitted this?"

(Author: Ivy is still 15 years old, so she will need her parent's permission if she were to travel somewhere. This is, of course, also applies to an overnight trip with the Prince)

"Ah..." The Prince suddenly awkwardly turned away.

*cough* *cough*

"of course, I've asked the Master for his permission. Not to worry, haha."

Although the Prince said that, Ivy could sense hesitation in his speech.

All of a sudden, a giant sword came stabbing through the carriage ceiling.

—— Shiing!

"Ah!" Ivy screamed while Prince Leon quickly covered her in his arms to protect her.

The carriage stop and their surroundings were silent.

Prince Leon slowly lifted the window curtains as he tried to peek through the outside window, but outside had fallen to nighttime, and it was too dark for him to see anything.

Ivy nervously tugged the Prince's sleeves.

"What's going on? Is it bandits?"

Prince Leon took out his sword and whispered to her.

"Shhh... Stay low"

As they stayed quietly, heavy sounds of footsteps could be heard, thumping from above.

*Thump!* *Thump!*

Then they could hear a deep and familiar voice coming from above, and that voice turned out to be the Prince's worst nightmare.

"YOUR HIGHNESSSSS.... May I know where are you going with my precious daughter ?"

"Eeek!" The Prince suddenly jumps and immediately cower behind Ivy.

"Wait, isn't this father's voice?"

Suddenly, Ivy's name started echoing from the outside, and the carriage door was open.

"Ivy!"

"Gracie????!"

Gracie immediately crashed into Ivy's arms and hugged Ivy tightly.

"Are you okay?! I was so worried!"

Ivy was confused. Gracie's sudden appearance surprise her.

"Gracie? what are you doing here?"

Instead of answering Ivy's question, Gracie glared at Prince Leon as if she were sending him warning signals.

<You piece of little Sh**t Prince. Don't you dare touch her!> Gracie's inner voice.

Slowly a dark figure with fearsome red eyes appeared outside the carriage door, and that figure surprised Ivy again.

"Father! What are you doing here?"

Instead of replying to Ivy's question, the Duke only glared at the Prince while he signalled him with a downward thumb.

<Prepare your head and die!> Duke Augustine's inner voice.

The Prince started to shake. His whole body trembled with fear as he hid behind Ivy's back like a scared little puppy.

When Ivy saw how the Prince quivered, she could not believe that this was the same boy that tried to seduce her earlier.

Before we knew it, the carriage was surrounded by a group of shirtless macho men, and a small old man was sitting above one of them.

"Hohoho... Your highness. It's not nice to kidnap my precious granddaughter away from me. If you want to hide, I can help you so that nobody can find you FOREVER ."

"Grandpapa! Why are you here?!"

Instead of replying to his precious granddaughter, Mr Omer only gave the Prince a death stare.

Inside the Prince mind

　> 〣( ºΔº )〣 <

Inside Ivy's mind

(・・ ) ?

************

what actually happened

It turns out that when the Prince notices that I've been avoiding him, he kidnaps me under his own accord.

However, as I had been kidnapped before, Father and Grandpapa had secretly sent their own man to spy and protect me behind the shadows.

And thanks to Grandpapa's extensive intel, he immediately found out where Prince Leon was taking me. (Mr Omer just went and asked Gregory).

And so, since Grandpapa knew that we were heading towards the festival, he invited everyone, including Gracie and Gregory, to join in the family trip.

While they were catching up to us, as they were gossiping about Prince Leon and me during their trip, they also learned how Prince Leon confessed to me in a very unsightly manner. (Unsightly meaning Prince Leon, half-naked and slept together with Ivy while he was drunk)

When Gracie, Father, and Grandpapa heard about it, they insisted on going ahead and catch up to us.

Without further a due, we begin the next part of our story.

************

That Night Before the Festival

After Father and Grandpapa hijack our carriage, we were brought to the family's summerhouse estate at Ester Lake.

The moment we arrived, Father immediately removed the Prince away from me, stating that they had some man-to-man discussion.

I felt a little bit sad for the Prince, but I was glad to see my friends and family around. Although it was unplanned, I look forward to enjoying the Mask Festival with everyone.

"Ivy! Ivy!"

Gracie called as she shooked Ivy by the shoulder.

"Huh? Yes, Gracie. I'm listening."

"No, you are not. You were daydreaming again. Sometimes I wonder what you are constantly thinking about."

"is that so? hehehe"

<I am constantly thinking about how I might die in the hands of Prince and can avoid it, but can't tell her that, I?> Ivy's inner voice

Gracie and I decided to have a girl's night together while Gregory went and cheered up Prince Leon from Father's hellish lecture.

And for some reason, Mother decided to join in the fun as well.

"Yes, my daughter. When you are little, we notice that you have a habit of staring into space and talking to yourself. Your father and I were worried for a while."

"Was I? hehe, I hadn't notice."

<I better do my thinking secretly next time before they start to think that I'm strange>

(Author: Ivy may not know this, but all the characters in the story already find her strange)

"But it makes me happy to see you grow up so well. Before I even realize it, you are already at the age where boys are starting to confess to you. It makes me sad to know that you may be leaving us so soon *sobs*."

The duchess started to cry as she imagined Ivy marrying the Prince and leaving the Duke's household.

"Mother, don't cry, and we don't know yet if I'm going to be marrying anyone. So don't worry because I don't plan to leave you and Father anytime soon."

"huh? Did the Prince not confess to you?"

Duchess suddenly raised her head and stared at Ivy in surprise.

"Uhm, yes. He did. But I..."

Ivy turned away from the duchess as she was afraid of letting the duchess know that she had initially asked the Prince to cancel the engagement and was not expecting a confession from him.

"Mother, would you and father be angry if I say I don't want to marry Prince Leon?"

Upon hearing her words, the duchess sat by Ivy's side and embraced her into her arms.

"My silly daughter. I love you and your father more than anything else in this world. I will support you no matter what you decide. Even if that meant cancelling your engagement with the Prince."

Ivy hugged back the duchess. Even though she always knew that her current parents loved her, their words and encouragement are still very comforting to hear. Ivy is forever grateful that she has someone like them beside her.

" I just never expected he would feel this way about me. I always thought he saw me like a younger sister, and so when he confessed to me that he loves me, I didn't know what to say..."

Ivy gazed down at the floor while she felt bashful, remembering that fateful event.

"But I thought you like Prince Leon."

Gracie nodded in agreement.

"That's right. We always thought you like the Prince very much."

Ivy let out a long sigh, "I like him, but I don't know if I love him."

"What's not to love? He is the crown prince, and he is talented in swordsmanship. He is tall and voted the most handsome man alive! How can you not fall for him even when he confesses to you like that?!"

Gracie shouted as she still couldn't believe there would be a maiden like Ivy who wouldn't want to marry the Crown Prince.

"To be honest, his highness is not really my type."

In this romantic novel, the fair maidens generally only like that one type: royal celebrities. Imagine KPOP idols, but just richer with more status. Even in my past life, I was never keen on young pop stars. If I really have to choose, I prefer older muscular men like Dwayne Johnson or Ma Dong-Seok.

"Ehh..." x2

Gracie and Mother said it curiously while they goggled their sparkling eyes at me.

"My daughter actually has a type."

"I'm surprised too! I always thought because you like his highness, so you never seemed like you are interested in other men."

Ivy felt slightly offended, as if her pride as a woman had been hurt.

"I'll have you know that his highness is not the only man in my life. I have my preference, too, you know!"

"Come on, do tell! I would love to know what type of man you like!"

Gracie pleads with Ivy as she clings herself into her arms.

"Uhm, I'm not sure how I should say this."

"Just describe him. How would he look like? Tall? Short? Fat? Skinny?"

Ivy gave a deep thought then she tried to describe it in detail.

"Hmmm... I guess I prefer a mature man who has black hair, a rugged feature, is tall with a large muscular physique, looks very manly and is really, really strong."

"Daughter, my darling. Isn't that your father?"

Ivy gawked in surprise as she realized that her mother was right.

"hahahahaha! So the only other man you meant was your father. The Duke?!!" Gracie laughed out loud while mother chuckled on the side.

"You are my daughter, after all, haha."

"It's no wonder you are not attracted to his highness. Not only that, he is blonde with an angelic face, his body is muscular, but I guess he is not as manly, nor is he as big or as strong as the Duke."

"Daughter, I know you like your father, but your father belongs to me, okay? You'll just have to find another man like your father."

Ivy hid her face in embarrassment while they continued to tease her.

"Sigh, but I do feel sorry for his highness. My daughter is about to break his highness's heart. It can't be helped since he is not as handsome as your father."

"Okay, okay. Let's just stop here, and please keep this a secret between us, okay?"

Ivy smiled, and she prays to God that this embarrassing secret never gets out.

Both of the ladies nodded and were sworn into secrecy.

While the ladies happily chatted away, little that they know, the men have been silently eavesdropping on the outside.

*************

Next chapter:

Prince Leon tries to be alone with her