32 Reason #21: He is too Mischievous

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Later that day, Ivy attended Prince Leon's wounds, and she saw his arm was covered in a cast, and his whole body was covered with scars and bruises.

Then when she started to look worried again, Prince Leon smiled and said

"Hey, don't be sad. I'm feeling okay."

"How could you be okay?!" She yelled

"You think I'm sad? It's the opposite! I'm angry, Leon. I'm angry at both of you! Both of you have gone too far this time! Look at you! look at your arm!"

While Ivy continues to lecture him, he just turns aside and sulks.

"Can't you feel a little bit happy for me? I finally just won after all."

Even if Ivy disapproves of Prince Leon's actions, she knew better than anyone how much effort he put in.

Then when she saw him glance back at her, he gave her a look as if hinting her that she should do something to reward him.

So inside Ivy's mind, she starts to think,

<What does he want me to do? Kiss him? No, no, that's too early, and I can't do it.< p>

Plus, it will be too much of a reward for him. I'm still angry at him, after all. So what should I do?>

Suddenly, before she knew it, Prince Leon began to stare at her, and his eyes were sparkling with high expectations.

After she scrunched up her face and had a short internal struggle with her circuits, finally, an idea pop out from her. So she happily claps her hand and said

"Ah! Why not I give you a special gift for your birthday this year?!"

"a birthday gift?" he looks at her with a dull face.

"ye.yes... haha a special one." she stuttered and smiled awkwardly, hoping he wouldn't find out that she is just trying to buy time.

"Hmm..." The Prince gave her a suspicious look. "Why does it feels like you are just buying time?"

<Sh*T! HE READ MY MIND!!>Ivy's inner voice

"and you give me gifts every year, how is this any different? Plus, this is this, and that is that. Don't you think you're a little bit uncaring as my lover?" He cunningly smiled at her and brought his face closer.

"Eeek!" Ivy immediately steps away from him as her instincts tell her that something dangerous is coming.

"Why are you so far away? Come back here." says the agitated Prince.

"You. You cannot do anything inappropriate! I won't allow it!" She shouts while she hides behind a table.

The Prince let out a sigh, then he waved his hand at her, asking her to come back and sit together.

"I won't do anything, I promise."

"You sure? You promise?" Ivy peeking out like a mouse from a hole.

"Yes, yes. So come back here."

Then Ivy carefully and slowly sat back down next to him.

"So, what do you suggest? And it cannot be anything improper," she said while she anxiously monitors his movements.

"I want you to stay at the palace with me until my coming of age ball." The Prince's answer was so quick that it's as if he had planned this all along.

Just when the Prince had expected some rejection from Ivy, all she did was gaze down and think about what he said carefully.

"Hmm..."

She hummed and squinted her brows, then finally she answered Ok.

"Ok?"

The Prince was surprised he got Ivy to agree with his request that easily.

"It's a bit troublesome, but I guess it's ok if it's until your birthday. However! There are some terms and conditions."

Ivy said as she raised her finger at him.

"Ok, Let's hear it. What kind of terms and conditions?"

The Prince didn't care as long as he could get her in there.

After she tried to recall all the past events that had happened so far since this novel started, she has decided that there is only one thing that she must enforce.

"We cannot be sleeping in the same room, and you cannot enter my room without permission. Deal?"

Inside Ivy's mind, she thought <the bedroom is a danger zone. As long as we are not in the same bedroom, it should be fine.>

Ivy looked at him firmly as if telling him that she will not withdraw her conditions no matter what. The Prince just smirked at her and said, ok.

Ivy smiled in relief after hearing the Prince agree, then she curiously asked.

"But why do you need me to stay at the palace until your coming of age ball?"

"You'll see."

The Prince smiled, looking like he has some hidden agenda.

"Leon, I must remind you, nothing improper during my stay there. Is that clear?"

The Prince just happily nodded like a puppy wagging its tail. Then he gently places her hands next to his face and said

"Ivy, I love you."

Although his words made her blush, she tried her best to keep sane and endure.

<Stay strong Ivy, you stay strong, don't let him win this.> Ivy's inner voice.

"Leon, I'm still angry at you for what you did earlier. You know that, right?"

He looked at her with a smiling face, and she felt as if his unconcern attitude is mocking her.

As she was about to lecture him about his attitude, someone came knocking on the door.

*knock* *knock* *kachak*

"Are we disturbing both of you?" the duchess smiled as she peeks through the door

When Ivy saw the Duchess help the wounded Duke enter the room, it made her surprise, and said

"Father! What are you doing here?! You should be resting in bed!"

The Duke ignored Ivy, and he walks across the room towards the Prince's bed.

After the Duchess helped the Duke sit down, he furrowed his forehead, ordering everyone to leave the room.

"My wife, please escort our daughter outside. The rest, too, please leave us. His highness and I have something private to talk about."

Although Ivy felt a little curious, she is still an obedient child, and so she left with her mother, and so did everyone else.

"Leon, what do you plan to do?" The Duke asked the Prince with a straight face.

The Prince bowed at him and began to apologize.

"Master, I must first apologize for that underhanded trick I used. That was not a very honorable thing to do."

"and yet you still did it. Why?"

The Prince clenches his fist as he continues to look down.

"does it have something to do with my daughter almost dying?"

The Duke lifted an eyebrow while he made his guess.

The Prince clenches his fist tighter, and he realizes he'll need to tell his master what he needs to hear.

"Yes," he said as he lifts his head with a serious composure. "Your daughter almost died due to my lack of judgment, and because of that, I've caused your daughter to have a scar on her face. I will not ask you for your forgiveness; instead, I will take responsibility and care for your daughter forever. And so Master..."

The Prince bowed his head again towards the Duke and said loudly.

"I would like to ask for your approval for your daughter's hand in marriage. Please let me marry your daughter!"

After the Prince made his declaration, he couldn't hear a single reply or even a sound from the Duke.

The room was quiet, too quiet. It was so quiet that it slowly made the Prince shiver, but even so, he decided not to raise his head until he heard what his Master have to say.

"Leon," The Duke suddenly call out his name.

"YES!" The Prince flinched, but he manages to stand his ground.

"You know my daughter is still fifteen, yes?"

"Yes, I know, but we can still marry officially by name. That way, her future will be secure, and she will be my empress if I become emperor."

"You think we marry off our daughter for fame and power?"

"No, of course not. I want to let you know, I will only love your daughter, and she will be my only empress. There will be nobody else but her."

"And what does his majesty have to say about this?"

"I will convince my father."

"And if he isn't convinced?"

Suddenly the Prince's expression turns dark as he deepens his voice and said

"He will be. I will make sure of it."

Seeing his student's determination made the Duke sigh as he knows how harsh he had always treated him. However, the path of a royal is not an easy feat, especially if you are the Prince that may soon be crown emperor.

From time to time, the Duke felt uneasy with his decision on his daughter's engagement with the Prince. He knew his daughter is smart and strong, but she is also very kind at heart, and the world of royalty is not so sympathetic toward people like her. That is why he set his terms that if the Prince wants to wed his daughter, he has to be the strongest; if not, he won't be good enough to protect her.

"Leon. I have always treated you as my son. I've seen you grow up with my daughter, and so I know you will treat her well, but my daughter is only but a girl. When a man cannot protect the women he loves, he does not deserve her."

Suddenly the room became quiet again, and just when the Prince thought that Duke was about to reject him, the Duke unexpectedly say,

That's why if you want her, then you have to be the strongest.

The Duke's words made the Prince's eyes widen as he lifted his gaze to see the Duke's face.

Today is your win. In battle, there is no such thing as an underhanded trick. You and I should know about that already. You are a smart boy, and in time you will be even stronger than me, but until then, you will still need more training until you truly are worthy."

"Does that mean?!"

The Prince immediately raise his head to confirm.

Then the Duke lowered his gaze at him and said

"Whatever happens, my daughter will have the final say. Like I said before, if she doesn't want to marry you or become the empress, then I will respect her wishes."

The Prince gave the Duke a confident smile and proudly said,

"That is not a problem. As long as I got your approval, I will get her to say I do before winter."

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After that, the Duke still gave the Prince a very stern talk about not touching his daughter indecently until she is a fully grown and mature woman. As for what age is considered grown and mature, it is still pending for the Duke's approval.

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