Palimony

Chapter 94 – It’s not the end, it’s the beginning

Fifth Arc

I, Yulias Nogger, live for making money.

However, I also have other things that are important to me.

My family is very important, of course, but the employees that work at home are important too.

And also, it’s really strange, but I have someone that is special to me as well.

My precious person is my fiance, his highness Rudnik Reyno Palacio.

His highness has always cooperated with me, like at the time I was trying to break my engagement with my ex-fiance, or when I was working on trade deals with foreign countries, or when I worked on prototype products… Not to mention how I was even able to meet up with the dragons that protect the royal family due to him. His highness always gave me a sense of security.

And that’s why I never thought a day like this one would come.

I stood in front of his highness with teary eyes.

“Don’t look at me like that.” His highness’ gentle voice just made me even more teary.

Today, his highness will graduate from the academy.

Not only him though, my older brother Roland; as well as the man that his highness considers a brother, which is also an employee at my store, Michael; the two of them will also graduate.

Basically, I’m sad that the people who I was close to are now graduating.

His highness used his finger to wipe away my tears, and then gave me a gentle smile, “If you’re going to make a face like that, then you should have skipped a grade and graduated too.”

The academy that we attend emphasizes grades. If you get good grades in tests, then you can move up to the next grade regardless of the number of days you attend, and you can even skip grades if your results are good enough.

If this was a normal academy, the number of days I attended wouldn’t allow me to skip a grade at all. Moreover, his highness would have actually needed to repeat the year, as he missed even more classes than I did.

“Why do you think I come to this academy, your highness?” I asked him.

“For learning?” He asked back.

I took out a handkerchief from my pocket, wiped my eyes, then stated clearly, “For market research.”

His highness was visibly exasperated at that, “You really don’t waver.”

“I will take your words as a compliment.” I replied.

His highness heaved a deep sigh.

This person who always supported my strong merchant spirit during our school days was now gently stroking my head without hiding his exasperation.

It was truly surprising that this person was by my side right now. Even after I got my engagement broken off, and a prince from a neighboring country proposed to me… When the beast prince was kidnapped, and when I went on a journey to find a dragon… This person has always stayed by my side.

“Now that I’m graduating, it’s gonna be harder for me to see you.” His highness touched my cheek with a dissatisfied expression.

“Is that so?” I asked.

“It is, isn’t it? Roland is your older brother, so you’ll see him every day. And Michael works at your store, so you’ll also see him often.” His highness told me.

Coming to think of it, the academy was a precious place that allowed me to meet his highness without needing any excuse to do so…

“If you say it like that, I’ll get even lonelier…” I rubbed my cheek against his hand and enjoyed his touch during the process.

I could feel his highness jumping in place, and when I looked in his direction, I realized that his face was moving closer to mine.

Oh, he’ll kiss me.

But just as I thought that, I saw my brother appear behind his highness.

And sure enough, my brother restrained his highness, “Your highness, what are you going to do with my sister?”

“Can’t you read the mood, Roland!?” His highness exclaimed.

My brother’s lips twitched, “What are you talking about? This was the perfect timing to protect my sister.”

“What do you mean protecting her!? I’m her fiance!” His highness exclaimed.

My brother grinned, “You’re still only a fiance, so you should have a moderated relationship!”

His highness’ brows carved wrinkles in his forehead, “And it’s fine for you to flirt with Manika when you’re not even engaged yet, then?”

My brother’s grin became triumphant at this point, “Me and lady Manika are developing a deeper love without such constraints.”

“Don’t try justifying yourself like that! How is it okay for a lover to be closer than a fiance!?” His highness exclaimed.

I think his highness is the one in the right here.

“It was clearly written on the engagement contract that you should not touch Yulias carelessly without her permission, and that you should maintain a clean relationship until marriage. Did you not read that?” My brother stated.

At this moment, his highness’ movement became awkward, like those of a tin toy, “What was that?”

“The documents you signed when your engagement with Yulias was decided upon. In order to protect her, I made sure to put all the necessary conditions on paper.” My brother said.

His highness was speechless. He just opened his eyes wide at my brother’s words.

“On the other hand, me and lady Manika don’t have this kind of contractual limitation.” My brother stated.

He seemed to be convinced that he had obtained a flawless victory here.

And his highness too, seemed to have accepted defeat, so he just hung his head down.

“But brother, won’t your time available to flirt with lady Manika be greatly reduced once you graduate too?” I asked him.

Hearing my words, my brother lowered his eyebrows and gave me a troubled expression.

“I appreciate your worry, brother, but please go see lady Manika.” I told him.

Brother hugged me tightly, then reluctantly left us.

Even after brother left, his highness still remained gloomy, so I started gently rubbing his back, “About the contract that brother mentioned, my father and brother insisted really hard that those clauses absolutely had to be written down.”

After my explanation, his highness just lowered down his head in despair, “Why didn’t you just skip a grade and graduate with me…?”

“For market research.” I started clearly.

His highness is looking really cute right now… I suppose me seeing him like that is a terminal symptom of love.

“But if you graduated with me, then we could get married right away.” His highness moaned.

“Your highness, we wouldn’t be able to do that, as I still need to undergo bridal training before I can marry into the royal family.” I replied.

There was no doubt in my words, for I knew I was correct. In order to marry a prince, bridal training is absolutely required.

“But you’d be living in the castle during the bridal training. We would be able to see each other much more often than we do now!” His highness exclaimed.

That was certainly true, but… “Don’t you think that would reduce the time I have available for my business management hobby?” I asked him.

Then, as I moved my face closer to his, his highness gasped.

“Besides, did you not pay careful attention to the words said by my brother earlier, your highness?” I asked him next.

He seemed embarrassed right now.

“We need a clean relationship.” He begrudgingly stated.

Of course, some moderation is certainly important, but that was not what I was talking about.

“What my brother said, was that you needed my permission.” I told his highness.

“Huh?” His highness seemed baffled.

“That’s what my brother said that was written. ‘You should not touch Yulias carelessly without her permission, and that you should maintain a clean relationship until marriage’, right?” I repeated the words that my brother said just a small while ago.

His highness was stunned by my words for a second, but then he started laughing out loud.

“You’re laughing way too much.” I told him.

Regardless of my words, his highness happily laughed, grabbed my hand, then kissed its back, “Then, may I have your permission, my beloved fiancee?” His highness asked me.

My heart throbbed uncontrollably at his highness’ actions that seemed to come straight out of a fairy tale.

“Your highness, can I take a picture of you from that angle? This perfect princely atmosphere surrounding your highness will surely make anything sell well.” I asked him.

If even my heart started pounding at this, then I’m sure other girls will be tempted to buy things when faced with this kind of photo, regardless of the price.

His highness let out a deep sigh, “This is only for you.”

“It’s okay if it’s not just to me. Just let me take a picture from behind you.” I told him.

“I refuse.” His highness stubbornly rejected it.

I couldn’t help clicking my tongue at his highness. Such a shame, seriously.