What Your Majesty Desires - Chapter 2.4

“Why?”

“Leaving the Princess alone like this is the same as giving her the freedom to take her own life.”

“No. She won’t do that.”

Marilyn shook her head, looking at Hernis.

While Hernis was lost in thought, unable to make a decision, Aiden, even less capable than him, quickly moved to Marilyn’s side.

“Your Highness, I will shield you.”

He picked up the bathroom curtain that had fallen to the floor.

Aiden was also a prisoner of the Gler Empire army, just like Marilyn, but Jerome was trying to embarrass her with a low-class excuse, so Aiden had to step in.

“Come here. I’ll shield you, so you can change behind this.”

Aiden gestured urgently towards Marilyn, holding the curtain high with both arms.

His actions were too confident for a prisoner, but

“Alright.”

Hernis immediately allowed it.

“I can’t use my personal guards for such trivial tasks as holding a curtain.”

His eyes seemed to say that if someone had to do the menial work, it should be Aiden.

‘That bastard!’

Aiden’s teeth ground at Hernis’ blatant condescension, but he couldn’t put down the curtain he was holding.

“Go in.”

“Th-thank you.”

How absurd.

Aiden is holding the curtain, but why is he taking credit?

Hernis gestured again, and Marilyn hesitated before stepping behind the curtain.

Marilyn took off her bath towel, being careful not to make any noise, fearing it might stimulate the imagination of the men outside.

‘How do I put this on?’

But after overcoming one obstacle, another awaited.

Unfortunately, the most difficult garment for a woman to put on alone was in her hands. A dress with endless crisscrossing straps going up the back.

The knights, who knew nothing about Dextin Empire fashion, had chosen this much after much deliberation, and she should be grateful enough.

She was grateful.

Too grateful, but she was at a loss because she couldn’t put it on.

‘I have to put it on somehow.’

She couldn’t just waste time sighing.

“Your Highness?”

Aiden asked cautiously when there had been no sign of life from inside the curtain for a long time.

“Is there anything else you need…?”

“Oh, no, I’m getting dressed.”

Flustered, Marilyn hastily loosened the bottom of the corset with the straps and quickly put it on.

Now all she had to do was crisscross the straps diagonally, but that was what she thought she couldn’t do in the first place, which was why she was so flustered.

With one hand holding the corset strap, she groped with the other, trying to find the hole to put the strap through.

She barely managed to match one.

There were about thirty more left, but at least she had done one.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

It seemed like only a minute had passed, but Aiden was looking for her again.

It seemed like there was pressure from behind as to why she hadn’t come out yet.

Marilyn had to hurry for Aiden’s sake, who was probably in a battle of nerves with the men on her behalf. But her hands didn’t move as fast as her will.

“Well, I’m putting it on…”

But it’s not working.

It felt like Jerome would walk over here any minute and rip the curtain open, asking, ‘Why are you taking so long?’

“Oh…”

What should I do?

The more she rushed, the more her hands went to the wrong places.

The men beyond the curtain seemed to have noticed her situation.

“Um…”

Aiden first looked back with a troubled expression.

Hernis also seemed to sense that something was wrong with her, but he had been waiting quietly because he didn’t know the reason.

“I’ve heard that the dresses of Dextin’s young ladies are complicated, so I think that might be the reason.”

Jerome approached Hernis and whispered, exchanging a few words with the soldiers.

It was a possible guess. Seeing that the soldiers were carrying a heavy load with both hands just to bring one dress.

Hernis, who had been staring intently beyond the curtain, turned his eyes to Jerome.

“I think there was a maid outside.”

“Ah, the maid…”

Jerome didn’t answer, even though he had heard everything.

Curtis’s face turned white next to him, so it was easy to guess what the situation was.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d need one…”

Curtis, sensing Jerome’s mood, lowered his head with a sorry face.

It wasn’t really Curtis’s fault. When you’re holding a sword, a maid’s neck can accidentally get caught on the tip, and it had never been a problem in the numerous expeditions they had been on together.

“…”

Hernis looked at Curtis’s face kindly, understanding everything.

He understood so well that he was understanding.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Curtis’s face turned red at Hernis’s generous expression.

He was wondering if he should rush down and drag up any woman, but

“Wait a moment.”

Hernis’s gaze soon turned to Jerome.

His voice was so gentle that it was out of place with the tension.

As Jerome stepped aside, Hernis’s feet went straight to Aiden.

Aiden’s eyes widened in shock at his sudden appearance, but Hernis didn’t care.

Because the business was with

“I’m going in.”

Marilyn.

“…”

Whether she heard him or not, there was no sound from inside the curtain.

Hernis waited a few seconds out of courtesy before moving on without further notice. At the same time, Aiden kicked out his military boots and urgently blocked him.

Hernis stopped for a moment, as if doing a favor, even though his foot wasn’t exactly caught.

Aiden’s consideration was absurdly innocent, as he was still protesting fervently with his eyes, probably worried that she inside would be surprised if there was a fight outside.

“Hold it up high.”

Your Princess will be in trouble if the curtain falls.

He briefly told him his duty, as if dealing with an old subordinate, and continued on his way.

The other side of the curtain was as he had expected.

“Oh, uh?”

Her eyes were red and bloodshot, as she was startled and stepped back when she saw him, wondering how much she had struggled on her own.

“Prince, I haven’t…”

I haven’t finished getting dressed yet.

Marilyn’s face was full of embarrassment as she tried to explain to Hernis, why she hadn’t been able to go outside the curtain yet.

The corset she had put on was barely on, and all she had on below was a petticoat that was see-through.

Support What Your Majesty Desires