Chapter 16: Emotional Fragments.
What should he do in this situation?
Ignoring him is out of the question, and normally, courtesy—bordering on flattery—would be the wisest move for his future, given he’s facing the great prince of their kingdom.
Is there any better option than bowing with a smile?
Yet, Claudia’s choice to approach him now suggests he’s willing to cast aside formalities.
He wants to talk to Yuran—not as a prince to a noble, but as themselves, with all the tangled roots between them laid bare.
That’s why Claudia’s face sours at Yuran’s deliberate use of “Prince Claudia.”
The title, used consistently until now, feels like an obstacle in this moment.
“To think Prince Claudia would approach me… I’m surprised.”
Yuran knows this but plays ignorant, and Claudia doesn’t call it out despite noticing.
The empty words are obviously insincere, and the topic is clear without guessing.
It’s not a conversation for the middle of a hallway, so they move to a secluded spot.
In this overly ornate academy, blind spots are easy to find.
“…Drop that fake smile.”
“…”
“I’m not here as a prince. I’ll take responsibility… I just want to talk.”
“…Fine, I get it.”
With a sigh, the air shifts.
The thin, plastered smile vanishes instantly.
The warmth and soothing aura others expect from Yuran are nowhere to be found.
His eyes, usually kind, now glint with a dull light, altering his entire presence.
He’s like a blank mask.
“I don’t have time to waste, so get to the point.”
Not just his own lunch, but the longer this takes, the harder it is to predict Violette’s movements.
Time is finite.
Skipping lunch for her sake is easy, but she’d worry.
To secure his meal and find her, he can’t afford to linger.
“If it’s about the other day, I don’t think we have anything to discuss—especially you and me.”
“…I’ve been thinking about what you said.”
“That’s flattering. Did my words make you angry?”
“No…! I thought about them seriously…”
His voice trails off, and his desperate expression gradually lowers to the ground.
Claudia’s usual confidence—his commanding presence and charisma, fit for a king—fades before Yuran.
It’s like an unyielding sun dimming into an illusion.
Yuran knows why, from start to finish.
He’s even used it to his advantage at times, but Claudia remains unwaveringly honest.
His resilient, unbreaking nature isn’t something Yuran dislikes, but it doesn’t mean he likes or cares for it either.
“You said back then… outsiders shouldn’t interfere, that it’s for the involved parties to resolve.”
Yuran’s actual words were more sarcastic, but whether Claudia missed that or chose not to pursue it is unclear.
Either way, it’s irrelevant to Yuran.
The priority is ending this quickly.
Dragging it out with careless remarks is unacceptable.
“I said that. So what?”
Is there anything left to ponder in those words?
To Yuran, they were just a blunt jab at an unguarded opponent, meant to escape the situation and express anger over Violette’s treatment.
For someone in Claudia’s position, they might sting, but they weren’t worth deep reflection.
“I thought about it over and over, trying to understand your perspective… but I just couldn’t.”
That makes sense.
Yuran and Claudia’s views were polar opposites, beyond allies or enemies.
Claudia’s sense of justice—defeating evil, protecting a vulnerable girl—drove his actions.
Ganging up on one person to throw stones is deplorable, and Yuran doesn’t disagree with that sentiment.
But the actions tied to that belief are where they diverge completely.
“There’s no need to understand. It was my personal opinion. Human actions don’t have definitive answers. What’s wrong to me isn’t necessarily incorrect.”
“Even so, you believed it back then, didn’t you?”
Golden eyes, identical in hue, lock onto Yuran’s.
Despite differences in shape and lashes, it’s like staring into a mirror, and it’s deeply irritating.
Claudia’s directness—his unhesitating, unerring approach—is beautiful yet infuriating.
“Tell me… what did I do wrong?”
He knows Yuran wants to avoid this, that his feelings aren’t friendly, yet he still steps closer, yearning to connect.
Standing firmly on his singular sense of rightness.
Above all, Yuran’s own quick tilt toward emotion is what frustrates him most.
“…You’re pissing me off.”