Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!
Chapter 139: ’Why Her?’

Chapter 139: ’Why Her?’

The scent of freshly brewed tea curled through the air, warm and rich, carrying the faintest hints of chamomile and honey. Florian settled into his seat in the gazebo, the soft creak of the chair barely audible over the rustling leaves.

Sunlight streamed through the delicate latticework, casting shifting patterns of gold and ivory over the pristine white tablecloth. It was a picturesque afternoon, the kind that invited ease and quiet conversation—though he had the distinct feeling this meeting would be anything but.

The maids moved gracefully around them, their steps light, their hands steady as they poured tea into fine porcelain cups.

He noted how their demeanor, once merely polite, had shifted—there was a newfound deference in the way they served him, an extra layer of courtesy that hadn’t been there before. It wasn’t just respect. It was something closer to reverence.

’Well, that’s unexpected.’ He lifted his cup, watching the steam curl from the surface. ’I suppose they’ll be much more pleasant now that Heinz actually acknowledges me.’

Athena sat across from him, her hands folded neatly in her lap, her posture still as proper as ever. But there was a softness to her now, a warmth in the way her lips curved into a hesitant smile whenever her gaze met his. She had always been shy, but today, she seemed almost... at peace.

Alexandria, on the other hand, was as composed as ever, her golden hair catching the light with every subtle movement. She stirred her tea slowly, deliberately, violet eyes flickering toward him with something unreadable.

The poised, untouchable princess—yet there was a weight to her gaze, as if she were calculating the right moment to speak.

Florian had barely taken a sip before she finally turned to him, voice smooth but firm. "Prince Florian," she began, setting her spoon down with a quiet clink. "I hope you don’t mind me asking something rather direct."

He lowered his cup, already sensing where this was going. "Of course. What’s on your mind?"

Alexandria exchanged a glance with Athena—quick, subtle, but not unnoticed—before exhaling softly. "I received a sign from the gods," she said, her tone carefully measured. "It told me that much of what I believed during the test... was false."

Florian stilled.

’A sign from the gods?’

Athena shifted in her seat, fingers twisting together for a brief moment before she spoke. "We talked about it," she admitted, voice quiet yet firm. "Alexandria and I both... poisoned the king."

A bird trilled in the distance, its song light and unbothered. The world carried on as if the two princesses hadn’t just uttered something that would have sent any lesser man into a panic.

Florian blinked, momentarily caught between disbelief and amusement. He fought the urge to laugh at the sheer absurdity of their serious expressions.

’Even though I told them not to talk about it?’

He leaned back slightly, fingers tracing the rim of his cup as he regarded them. "And you figured out that it was part of the test." It wasn’t a question.

Athena hesitated, then nodded. "I—I was afraid at first. That we had actually done something terrible. But after speaking with Alexandria... we thought that perhaps it was meant to deceive us."

Alexandria’s gaze locked onto his, steady and searching. "Was it?"

He could have kept up the act. Could have feigned ignorance, spun some excuse to keep them uncertain. It would’ve been easier. Wiser, even. But as he looked at the two of them—so earnest, so concerned—he realized he didn’t want to. Not about this.

’They deserve the truth, at least about this much.’

"Yes," he admitted, allowing a small smile to tug at his lips. "King Heinz wasn’t really poisoned."

The tension in the air dissipated almost instantly. Both girls exhaled, relief washing over them like a breaking wave. Alexandria pressed a hand to her chest, her shoulders loosening. "That’s... honestly a relief."

Athena nodded in agreement, her grip on her cup slackening. "I—I was scared. I didn’t want to harm anyone, even if it was by accident."

Florian studied them, something twisting uncomfortably in his chest.

’If it were me, I’d be furious about being tricked like that. But they’re just relieved they didn’t actually hurt anyone.’ He glanced down at his reflection in the tea, the dark liquid rippling ever so slightly. ’Heinz really doesn’t deserve them.’

But the moment of respite was short-lived. Alexandria hesitated, then carefully lowered her teacup, her fingers tightening around the handle. When she finally spoke, there was something different in her tone—something heavier.

"Prince Florian," she said carefully, "I wanted to ask you something else."

Florian raised an eyebrow, keeping his expression carefully neutral. "Go ahead."

Alexandria hesitated for only a moment before drawing a breath. "Why did you choose Scarlett?"

The question was delivered smoothly, but there was an unmistakable weight behind it. A quiet challenge.

Across from him, Athena’s expression barely changed, but her lips pressed together just slightly—silent agreement.

’Ah. There it is.’

Florian’s fingers curled against his knee, a barely-there motion of restraint. He hadn’t chosen Scarlett. Heinz had. But how was he supposed to explain that? More importantly, should he?

"I was surprised," Alexandria continued, her voice even, composed. But there was something else beneath the surface—something that made Florian pause. "I’m happy for her, truly. But... if I’m being honest, Scarlett is complicated."

’Complicated is one way to put it.’

His gaze flickered toward Athena. She remained quiet, her expression a mask of neutrality, but her eyes betrayed her. A flicker of something—hurt, maybe? He knew why. He hadn’t forgotten.

Scarlett had tormented Athena. She had made her life unbearable at times, hiding cruelty behind effortless smiles and pretty words. And yet, now she was the one who had been chosen. It was understandable that Athena would feel... something about it.

The air between them grew heavier, the unspoken tension wrapping around them like a second skin.

Florian exhaled quietly, weighing his words before finally saying, "Despite Scarlett’s... eccentric behavior," he began, voice measured, "and despite our differences, she passed all the tests."

A clean, logical answer. Simple. Safe.

It was also a lie.

He knew it. They probably knew it, too. But what else could he say? That Heinz had made the decision without even pretending to consider anyone else? That the tests perhaps had never truly mattered?

Alexandria studied him for a long moment before offering a small, polite smile. But it didn’t reach her eyes.

’She doesn’t believe me. Not entirely.’

He pushed the thought aside and reached for his tea again, letting the warmth seep into his fingers.

Alexandria had always seemed to genuinely like Heinz, unlike Athena, who remained more neutral. That was interesting. It meant Alexandria might take Heinz’s decisions a little more personally.

He hadn’t thought much about that before.

And then—unbidden—a memory surfaced.

Scarlett, crying. The raw, broken sound of it.

Florian shoved the image away before it could linger, before he could question why it even did.

Alexandria lifted her teacup, her gaze thoughtful as she took another sip. When she finally spoke, her voice was quieter, almost contemplative.

"I suppose there must be a side to her that only you and His Majesty have seen... one that she doesn’t show the rest of us."

Florian hummed, noncommittal.

’You have no idea.’

A quiet lull settled over them, the conversation momentarily giving way to the gentle rustling of leaves and the occasional clink of porcelain. The tea had cooled slightly, but its fragrance still lingered in the air, warm and calming. The sunlight filtered through the gazebo, casting soft patterns across the table.

Florian traced the rim of his cup with his thumb, his gaze drifting toward the two maids standing nearby. Their expressions remained composed—professional, even—but the way their hands stilled ever so slightly, the way their movements slowed as they refilled cups, made it clear that they were listening. Or at least, they wanted to.

’They’re pretending not to eavesdrop, but they’re curious.’

It was almost amusing. The weight of their conversation had been thick with unspoken truths and carefully chosen words, yet to an outsider, it likely seemed nothing more than a casual afternoon tea.

Florian considered changing the subject—perhaps something lighthearted, something to ease the underlying tension that neither Alexandria nor Athena openly acknowledged. But just as he parted his lips to speak, a flicker of movement caught his eye.

The two maids suddenly stiffened, their gazes snapping past him. Then—

"Y-Your Majesty!" Alexandria’s maid gasped, her voice hushed but urgent.

Florian turned his head just in time to see Heinz approaching.

He carried himself with his usual regal ease, his dark, intricately embroidered clothing accentuating the sharpness of his presence. There was something almost oppressive about him beneath the golden afternoon light—like a shadow that stretched too far, consuming everything in its path. His expression, as always, was unreadable, his sharp eyes missing nothing.

Alexandria, Athena, and Florian immediately rose from their seats, bowing in unison.

Heinz stopped a few steps away, his gaze sweeping over them before settling on Florian. The air seemed to tighten.

"What a surprise," he mused, voice smooth yet carrying that unmistakable weight of authority. "I hadn’t expected to see the three of you together."

Alexandria straightened, her smile composed as she placed a hand lightly over her chest. "We only wished to spend some time with Prince Florian, Your Majesty."

Athena nodded in agreement, her posture still perfectly proper. "It has been a pleasant afternoon."

Florian said nothing, merely observing the exchange. Heinz’s presence always had a way of shifting the air in a room—or, in this case, the entire gazebo. It was as if the very space around them had rearranged itself to accommodate him, demanding silence, demanding attention.

Alexandria gestured toward the table. "Would you care to join us, Your Majesty?"

The invitation was warm, polite. Expected.

But Heinz didn’t hesitate. "No."

The response was curt, final.

’Alright, damn?’ Florian blinked, caught off guard by the sheer bluntness of it.

Alexandria’s smile remained, but something in her expression wavered. It was subtle, barely there—but Florian saw it. A flicker of something unspoken. A disappointment that hadn’t quite been masked in time.

Athena, who had been watching quietly, glanced at Alexandria before lowering her gaze, as if unwilling to bear witness to whatever emotion had just passed between them.

Heinz, seemingly unfazed, turned his attention back to Florian.

"I am only here for