Wife of The Demon Prince
Chapter 331: Reality

Chapter 331: Reality

Merek walked towards Anne, then stopped a close distance from her. Anne, who was watching him with a stunned expression pinched her arm with all her might to make sure she was not dreaming. She grimaced and gave a cry of pain,

"Ahha!"

Merek looked at her in slight concern, "Are you all right?" He asked.

Anne quickly waved her hands, "Huh, oh yes, I’m absolutely fine." She said awkwardly, only then did she belatedly realize what she had done, she must look like a crazy woman hurting herself out of nowhere. The important moment could have been ruined because of her foolishness.

But she couldn’t really help it. This didn’t seem real_Merek standing in her kitchen...it seemed like one of her fantasies that would blow away like dust before her. Hence, she was forced to confirm if it was real by pinching her arm earlier. The problem was that once she had done so, she wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground in embarrassment.

’What should I do or say? Why is he looking at me like that? Does he think I’m weird? Oh no, should I also look into his eyes?’

Anne panicked internally, but she couldn’t bring herself to say a word out of her mouth. She’d dreamt so much about Merek that this didn’t feel real. Her face burned with shame, she then awkwardly cleared her throat and pretended to act casual despite the anxiety crawling in on her,

"Very well, long time no see. What brings you to Zari?"

It was a simple courteous question, But deep down, she wanted to ask a different question. Questions like; did you come because you missed me too? Do you finally have the courage to hold my hand?

Her head was already full of expectations that he would finally end her wait today. If Merek answered that way, she would have no regrets dying at this very moment, and all her four years of waiting would come to an absolute end.

Eventually, Merek moved his lips and replied, "Indeed, long time no see." He said as if meeting an old friend he hadn’t seen in a while, his tone was so casual one couldn’t pick anything out of it. He continued, "I actually came to Zari to deal with some business, but her majesty wanted me to drop some supplies for you on the way, so I came here to do just that, and to also give you this letter from her majesty."

Merek formally took out an envelope from his coat pocket and Anne accepted it silently. But she felt like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water on her head. Her hopeful expectations were immediately killed. Reality and her imagination were completely different.

This was not a dream, but the reality. Merek only came to her house under Ara’s orders, and he had no desire to see her for himself. He also came to her kitchen because she’d asked for the man who delivered the supplies, however, that man so happened to be him as well. That was all there was, but her imagination had run wild.

Anne stood as frozen as a statue for a moment as she controlled her bitter emotions. She swallowed the big lump in her throat and spoke,

"Oh I see. Congratulations by the way."

Merek gave her a questioning look, "...?"

She then explained, "We haven’t met in years, and I heard you were given the position of a count in Findara. I haven’t had the chance to personally congratulate you until now."

"Thank you."

Anne had already heard that Merek was given that position after Hamon passed away, which meant he was now a nobleman as well.

Once upon a time, she had high hopes. That If the reason Merek pushed her away was because of the difference in their social status, then he might return now that he was one of the nobles. She had even made up excuses for him not coming earlier. Years had passed now, and she’d always thought he’d rejected her because of their difference, but now she realized it might not be the reason. He simply had no feelings for her and refused her confession in a way to not hurt her feelings back then.

How wonderful. Anne internally gave herself a self mocking laughter. ’I must really be stupid to keep holding on to these feelings for four years now, only to get slapped in the face again.’ she thought, but soon smiled bitterly, she wasn’t a little girl who would toss away her pride to beg him to stay again. If he wasn’t here for her, so be it, she would have to learn how to move on from now on.

Anne put on a welcoming smile as she spoke, "There’s a guest room for the person who usually brings in the supplies for me, you may stay there until you return to Findara. If you’re not comfortable with the room, you can ask the maids to arrange another room for you."

" No need for another arrangement, I’ll be fine with anything, since I’ll only be staying for the night and will return to Findara tommorow."

Anne nodded, "Very well then, if you need anything else, tell the maids."

"Yes, thank you." Merek bowed modestly to Anne like he always did back then, then he walked out of the kitchen. He seemed to glance at the dishes she prepared on the table, before he turned. However, Anne dismissed it as an illusion. He wasn’t interested in her nor her cooking, she would no longer create anymore fantasies in her head again.

Bang!

As soon as the door firmly closed shut, Anne lost all her strength and collapsed onto the floor. It was a very short meeting, but she realized so many things in a short period of time. Merek didn’t really have any feelings for her, and her four year’s wait was likely to end badly. The thought of it broke her heart, but...

She smiled sadly, "I’m glad he was alright." She knew there was no hope, but she enjoyed just seeing his face for the first time after years. This was how it always ended with Merek. That was fine, though there was no happy ending, and while her love was one-sided, it was good to experience it.

’...I guess it’s time to let go.’

It was a real relief that she did not get caught up by her foolish wishes, she could be around him for one more night. He wasn’t here for anything special, and she could enjoy his company for awhile. But even after a long time of pain, that alone couldn’t stop her excitement.

---

That night, Merek and Anne had dinner together, it was not polite to have him eat with the servants now that he was a noble. She sat across him on the table so she could look at him. She never thought she would have a meal with him in her house again. They had only eaten together before when he was still pretending to be a servant in the Boxton mansion, she had also made various chicken dishes just for him.

The first time she’d invited Merek to eat with her, he had said; ’I don’t know what you are thinking, my lady. But I don’t have to sit to taste the food. It’s not alright for you to be this kind to a servant.’

Later, she understood how uncomfortable she’d made him feel, and vowed never to force him to eat with her again. But now, here they were having their meal on the same table again.

Merek shifted uncomfortably on his sit as he ate, and Anne realized he probably didn’t like being stared at, so she quietly lowered her gaze and willed herself to act normally.

The dinning room was so quite that the only sounds were the occasional clacking of silverware. It was Merek who finally broke the silence first, he said,

"Lady Anne, for some reason I was expecting to see chicken dishes, but it seems I was wrong."

Anne glanced up at him from her plate, "Oh, do you want a chicken dish?" She asked.

"No, I guess I was just remembering the past when you always made chicken dishes and serve them to me as well."

Anne realized that Merek also recalled those memories of the past. But that was probably just some coincidence. She’d served him those dishes when he was still going through difficult times, so he probably just remembered those memories even now because of that.

"Then I’ll ask the servants to get some for you tomorrow to save those memories. It’s been a long time since I had any guests come over, so I didn’t have any chicken at home." Anne said as she rang the bell on the table with a gentle smile.

The maid standing outside, came into the dinning room and bowed, "My lady, you called?"

"Yes, I’d like you to go and buy some chicken tomorrow morning. I want to prepare some healthy chicken dish in the morning."

The maid’s forehead creased deeply as she asked in bemusement, "Chicken dish? If I remember correctly, my lady, you have forbidden any of us from buying chicken or making any of the dishes."

At the maid’s words, Merek glanced suspiciously at Anne. He seemed to remember that chicken was her favorite in the past.

Anne avoided his gaze and replied to the maid with an indifferent tone, "It’s not for me, but for my guest."

"Oh, I understand, my lady." The maid gave a polite bow, then stepped out of the dinning room. Anne and Merek were left alone again, and the latter gave her a questioning look,

"You don’t eat chicken anymore? It used to be your favorite."

"That was in the past. My preferences have changed now, I no longer like it anymore. You don’t have to worry about it anyway, you are my guest it is only proper that I serve you well. And...I also want to apologise for any inconveniences I gave you in the past at the Boxton mansion."

As a child, Anne had looked at the world with a pure lens, she didn’t care that Merek was below her back then. With a later perspective, she now realized that she must have made him uncomfortable before by always clinging to him and forcing him to eat with her.

Merek replied in a soft voice, "It’s all right. It’s already in the past..."

Anne responded with only a slight nod of her head. She couldn’t tell him that she stopped eating chicken because it always reminded her of their memories together.