I Just Wanted to Call Off the Arranged Marriage With the PrincessโSomeone I Could Never Possibly Be a Match ForโBut for Some Reason, She Took a Liking to Me and Is Now Closing in on Me
My stomach feels heavy. And it hurts.
โWhat are you doing? Youโre late.โ
โWho do you think is to blame for me getting hurt?โ
โYouโre such a wimp.โ
Iris, walking ahead of me down the main street of the capital, looks down on me. Even though this is all because of Irisโs breakfast, I canโt believe she has the nerve to say that. Remembering the charred bread I ate, I gag and cover my mouth.
I swear on this heavy feeling in my stomach that even if we end up living in the same mansion from now on, I wonโt let Iris set foot in the kitchen.
I glare resentfully at her light-footed figure walking away, humming to herself.
โSo, where are we going?โ
โThe brothel.โ
โโฆAre you serious?โ
Iris stopped and turned around, her expression completely serious. It was hard to tell from her eyes, hidden behind pale-tinted glassesโa style rarely seen around here. She seemed carefree, but perhaps aware she shouldnโt stand out, she had pulled the hood of her coat low over her face.
โJust to be sure, are you into women or something?โ
โHuh? What are you talking about?โ
Did I just ask a question that deserved such a scornful look? If anything, shouldnโt I be the one giving Iris that sleazy look?
I didnโt do anything wrong.
Even if I think that, and even if I try to hide it, getting glared at by a beauty who can see right through meโฆ well, it really gets to you. Especially since she has such sharp features.
โDo whatever you want.โ
โI am.โ
As I shrugged, giving up and saying โWhatever,โ Iris shot me a sidelong glance before turning to face forward.
โBut thanks.โ
Iโm not quite sure what she meant by that.
ใใโใโใโ
The entertainment district wasnโt far from the upscale residential area where the nobility lived. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that an upscale entertainment district was nearby. Theaters and restaurants lined the streets, and every establishment exuded elegance.
The streets were paved with cobblestones, a world apart from the commonersโ quarters even within the capital.
There were few pedestrians, and it was quietโa stark contrast to the bustling main street Iโd seen from the carriage the other day. Everyone was dressed in fine clothes, their status and wealth clearly evident.
โAre there brothels over here too?โ
โโฆโฆWhy do you know about brothels anywhere other than here?โ
It was just a casual mutter, but not only did she pick it up, Iris shot me a fierce glare. โYou wouldnโt dareโฆโ Her dark eyes glared at me from behind her tinted glasses, clearly filled with suspicion.
I wondered what she was going to say next.
โItโs only natural for a man to be interested in brothels.โ
โGo die.โ
โIsnโt that a bit harsh?โ
Those werenโt the words of a princess whoโd set a brothel as her destination first thing in the morning.
She was glaring at me so sourly that I shrugged, figuring she wasnโt in the mood for jokes.
โIโve never been there. I just know about it.โ
โAre you a virgin?โ
โโฆHey, before we even get into the โprincessโ thing, what kind of lady are you?โ
And right out in the open, too.
I do have some sense of decency, you know? Yet Iris just calmly presses me, asking, โSo, whatโs the deal?โ Is she really that curious about whether Iโve had any experience or not?
Honestly, this might be fine as a joke among guys, but itโs not something you ask a girl. So, I wanted to just keep quiet and let it slide, but sheโs staring at me with such a scowl that it looks like a hole might burn right through my forehead, so I had no choice but to give in.
My only resistance was a sigh.
โNope, Iโm a virgin. Sorry, Iโve never been with a girl.โ
โOh, okay.โ
She made me say it, but her reaction was way too flat.
If sheโd said something like, โWhat? No way, thatโs so lame,โ I couldโve taken it lightly. But with a reaction like that, it makes me feel genuinely sorry for being a virgin.
โโฆโฆI see.โ
I wish she wouldnโt mutter that as if she deeply understood. I donโt feel the slightest bit ashamed, but for some reason, it makes me want to cry.
I donโt understand how a princess feels. I donโt even understand how girls feel in general, so dealing with someone as strong-willed as Iris probably makes it even harder to grasp.
As I was agonizing over this, Iris muttered, โWeโre here.โ It sounded like she was talking to herself, but I guess she meant to let me know too. When I looked up, the place was as large and opulent as a nobleโs mansion.
It even had an iron gate; at first glance, you might not realize it was a brothel. Or rather, I didnโt realize it.
โHuh, so this is the place.โ
โYep.โ
With that, Iris casually approached the gate. She spoke to the guard standing watch, and the heavy iron gate swung open effortlessly. She didnโt seem to give her name; the guard just looked at her face.
A free pass? She seemed so much like a regular that my suspicion grewโmaybe she really does have those kind of outrageous tastes.
โWhat are you doing? Letโs go.โ
โNothing, Yuri-chan.โ
โโฆโฆI donโt get it. But Iโm going to kill you.โ
She glared at me with black eyes filled with murderous intentโeyes that bore no resemblance whatsoever to Yuri