The Gap Between You and Me - Chapter 93

Chapter 93

She will never live a life where she tried nothing, just lamenting and regretting her powerlessness.

“…….”

Bernard looked up at Herietta’s face without a word. Her face was dazzling with determination. He wondered if it was the woman who was at risk at the time when she lost her enthusiasm for life and walked a tightrope at the boundary between life and death.

Can he stop her?

No, should he stop her?

“Herietta.”

Bernard, engrossed in complex thoughts and was contemplating, called Herietta’s name. His face was reflected in her eyes, which were warm and friendly.

“If you go this time, you might really die.”

“…….”

“Are you going to say it’s okay?”

Bernard asked. He tried to hide it, but a look of uneasiness was evident on his face.

Herietta looked at Bernard without saying a word. Since when? Since when did he start caring about her well-being? The two people who were nothing special started to share such a unique and strong friendship.

He and she.

Bernard and Herietta.

“Have you already forgotten, Your Highness?”

Herietta asked with a weak smile.

“It’s a life that I had tried to throw away once. Although it failed because Your Highness stopped it.”

Then she added, pretending to roll her eyes mischievously at Bernard. Perhaps trying to lighten up the heavy atmosphere.

“That’s what I’m saying. Your Highness.”

Herietta tightened her hand as she faced Bernard.

“I have no reason to keep my life.”

She wanted to share her energy with him who seemed gloomy.

“…….”

Even so, Bernard’s expression showed no signs of brightening. He just stared at her with a dark face.

Herietta tilted her head slightly to the side. It really didn’t suit him at all, who was cheerful and confident all the time.

“Are you sad that I have to go like this?”

Herietta asked him softly. Thinking that he would scold her for saying that is nonsense. Contrary to expectations, however, Bernard did not respond and remained silent.

As she watched him intently, she smiled.

“I am surprised. I thought you would deny that.”

“…….”

“I thought you would feel refreshed as if you lost a sick tooth you had been suffering from.”

“…… Do you think I am a cold-blooded man with no blood or tears?”

Bernard, who had been stubbornly keeping his mouth shut, replied curtly.

“I’m sorry, but I also have a thing called humanity.”

“Well. I do not know. You’re not well-known in that area.”

Herietta tilted her head exaggeratedly.

“The best playboy in Velicia, drug addict, and scoundrel. And what else?”

“Are you really going to keep doing this?”

As Herietta listed the words attached to Bernard’s name one by one, he frowned and growled. Perhaps his reaction was amusing, she laughed out loud.

The sound of her cheerful laughter filled the large room. Bernard, who at first had a disapproving look, raised his lips a little, like infected by her clear laughter. He smiled thinly as if he would not accept it. There was a warm and cozy atmosphere around the two of them.

Even though winter is not completely over yet, it seems that spring has come here for a while.

“You know, Your Highness Bernard, a playboy and a scoundrel.”

“Why, Herietta, merciless and unmatched?”

When Herietta playfully called out to Bernard, he smiled and replied in the same playful way. There was not the slightest sign of displeasure or anger. She smiled as she looked into his eyes.

“Thank you for stopping me from jumping out of the window that night.”

Then she uttered to him what she wanted to say.

“Thank you for staying by my side so that I wouldn’t feel weak after that.”

“Why…… Are you suddenly getting serious?”

Bernard asked with a straight face.

“Like…….”

Like this was the last.

Bernard could not bear to say it. Herietta looked at him and smiled.

“Nothing. Come to think of it, I’ve never really thanked Your Highness before. Even though His Highness has worked hard for me more than once or twice.”

“Don’t mind it. I just did it out of a whim.”

Bernard grumbled.

“And if you really appreciate me, then you should just think about coming back safely. It’s a bit annoying, but life in the castle is a little bit boring without you.”

“You will get used to it in no time. Everyone is like that.”

As the saying goes, forgetting is a gift from God to humans, and her vacancy will soon be filled. It would overshadow Bernard who said goodbye to her in a sorry way today.

“You’ll see. Your Highness will soon be unable to even remember my name.”

“Your name?”

“Yes. As in the past, many more and more important things will happen in Your Highness’s life in the future.”

“What nonsense is that…….”

Bernard, who had been laughing in amazement, stopped talking. He thought it was a joke close to nonsense, but looking at Herietta’s face, it seemed like she was serious.

‘What the hell do you think I am?’

Even a prince of a country was a man made of flesh and blood. No matter how hectic his life gets, there’s no way he can easily forget someone he once opened up to.

Bernard, who took offense to Herietta’s thoughts and ideas, narrowed his eyes.

“Then shall we bet?”

“Bet?”

Bernard gave such a sudden suggestion, Herietta widened her eyes and asked again.

“Yes. A bet on whether or not I remember you properly.”

He nodded.

“If I still remember your name, Herietta McKenzie, ten years from now, then I win, and if not, you win.”

“But what if Your Highness doesn’t remember me?”

Herietta asked again.

“In that case, even if I win, there is no way to prove that I won.”

She was imagining herself trying to remind Bernard of her existence ten years later. A smirk escaped from the tip of her pursed lips. It was fortunate if she wasn’t dragged out of the castle without having even spoken to him properly.

“No need to worry about that.”

Bernard said with a confident smile.

“Not just ten years, but twenty years, I won’t forget your name, Herietta.”

Herietta hadn’t even said she would accept the bet yet, but Bernard was already confident of his victory.

Should she say that he was full of confidence, or should she say that he was arrogant to the bone?

A smile slowly spread across Herietta’s face, who was looking at Bernard with a puzzled look. He is full of confidence and arrogant. Yes, this was the real Bernard she knew.

“Then you must keep your word.”

A man who is confident that he will never forget her name no matter how many years pass. Seeing him like that, Herietta smiled like a flower.