Chapter 30

We continued our departure early in the morning in order to make it to the Holland Kingdom before the party began.

Despite the fact that our visit to this kingdom was solely for business purposes, we decided to extend our stay by two days in order to fully enjoy our time there and explore the village.

Being in another kingdom was similar to being in a different nation; thus, traveling to the region to experience new foods and activities is a must!

"Hey kids, we've arrived!" Jaeseong informed us when he saw the inspection gates a few miles from where we were.

"Let's take a walk from here," I advised.

"Why?" Seungjae inquired.

"Triangle and circular carriages exist in this world, but there is no such thing as a rectangular carriage," Heric explained, catching up to my concerns.

"Time to walk," Minjoon said as he hurried out of the carriage.

We hopped out, and I instantly destroyed our vehicle, changing it back to its original shape before continuing on our way to the Holland Kingdom's gate.

We had to queue with all these travelers and citizens to get through security for the Kingdom. Heric and I went first to demonstrate to the boys how we enter the inspection gate.

We entered with our traveler's card and were able to enter for free. They performed exactly what we did, and we were all able to pass through the gates in no time.

Upon entering the kingdom, they were awestruck as they looked around at the magical wonders of another kingdom. Their adoration was short-lived, as we were instructed to hurry to the castle before the celebrations began.

"We'll find a place to stay and inform you through the app once we've secured one," Jaeseong said.

"All right, message us if you've encountered any problems, okay?" I murmured, and they responded with a reassuring nod.

"We'll see you guys later!" Minjoon said as we waved back at each other and parted ways.

The distance between the castle and the inspection gate was not as far as we had anticipated. It simply took a few questions from the citizens to get directions, and we arrived a few minutes later.

We handed our invitation letter to the guards stationed at the castle's gates before entering. They let us in immediately and informed the butler of the royal family about our arrival.

We bowed as we walked past the gates and reached the castle. Although the outer façade of the castle in this kingdom did not have an enormous front yard for us to stroll around, it was vast with a fountain in the center.

We could see the castle standing tall just a few meters ahead of us. It was just as grand as home, but with a much more rectangular form. If I had to relate it to a real-world edifice, it would be a reproduction of the White House in Washington, D.C.

When we reached the palace's front door, an elderly gentleman in a suit greeted us with a warm welcome and an elegant bow.

We immediately reacted to his greeting and bowed back, doing our best not to look out of place among the royals.

"Welcome to Holland Kingdom, Ms. Mizukasa and Mr. Seo. I hope you had a pleasant journey."

"Thank you!" I replied with a smile.

"Please follow me; I'll lead you to the Royal Kitchen for you to begin cooking your dish," he said with a bow, gesturing towards the front entrance.

We were a little nervous when we entered the Holland Kingdom's castle, but we had to keep our heads up and our backs straight.

After all, we did represent the Houndlet Kingdom because that is where we live.

When we arrived at the kitchen, I bowed to the butler and bowed back before he walked away, leaving Minjoon and I alone in such a beautiful kitchen.

"Well, let's start baking some pizza!" I excitedly said, placing the bag of ingredients I was carrying on the island counter, while Minjoon did the same.

We removed each ingredient one by one until the chef noticed that something was lacking from the components we'd brought.

"Where is the salt?" he inquired, looking around the counter at the various items.

"Didn't I pack it with us?" I asked, staring at him in perplexity.

We looked around for the salt and couldn't find it. It then hit us—we forgot the salt.

My body began to sweat as the anxiety rose quickly. I didn’t know what to do. We could ask the butler for one, but if we did, would we seem unprofessional? Being judged by royalty is the one thing I never want to see happen.

“What should we do, Minjoon-ah? "I cried in panic.

"We can buy some in the village," Art suggested.

"Let's ask the others to buy some for us," Minjoon remarked as he picked up his phone and started to message his hyung.

[Author’s P.O.V]

A couple minutes before Minjoon and Yumi’s mess, their friends had just checked into a posh hotel and were in the process of inspecting their allotted rooms.

For five rooms, they paid five gold coins.

Two are solo, while the others are with a partner. When they told the clerk how many people were staying, she suggested they book four rooms, each with two bedrooms.

However, when she found out they had a woman in their party, they were shocked because it is illegal in this kingdom for a girl to sleep with a guy alone in a room when they are not married.

Normally, rented rooms like these would just cost a silver each. However, because they had chosen a fancy hotel where nobles were resting, the fee was a little higher than expected.

They examined their rooms in pairs and decided to give Heric and Yumi their own rooms. The interior was better than expected; it was quite beautiful and cozy. It was unquestionably worth their money.

Jaeseong hopped on the side of his bed when he got to his room, huffing exhaustedly.

"Finally, a bed to lay on," he exclaimed.

It had been two nights since they'd slept on couches and uncomfortable mattresses, so now that they were able to sleep on a comfy bed, their stress decreased tremendously.

"Don't forget that we'll be sharing a room, Hyung," Jun stated as he walked in.

"Of course," the clown said, rising to his feet.

They looked around their room and discovered a toilet room where they could wash up. It was another problem solved, and they were relieved that they didn't have to go to a bathhouse to take hot showers when they could do it peacefully in the comfort of their own room.

"Hey guys," Jiwoo voiced out as he entered their room. "Minjoon just texted me that he and Noona forgot to bring salt."

"Salt?" Jaeseong repeated in a questioning tone.

"Yeah, they want us to buy some quickly."

"Or... I could just go get salt from the cabin back home," Jun offered.

Confused stares panned at the boy, but their expressions quickly changed to admiration when the Ele-nder used his 'teleportation' ability to return to their cabin in Houndlet Kingdom, grab a bag of salt in their kitchen, and return to the hotel.

They were able to deliver the salt to their friend with ease, and the cooks were able to prepare a 30-inch pizza in three distinct flavors with 15 boxes each before the celebration began.

–PARTY CELEBRATION–

Hours passed, and the party finally began. It was difficult work, but Minjoon and Yumi managed to complete such a task and were able to prepare enough pizza for the guests to enjoy.

They were both permitted to participate in the festive celebration and were all dressed up for the occasion. However, during the party, they felt so out of place.

They only had each other to entertain, so they were enjoying the buffet while standing in the corner of the room.

As time passes, new visitors arrive on the castle grounds one by one, and their meal appears to be the primary attraction of the cuisine segment.

It was a good thing they had prepared ample food for everyone to enjoy, and the chefs were pleased to witness their delighted expressions as they ate the food.

"I'm glad people are liking the pizza," Minjoon murmured as he watched the other guests devour every last morsel of the meal they had prepared.

"We baked it; of course it's delicious," she remarked sarcastically as she took a mouthful. And, while they were enjoying the buffet, they unintentionally overheard a conversation between a group of ladies next to them.

"I can't believe I came to his party once again, despite warning myself how terrible his personality is."

"I feel the same."

"If it weren't for his looks, I would've skipped the event in an instant."

They were whispering while they gossiped, yet it was loud enough for the chefs to hear. Their lips pursed as they gazed slowly at each other, then lifted their brows in response to what they heard.

"I wonder what the prince looks like," Minjoon whispered.

"He must be extremely handsome," Yumi answered softly.

Although it wasn't the first time they'd heard rumors about the prince of Holland's egoistic attitude, it nevertheless amazed them that the ladies were still interested in him.

The party has only been going for a few minutes, and the prince has yet to arrive. It was then told to them that the royal family always arrives late during their own celebration.

Because of this, Yumi decided to head to the restroom because nature was calling. She handed the chef her glass of wine and exited the ballroom.

Yumi had a difficult time finding the restroom in this massive castle, which distressed her a bit.

Because the castle was so large, she chose to use the restroom near the kitchen to save time.

But, because she had left Minjoon alone in an environment that the boy wasn’t comfortable in, she rushed back to the ballroom after finishing her business.

Jogging her way back, she wasn’t expecting to run across another guest, especially since they were all in the ballroom.

When she went into a corner, she wasn't expecting to meet someone and accidentally bump into them.

"Excuse me! Watch where you're going, would you?" the man demanded angrily.

Yumi proceeded to apologize as she continued to bow apologetically for what she had done. She came to Holland to bring happiness and delicious meals, but she never intended to deliver the opposite.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to!" She apologized.

As he dusted his clothes, the man clicked his tongue. He glared fiercely at her. She was expecting a fiery sermon but instead received silence. When his gaze met hers, his enraged look gradually softened, but he was still slightly miffed.

"Be careful next time," he said sternly before walking away, rolling his eyes.

She bowed to him one last time and huffed in shame as she walked away. Yumi knew she was in the wrong, yet she was nevertheless offended by how the man treated her.

Because of her close relationship with the Queen and King of Houndlet Kingdom, she had forgotten that not all royalty was kind. This was an example of that.

The moment Yumi returned to the ballroom, Minjoon observed her behavior as she delicately grasped the glass and chugged all the alcohol in one drink, banging the empty glass on the table.

"You look like someone just ruined your day," he said.

"Today was just a stressful day," she disclosed.

"Well, you're a bit late; the prince has just arrived."

Yumi turned around, intrigued. "Where?" she inquired.

Minjoon then pointed slightly to her right. "Over there, near the group of princes and princesses," he said.

All she saw of the prince was his back, and his posture, slender figure, and luscious hair gave her the impression that he was certainly a gorgeous guy.

However, the design of the clothes she was wearing looked quite familiar to her. It was strange because Yumi knew this was her first meeting with the prince.

Just then, the King and Queen approached the chefs with a big smile and greeted them with a curtsy. "It's a pleasure to meet you both!" exclaimed the queen.

Yumi replied, "Likewise, your highness," as they both bowed.

"I'm Michael Kors, and my wife, Jill Kors," the King introduced. "The s in our surname is silent."

"Please! Meet our son!" Queen Jill shrieked joyfully as she gestured behind her.

They guided the two to their son, who was having a conversation with his peers.

"Son!" She called out. "We have a special guest we'd like you to meet," and Yumi's eyes widened in surprise when the prince turned around. She was completely taken aback to meet the same guy she had just met a few minutes before.

"Son, this is Chef Seo and Chef Mizukasa who made your food request!" He introduced them. "And this is my son, Hilot Kors."

Yumi sensed a familiar energy from him because he was the man she had run into. She gulped. Her entire body began to sweat nervously now that she knew who she had encountered was the prince.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, your highness," she greeted graciously, while Minjoon bowed alongside her.

It would be impolite not to look up at the prince's eyes, and after what she had done, she couldn't put her name, partner, or kingdom at stake.

However, as soon as they locked eyes, she fully caught him looking her up and down as if he were checking her out. He then sneered.

That simple act was enough to send chills down Yumi’s spine. She not only felt violated but also uneasy and afraid. She felt like prey to a violent beast, a vulnerable target.

Minjoon saw what the prince had done and panned back to his partner. Just as he predicted, she didn’t feel comfortable.

He leans down to make himself known to her without touching her. He was reassuring her that she wasn't alone and that he was there for her if she needed someone.

She simply grins and nods. Indicating that she was fine and able to manage the situation.

To many people, this was seen as a simple act of friendship looking out for one another. A thoughtful gesture of platonic caring. However, for the prince, it was more than just friends—it was something more intimate between a man and a woman.

And for some reason, he didn’t like that at all.

"Are you both dating?" he blurted bluntly without thinking, and the question stunned them both, shifting to one another in discomfort.

"Uhm, no. We're not, your highness," Minjoon said, awkwardly smiling. "We're just great friends."

The prince was pleased with his response, as one corner of his lips lifted slightly. "Then you wouldn't mind if I married her, would you?"

They were all surprised, and the royal highness assumed it was all a joke. Their son was known to make various jokes, including this one. Yumi and Minjoon weren’t pleased at all, but they still gave a nervous chuckle.

"That was a hilarious joke, your highness," Yumi remarked, nervously chuckling as the King and Queen laughed again.

Prince Hilot's grin began to pout. "Oh, but I'm not," he stated firmly. "I'm being serious."

Yumi was appalled. She hadn't expected to be asked out by a prince during her visit to this nation. And she, in particular, was not anticipating the prince proposing marriage to her; it was simply unpredictable.

She and Minjoon were flabbergasted. "Pardon?" she inquired once more, confirming that what she had heard was indeed accurate and wasn’t at all her mind playing tricks on her.

"Marry me and be my wife," he repeated.

It wasn't difficult to fathom what had just happened to others, but when you're the victim, it's nearly impossible.

You constantly wondered if what you heard was true, and Yumi was at a loss for words. In addition, she was extremely uncomfortable.