Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight!-Chapter 303: ’Jealousy, Jealousy’

"Quite a lot of times," Athena answered, placing a thoughtful hand against her cheek. "She always seems so happy afterward. Right now, I believe she’s in His Majesty’s office."

There it was again.

The sting.

A sharp, quiet burn deep in his chest—unexpected and persistent. It wasn’t loud, but it was there, spreading like an invisible bruise.

Florian told himself he should be happy. He had been rooting for Alexandria and Heinz to grow closer. Wasn’t that the plan? Wasn’t that what he wanted?

This was good news.

So why did it feel like someone had shoved a fist through his ribcage?

Florian’s expression curled upward, a practiced smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. It was convincing—pleasant, even.

But his heart wasn’t in it.

That could only mean one thing.

The original Florian was jealous.

’I’ve been wondering why it didn’t feel like I was losing control of this body around Heinz lately...’ Florian mused bitterly, ’Maybe Florian was just... happy Heinz was spending time with me—with him. His body.’

His mouth twitched, as if it wanted to frown on its own, to reveal the crack in the illusion—but he fought to keep the smile intact.

Especially with Scarlett watching him like that. She wasn’t just glancing—she was analyzing. Her bright eyes narrowed slightly, assessing every shift in his expression.

’Why is she staring at me like that when she’s the one on a date with Athena right now?’ Florian thought, annoyance blooming beneath the ache in his chest.

It was still surreal.

Scarlett and Athena—together.

Two prominent members of the king’s harem, clearly entangled in something soft and secret and warm.

Florian should be more focused on that, should be teasing them, maybe even mildly amused. But right now, all he could feel was that aching weight in his chest growing heavier by the second.

"I think out of everyone in the harem," Scarlett suddenly said, still not taking her eyes off him, "His Majesty really favors Princess Alexandria."

The words hit harder than they should have.

Why was Scarlett bringing that up?

She never liked the idea of Alexandria becoming queen. She always acted dismissive when the subject came up. Alexandria had always been her last choice.

So why now?

Why say this now?

"Y-You think so?" Florian forced out, but his voice cracked slightly on the first syllable. It sounded off even to his own ears.

Inside, his mind was screaming.

’No, she isn’t.’

’He’s not interested in her.’

’He only needs her for the test.’

’Heinz prefers me.’

It was loud—too loud. The words bounced around inside his skull like shards of glass, turning thoughts into headaches.

He wanted to make it stop. He needed it to stop.

Athena chimed in, nodding gently, "It really seems like planning the test brought them closer. If all goes well, she might become His Majesty’s favorite. Isn’t that wonderful, Prince Florian?"

Wonderful?

Was it?

It should be.

It was.

Right?

"...Mhm," Florian hummed, because that was all his body could muster. Anything more and the mask would crack. It already felt like it was splintering at the edges.

Scarlett narrowed her eyes again, flipping her unruly crimson hair back over her shoulder with a flick of irritation.

"You seem very overjoyed," she said, her tone pointed and sharp, as if she could read every thought he was trying to bury.

"Of course, I am," Florian replied, each word measured like stepping stones over thin ice. "I wanted nothing more than to dismiss the rumors between me and His Majesty, and I..."

He paused.

He tried again.

’Say it. Say you’re rooting for Alexandria.’

The words wouldn’t come.

His mouth refused to move the way he wanted.

He could speak—but not that truth. Or maybe it wasn’t the truth at all.

’This won’t do.’

His gaze flickered to Cashew, who looked increasingly concerned, then back at the two princesses.

The pressure in his chest felt unbearable now. Like a dam threatening to burst.

"Well, uh..." Florian said, voice strained and awkwardly cheerful, "I’ll let you two go about with your walk. I still have to do stuff... for tomorrow."

He was already stepping back, inching away.

Scarlett frowned. "Wait... so soon?"

"Yeah, do you... want to have tea with—" Athena began, eyes lighting up hopefully.

But Florian couldn’t take it anymore.

He interrupted her, grabbing Cashew gently by the arm and pulling him away.

"No thank you! You both can hang out. Goodbye! See you tomorrow!" he exclaimed a little too loudly, already turning on his heel.

Cashew gasped in surprise, stumbling a little to keep up with him. "Y-Your Highness?"

But Florian didn’t stop.

He couldn’t.

Because if he stayed a second longer, he would either scream, cry, or say something he wasn’t allowed to say.

✧༺ ⏱︎ ༻✧

"Bye...?" Athena said softly, her voice laced with visible confusion. She tilted her head slightly, watching Florian as he disappeared down the corridor, still gently but hurriedly tugging Cashew along behind him.

Scarlett’s eyes followed their retreating forms as well, her brows knitting together. Something about the whole exchange—it lingered in her chest like a breath she couldn’t quite let out.

"Wasn’t Prince Florian acting... a bit odd?" Athena asked, her tone light, but her gaze sharp.

"Oh, he definitely was," Scarlett replied, her voice dropping an octave, her eyes narrowing in thought. Her lips pursed slightly. "It’s as if..."

She trailed off.

"It’s as if?" Athena repeated, curiosity blooming on her features.

Scarlett didn’t answer right away. She stared at the hallway where Florian had just vanished. The image of his forced smile, his too-quick retreat, and that twitch in his eye—all of it replayed in her mind like a scratched record.

’It’s as if he was jealous.’ Scarlett thought, but she didn’t say it aloud. It felt too presumptuous, too strange. After all, Florian never acted like he liked Heinz. If anything, he always looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.

But... people changed.

Feelings changed.

’Yeah. Things could change.’ she thought again, more quietly this time, and a warm flush crept up her neck. She turned her head quickly before Athena could see.

"It’s nothing," she finally said, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Shall we go to the garden?"

She was trying to sound casual, breezy—normal. But her voice lifted a little too fast, like she was hoping Athena would say yes before she lost her nerve.

Honestly, Alexandria being busy with the king couldn’t have come at a better time. This was her chance. A quiet walk. Tea. Just the two of them.

Athena smiled brightly, and it lit up her entire face. "Yes! I asked Serenia to prepare some tea and snacks."

Serenia—ever-efficient, ever-graceful. Athena’s trusted maid. Of course she had planned ahead.

Scarlett chuckled under her breath. "I can’t wait. I’ve been holding out on snacks lately... because of my diet."

"You’ve been on a diet?" Athena asked with a frown, glancing over at her as they began walking side by side down the stone pathway. "Why? You’re pretty enough as it is, Scarlett."

Scarlett stopped.

Her eyes widened, and heat exploded across her face like a firecracker. Her heart kicked into overdrive as her hands fumbled, fanning herself with the back of her palm.

"I—uhm, I—!" she coughed, sputtering awkwardly. "I just... suddenly... yeah."

Athena blinked at her, visibly confused. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I’m fine. Perfectly fine," Scarlett said far too quickly, eyes darting anywhere but at Athena’s face. "I just... I mean, maybe I stood up too fast or something, hah..."

"Oh," Athena said softly.

And then, silence.

An awkward, fluttering quiet settled between them as they walked. The type that tugged at Scarlett’s heart and made her acutely aware of the space between their arms. She wanted to look at her. Gods, she really wanted to look at her. But she was scared of what she might see—confusion, discomfort, maybe even pity.

She opened her mouth to speak, to explain, to somehow backpedal and recover her dignity.

But Athena beat her to it.

"Hm," Athena murmured thoughtfully as the two of them turned a corner framed by tall flowering hedges, their soft petals brushing against the breeze.

The gentle rustling of leaves filled the silence between them until Athena spoke again, "I just realized something."

Scarlett turned to her, grateful for the distraction from the awkward moment earlier. "And what is that?"

"Prince Florian said he was heading back to his room..."

Athena slowed, her steps faltering ever so slightly before she came to a stop. She raised her hand and pointed ahead—the direction they were walking.

"...But isn’t his room this way?"

Scarlett froze. Her breath caught in her throat, her body still as her mind suddenly jolted to attention. Her eyes widened, a creeping chill spreading from her chest to her fingertips.

That’s right.

She hadn’t caught it at the time—too preoccupied with Florian’s odd behavior and flushed expressions. But now, retracing his steps in her mind, it became clear.

Her gaze turned, almost mechanically, down the path Florian had taken.

A stone corridor flanked by towering ivy-covered walls, winding deeper into the palace’s quieter halls. Somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be going.

’If I remember correctly... that path leads directly to... oh.’

A wave of realization hit her like a stone sinking in water. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She didn’t want to assume—but at the same time, the conclusion came all too easily.

’Perhaps, my assumptions were right after all.’

That was interesting.