The Sweet Alpha Crown Prince Loves Me So Much

Belfry’s prediction was spot-on. Adrian had Carl by the hand and was thoroughly licking his palm.

“

,

!”

Despite Carl wincing and trying to pull away, Adrian held on tight until tears welled up in Carl’s eyes. Adrian finally let go as he retreated with a tsk sound, smacking his lips in disappointment while Carl stared at him incredulously.

“Who licks open someone else’s wound like this?” It really stung.

“Who gets injured without my permission? Besides, I’m healing it, not messing with it.” Adrian glared at him.

Carl had never heard of licking as a medical treatment method, but when he inspected his hand, he was astonished.

“Wow, it’s true!”

The long, deep cut was already healing and turning pink. Magic truly was amazing. Adrian Heineken was even more so.

Just a while ago, as Carl was about to suggest it was time to head back, Adrian had noticed the cut on his palm. It was probably caused by Belfry’s mother-of-pearl button. 

Adrian’s face had been ice-cold as he gripped Carl’s struggling hand, despite Carl’s assurances that he was fine. The fact that Adrian caught such a minor injury, which didn’t even require medication, left Carl feeling unnerved.

“Dare to get hurt again. See what happens.” Adrian had said, pouting.

Wasn’t this it? That possessive ‘you’re mine now, so don’t you dare get hurt’ thing?

Carl wrapped his arms around himself as he felt chills run down his spine. “It’s not that big of a deal anyway.”

“Nothing?” Carl shrugged and put his hands behind his back to avoid Adrian’s intense gaze. “People get hurt sometimes. Why, are you gonna lick every wound I get?”

Carl teased, adding slyly, “Be honest, the healing was just an excuse, wasn’t it? You just wanted to…”

Adrian nodded matter-of-factly at Carl’s sassy remark. “Yeah, exactly.”

Carl gaped at him, speechless. 

“If you don’t like it, then just don’t get hurt—whether because of me or someone else. I’ll allow it this time since it was an act of kindness for another person, but don’t expect me to compromise on this ever again.”

His tone was chilling, but Carl couldn’t help but think he had definitely picked the right man. 

What could be warmer than that? 

He truly was the male lead straight out of a romance novel.

“Alright, alright, let’s head back now. To the engagement ceremony.” 

Carl replied, giving a mental thumbs-up. Adrian pressed a kiss to his forehead and abruptly stood up, pulling the bell cord. 

The attendants who had been hovering nearby promptly rushed in.

“His Highness Crown Prince Adrian Heineken and His Highness Prince Carl Lindbergh!”

The announcement rang out. 

Glenn smiled at the sight of them. “So, they finally decided to grace us with their presence.”

Embarrassed, Carl entered the hall, hand-in-hand with Adrian, who looked rather grumpy. Understandably so, as they would have preferred to spend time alone together instead of being burdened by this engagement ceremony.

“Theresa, aren’t you tired? It’s been quite a day. They say a life full of incidents is a life well lived. Looks like those two are living up to it.”

“That’s rich coming from the man whose rut delayed our wedding for a whole week.” 

Though she said it with a laugh now, it had caused quite a stir back then. Everyone had traveled far for the occasion only to be delayed at the imperial palace for a week. The floral decorations wilted, and the food supplies were depleted three times faster than anticipated.

“Still, it’s thanks to that we’re living such a happy life now. With a wonderful son, no less.”

Glenn rubbed Theresa’s hand gently. “That’s true. Though I still feel bad for everyone who worked so hard on the wedding preparations.”

Theresa said, gazing down at her son, her eyes overflowing with love. Her flushed cheeks quivered with lingering amusement. 

The two young people were surrounded by well-wishers in the middle of the banquet hall. 

Even as a child, Adrian had always been an incredibly well-behaved boy and never cried. He’d been mischievous, sure, but whenever he was told off, he would just pout and sulk, never yelling or throwing a tantrum.  

And now, that same Adrian was all grown up and getting married. As his mother, Theresa couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by how he seemed both the same little boy and a strong, capable man at the same time.

And Carl Lindbergh…

“He’s adorable.”

“Who is?”

“The boy over there. Carl Lindbergh.”

Glenn raised his eyebrows before following Theresa’s gaze. Two young men were making their way through the throngs of well-wishers to greet the Emperor and Empress. Adrian quickly steadied Carl when the latter stumbled slightly.

“I guess he’s quite nervous.”

“Well, he’s about to officially become a Heineken. He must be very scared.”

“No way, he seems to like being engaged to Adrian. Look at that smile on his face.” Theresa tugged on Glenn’s sleeve as the couple drew nearer.

Had this not been such a formal occasion, she would have fanned her flushed cheeks to calm her nerves. This was one of many sides of Empress Theresa Calvados that only Glenn knew about.

“I greet Your Majesties. I am Prince Carl Lindbergh of the Kingdom of Lindbergh.” As Carl politely bowed his head, Theresa internally shrieked.

Glenn alone held onto this secret: Theresa’s ideal type had always been a delicate, handsome man with blond hair and blue eyes. Somehow, though, the burly Glenn Heineken had captured both her heart and body. An ideal type is just an ideal type, after all.

“Come closer and sit down. With your duties as hosts fulfilled, it’s time for some family bonding now.”

At Glenn’s gesture, servants entered pushing carts laden with food.

The warmth of the word ‘family’ made Carl tightly grip Adrian’s hand. 

The sumptuous dinner consisted of tender veal steak, warm broccoli soup, finger foods, and chilled champagne.

Despite being too nervous to eat all day, even Carl couldn’t help but salivate at the sight of the feast spread before him.

Tables lined the banquet hall where guests would dine, drink, and socialize while the emperor, empress, crown prince, and future crown princess observed from above on a higher level.

Carl took his seat next to Adrian across from the Empress and greeted her.

“It’s an honor to finally meet you, Your Majesty.” 

“I’m glad to see you as well, dear. I wanted to greet you earlier, but as you can see…” She smoothed her hand over her pregnant belly, looking apologetic.

“Think nothing of it, Your Majesty. After all, taking care of yourself is paramount during this time.” Carl swallowed hard as he gazed at Theresa’s swollen abdomen. Though it was difficult for him to imagine himself with a baby bump, seeing one before his eyes made him envision his own future.

“Since I’m having a baby at an older age, Glenn—no, His Majesty—worries a lot.”

The unspoken ‘so much so that he won’t let me leave our quarters,’ hung heavy in the air. Theresa unconsciously pouted, and Carl shook his head sympathetically.

“It’s not an unfounded worry, Your Majesty. As you know from personal experience, pregnancy can be physically demanding.” Carl vividly remembered his mother carrying her second child at age fifty due to marrying late in life.

“Do you, by any chance, suffer from anemia?” The unexpected question caught Adrian, Glenn, and Theresa off guard.

“Yes, I do. And it’s been getting worse.”

Anemia was the primary reason Theresa couldn’t leave her room. Observing how pale she looked, Carl advised, “Please consume leafy greens raw whenever possible and eat plenty of liver dishes.”

“Is that so?”

“Eating seaweed would also be beneficial. If you have access to the right ingredients, I can share some recipes with you.”

“Oh my,” Theresa gasped, touched by his concern. 

Carl wondered if there was a magical solution for iron supplements instead of taking pills separately. He then asked another question:

“Have you been experiencing severe morning sickness?” Carl asked, biting back the urge to add,

Theresa, however, was warmed by his concern. “Thankfully, I’ve been spared severe morning sickness. It was the same when I was pregnant with Adrian.”

She smiled fondly at Adrian, proud of him. Carl joined her in smiling at him. He was indeed a good boy.

Adrian, meanwhile, remained oblivious, looking back and forth between them with a confused expression.

Despite never having been pregnant himself, Carl Lindbergh was well-informed about childbirths, and Theresa, feeling an unexpected kinship with him, found her fondness growing.

The four of them enjoyed their meal, conversing comfortably. Theresa, in particular, seemed to take to Carl, and he, in turn, found her surprisingly down-to-earth and motherly. 

Due to the noisy banquet hall, Glenn eventually switched seats with Carl and whispered into Adrian’s ear.

“Your fiancé seems to get along quite well with your mother. You should bring him around more often. It warms my heart to see Theresa laugh like this again.”

Adrian bit back a sigh. He couldn’t exactly tell his father that their mother’s perpetual anxiety was a direct result of his overprotective nature, now could he? He took a long sip of his champagne instead. 

The night of their engagement ceremony slowly drew to a close.