The Dawn of the New World Chapter 1612

She immediately lost her spirits and leaned back dejectedly. Head hung low and voice barely higher than a whisper, she sullenly muttered through puckered lips.

"The servants call me Princess Hwa and my family members call me Song Jae. I want you to call me Jae Hwa or just 'Jaei', that would be even better..."

Hao Xuan felt like he was conversing with a spoiled brat. This talk of calling someone this and that could not be any less of a priority for him right now.

He didn't even try to fight back and accepted her terms on the spot.

"Sure, Jaei it is then. But in front of other people I will call you Princess Jae. Do we have a deal? Can we leave now?"

Hao Xuan tried to get up but she refused to move her legs, "Nope! There is something else we have to do first!"

His eyes narrowed, "You know I can just take you back kicking and screaming, right? I don't actually need your permission for anything."

Princess Hwa's eyes began to water before he could even form another thought.

"Wait a second, this won't work on m-"

Hao Xuan waved his hands but sniffling and snuffling one second, she burst into tears the next.

"Shhh! No, wait-"

He tried to placate her but people from other stalls were already trying to catch a glimpse of the drama.

"What's going on?"

"He made her cry, that's what!"

"Tsk, you can never judge a person by their looks. He doesn't look like a womanizer."

"A womanizer? He's a SLAVE FIRST! How does a slave get such a beautiful girl and I can't even- tsk, I don't even wanna eat anymore!"

Hao Xuan tried to act nonchalant about the whole thing until she started speaking through the sobs and made it even worse.

"I-I just wanted to g-go there- because I don't h-have anyone else to ask!"

And the audience, predictably, was not kind to his plight.

"Aww that poor thing!"

"What a heartless man, tsk tsk tsk."

"You should treat your wife better, young man."

Hao Xuan finally exploded, barking at the gathered crowd without any reservations.

"WHAT WIFE!? We just met half an hour ago!"

*Synchronous GASP*

"A-And already you have done-?! Oh my, how bold are young people these days!"

"That poor girl, it was probably her first time too!"

Hao Xuan's knuckles turned white from frustration but it was Princess Hwa who delivered the final blow with her own two hands.

Wiping the tears from her face she held her belly, "No one had h-held me like that before. I thought...I just thought we had something special."

"WHA-"

'Enough!'

*Woosh*

Hao Xuan picked her up and ran out of the shop before they could even blink. Only when the coin bag hit the counter did the crowd explode in a clamour.

He ran back to the Beast Market away from any prying eyes while Princess Hwa laughed uncontrollably in his arms. She stopped when he unceremoniously placed her down upon reaching the hideout.

"The hell was that about?!"

Her sullen demeanor was nowhere to be found as she gracefully danced around the campfire.

"Hahaha, wasn't it so fun??"

But Hao Xuan was exhausted trying to keep up with her shenanigans.

"No, it wasn't! How could you even imply such a thing in public?! If anyone recognized you then I would be the one who would have to pay the price!"

Her feet slowed and then came to a full stop in front of him. She looked into his eyes with stark clarity, as if she could see right through him.

"Oppa, don't do that"

Hao Xuan hesitated, this was the same thing he felt in the Umbral Plane earlier when approaching her shadow.

"Don't...do what?" he cautiously questioned.

"Don't pretend, don't lie...not with me, okay? Promise me."

'???'

Princess Hwa extended a pinky finger with a rather solemn air about her. She seemed like a completely different person from a moment prior.

"Promise you won't ever lie to me," she petitioned earnestly and openly, "Give me your word and I will give you mine, now and forever."

This was a bizarre situation. She had no power to speak of, be it physical or spiritual, but she stood as his equal with an aura to match.

"Your honesty in exchange for mine?" Hao Xuan reiterated to which she gave a slow nod.

He locked fingers with her, more out of curiosity than sincerity, expecting some hidden divine power to come down and reveal itself in the last moment but...that was it.

No soul bond, no blood pact, no nothing. It was exactly like she had said- her word for his with no witnesses apart from each other.

"You're a weird girl," he commented in a fluster.

She flashed an impish grin, "Of course! You are my first real friend!"