Dante came to a sudden stop.
“With Princess Rubia?”
“Yes.”
Letier, who had been walking a little ahead, turned back as if wondering what was wrong.
Dante frowned and rubbed his forehead.
“I know what you’re thinking, but Rubia and I…”
Damn it…
No suitable word came to mind.
Fiancée made the relationship sound too certain and solid, but calling it nothing at all didn’t fit either—there were too many entanglements.
And it’s not like he could just blurt out, we’re tentatively engaged for political reasons and planning to break it off soon.
Letier stared quietly at him as he looked troubled, then quickly turned away.
So she’s such a precious fiancée that even talking about her feels delicate?
That thought crushed the good mood she’d had just moments earlier, dragging it to the ground.
“…Anyway, it’s not the kind of relationship you’re imagining.”
“…..”
Dante stepped closer as he spoke.
Letier said nothing.
She didn’t even know why she felt so upset. Besides, she knew she had no right to say anything about their relationship.
“I want to go with you.”
Somewhat desperate now, Dante moved and blocked her path.
Letier lifted her head to look at him.
After a short silence, she opened her mouth.
“Why?”
“Why, huh.”
Dante murmured in a low voice.
Words churned in his throat, unable to come out.
Even he couldn’t define them clearly himself.
“When I went out today, I found the capital of the Eustian Kingdom to be cute and charming.”
“…..”
He waited quietly to hear what she would say next.
“The famous restaurants and cafés were full of romantic atmosphere.”
“So?”
“So I’m just saying, rather than going with your skincare therapist, it might be better to visit them with your long-lost fiancée.”
Dante furrowed his brows in frustration.
“…Since you’ve been there today, you could explain things better to me.”
“Princess Rubia has lived in the Eustian Kingdom her whole life, though?”
“I’m more comfortable with you than her.”
“That’s probably because I’m the therapist hired to treat you. Which is exactly why you should spend more time with Princess Rubia and grow closer to her.”
Not letting a single word slide.
Dante clenched his jaw.
“I don’t care about all that. I said I want to go with you.”
“I already have plans tomorrow.”
“With whom.”
“Sion.”
A lie.
She hadn’t made any specific plans with Sion.
But somehow, feeling emotionally tangled in this conversation with the prince, she blurted out his name without thinking.
At that moment, the bag of bread Dante was holding crumpled badly in his grip.
My bread…!
Letier flinched and glanced at the poor cream buns being squashed under his hand.
“So you’ve gotten quite close with him?”
“…..”
“And you don’t have any time for me outside of official business?”
Dante spoke slowly, putting emphasis on each syllable.
That’s not true… but more importantly—my bread…
“Cancel your plans with him tomorrow. You have something scheduled.”
“What is it?”
“What else would a skincare therapist employed by me have to do besides treatment?”
“…But you don’t have any skin conditions.”
Dante shrugged.
He didn’t even bother frowning as he spoke.
“I’m in pain.”
“…..”
“My skin feels chafed all over. Maybe it’s from stress.”
Liar…
Letier looked up at his smooth, flawless face.
“There’s no visible symptom. There’s nothing I can do right now, but I’ll give you some calming cream. Just apply it regularly.”
“How do you know whether I have symptoms or not?”
“I can tell just by looking! Your face is not just clear—it’s practically glowing!”
“I never said it was my face.”
He asked with a sly grin.
At that, Letier immediately furrowed her brows.
“Then where?”
“Can’t show you here…”
Dante leaned in close and whispered by her ear.
“I can only show you when we’re alone. It’s a rather private area.”
“…Ugh.”
Letier let out an exasperated sigh.
Meanwhile, Dante, apparently quite pleased with himself, strode ahead with a bright smile on his face.
“Come to my room tomorrow morning.”
“……”
“You’ll need to clear plenty of time. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to keep your plans with that guy, so you’ll have to cancel.”
“Treatments don’t take that long.”
“They will this time.”
As he finished speaking, he looked back slightly.
“Because I’ll need you to check every corner of my body.”
****
The next morning, Letier stood in front of the prince’s room, carrying cosmetics, ingredients, a large notebook, and pens.
No matter what happens, I’m going to expose that lie and get out of here!
“I need to go out and buy more cream buns…”
As expected, the ones the prince had carried yesterday were completely squashed.
She raised a determined fist and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
A low voice came from inside the room.
Letier took a deep breath as if preparing herself, then grasped the luxurious ivory doorknob and turned it.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“You brought quite a lot.”
Dante, who had been sitting on the sofa by the window, stood and approached her.
Maybe because he was in his private room, he was dressed very casually.
At least his pants were neat and full-length, but on his upper body, he wore nothing but a soft robe directly on bare skin.
Since it wasn’t tied properly, the robe hung loosely, revealing his firm chest.
Can’t he wear clothes properly…!
Letier’s eyes darted around in panic, not knowing where to look.
“Here, give them to me.”
He took all the things she was carrying and dumped them on the table next to the sofa.
Letier followed him and got straight to the point.
“Please describe the symptoms and show me the affected area.”
“Why so impatient?”
Dante smiled as he asked.
“You said it hurts. I need to treat it quickly.”
“I’ll make you some tea. What kind do you like?”
“I already had some.”
“Then maybe some snacks—”
“I’m full.”
Letier shot him down with a solid wall of indifference.
She could feel Dante quietly staring at her, surprised by her unexpected firmness.
“Just show me where it hurts! I prepared a lot for today.”
“Alright, alright.”
He nodded as if giving in.
Dante stood up from the sofa and walked over to the large bed behind him.
“Why are you going over there?”
“So you can see the affected area better.”
He climbed onto the bed and lay flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling.
With both arms folded under his head as a pillow, he turned to look at Letier, who was clearly bewildered.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Is there any reason this has to be done on the bed?”
“It’s spacious. Easier to undress, too.”
Seriously…
Letier bit her lower lip and clenched her fists.
The prince was obviously messing with her.
No matter how naive or oblivious she might be, she wasn’t so clueless that she couldn’t see this much!
“Fine!”
Letier stomped her way over to him.
If that’s how you want to play, I’ll gladly go along with it!
Standing in front of the bed, Letier looked down at him as he smirked up at her.
Since he’d thrown himself down so carelessly, his robe was all disheveled and messy.
“Where should I start?”
“My shoulder.”
“Then sit up for a moment, please.”
At her words, Dante obediently raised his upper body.
Without hesitation, Letier grabbed the robe with both hands and yanked it back.
I already know there’s nothing wrong!
Whether it was because she pulled too hard or because he was startled by her boldness, Dante’s torso was thrown backward.
“…..”
Ha! Just as I thought!
Letier scoffed as she stared at his perfectly unblemished shoulder.
His broad shoulders were smooth and firm, not a single mark in sight.
Still, just to be sure, Letier leaned in and examined it closely.
“Hmm… Is it just me, or is there really nothing here?”
“..…”
Dante didn’t respond at all.
He must’ve been flustered by her unexpected assertiveness.
Confident she’d won this little game, Letier turned her head toward him.
“I don’t see any particular symptoms. If you could just point out the specific area that hurts—”
Then she noticed his ears, red—no, nearly bleeding red from how flushed they were.
Uh…
Uh…?
A moment later, he turned his head toward her.
His crimson eyes, streaked with gold, filled her view.
Startled by the closer-than-expected proximity, Letier pulled her hand away from his shoulder.
Too close… way too close…
“…Letier.”
At last, he spoke.
His voice was deep, husky.
And at the same time, she began to hear a soft, rhythmic sound near her ear—so faint, she wouldn’t have heard it if she hadn’t been paying attention.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
Is that… the prince’s heartbeat?
Or could it be mine…?
“…”
Letier stared into his crimson eyes as if entranced.
That gaze…
Within his eyes, an unfamiliar thirst bloomed.
Confused by the strange sensation, Letier couldn’t look away from him.
Dante reached out and gently took her hand, which had been hanging in the air.
He pulled her toward him with the slightest pressure.
Before she knew it, she’d tipped forward onto him.
Her knee slid up onto the bed, and her body, unable to resist gravity, fell on top of the prince’s…
“..…”
Knock knock!
Just then, a sound came from the firmly closed door.
Letier quickly turned her head in surprise.
“Your Highness! It’s me—Rubia!”
A bright, high-pitched voice rang out, cheerfully piercing their ears.
