Episode 60

Yvonne.

Yurian was calling her name, smiling.

“Are you peeking into the couple’s bedroom, Duke Leonhardt?”

“Yes.”

Yvonne was momentarily flustered by Yurian’s brazen answer. Then she inadvertently let out a small laugh, finding it strange that Yurian seemed so accustomed to her smiling at him, even though it was unlikely she was.

“My nickname isn’t Yvonne. It’s Eve.”

“Yvonne.”

“Eve.”

“You’re allowing me to use a nickname, then, Eve.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come down. That sacred tree is said to be blessed directly by the goddess Yulias.”

She said this and approached the window. Yurian’s heart started pounding as she came closer, wearing her Priest robes.

“And spying on another man’s wife while she’s changing?”

“I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t see anything.”

“You liked the butterfly-shaped birthmark next to my navel, didn’t you?”

“Did I?”

“Oh my.”

Yvonne crossed her arms and looked at him.

“Are you interested in such things? How shameless.”

When she mocked him like that, Yurian was at a loss for words, feeling embarrassed. His face turned as red as if he were drunk, and his ears flushed easily. Yvonne found some comfort in the fact that Yurian still turned red every time he was near her.

“I guess I’ll have to take responsibility.”

“What responsibility?”

In truth, he hadn’t seen anything. As soon as he came up, he signaled to her right away. He had considered entering through the door but thought it would put her in a difficult position, so he came this way instead.

Besides, she was the only princess who could inherit the throne of the Briseis Empire, and if she had run away, he had to bring her back no matter what.

He tried to think of the most gentlemanly way to handle it, but he still felt it was rude from a woman’s perspective. However, his mouth didn’t follow his thoughts.

“Since I’ve seen you, you should become the Duchess of Leonhardt.”

“I’m about to become the Duchess of Lothaten.”

“The Briseis Empire is much larger than the Kingdom of Apentina.”

“My husband is more handsome than Duke Leonhardt.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“……”

Yvonne tried to pretend she was blinded by love, but Yurian was more her type, which made her momentarily speechless.

“That’s how it looks to me.”

“Your Highness twists your hair when you lie.”

Realizing she was unknowingly twisting her hair, she crossed her arms again.

“In my eyes, my husband is the most handsome in the world. Besides, I prefer smart men over those who wield swords.”

She was annoyed to find herself twisting her hair near her elbow again, so she crossed her arms tightly.

“I thought I was asexual, but seeing Your Highness, I realized I’m not.”

“Stop talking nonsense and leave.”

“Why did Your Highness leave the palace?”

“I told you, I’m not Your Highness.”

“Let’s just say you are.”

Yvonne fully approached the window. Yurian almost slipped from the tree as she came closer and smiled brightly through the window.

Thwack!

He regained his balance for a moment and saw the curtains drawn. He laughed.

“Yvonne?”

“….”

“Eve.”

“Proposing to someone you just met isn’t normal. Stop the nonsense and leave.”

“It’s not the first time. I’ve seen you every year at the New Year’s festival.”

“Confusing me with someone else is also very rude.”

Yvonne said this and lay down on the bed.

Yurian thought if he waited a bit longer, she might open the window again, but then worried she might dislike him more for it, so he sighed.

Even though he was in a position to forcibly take Princess Yvonne, he didn’t want to.

“I’m sorry. I came because I was anxious hearing you were leaving tomorrow. Please forgive me.”

He said this and jumped down from the tree. Landing smoothly, he wondered if he had gone mad.

If she wasn’t actually Princess Yvonne, how rude it was to come uninvited, and that her dislike for him was understandable, made him confused.

Even so, the thought of parting this way made him feel he would regret it forever, causing his head to ache.

Realizing that his lingering thoughts of Princess Yvonne were due to love was confusing. More confusing was her disappearance, and now, having the missing princess in front of him.

He didn’t know much about the princess, but when the High Priest broke the mental spell on her, her hair turned silver. This confirmed to him that her natural hair color was indeed silver, even though it was due to the High Priest’s mistake.

Though his mind chided him for being crazy, his body acted independently, performing reckless actions. Yurian felt frustrated and sorry that Yvonne was rejecting him. At the same time, he was anxious, feeling that parting with her was unacceptable.

If even he found himself intolerable, how much more must she dislike him?

Despite this thought, somewhere deep inside, only the feelings of being lied to and coldly abandoned by her surfaced, haunting him.

Yurian’s mind had returned to its usual state, having forgotten those memories and becoming cold again. However, his body was still hopelessly drawn to Yvonne, waiting for her, mixed with resentment.

It was a dual state, though Yurian hadn’t realized it yet.

* * *

When Yurian returned to his assigned room, Marquess Rohan was waiting at the door.

“Ah, Duke Rohan.”

“Duke Leonhardt.”

As they shook hands and smiled, Yurian thought he should feel guilty for approaching Yvonne, yet his body was filled with hostility toward the marquess, gripping his hand tightly without realizing it.

The feeling was mutual. Marquess Rohan was uncomfortable, sensing Yvonne’s scent on him despite its impossibility.

“What brings you here?”

“I regret we have to part tomorrow.”

“I see.”

Yurian forced a smile as he opened the door, gesturing for Marquess Rohan to enter. The marquess had disliked Yurian for a long time, partly due to their clashing personalities, but also because of what he had heard from Francis about Yurian’s actions when Yvonne was in the basement.

Moreover, Emperor Hildebrandt’s peculiar hostility toward Yurian suggested to him that Yvonne’s feelings for Yurian might have been more than just sympathy. But it didn’t matter. Yvonne had chosen him now, and erasing Yurian’s memories was a simple task.

Yvonne’s strong sense of responsibility in choosing him meant everything was already settled in his mind. It had to be.

“What kind of tea do you like?”

“Milk tea.”

“You have a child’s taste.”

“And what do you drink, Duke Leonhardt?”

“Chrysanthemum tea.”

“You prefer tea from the eastern continent. Interesting taste.”

Marquess Rohan mocked him. Although he originally preferred bitter flavors, he consciously changed because Yvonne liked sweet ones.

“Bring the tea.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yurian spoke to his servant after pulling a bell cord. Marquess Rohan met the gaze of Yurian’s servant, who had had his memories altered. The servant, intrigued by the unfamiliar yet familiar-looking man, soon left the room.

“Why do you keep Princess Yvonne with you?”

Unaware of Marquess Rohan’s abilities, Yurian judged he could defeat him and asked.

Had his memories not been erased, he would have restrained the marquess for questioning. Marquess Rohan’s power required proximity to work. Alternatively, using a potion would have been more effective, as it condensed magical power.

“Because I love her.”

“….”

Marquess Rohan spoke truthfully since there was nothing to hide.

“Is that what the princess desires?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m handsome and have the body she likes.”

Marquess Rohan unknowingly expressed his inferiority complex. What did it matter what he said if the memory would be erased anyway?

“Boasting about such a trivial thing. You have modest dreams, Duke Rohan.”

“My wife prefers someone who uses a pen over a sword.”

“Someone who uses both well might exist.”

“Yes, that’s me.”

Marquess Rohan’s quick reply irritated Yurian. His intention had been to refer to himself, but Marquess Rohan replied with a feigned naivety.

“You have a strong sense of self, Marquess Rohan.”

“My wife loves that about me.”

Yurian felt that no matter what he did, he couldn’t win against the confident Marquess Rohan, who believed he had Yvonne. The marquess’s taunting words felt like needles pricking his heart.

“The princess couldn’t take her eyes off me. Isn’t it too soon to make assumptions?”

“She wasn’t expecting to run into you, Duke Leonhardt.”

“…”

“Eloping with me makes it awkward to meet you.”

Yurian clenched his fists tightly without realizing it. His palms were calloused, but his nails dug into his skin, drawing blood.

“What if the emperor learns you’ve taken the princess?”

Yurian threatened, but Marquess Rohan wasn’t particularly frightened. He had already prepared for everything.

“Duke Leonhardt, look here.”

Marquess Rohan gestured, and Yurian followed his gaze.

“Forget everything you’ve seen here.”

At that moment, Marquess Rohan locked eyes with Yurian. The same madness as before was visible in his eyes.