He Loved My Sister

But then Benjamin was smiling again.

Why is he smiling?

“Hmmm, we can talk freely in the banquet hall, but the Duke’s words are odd, it’s implying as if I can’t protect Lady Hildea , haha, though that’s not the case.”

He’s going to protect what?

“Of course not, but wouldn’t you get some strange looks if your highness, a crown prince who is in such an exalted position, was suddenly found holding onto a young lady?”

You’re not protecting her, you’re putting her into more danger, aren’t you?

Benjamin’s eyebrows twitched briefly at such sarcasm.

There was a hint of irritation in them, as if he couldn’t stand it.

” And what is that strange gaze?”

“A change of heart from someone who cares too much about their son, for example.”

“…….”

“The aftermath of that would be frightening, wouldn’t you agree?”

This time the crown prince’s expression hardened, and Gabriel let out a twisted laugh inwardly.

It did not appear to have been an action that had been prearranged with the empress.

Anyways, it is not good for Hildea to have any further conversations with the crown prince here.

Aside from the jealousy he will feel.

It was when he turned around and took Hildea’s hand and tried to lead her to where her family was.

“Young lady Hildea .”

The prince cunningly pointed out Hildea instead of him and spoke to her.

As if Hildea was okay, she moved away from his side and looked at the crown prince.

Seeing that, Gabriel clenched his fists.

‘I want to separate them.’

He had a good hunch.

Perhaps because he risked his life on the battlefield for many years, he was particularly good at reading people’s eyes.

So, the moment he had a direct conversation with the prince, he knew.

He looks nothing like his mother, but there’s more to him than meets the eye.

That’s why he wanted to hide Hildea behind himself.

‘Obsession.’

Something inside him was twisted, he sensed.

‘Unreasonable expectations.’

He looked at Hildea with expectations of his own.

‘He is a dangerous man.’

The look in his eyes could only be described as madness.

Usually, men like that would turn into someone else if the person deviated from their expectations.

The unusually young-looking crown prince smirked and blinked. In Hildea’s direction, to be precise.

As if to suggest that he was a weak creature who meant no harm.

“There is something I wish to ask you.”

“Go ahead, Your Highness.”

“Is Duke Belikus fiancée, by any chance, young lady Hildea?”

But at the next question, Gabriel stiffened, unable to think of anything.

Ha.

Gabrielle sighed inwardly.

Crown Prince Benjamin is pure? Bullshit. He knew what was going on, and he just poked him like that.

Because.

“No, Your Highness.”

Because he knew that’s what Hildea would say.

Her nonchalant voice was cold.

‘……Yes. You’re not.’

Even though he knew it, hearing it in her voice was like a knife stabbed through his chest.

Gabriel stared into Hildea’s cold face.

Hildea didn’t hesitate for a moment. As if it would never happen.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

My heart thumped and twitched. The crown prince’s strangely curved eyes were mocking me.

As if to say, “Are you sure you want to do this?

Gabriel gritted his teeth.

The crown prince spoke like an excited man.

“So, Duke Belikus is not the protector of Hildea, and cannot interfere with her behavior…….”

“But your highness.”

“?”

What Gabriel hadn’t anticipated was Hildea’s subsequent response.

She slowly raised her hand and calmly placed it on Gabriel’s arm.

As if to offer an arm to an escorting partner.

“……Hill?”

The mixed emotions that had washed over Gabriel and Benjamin’s faces reversed in an instant.

Hildea spoke dryly in a cold voice, with her waist upright.

Gabriel couldn’t take his eyes off her hand, which had reached for his..

It seemed to be faintly trembling.

No, it was trembling.

He wanted to hold her hand with both hands.

“It is true that Duke Belikus is going to be the fiancé of one of the Hillington siblings, and since he has taken the trouble to escort me today, I would now like to return the courtesy of my partner-if you will allow me to step aside.”

Benjamin’s face fell for a moment. It was a look of betrayal.

Not me, but Gabriel?

He must be thinking that.

Hildea smoothed her skirt with one hand and bowed gracefully.

“Our conversation today has been most informative, and I thank you for doing me this favor, Your Highness, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the first day of the banquet.”

It was a clean refusal without disrespect. To the point where it would be lame if he would try to hold onto her more here.

“……yes.”

The prince, who had a shaky expression for a moment, stepped back cleanly as if everything was alright.

While smiling

“The banquet is tomorrow too. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lady Hildea.”

Don’t! Give up on your last lingering feelings.

---

The atmosphere was eerie.

Gabriel’s attitude towards the crown prince was shocking, but so was Benjamin’s calm demeanor in the presence of the war hero Duke Belikus.

And the most uncomfortable thing.

‘I don’t know why, but I think it’s because of me.’

I don’t think it’s possible because I’m not a narcissist, but it’s still uncomfortable to give off such a murderous vibe in front of me.

So I cut off the conversation.

I used my partner’s relationship to say goodbye to the crown prince and then approached my family.

Just as I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Gabriel’s firm arm moved around my hand.

Oh, well, we didn’t have to do this anymore. Biting my lip in embarrassment, I was going to withdraw my hand.

“!”

His grip on my hand tightened.

The intimate contact made me stop walking and look up at him in surprise.

‘……Gabriel?’

And I met his quiet purple eyes looking down at me.

This is weird.

All I did was hold his hand.

“I’m sorry, Gabriel. But, if you put your hand on…….”

Why does my heart hurt so much?

“Because you were shaking.”

He said quickly as if it were an excuse. Avoiding his gaze. I lowered my eyes towards our interlocked hands.

Okay. I must have been nervous, and the trembling of my hand on his arm might have transmitted to him.

It’s just that.

‘It’s just a consolation, it doesn’t mean anything, because he was the kind of person who would be extremely kind and lovable to Rose, and I’m her…… sister.’

It was right to let go of his hand as soon as I realized what others would think.

I didn’t want Rose to see it.

But Gabriel aside, I couldn’t understand my hand, which stuck to him like a magnet and wouldn’t budge.

I stared at my hand with intensity.

“…….”

‘What do you think you’re doing, huh? Do you have some kind of unspoken desire?’

Just then, Gabriel nudged me.

“Were you acquainted with the crown prince?”

“Only by chance.”

Did he threaten you with anything?”

“No, he didn’t, he was very kind, it was just an uncomfortable situation.”

“…… But Hildea, he was…….”

I thought Gabriel was saying something, but I couldn’t hear.

‘Let go of his hand.’

I stared at his tight grip. But my fingers wouldn’t listen.

‘Let go.’

Then I have to tell Gabriel.

My mouth twitched.

I don’t need to hold hands. Isn’t it weird that we’re doing this?

Dad and Rose will be there, and the trembling has stopped, so come on.

I can’t let go, so you let go!

I jerked my head up and locked eyes with the man who was now looking at me again.

‘!’

My heart thumped.

In a different way, in a completely different way.

The heat that had clouded my eyes cooled down.

‘Your expression…… It’s cold.’

No, not at that level.

Gabriel’s face was as hard as a statue. Sadly, it was a familiar face to me.

The look that made me uncomfortable.

A look that had been with me since I was a child.

Normally, I would have been able to tolerate it, but today it was making me emotional.

‘Why are you looking at me like that? You put your hand on me first.’

Is it because today was a day where I was beaten by blind eyes all day?

‘What did I do wrong?’

I felt a flood of emotions. My heart was hurting, aching, and throbbing all at the same time.

Voices comparing me to Rose, saying I was too different.

Voices telling me my congratulatory words and abilities were sinister.

The voices that sneered at me, speculating that I had a bad relationship with my father.

All of these things had accumulated inside me without realizing it, even though they hadn’t done any damage.

‘It hurts. I think I hate this moment more than those voices.’

The tip of his nose wrinkled.

‘What the hell.’

It wasn’t the first time Gabriel had treated me and Rose differently.

I should be grateful that he’d put up with it all and escorted me this far.

“Does it feel uncomfortable? Then your hands…… shall I put it down?”

Gabriel asked without noticing.

I laughed inside. Isn’t it the other way around?