133. Prince Asif’s Blunt Approach

Roselia’s body stiffened.

The man who had always posed a threat to her since Rugbeljet.

The one who tried to sow discord between Klaus and the Crown Prince to weaken both the ducal house and the imperial family—and then take the seat above them.

And yet, like a phantom, he never left a trace.

She thought her connection with him would end once she left Rugbeljet, but Rubelio returned, circling around her like a starving hyena, eyes fixed on her neck.

As if her mere involvement in everything, and especially being Klaus’s woman, offended him.

It was as if he wanted to see her fall, gasp for breath, and die slowly.

Sensing Roselia’s unease, Johannes quietly stepped beside her.

“Roselia, are you alright?”

He gently took her hand, reading her complexion. Roselia forced a small smile.

“Yes, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

But even in her voice, Johannes picked up the slight tension. He turned a cold gaze toward Rubelio.

Roselia’s reaction had changed drastically since the Grand Duke appeared.

Johannes didn’t yet know that Rubelio was involved in all the threats back in Rugbeljet.

At the time, Klaus had been wary of him and likely hadn’t shared anything about Rubelio with Johannes.

Still, from Roselia’s reaction, Johannes could already tell Rubelio was not someone she welcomed.

So he stood protectively beside her.

Noticing Johannes’s guarded stance, Rubelio offered a courteous smile.

“Marquess of Euciliod, what a pleasure to see you again. I regret we didn’t have more time to speak back in Rugbeljet.”

Johannes returned the smile just as politely.

“You were a very busy man there, Your Grace. It was hard to even catch a glimpse of you.”

Roselia looked at Johannes in surprise. His words, while polite, were laced with pointed meaning.

Could it be that Johannes knew something about Rubelio?

When she turned to look at him, wide-eyed, he met her gaze with a warm smile, as if to say: Don’t worry. Whatever it is, I’ve got it.

Seeing his gentle expression, Roselia felt a little more at ease.

Then Rubelio, observing her quietly, spoke again with feigned casualness.

“Well now, I never would’ve guessed that Viscount Bernas was actually the daughter of the Marquess. If I’d known, I might’ve worked harder to deepen our acquaintance in Rugbeljet.”

His sly grin sent a chill down Roselia’s spine.

Acting like he hadn’t known she was a woman—when he had her abducted in an attempt to hand her over to the concubine faction—it was revolting.

What made it worse was that there wasn’t a shred of evidence to hold against him.

Even when some of her kidnappers were captured by the Marquess’s knights, they had either taken their own lives or been killed by their allies.

The organization under Rubelio’s house that had attacked her had never been officially exposed, and he’d simply denied involvement.

Roselia stared at his smiling face, her own expression cold and hard.

“I thought we were close, Your Grace, considering how often I met your subordinates. But I guess that wasn’t mutual.”

Her loaded words made Rubelio’s smile freeze, ever so slightly.

But despite the clear tension, Roselia held her ground, staring him down. Rubelio let out a forced chuckle.

“Meeting my men that often makes me a little jealous. From now on, how about you meet me directly instead, Lady Roselia?”

Roselia’s brow twitched slightly at his pushback.

Noticing the strange current between them, Crown Prince Aaron tilted his head, curious.

“Why would the Grand Duke’s subordinates be meeting with the Marquess’s daughter so frequently?”

Rubelio’s expression froze momentarily at the direct question.

But only for a brief moment. He quickly returned to his composed mask and answered bluntly.

“Lady Roselia is quite close with the Crown Princess. She’s often in the palace, so it’s natural she’d cross paths with my people.”

Even as he said it casually, Roselia’s expression remained stiff.

Aaron, watching them both, gave Rubelio a look of veiled meaning.

“I see… Ah, and by the way, I understood your sentiment clearly.”

At the sudden shift in topic, Rubelio looked confused.

Aaron just smiled.

“I meant your blessing during the proclamation ceremony.”

In that instant, Rubelio’s expression hardened—far more than before.

The “blessing” he had given at the proclamation ceremony was no small matter. Everyone who had been present would remember it.

The moment he had questioned whether the young prince was truly a suitable heir… that single remark had spiraled into chaos, especially when Alphonse brought forth Nora, a woman of imperial blood.

Rubelio, having dismissed Aaron as an ignorant child at the time, had intended to let the incident pass without consequence. But now, Aaron was subtly dragging it back into the light—and Rubelio was forced to swallow dryly.

“Seems Your Grace is closer with my brother than with me,” Aaron remarked, his tone dry and impassive.

Rubelio responded with an awkward smile.

“Surely not. I was simply offering advice out of concern for Your Highness, who is still so young. I watched my nephew, Crown Prince Esteban, struggle after being appointed at a young age as well, so…”

As Rubelio answered with composure, Aaron looked up at him steadily.

His expression was unreadable, and Rubelio’s awkward smile lingered as Aaron gave a small nod.

“Yes… the Crown Prince of Rugbeljet must have quite a hard time.”

At Aaron’s meaningful comment, Rubelio’s smile twitched before he quickly backed off.

“He is indeed still lacking in many areas. I do my best to support him closely. Then, if you’ll excuse me, I shall take my leave. Should the opportunity arise, I hope you’ll visit Rugbeljet someday…”

With a polite bow, Grand Duke Rubelio took his leave and walked away.

As Roselia glared at his retreating figure, Aaron asked, concern clouding his expression,

“You don’t get along with the Grand Duke, do you?”

Roselia smiled softly and shook her head at his now surprisingly dependable tone.

“Don’t worry. Now that I’m under the House of Euciliod, he can’t lay a finger on me.”

At her words, Johannes—who had remained silent by her side—spoke up, his voice icy.

“Which means he did lay a finger on you before.”

Gone was his usual gentle demeanor, replaced by a chilling presence that made Roselia look at him awkwardly.

“Well… I can’t say for sure yet. It’s all just speculation, really…”

“If you felt it, then it’s probably true.”

At Johannes’s cold certainty, Roselia gave a strained smile.

“Still, we can’t afford to get into a conflict with Grand Duke Rubelio now, can we?”

She was right.

Rubelio was a member of Rugbeljet’s imperial family.

If Crown Prince Aaron—heir to Raphelios—and the House of Euciliod, a cornerstone of the empire, openly clashed with him, it could easily escalate into an international dispute.

Johannes frowned in displeasure, but Roselia swiftly changed the subject to lighten the mood.

“Anyway, didn’t you say you were curious about the Bellog merchant venture? Oh—look, there’s Marquis Bellog now.”

And just like that, she redirected the conversation toward Bellog, who was walking over to greet them.

Approaching to pay his respects to the Crown Prince, Bellog was caught off guard by the sudden, focused attention from their group—and his eyes widened in surprise.

* * *

Roselia had just been discussing the merchant venture with Marquis Bellog and the Crown Prince when she stepped out onto the terrace to get some fresh air.

Aaron, unable to contain his excitement, had been thrilled by the news that not only the Kingdoms of Mule and Benuve but also Zelos would be joining the business. With the imperial household promising its full support, it was clear expectations were sky-high for the now transnational venture.

“Roselia!”

A familiar voice called out, cutting through the air and catching her ear.

Turning her head, Roselia spotted Claucet, waving cheerfully as if she’d just arrived.

Claucet wore a deep navy gown that perfectly complemented her sapphire-blue eyes. Roselia smiled warmly, proud of how stunning she looked.

“My lady.”

She greeted her with a bright smile, then casually glanced around the area.

If Claucet was here… then Klaus must have arrived too.

Roselia, who had fled after their last embrace without facing him again, now found herself unsure how to deal with him.

Fortunately, Klaus was nowhere in sight.

“Looking for someone?”

Claucet tilted her head, curious. Roselia quickly shook her head.

“Ah… no, it’s nothing.”

“Where’s His Highness the Crown Prince? I should probably greet him first…”

As Claucet glanced around, Roselia, who had just come from that very direction, easily pointed the way.

“He’s over there. I’m going to get a bit of air.”

“Oh? Alright then, see you in a bit.”

Leaving Claucet behind, Roselia stepped out from the stifling banquet hall.

The moment she opened the terrace doors, a refreshing breeze brushed across her face.

Relieved, she stepped outside—only for her eyes to land on a familiar figure.

“…Oh.”

He looked just as surprised to see her.

“Prince Asif…?”

Why does he look so flustered?

Roselia approached him with long strides, puzzled.

Asif didn’t meet her eyes, instead staring out at a faraway spot in the garden.

“You came to the banquet? I didn’t see you—I thought maybe you weren’t coming.”

Despite her calm tone, Asif still didn’t look at her.

That’s when Roselia finally sensed that something was off. She looked up at him, confused.

“Asif…?”

The moment she said his name, Asif flinched.

He let out a long sigh as he kept his gaze fixed on the garden. Then, finally, his ruby-red eyes turned to her—carrying a weight of bitterness.

“You probably didn’t notice, Roselia… but I’ve been avoiding you.”

Avoiding her?

Now that she thought about it—ever since that day when Klaus had been injured protecting her, and Asif had briefly visited—she hadn’t seen him once.

As Roselia looked at him, bewildered, Asif hesitated for a long moment before speaking.

“…I fell for you, Roselia. You didn’t know, did you?”

Roselia blinked, dumbstruck.

He… liked her? Prince Asif liked her?

She stood frozen, unable to process the unexpected confession. Asif gave a faint, almost deflated chuckle.

“No need to look so stunned. I know it’s just my own feelings. Unlike certain others, I’m not the kind of man who can throw his life on the line to protect you. That’s why… I’ve been keeping my distance. I was trying to let go.”

Roselia stared at him blankly, utterly lost in this surreal moment—confessed to, and rejected, all in one breath.

Not knowing what to say, she stood there frozen. Asif gave a faint, bitter smile, then gently reached out and ruffled her hair.

“Still… it’s nice to see your face again.”

Then his gaze shifted—past her, toward the garden behind her.

His ruby eyes narrowed slightly with playful mischief.

“If there’s ever an opening… I’ll slip right in. So don’t let your guard down.”

He leaned in close, whispering beside her ear, his gaze still fixed past her.

Asif then stepped away, his usual lazy smile returning to his lips.

Roselia touched her burning ear, still stunned—and instinctively turned to look behind her.

There, standing rigid in the garden, was Klaus—staring straight at them.

At that moment, her heart began to pound wildly in her chest.

It felt just like… she’d been caught cheating.