Chapter 37

Omen (Part 1)

“What’s the matter?” Retina responded to Marie’s call. Marie approached Retina, holding out a handkerchief she had been clutching carefully.

“I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince is staying at the Duke’s residence. I left this here when he visited the Viscount’s estate last time… I wanted to return it, but I haven’t seen him since. Could you please pass it on to His Highness?”

All this fuss over this? Had she been staring at it all morning? Marie seemed bold enough to openly confess to the Crown Prince, but she also appeared to have a timid side.

“You could give it to him directly.”

“Well, you see, His Highness is very busy, and my uncle won’t pass it on. Plus, I’m too scared to go to the Duke’s residence by myself…”

Marie tried to justify herself to Retina, who was not easily persuaded. So, she wanted to give away the fact that the Crown Prince came to see her at the Viscount’s estate? Retina observed Marie, who was making excuses while pleading with her. It wasn’t a particularly difficult request, but for some reason, Retina didn’t want to grant it.

“…I can’t really refuse, can I?”

Using the excuse that it was hard to deliver it personally because they were staying at the Duke’s residence didn’t hold water. But Retina didn’t want to openly refuse either. Without saying anything more, Retina received the handkerchief from Marie. When she looked at the end, she noticed a brown stain on the handkerchief, where the pattern was sewn.

“‘You act all neat, but what did you do? You didn’t even remove the stain,'” Retina thought, recalling the handkerchief that the Crown Prince had left behind. It had been used to wipe the blood from her lips. She had considered throwing it away since it was just a cream stain, but she decided to keep it as it was a gift from someone else.

“Is that all you wanted to say?” Retina inquired.

“No, wait a moment!” Marie replied.

Retina knew her jealousy was unwarranted, but she didn’t want to engage in a long conversation with Marie. She felt like an unwitting messenger of their love. She had intended to take the handkerchief and return to the carriage alone, but Marie grabbed her.

“Is His Highness the Crown Prince doing well? He was allowed to stay at the Viscount’s estate, but he refused my offer to stay. I heard he would be staying at the Duke’s residence instead. I’m worried because he has trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places.”

After hesitating for a while, Marie subtly appealed to Retina, expressing concern for the Crown Prince. What was she getting at? The handkerchief and now this one-sided discussion of their personal matters left Retina unsure how to react.

“I haven’t confirmed whether His Highness is having trouble sleeping at the moment, but the servants at the Duke’s residence are doing their best to accommodate him and ensure he lacks nothing. He seems to be doing well.”

The Crown Prince having trouble sleeping? He had insisted on coming to the Duke’s residence against her uncle’s refusal and was now freely wandering around the estate as if it were his own. Even without knowing the Crown Prince’s current situation, Marie’s worried expression seemed to ease.

“That’s a relief. I was worried that if he wasn’t feeling well, it could affect his performance in the martial arts competition. Thank you for letting me know, Lady Cecelia.”

“Today, I granted your request, but next time, it might be better to ask him directly rather than through me.”

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

“But His Highness is always so busy, and if I keep bothering him, he might dislike me…”

“‘My dear Marie is worried, but why would His Highness the Crown Prince dislike it? In fact, he may even appreciate your affection more,'” Retina told Marie, inquiring about another man’s life. This little lady, who had spent a long time in society, certainly knew that her behavior was impolite. Refusing to apologize meant she was ignoring her, most likely.

“Well… Lady Cecelia, do you think His Highness dislikes you?” Marie asked cautiously, fiddling with her fingers. Why was she asking such a thing? Retina didn’t hide her discomfort at this very personal question.

“It seems that your recent question is not appropriate for a conversation between you and me. It feels quite impolite.”

“Oh! I apologize if my question made you uncomfortable. I really like His Highness a lot, for a very long time now. He treats me like a girl who did not have debut, saying I didn’t look like a woman, but finally, he treated me affectionately. But since you’re staying in the same mansion, and Lady Cecelia is so beautiful, maybe…”

Marie quickly apologized for crossing the line in Retina’s tone, but her words about her affection for the Crown Prince were genuine. However, Retina’s restrained attitude was due to her uncertainty about when this false relationship, fueled by the Crown Prince’s affection, would end.

“You really like the Crown Prince,” Retina quietly observed Marie’s honesty about her feelings. She couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of such blind love, even though she knew she shouldn’t be drawn into it.

“You probably don’t need to worry about that part. As Lady Marie mentioned, doesn’t His Highness the Crown Prince like you? He even said he would take responsibility. I don’t think there will be any reason for him to look at me.”

Retina told Marie nonchalantly, not wanting to reveal her feelings to others. However, she didn’t say that the Crown Prince didn’t like her. She had already started to like him, and she didn’t want to lie about it.

“I should go now since the carriage has arrived. I’ll tell His Highness the Crown Prince that you found the handkerchief for Lady Cecelia.”

Thanks to the timely arrival of the carriage, Retina managed to distance herself from Marie, who had been sticking to her like glue during their conversation. She had been so tense throughout their conversation that it felt like her chest was tightening, as if a corset had been laced too tightly. Her breath wasn’t coming easy, and she had to open the window to help herself breathe.

‘What am I trying to achieve by hiding and running away now? Everyone advises me not to get too close to the Crown Prince, but it’s better this way since Marie has captured his heart.’

Retina tried to console herself with a positive attitude, even though she had given up before even starting. It would have been much harder to endure if she had been openly ignored despite knowing about her one-sided love.

“But still, I had decided to debut and then return home. Even if I return home, I won’t be able to see him anyway.”

She thought about what had changed just because she realized her feelings for him. Retina used the idea of an expected separation as comfort for her emotions. After the social season, she would return to her estate, and she wouldn’t have any reason to meet the Crown Prince anymore. They weren’t going to get married, so it was better not to start something that she wouldn’t be able to end.

Translators: Stardust. Read on moonlight novels only

Retina calmly sorted out her jumbled emotions. Her tangled feelings were fragile, as if they would crumble at the slightest touch, but by the time she arrived at the mansion, she had regained her composure.

‘Just like I’ve been doing so far, I just have to avoid encountering the Crown Prince.’

Without notifying the servants of her arrival, Retina quietly entered the mansion. For some reason lately, she had narrowly avoided running into the Crown Prince several times, so she became even more cautious. She walked up the stairs silently, careful not to make any noise. When she was about halfway up the stairs leading to the second floor, Crown prince suddenly appeared from the dark shadows.

“Eek!”

Startled, Retina screamed, and her foot slipped on the stairs. Her body, which had lost its balance, leaned backward. She desperately tried to grab onto something to support herself, but nothing was within her reach. As she prepared herself to fall down the stairs, something solid touched her back.

“You seem to be surprised every time you see me.”

With the low voice of a man, vibrations resonated from the point where their backs met. The strong arm around her waist didn’t release her; instead, it pulled her closer. Their bodies pressed against each other, and the man’s chin rested on her shoulder.

“Like a stealthy little cat, sneaking around. Is there someone hiding in the mansion?”