Episode 27
I greeted the Crown Prince with the biggest smile I could muster.
“Your Highness, are you lost?”
“……”
“I thought you went with the Grand Duke earlier. Why did you come back here?”
As I slowly approached the Crown Prince, he curled his lips into a sly smile. His lips, forming a perfect arc, were exceedingly beautiful, but to me, they looked like the tail of a venomous snake ready to strike.
While others might fall for that smile, to me, it signaled something very unpleasant.
At least, it did to me.
‘How much did he hear?’
My mind started racing. The conversation just moments ago would be quite problematic if overheard, especially by someone from the imperial family…
‘Or maybe he didn’t hear anything at all.’
Rationality slowly returned.
If the Crown Prince had approached close enough to hear our conversation, Chris would have noticed. He was a skilled warrior, adept at sensing others’ presence.
He must have come to this area after Chris left, or he was far enough away not to hear our conversation.
‘So, let’s not worry too much about the conversation.’
I calmed my racing heart and smiled again as I addressed the Crown Prince.
“I thought Your Highness would be having tea with the Duke by now.”
“Indeed. But the ‘other’ Lady Reinhardt who was supposed to join me for tea didn’t show up, so I decided to take a walk.”
‘Aria still hasn’t come out?’
The Crown Prince tilted his head towards me.
“As I walked, I ended up here… and I saw you.”
He must have just arrived. I was about to sigh in relief when he continued.
“I also saw the Duke’s maid and your maid.”
“……”
“How curious.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was convinced you would be clinging to the Grand Duke.”
“Oh my, such words…”
“Isn’t it true? I’m very interested in the love you show the Grand Duke.”
“My love?”
“Such love is rare, Lady.”
I thought I understood what he meant, but I wasn’t sure. In any case, it seemed the Crown Prince was deeply impressed by the fact that I had taken poison in Chris’s place.
At that moment, the Crown Prince’s blue eyes deepened.
“But to see you conversing so calmly and businesslike…”
His smile deepened.
“It almost seemed like you were a different person.”
“……”
“Ah, but don’t worry. As the Crown Prince, I have my dignity, I wouldn’t eavesdrop on something.”
I looked directly into the Crown Prince’s eyes, trying to read his thoughts.
“Seeing you treat the Duke so calmly and composedly…”
The Crown Prince gently touched my hair.
“I thought the social circles have greatly underestimated you.”
“What kind of evaluation are you talking about?”
He didn’t answer that part but continued.
“And I thought maybe I also have a chance?”
“A chance?”
“It occurred to me that perhaps you don’t like the Duke as much as I thought?”
‘This sly fox.’
He was probing and simultaneously trying to tempt me.
‘Making excuses here would backfire.’
I responded with a soft smile.
“Did it seem that way? I didn’t realize it myself.”
“Hmm.”
“It seems I have a habit of being nervous in front of someone I like.”
As I said that, a distant bell rang. It was the bell tower near the Duke’s mansion.
“Oh my! Tea time is almost over!”
I started walking quickly. The Crown Prince immediately followed.
“Your Highness, would you like to go ahead?”
If it became known that we were alone together, it could lead to a scandal involving the Crown Prince and me.
When I stopped and suggested this, the Crown Prince stared at me intently.
“Yes. The more difficult, the more fun it is.”
‘What a joke.’
With his status and looks, had he ever faced a difficult challenge? It was laughable to hear a man who had probably never tasted bitterness in his life say such things.
As I entered the garden where the tea table was set, with a slight gap between myself and the Crown Prince, it happened.
“Why are the two of you coming together?”
The Duke, who was already in the garden, mumbled blankly. I thought he was referring to me and the Crown Prince and was about to offer an explanation.
“……”
But as I turned my head, I saw Chris escorting Aria into the garden from a distance.
“…My Lady.”
I saw Marie approaching me nervously. It was fortunate that she had been with them.
…Was it really fortunate?
‘Yes, I should have considered this too.’
The likelihood of Chris meeting Aria.
In the past, he never had a proper chance to meet Aria. He was constantly under the watch of the imperial family, and after being poisoned early in the story and being effectively confined to the capital, he rarely went out.
‘…Who would have thought that taking the poison for him would lead to this development.’
Aria’s eyes were slightly red, as if she had been crying for some time. Yet, even with her slightly swollen face from crying, she didn’t look bad.
Her light green eyes and slightly tousled pink hair were as lovely as ever.
Aria’s small hand rested gently on Chris’s arm. I glanced at Chris’s face. It was still unreadable.
The Crown Prince, who had entered the garden a bit earlier than me, spoke again in a mocking tone.
“Is the other Lady Reinhardt finally joining us for tea?”
“Your Highness.”
The Duke hurriedly stood up and approached us. The Crown Prince tilted his head and continued.
“It seems the other lady suits the Grand Duke better than me, doesn’t she?”
His tone was full of sarcasm.
“Your Highness.”
The Duke was flustered. Annoyingly, the Crown Prince’s words weren’t wrong.
The combination of the tall, cold-looking Chris and the small, lovely Aria seemed like a perfect match to others. They were the type that looked even better together because they were opposites.
If their families weren’t Elzerian and Reinhardt, it would be obvious what kind of rumors would spread in the social circles after seeing this scene.
‘Compared to me, there would be even more talk.’
While the reckless and foolish Mindia Reinhardt was desperately trying to seduce the Grand Duke…
The naturally kind and beautiful Aria Reinhardt had effortlessly won the Grand Duke’s heart.
If this were a ballroom rather than the Duke’s mansion, it would have been quite problematic.
I stood there silently, observing Chris escorting Aria. I wanted to sense any vibe between them.
The Crown Prince was suddenly standing beside me.
“Doesn’t it make all your efforts seem in vain?”
He whispered lowly, looking at me.
“It would have been better if you had entered with me. I could have created quite a scandal too.”
“Your Highness.”
“Being the Crown Prince’s woman is better than being the Grand Duke’s woman, isn’t it?”
The Duke turned pale, hearing the Crown Prince’s words. It was almost like his plan to pair Aria with the Crown Prince was falling apart.
From the Duke’s perspective, having me, whom he despised, end up with the Crown Prince, whom he had earmarked as Aria’s future husband, was almost a bolt from the blue.
‘I’m not interested in such a scandalous man either.’
Besides, even if he was acting this way now, the moment he was formally introduced to Aria, he would turn to her.
His interest in me was only because of Chris, and once he lost interest, he would cruelly discard me like he did with other women.
Unaware of this, the Duke urgently called out to Aria.
“Your Highness, please take a seat… Aria!”
“Father!”
The Duke couldn’t bring himself to scold Aria harshly and stared at her with a stern expression.
When Aria smiled innocently, the Duke’s gaze shifted to Seth, who had come to watch the tea time.
“Sethril Reinhardt!”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing? Bring your sister here!”
Seth stammered and approached Chris and Aria. When he extended his arm, Aria smiled and took it. Chris stopped there and looked at me.
“……”
“I think I should leave now.”
The Duke immediately responded to Chris’s words.
“You’re leaving already? I’m sorry I can’t see you off.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
It was, of course, rude not to see off someone as high-ranking as the Grand Duke. Not caring about such rudeness meant the Grand Duke was a rather uncomfortable guest for the Duke’s household.
‘He must want to send him away quickly in this atmosphere.’
Chris also wouldn’t care for the Duke’s farewell.
Aria, still looking puzzled, glanced at Chris and smiled brightly.
“Goodbye, Your Grace!”
“……”
“I enjoyed our conversation! Please have tea with me next time!”
‘Oh dear.’
For the first time, Chris smiled slightly at her words.
Although it seemed like a cynical smile, the problem was that he had never shown even such a smile to me.
‘…Chris.’
For a moment, my heart felt frozen. Aria blushed sweetly at his smile.
“Your Grace…”
“Yes, until next time.”
Chris nodded slightly.
“Thank you for your hospitality today, Duke Reinhardt.”
I lightly bowed and watched Chris’s back as he walked away. Somehow, his back looked colder than usual, making me feel worse.
Marie was glancing back and forth between me and the Grand Duke, unsure of what to do.
‘Surely not.’
Even if there’s a small chance.
…I was afraid that Chris might have developed feelings for Aria.
