Episode 31

 

What she said just now was actually quite dangerous.

Since Chris’s claim to the throne isn’t low, the Crown Prince also sees Chris as a formidable rival.

‘…If this gets out even a little, it could cause a problem.’

Regardless, Aria’s emerald eyes still looked hazy.

I suppressed my complicated feelings.

‘Before worrying about Chris falling for Aria…’

I never expected I’d have to worry about Aria falling for Chris first.

Aria was supposed to see the Crown Prince and fall in love. The Crown Prince, despite his personality, is undoubtedly the main male lead.

‘But I don’t see any signs of that.’

Aria continued to speak, as if singing. It was about Chris.

“He was truly beautiful and wonderful. I want to see him again.”

“Aria, how do you think Mindia feels when you say things like that?”

Suddenly, I was mentioned. The Grand Duke glanced at me sideways as he spoke to Aria.

“The Grand Duke is already meeting with Mindia.”

Servi intervened, looking like he had chewed on something wrong.

“Yes, Aria. What you’re doing isn’t right between sisters.”

I almost burst out laughing.

Sisters. Sisters?

‘Aria and me?’

Normally, the people who would flip out just hearing Aria and me being called the same title were now treating me as Aria’s sister, elevating me.

It was truly an amazing sight.

Even amid all this, the Grand Duke urged me again.

“Speak up, Mindia. He’s already your lover. Didn’t he almost give you a brooch?”

“Did he?”

A sarcastic comment slipped out of my mouth without realizing it.

Now that I think about it, he did. The Grand Duke just intercepted it.

The Grand Duke glared at me, urging me to speak quickly. I opened my eyes innocently and replied.

“I wish that were true. I’m not sure of His Grace’s feelings yet…”

“Really, Mindia?”

Aria responded immediately. It left a bitter taste in my mouth that this was the truth.

Chris may have shown a sincere attitude towards me, but it wouldn’t be as a lover.

‘He’s probably not taking me seriously.’

I hoped he wouldn’t, too.

In this situation, drawing a line for Aria to not overstep would be right, but looking at Aria’s state, I didn’t think saying that would work.

How many people in this world could actually stop the heroine?

Besides, it was amusing to see the Grand Duke flustered. He continued speaking to manage the situation.

“Because you keep doing this, His Highness the Crown Prince was upset yesterday too.”

‘Upset? The Crown Prince?’

While I was pondering, the Grand Duke, though frustrated, spoke softly.

“Aria, you were lost in thought throughout the entire tea time, so His Highness couldn’t even talk to you.”

He seemed to be talking about yesterday’s tea time, where Chris and I had left, leaving only the Crown Prince and Aria. I listened to this part carefully.

I need to know what happened in my absence.

“Hmm.”

Aria put her finger under her chin, as if reminiscing about the Crown Prince.

‘Yes. Remember quickly.’

Your match is that man. Think about his golden presence and realize that he is your match, not Chris.

But my hope was not fulfilled.

Aria lightly shook her head and sighed.

“But His Highness seemed to be lost in thought as well.”

Apparently, the Crown Prince was also distracted all day yesterday.

‘What’s going on?’

It was extremely puzzling.

‘He should have been unable to think of anything else upon seeing Aria.’

I tried to recall the original work’s now-fading scene of their meeting. It was described that the Crown Prince saw no one but Aria the moment he entered the banquet hall.

He felt that he couldn’t do without her, seeing her smile…

He thought he wanted to experience the devoted love she showered on someone.

It was a very romantic and possessive moment.

‘The fact that it didn’t happen…’

Did something similar happen to the Crown Prince, just as Aria didn’t fall for him?

‘That shouldn’t be possible.’

What happened? While I was deep in thought, Aria continued speaking.

“His Highness… seemed unable to focus on me at all.”

“You shouldn’t say such things.”

“And His Highness is said to have many girlfriends…”

“Ahem!”

The Grand Duke took out a handkerchief and wiped his sweat. It was probably because that was an undeniable fact.

“Men tend to be that way by nature.”

The Grand Duke made a lame excuse. Aria’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“It’s not much of a flaw for someone at the top of the empire.”

“With so many girlfriends, would he even want to see me? Wouldn’t he soon turn his attention to other women?”

“C-cough!”

The Grand Duke began to flounder at Aria’s words.

Despite the seriousness of the situation and my own bitterness, I struggled to hold back a laugh.

At that moment, Servi and Sethril, trying to help the Grand Duke, stammered and intervened.

“Yeah, Aria. You say that because you don’t know.”

“You know how the young lords see you?”

“Even as a man, I could tell that His Highness was interested in you. He asked if the tea was made by Lady Reinhardt herself.”

“…That tea…”

When the mention of the lemon tea came up, Aria noticeably became gloomy again.

The Grand Duke and Servi shot sharp glances at Sethril, who had brought it up. Sethril floundered and closed his mouth.

“…I’ve decided.”

Soon, Aria spoke in a slightly brighter voice.

“I will send that tea to His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“You mean the tea you made yourself? Why?”

“Because it’s tea made with the lemons His Grace sent.”

What she said was true.

‘Except for the fact that it was me who received those lemons.’

Aria seemed to realize this belatedly and blushed slightly as she looked at me.

Instead of rebutting, I gave her a quiet smile. I didn’t know how else to react in the first place.

‘What if Chris and Aria really end up together?’

That was the first thought that came to mind, but there was nothing I could do about it.

‘You can be happy even without Chris.’

A kind of anger, an emotion I couldn’t control, surged up momentarily and then subsided. Aria spoke to me as if nothing had happened.

“Is it okay, Mindia?”

“What is?”

“The lemon tea. Is it okay to send it to him?”

‘Is there anything you can’t get if you want it?’

Instead of being sarcastic, I nodded.

Aria’s face turned even redder. She seemed happy, imagining Chris receiving her gift.

“I hope he likes it.”

“Aria, why don’t you also send something to His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“To His Highness the Crown Prince? What should I send?”

“…I’ll be leaving now.”

I neatly wiped my mouth and stood up, leaving the Grand Duke’s family, who were in the midst of an argument. The Grand Duke glared at me but then turned away, seemingly realizing I wasn’t helpful.

Sethril and Servi were busy persuading Aria, completely ignoring me. I walked down the corridor, grateful for the familiar indifference, heading back to my room.

“Mindia!”

Someone quickly grabbed my hand, and I almost shoved the person away in surprise.

It was Aria.

“…Aria?”

When I called her, Aria whispered secretively.

“Do you still like His Grace the Grand Duke?”

‘What is she talking about now?’

I narrowed my eyes and looked at her. Aria hesitated for a moment before whispering.

“I heard you look at men’s titles a lot.”

Well, I used to, especially when I picked men the Grand Duke would approve of.

I waited with a sense of foreboding for Aria’s next words.

“You wanted His Grace because he was the highest-ranking man you could choose, right?”

“……”

It was natural for Aria to think that way. Chris had also asked me if that was the case.

‘That’s how it would seem to others.’

I stood there without denying it. Then Aria spoke.

“If that’s the case… what about His Highness the Crown Prince?”

I almost bit my tongue.

Aria had a dreamy look on her face, like a girl in love.

Seeing her face, my heart pounded. Aria, unaware of my feelings, whispered sweetly.

“Let’s help each other.”

“Help?”

“Yes.”

Aria, her cheeks flushed, spoke cautiously.

“Even though Father says so… His Highness the Crown Prince seemed interested in you.”

“Really?”

“Compared to His Grace the Grand Duke, His Highness the Crown Prince is a better… number one groom, right? There’s no one above him.”

I barely managed to suppress a bitter laugh.

‘Number one groom.’

Aria could think that way because she was the heroine.

No one in this empire could make his wife cry as much as that guy. Except for maybe two people: Sethril and my ex-husband.

The Crown Prince only became a good man because he met Aria. The Crown Prince, who wasn’t reformed by Aria, was trash I wouldn’t take even if given.

I recalled how the two were in the original work and held back another bitter smile. They were a couple who couldn’t live without each other.

As I was thinking this, Aria spoke again, smiling brilliantly.

“Mindia, if you help me with His Grace…”

It was a truly lovely and sweet smile.

“I’ll help you with His Highness the Crown Prince.”