“Kayden, are you ready…?”
Diana, having finished her preparations first, entered his room and froze. Her gaze was fixed on the maid, who seemed to be trying a cravat for Kayden.
“Ah, you’re here.”
Kayden felt somewhat embarrassed to be seen by Diana in this overly dressed-up state. When he awkwardly fiddled with his bangs, Monsieur Drong grabbed his hand, chiding him.
Diana looked at the hands busy with Kayden for a moment before smiling. It wasn’t a smile born of good feelings; rather, it was a smile that burst out from frustration.
She approached the maid holding the cravat and extended her hand. “I’ll do it.”
“…Pardon? Ah, yes! Here you go.” The maid, as if realizing something late, handed the cravat to Diana and quickly stepped back.
Everyone, step back! Now!
Diana shot a glare at the people around her. Realizing Diana’s smile, they hurriedly stepped back.
Ah. It was only after seeing this that Diana came to her senses. She looked down at the cravat in her hand with an awkward smile. Did I just… act a bit scary?
Though it was for his grooming, seeing so many people touching Kayden didn’t sit well with her, and she had unconsciously shown her discomfort. Thinking about how this might have looked to the servants made her feel quite embarrassed.
Meanwhile, a slight smile appeared on Kayden’s lips. He stepped forward and lowered his head in front of the embarrassed Diana.
“Here.”
At first glance, it seemed like a kind gesture, bent down to accommodate the shorter Diana. Seeing this, Monsieur Drong and the servants covered their mouths in surprise. However, Kayden lowered his body and whispered playfully in her ear.
“Diana, were you jealous?”
“No.”
Diana immediately denied it as soon as Kayden finished speaking, but she regretted it right away. That answer was too quick. Now, it seemed obvious that she was jealous. She scolded herself inwardly.
In contrast, the smile on Kayden’s lips grew wider. With a face that clearly showed he was in a good mood, he cupped her face with both hands and showered her with kisses, making smacking sounds.
Diana felt ticklish inside as he planted kisses all over her face. She tried to turn her head away and push him back.
“I’m telling you, it’s not like that.”
“I know. But everyone is watching us, My Dear.”
Diana flinched and stopped moving at Kayden’s words. She realized that avoiding him in front of the servants might cause suspicion about their relationship. Eventually, she decided to relax. Yet despite her decision, her breath kept coming in shorter gasps.
Kayden, who had been kissing her face, naturally moved to her lips. The seamless transition left Diana enveloped in his arms before she realized it.
“Mmm…”
Diana let out a soft moan, clutching his arms. This felt different from the impulsive kiss during their dance practice. Back then, her rationality was completely overtaken by instinct, leaving her in a daze. But now, being fully aware made it twice as ticklish. His slow, relaxed movements only increased her impatience.
I can’t breathe.
Opening her eyes slightly during the kiss, she immediately met his black gaze. Surprised, she blinked at seeing Kayden’s eyes open as if he hadn’t closed them at all.
Kayden smiled leisurely, his eyes curving provocatively. His open-eyed smile during a kiss was intensely seductive, making her ears burn.
“I-I think this is enough.” Eventually, Diana, short of breath, whispered as she pushed Kayden away. Looking around to gauge the servants’ reactions, she noticed something odd and frowned.
“…Huh?”
With Kayden still holding her waist, she turned her head to look around. At some point, the maid and Monsieur Drong had disappeared from the room. It seemed they had left some time ago.
Realizing she had been tricked, Diana turned back to protest. “Kayden, what is…”
Smooch. But Kayden cut her off with a light kiss on her lips. Diana tried to speak again.
“This is…”
Smooch.
“The…”
Smooch.
Diana glared at him as he kept interrupting her with kisses. He shrugged with a bright smile.
“When did everyone leave? I had no idea.”
His brazenness made her lose the will to protest. She sighed and shook her head, then noticed something.
“Wait, on your lips…”
“Hmm?”
Kayden tilted his head in confusion. Diana saw the pink lipstick smudged on his lips and panicked.
“The lipstick… it’s smudged.”
“Oh. Here?” Kayden rubbed his lips with his thumb, spreading the lipstick further.
Diana, seeing him look even more like someone who had just kissed, was startled. His hair and clothes were already disheveled, and now, with lipstick smudged, he looked unfit to be seen in public.
“I’ll clean it for you.”
Diana hastily grabbed a handkerchief from the dressing table and wiped Kayden’s lips so vigorously that it made a scrubbing sound.
Kayden laughed and dodged her touch. “What’s wrong? Was it that bad?”
“That’s not the problem… Ah, never mind. It’s all clean now.”
With his laughter, the tense atmosphere eased. Diana sighed in relief and crumpled the handkerchief.
At that moment, faint music and the murmur of people could be heard from outside. Kayden glanced out the window and released his hold on her waist. “You need to go now, right?”
“I think so. Your Highness…”
“I’ll wait here for about two more hours until His Majesty is ready, then go out with him. Don’t stay alone, be with my brother and his wife.”
“Yes.” Diana nodded.
While Kayden toured the capital with the emperor, Diana would sit in front of the podium with the other imperial family and wait.
Kayden fixed Diana’s hair and patted her head.
“Alright. See you later.”
“Yes. Be careful.”
“Of course. I can’t be a pathetic person who breaks promises.”
“I understand.”
Kayden reminded her of their promise to sneak out during the festival, and Diana smiled, nodding before leaving the room.
“…Ha.”
Left alone, Kayden slumped onto the sofa. He touched his lips, feeling them warm, and his cheeks flushed belatedly.
“Ah, this is killing me…” He buried his face in his hands, groaning.
It was difficult to resist the urge to let his hands wander when he kissed Diana. The more he touched her, the more he felt his patience tested to the limit. But I held back well.
Kayden praised himself inwardly for not crossing the line and tried to calm his heated feelings. Thankfully, reviewing the schedule in his mind helped him regain his composure.
Knock, knock. Just then, there was a knock on the door. Kayden, thinking it was Monsieur Drong returning, responded without much thought. “Come in.”
But the next moment, Kayden’s expression hardened at the figure entering the room.
“…Older Sister?”
The person who entered the room was Second Princess Carlotta, her face stained with tears.
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