“Ah, that? I really don’t have any thoughts about it.”
“Not interested.”
“Then what about me?”
I slowly turned my head and looked at Dante.
The chandelier’s glow fell softly across his indifferent face.
“Um ……”
A sudden question like that made me feel a bit awkward. Unlike Illyae, who could giggle sweetly at every turn, I wasn’t the type to show off endless charm. Besides, I hadn’t been paying that much attention to the earlier conversation.
“So, earlier we were saying… you don’t really know a person until you’ve met them, right?”
“…….”
“But do we really need to go through all that trouble? I feel like I already know Dante.”
“What do you mean?”
“Just that I think I get it. I know what kind of person Dante is. He puts effort into everything he does. He even does the same for me.”
I fiddled with the necklace around my neck.
“Thanks for the gift. Dante feels like a gift to me.”
In the original story, Dante had also been kind to Chloe. So there must have been a reason why the two of them ended up drifting apart. Maybe because of someone like Illyae.
How on earth had she managed it? Truly impressive. She supposedly lifted his curse, yet managed to push Dante to a point where he would kill Chloe. The thought made my skin crawl, and I instinctively cleared my throat.
“Just this much is enough for me.”
That’s why I wanted to help Dante too.
A major event hadn’t yet happened. The next incident would occur after Dante and I married—about one month later, at a nighttime gathering attended by Crown Prince Werner, Dante, Illyae, and Chloe. Someone would lose their life there. It would be the first appearance of those creatures known as “monsters” from beyond the barrier.
I glanced at Dante.
During that incident, Dante would suffer a terrible shock and injury so severe his mask would nearly fall off. Illyae’s holy power would heal Dante that night, beginning to influence the curse entwined on his face.
Perhaps that was the day Dante would fall in love.
I should brace myself.
I turned my head and watched Illyae. She had successfully joined the Crown Prince’s circle and was laughing brightly. In some strange sense, it was almost admirable.
Ugh, exhausting.
***
Today’s banquet was a success.
People generously donated large sums of money to restore the square in front of the temple and console the bereaved families. This was surely going to help the royal finances, which were already strained by the unexpected cost of fixing the Vincent Bridge.
Anyway, the goal had been achieved.
“Why that dissatisfied look?”
“When will Your Highness return?”
Dante asked bluntly, causing Werner to let out a short laugh.
After all that trouble, he had prevented the date from happening, and now he asked when Werner planned to leave? Probably only Dante would dare treat the Crown Prince like this.
Werner shrugged.
“I’ll decide when I leave, not you.”
“As the owner of this house, I have every right to ask. If Your Highness remains away from the capital for too long, Their Majesties might start to worry.”
“Why worry about a grown child? The only one uncomfortable seems to be you.”
Dante answered without emotion.
“That’s correct.”
“Ha.”
Werner let out an exasperated chuckle.
Whatever Dante’s problem was, his eyes looked grim. Werner narrowed his own eyes, studying him carefully. The faint sound of him clicking his tongue carried the air of a predator.
“I’m enjoying myself here.”
Dante ran a hand roughly through his hair.
Whatever Werner meant, Dante didn’t like it. Although they shared blood and worked surprisingly well together in certain matters, everything else between them was just a mess.
Dante murmured quietly.
