Chapter 54
“Here, right now?”
When I glanced around nervously and asked, Cayden nodded.
“H-ha. Your Highness, really… There are so many people here. How can I say it?”
“Is that so?”
Yes, exactly! So stop asking and let me go. Or just disappear yourself!
But Cayden made a completely different choice.
“I see.”
He dragged out his words on purpose while scanning the surroundings. People who accidentally met his gaze flinched and quickly averted their eyes.
“Ahem. I heard the carriage has arrived? I should get going.”
“Oh my, time has flown already. Let’s talk later.”
The crowd scattered like receding tide.
“Well, now you can say it.”
Crazy man… To abuse power like this.
Even as I glared at him in disgust, Cayden shamelessly persisted.
In the end, I raised my hands in surrender.
After making sure not even a mouse was around, I quickly blurted out:
“Because he’s handsome. From head to toe, he’s exactly my type.”
“Ahem.”
A startled cough burst out beside us. Flustered, Héraeth called out my name, “Sienna?”
“Hm, so a primal reason. Is that all?”
“Of course not. Héraeth is incredibly capable. There’s nothing he can’t do. Magic, and everything else—he’s good at it all.”
“And?”
“He nags a lot, but he does everything I ask. He may be strong, but to me he’s endlessly gentle. That’s why I like him.”
I ticked off his good points one by one on my fingers.
“And he believes in me and protects me.”
Unlike someone else. I muttered silently and wrapped up my words.
“That’s more than enough.”
Apparently satisfied, Cayden nodded.
Then he turned the question toward Héraeth.
“So, how did you come to like the young lady?”
I perked my ears.
I was curious what kind of answer Héraeth would give.
Would he say something similar to mine?
Looks or personality were the easiest excuses. He’d probably just gloss it over…
“I don’t know.”
“Huh?”
“You don’t know?”
I gaped at him in shock. Cayden raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
“Young lady…”
His eyes filled with pity as he looked at me.
“Another failed love…”
“That’s not it.”
Héraeth cut in firmly.
“I don’t know why I have to answer this here, but…”
He sighed softly, then spoke in a calm tone.
“Like clothes soaked by a drizzle, before I knew it, I found myself liking her. So I can’t tell you why. Because I don’t know either.”
His earnest gaze made my face flush hot.
Even if it’s all an act, he really says embarrassing things without a second thought.
If even my heart was pounding, what about Cayden watching us?
“Young lady. This love is a success.”
“Your Highness, please stop already.”
Tricked for a moment, Cayden patted my shoulder reassuringly.
“…That’s right. This is how it usually is.”
Muttering to himself, his expression grew clouded.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t have a reason.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Speak clearly!
When I looked utterly lost, Cayden sighed out the words.
“I have no reason for why I came to love Daphne.”
“You said it was love at first sight?”
“…I did.”
“Isn’t that reason enough?”
“Perhaps. But I’m not sure.”
The heavy silence lingered until the Winter family’s carriage arrived.
When I saw it slowly come to a stop, I carefully called out to the still-dark Cayden.
“Your Highness, we’ll take our leave now. If we’re any later, my brother will make a scene.”
“Ah, yes. I know the young duke’s temperament well. Go on.”
“Please return safely.”
I climbed aboard the carriage and stretched my stiff body.
I need to return Oel’s scale and just head home.
But no matter how long I waited, Héraeth didn’t get in.
When I peeked my head out the window, I saw him handing something to Cayden.
“What’s that?”
“A magic talisman.”
“For what?”
“To help you come to your senses.”
Listening in, I nearly choked.
Hey! How can you say that to the Crown Prince of all people?!
Luckily—or unluckily—Cayden seemed too flustered to even get angry in time.
“You dare tell the Crown Prince to get a grip?”
He looked like he might finally blow up, but instead…
“…True. I have been out of it lately.”
He accepted it with a nod.
Watching from the carriage, I shook my head.
“Seriously, what a ridiculous man.”
Ugh. And yet he admits it.
The carriage had only just set off when Héraeth spoke.
“Sis.”
“Mm?”
“Does this kind of thing happen often? That tinplate was poking at you all day.”
“…Tinplate? You mean Daphne?”
“Yeah. Her face is as thick as a sheet of steel.”
I clapped my hands and burst into laughter.
“You’re the first person to ever call her that. I like it.”
Right. I can’t be the only one carrying the title of lunatic dog.
After laughing so hard my stomach hurt, I wiped my tears.
“She does poke at me like that sometimes. And since I have a hot temper, I fall for her provocations easily.”
“I figured.”
He smirked knowingly.
“But this time I held back, so it ended without trouble.”
“Tch.” I pouted and lightly tapped the toe of his boot with mine.
“Heren, thanks for taking my side earlier.”
“Feels awkward being thanked for doing the obvious.”
He shrugged playfully.
Obvious…
To him it was natural, but to me, that “obvious” was something unfamiliar.
Besides my father and brother, he was the first to ever stand by me.
“It’s not obvious. For me, it’s the first time.”
“The first?”
He raised his brows in disbelief.
I nodded.
Because Daphne is the heroine of this world’s love.
Everyone who saw her seemed compelled to fall for her.
As if under a spell.
“So I worried you might end up like the rest, and I got a little sensitive.”
“Why would I? I’m yours.”
“…Because that’s how it always was.”
I murmured quietly, turning to look out the window.
“To everyone else, Daphne’s the kind heroine. And I’m the wicked villainess who bullies her. In short, the roles of the beloved and the hated are already set.”
The prime example was Leo Maze.
Even before I intentionally tormented Daphne, he treated me as an enemy.
“That bastard.”
At my low muttered curse, Héraeth’s eyes gleamed.
“Sis, you’re thinking of that filthy wretch, aren’t you?”
“What? Why would I think of him?”
“You’re not?”
“I told you, I can’t even stand the sight of him.”
His doubtful gaze made cold sweat trickle down my back.
How did he know?
Having my stray thought of Leo caught made me bite my tongue.
Even if I tried to erase him from my life, he had caused me too much grief to forget so easily.
Maybe I’ll feel better after I get back at him someday.
Yes. I’ll yank out every last hair on his head.
While I made a private vow, Héraeth spoke again.
“Sis, that filthy wretch went to Tinplate instead of you, right?”
Filthy wretch and Tinplate.
His nicknames for Leo and Daphne made me chuckle.
Only Héraeth would dare call that famed couple such things.
“Yeah. He said that the moment their eyes met, his heart went zing. His head went blank, and there were fanfares ringing.”
Why not say the Sanctus hymn played too?
Anyway, he went on and on about how it was love at first sight.
“And everyone else?”
“The same. Most people fell for Daphne too.”
Of course, not everyone.
There were exceptions—like Irene and me.
Those who envied and despised Daphne.
Which only made us obstacles that further strengthened the bond between her and Leo.
“What about those around you? The young duke, the maids—how do they see Tinplate?”
As soon as he finished, Lina raised her hand.
“Sorry for interrupting, but I dislike Miss Daphne. Because of her, my lady suffered terribly. It was our young lady who lost her fiancé, yet the whole world sides with that woman. It’s outrageous.”
I pointed at Lina and nodded.
“Yeah. That’s the usual reaction. Since they know the hardships I went through because of her, they don’t like her.”
Well, they’re my people. Of course they’d side with me.
But unlike my casual tone, Lina’s face was full of indignation.
“It’s not just dislike. I hate her. To be honest, she gives me the creeps.”
“You’ve got good instincts. I’m glad you’re by Sis’s side.”
Héraeth, rare in his praise, made me tilt my head in curiosity.
“But why?”
“I just wanted to confirm something.”
As expected, he smirked knowingly.
