Chapter 8
In that instant, killing intent filled the carriage.
Nanael was thrown off. It was the first time she’d seen Alperen show his emotions so nakedly.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Barely enduring the murderous aura, she played dumb.
To be honest, she hadn’t expected Alperen and Adrian to appear. She should have checked her surroundings better. She’d acted on impulse because that harmlessly smiling Ferris girl got under her skin.
At least there was no proof she’d pushed her, and Lady Ferris had been drunk out of her mind—plenty of room to wriggle out.
No wonder he agreed to my request so readily.
Only then did Nanael grasp what he’d intended, and her mood soured.
Alperen, for his part, didn’t press her further. He’d never thought she was someone you could reason with.
Truthfully, when he saw Rodelia falling on the stairs, it felt like time stopped. Normally he’d have caught her at once with telekinesis, but the moment he saw her actually drop, his body moved first. He threw up a defensive spell a beat late, but it couldn’t absorb all the impact.
Result: a scrape on Rodelia’s delicate hand.
That fragile body I’d worried might break if I held her too tight.
If he’d known it would come to this, he would have stopped her from provoking the princess at all.
He more or less understood why Rodelia approached Nanael. How could he not? She’d spent eight years earnestly chanting “break the engagement.” Her methods were so creative and cute that he’d failed to stop the viper from opening its jaws.
From the circumstances, it was obvious Nanael had pushed Rodelia on purpose.
Alperen didn’t care if Nanael saw other men or spent lavishly. He wanted nothing from this betrothal; it existed only in form. If not for his father, he would have broken it long ago. She knew that, which was why she behaved even more freely.
But today he learned how naive that was.
Princess Nanael had touched someone she should never have touched.
If Rodelia had been seriously hurt…
The thought alone made him shake.
That Rodelia had been the one to provoke first was no longer even in his mind. To Alperen, Nanael looked like a hunter tormenting a small, cute creature.
Cool-headed again, he spoke low.
“You’ll soon find out what price you’ll pay for what you did today, Your Highness.”
“That was an accident. Are you saying I pushed Lady Ferris on purpose? Without a shred of proof?”
As Nanael protested, looking offended, his gaze turned even colder. Her words died in her throat.
For a moment the pressure was so intense it was chilling.
“Get home safe.”
As if he’d never unleashed any killing intent, Alperen politely shut the carriage door.
Only after the carriage started to move could Nanael breathe again.
“Haah!”
A mage sending killing intent at a civilian?
Rubbing the back of her chilled neck, she let out a ragged breath.
“Were you trying to kill me?”
That was no way to treat one’s fiancée.
To be honest, the Duke of Ainruck was a boring man. Unlike her, who changed lovers on a whim, he had no scandals and practically lived in the Mage Tower. He even stuck so close to his friend Adrian that she’d once wondered if he was gay.
And now he loses his temper just because his friend’s little sister almost got hurt?
“What is that girl to you?”
When Alperen had wrapped Rodelia in his arms and rolled, even Nanael had felt a jolt—she’d thought no one was around to see. With Adrian Ferris there too, it was awkward. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to realize she’d pushed.
The problem was Alperen Ainruck. He was convinced she’d done it deliberately.
“Tch.”
Once she’d calmed down, a strange displeasure crept over her.
For a mere friend’s sister, that was an awfully sensitive reaction.
That thought made Rodelia Ferris grate on her nerves even more.
Alperen Ainruck was a man her brother and mother were courting. They needed his power for her brother’s bid for the throne. The Ferris house, of all things, backed the crown prince—more reason to resent them.
She herself had taken it for granted that she would be the next Duchess of Ainruck. Seeing him dote more on a friend’s sister than his fiancée sparked a flare of anger—especially because that girl was Rodelia Ferris.
She looked weak and flimsy at a glance. Smiling vacantly, unable to even recognize malice—just like any naïve young lady.
“The duke made a mistake.”
Nanael’s eyes flashed sharp as she glared at the receding carriage.
“I don’t live with other people taking what’s mine.”
Back at the palace, she flung her accessories to the floor and ordered her chief maid:
“Plant people on the Duke Ferris household.”
The next day.
“Ow, ow.”
Like clockwork, the hangover hit and a groan slipped out.
“Ugh, I’m dying.”
Had she ever suffered a hangover this bad? Her whole body ached and her stomach churned; she couldn’t do anything. Mei brought her honey water and started scolding.
“Why did you drink so much when you can’t handle it?”
“Because Princess Nanael kept pressing me.”
“And why did you keep accepting it? Honestly, you could have declined nicely at your level, my lady.”
“That’s… true.”
Feeling sheepish, I downed the honey water in one go.
Mei was right—it had been reckless. Just thinking of tumbling down the stairs gave me goosebumps. If Alperen hadn’t saved me, I’d have at least broken a bone.
That woman pushed me and laughed—she did!
The memory of that chilling smile sent a shiver up my spine.
Mei fussed, chattering on about last night.
“Do you remember the young master carried you on his back? His face was terrifying. Mei’s still shaking!”
I didn’t remember anything after getting into the carriage. I must have fainted from the shock.
“In any case, please stay away from alcohol for a while. It’s a blessing the duke and madam are away traveling—if they were here, the whole house would be in an uproar.”
“I have no intention of drinking like that again. The smell of wine alone makes me gag.”
I tapped my queasy stomach, horrified. Just talking about alcohol made me imagine the smell.
While I was sipping only water and nothing else, Alperen came by. Judging from his formal uniform, he’d stopped in before heading to work.
“How’s your body? Any injuries?”
“Thanks to you I’m not hurt, but my stomach’s a mess from the hangover.”
When I mumbled weakly, Alperen looked at me with pity.
“I can see that.”
“Are you okay? You rolled down the stairs in my place.”
My eyes went to his wrist. The bandage didn’t look promising.
“It’s a light bruise.”
“Still, because of me…”
“Deli, give me your hand.”
He gently took my hand and poured potion over the scrape on the back of it.
Only then did I remember the cut and mutter awkwardly,
“Is it okay to use such an expensive healing potion like that?”
“You’re really going to worry about a potion in front of a mage?”
Alperen let out a disbelieving laugh.
Given Ainruck is a storied mage family, fretting over a bit of potion before him was pretty funny.
