Chapter 4
“…W-what did you say?”
Alphius had never once tried to stop me before, so I was just too shocked to respond. But he misunderstood my expression and seemed to think I was sulking because I didn’t like the dessert.
“Alphius! You’re saying you’ll fire someone just because I left some dessert? Don’t talk so carelessly!”
There are limits to misunderstanding. His sarcastic tone, talking about resignation over dessert, finally made me angry.
“Well, shouting is better than staying silent.”
He gave a short laugh and looked at me.
The clear hostility in his eyes made my hands tremble. I clenched my dress tightly, unable to hide it.
“Then, for the noble princess, this lowly man will gladly cater to your mood.”
It felt like he moved only to hurt me.
‘How did things turn out like this?’
Just then, a breeze from outside gently stirred his hair and reached me. His scent was carried by the wind.
‘Unfamiliar.’
Even after knowing him for years, his scent had never become familiar.
Outside of balls and noble gatherings, I had never been held in his arms. We had never held hands except during formal dances or escorts.
‘We are really different.’
I looked at Alphius with sad eyes.
If there was someone whose distance could never be closed, it was probably my own fiancé.
When our eyes met, he suddenly closed his mouth. For a moment, it looked like he had misspoken—but…
‘He meant it.’
Everything Alphius said to me was sincere. Because he hated me.
I took a deep breath to calm myself and finally spoke.
“If you’re asking why my expression was like that…”
“……”
“I was just surprised because you’ve never offered me anything before.”
I lowered my head, biting my lip, afraid to see his expression.
“I’ll be going now.”
Trying to suppress the sadness rising in my chest, I hurried toward the door. I pushed the stiff door open and left.
Bang!
Even as the door slammed shut, he didn’t try to stop me—not even by mistake.
“Your Highness?”
Outside, Levin stood there holding a teapot, looking flustered.
“Princess Isabel?”
The guards and my maid Lina, who had been waiting ahead, stood up in shock and rushed toward me.
“Why are you coming out so early?”
They all knew our relationship wasn’t good. Still, no matter how bad it was, we usually stayed together for at least two hours.
“Yeah…”
Today was much earlier than usual.
Lina stared at me as if questioning what had happened inside.
“Let’s go.”
I shrugged and smiled like it was nothing.
Then I looked at Levin, who was standing awkwardly beside me.
“Levin, is that tea for the Duke?”
He quickly placed the teapot on an empty shelf.
“I prepared it for both of you.”
“I see.”
“Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. Sorry, I won’t be able to drink the tea.”
When I apologized with a smile, Levin waved his hands in panic, saying it was fine.
“Oh, and next time, prepare a dessert that isn’t sweet.”
“Not sweet?”
He looked confused.
“But Your Highness usually—”
I looked at him, and he stopped mid-sentence.
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Alright. Then we’ll be leaving.”
“Yes.”
Lina and the guards bowed to the servants of the ducal house and followed me.
“You didn’t have to see us off.”
“As the Duke’s aide, it’s only proper.”
Levin followed us silently.
After walking for a while, I stopped in front of the carriage.
“Please go back safely.”
“Levin.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“….”
“Your Highness?”
After hesitating, I spoke carefully.
“After you’re done seeing me off, prepare lunch for the Duke.”
“Lunch?”
“Yes. You said earlier that he hasn’t eaten breakfast.”
People’s hearts are strange. That cold man who never smiles at me—why do I still care?
“He’ll be exhausted if he works on an empty stomach.”
“……”
“You would’ve done it anyway, but still… please look after him.”
He would only hurt me, yet I kept making efforts he would never notice.
Levin stared at me blankly, as if moved.
“Since it’s almost lunchtime, why don’t you eat together?”
I shook my head firmly.
“Levin, you know why we don’t meet during meals.”
The reason I always came at awkward times just to eat dessert.
“He’ll only feel sick.”
Long ago, shortly after our engagement, we had eaten together once.
I was so nervous I barely tasted the food. He ate silently, never speaking to me.
Later, by chance, I overheard him talking to Levin.
When Levin asked how the meal was, he said he wanted to throw everything up.
After that, I never arranged another meal with him.
“Your Highness, about that time—”
“It’s fine.”
No explanation could erase what had happened.
“It was shocking back then.”
The day after that meeting, I was so shaken by what engagement meant that I fell ill.
But after hearing enough hurtful words, you become numb. Now, I could ignore most of them.
“I understand.”
Levin bowed.
I slowly looked up at the office where he was.
“Oh, one more thing. When you serve lunch, don’t say it was my idea.”
“……”
“If he knows it’s from me, he’ll spit it out no matter how good it is.”
The office windows were tightly shut.
Just like the distance between us.
* * *
“Did something happen to the Princess? Why did she leave so early?”
After seeing Isabel off, Levin immediately returned to the office and asked Alphius.
“Duke?”
“……”
“Please say something. She was really strange today.”
But Alphius remained silent, focused on his documents.
“My goodness. She didn’t even touch her favorite dessert.”
Levin clicked his tongue while looking at the untouched sweets.
“She left early, didn’t eat dessert… Are you sure nothing happened?”
In truth, Isabel didn’t really like desserts. She only ate them to pass time since talking to Alphius was unbearable.
But Levin didn’t know that.
“Please say something.”
Still silent.
“Duke!”
“Levin, you’re noisy.”
Alphius snapped and returned to his papers.
‘She really did seem strange.’
Levin had known both of them for years. Isabel had never acted like this before.
“She asked me to prepare non-sweet desserts from now on. Isn’t that odd?”
Alphius’s pen stopped.
“What did you say?”
“Huh?”
“Non-sweet desserts?”
“Yes. She suddenly asked for that.”
Levin had heard that Princess Isabel loved very sweet desserts, so the kitchen always made them extra sweet.
“Isn’t it strange? She loves sweets.”
“……”
“Did her taste change? Did she say anything to you?”
Alphius opened his mouth—then closed it.
The words he had said earlier echoed in his mind.
— Sweet things are disgusting.
‘Did she change because of that?’
He quickly shook the thought away.
“Clean up and leave.”
Levin sighed exaggeratedly.
“That’s a shame. The dessert was made after you kept pressuring the kitchen all morning.”
