Chapter 15 ………………………………………………………………….
After checking Elian’s gaze as she slightly tilted her head to look this way, I lifted my eyes back to him. His expression, stiff as he looked down at me, made me uneasy—but I still had to say what I needed to say. Riana’s words brushed past my mind.
—Using gratitude as an excuse would be good.
I was grateful for her advice. Had she known this would happen? I smiled faintly as I looked at the Crown Prince.
“Thank you for helping me yesterday. It was late at night, yet you still looked after me. I was worried I might have caused you trouble. I’m sorry.”
Now I had to wait for the Crown Prince’s reaction. How would he respond?
There were two possibilities. One was that he’d accept it politely for his own sake and turn away. The other was that he’d feign ignorance and pretend nothing had happened. Probably one of those two.
The Crown Prince didn’t particularly like getting involved in scandals. I didn’t know why, but he restrained himself to an extreme degree—unlike the other royals. If someone like him were to be caught in a scandal, tomorrow’s newspapers would sell like wildfire.
The Crown Prince looked down at me silently. His blood-red eyes appeared sharp.
Around us, people leaned in, curious about what I had said. I didn’t like this kind of attention; it only felt awkward. A brief silence followed, and then his lips slowly parted.
“Was it that obvious?”
“…Pardon?”
Obvious? What was obvious? He smiled gently beneath his mask.
“I was told I was staring too much… I apologize.”
Behind him, I noticed Cabes chuckling softly along with his fiancée, Riana. I turned my gaze back to the Crown Prince. His red eyes curved slightly.
“Do you need my help again today?”
Unable to say anything, I simply stared at him. The Crown Prince was smiling beneath his mask.
As I met his curved eyes through the gap in the mask, I turned my head to check on Elian. She was staring at me with a stiff, disbelieving expression.
I turned back to the Crown Prince. He was still watching me. Do you need help again today?—it sounded like he was saying he was willing to help anytime. Was that really the case?
“…Um.”
I should say something. I needed to break this awkward atmosphere, but I couldn’t find the right words.
With so many eyes on us, I couldn’t openly mention what had happened that day. Dragging him away to ask for a moment alone was even more out of the question. A private meeting with the Crown Prince implied something of great importance.
“Shall we move somewhere else, if you’d like?”
“What? Ah—no.”
So easily? As if he’d read my thoughts, his considerate suggestion made me shake my head without realizing it.
Ah… well, no, actually. I almost smacked my lips, then let out a sigh. After glancing at Riana, who was smiling gently from behind him, I slowly spoke.
“…I just came to greet you. I don’t think I properly expressed my sincere gratitude for your help.”
“No need. It was only natural that I help. Besides, I was waiting as well.”
“…You were waiting?”
“Yes.”
Each of his words carried more weight than simple politeness. People tried to decipher the meaning behind our exchange. Among them, that single phrase—I was waiting—echoed particularly loudly.
No, why would you wait for me? You could’ve just summoned me. I was just a young lady from a minor noble family, while this man was the future spearhead of imperial authority. The gap in status was enormous—why go so far as to wait?
“It seems we should move elsewhere. With me standing here, the party has stopped, and I fear I’m causing a disturbance.”
He stepped back. People, startled by the thought that he might soon leave the ballroom, moved about trying to make an impression—until Cabes appeared, clapping his hands to stop them. Skillfully linking arms with Riana, he spun halfway around and gestured at the crowd with his chin.
“This party is to celebrate my engagement. It’s not His Highness’s party. So may I ask for your attention instead?”
At his smooth voice, the crowd swallowed their protests. Cabes glanced at the Crown Prince and nodded once. Then Riana, who had quickly approached, hooked her arm through mine.
“…Lady Riana?”
“Shall we go?”
She smiled brightly and tugged me along, with the Crown Prince following behind. Wait—was it really okay for us to lead? No, that wasn’t it—was it really okay for me to be alone with these people?!
One was the Crown Prince. Another was the daughter of a ducal house and the Emperor’s niece. And I was just a young lady of a minor noble family…
“W-Wait a moment!”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. Though tomorrow’s newspapers will sell like crazy.”
“What?!”
Why was she so strong? She seemed slightly shorter than me, but her grip was nearly overpowering. Unable to break free, I was practically dragged along. Turning my head slightly, I spotted Elian watching us from a corner.
“….”
After staring at me with tightly closed lips, she finally turned away.
“What is it?”
The Crown Prince, who had followed behind, lowered his head slightly and looked in the same direction I had been. Whoa—aren’t you a bit too close…? And wow, he smells really good. What perfume does he use? Ah, that bold masculine scent—no, wait, not that!
“…It’s nothing.”
I quickly leaned away and stuck close to Riana’s side. She glanced at me, smiled knowingly, and whispered softly.
“Try to understand. He doesn’t realize it himself, but he has a habit of leaning in close or getting right up in people’s space. He learned it during knight training, apparently… It’s flustering, isn’t it?”
You don’t even need me to explain—you already know everything. You’re the one who’s more overwhelming.
“It’s fine.”
She loosened her grip on my arm as if soothing me, then opened a door not far from the ballroom and stepped inside.
It was a lavish reception room. With its high ceiling and spacious interior, I stood there blankly, wondering where to sit, when the Crown Prince moved first and pulled out a chair.
“Please, sit comfortably.”
Goodness—how many people in the world have ever sat in a chair pulled out by the Crown Prince? Aside from family or close friends, probably not many. I should take this chair home and make it a family heirloom.
Though my thoughts were running wild, I accepted his courtesy with as calm an expression as possible. He smiled softly, then took the chair opposite me. In the meantime, Riana returned with teacups, gracefully setting them down.
“Ah, I’ll help—”
“Please stay seated. This is the hostess’s job.”
She brushed aside a strand of hair and spoke elegantly—it looked incredibly impressive. Was this what experience looked like? She looked younger than me, yet the air she carried was unmistakably that of an adult. Would I be like that someday?
“You’re not even the hostess yet, what are you saying…”
“Hoho.”
The interaction between Riana and the Crown Prince—him trying to stop her as she reclaimed the teacup meant for him—felt very natural. So they were cousins… Were they close?
As I watched in fascination, I felt Riana glance at me. Smiling faintly, she told me to wait a moment, then poured the brewed tea into each cup.
“Is there any tea you like?”
I didn’t have a preference. As long as it wasn’t overly sweet, anything was fine.
“No. I’m not picky.”
“That’s good.”
Still smiling, she carefully poured the reddish tea and then sat beside me. Was this the signal that the real conversation was about to begin?
Nervous, I alternated my gaze between the two of them. Riana stared at the Crown Prince for a moment, then tapped his face.
What was she doing? At her gesture, he touched his face, then realized he was still wearing his mask and let out a low sigh.
“He’s a bit spacey.”
Calling the Crown Prince this kid… He looked embarrassed, turned away to remove his mask, then looked back at us.
“Is this better?”
“Well, it’s passable.”
Your standards are sky-high. Passable? With that face? He looks like he exists in a world of his own—how is that just passable?
If someone with that face were sold as a slave, all the world’s wealthiest people would line up. Betting their entire fortunes wouldn’t even be strange. Even men might be tempted.
I was staring blankly at him when laughter from beside me snapped me back to reality. I hurriedly smiled awkwardly. Riana lifted her teacup and whispered quietly.
“I’m used to that look. Most people make that face.”
So it wasn’t just me. That was a relief—but at the same time, the thought that other women also lost themselves staring at him made me feel oddly uncomfortable. I suddenly understood people who collect priceless paintings just to keep them all to themselves.
Anyway, embarrassed at being caught, I scratched my cheek and smiled awkwardly. Riana set her cup down and spoke.
“Sitting like this, it almost feels like I came here to set the two of you up.”
“What?!”
“Sister!”
“Why? You don’t like it?”
She first widened her eyes at him, then glanced at me. What on earth was she saying…?!
“Don’t you like it?”
Well—yes, I do! Of course I do! A blind date with a man like that? One I never even had in college? And the other party is the Crown Prince? A beauty like that?
But what mattered was whether it made sense in reality. Regardless of what the Crown Prince was like inside or out, what mattered to me was whether Elian would do something insane. If I could charm him enough that no matter how crazy Elian got, I wouldn’t be harmed, that would be perfect.
Maintaining a reasonable distance from Elian while suppressing conflict between our families—that was the best possible outcome. But was Elian a normal kind of crazy? The moment she learned I was involved with the Crown Prince, the stalking might shift from him to me.
They say a woman’s resentment can bring frost even in midsummer. What would happen if Elian, who had lived in her own flower garden until now, burst out and started swinging a knife like a madwoman?
…
Terrifying. I rolled my eyes, examining their faces. Riana looked genuinely delighted, her eyes sparkling.
“Hoho… No matter what, that would be…”
I was about to say that misunderstanding might displease His Highness, but the Crown Prince looked unusually downcast. Why are you making that face…? It’s like I did something wrong.
“Well, what does it matter? Neither of you is in a morally questionable position. And do either of you even have someone you’re interested in?”
“No… not really.”
“See? Then just talk comfortably. You both have plenty to say to each other anyway.”
I don’t, though. I just wanted to mess with Elian a bit… To put it bluntly, I was just using him.
But I couldn’t say that outright. The truth was, I also had very little immunity to men and didn’t know what to talk about. After elementary school, I’d gone to all-girls middle and high schools. The only men I’d known were my homeroom teacher—well past sixty—and my father. I’d practically built a wall around myself when it came to men.
“Hm….”
At the sound of her humming, I turned my head. Riana slowly stood up.
Uh—where are you going? After checking on us, she smiled brightly and stepped back.
“I think it’s about time I brought Cabes back. You two chat for a bit.”
“W-Wait, sister…!”
