Chapter 15
When Pierre suddenly stormed into the princess’s palace with his sword, the only thoughts that crossed Harley’s mind were terrifying ones.
Only after Pierre fully entered the bedroom did Harley finally take out the medicine bottle he had hidden in his chest.
It had been four years since he became Pierre’s escort knight.
He thought he had gotten used to it by now, but he was still far from it.
Escorting the future king was an honorable position—but living every day like this, constantly on edge, felt like shortening his own life.
This medicine was all he had to rely on.
Harley swallowed a pill of stomach medicine that his seniors had recommended.
Meanwhile, Pierre sat on the edge of the bed and rolled up his sleeves.
Red scratch marks were visible on the back of his hand and wrist.
“Heh. She used her nails?”
It did not hurt, but it annoyed him.
Sienna had been strange lately.
She looked him straight in the eyes.
She even smiled.
“How insolent.”
The sister who used to avoid his gaze, stutter, and flinch whenever she saw him had never dared to look him in the eye—or smile—like that.
He liked seeing her scared, like a trembling rabbit.
On days he saw that face, he slept peacefully.
Because he could reassure himself that he would be the next king of Stern.
Those who talked nonsense about Stern’s sun or the one chosen by Stern’s bell had long been removed.
Now, Sienna was nothing more than Stern’s disgrace—a useless princess with an ominous red head.
That would never change.
He would become king, and she would be…
“You are nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Pierre muttered to himself and bit his lip.
After a long silence, he called Zeon inside.
“You called for me, Your Highness?”
Zeon stepped forward hesitantly.
“You’re still watching her, right?”
“Y-Yes, of course.”
“No strange behavior? Didn’t meet anyone? Go anywhere?”
“She hasn’t gone anywhere except the library.”
“And no one else goes to that library?”
“Ah—there was one person.”
“Jad Valencia?”
“No. Someone around my age. A young noble.”
“You don’t know who he is?”
“Do you remember the border battle some time ago?”
“Yes. I remember.”
“You summoned everyone who earned merit back then. I confirmed he was one of them. Since his face is unfamiliar, I believe he’s from a regional noble family.”
“You don’t know his name?”
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t find that out.”
“Nothing happened between them?”
“No. Nothing in particular.”
“Fine. That’s enough.”
With a report that led nowhere, Pierre twirled his soft blond hair around his finger.
“It’s begun.”
Zeon felt like he was suffocating.
Please let me leave before you start thinking! Being crown prince doesn’t mean you can do this!
He was already half-dead from getting caught by the princess’s knight.
Sitting here felt like sitting on thorns.
To make things worse, his toes cramped painfully.
“I have a bad feeling. Why do I feel so uneasy?”
“……”
“Keep watching.”
“I will obey.”
As soon as Zeon left the room, he collapsed onto the floor.
“Haa…”
Hearing his heavy sigh, Harley looked over.
I know how you feel.
When Harley patted his shoulder, Zeon reached out with teary eyes.
“Senior… can I have some of that medicine too?”
Thinking Sienna needed rest, the lights in her bedroom were turned off early.
The maids closed the windows and drew the curtains thick.
In the darkened room, just as Sienna was about to crawl weakly into bed, she suddenly spoke.
“What time is it?”
“A little past five. Why?”
She threw off the blanket and took off her nightclothes.
“Anna, prepare going-out clothes. As simple as possible.”
“What? In your condition? Where are you going?!”
“I have an appointment. I have to go.”
Anna tried to stop her several times, but Sienna’s stubbornness won.
“Oh.”
As she roughly tied her messy hair, Sienna finally noticed the scratches and red marks on her neck.
They looked even darker now, like bruises forming.
“Anna, can you bring me a scarf?”
She let her hair down and wrapped the scarf around her neck.
She did not want anyone to see this.
“I’ll be back!”
As soon as she left the room, Arthur silently followed behind her.
Maybe he already left.
That thought felt oddly comforting.
She was already two hours late.
“Huff… huff…”
When she arrived at the library, she noticed how quiet it was.
Alpen was dozing as usual, and no one else was there.
Dandelion was nowhere to be seen.
Sienna went out through the back door into the garden.
He was not under the tree they had promised to meet at either.
“…He left, didn’t he.”
Of course he did. Anyone would have.
She had hoped he would leave, but now that he was gone, she felt disappointed.
Trying to act like she didn’t care felt ridiculous.
What is wrong with me today?
Everything about this day was a complete mess.
