Chapter 32
“I really hate being royal at times like this.”
Since the temple had a private entrance only for royals, unwanted people could easily wait for me there.
I clicked my tongue softly inside and smiled faintly.
“Hello, Derian!”
My half-brother and the second prince of the Lornod Empire.
Derian, who looked exactly like the emperor, silently extended his hand further toward me—as if urging me to take it.
I met his intense red eyes for a moment, then sighed lightly and reached out my hand.
Derian was very careful with me, escorting me like a fragile glass doll about to break.
Though anger was suppressed, his voice still came out low and bitter.
“You look better in color. Blocking me must be a relief to you, huh?”
I rolled my eyes and glanced around at the nearby people.
At the temple’s entrance, decorated splendidly for the wedding, there were several royal guards.
And a few royal attendants who were supposed to escort me originally.
They all watched Derian’s sudden behavior anxiously.
Especially the one at the very front.
He was the chief attendant of the central palace, one of the emperor’s closest aides.
I couldn’t show my true feelings in front of someone so close to the emperor.
So I deliberately cast a light glare and spoke.
“You always come at me so threateningly!”
“Huh?”
“Let go of this first. It hurts!”
“I told you to stop that ill-fitting act again and again, didn’t I?”
Derian’s expression twisted in displeasure at my clear voice.
His grip on my hand tightened for a moment.
That was exactly what I wanted, so I shouted loudly on purpose.
“It hurts! You’re going to bruise me!”
The word “bruise” made Derian instinctively release my hand.
In fact, Derian hated more than anyone here that I get hurt.
He was obsessed with my beautiful appearance itself—he couldn’t bear for a single flaw to appear.
What an idiot.
He openly exposed his weakness for me to exploit, yet still acted possessive.
I sneered inwardly and asked Nesgal.
“Nesgal, can you just make this hand red?”
[If I gently push my energy into that area, it’s easy!]
My hand quickly became hot.
I quickly took off the glove on the hand Derian had held.
There was now a clearly reddened hand.
The contrast with my unusually pale skin made the redness stand out even more, and Derian frowned.
“Damn, I didn’t apply that much force.”
He clicked his tongue and reached out toward me.
“Better see a physician before it swells more…”
Naturally, I noticeably pulled back and avoided his hand.
“I’m used to you bothering me.”
“What?”
Showing my reddened hand so plainly, the attendants and guards around looked at me with pity.
Before they noticed something strange, I put my glove back on and spoke.
“Still, today is an important day. So please stop, Derian.”
Derian became highly agitated and shouted.
“Don’t be ridiculous! I’ve always been the one suffering, not you!”
He easily got angry when it concerned me.
Just a slight provocation raised his voice immediately.
“You were the one playing with me from the top of my head since we were kids! How dare you—!”
As Derian stepped forward with burning eyes, the chief attendant stepped in to stop him.
“Please stop, Prince Derian.”
“Move aside!”
“There’s not much time left until the crown prince’s ceremony. His Majesty would not want a disturbance at such a joyous event.”
At those words, Derian’s demeanor became very fierce.
“How dare you presume…!”
But the experienced chief attendant calmly bowed his head without much disturbance.
“I do not wish to disturb His Majesty’s mood by reporting today’s incident.”
“So that’s how it will be.”
Derian glared at the chief attendant protecting me as if wanting to tear him apart, then suddenly turned his gaze toward me.
He crooked his lips and spoke.
“Sorry, Neroli.”
I widened my eyes a bit at the unexpected words.
Seeing my subtle expression change, Derian seemed slightly pleased and continued deliberately.
“I never intended to bother you. If I hurt you while trying to get closer, I apologize.”
“…”
“As a sign of reconciliation, shall we enter together? Showing a friendly sibling appearance at the ceremony will please His Majesty.”
Saying that, he reached out his hand to me again.
Softly, yet confidently.
As if asking how I could refuse the hand of reconciliation from someone still playing the despicable role.
The chief attendant quietly stepped back between Derian and me, apparently thinking this was acceptable.
That made Derian smile even more slyly.
I quietly looked down at Derian’s hand.
‘So this is how he plays it.’
Derian, who inherited the emperor’s huge pride, apologizing.
Yeah, so you do have a big head too.
Just as I was about to look away from Derian’s hand and speak—
“Neigh!”
With the cry of a horse, someone ran over from the other side.
The man hurriedly dismounted and bowed his head.
“Apologies for being late.”
I smiled gently and shook my head.
“No, no, Duke Sandrin!”
He came just in time.
Derian’s cold voice sounded, seemingly displeased by the duke’s arrival spoiling the mood favorable to me.
“This is the royal entrance, Duke.”
“But—”
I quickly interrupted Derian with a smile.
“A royal’s partner can enter together, right?”
Derian frowned, perhaps expecting what I was about to say.
I put my hands together, looking apologetic, and giggled.
“This time, I have a prior engagement with Duke Sandrin! But I’m so glad you apologized, Derian!”
“You… since when did you become partners with Duke Sandrin?”
“Hm? He’s the father of my childhood friend Brilint. Of course, we know each other. Right, Duke Sandrin?”
I asked brightly, and the duke quickly understood the situation and agreed.
“I happened to have something to discuss regarding my daughter, so I had the honor of becoming the princess’s partner.”
“No need to make excuses to me.”
Derian silently withdrew his outstretched hand.
He clenched his fists tightly, then turned sharply and strode alone into the temple.
I scratched my cheek awkwardly as I watched him go.
“Ah, he’s angry.”
“I’m sorry if it’s because of me.”
“No, Duke! I can’t ignore my prior engagement with the duke! Shall we go in as well?”
“Yes, understood.”
So, we passed through the attendants and guards with leisurely steps and entered the temple.
The duke whispered quietly.
“Prince Derian has not changed since childhood.”
He seemed to have vaguely guessed that I was the object of Derian’s obsession.
Well, that was natural.
‘He just can’t hide his possessiveness toward me.’
Even Duke Sandrin, who rarely came to the capital, noticed.
‘Disgusting.’
At times like this, I think about leaving a permanent scar on my face.
Would that lessen Derian’s obsession?
I sighed inwardly and just nodded.
“By the way, I heard you had very important business today. Did it go well?”
It was a hint to ask if the plan to sneak Agatha out was prepared well.
The duke slightly tensed and whispered with a breath.
“Yes, thanks to you.”
“Hehe, I didn’t do much!”
As I said that and moved forward, my eyes caught the large domed ceiling and the colorful stained glass patterns.
Inside the temple, fully prepared for the wedding, the virgin road where the bride and groom would walk and the various flower decorations filled the space.
The many round tables on both sides were packed with carefully invited guests.
“Neroli, over here.”
Someone called me.
I turned my head to see a silver-haired man sitting at a table ahead, smiling gently.
I approached the table with the duke.
“Brindel!”
My other half-brother, the third prince Brindel Zelaur Lornod.
I naturally sat beside Brindel and spoke to him.
“You’re early.”
“It’s my brother’s wedding. By the way, Neroli, you look really beautiful today.”
“Hehe, you too, Brindel!”
“Ha ha. Me? That’s a bit embarrassing.”
Brindel smiled kindly.
We were quite close.
When Brindel was around 17, suffering from serious auditory hallucinations caused by a recently manifested madness, I helped him.
‘More precisely, I bribed a palace physician and got medicine for him.’
No need to advertise my skill in pharmacy to the third princess.
Thanks to the palace physician, Brindel regained his sanity and was very grateful to me for bridging that.
We were already on good terms, but that incident brought us even closer.
“Ah, long time no see, Duke Sandrin. It’s nice to see you here in the capital.”
Brindel acknowledged Duke Sandrin as well.
When Duke Sandrin lightly replied, my eyes met someone sitting beside Brindel.
I smiled broadly and greeted.
