Chapter 40
“So soon? We haven’t even submitted the paperwork to the Imperial Palace yet,”
Layla said in surprise.
Every noble living in the capital had to send documents to the Imperial Palace once an engagement was set. And only after marriage could they have their first audience with the Emperor.
That was the privilege of nobles in the capital—being able to see the Emperor at least once before they died.
Of course, unless one was a central noble, that single visit was almost always just to announce their marriage.
“They said we can submit it after the engagement ceremony. I even found a lawyer yesterday.”
“You sure got a lot done yesterday.”
Which meant that yesterday, he had undergone an examination, gotten a medical certificate, met with a lawyer to prepare for submitting documents to the Imperial Palace, and even met with Siever.
Layla thought to herself that he was an incredibly diligent scoundrel. Yet, when she saw the way he looked at her, she found herself doubting if that was truly his only motive.
“Layla.”
Sonnet, who was facing her, grasped her hand tightly.
“A mistress is out of the question.”
“…What?”
“Absolutely no mistress. And no lover, either.”
“But…”
Layla wondered why he was suddenly saying this.
Most nobles, after marrying and producing heirs, would often take on a mistress. Once they fulfilled their noble duty, they lived freely.
But that was for married people. For the unmarried to spread romantic scandals was almost considered taboo.
“I won’t see anyone else either. I’ll even put it in our marriage contract—that I won’t touch or get involved with anyone other than you.”
“But, Sonnet… people’s hearts can change.”
“Mine won’t. So promise me too.”
Layla thought his performance was quite convincing, even knowing it was an act. For a brief moment, she even thought, Maybe that wouldn’t be so bad.
But Sonnet only intended to use her.
And the fact that he could say this so firmly made her suspect that if he were to have an affair with Siever, he’d make sure not to get caught.
She remembered the men who, once bewitched by Siever, treated her badly and didn’t bother to hide their affairs. Compared to them, Sonnet might be on a completely different level—a far more formidable opponent.
That thought made her force a smile.
“Layla.”
When he spoke again as if urging her, Layla looked at him and smiled shyly.
“Mm, alright.”
He grinned widely and placed a hand on her shoulder, gauging whether it was alright to pull her into an embrace. When she didn’t resist, he gently wrapped his arms around her.
Layla felt as if his tightening hold was squeezing the air from her lungs. Still, she pretended to be just as pleased and tried to hug him back.
Of course, she didn’t have the strength to suffocate him in return.
“A young lady, His Highness the Crown Prince sent this.”
A little later, Layla took the paper from Catherine and unfolded it at once.
Since you have a guest today, I won’t come. However, I expect you to keep your promise as soon as possible. My friends and I will be waiting at that place every day at that hour.
–Anasis Ignacio Siegmund.
The handwriting was so crooked that it looked exactly like a threat.
Layla handed it back to Catherine.
“Burn it, please.”
“Yes.”
As Layla left the dining room and headed for the stairs, she found Sonnet waiting.
She thought he’d already gone.
“I’ll leave after you fall asleep.”
“What? Ah… alright.”
He had stayed even after having dinner together.
Layla had business to discuss with Rainier, but Sonnet wasn’t leaving her side for even a moment, which made things troublesome.
As they headed toward her room—
“You two.”
“Oh, sister?”
Siever, who had claimed she was going up first, was standing impatiently in front of Layla’s door.
“To apologize for last time… and to make things right between us.”
Siever pouted in an affectedly cute way.
In the original story, Siever always acted like this when apologizing. But to Layla, who had suffered too much from her, it was simply infuriating.
“What do you want to do?”
“Well, we’re both adults now.”
“Right.”
“Let’s play a drinking game.”
“That’s not acceptable,” Sonnet cut in.
“Do you have any idea how weak Layla’s health is? And you suggest alcohol?”
At his stern tone, Siever glanced at Layla in surprise.
Layla, however, thought alcohol might be fine. Especially since her health had been improving after taking the medicine Rainier had given her.
“I drank at the party with His Highness the Crown Prince last time, and I was fine.”
At that, Sonnet’s expression twisted. But when he met her eyes, he forcibly smoothed his face into a fake smile.
It seemed he remembered the scent of alcohol lingering when they’d ridden together in the carriage last time.
“Sonnet, you don’t want to drink? Then I’ll just drink with sister.”
Thinking it would be meaningless unless he participated, Layla said this deliberately.
“I’ll drink too.”
Sonnet agreed immediately. His strange expression made it hard to tell if he was smiling or suppressing his anger.
Yet his drooping eyes didn’t look angry, while his crooked mouth didn’t quite look like a smile.
Only later did she realize it was an expression of hurt feelings. Still, she simply thought he was acting well and asked:
“What game are we playing?”
“This one. The one we used to play a lot when we were kids.”
When Siever first came to the mansion, she’d been nice to Layla. Back then, she was still a child and tried to win Layla’s favor with various little games.
Layla hadn’t been ill before her debutante years.
“Oh, this is… block stacking?”
“Yeah.”
What Siever brought were rectangular blocks. The first layer would be laid horizontally, the second vertically, the third horizontally again, alternating as they built a tower.
“I played this as a child too,” Sonnet said, glancing at Siever’s childish toy before smiling faintly at Layla.
“Where should we play?”
“In my room.”
At Layla’s words, Sonnet quickly opened the door for her. Siever smiled and said “Thanks” as she went in first.
Layla avoided Sonnet’s hand reaching for hers and quickly followed Siever in.
As they entered, a maid came in behind Siever carrying four bottles of rum.
“Why so much alcohol?”
“Well, there are three of us,” Siever said, sitting on Layla’s bed and arranging the blocks into a tall tower.
“Let’s drink a glass every time we pull a block out.”
No sooner had she said this than the bottles were placed on the table beside the bed.
“And if someone knocks it over?” Layla asked.
“They’ll get a punishment, of course,” Siever said, shooting a sly smile at Sonnet.
Sonnet, sitting beside Layla, caught the subtle scent of her from the bed and blinked before looking away.
“What kind of punishment?”
Layla felt a bit tense—punishments from Siever’s mind were rarely pleasant.
“How about we rank the results?”
“So we play twice? The loser drops out?”
“Yeah. And the winner gets one wish granted by the other two.”
Layla thought it was a clever twist and chuckled.
“Alright. Sonnet?”
“I’m fine with that. Let’s do it.”
“So it’s settled?”
Layla noticed how the tower wobbled slightly whenever the bed moved.
“No shaking the bed on purpose when it’s someone else’s turn.”
“Right. And if someone makes it fall by shaking the bed, they’re automatically last place,” Siever declared confidently, looking at Layla.
Layla returned her gaze with a faintly timid smile.
They placed the rum-filled glasses on a book Sonnet brought over from nearby.
“Who goes first?”
“I’ll start, then we’ll go clockwise,” Siever said. Layla agreed, and so did Sonnet.
“Ready?”
“Mm-hm.”
Siever pulled a block from the bottom and placed it on top with ease, then downed the small glass of rum.
“Phew.”
Next, Sonnet carelessly pulled one from below and stacked it. It looked effortless for him.
He drained his glass, then refilled both Siever’s and Layla’s with a long reach for the bottle.
Realizing it was her turn, Layla carefully pulled a block out and stacked it. Then she drank her rum.
“Haa…”
“You okay?” Sonnet asked in concern. Layla nodded, and Siever quickly took her next turn.
“Ugh, strong stuff,” Siever muttered, downing her glass.
Sonnet ignored her comment, took his turn, then refilled all three glasses again.
Layla debated whether she should aim to win or lose this game.
If she could appear to get along with Siever, Sonnet would lower his guard, and then she could finish him later.
In that case… maybe losing was better.
—CRASH!
“Oh my.”
“Layla’s last place,” Siever announced.
At those words, Sonnet’s eyes gleamed—because first place could make the other two grant any wish they wanted.
Layla tilted her head, wondering what Sonnet intended, his gaze lingering strangely on her rum-wet lips.
