Chapter 54:
At eight o’clock, all of Mont’s customers had gone home. Layla was checking the revenue report with Rainier.
“I plan to go to the square at nine.”
“So it’s finally come to that?”
“Yes.”
Rainier glanced at the papers Layla was holding when she responded flatly. Layla, unaware of his glance, kept her eyes on the report.
“Wow… the sales are insane.”
“How much are we talking?”
“We’ve made half of Eclair’s monthly sales in just two days.”
It made sense.
Thanks to rumors that the Crown Prince and Lady Weimar frequented the place, people on the first floor were desperate to buy items to raise their purchase tier.
However, Lady Weimar had already racked up an astronomical purchase tier for her friends, making it nearly impossible for anyone else to break into the top-tier customer bracket.
“If this customer comes again tomorrow, they’ll probably use Andréanne’s boutique on the second floor as well.”
Layla chuckled when she saw the name of the count’s daughter who had bought the most expensive tea sets on the first floor today.
“I’ll deposit the money into the bank for you. But under imperial law, if the account is under your name, Count Abierre can check it.”
“You mean I should open an account under a false name? Got it.”
Layla replied, returning her attention to the papers.
“Miss.”
“Yes?”
Rainier called to her with a smile. Layla looked up, puzzled that he had called her name without getting to the point. He was smiling, but not smiling—wearing that strange expression of his again.
“W-what is it?”
When she met his gaze, she instinctively glanced around. They were the only two in the room—this was originally a meeting room, so no one else could enter without permission.
“I…”
Rainier moved closer and sat near her, still smiling.
“…like men?”
Though he smiled as he spoke, he still wasn’t truly smiling. His mouth was smiling, but his eyes looked almost… angry.
“N-no, that’s… it couldn’t be helped…!”
“Do you know what Anasis said?”
“W-what did he say?”
As he came closer, Layla panicked and instinctively leaned back, retreating helplessly.
“Ah…!”
Still holding the papers, she tumbled backward over the sofa. She didn’t have the strength in her waist to resist when she kept leaning away from him.
“He said he’d introduce me to a knight with a good body.”
“Ha… ha… how strange. My goodness.”
With Rainier looming over her, effectively caging her in, Layla felt the blood rush to her head.
“Sorry.”
She apologized quickly—he really did look angry.
“That won’t do. Words alone aren’t enough.”
“T-then what?”
“Grant me a wish.”
Layla wondered if this was part of why he was such a successful businessman—he had a streak that made him seem like a charming bandit.
“Fine… but I only said that for your sake.”
“Yes, I’m sure. But being angry is a separate matter.”
“How is it separate?”
“Because it bothers me that you’d think I’m into that sort of thing.”
Layla thought his reason for being upset was odd. She lowered her papers and met his gaze squarely.
“I never thought that.”
“Then why say that to Anasis?”
“Because… I figured that would make the Crown Prince get involved. I expected him to approach differently, but it just happened to work out that way, so I went with it.”
With him so close, Layla ended up blurting out the truth. His eyes sometimes made her feel as though he could read her mind.
“I never thought that. Not for a single moment.”
His expression softened, looking satisfied.
Layla’s chest felt strange under his weight—like she could almost feel his heartbeat through her skin.
“What’s your wish, then?”
At her question, he leaned in even closer.
“From now on…”
His lips were so close that she flinched without meaning to. Oddly, though, she didn’t dislike it.
“…whenever I want to kiss you, I will—if you don’t refuse.”
“And if I say no?”
“Then I’ll change my wish to… getting my blood a bit later than usual.”
“How much later?”
“…A week?”
Layla couldn’t help but laugh. So he was threatening her life—but for such a short time it almost seemed petty, like he just wanted to express his displeasure.
“I told you not to like me.”
“As I’ve said before, I don’t. And my feelings are mine—I’ll handle them as I please.”
Something about his words felt childish, and Layla relaxed without realizing it.
“All right. I’ll grant you that wish.”
The moment she spoke, his lips touched hers.
Then, as if he had been waiting for this, his tongue explored her mouth, drawing a soft, involuntary sigh from her. The kiss quickly turned rough, as though he meant to devour all her breath, until her tight grip on his clothes made him soften, becoming gentle instead.
She matched his movements, responding to him, until they broke apart when her jaw began to ache.
“Not after we’re engaged.”
She said it as soon as she saw his face.
“You’re a con artist,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh. “You let me think you’d allow it.”
“That’s called good business.”
He gave a wry smile at her reply, then brushed his thumb over the corner of her lips.
“I’m quite the businessman myself, Miss.”
Something about his challenging tone stirred a strange feeling in Layla—one she didn’t dislike.
The Crown Prince, Anasis, had stationed his knights all over the square.
Some were disguised as street vendors but were actually knights. A couple sat by the fountain, pretending to be affectionate lovers—they were husband and wife, both knights.
Most of the “passersby” loitering and buying goods were knights as well.
Anasis planned to kill Rainier the moment he unmasked him.
As long as he didn’t strike the killing blow himself, the murder charge would fall on whichever knight did it. He could then cover it up as a reward for “service abroad.”
Thinking this, he glanced at the knight beside him—a fine-featured but solidly built man.
“Is that really your preference?”
“No. It’s just rumors, nothing more.”
Heltero replied, forcing his frown away.
“I see.”
At 8:55, Mont’s lights went out, and the knights held their breath.
Anasis wore a black robe, not wanting anyone to know he was there. Besides, he was controlling access to the square anyway.
“See you tomorrow, Rain.”
“Yes.”
Layla left in her carriage for her estate.
The man left behind still wore his mask and robe. He scanned the area, then began walking toward Anasis and his group.
“Over here.”
Anasis waved him over, and the black-haired man approached.
“Take off the mask, Rain.”
Without waiting for permission, Anasis ripped the mask away.
“…Your Highness?”
Beneath it was not Rainier, but William in disguise, staring in surprise.
“How…?”
Anasis had been certain he couldn’t be wrong—but the man before him clearly wasn’t Rainier.
The appearance was definitely different.
He stared at the mask in his hand, then put it back on William’s face.
And there it was—an uncanny resemblance.
“What is it?”
“Ha.”
The voice, the build—perfectly Rainier. Only the face was different. The eyes and mouth were similar, but he was a completely different person.
Anasis chuckled at the absurdity.
“Where are you from?”
“Don’t you already know?”
Recalling the script Layla and Rainier had given him, William replied smoothly:
“I am the Crown Prince of Lutenberg.”
Then he mimicked the smile Rainier used when looking at Layla. It made Anasis even more unsettled.
“Ha ha…”
Anasis gave a short, dry laugh. His anger flared for a moment, but seeing someone so rare in appearance, with such a resemblance, sparked an idea. His irritation faded.
“They really do look the same.”
Then he realized something.
“Fernando Lutenberg.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Lutenberg was a kingdom that needed the Sigmund Empire’s support.
“Let’s stay on good terms.”
If he played this right, he could even use the man to spread false rumors about Rainier to his father.
Anasis was already entertaining foolish schemes.
“It would be an honor.”
“But if you want to stay close to me, you’ll have to pass a little test. I need to be sure you can be trusted.”
That, too, was exactly as Rainier had planned—even down to Anasis deciding to test William.
