CHAPTER 176………………………………………….
Every moment spent in the imperial palace felt almost the same as it had before the engagement ceremony.
The only difference was that I could see Kyle more often than before.
“Kyle!”
“Has it gotten this late already?”
Kyle, who had promised to have tea with me, looked as busy as ever, completely absorbed in the mountain of documents piled up before him.
Before I knew he was a Grand Duke, I used to wonder why the Emperor dumped so much work on him.
But after learning that Kyle was the Grand Duke of Obern, I began to worry instead—what if all the things he handled were highly confidential?
“Am I getting in your way? If you’re busy, I can come another time…”
We weren’t even truly engaged, so I couldn’t help but worry that I was interrupting him.
Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Kyle turned his gaze away from the paperwork.
After examining it carefully for a moment, he looked back at me.
“It’s nothing urgent. It’s fine. Shall we take a light walk?”
That was something I could never say.
Even with a mountain of work, Kyle calmly adjusted his collar as if it didn’t bother him at all.
Watching him quietly, I thought maybe I shouldn’t visit like this anymore.
“If you thought you were disturbing me, that’s a huge misunderstanding. I was actually starting to feel sleepy.”
Kyle reassured me as if he could read my mind like a ghost.
I walked beside him.
“Greetings to the Grand Duke of Obern. Lady Elupe is here as well.”
“The two of you walking together warms the heart more than even this sunny weather.”
Everyone recognized us and eagerly greeted us.
For a brief moment, I wondered…
If I married Kyle, could my life really remain this peaceful forever?
‘Marriage… honestly, what am I even thinking?’
This engagement was only for mutual benefit.
I had always lived by one rule:
Never desire what isn’t mine.
And yet…
Here I was, dreaming of a future with a hidden character whose fate I couldn’t even predict.
‘Maybe it’s because I’ve adapted so well to this place that it finally feels like my real life…’
Overwhelmed by confusion, my fingers unconsciously tightened.
Without realizing it, I had gripped Kyle’s solid arm tightly.
“Are you alright?”
Kyle leaned down in concern, and I caught a cool, refreshing scent.
‘Is he wearing perfume?’
He held my hand firmly, staring at me with worried eyes, his brows furrowed.
Embarrassed, my cheeks heated up, and I quickly stepped back, making excuses.
“Ah, yes… I was just lost in thought for a moment…”
“You look tired. Let’s head back.”
* * *
After our short walk, we returned to his office.
Kyle simply smiled faintly as he watched me sitting there blankly, holding my teacup.
“Can you keep coming at this time from now on?”
“Keep… coming?”
Since I was also in the position of assisting the Princess, I couldn’t promise the same time every day.
“If I can, I’d like to spend time with you. Is it difficult?”
“It’s not difficult… but if Her Highness needs me, I should go to her as her companion.”
I was only saying it might not be possible every day because I had duties.
But Kyle’s gaze wavered slightly.
“We made such a grand engagement announcement. Shouldn’t we also handle the aftermath properly?”
“Wouldn’t some people think it’s too much?”
This wasn’t private property.
Showing off too much romance inside the palace didn’t seem good for work.
“…I’m worried rumors will spread that we’ve become distant after the engagement. Then your father, who gave his permission with difficulty, would lose face. Wouldn’t it be better if we saw each other daily?”
Was Kyle always someone who cared this much about appearances?
I tilted my head, watching him seriously try to convince me.
“Well… just because we’re engaged doesn’t mean we have to meet every day…”
At that moment, our eyes met in midair.
A dizzy feeling struck so sharply that my legs almost gave out, and I clenched my fists.
If we kept looking at each other like this…
I feared I might truly fall into passionate love.
‘If I ever ended up deeply loving Kyle… what kind of ending would this story lead to…?’
* * *
A few days later, I ended up back in the reception room again—because of Elporten.
Elporten stormed in, looking as though he might smash everything in sight, glaring at me viciously.
“Hey! How dare someone like you do something behind my back with Father?!”
Anyone would think I had secretly met the Count and deliberately shaken Elporten off.
But in truth, the Count had come to me.
Even now, meeting Elporten like this wasn’t my choice.
“Father entered the palace and happened to have time, so he visited briefly.”
That was all I thought I needed to say.
But Elporten frowned deeply, twisting his face.
“So?”
“So…?”
“If you excluded me, you must’ve had a reason. Tell me what secret plot you two were cooking up without me.”
Honestly, getting involved with Elporten made even me feel childish.
He seemed convinced he was intimidating me, grinding his teeth and glaring.
The ridiculous part was that he couldn’t say a word to the Count, yet he took all his anger out on me.
‘Because I’m the easy target.’
As if this would stop Count Inferna from seeking me out.
I couldn’t understand why he wasted so much time on something so pointless.
“A plot? He congratulated me on the engagement. That was all. Just ordinary father-daughter conversation. Did you really come all the way here just to ask that?”
Half true, half false.
The Count never congratulated me.
He had threatened instead that he’d find a way to break the engagement.
So it certainly wasn’t a normal father-daughter talk…
But it also wasn’t some grand secret plan excluding Elporten.
“Whether it’s ‘just that’ or not is for me to decide.”
Elporten trembled, fists clenched, but he didn’t scare me at all.
He looked nothing like the villain I remembered.
‘As a player, he was terrifying… but from a younger sister’s perspective, he’s kind of pathetic.’
That was the one good thing.
Dealing with Count Inferna was hard enough.
If Elporten were smart too, it would’ve been unbearable.
If he stayed immature and foolish like this…
I probably wouldn’t have to truly fight him until Roelin’s happy marriage.
“Brother, if it’s not rude, may I say something?”
When I smiled politely, Elporten lifted his chin arrogantly, as if granting permission.
“The reason the imperial family lends me this reception room is because I am the Grand Duke of Obern’s fiancée.”
“Do I look like an idiot who doesn’t know that?”
“Then I’m glad you understand quickly. If Father truly wished to secretly conspire with me, he wouldn’t have used this reception room. Don’t you agree?”
“This—! Who do you think you’re talking to?!”
There wasn’t a trace of refinement in Elporten as he kicked the table in anger.
How could someone so simple-minded exist?
‘The late Countess must be pitiful.’
Inside, I mocked him while pretending to be frightened.
I covered my mouth with both hands and screamed,
“Kyaa!”
At once, the guards rushed in.
Only then did Elporten suddenly become quiet, aware of the attention.
He hurriedly wiped the table with a clean handkerchief, checking for scratches.
He looked especially pathetic today.
“No matter if you are the young master of House Inferna, causing a disturbance in the imperial palace is unacceptable.”
The soldier glanced at me awkwardly and warned Elporten instead.
Elporten turned pale, staring back with an offended expression.
“A disturbance? I was simply teaching my sister etiquette after not seeing her for so long. I fail to see what was disruptive.”
‘Says the man who was just kicking the table with all his strength.’
I wanted to throw him in prison immediately.
But that wouldn’t help me right now.
So I could only soothe the guard with an apologetic look.
“It was my fault. I was startled because I thought my brother might be hurt…”
When I subtly urged him to apologize, Elporten resisted for a moment—
then bowed awkwardly, like a broken robot.
“…Tch. Fine. I’ll be careful.”
