Chapter 47
“I greet His Highness, Prince Cesare.”
I bowed with a businesslike tone. Cesare smirked.
“Just call me Cesare.”
“How could I dare?”
I cut him off firmly, drawing the line. But Cesare strode closer without hesitation.
“Here to see the opera, huh? With who?”
“Do I really have to answer that?”
“So prickly. But let me guess—Sir Alperen, right? Everyone’s gossiping about you two these days.”
He casually extended his arm to escort me. On the surface, it looked like a gentlemanly gesture, but something about it made my skin crawl.
“Why don’t we talk while I walk you back?”
When I just stared, he tilted his head at his arm, urging me to take it.
Now that our identities were out in the open, refusing would cause more trouble.
“…Thank you.”
I placed only the tip of one finger on his arm, making it as obvious as possible that I wasn’t comfortable.
But Cesare chuckled.
“Tsk, that’s no way to hold on.”
He seized my hand and pulled it firmly through his arm. The position made it look like I was willingly escorted, and my expression soured instantly.
‘What’s he up to? Does he really not know about the mess with his sister and me?’
Nanael had been strangely quiet lately. After my very public “confession,” the Emperor had ordered her to keep a low profile.
Everything about Cesare’s sudden appearances felt deliberate and staged. My guard was already up.
‘Whatever he wants to say, he’d better say it quickly and get lost.’
And then, out of nowhere—
“What’s your type?”
The question was asked as casually as if he were asking about lunch. I blinked.
“…Excuse me?”
“Your taste in men. You must have one.”
“Well… for starters, I dislike red hair.”
“That can be changed.”
“And I dislike golden eyes.”
“That part’s harder to fix… but maybe you could tolerate it?”
What.
Why on earth should I?
The more he talked, the harder it became to keep my face neutral.
‘Wait. Is he actually trying to hit on me right now?’
Just as the worst possibility crossed my mind, he added:
“If it’s because of my sister, don’t worry. I’m not close to Nanael.”
So he did know about everything. And still, he was doing this?
I couldn’t help grimacing.
“With all due respect, that’s not the issue. I already have a lover.”
And not just anyone—my “boyfriend” was a man so beautiful he was practically a national treasure.
Compared to Alperen, Cesare—no matter how handsome—was like a half-dried squid.
But Cesare’s confidence was bulletproof.
“So what?”
“…What?”
“Why settle for a boring, stiff Tower Master when you could have a promising prince? Or better yet—why not enjoy both?”
He flashed me a cocky smile, utterly convinced of his own charm.
My face went cold.
“I’m sorry, but Alperen is far more interesting than you. Especially his face.”
“Hm. I don’t think I lose in the looks department.”
“And even if Alperen were penniless, I would still never choose you, Your Highness.”
“Why not?”
Because you’re just a pretty piece of trash, and my Alperen is simply… pretty.
Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud. Instead, I gave him my brightest smile.
“Because you’re not my type. I absolutely despise flashy, womanizing men.”
And with that, I yanked my hand free, dropped into a curtsey, and ended it.
“Thank you for escorting me. It was unpleasant meeting you—let’s never do it again!”
I bolted down the hall and back into the box seats.
Only then did it hit me.
‘Wait… did I just say that last part out loud?’
Too late now.
But really, he’d been the rude one first—so why should I sugarcoat my words?
‘That’s what you get for following me around like a creep!’
Still fuming, I returned to my seat—only to find both Adrian and Alperen gone.
“Act II will begin shortly. Please return to your seats now. Once the performance resumes, entry and exit will not be permitted.”
The announcement echoed as the curtain began to rise.
Their chairs remained empty.
A spike of dread ran through me.
‘No way… They’re not secretly dueling somewhere, are they?’
* * *
After Rodelia left, silence filled the space between Adrian and Alperen.
Normally, they would’ve been excitedly predicting the ending before the second act.
Adrian stole a glance at Alperen, whose face—though as unreadable as ever—carried an unusual brightness.
“This isn’t a lighthearted matter.”
Adrian recalled what Alperen had once said by the Shuri River.
Back at the Academy, Alperen had been distant, never opening up to people. His eyes had always carried the same message: Keep your distance.
They reminded Adrian of his little sister’s eyes, before everything had changed.
That spring, Rodelia had suddenly become a different person.
She used to be quiet, withdrawn, almost gloomy. Then, almost overnight, she turned cheerful and lively.
Adrian and their parents had watched the change with both relief and worry.
It had come after she’d spent a long time bedridden from an accident.
At first, they’d been told it was just a fall from a tree while playing with friends.
But later, a brave maid revealed the truth.
“Those young ladies hung her beloved doll up in the tree to torment her. They’d been quietly bullying her for years.”
So the truth was: for three years, Rodelia had been quietly ostracized by her group. She’d climbed that tree to rescue her doll.
When the Ferris family found out, guilt tore them apart.
The culprits’ families were punished—banished from the capital or disgraced.
But that didn’t erase Rodelia’s scars.
She lost her voice. And her family made a decision.
“You fell while playing with your brother, didn’t you?”
When she finally spoke again, those were her first words. And Adrian decided to accept them.
“That’s right. It was close, Deli. You almost got really hurt.”
From that day on, she was “different.”
She laughed, she played. Or so it seemed.
But the truth was, she never truly opened her heart to anyone—not even her family.
That was when Adrian began clinging to her, showering her with affection.
Even if she complained, he didn’t care. He just didn’t want her to suffer like that again.
It was a brother’s duty to protect his sister.
But when the Academy term began, he had to leave her behind.
Lonely, guilty for not being there, Adrian found a convenient outlet in Alperen.
And somehow, after much back-and-forth, they became friends. Adrian had even invited him to their home.
At the time, he’d never imagined it would lead to this.
Or maybe, deep down, he had.
He’d noticed the way Alperen’s gaze toward Rodelia had softened over time.
Still, he hadn’t wanted to admit it.
Now he wasn’t sure what stung more—his devotion to his sister, or the betrayal of a friend.
Adrian finally broke the silence with a sharp tone.
“I heard Deli’s been helping you manage your estate. What are you thinking, making someone else’s precious daughter work like that?”
“I’m grateful for it. She’s been helping me in a lot of ways.”
Alperen scratched his cheek sheepishly. Rodelia had scolded him about the house’s messy state, and he’d reluctantly accepted her help. The difference she’d made was undeniable.
“Deli said if you’d seen the place before, you would’ve teased me about it for a year.”
“Then why don’t you invite me over so I can?”
“…What?”
“You’ve never invited me to your home. Don’t you think I have the right to see for myself what Deli’s been doing?”
It was a subtle olive branch, a chance to reconcile.
Alperen chuckled softly.
“Hmm. I’ll think about it… if you agree to lift her nine o’clock curfew.”
