~Chapter 32~
Cesare lifted his hands above his shoulders, showing he surrendered.
“…I apologize. I went too far.”
“I guess I always make you angry, Your Highness.”
“Yeah, and you really hate me too.”
“We don’t get along at all. Maybe it’s better for both of us to just go our own ways.”
Edmund put away his sword and spun it in his hand a little, making a face like he always did when his grandfather visited the palace—completely annoyed.
Cesare clenched his jaw but tried to keep a smile on his face.
“As promised, I’ll leave.”
“Let me see you off—”
“Just say hello to the Duke for me.”
Cesare waved his hand like he didn’t care and turned away.
He probably wouldn’t give up that easily.
But you can’t just follow a prince around, watching him, with no real proof—only suspicion.
‘What a headache.’
Edmund watched until the prince was completely out of sight.
“Master! You’re here. Marquis Lishten is looking for you right now.”
“I’ll go right away.”
But Edmund was busy. As soon as someone called him, he hurried off to his next task.
Cesare leaned against the wall, greeting everyone who walked by and wasting time.
While looking for someone, he spotted a young maid who was startled to see him.
“W-wow, Your Highness!”
She was so surprised she stuttered.
Cesare smiled smoothly.
“Shh.”
He put his finger to his lips and whispered softly,
“Keep it a secret that I’m here.”
“No attendant… What brings you here alone?”
The maid lowered her voice, too.
Looking at her red cheeks, Cesare bent down and spoke gently.
“I actually sneaked in.”
“To see who?”
“I heard my servant was rude to a lady. I want to apologize in person, but I can’t find her.”
“The lady?”
“Actually, I don’t know exactly who it is. I just know she’s an important guest in the palace.”
“Oh, that’s…”
The maid hesitated and glanced at Cesare.
Seraphina Bluewood.
There had been rumors about her, and everyone had been told not to share her location with outsiders until things settled down.
But this was the prince. And someday, he would be king.
Even though Valkyrisen was powerful, it was still part of Silveria. It felt wrong to call Cesare an outsider.
“I’ll just say sorry and leave. If I make a formal request to meet her, everyone will notice and it might cause trouble for her.”
Huh?
Cesare acted like he was begging, making his eyebrows look sad and putting on a pitiful face.
His playful attitude made the maid relax a little.
He really did seem like he just wanted to apologize quietly.
After a moment’s hesitation, she told Cesare where Seraphina was.
“She’s in the west palace right now.”
“Hmm… Thank you?”
Cesare gave a small laugh and waved.
His smile somehow felt mocking, but before the maid could think more, he was already gone.
‘That was easy.’
Everything in his life was easy—except for things related to Valkyrisen.
Every time, something would upset him if it was connected to Valkyrisen.
‘And I got caught by Valkyrisen again.’
He couldn’t even steal one thing properly and got caught. What a fool.
He was humiliated.
Only when there was nobody around, Cesare’s face turned cold as he walked on.
His green eyes, now darker, seemed almost dangerous.
This time, at least, he would see the young master’s face twist in anger.
‘If that girl falls for me, even better.’
He wondered what kind of reaction he’d see.
‘That would be fun to watch.’
Feeling better, Cesare smiled and headed toward the west palace.
The west palace was open to outsiders, unlike the east Serenity Palace, which was off-limits.
‘Why did they move her here instead of keeping her in the main palace?’
Was it to hide her?
To make her seem less important?
As he crossed the palace wall, he saw small, white, fluffy things floating in the air—like dandelions.
‘Magic cotton…!’
He remembered what Edmund had said:
“Why would I want power that isn’t really mine?”
Even the heir here didn’t claim the magic cotton as his own. Wasn’t that almost like it belonged to nobody?
And in Silveria, there was nothing in the land that didn’t belong to him.
‘It comes looking for me without even trying.’
That’s how his life always was.
It was so easy.
After making sure no one was around, Cesare reached out for it, thinking it was his right.
“If someone really needed that power, I’d give it to them.”
And now, the future ruler of Silveria wanted it.
So he should have it.
After all, it was only right that someone who would do great things should collect all the power he could.
“Being born with magic talent is rare. If I learned magic with no effort or respect, I’d be stealing someone else’s hope or dream.”
‘But I want it, Edmund Valkyrisen.’
He grabbed the magic cotton, twisting his lips into a sneer.
At that very moment—
“Found the magic cotton!”
A tiny child suddenly shouted, pointing straight at the prince.
Elodie had planned to just wait and see what happened.
Maybe the prince would just say sorry to the Duke and leave, without trying to find Sarah.
If the problem could solve itself, it was best not to get involved or stand out.
It was still time to be careful.
‘But he really came all the way here.’
The west palace was a place even merchants could visit if they got permission.
A palace open to people with low status.
If the prince wasn’t coming to meet Sarah, he would never come here himself.
‘Ugh, I really didn’t want to see him.’
Elodie forced her annoyed face to relax.
She opened her eyes wide and put on a clueless, confused look.
“I was looking for that.”
She stared at the prince as if to ask, Why do you have it?
The boy, frozen in surprise, suddenly smiled like nothing was wrong.
“Hello.”
His gentle smile made his good looks even more obvious.
He wasn’t so flashy that you couldn’t look away, but he was handsome enough to attract anyone’s attention.
He looked like someone anyone would consider as a good match for marriage.
He had the air of someone raised in a noble house with the best education.
Even if he’d been born poor, anyone would have thought about marrying him after seeing that face.
‘Just like I did.’
Both Sarah and I once fell for that face.
I thought he was a good person, like Edmund. But after getting to know him…
‘There’s nothing good inside.’
Now he was trying to act nice again.
“What’s your name?”
‘There he goes again with his tricks.’
