HOT 06

Chapter 6

I’m still young, I’m not married, and yet I’m feeling something like maternal affection toward a man who’s two years younger than me?

A wave of self-loathing crashed over me. Does staying around your superior for too long make you develop feelings like this?

No—that couldn’t be it. I’d worked with my boss for quite a while in my previous life, and I’d never felt anything like this even once.

Then was it really just his face?

Because Lombre was handsome and had gone through a miserable childhood?

Because I’d been by his side through all of that?

“So, is that all you wanted to say?”

The words slipped out unexpectedly.

Startled by the slightly sharp tone, I blinked and looked at Lombre—then followed his gaze to Creed.

An awkward smile rose on the large-dog-like gentle face.

…What is this?

“Do you have something else to say?”

“No, not at all?”

The denial came out unnaturally stiff.

That was a hundred percent a lie. My intuition—honed through years of working life—was screaming it at me.

Creed wasn’t my subordinate, but it felt exactly like when a junior under me messed up and pretended nothing happened.

…If this involved us, I really wish he’d just say it now.

When I stared at him suspiciously, Creed waved his hands and strongly denied it.

“Really, there’s nothing else. I just didn’t want to upset His Highness, so I was only going to tell Amber.”

And at least inside this reception room, there was no one who believed him.

Lombre sat with his legs crossed and arms folded, the corner of his lips twisting upward.

Just then, a light knock sounded. Creed responded as if a savior had arrived.

“Come in!”

“Are you still in the middle of a conversation?”

“I still have something to discuss with Creed.”

“Then may I borrow Amber for a moment? It’s been a while, and I’d like to talk.”

There were very few people who treated Lombre comfortably—like an ordinary person—but Bloom was one of them.

Probably because she’d been with him since they were very young.

I looked to Lombre for permission, and he nodded slightly.

“Amber.”

Aquamarine eyes filled with joy.

When a bright, spring-flower-like smile bloomed on her usually cool face, I found myself smiling back unconsciously.

“Then I’ll excuse myself for a moment.”

“Go.”

I closed the door carefully as I left the reception room.

As the door closed silently, Creed screamed internally.

The only reason Lombre hadn’t shown open displeasure was because Amber had been there.

Now that Amber was gone, who was going to stop Lombre from grilling him?

Cold sweat slid down his spine.

“Bloom still follows Amber so well. Like an older sister, right?”

He brought up Bloom—two years younger than himself, and four years younger than Amber.

Light brown hair like his own, and aquamarine eyes inherited straight from their mother.

A legitimate child of the family—sharp, capable, and though younger, worthy of respect.

And of course, Creed believed that Bloom should be the next head of the Valdafric family.

And yet…

His adoptive parents had even considered passing the position to him, a man not related by blood at all.

The first time succession was mentioned in front of him, he realized they truly regarded him as their own child.

Since he had never coveted the position, he immediately refused, insisting it belonged to Bloom.

“Yes. It’s nice to see—yet also unpleasant.”

Lombre replied with a strange answer that was neither agreement nor denial, as Creed struggled to change the subject.

Nice, yet unpleasant?

“Why does it displease you?”

The sibling-like closeness was nice to see—but Bloom followed Amber far too well and was clearly trying, one way or another, to take Amber away from him.

Whether that meant bringing her into the Valdafric household—or making her Creed’s partner.

Did he not see the darkness in his sister’s heart? Or was he pretending not to?

Watching Creed blink innocently only made Lombre feel like he was the petty one.

“So why did you ask to see Amber ‘in secret’?”

He tried to steer the conversation away, but Lombre wasn’t one to let things slide.

“You didn’t call her here just to say this.”

Rinoel wanting him dead was as ordinary as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west—no more remarkable than saying the weather’s nice today.

It was so routine that Lombre wasn’t hurt by it, nor was he displeased, despite Creed’s excuse of not wanting to upset him.

And Creed knew it, too.

He knew Lombre wasn’t someone who’d be shaken by something so trivial.

“While I’m still being polite, you’d better talk, Young Master Creed.”

Save me, Amber…

At Lombre’s low, deadly murmur, Creed desperately wished Amber were there.

Though they’d been childhood friends for over ten years, when it came to Amber, Lombre was absolutely ruthless—exactly like a man who’d been in unrequited love for a decade.

A man who was gentle only toward Amber Siderwood.

Despite their long friendship, Lombre had never once treated Creed as special.

If Amber were here, it wouldn’t be this tense.

And if Creed didn’t explain why he’d called her, Lombre would stay right there until he did.

Creed lowered his eyes, forcing a strained smile, then let out a short groan.

“It’s nothing serious.”

Once again, Creed realized just how gentle Lombre was—only toward Amber.

“Our future family head wanted to see Amber.”

It wasn’t a lie. Bloom did want to see Amber.

There was no need to say the whole truth. Saying it honestly would only irritate Lombre further.

“Amber, have you been busy lately?”

“Well, since I work directly under His Highness, I suppose that’s inevitable.”

Work had always been heavy—and would continue to be.

Bloom had brought me to the second floor, to the library where heirs received their education.

The faint scent of ink tickled my nose. Thick books and scattered papers on the desk showed just how hard Bloom studied.

“You still haven’t quit?”

It wasn’t that I hadn’t quit—it was that I couldn’t.

My resignation letter had been torn up again today. I swallowed the bitterness and simply smiled.

Perhaps disappointed, Bloom flopped down into a chair. The wooden chair wobbled briefly, then settled.

“Quit already and come be the head steward here. I’ll treat you well. High pay, vacations, and no retirement age!”

A job for life!

At those words, I shuddered.

There was a time when that had sounded like a benefit—but not anymore.

“What a terrifying thing to say. I want to retire from work forever, Lady Bloom.”

With the money I’d saved, I wanted to travel leisurely, maybe run a small shop as a hobby.

My dream retirement life.

“It’d be great if you became the duke’s head steward—but even if not, that’s fine. At least if you quit, we could see each other more often.”

“……”

“It’d be nice to meet once in a while and have tea together.”

Though social boundaries couldn’t be crossed, Bloom treated me like a friend—like a sister.

If I were just an ordinary person, people would have gossiped, but as the First Prince’s direct secretary, there was no one who dared.

The mischievous smile I remembered from her childhood lingered on her lips.

“How are things with His Highness lately?”

“Just normal. Same as when we were together before.”

He was older and bigger now, but nothing had changed between us.

…Though, if I had to be precise, maybe the circumstances had changed?

Bloom rested her chin on her interlaced fingers, looking like she was holding back a smile.

“He’s strict, sure—but he’s got good sides too.”

“Yes. That’s true.”

This felt like it was heading toward a question about romance.

I’d never thought Bloom would be interested in love stories.

Especially when it involved Lombre, whom she’d grown up with like a brother.

But then again, girls her age were curious about love.

And there were frequent rumors in the palace about Lombre and me.

“Do you really have no feelings for His Highness?”

At that question, the feeling that had floated up earlier resurfaced.

Maternal affection.

Another wave of self-disgust hit me, and I bowed my head.

“Don’t tell me—you’ve developed feelings?”

“N-no. Not that kind of feeling.”

Romantic feelings were impossible.

Lombre’s destined partner—the one who would break the curse—had already been decided.

If I admitted to feeling maternal affection toward a prince, I could be charged with blasphemy and executed, so I swallowed those words and said something else instead.

“There’s truly nothing between His Highness and me. Just a prince and his secretary. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“……”

“I’m planning to resign anyway.”

“Pfft!”

Bloom finally burst out laughing.

What was so funny?

She laughed heartily for a while, then wiped tears from the corners of her eyes.

“…No progress at all.”

She muttered something about Lombre, but I didn’t quite catch it.

The playful smile she’d worn since childhood vanished in an instant.

In its place appeared a cool, mature smile—almost like a businesswoman’s.

“You really have no feelings for His Highness, right?”