Chapter 62
“…I want to rest.”
Aisha said to Ian the moment their first dance ended. Ian was about to question her, thinking she was still upset about what happened that day, but when he saw how truly exhausted she looked, he shut his mouth.
“Are you alright? Should I call someone?”
“No, it’s fine. I think I’ll feel better after a short rest.”
“Then rest for a bit. I’ll just greet a few people… I won’t be long.”
“Okay…”
Ian lowered the curtain at the entrance as he stepped into the lounge. Aisha nodded, clutching her dizzy head. Ian instructed a passing servant to bring water into the lounge, then walked away toward a group sending discreet glances his way.
“Thank you.”
Aisha, who had sunk onto a couch in the lounge, thanked the servant who handed her the water. The servant, maintaining perfect etiquette, withdrew from the room.
Left alone, Aisha gazed outside. Since the pre-celebration banquet was being held in the second-floor hall, the palace garden below stretched far into view.
Bathed in moonlight, the royal garden had a certain serene charm. Aisha admired the soft glow of the moonlit flowers, then closed her eyes. The cool breeze soothed her throbbing head. With a bit of peace returning to her, she murmured softly:
“…Let’s talk when he comes back. We can’t keep staying silent forever.”
She had been agonizing over this throughout the carriage ride. Ian’s previous words had wounded her deeply—wounds that hadn’t yet healed. Still, should she take the first step toward reconciliation, or wait until the bitterness faded?
Aisha chose the former. She remembered how Ian had sent her a letter after their horseback riding incident. This time, she would take a step back.
But the moment she resolved to do so, resentment suddenly surged within her. Though Aisha was blinded by her feelings for Ian, she was still someone capable of thought.
“I like Ian… because I promised to like him forever…”
She murmured like she was trying to brainwash herself, recalling the promise they’d made as children—a summer night so full of stars it seemed they might fall from the sky. The memory of that tearful promise calmed her a little.
“Ugh. Stop it. It’s ticklish, really.”
Aisha’s now-relaxed ears caught the flirtatious laughter of a woman. Soon after came the rustling of bushes and the sound of footsteps nearby.
“Shh, what if someone hears us?”
“Everyone’s too busy dancing to notice. But did you see it? The Marquis Lloyd and Lady Aisha?”
“Oh yes, I saw.”
The lovers had settled right beneath the lounge balcony. Aisha, initially dismissive of what seemed like a common garden rendezvous, pricked up her ears when she heard her name. The couple below seemed oblivious to the possibility of someone above as they began gossiping.
“Lady Aisha chased the Marquis around so much, but now that they’re engaged, why does she look so miserable? Shouldn’t she be all smiles?”
They spoke with feigned concern, but the woman’s voice held nothing but base amusement. The man, matching her tone, responded with arrogant familiarity.
“Don’t you get it? It’s because of that Helen Fitz woman. Everyone tries to hush it up, but that illegitimate girl must have some kind of relationship with the Marquis.”
“Oh, come on. At Lord Roimond’s last banquet, he was only looking out for Lady Aisha. And since that whole scene, he hasn’t even been seen with Helen.”
“That just means it’s gone underground. I saw them before I came here—Marquis Lloyd and Helen Fitz, exchanging looks. Sure, they say it’s business, but we all know what that means. And get this—she even showed up at their engagement party.”
“She did? After all that fuss? Now that you mention it… I heard she visited the Marquis’s estate even after the engagement. They say Lady Sophia and that famous woman from the Todome Kingdom invited her, but who knows? Maybe the Marquis arranged it himself. You know how some men bring their mistresses into the house that way.”
“Here’s the real kicker! Countess Saturn saw Helen Fitz with a locket necklace…”
“A locket?”
“Yeah—with a sketch of the Marquis’s eyes inside. You know his distinctive blue eyes. Not exactly common.”
Caught up in their own gossip, the lovers had no idea the person they were slandering was directly above them. Aisha, who had just regained her calm, was visibly shaken again as she listened.
“Oh my. Are you serious?”
“I heard it myself, from Countess Saturn.”
“Good heavens. Then Lady Aisha’s the only pitiful one in all this.”
“Pitiful? Come on. Judging by the Marquis’s behavior before the engagement, she should’ve seen this coming. Either she’s a fool, or she’s blinded by one-sided love. If I were her brother, I’d tell her to stop chasing a man who doesn’t care and stop disgracing the family—just stay at home…”
“Ahem! Hm!”
Just as the man spoke Aisha’s name with contempt, a deliberately loud cough interrupted them. The couple froze at the sudden noise nearby, their breath held.
“Even in autumn, the bugs are noisy. Must be a pair, huh?”
The voice rang out loud and clear. Recognizing the speaker, Aisha’s eyes widened and she turned toward the sound. From behind a wall, red rose-colored hair came into view.
“If they don’t fly off soon, maybe I should summon a gardener?”
The lovers, realizing the voice was aimed at them, rustled through the bushes and fled. Aisha watched their retreating figures, then nervously stepped back, worried she’d be discovered.
“…It’s too late to hide now.”
Jared spoke just as Aisha began to move. He approached the wall near the balcony, resting a hand on the first-floor railing.
Then, in one smooth motion, Jared leapt up onto the railing. Aisha blinked in shock at his acrobatics. Grinning, he grabbed the edge of the second-floor balcony and launched himself up.
He landed inside with ease.
He moved like a man who could rob any house undetected. Aisha stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend how he had climbed up so quickly. Feeling slightly bashful under her wide-eyed stare, Jared twisted a strand of his hair.
“Ah… Your Highness.”
Aisha belatedly came to her senses and greeted him. Jared motioned for her to drop the formalities.
“I should’ve chased them away earlier… Sorry.”
“No, Your Highness, there’s no need to apologize.”
An awkward silence fell between them after the incident. Aisha fidgeted with her fingers and cautiously looked at Jared before finally speaking.
“Um… Your Highness, about your injury back then…”
“Oh, that? It’s long healed.”
“I should’ve visited you personally to apologize and ask after your health… I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. Just some childish brawl between men. That letter you sent was more than enough.”
Remembering the contents of that letter, Aisha lowered her head. It had subtly expressed that she hoped he would stop showing interest in her. Understandably, not something a prince would find pleasant.
“…By the way, where’s the Marquis? He’s not with you?”
“I asked for a little rest… He should return soon.”
“Then I should leave before I cause you any trouble.”
He said it like it was obvious, though his face showed slight regret. After all, why else would he have scaled a balcony? Still clinging to his unrequited feelings, Jared unconsciously moved closer, trying to see her face more clearly.
When Jared mentioned Ian, Aisha was at a loss for how to respond. As she hesitated, Jared turned toward the lounge entrance and offered his congratulations.
“…Congratulations on your engagement. Did you like the gift?”
“Huh?”
“I sent a present for your engagement. Didn’t you receive it?”
Aisha blinked in surprise. Among all the gifts she had received, none were from Jared. Losing a gift from a royal could be a serious matter, and Aisha immediately began searching her memory.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t recall a gift from him. But then she remembered a servant who had brought her a list of organized presents and had looked like he wanted to say something.
‘The young lady… The Marquis said he would speak to her directly…’
She remembered brushing the servant off, asking him to come back later due to some urgent business. The mention of Ian at that time made Aisha’s expression darken briefly. But recalling Jared was still watching her, she bowed and responded.
“Ah… There must’ve been a mistake. I’ll go check again. I’m truly sorry. If I had known you sent a gift, I would have thanked you sooner.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t send it to be thanked. Don’t worry about it.”
“No, I insist. I’ll double-check and be sure to send my thanks properly.”
“Well, if you insist… Anyway, I really should go now. If the Marquis sees me here, with his temper…”
Jared waved his hand and turned to leave. But just then, the curtain covering the lounge entrance was roughly swept aside, revealing a mane of golden hair and a pair of burning blue eyes.
