Elisha thought she had misheard.
“Right now, you are joking, are you not?”
“I’m not telling you to really do it. You just have to act. If my older brother falls for you, the Duke’s daughter might reconsider her engagement with him.”
“But even so, that is….”
“I’m asking you like this. I, a Prince, am even swallowing my pride and asking you. Elisha. If everything works out well, I’ll give you a ring for the two of us as a token of my feelings.”
After he said that much, Elisha couldn’t refuse.
“…Alright. I will try.”
“Thank you, Elisha.”
Mikael pulled Elisha into an embrace with a delighted expression.
“As expected, for me there has always been only you.”
“For me as well, Your Highness.”
Mikael’s hands cupped both of Elisha’s cheeks and slowly moved closer before pressing a kiss onto her lips.
Elisha clutched the front of his clothes and accepted his kiss.
Soon, the two of them collapsed onto the sofa.
A crow sitting on the window frame was watching that entire scene.
***
“So you’re going to come out like that?”
Liliana lay on the bed, smiling as she stroked the crow sitting on her fingertip.
“Elisha will seduce Estevan…”
It seemed something very interesting was about to happen.
“I wonder how our Prince Estevan will respond to that seduction?”
If he actually fell for the seduction, it felt like the disappointment would be very great.
But judging by Estevan’s personality, it didn’t seem like he would fall for it so easily.
“Elisha is going to have a hard time.”
It seemed like it would be quite entertaining to watch.
“You’ve done well. You may go back now.”
When she sent the crow away, Elisha’s hair fell down.
She had picked up the hair that had fallen on the sofa and turned it into a crow to watch Elisha.
***
The engagement date was decided.
The engagement would be one month later, on March 25. It was said that the Emperor had received the most auspicious date from the Temple of the Sun.
The Empire was a nation born from the blessing bestowed by the Sun God, so the Sun God was held in great importance.
Fortunately, the date was after Cedric finished taking the Knight Academy entrance examination.
She liked it because she could work Cedric hard without worries until then, and then focus on the engagement.
As the date was announced throughout the entire Empire, the engagement had become almost certain.
Because of that, Liliana became able to enter the Imperial Palace frequently.
After the engagement, as the First Prince’s fiancée, she would enter the detached Palace next to the Sapphire Palace, so there were many things to prepare in advance.
Most of the preparations would be handled by the Imperial Family, but there were also parts Liliana had to take care of herself.
And the detached Palace could be decorated however Liliana wanted under the authority granted to the Prince’s fiancée.
Liliana wanted to decorate it to resemble the Duke’s mansion as much as possible. So she had come to the Imperial Palace to meet the craftsmen there and discuss it.
“I am so curious about the detached Palace that will be newly decorated.”
Anna, who had accompanied her to attend to her, chattered excitedly beside her.
“It seems like you’re more excited than I am.”
“Of course. I will be serving the fiancée of the First Prince’s and living in the Imperial Palace, so how could I not be excited? You are even decorating my room yourself.”
“Do you like it that much?”
“Of course. I really like it.”
When Anna smiled happily, Liliana felt happy as well.
But that feeling didn’t last long. Prince Mikael blocked her path.
“Lady Dayan, let us talk for a moment.”
“I apologize, Your Highness. But that will be difficult.”
“What?”
“I am Prince Estevan’s prospective fiancée. It would be difficult for me to meet Your Highness privately.”
At those words, Mikael looked at Liliana with eyes that seemed to be burning.
“If you come out like this, it will be troublesome, my Lady.”
Seeing that he showed no sign of stepping back, Liliana looked at Anna.
“Anna, go ahead first.”
“Yes, my Lady.”
Anna, who had been watching the situation between Mikael and Liliana, quickly bowed and left.
Once only the two of them remained in the corridor, Mikael opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.
“My Lady. I never expected the feelings I have shown you all this time would be returned like this. Didn’t you also have feelings for me?”
Liliana looked around her surroundings.
Fortunately, there was no one passing by. She quietly blocked the sound with the power of darkness and stepped closer to him.
“Your Highness, I already know everything.”
“What do you mean you know?”
“That Your Highness and my friend Elisha have a special relationship.”
“…!”
“How could someone like me choose Your Highness?”
For a moment, Mikael’s eyes wavered. Liliana didn’t miss it.
But he soon regained his expression and casually began to make excuses.
“That is something you are misunderstanding. The young lady of House Lindel and I are nothing.”
“Nothing? Then what about Elisha wearing jewelry with the same design as mine?”
“It must be a coincidence. Or perhaps the young lady coveted the jewelry I gave you and bought something similar.”
At that moment, Liliana sensed someone’s presence nearby. It was a sharp sensation that only she could feel.
Her gaze turned toward the end of the corridor behind Mikael.
It seemed someone was there.
Smiling softly, Liliana spoke politely to Mikael.
“I am sorry, Your Highness. I do not think I can trust Your Highness anymore. Once doubt appears, I feel like I would keep suspecting Your Highness. Would that not be a very painful thing?”
“My Lady…”
Liliana bowed her waist.
“You have shown me such consideration all this time, so I feel sorry that you had to hear about my engagement to Prince Estevan through someone else.”
Mikael clenched his fists tightly and looked at her.
Liliana straightened her upper body and, with a smile, looked into Mikael’s eyes.
“From now on, I hope Your Highness will keep proper boundaries. Then, I will take my leave.”
After offering a formal bow, Liliana withdrew her magic and passed by Mikael.
Mikael stood there blankly like a statue, frozen in place.
When Liliana passed Mikael and turned the corner, Estevan was leaning crookedly against the wall.
“Since when have you been standing there?”
“Is that important?”
Liliana shrugged.
“It is not important.”
“Did you have an enjoyable conversation with Mikael?”
“It was not an enjoyable conversation.”
“For something that wasn’t enjoyable, you seem to be in a good mood.”
Liliana let out a small laugh.
“Do not tell me you are jealous?”
“Nonsense.”
“If you were jealous, my mood would have been even better. What a shame.”
“You can even make jokes like that?”
Liliana tilted her head.
“It is not a joke. I am always sincere, Your Highness.”
After saying that, she stepped closer to Estevan, who was leaning against the wall, and brought her face near his.
The scent of roses coming from Liliana stimulated his nose.
“And I will tell you one more thing.”
“…!”
“Your Highness might not get jealous, but I am different. And my jealousy will be frightening enough that it will be difficult for Your Highness to handle.”
Liliana straightened his crooked tie.
“So while I am your fiancée, I would appreciate it if Your Highness focused only on me. There are many eyes watching, so would it not be more comfortable if we deceived them properly?”
As she said that, she glanced at the maids passing by. The maids were looking at the two of them standing close together, their faces turning red.
At that moment, his eyes caught Mikael watching Liliana. It seemed he had followed her instead of leaving.
Estevan smiled, then deliberately pushed himself away from the wall he had been leaning on and pressed Liliana against it.
His face came close enough that their breaths could touch.
“Is this enough?”
The corner of his mouth curled up provocatively as he looked dangerously into her amethyst-colored eyes.
Liliana placed a hand on his chest and whispered in his ear.
“You are doing very well. Please keep doing just that.”
Liliana’s palm, resting on his chest, pushed Estevan away.
Estevan stepped back without resistance.
“Then I will be going to the detached Palace now. I have things to do.”
After giving a polite bow, Liliana turned around and disappeared toward the detached Palace.
For some reason, Estevan felt as if he had been played in the palm of her hand, and he roughly ran a hand through his hair.
Then he saw Mikael glaring this way as if he wanted to kill him.
Estevan deliberately brushed his thumb across his lips, provoking Mikael, before turning away.
He himself hadn’t known he had such a childish side.
But whenever he saw Mikael, anger surged up.
The moment he learned that his mother’s death had been the scheme of Imperial Consort Isabella and Mikael, he abandoned any thought of letting Mikael die peacefully.
***
Early in the morning, Elisha used a teleportation magic pendant to move to the Baron’s residence, to her bedroom.
When she arrived in the bedroom, Cassy, the personal maid Mikael had assigned to her, was waiting.
Cassy helped Elisha take off her clothes.
After seeing that Elisha had safely lain down on the bed, she secretly took the dress Elisha had worn out and put it into the laundry basket.
Burrowing into the bed, Elisha recalled Mikael’s request.
“To seduce Prince Estevan…”
How could he ask for such a thing? But she also understood his position.
“It’s only acting. I just have to deceive him well. I can’t live forever in Liliana’s shadow.”
