The problem was that she couldn’t pretend to know.

Whitney glanced furtively at His Highness Prince Cheston. She couldn’t help but keep looking at him.

“Here he comes. May I ask what this is about?” Melissa asked him with a sweet smile.

Cheston’s gaze was fixed solely on Whitney. Ignoring Melissa’s words, he stood up.

“Lady Orlean. Did you know the items were switched?”

“Items?”

Whitney’s eyes widened. Seeing her confused expression, the face beneath the cloak twisted slightly. Then he leaned in slightly and said to Whitney,

“I mean the book you took from the bookstore.”

“…Book? Ah!”

She hadn’t even unwrapped the book she had bought that day. Remembering it now, her eyes widened.

“It seems you haven’t even opened it yet. I apologize, but I was in a hurry and opened the wrapping.”

Whitney waved her hand dismissively. Melissa seemed offended that her words had been ignored. However, due to the royal emblem on his chest, she couldn’t intervene and instead glared at Whitney, biting her lip.

Whitney stepped back slightly at the close proximity and said,

“Please wait a moment. I’ll bring it right away.”

“I’ll accompany you.”

Melissa jumped up from her seat. Then, putting on a friendly smile towards him, she spoke,

“I’ll guide you to the reception room. After all, it wouldn’t be good for rumors if a man entered a lady’s room, would it?”

“I’ll just receive what I need and go.”

“Sister is right, you should stay in the reception room. I’ll bring it quickly.”

Whitney didn’t want to show her room. If he found out that a noble lady was living in an attic… She squeezed her eyes shut.

She had already seen how the knight had disrespected her. She was afraid of how Cheston would look at her.

“Then I’ll wait in the reception room.”

Cheston went to the reception room, guided by a servant.

[This is the timeline separator]

Whitney headed to the attic, clutching her pounding heart.

‘A chance has come. This is an opportunity.’

Melissa didn’t seem to know his identity. Whitney bowed her head while holding the book she had bought at the bookstore. She took slow breaths to calm her still-racing heart.

Taking deep breaths in and out, she focused on the sound of her breathing. As she listened to the sound of her heartbeat in her ears, her pulse gradually slowed.

Whitney slowly opened her eyes and looked in the mirror. She looked more composed than before, but he had probably already noticed how she was treated in the duke’s mansion.

Green eyes stared back at her in the mirror, along with her plain wheat-colored hair that paled in comparison to Melissa’s. She straightened her posture.

‘It was definitely the scent of Ribenia.’

Although Ribenia was known as an herb, it was poisonous to weak bodies. It also had adverse effects on those with Aura. While this wasn’t widely known, it wasn’t commonly used for weak bodies. In fact, if used consistently, it could even lead to death due to its strong toxicity.

She needed to ask why that flower scent was coming from Prince Cheston’s body. If she could talk to him today, she might be able to make a proposal first, and perhaps prepare for what would happen in a few months.

Just in case, she took some herbs from the drawer and put them in an envelope. Then she wrote a note. It was in preparation for if he didn’t tell the truth.

She felt she needed to show her hand to request help for an opportunity to arise.

Whitney hid the letter in her sleeve and was about to head to the reception room where he would be waiting.

“You, what exactly are you? How do you know a royal knight?”

Royal knight?

It seemed Cheston had lied to hide his identity. It was a wise response, as he could simply say it was a secret and he couldn’t reveal anything.

Whitney blinked slowly without answering. She hadn’t expected Melissa to follow her to the attic, but she must have been curious since someone related to the royal family had come.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

Melissa glared at Whitney with her arms crossed. Her purple eyes narrowed fiercely, looking as if she might pounce on her at any moment.

Whitney looked at Melissa, but seeing that she wouldn’t move aside, she spoke,

“I don’t know either. I bought a book at the bookstore, and it seems it got switched.”

“Is that really all? You didn’t go out and act like a vixen? To think the man the knight mentioned was a royal knight.”

“I didn’t know he was a royal knight then either.”

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

“That’s up to you. Are you going to keep blocking the way? If he’s a royal knight, he’s here on an errand. If you don’t intend to keep him waiting, move aside.”

Melissa bit her lip hard and stepped aside. Whitney finally made her way to the reception room where Cheston would be waiting.

Standing in front of the reception room, she took a deep breath before entering. The maids preparing refreshments glanced nervously at Whitney.

“Shall we clear out?”

Cheston nodded. They hesitated, looking at Cheston as if reluctant to leave.

“Do you intend to make the guest uncomfortable? It seems the Orlean duke’s mansion employs people so deaf they can’t hear when told to leave.”

Only then did they hurriedly leave the reception room.

“I’m sorry. Here, I’ll give you the book I accidentally took.”

“It’s alright.”

Whitney’s eyes widened as she took the book Cheston handed her.

‘W-what is this?’

Seeing the title of the book she had bought, Whitney hurriedly flipped it over and cleared her throat.

[The Secret Private Life of a Noble Lady]

She had just picked a random book, but to think it would be something like this. She fanned her reddening face with her hand.

“T-this is… Please consider it a matter of taste.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Whitney felt even more embarrassed at Cheston’s calm voice. Cheston stood up, seemingly finished with his business.

“W-wait a moment!”

He turned to look at her at Whitney’s cry. She couldn’t let this hard-earned opportunity slip away.

“I smell the scent of Ribenia, are you perhaps taking it?”

“…Can you smell it?”

Cheston tilted his head to the side and looked down at his body. Whitney seized the opportunity to speak.

“May I ask what kind of book you bought? I think I might be able to help you.”

“…Help?”

Even though he was wearing a cloak, she could almost picture his expression. Whitney approached him and handed him a note.

“Please read it when you return. If you need help, please call for me anytime. I’ll be waiting.”

“You speak as if you know who I am.”

“Sister told me you’re a royal knight. With the medal on your chest and all, you must have revealed your identity to be able to meet me.”

“It seems even meeting someone isn’t easy for a noble lady.”

Whitney shrugged with a faint smile. Cheston put the note in his pocket and turned around.

“It’s a book about herbology.”

“Then you might need my help. I know a lot about herbs.”

Cheston left the reception room without looking back. Whitney stared at his retreating figure. In truth, handing over the note was close to a gamble.

But the choice was his.

[This is the timeline separator]

Cheston got into the carriage and took off his cloak. He took out the note from his pocket and unfolded it.

[If you’re taking Ribenia flower, your body won’t be well. Try taking this. It might help you feel better, Prince Cheston.]

“Huh?”

He hadn’t expected her to know his identity. Moreover, she seemed to know a lot about the Ribenia flower.

Cheston stroked his chin, lost in thought.

A noble lady who chose a strange book and wasn’t treated well. Her behavior, knowing his identity yet treating him nonchalantly, was puzzling. Yet it also piqued his curiosity.

‘She was a strange noble lady from the first time I saw her.’

Cheston’s brow furrowed as he recalled how the knight had treated her. The way the maids treated her was also far from how one would treat their mistress.

He seemed to have clearly seen how she was treated in the duke’s mansion. There must have been a reason why she didn’t let him follow her to her room.

He stared at the herb she had given him.

“What makes her think I’d trust this and use it? She really is a strange woman.”

Cheston smiled faintly, recalling her green eyes that had gazed at him. Her tastes, her behavior, everything about her was strange. The way she looked at him seemed somewhat bitter.

That’s why he kept thinking about her. When he first realized the books had been switched, he was flustered, and when he saw the title, he wondered how to handle it.

Cheston returned to the bookstore, and upon hearing that the books had been switched, he had no choice but to seek her out. If there had been another book on herbology, he wouldn’t have bothered going to the Orlean duke’s mansion.

Now he thought it was good that he had gone. The look in her eyes didn’t seem like it would tell a lie. But Cheston didn’t trust people.

‘I should have someone look into herbs.’

Her desperate appearance lingered in his mind. He wondered if perhaps it wasn’t him who needed help, but her.