Layla quietly observed the sentimental phrases blooming from his hand.

Why was that? Even without the word “love”, they were embarrassing words she could hardly utter aloud.

A blush spread involuntarily across Layla’s face. Adrian stared at her for a moment, then put down his pen.

Then, in a low voice, he spoke words that didn’t fit the situation.

“Layla, would you wait here for a bit while I write this letter?”

“Pardon…?”

Layla momentarily failed to follow the abrupt change of topic. Adrian stroked her head as he continued speaking.

“Just wait here for a moment, or rather until dawn breaks tomorrow. This will be the safest place for you.”

“Are you going somewhere?”

Adrian nodded once in response to Layla’s question.

Layla realized as she watched him. The reason Adrian hadn’t come to the bedroom was likely because he wanted her to come here.

Knowing Layla’s personality well, Adrian probably predicted she would choose to come to the office rather than the bedroom if given the option.

While Layla was busy trying to grasp the situation, Adrian stood up without further explanation.

Walking to a corner of the room, he began undressing in front of a mirror. Layla quickly went to his side and said:

“Let me help you change.”

Then Lilburn brought over clothes for him to change into. It was the attire worn by the imperial palace servants. Layla was surprised but didn’t ask for an explanation.

Everything Adrian did had a reason. He wasn’t someone with enough free time for foolish actions.

Layla cautiously asked Adrian, who hadn’t yet given permission to touch his body:

“Is it alright if I do this?”

“As you can see, Lilburn is glaring at us, so I’m sorry I can’t explain much.”

“It’s fine.”

Layla started by unfastening the cufflinks on Adrian’s wrists and placing them on the nearby side table. Then, as before, she removed the various decorations adorning his formal attire.

As she did so, she was reminded of their kiss. Adrian, too, closely followed Layla’s every touch.

However, Lilburn’s gaze from nearby cooled the tension between them, allowing Layla to quickly undress him.

After dressing his exposed upper body with the clothes received from Lilburn, Layla neatly arranged the collar, recalling the appearance of palace servants she had seen in passing.

“Are you going into the imperial palace…?”

And disguised as a servant, not as the crown prince.

Layla, unable to contain her curiosity, finally asked as she couldn’t understand the situation. Adrian seemed to contemplate before answering.

“I have something to steal.”

Lilburn covered his mouth from the side, as if to prevent him from saying more.

“Your Highness.”

However, Adrian spoke to Layla in a tone of confirmation.

“Layla is definitely my person. Isn’t that right?”

Words filled with trust.

Though he asked with a smile, the weight behind it was by no means light. Layla paused her hands and looked up at Adrian intently, and he quietly met her gaze, indicating he would wait for an answer.

‘My person.’

Layla felt her heart skip slightly as she read the respect contained in those words.

Being by his side made her forget her status as a slave. Adrian treated her as humanely as possible within his means.

She knew that even for the crown prince leading a great empire, or rather because he was the crown prince, this was no easy feat.

Layla was incredibly grateful for Adrian’s consideration.

She felt ashamed of herself for doubting his intentions and hurting him after coming to Hankin and entering the imperial city.

“I trust Your Highness. And I… want to repay that trust.”

A smile spread across Adrian’s lips. He looked at Lilburn’s reflection in the mirror and said:

“See, Lilburn?”

“…Do as you please.”

Ignoring Lilburn’s resigned response, Adrian began explaining his plans for the night to Layla.

“I’m going to look for Tristan in the palace. I may not know it as well as His Majesty or the palace servants, but I’m familiar enough with the layout that I think it’s better if I move directly.”

Especially the underground areas of the palace, which are almost like a maze. This peculiar zone serves as both an emergency escape route for the emperor and an underground fortress.

However, not understanding why he needed to steal it, Layla tilted her head in confusion.

“Tristan? …Isn’t that His Majesty the Emperor’s possession?”

“He’s publicly declared he’ll pass it on to me someday, but he keeps it hidden lest someone steal it. I’ve only seen it once myself.”

In other words, the emperor cherishes it so much he hides it even from his son… Just hearing about it made the plan seem far too dangerous.

Layla worried that if things went wrong, it could cause conflict between the emperor and crown prince of Hankin.

“Why are you trying to obtain it?”

This time, Lilburn answered her question.

“Because he hasn’t been able to receive attunement for a long time.”

Lilburn intervened, knowing that Adrian, who had been speaking frankly about everything else, would likely give an evasive answer to this question.

Adrian shot him a reproachful look as expected, but Lilburn remained unperturbed.

“If he can transfer even a portion of Tristan’s power, it should be enough to put out the urgent fire. Although fundamental recovery would still be difficult, there shouldn’t be any issues with using more power.”

Lilburn’s explanation was matter-of-fact, but to Layla it sounded like a rebuke against herself. The hidden answer in his words seemed to point out Layla’s incompetence.

It meant that if she had the ability to attune, Adrian wouldn’t need to go to the palace.

Though it wasn’t her fault, Layla’s voice grew small with guilt.

“Is there something you need to use your ability for, Your Highness?”

“…Eventually, I’ll have to go to the South.”

“Even though the Fourth Prince is there?”

From the conversation she overheard in the Crown Prince’s hall, she could tell that the Fourth Prince was reluctant to go south.

However, all the princes of the Hankin imperial family are psychokinesis ability users. She thought it wouldn’t make much difference who went.

Of course, she didn’t mean to disregard Adrian’s abilities, but… Layla couldn’t help but have such doubts due to her anxious state of mind.

“As you say, it would be fortunate if the Fourth Prince could handle it, but we must fully consider the possibility that he might not. And if it can’t be resolved there, wouldn’t it become terrible?”

Was that terrible situation referring to death?

Thinking that, her eyes squeezed shut. But from Adrian’s mouth came words she hadn’t expected.

“For me, incompetence is equivalent to death.”

“…”

“I might be better off dying than failing to prove my qualifications as crown prince. It’s a crucial matter for me.”

Adrian had always seemed to have an abundance of composure in all matters. Achieving what he wanted appeared to be a given.

But his words now meant that wasn’t actually the case.

Even Adrian Raines had to demonstrate absolute competence to suppress those waiting for any sign of weakness.

He must not become weak. If he did, a knife would immediately be plunged into his back.

Such is the fate of one with many enemies.

This was like a destiny determined from the moment he was born as the first prince of the Hankin imperial family. If he hadn’t been fulfilling that duty well until now, Crown Prince Adrian Raines would not exist.

No, Adrian himself might not have remained in this world at all.

Layla felt her shoulders already being crushed by the weight of his words. If just hearing about it felt like this, she couldn’t imagine the burden he must bear.

“But if this causes discord between you and His Majesty…”

“That might be better for me.”

For Adrian, getting into a power struggle with the emperor would be more beneficial than having his incompetence exposed. He could use the process as an opportunity to increase his influence.

“Don’t worry too much. I haven’t fulfilled any of the promises I made to you yet. How could I be stopped here?”

As Adrian asked with a dazzling smile, Layla found herself filled with groundless faith.

However, there was still something she was curious about, so she cautiously pointed it out.

“But will just changing clothes be enough? Even if it’s nighttime, someone might recognize you since your hair color and face are the same.”

Adrian’s shining silver hair, in particular, tended to stand out even in the dark.

Adrian tilted his head as if she was asking about something obvious.

“Layla, don’t tell me you forgot?”

“Forgot what?”

“Marquis Millay, whom even you were completely fooled by.”

Layla belatedly made an “Ah” sound. Right, his previous disguise had been quite extraordinary. But could he do it right here and now?

Just as she wondered, Adrian gestured for Lilburn to come closer.

Lilburn seemed unsure if it was alright to show this in front of Layla, but seeing that Adrian didn’t mind, he finally revealed his ability.

The next moment, Layla’s eyes widened.

Not only Adrian’s hair and eye color, but his face and build – everything changed before her very eyes.

It was an unbelievable sight even as she watched.

In less than a few seconds, Adrian transformed from the crown prince of Hankin into a perfect imperial palace servant.