Nathaniel explained the whole story to me.

The idea that demons have intelligence was a new one for me.

“How does Nathaniel deal with that?”

“They protect each other, standing in front of me.”

His chubby face as he spoke was quite adorable. I silently laughed and reached out to pat his cheek. The soft, chewy feeling made me burst into laughter.

Nathaniel, who had been quietly staring into my eyes, suddenly stiffened and stepped back.

“Oh.”

The hand I had reached out grabbed empty air.

Feeling embarrassed, I discreetly withdrew my hand. Nathaniel, who glanced at me in that state, lightly touched his cheek with his finger and then turned his gaze to the documents.

‘What’s going on?’

I didn’t know at that moment.

That this situation would continue.

Teresa, Cassian, and I were checking the budget for the impoverished relief facility established by the royal family as winter approached.

As I silently read through the documents, I let out a long sigh.

“Lady V, is something bothering you these days?”

“Huh?”

Cassian, who was checking the calculations across from me, asked. Startled by her sharp question, as if she had read my mind, I flinched.

“Oh, no.”

“Then why are you stumbling over your words?”

“When did I ever stumble over my words?”

“Your pupils are shaking, Lady V.”

When Teresa joined in, I sealed my lips. Teresa narrowed her eyes and looked straight into mine.

“Did you have a fight with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Fight? No, not at all!”
There’s nothing to fight about; I’m being ignored unilaterally here.

Feeling unjust, heat surged to my face.

“So, what’s going on?”

As if seizing the opportunity, Cassian quickly asked, poking my side.

Wondering if it was okay to say such things, I eventually decided to spill the truth.

“Well……”

Over the past few days, stress had built up because Nathaniel seemed to be avoiding me. Using the excuse of being busy at night, he often came in late or left early in the morning.

Even last night, when I got angry thinking he was avoiding me, he claimed there was no such thing and ended up sleeping next to me.

“But then, when I woke up in the early morning to get some water, I saw someone sleeping on the sofa.”

At first, eyes that were full of curiosity gradually changed strangely as I spoke.

“Did you guys really have a fight?”

“No, we didn’t.”

“Are you not on good terms anymore? But why suddenly avoid each other?”

Gasp.

I dropped the documents I was holding.

I had forgotten.

That we were not in that kind of relationship. The reason we could comfortably share a bed until now was that we didn’t think of each other romantically.

‘Oh, my goodness.’

Being together every day, I had thought of him as no more than a friend, family, or a cute pet.

“His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Heat began to rise on my face.

Finally, I realized why Nathaniel had been avoiding me only at night.

And…
‘How am I going to sleep with Nathaniel tonight?’

The scene before my eyes is dizzying.

Just the thought of meeting him tonight made my face flush for no reason.

“Lady V!”

Cassian’s voice snapped me out of my reverie, bringing me back to reality. Cassian and Teresa were looking at me with suspicious faces.

“Why, why?”

“Do you have something to hide from us?”

“Hide? What! I’m innocent!”

As I exclaimed, Teresa’s eyes narrowed even further.

“When Lady V tells lies, I know she yells more when she’s excited.”

I was taken aback without realizing it. Avoiding eye contact, Cassian suddenly thrust her face into my field of vision.

“Ah!”

Trying to escape, my hand was firmly held by Cassian, who chuckled.

“Tell the truth. What are you hiding from us?”

I looked to Teresa for help, but even she shook her head this time. Still, she managed to intervene with Cassian.

With a reluctant expression, Cassian stepped back.

“I don’t know what’s going on, Lady V. But didn’t you say you have to have a proper conversation with someone you like?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“So don’t be too embarrassed.”

Saying that, Teresa focused on the documents.

Somehow, it felt like the temperature had dropped by about 10 degrees.

That night, I sat on the bed with a determined face, waiting for Nathaniel.

I felt a slight sense of guilt towards him.
Knowing nothing, I irritated myself for several days, so he must have been puzzled by that.

“If it were like before, I would have definitely gotten angry first and left…”

Unexpectedly, Nathaniel showed patience.

So, I didn’t know.

I just got angry, thinking he was still the same as before.

Feeling sorry, I tore at the blanket.

‘Anyway, I need to talk properly with Nathaniel.’

But even after midnight, he didn’t return.

“I’m thirsty.”

Waiting for him anxiously, my mouth became dry.

Unable to endure it in my right mind, I emptied the wine I had prepared to share with him.

I thought I would take just a sip, but one glass, two glasses, and before I knew it, I had finished a whole bottle by myself.

“I feel dizzy.”

After drinking alcohol I couldn’t handle alone, my vision spun.