Sandwiched between burly guards, I was unceremoniously dragged out of the temple.

“Do not cause such a commotion in this sacred temple again!”

With the guards’ irritation, I was practically thrown out of the temple.

As I stood dazed, footsteps approached.

It was Giovanni.

He looked at me standing motionless and nodded slightly.

“Well observed.”

“…What did you see?”

“The method of being disgracefully thrown out of the temple.”

A sigh escaped me.

“Don’t make fun of me.”

Dusting off my crumpled dress, I tried to regain some composure.

“Why did you do that? We’re supposed to move quietly.”

The implication was clear – to steal the gem. He seemed baffled.

Exhaling deeply, I extended my hand. As his gaze fell on it, I cautiously opened it to reveal a glowing blue gem inside.

Though I was entranced by the mysterious droplet tattoo, I didn’t miss the opportunity.

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked at my hand. I shrugged nonchalantly.

“There are various ways in this industry.”

Originally, I had planned to move as he thought – quietly. But now, I grinned as if it had been my plan all along.

Then, he laughed heartily.

I watched him, speechless.

He laughed with a large, hearty sound, contrary to his usually stern face. His black eyes sparkled as he looked at me.

“I had no idea. You’ve reached a remarkable level of skill.”

“My father was also a thief.”

I blurted out, stunned.

Realizing my over-sharing, I braced myself. But Giovanni just laughed more.

“Is that so? That explains it.”

I felt oddly peculiar. Not despised, which was good, but…

‘Does he not have prejudices?’

Even commoners are wary and distrustful of someone with parents who were thieves, let alone a royal.

I gazed at him curiously as Giovanni grinned.

“I thought you were swept up in madness when you suddenly touched the priest.”

That comment snapped me back to reality.

‘Ah, right. I touched the priest’s hand.’

Recalling the moment, my heart raced again. Aside from that, my body felt unusually refreshed.
I’ve never felt this good before. It’s as if I could do anything with ease.

Come to think of it, I felt the same when I touched the priest’s hand.

I swallowed hard.

‘What just happened to me?’

“Why are you looking like that?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Of course, I had my eye on it. Thanks to that, I could bring back the aquamarine.”

I hastily made an excuse while secretly clenching my fist.

My heart was still pounding fiercely.

“I enjoyed today.”

It was a formal farewell, but he replied.

“I had fun too.”

‘We did nothing but visit the temple today?’

Surprised, I looked at him questioningly, and he nodded.

Rather than feeling proud, I felt uncomfortable. It felt eerily familiar…

“I haven’t seen a woman dragged out like that in the empire.”

“……”

“My face must be a mess.”

I failed to maintain my composure.

“It was an honor to spend the day with you. I’ll see you later.”

After my formal goodbye to the royal, Giovanni nodded without awkwardness.

Royalty is royalty, after all.

I didn’t lift my bowed head until the carriage started moving.

The clatter of hooves faded, and I finally straightened up, letting out a sigh.

“It seems I’m creating a stranger image as time goes on.”

Feeling uneasy, I turned towards the mansion, only to lock eyes with blue irises.

Startled.

Aris was peering at me through the half-open door.

Chills ran down my spine, and I instinctively placed my hand over my heart.

‘How long has she been watching?’

Creak.

The door opened with a sinister sound.

“Wow, Aris was surprised.”

“What, what about?”

“An imperial prince escorting you all the way here. How fun must it have been for him?”

I rolled my eyes, annoyed by her tone, reminiscent of Lady Emmerline.

Aris, with her arms akimbo, narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

‘Doesn’t she realize how rude that is?’

In Amtein, such rudeness could warrant a nighttime poisoning. There, sneaking into houses over grudges was laughably trivial.

So much for their emphasis on culture, which apparently depended on whether the dance floor was smooth enough for dancing.

“That barbarian laughed and seemed quite friendly, huh?”

Did he laugh?

After pondering for a moment and sensing Aris’s piercing gaze, I smiled.

I wasn’t sure if he laughed at the end, but if she thinks so…

‘Should I twist the knife a bit?’

I feigned surprise, covering my mouth with a hand.

“Oh, did it look that way?”

“…….”

“I’m glad my preparation paid off. I didn’t expect him to enjoy it so much.”

I narrowed my eyes. So annoying, as if saying that with her face. Her expression made me feel better.

‘You’re my prey, after all.’