Even though he knew it was an action to smell, he stiffened. Cassian wanted to call back the servant who had already gone out.

“Your Highness? What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why have you become so rigid?”

As soft fingers touched his chest, Cassian’s body became even stiffer.

Veronica looked up at him curiously. Then, seeing his tense face, she belatedly realized the situation.

“Oh my. Your Highness. Are you nervous right now?”

“It’s not like that, so get away.”

Cassian swatted her hand away. Veronica just laughed.

He told her to get away, but her laughing appearance seemed ominous based on past experiences.

“I want to get close to Your Highness.”

At those words, Cassian’s expression became strange. He made a face as if to say ‘what nonsense are you talking about now’, but Veronica looked quite serious.

“I want to get along well with Your Highness Cassian.”

“…Are you sure you’re not sick somewhere?”

“I want to become the most intimate with Your Highness. Of course, there’s no relationship more intimate than being betrothed, but I mean in various ways.”

“I think you have a headache. Why don’t you go back?”

“Please understand my sincerity.”

“Why should I understand?”

Moreover, it was problematic that she kept coming closer. Cassian pushed Veronica’s shoulder as she slowly crept up the distance he had created.

For a moment, there was a battle of strength between the one trying to approach and the one trying to push away.

“I thought I said I don’t want unnecessary contact.”

Veronica’s lips twisted as she was pushed back by his firm gesture.

“It’s not unnecessary contact, but an act of affection between betrothed couples.”

“I have no intention of doing such things with you.”

“Then who do you intend to do it with?”

“Do it with the person you love, Miss Veronica.”

“The person I love is right in front of me.”

“You…”

He started to speak but then closed his mouth. Veronica tilted her head at the piercing gaze.

“Your Highness?”

“…At least don’t do it when you have those eyes.”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

Veronica asked with a smile. He stared at her silently again. Veronica also stared back calmly.

Blue eyes disappeared behind pale eyelids, then reappeared.

It was the first time seeing Cassian’s eyes this close. She thought they were the same blue eyes as Asher’s, but they seemed subtly different.

Veronica’s hand moved stealthily. The secretive movement was about to reach Cassian’s shoulder across the sofa when it was suddenly grabbed.

Blue eyes narrowed.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s the new year. I thought I’d make new memories with Your Highness.”

“Don’t get any strange ideas and just faithfully do what you’re supposed to.”

“But I am trying to faithfully do what I’m supposed to.”

A sense of foreboding struck his mind. The smiling face before him looked unpleasant.

Cassian moved his hips backward. As he tried to create distance again, Veronica also moved. It was a continuation of the situation from earlier.

He was about to protest for her to stop clinging, but he was already at the edge of the sofa.

Cassian raised one knee. It was to create a minimal line of defense.

“Your Highness Cassian.”

Veronica’s hand touched Cassian’s knee. A chilling sensation spread throughout his body from his knee.

Perhaps because he was wearing thin clothes, the body heat on his knee felt distinctly clear. Veronica leaned her upper body. Her soft body collided with his bent knee.

Her slyly smiling face suddenly filled his vision. Blue eyes wavered.

Just as the red lips reflected in them were about to slowly part, the door burst open.

“Your Highness Theron. Soon the lesson will-”

The servant who was entering stopped short upon discovering the two entangled people.

Seeing the servant’s surprised face, Cassian came to his senses. He quickly pushed Veronica away and stood up.

“Right, the lesson. I have to go. Right now.”

“What? Ah, there’s still time left.”

“Let’s go quickly. It’s an important lesson.”

Emphasizing again that ‘it must be a very important lesson’, Cassian pushed the servant’s back.

The servant walked, bewildered as he was pushed by him. Belatedly grasping the situation, Veronica reached out her hand.

“Wait!”

And the door closed.

Veronica went to meet Cassian again. She requested a meeting appointment first as he wanted, but was rejected with the excuse of being busy.

When the expected answer came, she went to meet him without notice this time as well, but it was in vain.

He wasn’t in his room, wasn’t at the training grounds, and when she asked a servant about his whereabouts, she only received an answer that they didn’t know.

The next month, and the day after that, Veronica went to meet him again but couldn’t see a single strand of his hair.

It was clear he was intentionally avoiding her. Still, she should be grateful that he didn’t forget to send one-line letter replies.

On the day when the rain that had been falling for days stopped and announced the start of early summer, she headed to the imperial palace once again.

This time, she changed direction and entered the small glass palace attached to the back, not the separate palace. Cassian was there.

“Your Highness Cassian.”

Cassian, who was sitting at an outdoor table bathed in sunlight having a conversation, frowned immediately upon seeing her.

The face that seemed to ask how she came here again was worth seeing.

Across from him, familiar platinum blonde hair swayed.

“Miss Hardness.”

Asher greeted her kindly.

Veronica looked only at Cassian without responding. She smiled at him with her eyes. Cassian, however, avoided her gaze.

In place of him showing his displeasure, Asher spoke first.

“I didn’t know you had an appointment with Miss Hardness.”

“We didn’t make an appointment.”

At Cassian’s words, Asher’s confusion was visible.

Asher shook his shoulder saying not to do that, but Cassian just snorted and turned his head away. Veronica stared at him with a smile.

Veronica was certain she would be able to meet him today. She came knowing that Cassian was spending time like this with Asher.

She remembered witnessing this situation once when she came to meet Asher.

Hadn’t they said they came out to get some fresh air after being cooped up inside for days due to the rain?

Based on that memory, she came to meet Cassian. This time too, without an appointment, just showing up.

In fact, it wasn’t difficult for Veronica to meet him. If she wanted, encounters disguised as coincidences were easy.

Yet in her own way, she tried to be courteous, but not knowing that, Cassian stubbornly turned his face away despite the obvious gaze.

As expected, he showed his dislike of Veronica’s visit. Even with Asher being flustered beside him.

The brothers must have been having a very good time together. Seeing the two of them together from early on, Veronica felt twisted.

“Please understand that I came to see my beloved because I missed him.”

“Beloved?”

Though he sneered heavily, Veronica responded with a smile.

“Of course, a very lovely beloved. I’m always trying to please Your Highness whom I love like this. It was to be faithful to our relationship after what happened last time. Ah, perhaps you didn’t like it? If you could tell me what you didn’t like about ‘that day’, it would be helpful for reference.”

Cassian’s face hardened at those words.

He probably wouldn’t want to mention ‘that day’ even if he died. Isn’t his precious older brother right next to him too? Veronica smiled with satisfaction, intending for him to keep his mouth shut.

“I want to be alone with you, could you step aside?”

She shooed Asher away and sat in the chair he had just vacated.

“You really are tiresome.”

“I’m glad you’re not tired of me yet.”

Well, it would have been better if he had accepted when she politely requested a meeting.

Ignoring his disgruntled gaze, Veronica took in the familiar scenery.

The small single-story glass palace was all glass walls and ceiling, so the environment wasn’t very good, but Asher liked it here.

He often spent time here, and always with Cassian. She heard they had arranged and decorated the unused space to make it their own.

Her gaze fell on the table.

Simple desserts, books, and what looked like maps were scattered about. They must have been having quite an enjoyable time. Veronica tapped the feather pen with her fingertip.

Cassian’s hand irritably tidied up the feather pen. Veronica chuckled.

“You should have paid attention to me normally.”

“…”

“What did I do for you to avoid me?”

“I avoided you because there was reason to avoid you.”

“I was only being faithful to our engagement relationship, what was wrong with that? In that sense, I’m upset that Your Highness Cassian doesn’t seem very faithful to our relationship. Your cold attitude only towards me, and sending such short replies to my letters.”

“That talk again. I’m sure I told you not to change your words.”

“I’m not changing my words, I’m asking you to show sincerity.”

“I think I showed sufficient sincerity just by giving you replies.”

“It doesn’t seem that way to me.”

“That’s too bad. Shall we stop the letters then?”

“…It was sufficient sincerity.”

The corners of Veronica’s mouth lifted deeply. Annoying bastard.

“Since it’s come to this, shall we go for a walk together? Flower viewing would be nice too. There are many rare flowers in the imperial palace, it would be nice to see them. If you don’t like that, we could go out to the capital and walk around the streets, or we could go on an outing to somewhere further away?”

Even before her words finished, Cassian stood up. Then he called a servant and ordered them to clean up the table before leaving.

He didn’t look back even with the gaze on his back. Veronica didn’t try to stop him.

Two days later, Veronica appeared before Cassian again. She was prettily dressed up with flowers. At that time too, Cassian was with Asher.

“Ah, Miss Hardness. We meet again.”

“It’s a lovely day, Your Highness Cassian.”

“…”

Asher trying hard to hide his bewilderment while smiling to greet her, Cassian swallowing his irritation while looking away, and Veronica casually greeting Cassian while barely listening to Asher’s words.

The situation was the same as last time.

“I came to see if you had time today. I apologize for not getting your permission in advance, but I came because I missed you so much. I think you’ll understand.”

“I don’t want to understand.”

“Then there’s nothing we can do.”

Cassian looked at her in disbelief. Veronica smiled prettily at him.

He was the one who ignored the letter she sent requesting a meeting out of courtesy. The current situation wasn’t entirely her fault.

“Alright, Cassian. Cheer up. I’ll be going now.”

Asher, who had been soothing Cassian, stood up as if it were only natural. Cassian grabbed his arm.

“Don’t go.”

“No. I’ll be going now, Miss Hardness.”

Asher removed Cassian’s hand grabbing his arm and politely greeted Veronica as well.

Veronica didn’t give much of a reaction this time either.

He smiled bitterly and gestured to Cassian to have a good time. Then his view of Asher leaving the room was blocked by the intruder.

The sound of the door closing was heard from afar.

Cassian’s irritated eyes fell on Veronica who was blocking his view.

“Will you stay with me today?”

“Is that all you came for?”

“Yes.”

At the cool answer, Cassian stood up without hesitation.

He tried to leave the room without even tidying up his disheveled clothes. He probably intended to follow Asher, but Veronica grabbed him.

“Where are you going?”

“I have other business to attend to.”

“Please postpone that business and stay with me.”

“It’s urgent business.”

It was an excuse that anyone could see was insincere. Veronica said:

“Should you neglect your fiancée like this?”

“I haven’t neglected you. Publicly, we are faithfully fulfilling our roles as an engaged couple, and I am faithfully carrying out your ‘requests’. There’s no reason for me to accommodate things we haven’t agreed upon beyond that. Am I wrong?”

“…”

He wasn’t wrong. Veronica couldn’t refute, and Cassian shook off her hand again and turned his back.

Veronica was left alone in his room.

Three days later, Veronica went to find Cassian again.

At that time too, Cassian was with Asher. They seemed to have been enjoying tea time in the glass palace from last time, as refreshments were placed on the table.

As soon as he saw Veronica, Asher reflexively stood up. He didn’t even notice his brother swallowing his irritation beside him.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Don’t go.”

“You don’t have to leave.”

The one who stopped Asher was Veronica. Both Asher who was trying to get up and Cassian who was grabbing his arm turned to her in surprise.

Veronica was already sitting in the empty seat, pouring and drinking tea.

She alone had a leisurely appearance that didn’t match the situation.