She pressed her hand against her forehead and resisted with force.

“You really don’t seem to get tired. It’s about time you gave up!”

“I have to see it through since I started.”

“Who decided to start? I haven’t even moved.”

“You said yesterday that you didn’t dislike it, so I couldn’t help myself.”

“I dislike this, this kind of thing.”

Cassian applied force to his hand. Veronica seemed to be pushed back little by little.

“Your Highness. Do you know that the balcony is a special place?”

A look of confusion appeared on Cassian’s face. Isn’t it just a place to get some fresh air?

Veronica tilted her face and brought her lips to his ear. A low whisper flowed in secretly.

“It’s often used as a meeting place for lovers.”

As she blew a breath into his ear, Cassian startled and pushed her away. His face was slightly flushed as he grabbed his ear.

“Come to think of it, before too.”

“That’s right. But Your Highness left me with another man and went away.”

“…Didn’t I apologize for that?”

“Now you know how disappointed I was then?”

Cassian turned his head without replying. Seeing his embarrassed face, Veronica pulled up the corners of her mouth.

Her hand subtly touched Cassian’s chest.

She felt a trembling quiver at her fingertips. When she pressed firmly on his chest through the fabric and moved up to his shoulder, her hand was caught.

Cassian sat up straight and took a deep breath. Veronica quietly looked at him.

“Huh, alright. Let’s do it.”

“Really?”

“It wouldn’t be polite to keep refusing when my fiancée wants it this much. I’m a man too.”

“That’s a relief. I was about to misunderstand.”

Cassian was about to ask what kind of misunderstanding, but he hastily swallowed his words.

It was clear that if he continued this topic, it would only irritate him. And she was definitely not the type to give up just because he kept avoiding it.

“Let’s finish this quickly.”

He grabbed both of Veronica’s shoulders and pushed her against the wall.

Veronica’s arms wrapped around his neck. Their faces were very close, needless to say.

He thought it was nothing special, but maybe because Veronica was inside his arms?

It felt strange, as if he had cornered her into a dead end.

Moreover, she was looking up at Cassian in a peculiar way.

“…Do we have to be this close?”

Cassian asked grumpily for no reason. Her crimson eyes curved roundly.

“How else would we do it if we weren’t close?”

“It seems too close.”

“Should I just stick out my lips then? That would look even more ridiculous.”

A ticklish laugh sounded.

Cassian lowered his eyes. Even though he tried to hide it, a shy expression could be read on his face. It was quite cute to see him acting bashful after saying he would do it.

Veronica leisurely observed his face.

She stared intently at the blue eyes that disappeared and reappeared repeatedly behind his eyelids.

He lowered his head shyly, then carefully met her eyes.

If she reached out, she could caress his cheek without hesitation and transfer her body heat to make his heart race.

The faintly spread smile looked happy, and she was glad that she had conveyed that emotion. And she was happy. She believed they shared the same feelings.

‘Veronica.’

“Veronica.”

Another voice overlapped with the affectionate voice. Her dazed eyes blinked and regained focus.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Just… missing…”

At those words, Cassian immediately frowned.

“Who are you thinking of right now?”

“Ah, it’s not like that.”

“You seem to have forgotten, but I am your fiancé now, and I’m the one kissing you. So erase whoever is in your head right now.”

“Oh my. Are you jealous right now?”

“Jealous…?”

Cassian was shocked, as if he had heard something unimaginable. His expression said, ‘Is this woman in her right mind?’ But somehow, Veronica felt like laughing.

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. You’re the only man for me now.”

“So you’re saying there were other men before.”

“You already know that.”

You already know I was crazy about your brother.

Cassian’s expression became even more fierce as he caught her meaning, but he didn’t argue. Because it was true.

“Are you going to keep doing this?”

“People really…”

Cassian stopped mid-sentence and hardened his expression again.

His face, which had become serious, slowly approached. Just as their lips were about to touch…

“By the way, Your Highness Cassian.”

“…?”

“Have you ever done this with Miss Iz?”

“That doesn’t seem like an appropriate topic to bring up right now.”

“I’m just curious. Have you?”

“…No.”

“Then was there another woman you were seeing?”

Cassian frowned again. But Veronica didn’t stop her questions.

“Hmm− I’ve never heard any love stories about Your Highness, but it wouldn’t be strange if there were. Even if not Miss Iz, there might have been a hidden lover. Or someone you had feelings for. Since Your Highness has a rather strict personality, maybe two or three?”

“…”

“Four? Five?”

“…”

Surely not more than five? Veronica inwardly marveled. Was he unexpectedly fickle-hearted?

Veronica glanced down slightly. Naturally, Cassian’s face turned fierce when she looked back up at him.

“You really…”

“Don’t say it now. I don’t think the rest of that sentence will have a good meaning.”

“Ha.”

What’s the point of bringing up this topic now? As Cassian’s brows furrowed sharply, Veronica gently rubbed that spot.

“Whether it’s five or ten. Your Highness should erase them all too.”

“Ten… Alright, I understand.”

Cassian reluctantly matched her tone. His face expressed that he wanted to correct many things.

But Veronica’s patience had reached its limit.

She pressed her arms down and touched her lips to his. The contact made a moist sound as they touched and separated.

They exchanged glances for a moment. The parted lips soon collided again. Sharing body heat and feeling emotions.

Like lovers.

…Though that couldn’t be.

“What are you doing?”

“Kissing, of course.”

“Who just bumps lips together?”

“Then what should I do?”

“You need to move.”

“Move what?”

Veronica sat up. Cassian, who naturally sat back, wore a confused expression. Oh my, goodness.

“Your Highness. It seems you didn’t share this with those ten women.”

“You’re speaking strangely. It sounds like you’re scolding me. And who said it was ten?”

“I’m not scolding, I’m politely asking.”

“Just tell me what’s wrong.”

So I can fix it or not. Cassian added irritably, waiting for the following answer.

However, instead of answering, Veronica reached out and pulled Cassian’s neck again.

Their lips collided in an instant.

“−!”

A hurried hand grabbed Veronica’s shoulder and pushed her away. The two bodies quickly separated.

Cassian stared at Veronica with a dumb expression, covering his mouth.

Veronica smiled and tidied his disheveled bangs.

“Next time we meet, I’ll lend you my romance novels. They’ll be helpful if you read them.”

“…”

“I’m looking forward to the future.”

At that moment, Cassian’s face turned bright red.

Cassian pushed her away completely and turned his body to sit.

He covered his face with his arm, but couldn’t hide his reddened ears.

Veronica watched this with a grin. He was silent for a long time. Usually, he would have gotten angry by now.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“…Is that not allowed?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m asking if it’s not allowed to be embarrassed.”

When he lowered his arm, his even redder face was blatantly exposed. That face wore its usual blank expression.

Veronica, who had opened her eyes wide, soon burst into laughter.

Ahaha! The sound of laughter rang out cheerfully. Really, it was impossible not to laugh.

“You don’t seem embarrassed.”

“That’s not true either. I guess it just doesn’t show on my face.”

Laughing, Veronica stood up. She smoothed out her wrinkled dress and rubbed her lips.

Then she noticed blue eyes staring blankly at her and laughed again. He quickly averted his gaze.

Veronica caught his fleeing face and wiped the smeared makeup from his bewildered lips.

“His Highness Prince Cassian Theron.”

At that moment, a gentle voice broke the surrounding air.

Cassian turned to the side and nodded slightly. Veronica’s smile instantly disappeared when she looked in that direction.

“You were with your fiancée.”

A middle-aged man entered the balcony with a smile.

The man alternately looked at the embarrassed Cassian and the silent Veronica, then smiled mischievously.

“I seem to have interrupted you two.”

“Not at all.”

Cassian answered gruffly. The smiling man met Veronica’s gaze. Then he bowed deeply in a polite gesture.

“Do you remember me?”

The man asked. Veronica silently stared at the man.

The Hardness family had sworn loyalty to the imperial family for generations. Not once had they upset the emperor’s mood or betrayed their loyalty.

That loyalty was a fact known to the entire nation.

Such a loyal Hardness family was exterminated for the assassination of a royal family member.

The emperor liked the Hardness family’s loyalty but at the same time was wary of their power, and there was someone who instigated the emperor.

Asher was at the center, Cassian carried it out, but there was someone who planned it.

“Count Lauren.”