Returning to the present, Mitchell, who was quickly writing a report in the Crown Prince’s office, let out a scoff.
“Come here, my love, Rapine!”
“Try to catch me, Your Highness!”
Whether it was because rumors had wildly spread throughout the palace that the two were lovers, they no longer made any effort to hide it. On the contrary, they acted openly, as if to announce it to everyone.
Mitchell put down his paperwork with a slightly irritated face and approached the window. Benjamin, who was standing there with his eyes covered, was looking around. Rapine was clapping her hands and calling Benjamin.
“Aha, I’m over here!”
At the sound of Rapine’s clear voice, Benjamin immediately turned his head and lunged toward her.
“Gotcha!”
“Ahh!”
Rapine screamed as she hit the floor, but it was soon drowned out by Benjamin’s laughter. Rapine then lay on Benjamin’s arm and joined him in laughing.
Passersby frowned at the sight of the Crown Prince embracing a woman and rolling on the floor in broad daylight. Moreover, the Crown Prince was engaged to the sister of the woman he was now embracing—Yurisien Windsor.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. When did Windsor fall so low?”
“Don’t you know the situation in Windsor? They fell apart because of the former duchess. That’s why he’s acting recklessly. He knows he can’t build power no matter what he does.”
The ministers clicked their tongues as they passed by. Yet Benjamin and Rapine lay on the floor, laughing away.
Mitchell, seemingly unable to stand their behavior any longer, closed the curtain and turned away.
Meanwhile, at that time in the Windsor duchy.
The atmosphere at the lunch table was cold. Although the seats were filled, and the clattering of utensils could be heard, nobody dared to make a sound.
“This is delicious. Ivan, you said you peeled the potatoes today, right?”
“Uh? Uh, um, um…”
Ivan responded nervously. He didn’t even know what kind of answer would be appropriate here. That was because Ivan had excitedly let slip to Yurisien some news that he shouldn’t have.
It was the news of Benjamin’s affair.
News that Benjamin was having a passionate romance with Rapine!
Yurisien blinked for a long moment before picking up a fallen strawberry. She cleaned it with water that Ivan had just poured, then handed it to him with her usual calm expression.
[Eat this.]Ivan ate the strawberry right there, standing. Yurisien’s lips curled slightly upon seeing this, and Ivan knew he had never seen a more terrifying smile in his life.
‘I feel sick from the strawberry I ate earlier.’
The atmosphere was heavy, and Ivan already wasn’t feeling well. Yet he couldn’t show it. He was eating so frantically that he didn’t know whether he was putting food in his mouth or nose.
“Rumors have spread in the palace that Crown Prince Benjamin and Rapine are in love.”
“Phwooosh!”
Ivan spat out the food in his mouth.
“Cough, cough, cough!”
Nobody paid any attention to Ivan coughing violently. Andersen, who came to his senses due to Yurisien’s eye signal, hurriedly brought a napkin. Cali even shot Ivan a disgusted glance.
Though it was true that Ivan had slipped up, he felt hurt.
‘Did I blurt it out to make Yurisien’s life difficult?’
Strictly speaking, Ivan was also a victim. Who wouldn’t scream upon hearing such huge news?
But that didn’t mean he could protest, saying, ‘I am innocent and pure.’
“Um, cough, cough…um.”
His face flushed, all he could do was try to soothe his throat.
However, Yurisien sat at the lunch table, her face calm, as if she’d thrown a match into a pile of gunpowder.
“Do you not like the meal, Father?”
“Hm? Ah…yes. I don’t have an appetite today.”
In reality, hunger or taste didn’t matter at all. Actually, Jurgen wasn’t even able to feel betrayed or resentful toward Benjamin at the moment.
Benjamin and Rapinera, what an absurd pairing this was.
‘His Highness the Crown Prince must have undergone the same brainwashing I did.’
The fact that Rapinera was in the palace meant that Kendalri was also there. The missing Kendalri mother and daughter were, in fact, under Greta’s protection in the palace. Therefore, it was possible that Benjamin, who had gone to the palace, had also been brainwashed.
Before arriving at the restaurant, Kali, who had heard Ivan’s outcry, quickly found Urgen and told him. At that moment, Urgen thought,
[His Highness going to the palace was a trap in itself.]Everyone could have predicted that Benjamin would not stay idle after Gypsies inside Soljereon attacked Yurisien. Even knowing it was a trap, that Benjamin would bite the bait.
‘However, I thought His Highness would have some… some countermeasures.’
Perhaps it was due to Benjamin’s previous actions? Urgen made the assumption without any solid evidence. Benjamin, he thought, would not be fooled even if the opponent was the Empress.
But the outcome was this.
‘I was brainwashed by Kendalri. I was lucky, my memory vanished, and with it the brainwashing. When the memory returned, it was over.’
Why She Is Still Unmoved (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He uses various methods to seek her affection, but she remains unmoved.
Synopsis:
Si Qingyu is a doctor who has saved countless lives and enjoys tranquility.
Luo Shaoxuan is ruthless, deeply scheming, and the top young master in the capital. He admires Si Qingyu.
Luo Shaoxuan: I want to be the only one in your eyes and heart.
Features a cold and calm female lead vs A noble and scheming male lead.
There will be both sweetness and torture towards the male after their marriage.
