I entered the room with my eyes lowered and head bowed as much as possible. I heard that Cahirun de Hilic was a madman who would draw his sword just from eye contact, so I absolutely must not raise my head.

“He’s not that crazy. He wouldn’t kill someone just for making eye contact.”

Huh? Why did Cal’s words suddenly come to mind?

“Hurry and pay your respects to His Highness. What are you doing?”

Startled by the low admonishing voice, I quickly grasped my dress and bowed.

“I have the honor of meeting the First Prince, the shining sword and protector of Hilic. My name is Reneola Violet.”

The First Prince gave no reply. But I could certainly feel his gaze fixed on me from above. I wondered if he would leave me standing like this, as he had done to Floria at the victory banquet, but fortunately that wasn’t the case.

“That’s enough greeting.”

I straightened my posture, keeping my eyes lowered.

“You may go.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Ah. It seems I’ve passed through just like this.

As I followed behind the chamberlain, inwardly sighing with relief at the unexpectedly simple permission, that’s when it happened.

“Where are you going?”

A voice tinged with disbelief stopped me from behind.

“You’re to remain here.”

Oh damn it all.

I looked pleadingly at the chamberlain as if grasping at a lifeline, but the kindly-faced man left the room without so much as a glance back. As I inwardly cursed the heartless chamberlain, the First Prince spoke again.

“Are you planning to just keep standing there?”

At his voice, lowered another tone from before, I quickly turned around and approached the First Prince. Of course, I still kept my eyes lowered. I could feel his gaze studying me intently. After staring at me for a long while like that, the First Prince asked:

“Why is the elder sister of the Second Prince’s consort so eager to enter my palace?”

As expected. The question I had anticipated. Just as I was about to give the answer I had already simulated several times,

“Could it be the Second Prince’s consort sent you to spy on me?”

“No! Absolutely not, that’s not it at all!”

I shook my head vigorously, denying it strongly in response to his chilling voice. Fearing he might draw his sword without giving me a chance to explain, I quickly continued:

“When I was in the Second Prince’s palace, I had the honor of serving Her Highness the Princess of Etra closely. Thus, I occasionally had the opportunity to see Your Highness. Your composed and calm demeanor, the elegant grace that flowed even in the way you held a teacup – before I knew it, I always found myself gazing at Your Highness. And so…”

Hm? Did he just laugh just now?

I thought I heard a sound like someone trying to hold back laughter. But I didn’t dare raise my head to check. There’s no way that First Prince would laugh. Thinking I must have misheard due to my nervousness, I continued speaking.

“And so I dared to harbor feelings in my heart. Though I knew I shouldn’t, I tried to put aside these improper feelings, but I simply couldn’t control my heart. That’s why I’ve been so presumptuous as to desire to serve by Your Highness’s side like this. I beg for your generous understanding.”

How shallow and pitiful, truly pitiful.

It was an excuse that would elicit a sneer even from me hearing it. I didn’t think for a moment that the First Prince would believe my words. But surely he wouldn’t mercilessly kill someone who said they liked him.

‘I’d rather he just send me away now.’

There would be other chances to win Floria’s favor, but I only had one life.

The First Prince who was terrifying even to make eye contact with seemed better than Floria at this point. Gavis Palong had pretty much completely fallen away too. Ah, but Lord Robert remained. Sigh…

‘This isn’t some hellish balance game. I really don’t want this.’

Inwardly sighing, I continued speaking.

“But if it’s uncomfortable for you, you can send me back right now and I…”

“Your acting falls short of expectations.”

I stiffened in shock at his words, cutting off what I had been about to say.

“Pardon?”

“I thought you were reading from a book.”

The First Prince chuckled. I hadn’t misheard earlier – it was definitely an amused laugh.

‘What’s this, did he see through my intentions and is now mocking me?’

But his voice sounded far too pleased for that to be the case.

I was bewildered by this response, so different from my expectations that he would either ignore me or draw his sword. The First Prince wasn’t supposed to be a character who laughed out loud like this. Then suddenly I realized his voice had sounded familiar from earlier.

“I was planning to tease you a bit more, but I can’t hold back any longer.”

Now that I’d noticed it, his voice was starting to sound unmistakably familiar.

‘It can’t be…’

Hoping desperately that I was wrong, I jerked my head up. And then froze in place as soon as I confirmed his face. It was a moment when I painfully realized once again that sad premonitions are never wrong.

“You want to become my lady-in-waiting?”

Cal grinned at my shocked expression. The teasing tone was evident. Normally I would have had a retort for that irritating look, but I was in no position for that now.

“You’re quieter than usual. Ah, is it because you’re in front of the one you like, so you can’t speak?”

“Wait…”

“You said you were always gazing at me longingly.”

I didn’t realize I was this oblivious. Cahirun, who had been staring at me with his chin propped on his hand in a slouched posture, smirked.

I squeezed my eyes shut at his mischievous expression, which showed he already knew the real reason I had come.

Damn it, how could I have known this bastard was the First Prince?

Before I could feel resentful at how completely he had fooled me, all the numerous remarks I had made in front of him flashed through my mind.

‘Haha. Today might be my last day.’

I gingerly touched my neck, which might be severed soon. Just then,

“Alright.”

I’ll take you as my lady-in-waiting.

Surprised by his crisp acceptance, I opened my eyes to see Cahirun rising from his chair.

He strode around the desk, crossing the room with his long legs.

The intensity of his approach gave me an ominous feeling that I had gotten myself into trouble. Thinking I should try to escape now even if I’d be caught later, I glanced behind me and took a small step back. At that moment,

“You’re not thinking of running away now, after coming all this way on your own, are you?”

Cahirun’s long fingers grasped my chin. His purple eyes conveyed a subtle pressure, as if to say it would be better to quietly give up if that was my intention.

‘Why did it have to be this lunatic!’

With all the men in the world, how could this madman be the First Prince?

My eyes darted around frantically at the thoroughly screwed up situation. After studying me intently for a moment, he curled up one corner of his perfectly sculpted lips. No need to put aside your feelings.

“Go ahead, try seducing me to your heart’s content.”

Cahirun leaned in close, narrowing his eyes seductively.

“I’m fully prepared to fall for it.”

‘Aaaagh!’

I buried my face in the pillow and let out a silent scream.

“How can Cal possibly be the First Prince!”

After everything I’ve said and done to that man!

The inexplicable unease I’d felt whenever I saw Cal wasn’t because of some R-rated book, but because of this. It was my intuition desperately trying to warn me.

I recalled Cahirun’s final words before I left the room.

“Things are going to get quite entertaining from now on. Look forward to it.”

Even now, just thinking of the smile on his lips made my knees weak.

Perhaps because of his looks, it was an incredibly seductive gaze, but to my eyes it only looked like a warning from the devil. I crossed my arms and hugged my shoulders, which were covered in goosebumps.

I could understand Cahirun’s behavior. After all the insults I’d blatantly said to his face, plus he knew all about my impure intentions for entering the First Prince’s palace.

With his personality, it wouldn’t have been strange if he’d stabbed me right then and there.

‘Hah. To think I blurted out that I’d be a spy right to his face.’

I’d checked so many times, how could such a ridiculous situation happen? As I pounded my fist against the innocent pillow, I frowned deeply. I remembered the explicit criticisms Cal had hurled at the First Prince.

“Wait, so he was insulting himself like that with his own mouth?”

No matter what, how could someone badmouth themselves that badly? Because of that, I was convinced he definitely wasn’t on the First Prince’s side!

“Why did that madman pretend to be the Second Prince’s attendant all this time?”

“Because it was fun.”

Startled by the sudden response, I whipped my head around. Cahirun was leaning against the wall, watching me. I hadn’t noticed when he’d arrived.

“H-how did you get in?”

“I kept knocking but there was no answer, so I thought you might have run away.”

“I didn’t see the door open…”

The door opposite the bed hadn’t opened at all. Wondering if he could somehow teleport, I blinked in confusion. He tilted his head.

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Pardon?”

“This room is connected to mine.”

“…Pardon?”

Hoping desperately that I had misheard, I asked again nervously. Cahirun pointed his thumb at something. Following his gesture, I saw a door slightly smaller than the one I had entered through.

“There’s a small sitting room beyond there that connects to my room.”

Come to think of it, the chamberlain Vilmont who had escorted me here seemed to have been explaining something, but I was too dazed to listen properly.

Only now taking in my surroundings, I realized the room was quite spacious and luxurious for a lady-in-waiting to use.

“W-why was I assigned such a room? It seems far too grand for me…”

“Ah. You didn’t hear that either, I see. You’re the only lady-in-waiting in this palace.”

I know that. But what does that have to do with me using this room? When I questioned him silently with my eyes, Cahirun smiled brightly.

“It means all of my personal attendance will be your responsibility from now on.”

…Ah, now I understand. The reason I was confined in that dark room. It was a preview foreshadowing the pitch-black future ahead where I couldn’t see even an inch in front of me.