“Your Highness Cahirun?”

At the familiar voice, I turned my head and suddenly choked.

Cahirun immediately gave me water from a glass bottle as I coughed. However, his gesture wasn’t entirely appreciated because the one who called him was Floria.

Floria stared blankly at the sight of Cahirun personally giving me water, and perhaps because I felt conscious of her, the coughing simply wouldn’t subside.

Then Cahirun, who was patting my back, rolled his eyes to look at Floria.

“Your reaction is as if you’ve seen something frightening.”

Floria, as if suddenly coming to her senses at his gaze, grasped her dress and bowed her head.

“I greet Your Highness Cahirun, the shining sword of Hilic.”

Cahirun continued to pat my back without responding to Floria’s greeting. Feeling more uncomfortable, I grabbed his arm to signal him. But Cahirun only stretched his lips.

In a situation perfect for misunderstanding, I alone felt uneasy. I tried to convey with my eyes to Floria that it wasn’t what it seemed, but her eyes were cold as ice.

‘Damn, I knew something was off when he suddenly suggested going for a picnic.’

To think he’d drag me all the way to the inner palace pond, ignoring the garden behind the First Prince’s Palace, only to encounter this wretched situation. I shot a slightly resentful glance, but Cahirun didn’t budge.

Only after my choking subsided did Cahirun rise and nod to Floria.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Her Majesty the Queen summoned me, so I stopped by. But.”

Floria glanced at me.

“You two seem very close.”

“Ah, that…”

“The Crown Princess might be even closer than you think. We have quite a history together.”

Cahirun said, looking down at me.

“Isn’t that right?”

At that affectionate gaze, I nearly got the hiccups following the coughing fit. What’s with this seemingly deliberate display? And what history? What history do we have!

I couldn’t understand Cahirun’s behavior at all. The only thing I knew for certain was that I was in trouble.

Floria was already looking at me like a traitor, and though I sent her an aggrieved look, unable to openly protest, it clearly had no effect.

I could see Shana, standing behind Floria, swallowing a sneer as if she had expected this.

“I was worried that elder sister might be uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place, but it seems you’re doing well. I’m grateful to Your Highness the Prince for taking care of you.”

“There’s no need for the Crown Princess to thank me. I do this not because she’s your family, but because I’m willing to.”

I felt like grabbing Cahirun by the collar and shaking him vigorously. Cahirun’s words sounded as if we were in some kind of relationship.

‘He said it would be difficult to sever ties with my sister, but is he planning to cut them himself?’

I had been at ease after passing on the information about the mithril mine, but I never expected to be backstabbed like this. Cahirun, who kept grinning despite my shocked expression, was extremely annoying.

“I see. Ah, I should go now as Mother is waiting for me.”

“Please do.”

When Cahirun responded indifferently as if uninterested, Floria’s lips twitched and she turned her gaze to me. Although she was smiling, I could only feel fear, roughly guessing what she might be thinking right now.

“Elder sister, please visit the palace when you have time. I have many things I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Ah. Yes, of course. I’ll visit soon, Your Highness.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

Floria smiled brightly, paid her respects to Cahirun, and turned away. As I watched her retreating figure, I placed my hand on my left chest. Damn.

‘What about my heart…’

I glared resentfully at Cahirun, who had chosen only words and actions that could be misunderstood, but he tilted his head as if he couldn’t understand.

“Are you that afraid of your sister?”

It was natural for Cahirun to speak like that since he knew nothing. But I couldn’t help feeling resentful.

“Why did you come all the way out here?”

There’s a pond in the First Prince’s Palace garden too, so why come here for a picnic and cause this mess!

“Just because.”

Cahirun smiled mischievously.

“I couldn’t wait any longer.”

What on earth couldn’t he wait for?

Could it be that until now, he had pretended not to know my intentions for fun, but he wouldn’t let it slide anymore? But even after that day, Cahirun’s attitude towards me remained unchanged.

If not that, then was he trying to build Floria’s suspicion about me to make her lose her composure? Recalling how Cahirun had been hostile towards Floria since their first meeting at the return banquet, it seemed the most plausible hypothesis.

He must have seen through Floria’s true colors.

“Lady Reneola?”

Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned my head. Silvia, who had come to visit me on a long-awaited vacation, was blinking her eyes with a puzzled expression.

“Are you listening to me?”

“Ah, yes. Of course. Go on.”

Silvia tilted her head but soon continued.

“These days, the Second Prince has been enjoying secret meetings day and night.”

Though there was no one else in the room, Silvia whispered in a low voice as if someone might hear.

“Even yesterday, someone saw a different woman entering his chambers at night. And it’s not the first or second time that traces of lovemaking have been found when tidying up the bedding in the morning.”

Ugh, garbage.

Even when reading the original work, I felt deep anger at Eric’s womanizing, and I cursed inwardly.

Apart from Floria, Eric’s immoral behavior was truly disgusting. Suddenly, I was reminded of that crazy pervert Gavis Palong, and I felt sick.

“So it seems Her Highness Floria is greatly distressed.”

She must be. More than distressed, she must be furious. And I showed her the sight of me flirting with Cahirun in front of such an angry Floria.

‘Ah, it’s too scary.’

They say it’s better to take the beating first, so I wish she’d call me soon. Not knowing when I’d be summoned and scolded, every day was nerve-wracking.

“Oh, and the maids in the Second Prince’s Palace are completely at odds with each other.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Because of Ginger. Ginger became the head maid.”

“Ah.”

I see, Ginger took the position that became vacant when Matthias lured away the head maid. It was only natural since she was practically Shana’s right hand.

“She gives little work to those she’s close with and piles all sorts of menial tasks on those she’s been at odds with, so how can complaints not burst out?”

“What about you?”

“Pardon? Me?”

“You were close to me, so she must be treating you unfairly too.”

When I asked worriedly, Silvia grasped my hands with teary eyes, as if deeply moved.

“Are you worried about me?”

“Of course.”

“Oh my. I’m truly touched, Lady Reneola.”

Silvia wiped away tears that hadn’t even fallen.

“It reminds me of when we first met. I didn’t know you were such a kind person then. Of course, you’ve been good to me all along. I’m just so happy being apart like this.”

Seeing her change the subject, it seems she’s being quite bullied by Ginger.

As much as I’d like to help, there was nothing I could do right now. Moreover, Silvia seemed to want to hide it, so I didn’t ask further. Instead, I changed the topic to something she might like.

“Would you like some chocolate caramel?”

“Ah, yes please!”

Cahirun’s gift from his inspection tour of Hambert Territory wasn’t just the spicy candy.

Seeing my disgusted face, he seemed to enjoy it immensely and then brought out chocolate caramel, saying it was the real gift.

But having already lost trust, I didn’t accept it, so he put a piece in his mouth first. Only then did I relax my suspicious gaze and accept it, and Cahirun muttered,

‘The next one will be a bit difficult.’

I wanted to ask if he was planning to play another prank next time, but due to my inferior position, I had to keep my mouth shut.

Wondering why he kept playing pranks with food like this, I thought I should catch him sometime and ask as I took out the chocolate caramel I had put in the drawer.

“Lady Reneola, do you raise pigeons too?”

“Yeah, well.”

Because I was forced to.

As I answered briefly and turned around,

“Eek!”

Flap! Flap flap flap!

At the scream and the loud flapping of wings, I came to my senses to find the pigeons had escaped from their cage and were circling in the air. Then, seeing me, they started to swoop down.

Suddenly surrounded by pigeons, I waved my hands trying to shoo them away, but it was useless.

“Eek! Go away!”

Even with Silvia trying to catch the pigeons, they were so quick, skillfully dodging.

The pigeons pecked and beat me with their wings for quite a while, as if venting all their pent-up frustrations, before finally retreating.

The pigeons, looking somewhat satisfied as they gazed at me, flew out through the open window.

Battered in an instant by the brutal attack, I let out a hollow laugh, “Huh.”

“A-are you alright, Lady Reneola? I’m sorry, the cage latch was half-open, so I was trying to close it properly…”

Silvia, looking very apologetic, removed the feathers stuck to my body.

“It’s okay, these things happen.”

I couldn’t say anything to Silvia, who was fidgeting anxiously since it wasn’t intentional. I was only worried about the future, knowing exactly where those crazy pigeons were heading right now.