Gerald was wearing a polite smile, but something about it was so stiff it was creepy.

“No……. I’m fine. We’re not strangers, and our greeting was delayed.”

Thinking that he might be stiff because of the awkwardness, I lightly replied, but all that came back was a single stiff nod.

“The reason I actually spoke……. I have something to talk to you about……. privately.”

“Oh, really?”

I tried to speak as if it was nothing, but I had some inkling of what it might be.

This is clearly an intrigue.

If there was something to be said privately between us, who were obviously in competition, it was none other than content to sow discord between Heis and me.

But I’m not so stupid to fall for it easily.

Gerald licked his lips again.

“Yes. Will you listen?”

His voice dropped to a near whisper, his shoulders stiffened, sweat beaded on his forehead.

Still, he seemed to have a kind side, not enough to deceive someone outright.

It seemed like a good opportunity to gently roll and extract information.

“I’ll listen, so go ahead.”

Gerald seemed about to start talking, swallowed, and then shook his head.

“No, no. Now’s not the time…….”

Gerald looked around as if looking for someone.

“Later. Later, when the other students come [dash].”

I was wondering why it would be harder to talk about sensitive topics when the students arrived when a cold voice cut off Gerald’s words.

“What are you doing?”

It was Kirian.

Silently appearing, Kirian was already near us. His icy gaze slowly fell on Gerald.

But instead of being startled, Gerald’s eyes sparkled. His body trembled as if crouching, but his lips were tinged with a strange smile.

“Oh, Prince Kirian. You, you’ve come at a good time.”

He looked as if he were welcoming Kirian.

Gerald even caught my wrist. It was a rude gesture, enough to make me feel bad.

“What are you doing?”

“I had a private conversation with Princess Reina, but how about, Prince, you join us too?”

It was a question with no clear intent, but it was equally unpleasant. I put aside my plan to gently extract information for now and decided to get rid of Gerald first.

“Let go of this.”

As I tried to twist my wrist free, a scream like a pig being slaughtered rang out.
Gerald, who had been gripping my wrist, was suddenly flailing in midair, one arm caught by Kirian.

I jumped to my feet, my eyes wide.

“Stop it, Kirian!”

Kirian’s eyes narrowed menacingly.

“You worry about this bastard, too[dash].”

“My ears hurt!”

I reached out to Gerald, who was still screaming like an angry elephant.

“It feels like my eardrums are going to burst.”

“Pfft[dash].”

Kirian let go of Gerald with a thud, after a soft chuckle. Gerald, who had collapsed, clutched his arm and groaned in pain.

I thought he would make a big fuss, but instead of getting up, Gerald breathed heavily and laughed quietly.

His slightly unfocused eyes, like those of a rabid wild dog, did not seem to give up easily.

“Does this mean you won’t listen to what I have to say?”

Gerald’s gaze, as he struggled to his feet, was once again fixed on me.

“I know what you’re trying to say.”

Kirian stood between Gerald and me.

“Don’t hang around the princess again.”

Gerald spat out a dry laugh.

“If that’s the prince’s wish, I can rest easy.”

He bowed exaggeratedly, smirking wickedly.

“Then I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Once Gerald had disappeared, Kirian immediately checked my wrist.

“Are you okay? You were really surprised, weren’t you?”

Seeing the faint red mark, Kirian’s eyebrows furrowed angrily.

His touch, where Kirian’s hand had reached, transmitted a warmth so hot that it vibrated. Annoyed by it for some reason, I quickly pulled my hand away.

“I’m fine. But what was Gerald trying to say?”

Kirian’s eyes tensed momentarily and then awkwardly relaxed.

“I don’t know.”

He lifted one shoulder slightly and then casually dropped it. Even with a calm face, his eyes followed my wrist.

It got on my nerves again, so I crossed my arms.

“You said you knew well.”

“I just brushed him off because he was persistent.”

Kirian reached out slowly, as if careful not to startle me, and gently pulled my hidden wrist.

I flinched at the slow touch that ran down my arm. Not wanting to be caught off guard, I raised my eyebrows.

“You’re not hiding anything from me, are you?”

It was a meaningless probe. In truth, I wasn’t that curious. It was just that if I didn’t continue this superficial conversation, I feared that it would naturally revert to the topic of conversation from a few days ago.

“Let’s break up.”

“You know too. This relationship, it’s not normal.”

Fearing to face his quiet reproach again, I forced a serious look in my eyes.

But surprisingly, my tactic worked too well.

The hand that had been holding me twitched and froze, and the gaze that had been fixed on my wrist wavered.

He looked up again to meet my eyes, his red irises were fractured somewhere. Nevertheless, Kirian managed a graceful smile.

“There’s no way that could be.”