“Your Excellency…”

Veronia’s face grew redder and redder. At the same time, it became more and more distorted. Thump thump, her heart pounded like a hammer. The intense heartbeat was painful in her chest.

“Perhaps I… have been drawn to you, Nia, from the moment I first saw you.”

“…”

“It just happened. I couldn’t help it.”

Half of the truth was carefully folded and hidden, and only half of the truth was sincerely confessed.

Killian thought this was for the best. He thought this confession was the only way to not lose her and to stay by her side.

Killian reached out and gently took her hand. Their gazes towards each other became tangled in confusion.

Unable to bear his intense gaze any longer, Veronia bowed her head deeply. And she looked at his hand covering hers.

The large hand was rough but warm. At the familiar yet unfamiliar touch of his hand, Veronia’s eyes welled up with tears.

‘I was trying to escape from this hand… That’s what I was trying to do…’

Killian’s hand had been gentle from the beginning. But Veronia didn’t have the luxury to enjoy that gentleness, so she tried to break free.

In the end, she succeeded in running away. She thought that was enough.

But there was nothing she could do about the longing feelings that kept popping up. She just hoped and hoped that they would become dull.

‘But… like this again…’

She was caught by his hand again. She came to like the large hand that completely enveloped hers. She liked the rough hand with calluses because it was familiar, and she liked the warm temperature because it was kind.

‘But I can’t! Absolutely… can’t…’

She had to shake off this hand. She had to make a decision without a moment’s hesitation.

Veronia’s lips quivered as she chose and chose her words. But in this completely unexpected situation, she had no idea what words to say.

While she hesitated, Killian opened his mouth again.

“So let’s…”

“No!”

Veronia said, almost shouting. She couldn’t hear the next words. Because if she heard those words, she felt she wouldn’t be able to push him away anymore. If she heard those words… she felt she would never be able to let go of his hand.

Startled by her shout, Killian looked at her with bewildered eyes, his mouth not fully closed.

“I’m sorry, Prime Minister. But I’m different. I’ve never thought of you romantically. To me, you’re just a high-ranking nobleman and a person of excellent character. Just as everyone in the empire thinks.”

“…”

“And I still love my child’s father. Even though he’s already dead, I miss him so much every night that I’m going crazy, unable to forget him.”

“Ah…”

Killian’s mouth opened weakly. He felt as if all the energy in his body had disappeared at once.

“So… I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

Veronia bowed her head deeply towards him and then left her seat. Click, click – the sound of her hurried footsteps grew fainter and fainter.

Killian couldn’t bring himself to stop her. He had no energy left, and no justification.

“Huu…”

He buried his face in both hands and let out a long sigh that sounded like a groan.

‘She still hasn’t forgotten Jediel’s father. She says she still loves him even though he’s dead. A dead person… I can never win against that, can I? That’s right…’

For a while, Killian sat still, looking up at the sky. He just sat there blankly, forgetting where he was, how long he had been stopped, why he was doing this. With a hole in his chest.

When he came to his senses, much time had already passed. The red sunset had disappeared without a trace, and darkness was filling its place instead.

He rose with his tired body and slowly began to move his legs. The night air brushing against his cheeks was cool.

The one who greeted Killian when he arrived at the mansion was not the lady of the house, but Princess Espin.

“You’re very late, Lord Killian.”

Killian looked with surprised eyes at the pink-haired woman standing before him. Not only had he completely forgotten about his dinner appointment with the princess, but he also failed to recognize the princess in front of him.

‘Who…?’

Only after staring for a long time did he remember that she was Princess Espin and that she was supposed to stay at the mansion starting today. And also the fact that he had failed to keep his dinner appointment today.

Unable to hide his embarrassment, Killian bowed his head politely.

“I greet you, Princess.”

“It’s been a while, Lord Killian. Is it 10 years? You’re still as handsome as ever.”

The violet eyes looking up at Killian sparkled clearly. A bright smile appeared on the face of the princess, who had just turned 20 this year and had not yet lost her girlish look.

“I failed to keep our dinner appointment today. I’m sorry.”

“You’re such a busy person. I understand.”

“…”

“But apart from understanding, I did feel a little disappointed.”

“Ah…”

As Espin pouted her lips and openly expressed her feelings, Killian became flustered.

“…I’m sorry.”

“If your apology is sincere, can you grant me one request, Lord Killian?”

Expectant violet eyes looked up at him. It was a look that was impossible to refuse. Especially in a situation like this where he felt sorry for not keeping his promise.

“Of course. What request can I grant you?”

“Oh, did you just say ‘of course’? Will you really do it?”

“…”

Espin giggled, shrugging her shoulders in delight.

“Please go with me to the coronation eve festival that starts tomorrow.”

“Ah…”

The princess wants to go not to some noble’s party but to the eve festival? Won’t it be difficult for her to adapt to a place crowded with commoners? Killian was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected request.

Espin, unaware of what Killian was thinking, smiled brightly and urged him to answer.

“Well? Lord Killian? It’s the event I’ve been looking forward to the most during this visit. In the Kingdom of Hystrik, I’m in a position where I can’t go out freely, but it’s different here.”

In fact, she wasn’t someone who could go out freely here either. No, she should be even more careful than when in her own country, since this was an unfamiliar foreign land.

But Killian nodded. He had planned to visit the festival site at least once to check the atmosphere anyway.

“Alright. Let’s go to the festival together tomorrow.”

“Wow, great! Thank you, Lord Killian.”

Espin clapped her hands and exclaimed in a sing-song voice. She’s just like a child, Killian thought.

Late at night, Empress Dowager Sandra came to visit her youngest son, Caspian.

“Start wrapping things up with women soon. You should get engaged and married now.”

Caspian frowned at Sandra’s nagging, but whether her son did so or not, Sandra continued with what she had to say.

“I’m looking for the best woman, so be especially careful with your behavior from now on.”

“How long has it been since His Majesty the Emperor passed away, and you’re talking about engagement? Shouldn’t we be exercising restraint now, Mother?”

Caspian tried to counterattack in his own way, but it didn’t work on Sandra at all.

“Is having a different woman on your arm every day exercising restraint?”

“…”

“Now that you’re of age, settling down with one woman is exercising restraint. Listen to me! You’re an adult now. You need to be able to take care of your own bowl.”

Caspian raised his voice, seemingly upset by the ‘bowl’ talk.

“Mother, does this mean I have to leave the palace now? Like brother Tate? Is that what you mean?”

Fear swept over him like a tidal wave.

He knew he would have to leave the palace someday, but he had never thought that time would be now.

“Of course not! The only place you should be is here, in the palace. You’ll always live here from now on, just as you have until now, so don’t worry.”

“But Mother…?”

It was common for princes and princesses who didn’t succeed to the throne to leave the palace when they came of age. But what did she mean by always living here? Caspian couldn’t quite understand what Sandra was saying.

“I told you not to worry. I will never let you leave the palace.”

“Mother…”

Caspian’s expression finally softened at Sandra’s firm voice. It was because he now believed that he wouldn’t have to leave the palace right away, at least.

“I hear that Princess Espin of the Kingdom of Hystrik is such a beauty. Are you interested in meeting her?”

“Princess Espin? You mean the princess staying at the Drea Duke’s residence?”

Instead of answering, Sandra nodded lightly. The corners of her red lips curled up pleasantly.

“You say she’s pretty?”

The corners of Caspian’s mouth also curved up in the same way. It was a lecherous-looking smile.

“But the Drea Duke’s wife must have had a reason for inviting Princess Espin to the duke’s residence, right?”

“There must be a reason. But nothing has been decided for certain yet, has it? It’s not over until it’s over, Caspian. Remember that well.”

“Yes, Mother.”

What kind of country was the Kingdom of Hystrik! Although its territory was only a quarter of the size of the Aesnerdome Empire, its economic power was not inferior at all.

Thanks to its large deposits of high-purity minerals and its strategic location as a transportation hub, trade flourished.

‘We can’t lose the princess of such a lucrative kingdom to that Killian. Especially when I hear that country’s king is very fond of his youngest princess.’

If the pampered princess of a wealthy country became Caspian’s match, it would clearly be an opportunity for Caspian, who had had a minimal presence among his older brothers, to shine.

‘The youngest prince of Aesnerdome and the youngest princess of Hystrik… It seems like it would make a good picture…’

Sandra’s mind was busy with various thoughts.