“Why are you laughing?”
He laughed out loud, bending slightly at the waist.
It was more of a cheerful impression than frivolity.
After catching his breath, the man wiped away a tear and replied,
“I suppose I’m less susceptible to the cold than you, my lady.”
There was no denying it. From any angle, it was the truth.
One thing became clear from their brief conversation.
‘This man doesn’t know who I am.’
Just as Sephia didn’t know him, he also didn’t know her.
That must be why such a conversation could take place.
Sephia fiddled with the necklace around her collarbone.
‘It must be because of this.’
The gemstone hanging from the silver thread was a magic stone, masking her scent.
Therians, with their keen senses, often identified others’ species by scent.
Although expensive, the magic stone was excellent for concealing one’s species, now a symbol of high nobility.
Five years.
It was a short yet long time for someone to change.
Sephia had lived as the Empress of the Therian Empire.
Being treated as a high-ranking individual or a foreigner was more common than being recognized by name.
Even this man in front of her didn’t know Sephia from the Huuron Empire.
The realization that he didn’t know her caused Sephia’s heart to flutter slightly.
She mustered more courage and asked,
“What are you doing here?”
This was a palace without an owner.
Even Sephia couldn’t fathom why she was here.
The man, who had been observing her, smiled silently before finally speaking.
“I was just touring the Imperial Palace and got lost. Could you possibly guide me?”
He could have asked the same of her, but he didn’t.
Instead, he asked for her help more kindly.
A late-night palace tour.
Perhaps due to the upcoming Victory Celebration, there seemed to be many foreigners in the palace today.
Sephia pushed away the thoughts of the afternoon’s events.
“Alright.”
She wanted to move around a bit, even with such a trivial task.
‘And I want to return the favor for lending me the coat.’
Sephia took the lead, and the man followed beside her.
They walked together along the deserted night path.
The unmanaged garden path.
They could only walk slowly, relying on the moonlight.
‘It’s strange.’
Her heart, which had been in turmoil, seemed to calm down.
Sephia glanced up at the man as they slowly walked.
His profile, lit by the moonlight, resembled a finely chiseled sculpture.
His straight posture showed no sign of cold.
Exposed hands, wrists, and nape gleamed in the light, each mark shimmering like a fine line.
All were scars.
With a face far from any blemish, what might the covered parts of his body look like?
‘Maybe he’s a returnee from the recent conquest.’
That seemed most probable.
As she silently observed him,
Unaware he was watching her, their eyes met.
She turned her head too late; the moment had already passed.
“You can keep looking if you’d like.”
His teasing made Sephia blush.
He went a step further and asked her,
“Were you interested in me?”
“How rude.”
Sephia focused straight ahead, trying to recover from the flush.
The gemstone on her necklace indicated marriage, forming a triangle.
Perhaps it wasn’t visible in the dark.
But the man didn’t seem flustered.
Instead,
“…You’re a married woman.”
His golden eyes held a mysterious hue, returning to their usual state.
The conversation ended there.
As the atmosphere became awkward, they reached a lit path.
The central streets of the Imperial Palace; from here, one could find their way anywhere.
‘I ventured farther than I thought. The maids must be worried.’
Guiding the man took longer than expected.
Now, it was time for her to return as the Empress.
They stood under a streetlamp, facing each other.
“Thank you for your help.”
The man expressed his gratitude.
Recalling his earlier playfulness, Sephia avoided his gaze.
“I must excuse myself now.”
She was about to turn away, but his question stopped her.
“You’re not asking who I am?”
His words tied her steps in place.
Truthfully, she wanted to ask.
To uncover the source of the strange familiarity she felt since meeting him.
‘But bringing it up means revealing my identity too.’
Even though she would inevitably be found out later, she didn’t want to reveal her status as the Empress just yet.
As she was about to move, she realized she still had his coat on her shoulders.
“Thank you for the coat.”
“Return it the next time we meet.”
His hand stopped Sephia from removing the coat.
Their hands briefly overlapped. Underneath his straight, neat hand was a layer of calluses.
Such an unfamiliar sensation.
Sephia diverted her thoughts to avoid the strange feeling.
‘He must be one of the guests for the Victory Celebration.’
They would probably meet again then.
She decided to revisit the guest list when suddenly.
“Lord Roxan!”
A red-haired knight hurried toward them from afar.
Stopping before the man, he sighed in relief as if he had finally found him.
“Where have you been?”
The red knight appeared to be the man’s close aide.
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.
_____
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