Bellia’s pupils trembled slightly.

This was clearly a statement with some hidden meaning.

“Just now, what did you…”

A strange light flickered in the blue eyes that met hers.

“You did something quite cute. That letter, I mean.”

He had received the letter. Moreover, he had realized that she was the sender.

As soon as she realized this fact, Bellia’s heart began to pound loudly.

It wasn’t a trembling of nervousness or fear.

This was clearly exhilaration.

The elation of finally fastening the first button of revenge gripped Bellia’s heart fiercely.

Unable to hide her flushed cheeks, Bellia moved her lips.

“Prince Callid…”

She must definitely cajole him well and lead him to be on her side.

His abilities were proven by the fact that he had reached this place.

So what was needed now…

Was a place where they could have a frank conversation, just the two of them, after getting rid of that annoying Raul.

“How rude of you, Callid.”

At that moment, Raul, who had been watching Callid whisper something in Bellia’s ear, approached with furrowed brows. Then he removed Callid’s hand that was gripping her with a forceful touch.

“I’ll ask once again. What brings you here?”

Raul blocked Bellia from Callid’s view.

The usually composed man showed a subtly sharp attitude.

‘Ah?’

Capturing that fleeting moment, Bellia became certain that choosing Prince Callid was the right answer. Though she wasn’t sure exactly what, it was clear that he harbored some uncomfortable feelings towards the Second Prince.

Seeing Raul react much more sensitively than usual, Bellia wasn’t the only one who found it strange. Callid also twisted his lips with an expression that seemed thoroughly amused.

Somehow, she had a feeling that it would be quite simple to turn him inside out.

“You, who should be wandering around casinos gambling, coming here without any reason doesn’t make sense.”

“Were you always so interested in what I do?”

“Callid.”

Raul sighed deeply and called his brother’s name lowly in response to his sneering words.

Yes. That voice and that tone.

He was a man who had grown up all his life in a position where it wouldn’t be strange to place everything beneath him.

Therefore, it was not a call of resentment or indignation, but rather a pure one that simply did not understand why something was coming at him.

Bellia realized that while he was wary of the Second Prince, he still did not consider him to be an equal. And because of that, while he was cautious, he inwardly looked down on him.

‘That’s why choosing the Second Prince was the right decision.’

When he’s satisfied with his position and lets his guard down.

That’s when she would bite his neck.

Bellia smiled wickedly as she looked at Raul’s back blocking her view.

“Hmm. Originally, I was just going to look around and go back… but seeing your face, brother, I can’t just leave. Since I’ve come all this way, I should pay a visit to King Ronica at the royal palace and greet him.”

Callid looked around with exaggerated gestures and then spoke.

“Meeting Princess Bellia by pure chance as well. Well, let’s call it fate.”

Bellia’s eyes lit up at Callid’s words, spoken with a deep smile.

His entering the royal palace meant that she could create an opportunity to have a conversation with him alone, away from Raul. After all, Raul couldn’t interfere with the princess’s private meetings in Ronica’s royal palace.

It was quite a good idea.

So Bellia quickly opened her mouth to prevent Raul from opposing his visit to the royal palace.

“I didn’t realize earlier. So you are His Highness Callid, the Second Prince of the Empire. The royal palace of the Kingdom of Ronica is always friendly to the Empire. The same goes for the Second Prince’s visit.”

Bellia permitted his visit, slightly lifting her skirt in an informal manner since they hadn’t officially met at the palace. This was clearly an opportunity.

“The princess and I seem to get along quite well.”

As the saying goes, great minds think alike.

Callid had already thought that the Bellia who sent that letter was no ordinary person.

Even now, didn’t she swiftly turn the conversation in the direction she wanted?

“Callid. If you’re planning to cause trouble, go back quietly. This isn’t the Empire.”

Raul threw out a word, seemingly displeased.

“Come on, brother. How do you know whether I’ll cause trouble or behave quietly? Hm?”

Callid slightly bent his waist to look at Bellia, whom Raul was desperately trying to hide, and said exaggeratedly.

“Besides, such a beautiful princess welcomes my visit, doesn’t she? I can’t refuse that. Right, brother?”

At his words, Raul couldn’t openly object in front of Bellia, so he turned away, gritting his teeth.

* * *

Bellia postponed meeting Derick and returned to the royal palace, accompanied by First Prince Raul and Second Prince Callid.

Although she didn’t achieve her goal in the end, it wasn’t entirely without gain when you think about it.

She could be certain that the place where Derick was located was a tavern, and she also met the Second Prince, whose reactions she had been observing all this time.

It felt like holding a useful card in each hand.

“Ha ha. Welcome to Ronica.”

The King of Ronica was quite flustered when he encountered the Second Prince who had suddenly visited.

The fact that two princes of the Empire visited the kingdom at the same time could have a bigger external impact than expected.

It was even more so because the Crown Prince had not yet been decided, and they were competing for the next imperial throne.

Moreover, as they were currently conducting a joint investigation of the gold mine with the Empire, it might appear as if the Kingdom of Ronica had gotten involved in their power struggle if they weren’t careful.

For this reason, he couldn’t simply welcome the Second Prince’s sudden visit.

“We need some time to prepare, so I would appreciate it if you could give us a little time. What do you think?”

After deep consideration, the King decided to treat today as if Bellia’s acquaintance had visited, not the Second Prince, and set a date for his official visit to the Kingdom of Ronica.

The plan was to hold a grand welcoming ceremony as if today’s meeting had never happened when all of Callid’s knights gathered in the capital.

“That’s fine. Then I’ll make an official visit on the set date.”

Callid also agreed with the King’s decision.

He never intended to enter and stay in the royal palace like this from the beginning.

This was just an act to turn Raul’s insides out.

‘Well. I also had something to discuss with the princess on the side.’

In fact, Callid didn’t truly believe the story written in the letter.

It was interesting that she knew there was no gold mine, but it could have been a coincidence that a casually thrown statement turned out to be true. So at first, he just wanted to find out who it was.

Anyway, if the contents of the letter were true, he could gain tremendous benefits, and even if it was someone’s prank, although it would be annoying, it wasn’t particularly a loss.

But the moment he learned that the sender was Princess Bellia of the Kingdom of Ronica, his mind changed instantly. The weight of the words written in the letter became heavier.

Moreover, the woman Raul was currently desperately chasing after had secretly contacted him.

And with a clear hidden intention to play a trick on Raul.

‘Interesting.’

Callid leaned against the window, crossed his arms, and let out a chuckle.

He was curious about her true intentions.

“Nice to meet you. Let me greet you formally again. I’m Bellia Ronica.”

At that moment, Bellia, who had entered the reception room, greeted him with a bright smile.

“You’re here.”

Callid’s expression, as he slightly raised his head to look at her, was as cold as the rumors spreading among the public. Plus, there was the arrogant atmosphere unique to the royal family.

The gaze that was briefly visible between his face, tinged with the red shadows of the sunset, was sharp as if it could cut. The only resemblance he had to the First Prince Raul was his piercingly transparent blue eyes.

“I’m Callid Ingot.”

As he said his name and slowly walked away from the window, Bellia captured his image in her eyes and smiled brightly once again.

“Time is precious, so let’s just get to the point.”

Callid took a letter out of his chest and tossed it onto the table in front of him.

Since they had just met today and weren’t close enough to exchange unnecessary greetings, it was better to get straight to the point. There was no need to waste time.

“This. You sent it, didn’t you, Princess?”

Bellia, who had checked the letter by just moving her eyes slightly, widened her eyes and tilted her head as if she knew nothing.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t think about backing out.”

Her expression of pretending not to know despite leaving such obvious traces was detestable.

Callid crossed his arms again and opened his mouth.

“Why did you send this letter to me?”

At his question, Bellia pulled up the corners of her mouth into a smile and approached him.

One step. Another step.

Despite being so white and small that she looked frail.

As Callid was thinking how quite interesting it was to see her fearlessly getting closer to him little by little.

Bellia, who had arrived within arm’s reach, raised her head and met his gaze.

“That’s right. I sent it.”

Bellia admitted brightly.

“But before asking for the reason, you should first give an answer to the letter I sent.”

An answer to her request for help in exchange for revealing the location of the gold mine.

“Princess. Isn’t it enough that I came all the way here? So stop testing me and tell me your true intentions.”

Callid shrugged his shoulders lightly.

It might be enough to acknowledge her for making an imperial prince come all the way here.

But that’s as far as the consideration goes.

He needed to confirm how she came to know the content that was written in the letter.

‘Of all people…’

It was certainly not a matter that she, the princess of Ronica, could joke about.

Then how did a woman who had supposedly only been in the royal palace know that there was no gold mine?

Callid let out a deflated sound and opened his mouth.

“Where did you get the information?”

Judging by her attitude, she clearly knew something.

But Bellia wasn’t easy to deal with.

Rather, she pretended to be even more relaxed, as if she had an incredible helper.

“I can’t tell you that easily.”

He fell silent, seemingly lost in thought as he stroked his chin.

Although no answer came, Bellia spoke in a tone full of confidence as if it didn’t matter.

“I really know the location of the real gold mine. The reason Your Highness came all the way here, despite the trouble, is because you thought this information might be somewhat true, right?”

He will take her hand.

Because…

“Don’t you want to give the First Prince a taste of his own medicine, Your Highness?”

“What? Hahaha!”

Callid burst into laughter at Bellia’s words, delivered with a wicked smile.

And as that laughter gradually faded…

Callid asked, genuinely amused:

“What do you want from me?”

As expected.

Bellia’s prediction was not wrong.

“What I want is…”

The corners of her mouth turned up in a very sinister way.