Kasa’s words, filled with anger as she chewed out Riley, ended with “You must be wary of the man with the handsome face.”

Alicia, nodding unconsciously at those words while recalling Killian’s beautiful face, finished her walk by looking at the strangely proud-looking Kasa and the rest of the garden before returning to her room.

After secretly ordering the chef not to serve alcohol for today’s lunch, she soon began preparing herself in time for the appointed hour.

She took off the clothes she wore in the morning, soaked in the bathtub, massaged her damp body with fragrant oil, then applied a pack to her hair and face, followed by another massage.

Afterwards, she washed off the pack, wiped her body with a soft towel, and applied lotion all over to keep her skin smooth and moisturized.

If only the preparations ended here…

She put on a dress suitable for lunch with outside guests, braided her hair, then undid it, combed it again…

‘I should have eaten a heartier breakfast…’

Enduring hunger, she barely finished all the preparations when she heard that Killian and Riley had arrived.

After instructing to guide the two to the dining room first, Alicia made her final check in front of the full-length mirror before moving to the dining room with Kasa.

“We greet Your Highness.”

“We greet Your Highness.”

As Alicia entered the dining room, the two men who had arrived earlier and were waiting rose and bowed.

Alicia curtsied slightly in greeting, and as she approached the head seat, Kasa, standing behind her, pulled out the chair to make it easier for her to sit.

“Thank you.”

As Alicia sat down and gave a small thanks, Kasa nodded slightly with a smile and bowed to the two men who were still standing, waiting for Alicia’s permission.

“Pardon my late greeting. I am Kasa White.”

“So you’re Her Highness’s guard knight.”

“Pleased to meet you, Duke Diaz.”

Kasa’s attitude towards Killian was visibly very polite and respectful.

Was it because they both wielded swords?

Perhaps he was recalling the numerous achievements Killian had made.

“It’s been a while, Kasa.”

“Please maintain formalities in this official setting, Viscount Anderson.”

“You’re always so stiff and boring.”

Riley grumbled after sitting down with Alicia’s permission.

The attitude was more familiar than expected, but seeing Kasa’s stern face, it seemed to be Riley’s one-sided affection.

“Thank you for accepting the invitation when you must be busy preparing for your departure.”

Alicia, after scanning Killian sitting on her left and Riley and Kasa sitting side by side on her right, opened with a light greeting.

With her words as a signal, the meal began.

The lunch, which started with light appetizers, was excellent with the chef’s sincerity, and the fruit juice that came out instead of an aperitif was refreshing enough to whet the appetite.

The conversation that continued during the meal flowed surprisingly smoothly, belying Alicia’s nervousness.

It was probably thanks to suppressing personal feelings and approaching the conversation thoroughly professionally.

“The departure time is noon on the day of.”

Killian was the overall leader of the party heading to the Tower of Sages.

While listening to his words, which thoroughly prepared the route to the Friska Mountains, the horses and carriages to be used, and the time required, it was mainly Riley who asked questions.

With information he had previously heard from Duke Anderson, who had visited the Tower of Sages in his youth, Riley continued the conversation by opposing or agreeing with Killian’s plans.

Watching the two exchange opinions, she couldn’t help but recall the past.

Although she sat on the emperor’s throne, Alicia, unable to voice her own opinions, could only helplessly watch the nobles sitting on her left and right exchanging sharp words.

Then too, Killian sat on her left and Riley on her right.

And just like now, they led the meeting.

Alicia’s role was just one:

“That’s a good opinion.”

Just like now, nodding at the conclusion reached at the end of the meeting and stamping her seal was all she could do.

“Do you have any other opinions?”

If there was a difference from the past, it would be this.

Killian, who had finished adjusting the schedule after a lengthy discussion with Riley, asked for Alicia’s opinion.

“Considering the visiting date the Tower of Sages wanted, I think moving according to the Duke’s opinion would be best.”

“I’m glad you think so.”

With that, the meal ended.

As Riley praised the taste of the apple pie that came out as dessert at the end of the meal and wiped his mouth, he tilted his head curiously at Alicia, who didn’t touch the dessert plate.

As he remembered, apple pie was a dessert that Princess Alicia liked.

Among them, he had heard that she liked the apple pie made by her head maid the most…

‘Has her taste changed?’

Alicia, who avoided the apple pie and moistened her mouth with water, opened her mouth.

“I hope the meal was enjoyable. I hope we meet in good health on the day of departure.”

It was a signal that today’s gathering was over.

Those seated at the table bowed their heads at her words.

“Your Highness, if you allow, I would like to stay for a moment to talk with Duke Diaz.”

Alicia, who was about to stand up, paused for a moment at Kasa’s words and looked back and forth between Killian and her.

What could the two of them have to discuss separately?

Kasa, who read this question on her face, continued:

“I would like to confirm the escort route for Your Highness once more during the move to the Tower of Sages.”

“Ah, you’ve been exchanging opinions by letter until now, right?”

“Yes, as I don’t think I’ll have time to see Duke Diaz separately in the future, I spoke first without asking for the Duke’s opinion out of haste. I apologize.”

Alicia, who slightly waved her hand towards Kasa, who stood up and bowed her head, looked at Killian.

Although Kasa had opened her mouth looking at her, the one she hoped to get an answer from was Killian.

Killian, who looked back and forth between Alicia and Kasa, chuckled and nodded.

After confirming his answer, Alicia nodded to Kasa as a sign of permission and said as she stood up:

“Sir White, stay and do what you need to do with Duke Diaz.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

The three people who stood up following the owner of this palace saw Alicia off.

Before that, Riley briefly opened his mouth to say that he would escort Alicia to her room, but Kasa showed a terrifying expression and ‘politely’ asked the Viscount to stay for a moment, so Riley also remained in the dining room.

After Alicia left the dining room, Kasa, who had risen from her seat and moved one space to the side, opened her mouth growling towards Riley.

“If you approach Her Highness Alicia, I’ll kill you.”

“…I guess this isn’t an official setting anymore?”

“If you’re planning to seduce Her Highness Alicia with your handsome face, you’d better wake up from that dream. As long as I’m by Her Highness’s side, such a thing will never happen!”

Riley sighed deeply as he watched Kasa warning him while gritting her teeth.

He knew why she was so wary of him.

It must be because of that incident during their academy days.

But Riley was also a terribly wronged victim in that incident.

‘You can’t frown at your group members while doing a group project.’

He was just being a little kind.

He did have a purpose, but it was only to get a good grade on the project, not the impure intentions that Kasa, who was glaring at him now, thought.

Two-timing? Three-timing?

If he did such a thing, he would be beaten to death by his father and stabbed to death by his mother.

Riley, who valued his life enormously, would never commit such a terrifying act.

‘Is it a crime to be kind?’

He just persuaded them well to gather good materials.

He just praised them for gathering good materials.

He just bought them a meal at the student cafeteria because he saw them struggling to compile the materials.

How is that flirting with women?

He treated all group members with the same attitude, not even a speck different from how he treated Kasa, yet he became notorious as the world’s greatest playboy.

The funny thing was that even amidst all this, the women who mistook Riley for their lover didn’t blame him, but targeted the uninvolved Kasa as the object of their resentment.

‘If I say it’s funny, Kasa will kill me.’

That woman had the ability to stab him to death even with the fork in her hand.

“No, really, I’m wronged.”

“More wronged than me?”

“…”

That’s not it.

Although it wasn’t intentional, Riley himself admitted that he had left some room for misunderstanding.

Even he thought the atmosphere was strange, so he had distanced himself from those three women and increased the time he spent with Kasa and other group members.

For that reason, Kasa had incurred the resentment of those three people, so if not to others, at least in front of her, Riley could never claim to be wronged.

“If you disliked me this much, why didn’t you just let me go?”

“You think I’d let you have your way when I see you trying to cling to Her Highness?”

“It’s not like that, really!”

He did want to escort Alicia to her room and have a conversation, but there was no impure intention whatsoever.

Is it wrong to have a conversation?

Riley, who had been beating his chest in frustration, sighed deeply as he looked away from Kasa, who was glaring at him and warning him with a fork in her hand.

“Interesting.”

And Killian, who had been watching their interaction with quite some interest, uttered a word.

At that moment:

“I’m glad you found it interesting, Your Grace.”

Kasa’s attitude, which had been glaring at Riley as if to kill him until just now, changed completely.

It was an incomparably polite and respectful attitude compared to how she treated him.

“Hey, you… don’t tell me you like Duke Diaz?”

Riley, who unconsciously blurted out those words at Kasa’s appearance, was startled by the murderous intent rushing from the front and side, and closed his mouth.