Touching his arm on my own accord might make him angry…?

While she hesitated, time slipped away in the silence.

Finally, Nelia cautiously touched the tips of Carlos’s fingers.

Seeing that he didn’t withdraw his hand even though he flinched, it seemed like his arm really was unresponsive.

Contemplating whether to call someone, Nelia remembered that Carlos would be extremely embarrassed about this situation.

The prideful Carlos probably wouldn’t want anyone else to see him like this.

Unable to watch Carlos in this state, Nelia decided on a simple course of action.

“Your Highness, if your arm is uncomfortable, allow me to massage it.”

Carlos lifted his head and looked at Nelia. His eyes seemed vacant.

Nelia assumed Carlos’s silence was a form of approval.

She reached out and gently massaged the tips of Carlos’s fingers. When she applied force, his fingers twitched.

Sensing a reaction, Nelia then applied pressure to massage his paralyzed arm in general.

Was it because of her awkward massage? His arm began to move slightly.

Finally, Carlos retracted his stiffly outstretched arm.

Seeing this, Nelia collapsed into her chair.

‘Phew, that was hard.’

What a bother this turned out to be when she only came to have a cup of tea.

Carlos was testing his right arm; his expression remained stern.

“Are you okay now?”

Still, no answer came.

He only flicked his fingers as if testing them.

Did this sort of thing happen often? His reaction suggested he hadn’t anticipated it at all.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

“Your Highness, the Duke has arrived.”

Upon hearing from the guard outside that Duke Hart had come, Nelia abruptly stood up.

Carlos’s gaze slowly followed her.

“Thank you for the tea, Your Highness. I will take my leave now.”

His face remained expressionless, offering no words, only a stare.

‘Is it okay…?’

Nelia nodded to him, not receiving a response, and headed toward the door.

Upon the door opening, an unusually uncomfortablelooking Duke Hart appeared.

“What were you doing inside…”

The Duke stopped speaking. His gaze landed on her chest.

Only then did she notice that her clothes were slightly damp from the spilled tea.

The Duke’s eyes shifted inward.

“What happened?”

He seemed to have noticed the disarranged table and Carlos sitting rigidly.

“… I was having tea with His Highness and accidentally spilled a cup. I was about to call a maid.”

Her alteration of the event was out of consideration for Carlos, who was selfconscious about his right arm.

In a hurry to prevent the Duke from sensing anything, Nelia continued her speech.

“His Highness is busy, so you don’t have to say goodbye.”

Duke Hart continued to gaze at Carlos.

Perhaps he sensed her awkward lie, but given his character, he wouldn’t pry.

“Understood.”

As expected, the Duke soon averted his gaze from the prince.

Nelia returned to the office with the Duke. Silence reigned between them throughout the walk.

The Duke seemed upset; his expression was unusually rigid.

Just when she thought something was off, the Duke spoke.

“Nelia.”

“Yes?”

“When I heard you were in His Highness’s office, I was surprised.”

So it was because of that.

Understanding that the Duke was upset with her sudden disappearance, Nelia felt a need to clarify.

“I apologize for leaving suddenly. But His Highness insisted on serving tea, and I couldn’t refuse… I didn’t have a choice.”

The injustice of the situation filled Nelia’s upward glance at the Duke.

“It’s true…”

As she spoke, her hazel eyes became moist.

Upon seeing this, the Duke blinked and then enveloped Nelia in his arms.
“Understood. Don’t be angry, Nelia.”

As always, Duke Hart’s gentle voice made Nelia feel somewhat drained.

“…I was never angry.”

“You seemed that way to me.”

The Duke lightly kissed the top of Nelia’s head.

Startled, Nelia quickly stepped back.

“What are you doing here…!”

“Why not, when no one is around?”

Nelia realized her question was misguided in light of the Duke’s cheeky demeanor. She should have criticized the act, not the place.

Duke Hart never missed an opening, even in conversation.

“Your Highness, you are too… touchy. Especially in the palace, where there are many eyes, you should be more careful.”

Despite Nelia’s nagging, the Duke seemed unfazed.

It’s as if he doesn’t listen to me at all.

As Nelia muttered to herself, the Duke gently clasped her chin to hold her gaze.

“Nelia.”

“Yes.”

Nelia answered with a dumbfounded expression.

“What did you talk about with the Crown Prince?”

The voice asking was serious.

Given the catanddog relationship between the two, Nelia should have been more cautious about a situation like the one just now. After all, the Duke had an ongoing feud with the Crown Prince, centered around the Emperor.

Nelia decided to be forthright about what had transpired.

“His Highness asked why I was in the palace and I told him I would be commuting with you from now on. And then…”

Before she could finish, Nelia stole a quick glance at the Duke.