Chapter 21

“I didn’t even finish the conversation…”

This wasn’t the time to sit around.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince…! Your Highness!”

I called out to him desperately, but the Crown Prince had already vanished into the distance.

“What do I do…”

I wanted to chase after him and ask him to finish the conversation with me.

But I already knew what kind of answer I’d get if I dared say it out loud.

“Lady Lilithia Baimery. How rude. Let’s cancel what we discussed earlier.”

Stopping him would only make things worse.

“It was the chance I’d been waiting for.”

I lost my composure in the happiness of unexpectedly hitting the jackpot, and now this happened.

“I should’ve just said yes on the spot…”

I collapsed weakly onto the seat.

“Am I really going back like this?”

Was this how an abandoned chick felt? Sitting alone in the gazebo like this, I truly felt pitiful.

Then—my brain kicked into optimistic mode.

“Maybe… maybe the Empress will finish talking early. And he might come back this way?”

A one-in-ten-thousand chance.

“Should I… wait?”

In a company setting, doing something this presumptuous would’ve been unimaginable. But I couldn’t just walk away from an opportunity that could change everything.

“He might understand.”

He was the kind of generous Crown Prince who’d even forgiven me for stepping on his foot.

“If he comes looking for me and I’m gone, he might be confused, right?”

Just in case—yes, just in case—I decided to stay.

A pleasant breeze brushed past me, giving me a bit of comfort.

“Right. I’ll wait. The view is nice, and there’s food. Perfect waiting conditions.”

I clasped my hands tightly and looked toward where he disappeared.

“Please come back… my golden ticket.”

And I began to wait.

Time slipped by without mercy.

“Haaaam…”

I yawned, drowsiness washing over me—when I heard footsteps.

‘Is it the Crown Prince?’

I instantly shot up from my chair.

But instead of him, a middle-aged woman in a chief attendant’s uniform approached. She seemed startled to find me still there.

“You’re still here.”

“Y-yes. I was worried His Highness might look for me, so I stayed.”

I forced an awkward smile and asked: “Do you know when the Empress and His Highness might finish their talk?”

“I cannot tell you that, nor do I know.”

What could they possibly be discussing for hours?

Still, I needed to meet him again, to finish presenting the merchant guild’s business.

‘My house is full of rabbit-like employees who only look to me!’

“If that’s difficult… could you at least let His Highness know that I’m waiting? Or ask when he might be free to—”

“My apologies. That’s not possible for me.”

Her expression was firm—unyielding.

“Lady Lilithia Baimery. It’s late, and we will be cleaning this area soon. You should return home.”

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped me. Her resolve was unbreakable.

Then came the killing blow:

“I’ll summon your carriage.”

And the thing I feared became reality. I would not be able to speak with the Crown Prince tonight.

With my optimism on full blast, I hadn’t prepared for the worst.

“Lady Lilithia Baimery’s carriage—”

She called again. It sounded like: ‘Give up already.’

“No, it’s fine. I’ll go on my own…”

Hope shattered.

I bowed my head and stepped out of the gazebo.

“Right… I just got ahead of myself.”

I headed toward the carriage depot, feeling lifeless.

The scenery was beautiful, completely at odds with my mood.

“Once I return to the guild, Kenny will ask if everything went well…”

I hated the reality that I would have no choice but to give a disappointing answer. And the thought of my guild, with flies buzzing around, made my head spin.

“I didn’t want to let them down.”

A long sigh escaped me, again and again.

I wanted to blame someone.

But—

“I can’t blame the Crown Prince who left… I can’t blame the Empress… The timing was just awful.”

I’d started the day floating on air. Now, everything was a rollercoaster.

“I shouldn’t have mentioned buying cloth. Better if I’m the only one left with regrets.”

The greater the expectation, the deeper the disappointment. And I’d expected too much.

Once you taste the hope of a golden ticket, it’s hard to let go.

“Where even am I…”

Staring at the ground as I walked, I’d wandered into a corner of the garden.

I had no idea how I even got here.

Exhausted, I dropped onto a long white bench.

“Nothing is working out…”

Tears welled up.

If only it were raining—I could blame my tears on the weather.

But of course, it was a perfectly clear day.

Not even a breeze.

“Can’t even blame the weather…”

I pressed my eyes shut, swallowing the urge to cry.

***

Meanwhile—

The moment Freyer heard Lilithia had been invited, he headed straight for the Crown Prince’s palace.

“Brother wouldn’t meet someone in a place that stands out.”

His reasoning came from the lie he’d told her.

This was supposedly a meeting to showcase merchant goods.

“But there’s something impure behind it.”

The Crown Prince only moved when something benefited him.

‘I have to interrupt them.’

Freyer strode toward the entrance.

The maids whispered and stole glances at the sudden appearance of the Second Prince.

Then, the secretary burst outside and blocked his way.

“H-haah… Y-your Highness the Second Prince! What brings you here…?”

“I’m here to see my brother.”

Freyer tried to walk past, but the secretary raised an arm to stop him.

“What do you think you’re doing.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince is not currently in the palace.”

Freyer frowned.

If not here, where was he meeting her?

‘Is the secretary lying?’

The possibility was high. Freyer pressed further, voice firm.

“Then just tell me where he is.”

“Ah— I, I cannot tell you that.”

The secretary’s eyes darted around nervously.

‘A little more pressure.’

Freyer crossed his arms.

“Then I’ll wait here.”

The sheer force of his presence made the secretary flinch. He wasn’t a knight, and couldn’t withstand the pressure.

Finally, squeezing his eyes shut, the secretary confessed:

“His Highness is meeting with the Empress in the Empress’ Palace. He cannot be disturbed, but if you have a message, I will deliver it.”

The moment Freyer withdrew his aura, the secretary exhaled sharply in relief.

‘So he’s not with Lilithia—he’s with the Empress?’

Freyer furrowed his brows.

Then where was Lilithia now?

“A shame. I’ll speak to him myself later.”

Perhaps she had already left for home?

Freyer hurried off.

***

He made straight for the carriage depot. If she came as the Crown Prince’s guest, she must’ve used a royal carriage.

‘The manager will know where she went.’

Then he saw a carriage leaving the palace grounds.

“Is that carriage headed for the Baimery estate?”

“Y-Your Highness the Second Prince?”

The manager looked startled, but quickly shook his head.

“That carriage is bound for the Idarand Ducal House. The Baimery carriage has not departed yet.”

She was still here.

“Where did she go when she arrived?”

“She was guided to the Celestial Garden.”

Freyer immediately pictured the gazebo surrounded by the pond.

He hurried there.

But when he arrived—nothing.

“Again… missed.”

Only attendants cleaning the space.

“Damn it.”

He clenched his fist.

He had to reach the depot before she left.

He turned—but then—

From a corner of the garden, he spotted golden hair.

His heart lurched.

‘Calm down.’

There she was.

The woman he had spent so long searching for.

The woman from that single night.

Lilithia Baimery.

“Thank god…”

He approached—then froze.

Tears were streaming down her face.

‘Something definitely happened with the Crown Prince.’

He ground his teeth.

‘What could’ve hurt you like this…’

She was crying so hard she didn’t even notice someone approaching.

His chest tightened painfully.

‘I’ve been waiting so long to see you again. And you’re crying like this… what do you expect me to do with this ache?’

Freyer knelt on one knee and raised a hand to her cheek.

Lilithia’s tear-filled eyes widened as she looked at him.

“Who made you cry…?”