Chapter 22

A warm touch brushed my cheek.

‘Freyer?’

I saw Freyer, lips pressed tight. I blinked wide, realizing that when you’re shocked enough, you can forget how to even blink.

‘Is this a dream?’

I rubbed my eyes, unable to believe he was really in front of me. The blurry vision cleared from my tears, and his figure sharpened.

‘It really is Freyer.’

Freyer’s expression gradually hardened.

“What did my brother do to you?”

“?”

By “brother,” he meant the crown prince.

‘Why is he suddenly bringing up the crown prince?’

I couldn’t speak out of sheer confusion. Freyer ground his teeth and stood up.

“If it’s hard for you to say, I’ll go ask him myself.”

Freyer was clearly misunderstanding something. I quickly reached out for him as he turned away.

“W-wait.”

I grabbed the hem of his jacket and looked up at him. I had simply been stood up by the crown prince, nothing more.

“Nothing happened…!”

“Then why were you crying?”

‘He’s angry because I was crying?’

Why? I didn’t understand. A deep crease appeared between his brows. I figured I should explain first.

“Dust got in my eye!”

“Dust?”

It was true that hearing the crown prince wouldn’t be returning made me want to cry. But not a single tear had fallen.

“Yes! A leaf blew over…”

While staring up at the sky gloomily in the garden, a leaf roughly the size of my palm had flown over and slapped me in the face. Apparently the leaf had been soaking in a dust bath, because it was completely covered in grit.

“…Ha.”

He didn’t look pleased with my explanation. Freyer lowered his gaze, and my mind went blank.

‘Seeing my bias this close… am I blessed?’

I was drowning in his beauty. My devotion to Freyer ran all the way to my bones.

‘He’s just… too handsome.’

That blurry memory of the night we’d made a mistake was faded by alcohol, so I’d only ever watched him from afar since then. But now, seeing him this close, it was impossible to think straight.

‘Burn this into your eyes! Who knows when you’ll ever get another chance.’

His face alone was grace, a literal blessing. The vow I’d made not to appear before him again evaporated.

‘My bias… still my bias.’

As I admired him, a strange feeling crept in—snapping me back to reality.

‘Wait. How does he know I met the crown prince?’

I shook my head to clear it, then carefully asked him, “But… do you know me?”

“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I didn’t?”

‘Does he remember that night…?’

I never imagined he would. The scent of wine on him when he held me—that was my proof he’d been drunk too.

‘If he were sober, none of that would’ve happened.’

“Lilithia Baimery. I’ve been looking for you.”

I froze at the name that fell from his lips.

‘How does he know my name?’

I had never told him. That night, I didn’t even know who I was.

Haltingly, I asked, “You were looking for me…? Why?”

Freyer frowned.

‘Ah. I shouldn’t have asked.’

My mind raced. There were only two possible reasons he’d look for me.

‘First possibility: he fell for me.’

Ridiculous. A drunk woman with no name had pounced on him. No way he’d fall for that.

‘Besides, I saw his gaze at the ball. He fell for Nazlee at first sight.’

So he should currently be pining over Nazlee. That theory was void.

‘Then the second possibility…’

He wanted to throw the woman who assaulted a prince into prison. I tightly shut my eyes. That was the most plausible.

‘Did he come to drag me away for “assaulting a royal” or something?’

Panic swirled in my head. I looked up at Freyer.

‘Maybe if I apologize properly and say it was a drunken mistake…?’

Freyer opened his mouth, as if he’d made up his mind.

“You…”

Just then—footsteps approached.

“Lady Lilithia.”

I turned my head. The crown prince was walking toward us.

***

“I have a good idea.”

“What kind of idea…?”

Just as Ivailo began speaking, the empress raised her hand, telling him to stop.

“If you have something in mind, let yourself handle it. I’m not in the mood to listen to detailed plans. Bring me results that will satisfy me.”

She rose from her seat and straightened her clothes.

“I’m tired. I’m going to take a bath.”

She left the parlor. Ivailo let out a dry laugh as he watched her go.

“Unchanged, as always.”

He headed straight to his office and pressed his fingers into his forehead.

“Annoying.”

His mother was always emotional. If something didn’t please her, she turned on a dime.

“Everything today has been irritating.”

And that woman, Lilithia, exhausted him to no end. Lilithia Baimery always managed to land herself in precarious situations, and he ended up acting completely out of character because of her.

“She’s such an ignorant woman.”

Bringing an armful of merchant goods to a royal invitation… that expectant look in her eyes… She was utterly clueless.

He pressed his aching temples.

“It’d be easier to just get rid of her.”

Trying to win her over was becoming exhausting. There was a simpler solution.

But he wanted to see Freyer’s face twist in misery—so he’d been going through unnecessary trouble.

“All of this is annoying.”

He wanted to remove every thorn in his side and sit on the throne. Once he wore the crown, he’d take the heads of all who displeased him. And he would elevate those who praised him.

“Yes… thoughts like these feel good. Me ruling the empire.”

Just imagining it brought a smile to his lips. He would administer harsher punishments so the wailing masses would repent their sins.

“I wish that day would come sooner.”

His mood lifted—right when he sensed someone outside his office. He glared toward the door.

“Who dares ignore my order?”

His secretary crept inside, trembling.

“I told you not to disturb me.”

“Y-Your Highness, well…”

The secretary’s voice shook. Ivailo narrowed his eyes. The man shut his eyes tight, terrified.

“P-Prince Freyer came by.”

“That bastard?”

“Yes. He said he had something to tell you, but when he heard you weren’t in the palace, he left, saying he’d return later.”

“What business does he have with me?”

“That, I… don’t know…”

Ivailo raised a brow.

“You really know nothing, do you.”

“M-my apologies.”

At that moment, someone flashed across his mind. Ivailo’s eyes sharpened.

“Where is that woman?”

“W-which woman, Your Highness…?”

“Who else? Lilithia Baimery.”

His secretary’s cluelessness made Ivailo’s temple twitch.

“S-she was at the gazebo for a while, and I heard she returned to her carriage…”

“Are you certain?”

“T-the steward said so, so… probably…”

“Probably? That’s not certain, is it?”

“M-most likely… uncertain…”

The secretary ducked his head, shaking. Ivailo propped his chin in one hand.

‘Freyer came looking for me but left quickly. And Lilithia might still be somewhere in the palace…’

Pieces began falling into place.

‘Did he come to find Lilithia? Is that why he came to my palace?’

There was no other reason Freyer would personally seek him out. They weren’t close.

“Why is he so obsessed with Lilithia?”

He’d interfered with their meeting at the ball. He’d lied that she was in the crown prince’s bedroom. Yet Freyer still didn’t give up.

“This just makes me want to meddle more.”

He wanted to see the expression of someone losing what he desperately wanted. A grin curled on Ivailo’s lips.

He threw on his coat.

“This should be amusing.”

Ignoring his secretary’s confused calls, he headed toward the Celestial Garden.

“As expected.”

He spotted them talking in a corner of the garden. Ivailo grinned and approached slowly.

“Lady Lilithia.”

Her eyes widened. Freyer bit his lip.

‘Perfect timing.’

He nearly laughed. But he held it in and spoke politely,

“You weren’t at your seat, so I had to look for you.”