Chapter 26

Her cold tone froze the air.

 

Nazlee’s expression stiffened.

 

“You seem surprised.”

 

Diara set down her teacup with a face as unreadable as glass.

 

“It’s only natural you wouldn’t know. You only returned to the duchy recently. These nicknames circulate among the nobility.”

 

“I had no idea,” Nazlee murmured, giving a small nod. Then she asked, “But… you’re Lady Diara, correct?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Diara’s lips curled upward, a smile that didn’t touch her eyes.

 

‘As expected — Diara Alstein.’

 

I’d recognized her instantly from her signature icy atmosphere.

 

She was the sole heir of Berardo Alstein, the current empress’s elder brother.

 

‘And a complete mystery.’

 

Every time she appeared in the original novel, she said something strange. Whenever she showed up, readers left comments complaining about her. A few insisted the author must be planting foreshadowing.

 

‘Even when the story reached its finale, none of Diara’s lines were ever explained.’

 

Readers were furious.

 

[Please remove Diara when the print edition comes out, author!]

 

‘She was so cryptic I eventually started skipping her scenes.’

 

When her cousin Ivailo finally took the throne, Diara said: [When the black sun sits on the throne, the blue flame shall rise… It seems the day is near.]

 

‘I still don’t know what that meant.’

 

While I was lost in thought, Nazlee tilted her head and asked Diara:

 

“Why does His Highness the Second Prince have such a nickname?”

 

“Because… they say Lady Felicia, his mother, died because of him.”

 

“That happened…?

 

“No one knows if the rumor is true.”

 

Nazlee turned pale.

 

I was also taken aback.

 

‘But Prince Freyer’s mother passed away from a long-term illness. Where did such an absurd rumor come from?’

 

“Cursed Prince” was never mentioned in the original novel.

 

Claire muttered, face pale.

 

“If that’s true, shouldn’t Lady Nazlee not have feelings for him? Something terrible could happen…”

 

The young ladies began to panic.

 

“I heard he has a terrible scar on his face from a curse.”

 

“I heard that too! I thought that’s why he never appears at imperial events, but at the return ceremony he had no scars!”

 

“They said he was gloomy… but when I saw him, he was terrifyingly intense…”

 

“There’s even a rumor that meeting his gaze curses you…”

 

The nonsense piled up in their mouths.

 

‘How— HOW could my Freyer become the center of such garbage rumors!?’

 

The more they spoke, the more my anger boiled.

 

At the return celebration, Prince Freyer had been the complete opposite of gloomy or ominous.

 

‘Elegant. Stunning. Impeccable. Gorgeous.’

 

Even those words weren’t enough for him—my favorite character of all time!

 

I was moments from raising my voice when Nazlee shot to her feet.

 

“The Second Prince I met was nothing like those rumors.”

 

“You seem to know His Highness well,” Diara said.

 

“Yes. Only briefly, but we did speak. His Highness saved me once.”

 

“What? He did?”

 

I nearly dropped my spoon—

 

No, I did.

 

“When Lady Lilithia and I ran into each other in the capital that day,” Nazlee continued, cheeks turning rosy. “I tripped on a stone and fell. A gentleman helped me up… and he even shielded me so others wouldn’t see me sprawled on the street. I’ve dreamed of meeting him again ever since.”

 

She giggled shyly.

 

“And then at the banquet I found out he was the Second Prince! I was so shocked. He was so kind… I believe all the rumors are false.”

 

She fiddled with her fingers, blushing even more.

 

“I even tried to find him again at the celebration, but couldn’t…”

 

‘Freyer and Nazlee met before the original story even began? That never happened in the novel.’

 

Everything was twisting further off the original plot.

 

My plan to keep Nazlee away from the Crown Prince had been pointless.

 

‘That’s why Freyer didn’t appear when the assailant attacked. The timeline was already altered…’

 

But the assailant did appear.

 

Which meant… the novel’s major plot points were still in motion.

 

One of the girls gasped.

 

“An… assailant?”

 

Oh no.

 

‘I must have muttered that out loud.’

 

“Ah. That is…”

 

Nazlee suddenly brightened.

 

“Right! I’ve been wanting to thank Lady Lilithia for that day!”

 

The young ladies blinked in confusion.

 

“That night I couldn’t find His Highness and wandered into the garden. A criminal threatened me.”

 

“Oh my goodness!”

 

“Were you hurt?”

 

Nazlee shook her head cheerfully.

 

“No, no! Lady Lilithia happened to find me and helped me get home safely. I wasn’t hurt at all thanks to her.”

 

“So brave…”

 

“You were lucky…”

 

“All thanks to Lady Lilithia!”

 

The girls clapped for me.

 

Diara watched me with that strange smile.

 

“Lady Lilithia, your expression doesn’t look too happy.”

 

Of course not.

 

‘If I hadn’t kept the Crown Prince tied up, Nazlee might have never been attacked at all.’

 

I forced an awkward smile.

 

Diara glanced at her pocket watch.

 

“My, it’s already time. I must be going.”

 

“So early? The sun hasn’t even set!”

 

“I have an engagement. Today’s tea party was delightful. I learned Lady Nazlee is quite the pure soul.”

 

She turned to me with a slight smile.

 

“And I’m pleased to have met you as well, Lady Lilithia Baimery. Goodbye.”

 

After Diara left, the atmosphere quickly returned to cheerful chatter, and the tea party ended without further trouble.

 

 

***

 

 

“Nazlee likes Freyer…?”

 

Back at the trading company, I recalled the tea party.

 

Unlike the original, Nazlee and Freyer had already met before.

 

“Meaning… Freyer already fell for her at first sight.”

 

In the novel, Freyer had adored Nazlee because she resembled his mother.

 

That must’ve happened here too.

 

It wasn’t my plan—but the green light between them was fully on.

 

“Good. Really good.”

 

All I needed now was to make sure Freyer stayed happy with Nazlee.

 

His happy ending was finally within reach.

 

‘The big incident later… well…’

 

I shook my head.

 

The story was already deviating. Maybe that incident would never occur.

 

“And if it does, I’ll stop it.”

 

Feeling satisfied, I looked out the window.

 

A long line of customers stretched outside the store.

 

“I did it. Both goals.”

 

Freyer’s happy ending was becoming possible.

 

And the trading company I revived was thriving beyond expectations.

 

“The Crown Prince really has insane influence.”

 

Once rumors spread that the Crown Prince had purchased our goods, noble houses rushed to buy.

 

Baimery’s name was everywhere.

 

“With this momentum, I’ll be rolling in money soon.”

 

And then I could step back from the business—

 

“Young Lady.”

 

I turned. Kenny stood at my desk.

 

“Kenny? When did you come in?”

 

“I knocked several times… You didn’t answer.”

 

“Must’ve been thinking too hard.”

 

Her unexpected visit this early was odd.

 

“It’s not time for your report. What’s wrong?”

 

Kenny hesitated.

 

“Well… a customer is asking for you, Young Lady.”

 

‘Another spoiled noble?’

 

At first, only attendants came. Then, as the shop grew famous, nobles began visiting personally—and some behaved atrociously.

 

‘Bring me the merchant master immediately! How dare you keep me waiting!’

 

“I’m not available. Tell them to make an appointment.”

 

“I did. But they said the matter isn’t with the merchant master, but specifically with you, Young Lady. They refuse to leave.”

 

“With me? What for?”

 

“I’m not sure. But I think they’ve been here once before… though I can’t recall when.”

 

“…They’ve come before?”

 

Kenny bit her lip.

 

“And strangely… after that person arrived, the other customers stopped entering the shop.”

 

Meaning someone of very high status.

 

‘How dare they disrupt business at a time like this?’

 

I slammed down the documents and stood.

 

“Whoever it is—I’m going to see their face myself.”

 

I marched downstairs—and froze, eyes widening.

 

A pair of emerald-green eyes met mine.

 

“I’ve been waiting.”