《Dear, Come With Me》 Chapter 1 The metallic clang and screech of blades colliding burst through the air. The pounding thumps in the chest and palms drowned out the surrounding noise. The impact was so strong that the body felt like it was violently torn apart. The breath of air lodged at the back of the throat burst through the lips, and a pair of green eyes flashed dangerously from within the helmet. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t been riding my horse, I would¡¯ve been knocked down by now,¡¯ he thought. The instant their blades had connected, a dull pain shot through his body and it felt as if he¡¯d been thrown to the ground. ¡®A woman?¡¯ A strong sense of suspicion led him to closely observe his opponent. At first, he had assumed he was facing off against an average knight of a slimmer build, but now he could clearly see that it was a woman. As realization dawned on him, his thoughts immediately zeroed in on one person¡ªthe woman heralded as the goddess of war. ¡°I thought it was merely a rumor¡­¡± For Kael, crown prince of the Perkan Empire, this was the first in a long time since he¡¯d entered the battlefield that the corners of his mouth lifted upwards into a grin. ¡®She still has the energy to speak too¡­ She must be pretty skilled. Truly, a worthy opponent to face!¡¯ The purple eyes that stared back at his green eyes burned with fiery competitiveness. As the hand that gripped her sword was raised, the arc of her mouth also lifted upwards to match his. The eyes of Irene¡ªcommander of the 2nd division of the Knights of Ventus and the greatest knight of the Theorin Kingdom¡ªwas brimming with life. There was nothing to hinder her momentum, and her high spirits were reflected in the reddish gleam in her eyes that shone like amethyst jewels. As the blades that had fallen away from each other struck once more, a sharp twang sounded through the air. Both trembled as they felt the heavy pressure of the impact pulse through them, just as it had done before. Though it was obscured by his helmet, Kael¡¯s jaw muscles trembled with excitement. Similarly, joy flashed in Irene¡¯s eyes, as she incomprehensibly seemed to revel in the pain, though it lasted but for a mere moment. The gaze that had been locked on Kael¡¯s green eyes almost instantly shifted away. ¡°Am I not worthy enough of a challenger? You¡¯ll be injured if you callously look away like that.¡± As Kael chided her decisions as unwise, he swung his sword down on her without hesitation. With a smirk, Irene skillfully dodged the arc of his sword. Then, she grabbed the short dagger that hung at her waist and threw it out. The flying dagger immediately pierced the head of an imperial knight that was taking aim at a knight of the kingdom. ¡°Since I saved my knight, it was worth it to look away,¡± Irene retorted. Normally, she didn¡¯t bother to engage in unnecessary conversation other than to issue orders, but strangely enough, she felt compelled to respond at this moment. ¡°A pleasant voi¡ª Vigorous, aren¡¯t you? Shall we see how good you really are then?¡± Kael quickly stumbled to cover the words that had unwittingly slipped from his mouth. Her voice sounded much purer than what he¡¯d imagined based on the rumors, and it had made his fingertips tremble. Struck by this unfamiliar feeling, he briefly wondered if he¡¯d somehow mishandled his sword. ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll gladly¡­¡± Irene had acted as if she was preparing to properly engage Kael, but instead she skillfully dodged Kael¡¯s next swing. With a swift, powerful kick to her steed, her horse immediately launched into a gallop towards its intended direction without a single command. In the blink of an eye, Irene had escaped far into the distance. ¡°What just happened?¡± Dumfounded, Kael could only stare blankly at the spot from which Irene had disappeared. He was certain she would counter his attack. Surely, this was an insult! He glanced down at his palm, which still stung from the impact of the previous swing of her sword. This was absurd. When he raised his head and turned to look in the direction that she¡¯d escaped, he let out an absurd laugh upon realizing her intentions. He couldn¡¯t believe that as the leader of her knights, she¡¯d chosen to undertake such a course of action on the battlefield. She was just as others had described her, yet totally different. ¡°She¡¯s really determined to take care of her own people, huh?¡± he chuckled to himself. Chapter 2 ¡°Retreat!¡± Irene shouted her orders as she snatched a wounded kingdom knight and hoisted him onto her horse. Irene made use of the imperial army¡¯s inexperience with the harsh Theorin winter and aimed to hasten the exhaustion of the army¡¯s stamina through frequent and vigorous assaults. Since her intent had been moderately achieved, there was no reason to continue engaging the imperial army in battle. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°Retreat!¡± Soon, shouts following Irene¡¯s orders spread all over the field. While the imperial army scrambled to chase after the fast retreating Theorin forces, Kael merely stood and stared blankly at one spot. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The squeaks and shouts of the imperial army¡¯s chief of staff buzzed in the crown prince¡¯s ears, but his mind was elsewhere. Suddenly, the dagger that had been attached to Irene¡¯s ankle whooshed in front of Kael¡¯s eyes. Even though he easily dodged the attack, a chill crept up his spine. ¡°To continue pointlessly struggling even now,¡± Kael muttered with bemusement. ¡°Your Majesty! Are you alright?¡± ¡°Why would you think I¡¯m not?¡± Kael responded harshly. While Kael¡¯s tone caused the chief of staff to cower, if the listener had been Wellen, Kael¡¯s aide, he would¡¯ve recognized that the crown prince was actually in a good mood. In reality, Kael felt strangely uplifted even as his heart sank when he thought of the sharp dagger that had aimed for his eyes. The tumult of emotions he experienced wasn¡¯t just because of the fierce spirit directed towards him. ¡°Should we keep chasing them?¡± the chief of staff inquired. When Kael directed a pitiful gaze at him, the chief felt his mouth run dry. After some hesitation, the chief asked, ¡°Then, should I order them to cease pursuit?¡± ¡°Are we that capable? How would you suggest we go chase them down? For every step we take, they put five steps between us,¡± Kael remarked dryly. Among the Theorin knights, the Ventus Knights of Voltern were renowned for their speed and agility. Capable of moving at incredible speeds, the Ventus knights could cover a distance in one week that would take others at least half a month. And it was none other than Irene who was at the forefront and leading these knights. During this brief exchange between Kael and the chief of staff, the Voltern knights had already managed to escape off into the far distance. ¡°Still, shouldn¡¯t we at least keep up the pretense of a chase¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to mislead them into thinking our army is too exhausted to keep up, even if such a chase has no impact on our stamina. Instead, focus on fixing up the camp.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Even after the chief of staff departed, Kael didn¡¯t move from where he stood. His thoughts were centered on Irene, who¡¯d disappeared after throwing out that dreadful dragger as if it were nothing. ¡®She acted as if she didn¡¯t have a care for her life.¡¯ At that moment, the only thing that had been reflected in her eyes was a determined will to defeat her opponent. Irene was not one who wielded her sword or threw her dagger recklessly. Yet, she showed no hesitation when dashing out to rescue her wounded comrades, even if it knowingly placed her in the line of fire and required her to leave her back unguarded and open to attack. She was human, yet unlike any that he¡¯d ever met before. ¡°I want to see her¡­ again.¡± Kael touched his fingertips, which still tingled with the exhilarating energy that he¡¯d felt when they¡¯d exchanged blows. Even as time passed, the sensation remained. * * * ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A languid man atop the castle¡¯s wall yawned and rubbed his eyes. ¡°T-that is¡­ Could it be that Voltern has been breached?¡± While fierce battles were waged against the empire day after day along the kingdom¡¯s border with the empire, it was but an afterthought for most of the kingdom¡¯s populace. The capital nobles who envied Irene and her father, Count Voltern, begrudgingly understood that the peace they enjoyed was by virtue of the Voltern family firmly standing guard at the border. As a result, the Voltern family was regarded fondly for sheltering the rest of them from having to stain their hands with blood or suffer losses of property. Still, such good times couldn¡¯t last. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy! The Imperial Army! the Imperial Army!¡± Having never needed to run before, the knight¡¯s armor creaked loudly as he hastened to ring the rusty bell that had remained untouched for many years. Chapter 3 Misfortune would soon befall the kingdom in the form of an unexpected arrival of the imperial army. As if they¡¯d sailed in along with the northern wind, the imperial army¡¯s descent upon the capital continued at an alarming pace from that day forward. Lulled by a false sense of security offered by Voltern¡¯s protection, the kingdom¡¯s mainland forces had grown lax and unorganized, and they helplessly crumbled in the face of the imperial army¡¯s swift approach. Furthermore, unlike the heavy snowfall that blanketed the Voltern region where Irene protected the borders, there wasn¡¯t even a light dusting that could so much as impede the imperial army¡¯s march. There was nothing capable of standing in the imperial army¡¯s way, and the enemy forces reached the kingdom¡¯s capital in an instant. ¡°Prince Hayden!¡± From where he stood surrounded by a small crowd, Theorin¡¯s third prince, Hayden, quickly raised his head upon hearing a familiar voice. ¡°What of His Majesty? Have you located him?¡± he hurriedly asked. ¡°N-not yet¡­¡± Helink, Hayden¡¯s aide apologetically stuttered. Hayden had returned to the capital after the Knights of Ventus that Irene sent rescued him from the pylon that he¡¯d been imprisoned in at the imperial academy. After being rescued from his imprisonment in a pylon at the imperial academy by the Knights of Ventus sent by Irene, Hayden had returned to the capital only to learn of disastrous news. Not only was the royal capital on the verge of falling to the imperial army, his father, the King of Theorin, had disappeared after leaving behind a letter. ¡°Blast it!¡± Hayden shouted, as he agitatedly stomped his foot on the floor. ¡°The whereabouts of His Majesty is critical too, but more importantly, it seems that the imperial army will succeed in breaching the outer fortress soon.¡± ¡°What in tarnation! How can our defense be this poor?¡± ¡°What shall we do? Should the outer fortress be breached, it¡¯ll be a simple matter to capture the royal castle. If things continue like this¡­¡± ¡°We can¡¯t allow them to seize Theorin like this. We can¡¯t,¡± Hayden muttered repeatedly, as he chewed on his lip. As fear of the country being overtaken by the empire clouded his thoughts, one person came to mind. ¡®Irene M. Voltern¡­¡¯ Hayden gritted his teeth when he realized that the goal he¡¯d almost achieved was yet again hindered by unanticipated circumstances. With a heavy sigh, he said, ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Hang up the white flag. Our priority is to protect the country first.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± The expression on Helink¡¯s face was somber, as he bowed and set off to carry out the orders he¡¯d received. In the king¡¯s absence, the orders of the only legitimate successor, Hayden, were absolute and must be obeyed. A white flag was soon hung atop the royal castle to signal the kingdom¡¯s swift surrender. As a consequence of admitting defeat, Theorin was granted the opportunity to negotiate the terms of their surrender to the Empire. A chaotic round of negotiations soon commenced, until eventually a short recess was called. Eyeing this opportunity, many of the Theorin upper nobility clamored to beseech and sway Hayden in favor of their agendas. ¡°Prince¡­ No, Your Majesty, we simply cannot afford to meet their demands as is.¡± ¡°In this tundra-like land, how much would we really be able to offer to the Empire, Your Majesty?¡± an old nobleman of portly stature entreated, as he scratched at his cheek. ¡°We also have to worry about the princess too,¡± another stout-looking noble added, as he glanced around at the others that had gathered. As if it was all premeditated, nods and murmurs of agreement broke out amongst the crowd. Their eyes glinted and gleamed with their sly intentions. ¡°Then, what do you suggest?¡± Hayden asked wearily. ¡°How about we send her?¡± a voice piped up from among the crowd. ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯re suggesting?¡± Hayden snarled, as he slammed his fist against the table in anger. The subject in question hadn¡¯t been named, but the prince easily recognized whom the nobles referred to. Still, despite his adverse reaction to the suggestion, ultimately the prince had no other alternatives to offer. In a weary voice, Hayden declared, ¡°I agree to hand over Irene M. Voltern.¡± And thus, a name that should¡¯ve never appeared on the negotiating table was offered up due to the feeble condition of the kingdom. Meanwhile, ignorant of this turn of events, Irene continued to fight fiercely on the borders to faithfully protect her kingdom. Chapter 4 Unaware of the unpleasant shift occurring in the royal capital, a triumphant cry broke out over the ice-covered barren land of Voltern. The tips of swords were raised high in the sky, while military boots stomped enthusiastically on the blood-stained ground. After two and half months of grueling battle, the enemy was finally retreating¡ªvictory was finally at hand. The blue flag of the Knights of Ventus that matched the color of the sky¡ªTheorin Kingdom¡¯s Southern Voltern¡ªfluttered proudly in the wind, and was exquisitely accompanied by raucous roars of joy. However, the faint smile on Irene¡¯s face as she watched the joy of her subordinates suddenly vanished and she felt her body stiffen. ¡°Something is¡­¡± The retreating enemy commander had halted his steed to turn and look back at them. Removing his helmet, his golden hair glinted brightly as it reflected the sun¡¯s rays. When he moved to brush away his tangled hair, the golden strands seemed to shimmer as they caught the brilliant sunlight. Even with some distance between them, Irene could tell that the man¡¯s gaze was fixed on her. His clear green eyes twinkled brightly and curved upwards, while the corners of his lips drew up into smooth arcs. ¡°Did he just¡­ smile?¡± As if recognizing something in his gaze, Irene was struck with a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Overcome with a sense of urgency, she shouted, ¡°Something is wrong. Gerrard!¡± ¡°Yes, Commander!¡± ¡°I have to go see my fath¡ª Go see the Commander.¡± ¡°Why all of sudden¡­?¡± ¡°Lady Irene.¡± Like the blue flag that flapped in the wind, Irene¡¯s urgent gaze darted around until it landed on the man approaching her. ¡°Clad?¡± The unexpected appearance of her subordinate, who¡¯d been serving far from the frontlines, caught her by surprise. However, her gaze instantly sharpened when she noticed that he was accompanied by a group dressed in clothes ill-suited to their surroundings. ¡°News has arrived from the royal capital,¡± Clad reported. ¡°Something must have happened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a topic better suited for discussion elsewhere.¡± Clad cast a meaningful glance towards the men¡ªcapital officials bearing the kingdom¡¯s crest on their tunics¡ªstanding a few feet behind him. ¡°Understood. Gerrard, wait here.¡± ¡°As you command,¡± Gerrard replied with a slight bow. Irene led the group to an area with more privacy. She roughly tore off her gloves that were caked in blood and tossed them aside, before turning her eyes back to the men. ¡°Please read this first,¡± Clad said. As he watched Irene carelessly unfold the parchment and begin to scan its contents, he continued, ¡°Lady Irene, your suspicions proved correct.¡± ¡°Those in the capital should¡¯ve known about this.¡± ¡°Regardless, Duke Groin¡¯s plan to force the country into chaos by instigating war with the Empire and leverage the opportunity to usurp the throne has failed. ¡°It¡¯s good that the 3rd prince was successfully rescued.¡± ¡°It was only possible due to your swift judgment.¡± However, after praising Irene¡¯s achievements, Clad¡¯s face turned grave. ¡°Judging from your expression, it seems that not everything has been resolved.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, we failed to apprehend the duke.¡± Irene lightly let out an irritable sigh and her face distorted into an expression of disgust. Putting aside the fact that the Duke of Groin was her eldest maternal uncle, his evading capture could only spell trouble in the future. ¡°All in all, the matter of rescuing the prince has been resolved for now, but¡­¡± Clad trailed off and muffled his words. He was acting out of character, and when Irene scrutinized him closely, he turned to look at the group behind him and said, ¡°It¡¯s best that you lot be the ones to inform her.¡± As soon as Clad stepped aside, the group approached Irene and one man stepped forward. He struck her as familiar, and on second glance, she realized without much surprise that she¡¯d encountered him a few times before. In fact, there were a few other recognizable faces mixed in the crowd. ¡°My name is Helink F. Burgun. I serve as aide to the 3rd prince,¡± Helink said politely, before offering up a letter with both hands. Chapter 5 Irene¡¯s eyes scanned over the group standing behind Helink as she received the letter, before she glanced down and began to unfold the parchment. Her grip tightened and scrunched up the parchment, as she shouted, ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?!¡± What was written on the parchment made Irene¡¯s amethyst-like eyes glisten and tremble. She was a disciplined person who¡¯d locked away her emotions as she walked on the path of knighthood. Her composure had never faltered, that is, until today. ¡°The Empire must¡¯ve realized that Voltern couldn¡¯t be easily penetrated,¡± Helink began. ¡°If so, then¡­ What were the people in the royal capital doing?¡± ¡°The imperial army launched an assault by sea, penetrating the northeastern region where the defenses were weakest. The advance on the royal capital happened almost instantaneously¡­¡± ¡°Excuses! The mainland¡¯s armed forces are several times that of Voltern¡¯s!¡± Irene repeatedly read the short sentence that announced the end of the war¡ªor to be specific, the kingdom¡¯s surrender. No matter how much she willed it, the words remained unchanged. ¡°We tried to resist, but¡­ His Majesty r-r¡­.¡± Helink struggled to finish his sentence. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to reveal that His Majesty had abandoned his position and ran away. Averting her gaze from Helink, Irene glared at the mark printed on the now crumpled parchment¡ªthe imperial emblem printed as golden embroidery on a red flag. An overwhelming sense of defeat that she¡¯d never felt before enveloped her. ¡°Darn it. Are you telling me to accept this? It wasn¡¯t even three months! And even the negotiations are complete?¡± ¡°I am truly sorry.¡± ¡°With the north wind blowing, how was it that the Empire was able to hit the center of our kingdom in just two and a half months?¡± The men who stood before Irene were unable to give her any answers. They waited in muted silence as Irene struggled to quash the resurgence of remnant emotions that she thought she¡¯d discarded long ago. ¡°We lost. An utter defeat.¡± Her voice was barely a whisper, though only Clad seemed to catch the words that she¡¯d spat out. While Irene sounded calm, the heavy sigh at the end of her words belied her misery. ¡°And now, the third prince has¡ª No, pardon me. This is the order of our new King, His Majesty.¡± Irene caught the intense gazes of her subordinates, who were waiting for her order. It felt suffocating. Lowering herself to take a knee, Irene observed chivalric etiquette and replied, ¡°I, Irene M. Voltern, follow the orders of His Majesty, the king.¡± ¡°By declaration of His Majesty, Irene M. Voltern is hereby ordered to renounce her title and depart for Perkan¡­¡± ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± Clad fiercely interjected. It was apparent that this was news to him. ¡°Clad!¡± Irene warned. ¡°It may not be in so many words, but isn¡¯t His Majesty essentially sending her as a hostage!¡± ¡°Enough! I haven¡¯t said anything,¡± Irene scolded. ¡°But you¡¯ve dedicated so much! If this isn¡¯t abandonment by the kingdom, then what is it?¡± Clad spoke the truth. Irene had to admit it¡ªall this time, she¡¯d obeyed the ridiculous command to defend her country. She¡¯d given her best and risked her life to fulfill her duty as a knight and complete her mission, only to receive an absurd decree at the end of it all. ¡®But when have I ever had the time to be emotional?¡¯ All Irene had ever focused on was following orders and living up to them. Amid the swamp of vanity and vapidness that aimed to entrap her, Irene lived in a manner befitting of a knight, and would continue to do so until her final moments as a knight. When she opened her eyes after squeezing them shut tightly, her gaze was steady. ¡°Complete your duty as a knight. Now, shut up and kneel,¡± she ordered. Clad silently seethed as he closed his eyes, which burned with rage, and clenched his jaw. ¡°I hereby order Irene M. Voltern to renounce her title and depart for Perkan. Your actions henceforth will represent the kingdom. Consider the commands of the empire as my own and honor it.¡± ¡°I will obey the king¡¯s will.¡± Chapter 6 Chapter 6 ¨C The Order Obeying orders came almost reflexively to Irene, who¡¯d learned to suppress her emotions out of habit, but this time there was a swirl of emotion in her eyes. Seeing this, Clad could only swallow bitter tears. He couldn¡¯t help but worry that one day all Irene¡¯s suppressed emotions would eventually result in her falling apart faster than others. As Irene slowly raised herself up, she let out a lengthy sigh. Glancing back at her knights, she muttered, ¡°What about them¡­?¡± Breaking her gaze away from them, she turned back to stare intently at Helink. Stripped of her knighthood, Irene no longer had a need for her armor. She removed her helmet and the waist-length hair hidden beneath it¡ªsilver, but tinged with the faintest hint of purple¡ªcame tumbling down. It swayed like moonlight, and along with her amethyst-like eyes, cast a unique and mysterious impression. ¡°Wow,¡± one of the knights exclaimed. Irene sneered and let her helmet drop to the floor. Next, her blood and soil-caked gloves were tossed onto the ground. Then, the armor encasing her body followed next. ¡°Lady Irene!¡± Irene had torn the armor encasing her body with brute strength. Her palms were quickly stained with blood as she forcefully ripped the armor plates off, but she didn¡¯t seem to react to the pain. There were times when anger overpowered rationality¡ªthis was such a moment for Irene. Under normal circumstances, it would¡¯ve been impossible to tear the seam connecting the front and back breastplate so easily, but this wasn¡¯t a normal circumstance. ¡°Lady Irene, please¡­¡±Clad pleaded and stretched out a hand to stop Irene. Refusing his hand, Irene adamantly said, ¡°This is the reality.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­ Not like this.¡± The sound of each piece of armor falling into a messy pile on the ground was heartbreaking. Like her armor, Irene felt like her heart was breaking apart too. All the emotions she¡¯d buried and carried throughout her life were also rushing forth. ¡°Commander, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who allowed you to move?¡± Having noticed the abnormal atmosphere, the Voltern knights had begun to flock to Irene, but they all stiffened in response to her thunderous tone. ¡°But Commander¡­¡± ¡°Do you intend to protest? Do not forget that disobedience is governed by military law! Heed my words¡ªno matter what may happen, we are Theorin knights. Do not shame the name of the Knights of Ventus! Now, go!¡± ¡°Yes! We will,¡± the knights obediently answered. Irene couldn¡¯t help but inwardly laugh at herself. These were words she¡¯d often said to her knights before, but it had never felt stranger to say than at this moment. ¡°Return to your positions. Do not cause confusion for the other knights. Keep your composure,¡± Irene added. ¡°We accept your order.¡± Satisfied, Irene ripped the Order of the Garter medal that was secured around her calf and dropped it in Helink¡¯s hands. ¡°Take it,¡± she said, as she brushed off hands. ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have to¡­¡± Helink stammered. ¡°Clad, we are returning. We must make the necessary preparations.¡± Instead of answering, Clad untied the handkerchief around his scabbard and gingerly wrapped it around Irene¡¯s wounded left palm. The white piece of cloth was instantly dyed a deep red. Unable to bear the sight, Clad had to turn away. ¡°I have a favor to ask you,¡± Irene said softly. ¡°I know what you intend to ask of me. I¡¯ll settle my affairs here and will be ready to set off for the Empire soon¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Clad remarked in surprise. ¡°My brothers are still young, and my father¡¯s injuries will need time to heal. They will need you.¡± ¡°I¡­ receive your command.¡± Knowing that this may very well be Irene¡¯s final order, Clad swallowed the words he wished to say, straightened himself, raised his right arm to his chest, and bowed his head. A biting wind swept through the camp. The acrid scent of blood soaked into the land pierced Irene¡¯s nostrils and sank deep into her lungs, but it was the taste of her own blood pooling inside her mouth that much thicker and richer. Irene, who could neither accept nor deny the fate that had befallen her, could only silently bite down on the inside of her mouth. Chapter 7 The ice kingdom, Theorin, located at the northernmost tip of the continent, had embarked on a long campaign to expand its territories in a bid to secure fertile soil. The culmination of these efforts led them into direct conflict with the Empire, which ultimately resulted in the kingdom¡¯s defeat. As a result, amidst the backdrop of a brutal winter, the war tribute procession was about to commence. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Theorin has been reduced to a vassal kingdom¡­ What were all my efforts for? I executed the orders I received as if my life depended upon it, and yet¡­¡± ¡°My lady¡­¡± Marie lamented, as she struggled to hold back her tears. As Irene¡¯s maid and childhood companion, Marie was the sole person Irene felt comfortable enough to share her feelings with. The usual stoic front that Irene put up in front of her knights easily crumbled before Marie. Irene M. Voltern was not only known as the only female knight in the kingdom, she was also an outstanding commander that remained undefeated in battle. Her excellence was so great, even the revolutionary military power wasn¡¯t able to keep up with the knights led by Irene. ¡®They¡¯ve never taken into consideration the fact that she¡¯s a woman in their treatment of her before, but now simply because of her gender, they want to hand her over as a hostage? I mean¡­ I knew that, save for a select few noble families, the rest were all rotten, but this is downright ridiculous!¡¯ Marie gritted her teeth. Her lady¡¯s desperation was understandable. Could anyone truly fathom how much effort Irene had put in, and how much she¡¯d given up? While Irene endured through awful and taxing circumstances, the central nobles went about their daily lives, with only trivial worries for their own wellbeing. Now, they wanted to offer her lady up as a sacrifice. It was commonly known that hostages weren¡¯t treated as humans, but as objects. There would be no respect or regard for Irene¡¯s previous standing. The taking of a hostage was simply yet another means by which the victor could trample the pride of the defeated kingdom. In most cases, hostages were either killed or used as leverage for extorting more from the defeated kingdom. Knowing that any perceived misbehavior on her part could be ascribed to the kingdom, giving the empire further grounds to trample on the kingdom¡¯s pride, Irene had no choice but to abandon the self-pride she¡¯d held onto that supported and helped her keep her head held high. Irene sourly muttered, ¡°I¡¯ve only taken charge of the knights for a year¡­ Ultimately, it was bound to end like this.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Father always wanted to prevent such an outcome, so from a young age, he began to educate me like the other boys. I didn¡¯t want to be considered useless, so naturally I poured my heart and soul into my training. I can¡¯t begin to count the number of battles I¡¯ve participated in since I turned fifteen, and yet¡­¡± It had started when Irene was but five years of age¡ªCount Voltern began to treat the child, who¡¯d only just learned a sense of duty, like any other knight. Looking down at herself now, clothed in unfamiliar feminine attire, Irene couldn¡¯t help but swallow bitterly. She couldn¡¯t recall the last time she¡¯d worn such clothing. Suddenly, realization hit her that, perhaps like many others, she too had secretly harbored the hope that one day she¡¯d be rewarded for all the effort and work she¡¯d put forth. ¡°It was thanks to your quick decisions that the prince was protected, and the country was prevented from falling into the greedy Duke¡¯s hands¡­¡± ¡°Theorin has become a vassal state, and I¡¯ve been reduced to nothing more than a hostage,¡± Irene interjected. She felt like everything she¡¯d done had been in vain. With an unfocused gaze, she stared emptily at her upturned palm. Though she wielded the sword countless times, her hands rarely developed calluses. As a result, her palms were riddled with scars and bruising caused by the sword. Now that she¡¯d laid down her sword, scabs had begun to form as the scars healed. It seemed to be a hereditary trait, as Count Voltern also seldom developed calluses too. Nevertheless, Irene found it displeasing, as it made it appear as if she neglected her training. As her finger rubbed over the rough and hard wounds, Irene murmured, ¡°If this too disappears, will I be able to become a normal person?¡± Marie had never seen her lady this dejected before, and soon she was unable to contain her tears. She felt powerless to help Irene, who seemed to be slowly falling apart. Chapter 8 ¡°It seems like we¡¯ve reached the border. This is really the end,¡± Irene suddenly announced. She watched the scenery outside the carriage as they crossed the border, and felt her body collapse as her remaining strength left her. ¡°It¡¯s just as Clad said¡­ I¡¯ve been abandoned.¡± As the final flicker of hope she held deep within her extinguished, Irene¡¯s cold and upright heart shattered. From the moment the border was crossed, Irene M. Voltern had become irrevocably broken. * * * The imperial army marched ahead of Theorin¡¯s tribute procession, with the crown prince of Perkan riding at the head. However, their progress became increasingly hindered by the strengthening blizzard, and after several false starts, Kael eventually settled on resting at a nearby castle until the weather cleared. Later that evening, after the snow had tapered off and darkness descended, Kael took a stroll around the castle. He wandered around aimlessly until he reached a place that caused him to stop in his tracks. ¡®Irene M. Voltern?¡¯ The image of Irene, who shined particularly brightly even as she was surrounded by her many knights, was not easily forgettable. Though he¡¯d never seen her without her helmet, he recognized her with a single glance. Finding her sitting alone, exposed to the cold wind and snow that blew in the air, Kael felt his heart sink. Long after they¡¯d crossed swords, his hands continued to tingle from the exhilarating sensation, but now a vastly different sensation was overtaking him. ¡°To think you were in a place like here,¡± he muttered quietly. Irene, who was perched dangerously atop the rampart, was starting out across the snow-covered land from the highest vantage point of the castle. When she heard a voice speak, she turned her head and asked, ¡°Who are¡­ Oh.¡± She¡¯d left her room to get some fresh air, but she hadn¡¯t expected to run into him, with his dazzling blonde hair and green eyes, in a place like this. ¡®Oh dear¡­¡¯ Kael thought, as he felt his breath hitch. There was something frightening alluring in the careless gaze Irene cast on him. Every move she made was printed deeply in his mind, and it felt like a strong flash of light had burst forth to illuminate the dark sky. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. It¡¯s nice to see you here,¡± Kael said. As Irene silently stepped down from the rampart and back onto the ground, she wondered if Kael¡¯s greeting had been sincere. Contrary to his inner turmoil, the crown prince was a picture of calmness, as he seemed to languidly lean against the wall. The tone of voice in which he spoke was also incredibly dry. With fluid movements, Irene impeccably curtsied and said, ¡°I formally make your acquaintance. My name is Irene M. Voltern of Theorin. I offer my greetings to Your Majesty, Prince Kael Ayden Leslie L. Lenslat, the Crown Prince of Perkan.¡± Even though she was tempted by her pride to feign ignorance of his identity, chivalric manners were hard to break. Momentarily mesmerized by her grace, Kael acknowledged slowly, ¡°You¡¯ve successfully recognized me.¡± ¡°Such courtesy is basic.¡± ¡°Basic? Then, I supposed that means I¡¯ve dealt with many people who weren¡¯t even equipped with the most basic of skills.¡± ¡°I cannot comment for other people. I only meant to convey that for me, at least, this is not something of significance.¡± Even her sharp, clinical response and cold eyes felt terribly attractive to Kael, and he felt his heart flutter. Perhaps it was because he¡¯d already glimpsed the other side to her character¡ªhow she¡¯d deeply cared for her knights even while on the merciless battlefield. Clearing his throat, Kael said, ¡°Thanks to you, the negotiations were able to conclude smoothly.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to warrant such appreciation.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t do anything? Aren¡¯t you being overly humble? My aide, who led the negotiations, was overjoyed by your cooperation.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s how you see it, then I shall not argue.¡± ¡°Well¡­ Anyway, Lady Irene, it¡¯s a pleasure to be able to formally make your acquaintance. I¡¯d really wanted to meet you outside the battlefield.¡± Kael extended his arm in an offer to shake hands, but Irene instead stepped back and lowered her head into a slight bow. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you. I also extend my gratitude for granting His Majesty¡¯s request.¡± ¡°Granting?¡± Kael muttered puzzledly, as he retracted the extended arm after Irene had snubbed the offered handshake. Having been expertly trained from childhood to mask his emotions, there wasn¡¯t a hint of agitation in his tone of voice. However, inwardly he burned from slight embarrassment over the situation. ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± Chapter 9 ¡°Don¡¯t you¡­ hate me?¡± Kael asked hesitantly. His eyes trembled when a vacant emptiness flashed across Irene¡¯s face upon being asked that question. He felt like his heart sank a little in a matter that was different from earlier. Irene was still standing tall, though it would be strange to say she was totally fine in this situation. Perhaps her cold demeanor and tone were simply tools to mask her true feelings. ¡®Am I falling to pieces?¡¯ The thought crossed Irene¡¯s mind, but she refused to acknowledge it. Adding strength to her clenched hand, she balled it into a fist and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t know what I mean?¡± For some reason, Kael¡¯s brightly gleaming eyes looked incredibly sharp. Irene rubbed her index finger with her thumb¡ªa nervous tic that surfaced whenever she felt nervous. While she was an expert at modulating her tone of voice to sound calm, albeit blunter than usual, it was impossible to completely wipe away all her tension. In such situations, that tension would then manifest in this nervous tic. ¡°People may claim that you¡¯ve been abandoned, Lady Irene, or say that you¡¯ve been offered up as a hostage in the place of the princess, but you yourself are extremely valuable,¡± Kael continued. ¡°The title of Lady is not suited for me.¡± ¡°Are you trying to change the subject? Fine, we can move on. Then, pray tell how I should address you if you do not wish to be called a lady? Is a knight unable to also be a lady?¡± Kael realized he was intentionally acting difficult, and was baffled by his own petulant behavior. He was confused as to why he bothered to try and extend the conversation between them. When had he ever acted this way with a woman? He¡¯d always been one to clearly draw the line and express a strictly business-only attitude towards others. Nonetheless, right now he wanted to see her cold exterior crack. ¡°You may address me however you please. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I should take my leave.¡± Kael¡¯s provocations had managed to successfully irritate Irene, but because she staunchly refused to allow her emotions to be reflected on her face, he failed to notice. The only indication of Irene¡¯s tension could be glimpsed in her clenched hands, which showed no sign of being relaxed anytime soon. ¡°Very well, Lady Irene,¡± Kael said, as he flashed a relaxed smile. ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡± Refusing to react to Kael¡¯s smile, Irene lowered her head slightly and moved to take a step forward. She wanted to pass by Kael and head downstairs, but stiffened when she heard him speak again. ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have let you go. No matter what happened, I would¡¯ve kept you in my arms and never let anyone take you from me.¡± The solemnity of his words only made Irene feel even more pathetic. Raising her head to meet his gaze, she replied in a tight voice, ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m not as valuable as you think.¡± A gust of wind blew from behind and Irene felt the skin on her back prickle and sting. Her usually tightly-wound hair had been let down and it fluttered freely in the wind, exposing her neckline. Irene¡¯s tension was clearly visible to Kael from the tightness of her jaw, and he softly added, ¡°You underestimate yourself.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Irene broke the silence that had descended between them and said, ¡°I must take my leave now.¡± Without waiting for a response, she immediately turned on her heel and resumed walking. ¡®Did I anger her? And¡­¡¯ A nonsensical thought lingered at the back of his mind. Though it had been but for a brief moment, Kael felt satisfied that he¡¯d broken through Irene¡¯s cold exterior. In the moment he¡¯d seen her expression waver, it felt like his heart had been pierced by an arrow made of ice. As the sound of Irene¡¯s footsteps grew increasingly further away, Kael let out a shaky breath. He noticed that the strength in his legs seemed to have left him, and it reminded him of how others had often described how difficult it was to stand in front of Irene and her terrifying aura. However, in his case, the difficulty he felt while standing before her was for a different reason. Thankful that he hadn¡¯t collapsed in front of her, he allowed himself to flop down to the ground. ¡°Is this what everyone was talking about? To fall in love at first sight¡­¡± Chapter 10 ¡°Do I take after my father?¡± Kael pictured the face of his father, Emperor Copper, who was probably furiously waiting for his son to return, so that he could depart on a trip with Empress Selleria. Tough and charismatic in her youth, the current empress of Perkan strayed far from what was perceived to be a typical noblewoman. She was by far the most difficult person to approach in the social world. Yet, this very woman was the one with whom the current emperor, Copper, fell in love with at first sight. ¡°Love¡­¡± The crown prince¡¯s heart, which hadn¡¯t been shaken once in the 25 years of his life, pounded erratically. Even as he struggled to maintain a serious composure befitting of a crown prince, he couldn¡¯t hide the smile that crept onto his face. * * * The journey from the Theorin kingdom¡¯s Voltern region to the Perkan empire was long and arduous, with the heavy snowfall slowing down their progress. It took almost two months to reach the imperial province of Renslat, which effectively ruined the scheduled plan to arrive before the new year. To recognize their efforts, a weeklong sabbatical was granted for everyone to recuperate from the journey once they finally reached the imperial palace. It was a much needed break¡ªespecially for Kael. Unfortunately, he found himself unable to properly rest as he was constantly plagued with thoughts of Irene. Even the final night of his leave proved no different¡ªunable to get a wink of sleep, he returned to his duties looking haggard. ¡°It¡¯s severe,¡± Kael muttered. ¡°I beg your pardon? Are you sick?¡± Wellen asked, tilting his head. Wellen, the second son of Marquis Charis and Kael¡¯s trusted aide, had just walked into the crown prince¡¯s office and found Kael seated at his desk. The crown prince wore a frown on his face and seemed startled by the scribbles he¡¯d made in a luxurious notebook. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Kael answered gently, as he moved to cover the notebook. There was a strange urgency in his elegant gestures. Wellen squinted suspiciously and glanced at Kael, before his eyes moved to the notebook. Despite Kael¡¯s efforts, the notebook hadn¡¯t been properly concealed. To his surprise, Wellen found a title scrawled in fancy calligraphy up top, followed by a list of rather cringeworthy contents. What I want to do when I have a wife: 1. Tell her that she¡¯s beautiful every day. 2. Tell her that I love her every day. 3. Go out and eat something delicious together. 4. Secretly escape the imperial palace and go on a trip together. 5. Buy lots of pretty and nice things for her. ¡®A list of things he wants to do when he has a wife?¡¯ The more Wellen dwelled on it, the more he wondered what could¡¯ve possibly happened to Kael. This wasn¡¯t normal behavior for the crown prince, and Wellen gradually became seized with alarm. ¡®Has His Highness¡­ lost his marbles?¡¯ Nonetheless, Wellen fought down the urge to question Kael¡ªthis wasn¡¯t the time to react sensitively. There were more pressing matters at hand. ¡°Did you bring it?¡± Kael asked. ¡°Before that, please take a look at this.¡± Kael ignored the piece of paper Wellen held out and nonchalantly replied, ¡°Oh, this?¡± ¡°Why is Your Highness reacting like that? Did Your Highness just say, ¡®Oh, this?¡¯ Please look at it here. It says: Before I return from this trip, if you do not choose a person to marry¡­¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­ Isn¡¯t it that they think we¡¯re in a relationship, and that you¡¯re considered to be my wife? ¡°Was Your Highness already aware of this? And you purposefully chose to ignore it?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ It certainly sounds like my mother, who advocates for free love. She¡¯s very open-minded in that sense.¡± With an apathetic look, Kael carelessly pushed away the empress¡¯s letter with the tip of his finger. Seeing the crown prince¡¯s reaction, Wellen felt his blood pressure rise and he resisted the urge to thump his chest in an attempt to relieve his stress. He felt stuffy, as if all the outlets to his body had been clogged with no option of release. ¡°Please just accept Della,¡± Wellen pleaded with a heavy sigh. Chapter 11 From the moment Della had taken her first step, Wellen¡¯s younger sister had been obsessed with Kael and boldly declared that she would be the crown princess. For generation after generation, the household of Marquis Charis had always been of high repute in the empire, with a lineage that had produced many past empresses. As such, there was a time where marriage talks between the two had been seriously considered. It was only because of Kael¡¯s firm refusal that an arrangement was never settled. ¡°Could you marry my sister, Danielle?¡± The imperial couple had been blessed with two sons and two daughters, with Kael, the eldest son, as their second child. His elder sister had married the archduke a few years ago, and he had a younger brother and sister beneath him. After picturing the youngest princess, Danielle, Wellen replied, ¡°How could I marry the princess who I think of like a younger sister¡­¡± ¡°Your sister and mine are both just sixteen-year-old girls.¡± ¡°Women marry around 18 years of age, so they aren¡¯t that young.¡± ¡°Did Della leave a threatening letter or something? You¡¯re all for it today,¡± Kael grumbled, as his eyes filled with dissatisfaction widened. Wellen pouted and timidly pushed the empress¡¯s letter in front of Kael again as he retorted, ¡°I think it¡¯d be more apt to say I¡¯m someone who is being overwhelmed by a great power, rather than a brother being tormented by his younger sister.¡± In a huff, Kael fiercely grabbed the letter from Wellen, crumpled it up, and tossed it aside. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, I refuse to allow any further meddling in this matter. How about you give me that now?¡± ¡°Oh, fine. Here it is.¡± Wellen reflected on how their close relationship was precisely why he needed to meddle with Kael¡¯s life, but instead he swallowed a sigh and handed over the scroll he¡¯d brought. Kael immediately unfurled the scroll¡ªa checklist of the tribute offerings¡ªand began to read its contents. Irene¡¯s name was the first item on the list. Kael could hardly believe that he was seeing a person¡¯s name listed as the first item under the title of ¡®Tribute items.¡¯ In the blink of an eye, a great commander had been reduced to an item. Although it was an unavoidable result of the kingdom¡¯s loss, Kael couldn¡¯t help but sympathize with Irene¡¯s unfortunate fate. Unable to fight the urge to roll his eyes, Kael lifted up his face, which was practically touching the scroll, and gazed out the window. Feigning a nonchalant tone, he said, ¡°Hmm¡­ Who¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Who¡¯re you referring to?¡± ¡°Here.¡± Kael gently placed his finger on the first item on the list, as if afraid the scroll would be worn down if he touched it carelessly. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re speaking of Irene M. Voltern. She refused admission to the academy, even though we offered to arrange for a professorship if she disliked being a student, and chose to stay in Atrichen instead.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that she even rejected an offer to be a professor?¡± Kael asked, as he leaned back and crossed his arms. ¡°According to the person who dealt with her, she seemed totally despondent¡ªas if the world was over.¡± Kael¡¯s thoughts turned to Irene and their encounter at the wall not long ago. The impression she¡¯d left on him was unforgettable. She looked virtuous, but also as fragile as glass. ¡°I heard that all but a few families, including the family of Voltern, were utterly corrupt. Foolish scumbags,¡± he said scornfully. ¡°If it were me, I would¡¯ve never given her up,¡± Wellen agreed. ¡°Still, since she could be considered a legitimate threat from our perspective, it¡¯s best that she¡¯s under the Empire¡¯s control¡­¡± As he thought of Irene, Kael lifted a hand to rub his chin and confusion clouded his green eyes. After a pause, he said, ¡°I want her. My heart keeps wanting her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s feasible. She would be a welcome talent for the Empire.¡± ¡°I want to see her.¡± ¡°Also a simple matter. I will have them make the arrangements.¡± Chapter 12 ¡°Yes. Huh? About what?¡± Kael asked, as he uncrossed his arms. He¡¯d been too preoccupied with his own thoughts for the words Wellen had lightly spat out to register with him. ¡°About what you just said,¡± Wellen repeated. He wasn¡¯t fazed by Kael¡¯s odd behavior, as he¡¯d experienced it before. Although it seldomly occurred, the crown prince would occasionally mutter fragments of his thoughts when he was pondering deeply over matters. It was a behavior the crown prince only displayed before those he deeply trusted, so Wellen was happy, though he didn¡¯t show it. ¡°What did I say?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to see her, so I will take care of it.¡± ¡°Did I say that out loud?¡± Kael remarked, surprised. ¡°If I ever had a huge secret, I¡¯d never tell Your Highness! I wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± ¡°Well, a secret is meant to be kept to yourself anyway. The moment you tell it to others, it¡¯s no longer a secret. That¡¯s stupid.¡± Wellen bristled from the harsh truth Kael coldly spat. He shuffled through the pile of papers in his hand, as he considered whether he¡¯d be allowed to smack the prince¡¯s flawless face with his trembling fists. Taking a breath to calm himself, Wellen said, ¡°These are the priorities¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to continue keeping her there,¡± Kael interrupted. ¡°I wished you could¡¯ve told me this earlier when you were still on break. I¡¯ll arrange for a meeting as soon as you have a moment to spare, so could you at least please start by addressing the work that¡¯s piled up,¡± Wellen sighed. Oddly amused by how Wellen carelessly spread the paperwork on the desk, a tiny grin broke out onto Kael¡¯s face. Wellen ignored the crown prince¡¯s bemusement, and proceeded to focus on the job at hand. Even though there was a packed agenda and they worked at a hectic speed, Wellen once again proved his excellence, completing his duties without missing a single detail. When there was finally time for a breather, Wellen stepped outside to get some cool air. Addressing one of the attendants, Wellen asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Mrs. Grendel? I heard she¡¯s returned from visiting her hometown.¡± ¡°Oh, the head maid? She was here a little while ago. Did you need her?¡± ¡°I have some business in Atrichen. Since men are forbidden from entering, it¡¯s quicker to have her assist.¡± ¡°A-Atrichen?¡± ¡°His Highness has expressed an interest in meeting with Irene M. Voltern, who is currently residing in Atrichen. Oh, should I mention that he specifically requested her? Anyway, when he has free time¡­ Eh? Where¡¯d you go?¡± While Wellen was immersed in his thoughts as he tried to recall the next vacancy in the crown prince¡¯s schedule, he¡¯d failed to notice the wide-eyed servant joyfully run off in search of the head maid. ¡°Is the servant new? How unprofessional,¡± Wellen muttered, as he shook his head and clicked his tongue in disapproval. He couldn¡¯t possibly have imagined this brief interaction with the attendant would result in a grave misunderstanding. * * * At the same time the seed of misunderstanding had been planted, Irene was despondently staring out the window of her room. Since their arrival at the imperial palace a week before, she hadn¡¯t left her room once. When she noticed that it was snowing, she stretched her hand out through the window. ¡°Lady, please try having some of these,¡± Marie pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Though she barely ate these days, Irene didn¡¯t feel the least bit hungry. She imagined that her body, which used to be constantly on the move, was having difficulty adjusting to this new life, so she didn¡¯t force herself to eat. ¡°But¡­¡± Marie sighed. She was worried that her lady would faint, and didn¡¯t know what to do. ¡°Lady, tomorrow I¡¯ll ask the kitchen staff to cook some Theorin dishes¡­¡± Suddenly, their conversation was interrupted by steady knocking on the door. Irene let out a sigh of relief. Though she was slightly apologetic towards Marie, she felt that the untimely interruption had saved her. Chapter 13 ¡°Who is it?¡± Marie called out. The door swung open to reveal a Perkan woman clothed in an attendant¡¯s outfit. Stepping forward, she said, ¡°I am Emilla Hustler of the Ravello Palace.¡± Marie tilted her head in confusion at their unexpected guest. Ravello was the crown prince¡¯s palace, and had nothing to do with them. Marie began, ¡°What brought you¡ª¡± ¡°I have nothing to do with you. I am here for your master,¡± Emilla rudely interrupted, as she fixed her sharp gaze and turned her nose up at Marie. Pushing Marie aside, she immediately stepped into the room. The atmosphere immediately grew tense. Irene, who was disinterestedly touching her bowl of soup with a spoon, put it down and gently wiped her lips with a napkin. She turned to fix her stare on their uninvited caller and thought, ¡®She¡¯s impolite.¡¯ ¡°Nice to meet¡ª¡± ¡°Before that, apologize,¡± Irene icily interjected. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Because of you, my maid almost fell.¡± The vacant look in Irene¡¯s eyes had been replaced with a sharp glare, transforming her from a gentle sheep into a beast instantly. ¡®That¡¯s a sign that she hasn¡¯t given up on everything yet!¡¯ Marie internally rejoiced. ¡°Excuse me. The crown prince has summoned you. Come with me,¡± Emilla bristled and stiffly spat, ignoring Irene¡¯s demand for an apology. It was an outrageous attitude, but the Perkan costume Emilla wore was a visual reminder to Irene that they were in a foreign country. Though Irene utterly disliked the attitude Emilla displayed, she thought, ¡®Be patient. I have to be patient.¡¯ No matter how Theorin had treated her, her family was still there. Nothing would be gained from causing a problem here. Irene¡¯s gaze turned to look at the candle that lit the hallway outside; its flames casting shadows that danced along the wall. It was already dark enough for the candle to be lit, so if the conversation was long, she would have to return late. ¡°Marie, I¡¯ll be back. If I¡¯m late, go to bed first,¡± Irene instructed. ¡°Yes milady, please be safe.¡± Irene followed Emilla to Ravello, but what awaited her caused her to immediately frown. Dipping her hand into the water to scoop out the rose petals, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°This was a special summons. Unless you¡¯re an idiot, you¡¯d know what this means,¡± Irene sarcastically sneered. Irene felt her heart sink over her miserable fate. It didn¡¯t matter to her whether this was an order from the Empire or not. In a bitter tone, she morosely said, ¡°I have no obligation to respond to his order.¡± ¡°Are you disobeying an order from the crown prince when you¡¯re a hostage?¡± Emilla asked, looking visibly displeased. Irene¡¯s eyebrows twitched at Emilla¡¯s harsh choice of words. She allowed herself to be vulnerable before Marie, but she wasn¡¯t about to let others see her weak. Perching herself on the edge of the tub, Irene crossed her legs and fixed an arrogant stare on the attendant. Letting out an obvious sigh from annoyance, she defiantly said, ¡°So what?¡± Emilla looked perplexed by Irene¡¯s confidence and stammered, ¡°Lady, y-you¡¯re in the harem.¡± Until a few decades ago, Atrichen palace had been the royal harem. Though it was no longer used for such intents and purposes, many still believed its original function remained. Princesses and young maidens sent from other countries as hostages that voluntarily entered Atrichen generally had only one goal¡ªto earn the young, single crown prince¡¯s favor. Rather than attending the academy to learn imperial culture, where they¡¯d be subjected to discrimination and contempt, this was a more pragmatic way to fix their fate. ¡°And?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Emilla replied, enraged by Irene¡¯s lukewarm response. ¡®Who does she think she is? Ha! She may have been a knight, but she needs to know her place. This snobbish attitude of hers can¡¯t stand! She needs to be taught a lesson.¡¯ The crown prince, who¡¯d never summoned any woman before, had appointed a woman for the very first time. Any woman chosen by Kael would be the object of envy throughout the empire, and yet this woman had the audacity to act in this manner? As a member of Marquis Charis¡¯s faction and absolute supporter of Della, Emilla was already upset by Kael¡¯s unexpected order. There was no way she¡¯d address anyone nicely in her current mood. Emilla rolled her eyes and began, ¡°Like I told you, the crown prince has appointed you, so you must¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, I know. As you said, I¡¯m a hostage and I came here voluntarily. However, as you pointed out, Atrichen is the royal harem. And the harem belongs to the emperor.¡± ¡°T-that¡­¡± ¡°I wish to return,¡± Irene said, as she stood up. She blinked slowly, before fixing Emilla with a firm gaze. Emilla¡¯s shoulders began to slightly tremble under Irene¡¯s stare. It wasn¡¯t even a murderous look, but she felt like she was standing in front of a ferocious beast. Moreover, Irene had a point. Since the harem officially belonged to the emperor, it meant that even the crown prince couldn¡¯t touch it without expressed permission. Chapter 14 ¡°H-His Majesty, the emperor, has delegated his power to the crown prince. That means the crown prince also has authority over Atrichen,¡± Emilla stammered. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never heard of a monarch that passes over the harem. Please come back after you¡¯ve received confirmation.¡± Without waiting for a response, Irene walked past Emilla with an apathetic expression. Her well-balanced body, shaped by years of training, coupled with her upright posture and gait, exuded an aura of elegance and authority not unlike royalty. She instantly stole the hearts of the maids waiting in the bathroom to attend on her and they stared at her with awe. Emilla gritted her teeth and exclaimed, ¡°If you act hastily, you¡¯ll impact the kingdom profoundly! Would that be okay? Do you intend to challenge the emperor like this?¡± ¡°Consider the commands of the empire as my own and honor it.¡± Emilla¡¯s words caused Irene to recall the kingdom¡¯s orders Helink had delivered that day. She thought she¡¯d abandoned her mission and allegiance as a knight the moment she crossed the border, but it seems that wasn¡¯t the case. She thought of the traces of her life that still shackled her, gritted her teeth, and clenched her fists. ¡®Was I always such an emotional person? I¡¯ve wasted my energy for no reason,¡¯ she thought, as she felt her self-esteem plummet again. ¡°Yeah, my body isn¡¯t good for anything else anyway. What do I need to do?¡± Irene said in an impassive tone, as she unclenched her fists. ¡®She¡¯s nothing. She was the ¡®Goddess of War¡¯? She¡¯s just a war hostage,¡¯ Emilla inwardly scoffed. Turning to the maids who were waiting for orders, Emilla began, ¡°She¡¯s from Theorin, where the people are known to be barbarians. Moreover, her body has been on the battlefield surrounded only by men¡ª¡± Everything happened in an instant¡ªIrene¡¯s eyes flashed like a sharpened sword, and with quick strides, she had Emilla pinned against a wall. As she strangled the attendant with her right arm, she held a pair of nail trimming scissors to Emilla¡¯s neck with her left hand. The loud clattering of the tray, which had contained the scissors, echoed in the room after tumbling out of the handmaiden¡¯s hands. Emilla had made a huge blunder¡ªby disparaging the Theorin people, she had touched on the one thing capable of angering Irene. ¡°Say it again. What?¡± Irene growled. ¡°I-I am the crown prince¡¯s¡­ of the palace¡­¡± For those in Atrichen, no matter how high their ranks were, couldn¡¯t ignore Emilla¡¯s words. But this didn¡¯t apply to Irene. ¡°I told you to say it again! Now say it!¡± Irene repeated. ¡°Ugh. They say the people from Theorin¡­ are barbarians. It makes sense. Have I said anything wrong? Everyone would think the same if they heard a lone woman was on the battlefield with a bunch of men. Don¡¯t think that you are different,¡± Emilla choked. Though it wouldn¡¯t be strange for her to have a hole in her neck by now, she remained arrogant. Emilla seemed to mistakenly believe that the crown prince¡¯s authority was her own. ¡°My soldiers put their lives in my hands and went to war without fear of death! And you dare insult them?¡± ¡°E-even if the kingdom was to see blood, you dare¡­¡± Emilla trailed off, leaving the rest of the threat unspoken. Seeing how Irene refused to back down after she¡¯d emphasized her affiliation with the Ravello palace, Emilla brought up the kingdom instead. ¡°Your actions henceforth will represent the kingdom.¡± ¡®Curses!¡¯ Irene wasn¡¯t able to rid herself of the order that rang out in her head, so she loosened her hold and stepped back. Her dignity, which her kingdom held no regards for, was now being trampled by her own two feet. She tossed the scissors she could¡¯ve used to take Emilla¡¯s life at any moment, which crashed into a corner of the smooth marbled floor. ¡°Fine. Do as you please. However, there must be laws here too, and I hold grudges,¡± Irene said. As soon as Irene released her, Emilla fell to the floor and coughed loudly. As she grabbed her neck, she inwardly cursed, ¡®She¡¯s nothing but a hostage! An old virgin who can¡¯t even be compared to Lady Della! What use is there to ask about the law? I¡¯ll make her understand that life isn¡¯t easy!¡¯ After Emilla gave out orders through gritted teeth, the shivering maids approached Irene and began to groom her. They bathed her, examined the insides of her mouth and nails, and then dressed her in thin pajamas and a gown. ¡°This way,¡± Emilla said, after confirming everything was in order. Her neck was still flushed red with marks from Irene¡¯s grip and the bubbling anger within her. Irene was guided out of the bathroom and down a long hallway. Then, they ascended a few flights of stairs, down another maze-like hallway, until they finally reached the innermost room of the crown prince¡¯s palace. Mr. Jackley and Mrs. Jean Grendel, the grand chamberlain and head maid of the Ravello palace, were waiting out front to greet them. ¡°From here on, I will guide you. Come this way,¡± Jean said. After opening the heavy door, they arrived inside the prince¡¯s chambers. ¡°You can wait here.¡± Irene wordlessly nodded her head, sat on a bed and waited for Kael¡¯s arrival. Chapter 15 After a grueling day of work, Kael felt his muscles relax as he soaked in a hot bath. Wiping the water droplets from his face, his gaze drifted to the nearby window and he stared outside. Light snow, which had accumulated during the day, was being lifted up by the breeze and swirled in the air¡ªit made for a pretty view. ¡°It reminds me of her¡­¡± Kael murmured, as he rested his head against the ledge and crossed his arms. ¡°Though if the wind was stronger, it¡¯d be more similar.¡± Away from prying eyes, Kael was able to set aside the stately front he maintained in presence of others and act without pretense. As he watched the powdered snow dancing in the wind, thoughts of Irene seeped in his mind. He thought she was a good match with Theorin and their fierce snowstorms. ¡®She reminds me of the white wolf I met in a blizzard¡ªunbelievably mysterious and charming, but a solitary existence that appeared lonely¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve fallen so hard like this¡­ I must really be my father¡¯s son.¡¯ They had only crossed paths in an informal setting, so he couldn¡¯t understand why the memory of her was so deeply imprinted in his mind. He¡¯d hoped to see her again on their journey to Renslat, even if he¡¯d have to make it look coincidental, but ultimately he was unable to see her again since that incident at the castle wall. As a result, for the rest of the trip he remained desperate to see her and worried that they couldn¡¯t meet. ¡°I hope she¡¯s not having a hard time¡­¡± he muttered. He knew well the sense of loss one could feel from losing everything overnight after blindly dedicating themselves to a single mission, and how such people fell apart because of it. He couldn¡¯t stop pensively mulling over the emptiness he¡¯d glimpsed in her. Sluggishly soaking in the warm water had him feeling dizzy and meditating over unnecessary things. ¡°I should get out. I keep having useless thoughts,¡± Kael uttered with a heavy sigh, as he lifted himself out of the tub. The thin robe he wore into the tub that had been loosely wrapped around his body now clung to his 6.2 feet tall, slender frame. Transparent and heavy from the water soaking through, nothing of his elegant figure was left to the imagination. His broad shoulders and his especially long limbs with moderately-toned muscles, which enhanced the look of whatever he wore, was on full display. As Kael peeled off the cumbersome gown to change into the thicker robe prepared, his smooth and lean abs twitched. Then, wiping his hair with a towel, he stepped out of the bathroom. ¡°Who?¡± Immediately, Kael halted in his tracks when he detected the presence of another in what should¡¯ve been an empty room. ¡°Irene M. Voltern greets His Highness, the crown prince of Perkan.¡± ¡°Oh. Um¡­¡± As soon as Kael realized it was Irene, he stiffened and froze. If she hadn¡¯t been watching him, he would¡¯ve covered his mouth with his hand and groaned. Even if he was trained to maintain a certain level of solemnity and gravitas as a prince in front of others, nothing could¡¯ve prepared him for a situation like this. Suddenly, the words he¡¯d spoken earlier that day came rushing back to him when his eyes caught sight of Irene¡¯s outfit. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ ¡°I heard you called for me. What do I have to do?¡± Irene asked. The only thing that pulled Kael¡¯s mind out of his frenzied thoughts was Irene¡¯s unique unemotional and business-like tone. Clearing his throat, Kael replied, ¡°If there¡¯s anything to do¡­ It¡¯s late, so I¡¯m retiring to bed¡­¡± Chapter 16 ¡°Then, I¡¯ll start.¡± Irene pulled on her sash and her robe tumbled around her feet. The peignoir nightgown, secured by only a few buttons, was the next item to fall to the floor. Even though she remained clothed in a slip, the enchanting outline of her body clearly shimmered under the dim red glow of candlelight that lit up the darkness. Kael almost blurted out, ¡°Start what?¡± in his surprise. No, hadn¡¯t he just said it was time to sleep? So, what had led to this? ¡®She seems to have misunderstood¡­ What should I do?¡¯ Kael ruffled his wet hair, as he tried to analyze the situation calmly. It¡¯s not like he wasn¡¯t shocked by his predicament, but it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d seen the naked female form, so he didn¡¯t overreact. One of the most important lessons taught as part of his successor studies emphasized the importance of propagating the imperial bloodline. Thanks to his thorough and rather explicit sex education, which began from a young age, he was able to feign a leisurely composure. Wanting to spare Irene embarrassment and lessen the awkwardness, Kael thought it¡¯d be best to avoid making a fuss by going along with her and ending the situation as quickly as he could. Thus, after taking a deep breath, Kael said calmly, ¡°Being bold is good, but¡­ what¡¯s the rush?¡± ¡°Achieving my purpose is my top priority.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting choice of words.¡± Droplets of water dripped onto the floor from Kael¡¯s still damp hair. As he rubbed it with a towel, Kael slowly approached¡ªeach step bringing him one step closer to her. ¡°I¡¯ve spent a lot of time on the battlefield, so I won¡¯t be much good since I have no experience. I apologize in advance for that.¡± Irene didn¡¯t even consider the situation to be embarrassing as her mind was singularly focused on being over and done with it. She had received an order and she would do what was needed to follow orders. What was about to happen was just a means to achieve her goal¡ªnothing more, nothing less. ¡°Everyone has a first. You don¡¯t have to be good at first.¡± ¡°Still, I have received a simple education. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Irene replied indignantly. There was something about Kael¡¯s skillful composure that unsettled her, or rather, upset her. She thought, ¡®There¡¯s no way a man could still be inexperienced at twenty-five. So, why¡­¡¯ ¡°Education?¡± Kael asked. ¡°It was my duty to come here. In order to fulfill my duty, a man and a woman must take off their clothes and caress properly.¡± Irene sounded like she was reciting an official decree, as she spouted embarrassing words with a casual indifference. By then, Kael had closed the distance between them to the point where they could see each other well if they properly gazed at one another. Kael didn¡¯t stop and instead circled behind her. Irene¡¯s calm and blunt expression surprised him, and he wasn¡¯t confident he could properly deal with her while facing her. He didn¡¯t realize that his ears had grown red in contrast to the timid smile that hung on his lips. ¡°Once we do it, we¡¯ll know. And about the clothes¡­¡± Kael bent down to pick up Irene¡¯s discarded gown. No, he was going to bend down, but at that moment the wind suddenly blew away the heavy clouds that darkened the night sky, instantly flooding the room with bright moonlight. Brighter than the candle, the immaculate moonlight illuminated Irene¡¯s soft white skin, making it appear even more translucent. ¡®My gosh. I was too proud.¡¯ Chapter 17 Unable to make out her skin in the dim candlelight, Kael had convinced himself that he could handle this matter skillfully, like when he ruled on state affairs. But this was different. His situation was not good. There was no bodily contact between them, but his body was already reacting. Kael worried that his decision to carelessly go along with her would end up pushing her in a serious way. ¡°Um. Hmm, about the clothes¡­¡± he continued absentmindedly. ¡°Oh, do you have to personally remove it from me, Your Majesty? I made a mistake.¡± Irene¡¯s passionless response helped slightly temper Kael¡¯s growing lust, and he bent down to scoop up the robe in his hand. He wondered how his simple desire to see Irene had led them into this situation. ¡®Wellen! I¡¯ll grab you by the neck,¡¯ he inwardly cursed. Meanwhile, unaware of Kael¡¯s deliberations, Irene looked down at her loosened buttons and the garments that had already fallen to the floor. ¡®Should I pick it up and dress again? Or should I just leave it alone? I¡¯ve never had orders like this before.¡¯ As her mind was preoccupied with such nonsense, she felt heat near her waist. She instantly wondered, ¡®Does he like doing it behind?¡¯ If Kael had been privy to her thoughts, he would¡¯ve jumped out of the window. However, fortunately, unaware of her feelings, he¡¯d managed to endure his raging lust. Lifting his gown to drape over her shoulders, he said. ¡°You can¡¯t ignore the fun of taking it off, as you said. As the gown covered Irene, Kael noticed a faint scar that appeared to have been left by an arrow wound. Looking at the scar that he wouldn¡¯t ordinarily be found on a woman, he almost reached out to touch it. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. And wouldn¡¯t the bed be a better option for you if it¡¯s your first time?¡± ¡°I¡­ see.¡± Kael quickly removed his outstretched hand and walked over to the bed. He sat down and watched Irene, who followed two steps behind, move to stand in front of him. She was covered in a long gown, but its sheer fabric made her skin faintly visible. The sight of her made him recall the time when a nobleman had taken a month-long vacation a few years back to enjoy his sweet honeymoon after his marriage. At the time, Kael had logically understood the reason for the nobleman¡¯s request, though he hadn¡¯t really understood it. Now, it seemed to all click for him. ¡®A month is not enough. Even one year would not be enough,¡¯ he thought. ¡®How could it be enough?¡¯ Propelled by instinct, Kael suddenly grabbed Irene by the wrist and laid her on the bed. A yelp escaped from Irene¡¯s mouth from the sudden movement. It wasn¡¯t until he heard her startled voice that he realized what he¡¯d done. However, he kept an impassive expression as he stared down at her. Something other than her beautiful body barely hidden under the thin slip caught his eyes, and he murmured, ¡°You have beautiful eyes. Terrifyingly beautiful.¡± ¡®Dangerous,¡¯ he thought. In the moonlight, her silver hair splayed out over a pillow and her slightly dimmed amethyst eyes looked insanely beautiful. Although Kael suppressed his thirst for her¡ªthe woman he missed even in his dreams¡ªhe didn¡¯t hide away his sincerity. He feared the growing desire he held for her, but he made no attempt to mask the heartfelt feelings he held towards her. ¡°I know. Everyone says so.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Kael asked, as his eyes widened in surprise from her unexpected answer. ¡°If you didn¡¯t hear me, I¡¯ll say it again. I know. Everyone says so¡­¡± Chapter 18 ¡°You mean to say that you¡¯re aware of your beauty?¡± ¡°Is it wrong if I know? Rather, it¡¯d be strange not to know when everyone has the same reaction.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right,¡± Kael teased and playfully added, ¡°Then, I should see how much prettier the other areas are.¡± Having kept his carnal desires in check, he was able to relax and display more of his impish nature that was usually reserved for those closest to him. Wearing a mischievous expression, in a half-serious and half-joking manner, he bent down to bury his head near Irene¡¯s neck. However, as he approached, he noticed Irene close her eyes and stiffen her shoulders. ¡®She must have been startled. I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t realize this. All that sex education was useless.¡¯ Despite the wealth of lessons he¡¯d received, Kael found himself floundering. Having regained his senses to some extent, he felt all a tinge of embarrassment for all his actions. ¡®Seriously, I¡¯m being humiliated for nothing because of the stupid people around me.¡¯ Kael¡¯s gaze passed over Irene¡¯s skinny shoulders and down her arms. She was clenching her fist and rubbing her index finger with her thumb. Kael felt like his chest was throbbing for nothing. This wasn¡¯t the time to be joking around. He couldn¡¯t begin to fathom the emotions she was hiding and enduring behind the unemotional mask she wore. Letting out a sigh, he climbed off Irene and stood at the bedside. ¡°I wanted to see you. I wanted to meet you, but not like this,¡± he said. Irene slowly opened her tightly-shut eyes and asked, ¡°Then, what should I do?¡± It was faint, but Kael noticed the anxiety lurking behind her question. It felt like he¡¯d caught a glimpse of her inner turmoil. ¡°Lady Irene, you can do whatever you want. It¡¯s not like we brought you here to keep you captive,¡± he said in a measured tone. ¡°I simply wanted to see you one more time because you were so impressive.¡± Irene clamped her mouth shut and lowered her gaze. That hadn¡¯t been her exact question and she was embarrassed to be suddenly addressed as a lady, so she averted her gaze. It wasn¡¯t until relief flooded her, melting the tension from her shoulders, that she realized how much lighter she felt. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d get nervous about something like this.¡¯ Up until now, Irene had always faithfully carried out her orders as a knight with little care of what might happen to herself in the process. She was insensitive towards ¡®Irene¡¯ and never cared to understand how she felt inside. However, she was now beginning to come to terms with her feelings. She began to recognize that she was merely an ordinary person who¡¯d been thrust into an unfamiliar, perhaps even frightening situation. It was something Irene had failed to realize about herself until now, which Kael had already noticed long before. After a moment, Irene said, ¡°Is that so? If so, there must have been some misunderstanding. Now that you¡¯ve seen me, can I return?¡± ¡°If I say I don¡¯t want you to go, will you stay?¡± ¡°Anything you order, I will obey.¡± Kael had meant his question as an obvious joke, but Irene¡¯s eyes when she responded made him emotional. In a terrifyingly insensitive voice¡ªcold and aching like the north wind¡ªhe ordered, ¡°Then, take it off again.¡± ¡°I obey your order.¡± Irene stood up from the bed and immediately moved her hand back towards her robe. ¡®Of course you¡¯re the same,¡¯ she thought. ¡®Why is she accepting just any order?¡¯ Kael sighed softly. Seeing Irene unconditionally obey his orders, including this ridiculous order, lit a raging fire within Kael. His simmering anger was directed towards the Theorin people who¡¯d made her this way. Reaching out to clasp Irene¡¯s hand as she was about to untie her gown¡¯s knot, he spat, ¡°Do you want to sleep with me?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I asked if you want to sleep with me.¡± ¡°Do my thoughts matter?¡± The emptiness in Irene¡¯s soulless voice caused Kael to break out in goosebumps. He desperately wanted to help breathe back the missing soul into her, and break the invisible chains that seemed to bound her tightly. ¡°You know anything like this should happen with mutual intention and agreement. There¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t know that, right?¡± Kael said. ¡°The order of the empire is the order of the kingdom¡­¡± ¡°Are you supposed to obey all orders as a knight?¡± ¡°Following every order with all my life is the knight¡¯s¡­¡± Irene trailed off. The more she spoke, the more miserable she felt. To feel this way from following an order when she wasn¡¯t even a knight anymore filled her with despair. She mourned over the fact that she was just a powerless hostage. ¡°Irene M. Voltern¡ªisn¡¯t your name enough to accept who you are?¡± When his question was met with silence, Kael continued, ¡°Lady Irene, it is your right to refuse to sleep with someone if you don¡¯t want to. I don¡¯t sleep with someone if I don¡¯t love her.¡± ¡°Love¡­¡± Irene quickly bit the inside of her mouth as she inadvertently repeated after him. She was gripped by an unfamiliar feeling as she stared into Kael¡¯s eyes, which reflected his firm will. ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. Do you want to sleep with me?¡± Chapter 19 After a moment of hesitation, Irene said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ordering you again. Take it off.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want¡­ to.¡± ¡°Rather, you should kill anyone who dares give such an order to you in the future. You shouldn¡¯t bear with it. It¡¯s late. Sleep here for tonight.¡± Though there was a cold look in his eyes, the tone of his voice was vague but friendly. Without waiting for a response, Kael immediately walked out of the door. Wondering which was the real side of him, Irene could only confusedly stare at his back as the door closed behind him. ¡°Your Highness?¡± Passing by the bewildered head maid and grand chamberlain, Kael said, ¡°About what happened today, I¡¯ll hear about it tomorrow morning.¡± Then, he immediately headed straight for the room next to his, locked the door behind him, and immediately ran to open the window. ¡°Ugh,¡± he gasped, as he let out the breath he¡¯d been holding in. ¡°What kind of treatment has she been living with?!¡± The man who¡¯d pretended to be his usual self in front of Irene and his servants quickly unraveled. He realized when he stood before Irene that he couldn¡¯t act as ¡®Prince Kael.¡¯ In front of her, he could only be a man. As he pondered more and more about Irene¡¯s defeatist attitude, he felt his annoyance and irritation soar. He¡¯d never felt like this before and didn¡¯t know what to do. What most upset him was that there was nothing he could do for Irene right now. ¡°How could I be so incompetent?¡± he muttered. He did his best to reign in his anger and calm his racing heart, but his grip on the windowsill was so tight it began to crush under the pressure. After a few moments, he was finally able to collect his breath. Then, he glanced down because of a stiffness in his lower region. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s about to explode,¡± he sighed. After being patient and enduring it all, the moment his tension was relieved, his lower half began to react violently. Aside from the rage that erupted, his body was responding like the hot-blooded male that he was. If seeing Irene¡¯s body was all it took for him to react like this, he could hardly imagine what it¡¯d be like with even greater stimuli. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking about it so maybe I should talk to Wellen¡­¡± He wondered if he should consult Wellen, but was quickly dissuaded when he thought of how Wellen would pretend he wasn¡¯t, but actually be dying inside from excitement. Instead, he let the cold winter air hit him, as he slumped and leaned against the window frame. Kael let out a deep sigh and he rubbed his face. Both his head and bottom were making him feel uncomfortable and he felt frustrated because he couldn¡¯t figure out a way to resolve it. ¡°By the way¡­ Did I look so experienced? Oh no, what have I done? If I want to make her like me, it looks like it might take some time,¡± Kael groaned in slight despair. As he replayed the night from the beginning to the end, he remembered his words and actions. Thoroughly being educated on sex from a young age didn¡¯t mean that he was good at dating, especially when everything was his first time. The feeling of laying Irene on the bed was still vivid, and was enough to cause him to stiffen again. Still, the pounding of his heart didn¡¯t feel bad. Rather, it was much better than the fear that gripped him when he wondered if he might not ever see her again. ¡°I¡¯m definitely not okay.¡± Kael really felt like he turned into a madman. However, even as he reflected over his actions, the image of Irene¡¯s mesmerizing gaze never left him alone. Like the soft flesh of a fruit inside a hard shell, Kael felt inexplicably drawn to them. ¡°I wonder if she was aware of the way she gazed at me¡­¡± In the short span of their brief meeting, Kael had learned a lot about Irene. She¡¯d probably given up on many things in life in order to obey the orders given to her. The gaze in her eyes when she talked about following orders appeared contradictorily strong and noble, yet weak and pitiful at the same time. As she strove to embody the persona of a perfect knight, Irene failed to notice how heavily she¡¯d armed herself with tenacity. Kael couldn¡¯t imagine the pain she¡¯d endured as a knight. He vowed to himself, ¡®I¡¯ll make it possible for her to have everything that she¡¯s given up so far. I¡¯ll let her do everything she wants to do.¡¯ A gust of wind blew snow through the window, which began to pile on his feet. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to snow again.¡± Though he sighed, the corners of his mouth had relaxed. ¡°More importantly¡­ How do I get her to like me?¡± His thoughts began to expand as they turned towards what he needed to do to be loved by Irene. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. ¡°The library. Yes, there was the library!¡± Even though it was late at night, Kael sprinted out of the room with a determined look like that of a scholar with a burning passion for learning. As the night continued to deepen, so did his heart. Chapter 20 Finding herself alone in the room from which Kael had just left, Irene muttered to herself, ¡°What the heck did I just do?¡± She stopped straightening her clothes and covered her mouth in an attempt to swallow down the laughter that threatened to burst out from her mouth. It was the type of awkward laughter that seizes one after experiencing the truly absurd. ¡°And why did he have them bring me here at this hour? It¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d misunderstand him if he calls for me while I¡¯m living here as a hostage¡­¡± Irene covered her face with both hands as she felt a surge of embarrassment overwhelm her. Thinking it¡¯d be too awkward to leave the room now, she moved to sit on the bed and wondered if it¡¯d all been a dream. However, when she lightly pinched her thighs, a stinging pain rushed in. ¡®Hold on. What do I have to be embarrassed about? I was just following orders. Still¡­ curses!¡¯ Irene tried to shake away the embarrassment that heated her face, but the shame she¡¯d rarely experienced in her life stayed with her for a while. ¡°Lady¡­. Hah. Lady. He called me a lady,¡± she muttered. It sounded unfamiliar to her ears, since she¡¯d always been Dame Irene. As she repeated the title which Kael had addressed her with over and over, she thought, ¡®Did he call me that last time too? Lady Irene.¡¯ As her jumbled emotions began to settle, Irene found herself growing increasingly melancholic. The 10 years she¡¯d spent as a knight had impacted her more than she¡¯d thought. In spite of all her struggles, she remained unchanged. She thought she¡¯d left everything behind in Theorin as she endured the humiliation, but that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°If it¡¯d been any other young lady, he wouldn¡¯t have acted this way. I wonder if he would¡¯ve unhesitatingly stripped down and rushed in¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ve become so unmoored just because I have no purpose to strive towards without orders to follow,¡± Irene mused, as she shook her head. Was this what it¡¯s like to suffer from withdrawal symptoms? Honestly, she¡¯d felt at peace when she was once again given an order. However, when the first order she received from the empire suddenly rescinded, it left her frustrated. ¡°How long have I been this way? How long?¡± Irene knew that her behavior could hardly be considered normal. Rather, the whole life she lived was far from normal. Nonetheless, she¡¯d never been dissatisfied or felt the need to strive for the semblance of normalcy that she lacked. When she truly reflected on it, she discovered that she didn¡¯t really know how to do anything except be a knight. ¡°How do I live like a lady? What¡¯s it like to live just as I am?¡± She¡¯d never questioned it before and didn¡¯t have an answer for her troubles. She found herself at a loss when faced with the reality before her. ¡°Lady Irene, you can do whatever you want. It¡¯s not like we brought you here to keep you captive.¡± Kael¡¯s words only served to confuse Irene. ¡°Anything he said¡­¡± She was uncertain what she was supposed to do. Already on the verge of losing her mind from being suddenly plucked from the battlefield and placed into the peaceful existence that she now lived, she wasn¡¯t sure what she was supposed to do. After all, the only thing life she¡¯d ever known was one where she held a sword. ¡°Why do you look at me¡­ with those eyes?¡± Looking towards the door from which Kael had departed, Irene asked a question she knew would remain unanswered. Somehow the firmness and certainty in his words and gaze irritated her. Unlike how Kael¡¯s heart increasingly leaned towards her, Irene felt only bothered by him. Chapter 21 Act 2. From the tips of the clashed blades (2) While Wellen arrived in front of Ravello the day after Irene was summoned to the crown prince¡¯s bedroom, elsewhere in Theorin, the frozen kingdom¡­ ¡°Brother! Why? Why do you refuse to meet with me?¡± Princess Belle demanded, as she sought an audience with her brother and Theorin¡¯s new king, Hayden. ¡°Princess, such excitation isn¡¯t good for the body¡­¡± ¡°How can I not be? Do you know how much time has passed? When will he finally see me?¡± The moment Belle learned of Irene¡¯s fate¡ªto head to the empire as tribute on her behalf¡ªshe¡¯d urgently sought to meet with Hayden to no avail. ¡°It¡¯s Dame Irene, so she¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Of course she¡¯ll be fine!¡± Belle retorted, as she grabbed at her head. ¡°I was mentally prepared to go to the Empire too¡­¡± Ever since Belle heard the stories of how her kingdom had easily capitulated and raised a white flag in the face of the empire¡¯s imperial troops marching on the capital, Belle had been prepared to be sent as tribute. It was a surprise to hear that the negotiations had wrapped quickly, but since the empire always demanded a hostage from the rebelling country, it was only natural for her to prepare herself for her inevitable fate. She¡¯d even began formulating plans on how to counter the various discriminations she would surely face as she attended the Imperial Academy as a hostage. Naturally, she¡¯d never even considered entering the harem. And yet, she¡¯d been allowed to stay in the kingdom. It would be quite some time before she learned of the reason. ¡°Are you trying to run away like father? You¡¯re such a coward! How can you still call yourself king?¡± ¡°Who said that I ran away?¡± The door that had remained shut for a long time suddenly flung open, and Hayden, the brother that Belle had longed to meet with, suddenly appeared. ¡°Now you¡¯ll see me? I¡¯ve heard about uncle, and the fact that there¡¯s a high possibility that he was kidnapped by the Duke of Groin.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re aware, then stop spouting nonsense and return. Even without your added shrieking, my head hurts enough.¡± Seeing Hayden turn his back on her, Belle shouted, ¡°Bring Irene back!¡± Hayden immediately froze in place and clenched his fists. With a heavy sigh, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t plan on making her stay in the Empire for long. I¡¯m working on it.¡± ¡°Working on what?¡± ¡°Belle!¡± ¡°When our mother suddenly passed, Irene swore to protect me. Back then I asked her, ¡®Irene, you¡¯re a woman too. How can you be this strong?¡¯ And do you know how she answered?¡± When Hayden pursed his lips and stared at Belle in silence, she continued, ¡°She told me, ¡®I never cared about being a woman. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve discarded my sex. Before anything, I¡¯m a Theorin knight.¡¯ A knight¡ªshe was the greatest knight ever! She¡¯s an incredible person who gave up on ordinary happiness! How does it make sense to hand over someone like that¡­?¡± Belle huffed as she tried to catch her breath and bit her lips. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories of that day came rushing back at her. She couldn¡¯t forget the smile on Irene¡¯s face as the latter held her hands. ¡°I received our mother¡¯s will to protect you no matter what! That was the only wish mother had before she passed on. It¡¯s a promise that can¡¯t be broken, especially not after all the dark clouds that hung over the royal family. To protect you, I¡­¡± Hayden shouted, as he grabbed Belle by the shoulders. Chapter 22 He appealed to Belle by reminding her of their mother, who departed soon after the passing of the two elder princes. Hayden also conveniently omitted the fact that by giving up Irene, he¡¯d been able to minimize the amount of tribute they had to pay for their failed war. ¡°Yes, I know. But Irene is our cousin and the daughter of Count Voltern, a family that contributed to the founding of Theorin and was the first queen¡¯s family. Moreover¡­¡± ¡°Belle, stop it. I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Hayden warned. ¡°She was also your fianc¨¦e. Of course, that must be why she was the only one who could replace the princess.¡± ¡°I told you to stop!¡± Hayden sighed and turned away to avoid having to see Belle¡¯s tears. ¡°Yes, as you said, the only plausible substitute was Irene. So, what was I supposed to do? Should I have ignored my mother¡¯s will?¡± ¡°So what? Is that promise so great that you had to throw away someone who stood as a pillar of this country?¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Hayden¡¯s brow furrowed, as he turned back to stare at Belle. ¡°Irene is far more important than someone like me who only spends her time reading books, embroidering, and enjoying tea time!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°We needed Irene more than anything to rebuild the shaken foundations of our kingdom.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why uncle has been summoned to the capital.¡± ¡°Then, who¡¯ll protect the South that borders the other kingdoms? Our seven-year-old first cousins?¡± ¡°Stop being sarcastic,¡± Hayden sighed, as he nervously swept back his hair. He couldn¡¯t deny that Belle¡¯s words stung. ¡°Even a girl who¡¯s ignored for being useless knows about such things. What about the men who¡¯re lauded as great and awesome people? Did they not know? Are they that pathetic?¡± Belle continued to press on as Hayden grew increasingly perplexed. She hoped that if she persisted, then perhaps he¡¯d listen to her someday. ¡°Irene only ever lived with one goal in her mind. Who can guarantee she won¡¯t fall apart? What if she makes an irreversible choice?¡± ¡°I told you to stop. Irene is someone who wouldn¡¯t even consider this to be an ordeal. She¡¯ll be waiting for her next order, just as she always does,¡± Hayden insisted. He was confident Irene would never fall apart no matter what happened to her. He believed she would¡¯ve made the same decision if given a choice, which is why he had no qualms when he made his decision. She would surely return to him without a problem. He had received the request for the annulment of their engagement, but¡­ ¡°Do you think she doesn¡¯t have a heart? That she has no feelings? How could you think like that?¡± ¡°Belle, stop it! If you say one more thing, I¡¯ll be angry.¡± ¡°Be angry! As much as you want! But before that, bring Irene back! Bring her back!¡± Hayden realized his younger sister wouldn¡¯t easily let go of this matter, and he expected the war of attrition between them would last for quite some time. That is, until all his plans abruptly changed the very next day. ¡°Brother! Brother!¡± Belle yelled, as she tenaciously chased after him down the hallway. ¡°Belle, please!¡± Hayden sighed, as he unfurled the scroll that had just been delivered. Suddenly, he abruptly halted his steps. ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll go and bring Irene back myself. Just sit tight, wait here, and stay out of trouble.¡± ¡°Does that make sense now? Going there yourself is the same as abandoning the kingdom¡­¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I have to show sincerity for them to give Irene back?¡± Hayden¡¯s drifted back to the words printed on the scroll: New gold mine discovered in the Kerman region. Chapter 23 The rumors Wellan heard the moment he entered the palace were shocking, and he immediately headed straight towards Ravello instead of the crown prince¡¯s office, which was located in the main palace, Isol¨¦. ¡°I heard something happened last night,¡± Wellen began. ¡°Oh, Sir Wellen, about that¡­¡± Zeckley, an attendant, stammered in embarrassment. ¡°I-I certainly heard a voice demanding that clothes be taken off¡­¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°He emerged from the room shortly thereafter.¡± ¡°Did he look very uncomfortable?¡± ¡°He did.¡± An awkward silence fell between the two, as the men exchanged glances and nodded. After a moment, Wellen asked, ¡°Where¡¯s His Highness now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still in the room. I think he fell into a deep sleep.¡± After Wellen made his way to the room where Kael was resting, he swallowed nervously as he prepared his heart. Then, with a polite knock, he entered the room and said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s Wellen.¡± Seated at the tea table, Kael, who¡¯d had difficulty sleeping from the excitement from the night, still appeared handsome, albeit a little rough. He was surrounded by piles of romance novels strewn across the table. It was clear he hadn¡¯t slept until morning. ¡°Good morning, Your Highness,¡± Wellen greeted again. Without looking up at Wellen, Kael added honey to his steaming cup of tea and remarked, ¡°You¡¯ve deviated from your morning routine to come visit me here.¡± ¡°I need to see Your Highness early in order to finish my work quickly, given all the extra work as a result of the war.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie through your teeth,¡± Kael retorted. He deliberately dropped the teaspoon, which clattered against the saucer. Lowering his gaze, he lifted the cup of tea and inhaled the sweet scent of honey wafting from the fragrant tea. After savoring the scent, he began to sip the sweetened tea. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I understand, Your Highness,¡± Wellen said. ¡°What¡¯re you curious about?¡± Kael asked in disgust, as he kept his gaze fixed on the auburn-hued tea. He didn¡¯t want to be confronted by Wellen¡¯s cunning behavior and was put off by his aide¡¯s voice. Placing the teacup back on the saucer, he began to tap the table. ¡°Pardon? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know, especially when it¡¯s all your fault.¡± ¡°What did I do? I only told the servant that the crown prince wanted to see Irene M. Voltern. Oh, I might¡¯ve mentioned that you appointed her.¡± The moment Irene¡¯s name came out of Wellen¡¯s mouth, Kale¡¯s eyes turned ferocious. He¡¯d already been burning with a sense of possessiveness, and it was unpleasant to hear her name uttered by another man. After a moment, he asked, ¡°And exactly when did I appoint her?¡± ¡°You specifically pointed her out when you reviewed that list,¡± Wellen replied, as he squared his shoulders and slightly puffed out his chest. The unremorseful smile on his face starkly contrasted his tone of voice, which seemed to suggest he was a victim who¡¯d been unfairly framed. ¡°I must be too lenient with you all. All of you are conspirators!¡± Kael growled. ¡°In general, words are passed on and misunderstandings may arise as the message gets passed between people. Nonetheless, I apologize. I should¡¯ve exercised more care. I made a mistake.¡± When Kael fixed a scary gaze on Wellen, he quickly admitted his mistake, lowered his head, and bit his lip. Still, privately he thought he¡¯d done nothing wrong. ¡®Since he didn¡¯t let her go, he must¡¯ve had a good time, right? Then, why¡¯s he in such a bad mood¡­ Oh!¡¯ As if he¡¯d had an epiphany, Wellen lifted his head to look at Kael and asked, ¡°Did you finish in 3 seconds?¡± Caught off guard by Wellen¡¯s indelicate question, Kael immediately spat out the mouthful of tea he¡¯d just sipped and choked loudly at Wellen¡¯s indelicate question. His aide casually picked up a napkin from the table and wiped Kael¡¯s face. ¡°Your Highness has only ever read books about it and this probably was your first time. At first, it¡¯ll be like that. Don¡¯t blame yourself too much. That¡¯s why I suggested you gain some practice beforehand,¡± Wellen chimed. Chapter 24 After a lengthy pause, Kael said, ¡°Wellen.¡± ¡°Yes? Y-Your Highness?¡± Wellen said with an awkward smile, as he crumpled the napkin in his hand. ¡°Earlier you said words are passed on and misunderstandings may arise¡­ I want to get rid of you right now. Tell me, where should I convey these words, such that a misunderstanding might arise that you should be killed? If not¡­¡± As Kael traced off, he gracefully moved his long fingers to pick up the butter knife. When Wellen slowly retreated a step backwards, Kael ordered, ¡°Stop right there.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Do you want your throat slit?¡± Wellen watched Kael shove the butter knife into a scone, and he reflexively wrapped his hands around his neck and shook his head. He didn¡¯t have any intention of dying early. After all, he¡¯d yet to marry his fianc¨¦, Archel, or conceive a child. ¡°I need you to come closer¡­¡± Kael grinned, as he leaned back and rested his elbows on the armrests, while he crossed his hands and propped up his chin. He wore a dazzling smile on his cheeky face, but his eyes lacked mirth. ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± Wellen replied, as he briskly moved to take a cautious seat across from Kael. ¡°Listen carefully. Nothing happened last night, so don¡¯t spread any rumors. Rather, state the results of your research.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you mean nothing happened?¡± ¡°Do you really want me to let go of this knife and stab it into your neck?¡± ¡°Ahem. Since Your Highness had expressed an interest, I voluntarily did some research.¡± Kael nodded as he lowered the butter knife and placed it back on the table. Even if he wanted to hide something from Wellen, at most he¡¯d manage for three or four days. Kael simply couldn¡¯t win against Wellen and his impressive wit. Rather than telling his aide that the night with Irene wasn¡¯t much, Kael thought it was better to talk about the incident in a brazen manner. ¡°Irene M. Voltern¡ª25 years of age¡ªis the eldest daughter of the Count of Voltern. She¡¯s had two previous engagements, both of which have been terminated. The most recent engagement was with the current king of Theorin¡­¡± As Wellen continued to recite his findings on Irene¡¯s basic profile, Kael maintained a dry expression on his face. However, from time to time, he would grip the armrests so tightly that his knuckles turned white, or clench his fists to the point that his veins popped out. ¡°¡­ And this concludes the report.¡± Seeing the crown prince deeply immersed in his thoughts as he pondered over the information, Wellen decided to ramp up his casual teasing of the crown prince to the next level by pointing towards the stack of novels near the tea table. He said, ¡°Maybe you should refer to the duke from the novel.¡± ¡°Should I? Compared to the duke from the novel¡­ Hmm¡­ Yeah, but the baron from the novel, ¡®The Baron¡¯s Gardener¡¯ is what kind of¡ª¡± Kael immediately bit the inside of his mouth when he realized he¡¯d been had by Wellen. He had put up a front and acted brazenly earlier, but Wellen¡¯s prodding caused him to slip up when he wasn¡¯t paying attention. It felt as if Wellen had just discovered his secret diary. Kael took a sip of tea to soothe his nerves, but it was for nothing since the tea had lost its taste after cooling. ¡°I put a lot of effort into my research since I thought you were interested in her talent, but¡­ It seems you¡¯re taking care of the request in Her Majesty¡¯s letter instead. This is good too.¡± ¡°This is a hobby,¡± Kael firmly denied, as he glanced at the stack of books. ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s your¡­ hobby.¡± Wellen arched an eyebrow and his curious gaze pierced Kael. ¡®He clearly spent the night studying up on relationships. He¡¯s a terrible liar. Dearest mother and father, it seems that spring has finally come for the crown prince!¡¯ Chapter 25 ¡®I was too careless.¡¯ Overcome with embarrassment, Kael desperately avoided Wellen¡¯s eyes and pretended he didn¡¯t understand the look behind it. Still, after spending so many years with Wellen, how could he possibly not know what Wellen meant? He¡¯d basically admitted that he had a crush, and Wellen would undoubtedly tease him for it. Feeling his face flush red, Kael fanned his face and remarked, ¡°Is it because of the hearth? It feels rather hot.¡± ¡°Oh! There¡¯s one more thing I forgot to mention about the lady. It seems both enroute here and upon our arrival, the lady hasn¡¯t been eating much. The food served has almost always been returned untouched. Also, she hasn¡¯t been stepping out of her room at all.¡± Upset, Kael clicked his tongue when Wellen¡¯s words confirmed his concerns were reality. He¡¯d hoped that she wouldn¡¯t fall apart from the sudden sense of loss inflicted upon her by others, but it appeared that she was burying her pain in order to put up a strong front. Breathing out deeply, he said, ¡°Set up a time for me to meet with Irene officially, and make sure to offer a formal apology to her. Also, know that this infraction of yours has resulted in a three-month pay cut.¡± ¡°Yes, I will¡ª¡± ¡°I think today¡¯s lunch would work well,¡± Kael coldly spat, interrupting Wellen before his aide could finish. Then, without waiting for a response, Kael wordlessly stood up and strode out of the room. As soon as the crown prince was out of view, Wellen beat the cushion on his chair and burst out in laughter. With a goofy smile on his face, he rubbed his ears and wondered if Kael¡¯s attempt to casually suggest lunch with Irene had been the crown prince¡¯s real objective. Rather than the punishment he¡¯d incurred, learning that the crown prince had fallen in love far outweighed the concern he had for the implied threat on his life. ¡°I guess you really want to die.¡± Unlike his icy tone, the crown prince wore a smile so bright that it resembled the morning sun, as he waggled a finger at his aide and said, ¡°Come here.¡± ¡°Y-Your Highness?¡± Wellen stammered in surprise. Had his celebrations been premature? Wellen did his best to plaster on a smile even though he felt like he was walking the plank. When Wellen was within arm¡¯s reach, Kael lunged at him and growled, ¡°I¡¯ll just kill you.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. Nooo!¡± Wellen cried. He dodged Kael, dashed past Jackley and Jean, and ran down the hallway. When Kael¡¯s gaze turned to Jean and Jackley, who were both shaking their heads and sighing as they watched Wellen make his escape, he said, ¡°Everyone involved in last night¡¯s fiasco will be punished, meaning both of you will also be held accountable.¡± ¡°Understood. We¡¯ll immediately collect the names and report it to you.¡± Jackley and Jean nervously swallowed as they felt Kael¡¯s cold energy pressing down on them as he looked them up and down. When the crown prince finally walked away, they exchanged glances and thought about how a wind of change would soon blow through Ravello. * * * Despite the brief commotion that morning, Irene didn¡¯t stir in her sleep. Once the morning¡¯s events settled, Ravello palace fell silent once more. Only a barely noticeable ambient noise of servants could be heard as they quietly attended to their duties, which helped lull Irene into an even deeper sleep. ¡°It¡¯ll be noon soon,¡± Jean remarked with worry. By the time the sun had risen high in the sky, Irene still showed no signs of waking. Concerned, the head maid gently cracked the door open and stepped into Kael¡¯s bedroom. As she moved inside, her eyes caught sight of the silver hair scattered on the pillow and she could hear the sounds of slow, steady breathing. ¡°Was she that tired?¡± Wondering whether some sunlight might wake Irene, Jean made her way towards the window. However, just as she was about to pull the curtain, the woman with the shiny hair abruptly sat up in bed and cried, ¡°Ack!¡± Chapter 26 Irene jumped up and looked around in a panic, as if afraid an assassin had entered. Her unfamiliar surroundings momentarily threw her off balance, but she quickly regained her bearings when her eye identified the tapestry that had caught her eye the moment she entered this room. Steadying her breath, she lightly sighed, ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Did you have a nightmare? I didn¡¯t think it was possible with how soundly asleep you were,¡± Jean remarked, as she walked over after opening the curtains. Sweeping back the hair that had spilled over her face, Irene turned away with a slight flinch of the shoulders. Her senses had never been dulled like this before, and she was rather embarrassed to have been caught off guard. ¡°Not a nightmare¡­¡± Irene coughed a few times, surprised by the croaky voice that came from her. The hoarseness that indicated she¡¯d just awoken from a deep sleep wasn¡¯t what bothered her. Rather, she could hardly believe she¡¯d rested at all. ¡®When did I fall asleep?¡¯ No matter how she tried to remember, she had no memory of falling asleep. It was the first time she¡¯d slept so well in an unfamiliar space. ¡°Did you sleep well last night?¡± Jean asked, as she handed Irene a glass of water and checked the young woman¡¯s complexion. Having taken a sip of water, Irene raised the glass back to her lips a second time and tried to hide her embarrassment. ¡®How can I possibly say that it wasn¡¯t just comfortable, but that I slept so soundly that I can¡¯t even remember when I fell asleep?¡¯ Irene thought. When she lowered her glass, Irene fiddled with the hem of the blanket and nodded in response to Jean¡¯s question. The soft texture of the blanket oddly brought her a sense of peace. ¡°And did His Highness treat you well?¡± When Irene nodded a second time, Jean smiled gently and added, ¡°His Majesty was raised in an imperial family that¡¯s more harmonious than other royal families, so he¡¯s a kind and friendly person by nature. I guess I was worried for no reason.¡± Knowing that the crown prince had grown increasingly restrained in expressing his affections as he grew older, the head maid made a secret appeal on his behalf. However, Jean¡¯s meaning flew straight over Irene¡¯s head. ¡°I see¡­¡± Irene nodded. If she was being honest, she was still so confused she couldn¡¯t tell whether what Jean said was good or bad. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be noon soon. You must have been very tired.¡± Irene¡¯s eyes trembled in confusion, and she pulled on the robe that was about to slip off her shoulder to tighten it. In a small, dismayed voice, she muttered to herself, ¡°That¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s not like a sleeping candle was burned.¡± If sleeping incense or candle had been lit, the training she¡¯d had since childhood would¡¯ve kicked in and Irene would¡¯ve awoken after detecting the unique smell. Instead, she¡¯d experienced the deepest sleep of her life. Had she ever slept in until noon before? No, this was definitely a first. As a knight, Irene¡¯s senses were always trained to detect the slightest sound. ¡®How could I sleep so deeply in an unfamiliar environment after everything that happened last night?¡¯ It frankly terrified her. ¡°Your meal has been prepared,¡± Jean said, as she flitted about tidying up the room. Hearing Jean¡¯s voice, Irene immediately snapped out of her thoughts. ¡°No. Marie, my servant will be concerned,¡± she said. ¡°I wish to return to my quarters. Oh¡­ Or did His Highness request that I remain here?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say that, but His Highness wanted to have a meal with you.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Recently, Irene found meals to be the most difficult part of her day. No matter what she ate, her throat felt like it was closing up on itself and she lost her appetite. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ¨C An Invitation Presented with an invitation to lunch, Irene briefly hesitated before she said, ¡°I will decline.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decline the invitation. If it¡¯s an order, then¡­ I¡¯m disobeying it.¡± Though she was normally an expert at maintaining a neutral expression, a perplexed look flashed across Jean¡¯s face from Irene¡¯s firm refusal. ¡°Oh, okay then¡­ In that case, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°If you deliver this message¡­ You¡¯d be in trouble, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Irene asked, as she climbed off the bed and stood up. Jean hurriedly wrapped a thick robe around Irene¡¯s shoulders to stave off the cold and carefully said, ¡°I can¡¯t say that I won¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Yes, because that¡¯s just how it is,¡± Irene agreed. As she tied the robe to secure it in place, she gave a nod to indicate her thanks to Jean and offered a faint smile. On account of the lesson she¡¯d been taught the night before, Irene had considered refusing the invitation. However, the moment she looked at Jean¡¯s face, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if what she was doing was wrong. Even if it was a trivial order, Jean would be reprimanded for failing to carry it out. Irene thought, ¡®I don¡¯t want to embarrass others with something that¡¯s unimportant.¡¯ ¡°Then, would you like to accept?¡± Jean asked. ¡°If it¡¯s already noon, then we must hurry. There isn¡¯t much time left to prepare.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment. I¡¯ll have you dressed up in no time.¡± * * * While Irene was adjusting to the unfamiliar Perkan attire Jean had prepared for her, Kael was meditating on the report he¡¯d received that morning as he waited for her arrival. ¡°Those two fianc¨¦s sure took advantage of her¡­¡± he muttered. Kael had already expected it after seeing Irene, but hearing Wellen¡¯s report had still shaken him. A person who received proper care, respect, and comfort from their partner wouldn¡¯t have had eyes like hers. If someone had been there to understand and share in Irene¡¯s suffering and feelings, then she wouldn¡¯t have had to cut off her basic emotions and desperately cling to her need to fulfill her orders in order to become stronger. He recalled the emptiness in her eyes, reflecting how Irene didn¡¯t even acknowledge her own mind and suppressed her emotions. It deeply saddened him, and he tapped his fingers against the armrest in annoyance. The whole situation left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he felt the rage he barely suppressed from the night before rekindle. ¡°If I knew how rotten it all was, I would¡¯ve just killed them all. A withered tree, an insensible beauty¡­ How dare they call her that?¡± Kael growled through gritted teeth. These were all disparaging nicknames used to mock Irene among the Theorin social circles. ¡°Your Highness, are you planning to kill someone?¡± Wellen asked in bemusement, as he entered the dining room. He thought if a child could see Kael¡¯s face at this moment, they would¡¯ve burst into tears or wet themselves. With a light shrug of the shoulders, he stared at Kael and raised the corners of his lips into a smile. However, the bigger Wellen¡¯s smile grew, the more grievous and uglier Kael¡¯s face became. ¡°Now, now. Please follow my lead. Come on, like this. She won¡¯t have a good time if you¡¯re like this. How can anyone eat when faced with a person wearing an expression like that?¡± ¡°So? Should I smile like this then?¡± ¡°Never mind. Please don¡¯t smile anymore, Your Highness.¡± Watching Kael¡¯s facial muscles tremble pitifully as he forced a smile, Wellen quickly withdrew his suggestion. Displeased with Wellen¡¯s reaction, Kael crossed his arms, glared and asked, ¡°Why¡¯re you here?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I be? I need to be fed too.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re eating here.¡± Chapter 28 ¡°I came to apologize. And if I¡¯m to be honest, I wanted to see her in person too. I traveled along with the group that descended on the capital, so I never crossed paths with her. Then, as soon as negotiations were complete, I headed straight to Voltern to pick up Your Highness and was swamped with the preparations to return home,¡± Wellen whined, as he contorted his body and begged. ¡°Why would you need to see her? Just hand over what you have in your hands and scram. As for the apology, put in a formal request and do it properly.¡± ¡°Sheesh! Your Highness is so mean. Anyhow, this is the second reminder sent by Her Majesty, the empress. I¡¯ve replied to her that you found a good person¡ª¡± ¡°Have you lost your marbles?¡± ¡°Rumors have already spread¡ªshe¡¯s bound to find out sooner or later.¡± ¡°I recall that I clearly stated that what happened last night was a misunderstanding. Forget it, just leave. And don¡¯t ever tell Her Majesty about her. Leaving it as a rumor is much better.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m taking my leave as you ordered. But before that, please let me leave you one piece of advice¡ªplease act as you are. You can simply act according to your natural self.¡± Kael fell silent after hearing Wellen¡¯s advice. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know what I mean¡­¡± Although Kael appeared rough and cold on the outside, that was only when he was working. Having affectionate parents, Kael was raised in a loving environment. Heavily influenced by his parents from childhood, Kael was immeasurably kind and compassionate towards those he recognized as his people, and he didn¡¯t hesitate in giving them everything they wanted. As a child, he would openly express his feelings in a direct manner, having never learned any other way. However, as heir to the empire, he soon learned that he couldn¡¯t survive if he displayed his true self. Through years of training, Kael learned to reign in his emotions. Eventually, it became such an ingrained part of his daily routine that he began to have difficulty expressing his emotions except towards those who were already close to him. ¡°Just as I am¡­¡± ¡°Yes, just as you are, Your Highness. Now, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡®Hmm¡­ If I were to express all of my feelings for her, there wouldn¡¯t be enough time even if I followed her around for the rest of my life.¡¯ To others, his worries would seem unfounded, but to Kael, it was an unavoidable concern. He¡¯d denied all the women who approached him with an unwavering heart up until now. However, now he¡¯d met Irene, a breathtaking and heartbreaking woman, he wanted to offer her the heart that he¡¯d kept so well in its entirety. ¡°Your Highness, Lady Irene has arrived,¡± an attendant announced. ¡°Let her in,¡± Kael answered, as he stood up from his seat. When the door opened, Irene appeared in an ivory dress embellished with a blue ribbon waistband. The sight of her took Kael¡¯s breath away and his head felt dizzy for a moment. Secretly catching his breath, he said, ¡°Welcome.¡± ¡°Thank you for the invitation,¡± Irene greeted, as she lifted her dress and bent her knees with awkward gestures. ¡°Please, come this way.¡± After skillfully responding to Irene, Kael approached her with the intent of fulfilling his gentlemanly duties to escort her to the table. He gestured towards the table and waited. However, things did not proceed as he expected. ¡®Why isn¡¯t she moving?¡¯ Both of them blankly stared at each other as the same question simultaneously popped into their heads. Silence descended between them as they both waited for the other to move, until they both opened their mouths and spoke at the same time. ¡°Go.¡± ¡°Please go.¡± Chapter 29 An uncomfortable silence filled the space again, as they awkwardly regarded one another. ¡®Did I perhaps do something wrong? I think I did it properly, just as I¡¯d been taught¡­¡¯ Kael panicked. This was his first time escorting a woman outside of his family, so he was confused by Irene¡¯s lack of reaction. After taking a moment to reflect on the problem, he took a couple steps forward and said, ¡°Um, this way.¡± When Irene followed after him, he vaguely realized that Irene had likely never been escorted by a man before. ¡®I definitely should¡¯ve wiped them all out,¡¯ Kael inwardly cursed, as he reached to pull out a chair for Irene. Unfortunately, Irene had also reached out for the chair. Their hands unintentionally bumped up against each other, causing them to freeze in place. Both fell silent again, though this time the corners of their mouths both twitched from the sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Please sit down.¡± When they both suggested the same thing to each other, another stretch of silence emerged between them. ¡®Didn¡¯t he come this way to sit down?¡¯ Irene thought, puzzled. While it was natural for men to escort ladies, Irene had never experienced anything of the like in her life. Rather, it¡¯d been her duty to escort the crown prince while she served as a knight in the royal castle. Irene had intended to do the same for Kael, since he was heading towards the same place as her. ¡°Lady Irene, how about you take this seat?¡± ¡°After you. Your Highness is the crown prince.¡± ¡°In Perkan, the lady comes first. Is it not like that in Theorin?¡± Unable to respond, Irene¡¯s eyes quivered in response to his question. ¡®Come to think of it¡­¡¯ With some embarrassment, she realized that Theorin shared this same custom. Wordlessly, she sat down on the chair that Kael pulled out for her. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯d like to express my apologies. The lady¡¯s reputation was greatly affected by last night¡¯s events¡ªit was a big mistake on our part,¡± Kael said, as he bowed his head politely. Irene was astonished because she never would¡¯ve imagined the empire¡¯s crown prince would bow his head to someone who was nothing more than a glorified hostage. ¡°No¡­ I apologize,¡± Irene replied haltingly. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for you to apologize, my lady. Rather, I¡¯m more apologetic that you may face even more troublesome matters because of it. I¡¯ve instructed everyone involved to keep their mouths shut, but since this wasn¡¯t a small matter¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± The rumor that Kael, who hadn¡¯t succumbed before even the most beautiful women of the empire, spent the night with Irene had spread throughout the imperial palace like wildfire. His attempts to refute the rumor would be futile and even though nothing had transpired, the spotlight and the empire¡¯s attention were now fixed on Irene. ¡°What do you mean by troublesome matters?¡± ¡°From the moment I was designated as the crown prince, the subject of who¡¯ll be the crown princess has been a topic that has captivated everyone¡¯s interest.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ve already experienced something similar back in my kingdom and overcame it without any issues,¡± Irene replied in a relaxed tone. ¡°Then, I won¡¯t feel too apologetic about it.¡± Kael¡¯s gaze sharpened and his tone came out colder than he¡¯d intended when he recalled what he¡¯d learned about Irene¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦s earlier that day. His simmering rage threatened to bubble to the surface again, fueled by the subtle jealousy he felt towards those two men. However, when he noticed Irene subtly frown at his frigid tone, he quickly fixed his expression. Clearing his throat, Kael attempted to feign normalcy and asked, ¡°How¡¯s your stay here in Perkan? Are you adapting well?¡± Chapter 30 Despite his best efforts to appear nonchalant, he couldn¡¯t control the soft smile that crept onto his face, or the kindness that was inadvertently revealed from his tone of voice. Wellen¡¯s earlier efforts to encourage Kael to smile had been unnecessary, as Kael¡¯s desire to treat Irene kindly made him unconsciously treat her with warmth. ¡°I like it because the weather is nicer here,¡± Irene replied dryly. Though she chose to ignore Kael¡¯s earlier coldness, she remained cognizant of his tone and answered with short responses. She wasn¡¯t a talkative person by nature, and this held especially true when she was in front of her superiors. ¡°It¡¯s still winter here and yet you think it¡¯s nicer here¡­ That¡¯s understandable since Theorin¡¯s winters are extremely cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s also the reason why we start our wars in winter.¡± Kael nodded thoughtfully as he studied Irene¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t been able to get a proper look at her the night before, but in the daylight it was clear that she¡¯d lost significant weight. Peeling his worried gaze away from her, he rang the bell beside him to signal that their meal should be served. ¡°Theorin¡¯s people are strong in winter battles, which is rare. Won¡¯t you miss it?¡± he asked. ¡°Does that matter?¡± ¡°For you, the winter here must be lukewarm.¡± ¡°I feel fortunate to have e to the Empire.¡± Unbothered by Irene¡¯s concise but apathetic response, Kael bantered with a mischievous look, ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about leaving one¡¯s home country.¡± ¡°Some things can only be achieved by leaving.¡± ¡°So, what did you gain?¡± ¡°Days where I have nothing to do and¡­¡± Irene trailed off, and whispered the rest of her unfinished sentence in her thoughts, ¡®Time that I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to spend.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t bring herself to voice it aloud because she loathed sounding weak. It was enough to show her weakness in front of Marie alone. Instead, she matched Kael¡¯s gaze and resumed in a clear tone, ¡°Days where I have nothing to do and time I can spend lazing away. The days spent in Theorin were too busy.¡± Irene¡¯s hesitation hadn¡¯t escaped Kael¡¯s eyes, but he didn¡¯t press her. With a faint smirk, he replied, ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve heard about how famous you are. I also know that Theorin¡¯s wars have continued without end in recent years. Now, let¡¯s start eating. The palace chef is very skilled and the desserts are particularly excellent.¡± Impeccably decorated appetizers of fresh vegetables, grown with care in the greenhouse, and appetite-stimulating hot soup had been placed in front of them. Kael gestured to Irene to pick up her utensils and dig in. ¡°Tell me if there¡¯s something that you like and I¡¯ll inform the kitchen,¡± he added, as he scooped up a spoonful of the savory smelling soup. ¡°I see¡­¡± Irene replied, as she suddenly realized the appetizer had been set on the table. ¡°There¡¯s nothing that I dislike.¡± The sweet gaze the crown prince directed at her puzzled Irene. ¡®He¡¯s different from yesterday¡­ But in what way? I think his tone of voice was already like that, but¡­¡¯ What Irene couldn¡¯t have known was that Kael spoke to her in a tone he never used with others¡ªespecially women. He usually adopted a sharp tone when speaking with women out of fear of giving them false hope should he address them kindly. Unable to express her feelings or question Kael on it, Irene pushed aside her thoughts and held her spoon. Still, she couldn¡¯t quite shake off the strange feeling. Chapter 31 ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Kael nodded. Irene had picked up her spoon, but she showed little sign of putting food into her mouth. Nonetheless, Kael didn¡¯t point it out. He¡¯d invited her to lunch because he thought she might eat a little more than usual if he did so. Since his intention wasn¡¯t to force her to eat, he simply observed. ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m having a good meal time.¡± ¡°You must be very busy,¡± Irene politely responded, as she lifted a small spoonful of soup to her mouth and pretended to eat. ¡®Huh? It¡¯s delicious¡­ Is my appetite returning?¡¯ Her eyes widened slightly, but quickly returned to normal. Even drinking water had felt unfortable for her not that long ago, to the point that she began to wonder if her sense of taste had disappeared. Oddly enough, she felt fine now. She was even a little happy that she was able to enjoy the taste of the simple yet savory soup. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m quite busy. My parents have taken a trip down south with Marquis Charis and his wife.¡± ¡°I heard that you were delegated the full authority of His Majesty, the emperor.¡± ¡°When you get older, you can¡¯t see what you used to see, and you get to see what you don¡¯t need to see. I¡¯m planning to only work until I¡¯m 45-years-old. So, you must be diligent in your successor studies¡ªthose were my father¡¯s words that I¡¯ve heard and grew up with ever since I was a child,¡± Kael explained with a soft smile, as he watched Irene move her spoon with a quicker pace. ¡°That means you inherited the government early.¡± ¡°My father was right. Besides, it was always his wish to travel and spend time with my mother before he became too old.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve heard the rumors that His Majesty loves Her Majesty very much.¡± ¡°Fortunately, there are only rumors about him being so loving towards my mother,¡± Kael joked with a light shrug. ¡°Pardon?¡± Irene¡¯s eyes widened at Kael¡¯s lighthearted remarks. Kael smiled pleasantly when he caught the flash of surprise expressed on Irene¡¯s normally impassive face. As he lowered his spoon, he also took note with some satisfaction that Irene¡¯s bowl was almost empty. ¡°You look great in Perkan attire,¡± Kael mused aloud, ¡°though I think the Theorin garbs still suit you better.¡± At the sudden change of topic, Irene lowered her gaze to glance down at her clothes. It was the first time she had worn Perkan clothing, so she¡¯d no way of assessing whether it suited her or not. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied without much thought. ¡®Is she fortable receiving pliments like this when she was obviously so awkward about receiving an escort earlier? Come to think of it, she had a similar reaction that time I plimented her on her beauty,¡¯ Kael wondered, feeling perturbed by Irene¡¯s bland and careless response. Unbeknownst to Kael, Irene simply didn¡¯t believe that Kael¡¯s words were true. The central aristocrats in Theorin often changed their words¡ªpraising her to her face, yet disparaging her for her lack of femininity behind her back. Having grown accustomed to such treatment, Irene developed a habit to overlook the pliments she received from others. Even if Kael¡¯s words were sincere, she reacted to them in the same manner by default. ¡°If it¡¯s not rude, may I say something?¡± Irene asked after some hesitation. ¡°Of course,¡± Kael replied with a light nod. He waited with uneasiness, though he showed no signs of it on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve accepted the apology you offered earlier. However¡­¡± Irene raised her head to gaze at the servants that had gathered to serve the next course¡ªamong them stood Emilla. She watched the girl blink nervously under her cold gaze and thought, ¡®I did warn you that I hold my grudges, Emilla Hustler. Oh, did I mention that I can stoop low too?¡¯ She wasn¡¯t about to overlook the disrespect that she¡¯d received while being groomed. After taking a sip from the glass of water placed next to her, Irene continued, ¡°There¡¯s one vexing matter that I feel pelled to mention.¡± Chapter 32 Having no reason to be subtle, Irene¡¯s expression noticeably sharpened. If she didn¡¯t e out with confidence now, it would be like she was tacitly accepting Emilla¡¯s accusations¡ªthe thought made her put even more strength into her eyes. When Irene¡¯s mild energy suddenly sharpened and intensified, Kael felt his body tremble. ¡°Tell me,¡± Kael said in an even tone, as he cocked an eyebrow. His hands and feet were tingling with excitement at seeing Irene¡¯s dignified spirit rise once more. It felt just like the time he¡¯d seen her standing on the battlefield. ¡°There¡¯s a maid who regards the crown prince¡¯s authority as hers¡±¡ªclank!¡ª¡°it seems the Empire is a place where a maiden wields her master¡¯s power as if it were hers.¡± Irene deftly ignored the sharp clank that interrupted her and continued to speak without hesitation. ¡°My apologies¡­¡± Emilla stammered. She trembled as she bent down to retrieve the silver tray that had fallen to the floor. ¡°That certainly doesn¡¯t seem to match the customs of the Empire,¡± Kael answered, as he casually glanced over at Emilla. ¡°She also asserted that my soldiers were sexual beasts that mock their superiors. As she put it, I was the one that relieved them of their sexual desires¡­¡± ¡°Who dared say such an arrogant thing?¡± In contrast to his casual tone of voice, anger was rapidly rising within Kael as if he¡¯d been the one that was insulted. Irene steadied her breath and raised her head proudly. In a leisurely tone, she continued, ¡°As nothing more than a hostage, what can I say even if she insults me? I know I have no choice but to be patient. However, she was trying to offer me, who she considers as a prostitute for beasts, to Your Highness.¡± Kael watched as Emilla turned and tried to quietly excuse herself from the room. However, when she accidentally met his gaze and her eyes widened in fear, Kael lifted one corner of his mouth into a smirk and said, ¡°I¡¯m no different than a beast.¡± ¡°As a mere hostage, I¡¯ve hardly any reputation left to be ruined, but I¡¯m concerned that such rumors would end up troubling Your Highness.¡± ¡°Indeed. Contempt of the imperial family isn¡¯t something to be taken lightly. You have my gratitude for informing me of this matter, so that I may set it right.¡± Kael felt his affection for Irene grow stronger¡ªnot only was she qualified as a standard military officer, she was also skilled as a civil servant. She wielded sarcasm effectively to corner her opponent, leaving them trapped with no option of escape. ¡®It would be unwise for anyone to make her an enemy,¡¯ he thought with admiration. If Irene had been at the negotiating table after the war, a resolution wouldn¡¯t have been so easily reached. It was being increasingly evident that Irene being kept at the Voltern borders during the war had been a godsend. ¡°Soldiers dissatisfied with me would lodge a protest with my father, Count Voltern, since that was the quickest way to resolve the problem. I simply took a cue from their books and did the same,¡± Irene replied. The faint smile on her lips seemed to reflect that she¡¯d received the answer she¡¯d been waiting for, and was not waiting to see how Kael intended to resolve it. ¡°My aide, Wellen, writes letters to my mother and father whenever he has spare time,¡± Kael began. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do to call on His and Her Majesty¡¯s authority while they¡¯re away on pleasure though.¡± ¡°On the contrary¡ªthere¡¯s nothing they value more. It¡¯s best to depend on their power.¡± Seemingly satisfied, Irene smiled softly and lowered her gaze. The sunlight pouring through the window caught the tips of her eyelashes, which shimmered like the moon. Kael felt captivated by the scene and it took him a moment to gather his wits. After blinking a few times, he turned to look at Emilla, who was frozen in place like a statue. ¡°Why¡¯re you idling there instead of getting out?¡± He spoke in a harsh but even tone, and though he hadn¡¯t raised his voice or used sharp words, it carried a lot of pressure. Chapter 33 ¡°Y-Your Highness.¡± ¡°I hate those who waste my time. Do I need to have you dragged out in order for you to leave, Emilla Hustler?¡± Everyone who worked in Ravello, from those in high stations down to those who did the smallest of chores, were known to the crown prince, and he would address them by name on occasion. The servants were always delighted when the crown prince recognized them, but Emilla couldn¡¯t possibly be happy at this moment. ¡°I-I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Emilla stammered through clenched teeth. She backed away while trembling in fear, but not before she unrepentantly shot a murderous glare at Irene. Naturally, her glare was ignored by Irene as if it was nothing. It would later e to light that Emilla was never seen again on palace grounds after leaving her post that day. Rumors stated that she¡¯d been spotted wandering the streets while blinded in one eye, but that would all e to pass much later. Peace returned with Emilla¡¯s departure, and the meal continued after the brief motion had concluded. The room was filled with the harmonious sounds of amicable conversation and the gently clanking of dishes, and even the occasional periods of silence felt pleasant. In the blink of an eye, the meal, which was satisfying in many ways for the two of them, was almost over. ¡°As Your Highness said, the chef¡¯s dishes are excellent,¡± Irene mended. It¡¯d been a long time since she¡¯d eaten a proper meal, and her plexion looked much healthier. If Marie had been present, she would¡¯ve broken into a happy dance. ¡°The chef will be proud of you eating well too,¡± Kael replied, using the chef as an excuse to eloquently express his feelings and encouragement. As the prepared desserts marking the final course of the meal were served, he added, ¡°Today¡¯s dessert consists of tropical fruit that has been frozen during import.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Irene¡¯s eyes followed Kael as she watched him get up from his seat, circle the table, and pull a chair over to sit at her side. ¡®What is he going to do?¡¯ Irene silently questioned. It was unclear whether Kael knew of Irene¡¯s thoughts, but he picked up the knife placed in front of her. ¡°You only need to cut the flesh like this and eat it with a spoon,¡± he explained, as he began to expertly slice the fruit. ¡®Why is the Crown Prince himself doing such a troublesome job?¡¯ Dumbfounded by his actions, Irene struggled to understand Kael and stared blankly at him. However, realizing that it was rude to look one¡¯s superior in the eye, she quickly lowered her gaze. ¡°Do I have to feed you?¡± Kael abruptly asked with a mischievous grin. ¡°Pardon?¡± Irene exclaimed. Doubting her ears, her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Kael found Irene¡¯s subdued reaction adorable, and it only served to encourage his playfulness. The impish and childish self that he rarely displayed was slowly being drawn out in front of her. If Jean had been present, she would¡¯ve chided, ¡®You look just like when you were young, Your Highness.¡¯ ¡°Come on. Open your mouth,¡± Kael teased, as he scooped up a bite and held it out towards Irene. ¡°N-No¡­¡± Irene stammered. As she watched the spoon slowly approach her, she intentionally clenched her jaw and pursed her lips. The dignified look she¡¯d diligently maintained instantly collapsed. Finding herself at a loss for the first time, the only thing she could do was blink. ¡°You don¡¯t like it? But I scooped it for you, and my arm hurts now,¡± Kael joked. He could tell by the way Irene¡¯s eyes faintly trembled that she was confused, but he was enjoying this moment with her. Affection shined warmly in his eyes as he carefully studied her. ¡®It¡¯s unbelievable that they called her a withered tree¡­¡¯ he thought. It was clear to him that Irene was a person with many expressions, all of which looked pretty in his eyes. He enjoyed discovering all these little details about her, and made him scorn the Theorin people for giving her such a nonsensical nickname. ¡°Oh, my arm is so tired,¡± he teased. Chapter 34 ¡°Um¡­¡± As she held her breath, Irene¡¯s eyelids blinked rapidly and her heart pounded. When she saw the corners of Kael¡¯s lips lift into an impish grin, she thought, ¡®What am I supposed to do in this kind of situation? Oh!¡¯ However, her panic didn¡¯t last long. Irene had always been naturally gifted with the ability to quickly grasp and resolve the difficulties before her eyes. It didn¡¯t take her long to accurately judge the situation and reach an answer. Thus, the meal that was truly satisfying and enjoyable, in more ways than one, came to an end with a spoon in Kael¡¯s hand¡­ * * * After hearing that the lunch between Kael and Irene had ended smoothly, Wellen made his way to Isol¨¦ after an enjoyable lunch break of his own. However, he blinked in surprise when he ran into the royal physician, who was rarely summoned, on his way to the crown prince¡¯s office. ¡°What¡¯s this? What¡¯re you doing here?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, Sir Wellen! I¡¯m here because¡­ His Highness¡­ is sick.¡± ¡°W-Who? W-What?¡± ¡°His Highness, the crown prince, has¡­ indigestion.¡± Wellen immediately chortled uncontrollably like a madman, as this was the first time he¡¯d ever heard of the crown prince having indigestion. ¡°Is the royal physician talking about our crown prince, who¡¯s never been sick and has never been incapable of digesting anything?¡± Wellen gasped between breaths. Seeing Wellen¡¯s outburst, the royal physician wordlessly snuck away, leaving the crown prince¡¯s aide to clutch at his sides as he doubled over with laughter. The idea of Kael having an upset stomach was so hilarious to Wellen that it took him a while to catch his breath. Something was clearly afoot in the imperial palace and the only thing he could do was pray. Wanting to see Kael¡¯s face as soon as possible, he quickened his pace and stormed towards Kael¡¯s office. ¡°Your Highness! Your Highness!¡± he excitedly shouted, as he burst through the door. ¡°Ugh, my head is ringing,¡± Kael groaned, as he leaned against the couch. His plexion didn¡¯t look too good. ¡°What did Your Highness have for lunch today?¡± Kael clamped his mouth shut and closed his eyes when he saw Wellen¡¯s face. His aide had clearly already heard the news, and keeping mum was the only option he had to avoid further embarrassment. After vomiting up everything he¡¯d eaten, he didn¡¯t have any energy left to deal with Wellen. ¡°I¡¯ll inform everyone to cancel today¡¯s¡­ plans¡­ hah¡­ Your Highness,¡± Wellen said with great difficulty, as he struggled to hold back the laughter threatening to burst out. Then, turning on his heel, he walked out of the office. As soon he walked out the door, booming laughter could be heard from outside. ¡°For crying out loud,¡± Kael spat, as he gritted his teeth and threw the cushion near his feet at the door. Slumping back onto the couch, he muttered, ¡°I was shocked she actually let me feed her.¡± On the surface, the crown prince appeared to be enjoying a leisurely meal with no problems whatsoever, but in reality, he was a bundle of nerves. In the end, his condition was so poor he ended up with indigestion. In a way, it was only natural¡ªafter all, wasn¡¯t this the first time in his 25 years of existence that he¡¯d eaten a meal with a person he fancied? He would be lying if he claimed not to be nervous, and it was this nervousness that had led him to act mischievously. ¡®To think she would startle me so when she¡­¡¯ Not only was Irene excellent at pushing through her difficulties, she was also excellent at startling her opponent. Kael couldn¡¯t forget the expression on Irene¡¯s face when she gamely accepted the spoon he¡¯d offered and casually took a bite. As he recalled the memory of that moment, the corners of his lips twitched and curved upwards. Chapter 35 Ignorant of Kael¡¯s miserable condition, Irene hurried back to Atrichen after the meal ended. Trudging down the pathway she¡¯d taken the night before, her steps unconsciously slowed when she heard the crunch of her foot against the snow. The sound felt like the only familiar thing left an unfamiliar world. When Atrichen palace finally came into view, she spotted Marie standing at the entrance and anxiously awaiting her return. ¡°Oh, my lady!¡± Marie cried, as she rushed out to greet Irene. It had only been one night, but Marie appeared gaunt. In her haste, she forgot to put on a coat as she rushed out into the cold. ¡°Marie¡­¡± ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t weird, was it?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Unable to grasp the gist of Marie¡¯s question, Irene tilted her head in confusion with a slight frown. Leaning in close to Irene¡¯s ear, Marie whispered, ¡°That¡­ That¡­ He didn¡¯t tie you, hit you, or¡­ t-tools¡­ What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ He wasn¡¯t a pervert or anything, right?¡± Irene jerked her head back and stared into Marie¡¯s face, before she lifted her gaze up towards the clear sky above. In that moment, she felt ardent affection for Marie, who must¡¯ve grunted alone all night imagining this and that. Fighting back the smile that threatened to creep onto her face, she assured, ¡°Nothing happened.¡± ¡°Yes?! He really did nothing even after seeing a beautiful lady like you? Could it really be true that he isn¡¯t interested in women?¡± ¡°You sure sound energetic,¡± Irene laughed. ¡°Besides, what kind of rumor is that?¡± ¡°Speaking of¡­¡± Marie paused to eye Irene, before she continued, ¡°Your plexion has improved.¡± ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s strange, Marie.¡± ¡°What¡¯s strange?¡± Irene tugged at her cumbersome dress and began leading Marie back towards Atrichen¡¯s entrance at a relaxed pace. In a curious tone, she said, ¡°As you know, up until recently I¡¯ve always awoken at 5 o¡¯clock and my days would have me constantly on the move. However, since the sudden change in routine, I haven¡¯t had much of an appetite because I sit around all day doing nothing, and because my body doesn¡¯t register as being tired, I haven¡¯t been able to sleep well either.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true. You¡¯ve certainly repeatedly said as much in the past few days. If I were to be frank though, my lady, it¡¯s my opinion that you were overworking your body before.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ But you know what¡¯s strange? I slept until noon today. I even ate well too.¡± ¡°You did? Who would¡¯ve thought! My, my, it seems that the crown prince is the lady¡¯s healer!¡± ¡°Is he?¡± Irene pictured how Kael had held out his spoon to her with a sly smile on his face. Perhaps calling it a ¡®sly smile¡¯ wasn¡¯t accurate, but it was an expression she¡¯d never seen him make in all their past encounters and it stuck with her. ¡°Anyhow, it was certainly pleasant to receive an apology from him in advance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad nothing bad happened. Please get some¡ª Oh.¡± ¡°Marie?¡± Irene¡¯s gaze darted towards the sharp gazes ing from the Atrichen palace after she noticed Marie subtly flinch. ¡°It¡¯s been going on for a few hours,¡± Marie sighed. ¡°Even from that distance, I thought their gazes were going to drill a hole in my back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing that I haven¡¯t experienced before. There were women in the kingdom who acted in this exact same manner when my engagement to the prince was announced, even though it was only a political alliance.¡± ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t even want to remember that time,¡± Marie grimaced. After enthusiastically lamenting to Irene about how scared she¡¯d felt, she added, ¡°Honestly, I wonder if their teeth are okay, given that they couldn¡¯t stop gritting their teeth every time they saw me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± Irene said with a smile. ¡°Indeed!¡± Marie sensed that Irene had undergone a change since her return from Ravello palace. Throughout their journey to and upon their arrival at the Perkan imperial palace, Irene had stared out the window with a helpless expression. However, now her lady¡¯s plexion had brightened and she even regained some of her spark. Chapter 36 At the same time, enraged women burned with envy as they glared at Irene and Marie from the Atrichen palace windows. ¡°What¡¯s this? Is she looking at us as if she¡¯s gotten everything? How annoying,¡± they spat. Irene¡¯s intentions or the truth of last night¡¯s events was of little matter¡ªeverything she did was viewed through a distorted lens. In their eyes, her graceful walk appeared to be a victorious saunter and her deportment exuded a winner¡¯s confidence. They saw arrogance in Irene for having secured the treasure they all wanted to get their hands on. Among the envious crowd, the one who reacted the harshest was the princess of Netine, a region located to the west of Perkan. ¡°Look at her,¡± the princess sneered. ¡°Lara, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, princess.¡± When Irene entered the building, the princess purposefully stumbled in the hallway and bumped her shoulder against Irene. As if the pain was unbearable, the princess swallowed a groan, grabbed her shoulder, and cried, ¡°Oh! Ugh!¡± However, rather than garnering sympathy, her actions came across as overly dramatic due to Irene¡¯s lack of reaction. When the princess¡¯s pretend show of pain seemed to drag on longer than expected, the princess¡¯s handmaiden stepped in and screamed, ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, huh? Our dear princess was hurt! What if the princess injured herself? She¡¯s Netine¡¯s precious princess! She¡¯s different from you, a mere knight.¡± Immediately, Marie protested, ¡°She¡¯s the one who bumped into my lady first, and¡­¡± However, before she could continue, Irene raised a hand to cut her off. ¡°My apologies. The hallway is dark today and I didn¡¯t pay enough attention,¡± Irene said calmly. ¡°How dare you show such discourtesy! To hold your head up so high when you¡¯re nothing but the daughter of a count! She is Netine¡¯s princess! Make sure you show proper deference!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m supposed to hear that from you,¡± Irene replied coldly, as she peered at the handmaiden with a sharp gaze. Due to their height difference, it unavoidably appeared as if Irene was looking down on them. ¡°E-excuse me? I beg your pardon! I¡¯m serving my princess, so we are¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that, in essence, the conduct of a subordinate resembles that of their superior. Shouldn¡¯t she know when to step in for herself?¡± ¡°Y-You dare insult my princess¡­¡± ¡°Lara, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the appropriate place for you to step in,¡± the princess interjected. With a slight frown and a click of the tongue, she added, ¡°Since the other person has already offered an apology, you should accept it, no? Control your behavior.¡± ¡°But princess¡­¡± Turning from the handmaiden to the princess, Irene said, ¡°I intended to express due courtesy to the princess once you had regained your posure.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. There¡¯s no need to concern yourself with the lower ones acting out of turn. I¡¯ll consider it as having received your apology.¡± She plastered an insincere smile on her face, even as her fists remained visibly clenched. Since Irene had already pointed out that a subordinate¡¯s conduct was a reflection on their superior, her hand was forced. Any display of anger on her part now would be no different from her spitting in her own face. ¡°Then, please excuse me,¡± Irene said, offering a half-curtsy. Out of habit, she¡¯d almost shown the manners of a knight, but luckily she caught herself in time and expressed the manners befitting a lady instead. ¡°No, rather, excuse me. Please pay my handmaiden no heed. She¡¯s simply overzealous in her loyalty towards me.¡± ¡°How could I criticize anyone for their loyalty? It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Oh my! How kind of you. It¡¯s no wonder that you caught the eye of the crown prince.¡± ¡°It must¡¯ve been on a whim. It¡¯s unlikely there¡¯ll be another chance.¡± ¡°How humble.¡± ¡°The princess of Netine is a beauty¡ªit¡¯s far more logical that you should have many more chances than me.¡± ¡°Hah, there¡¯s no need to sell yourself short¡­ Anyhow, I¡¯m feeling weary, so you¡¯ll have to excuse me as I retire to my room first.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Irene nodded. Whipping her head around, the Netine princess swiftly fled the scene. As she made her escape, she inwardly seethed, ¡®I¡­ I was born more noble than her!¡¯ Chapter 37 Every word Irene spoke had cut deep into the hearts of the women gathered in Atrichen. All those who came here had been loved and valued in their home country, but here they were all nobodies. Despite having suffered emotionally, they retained their pride. Yet, now even that had been utterly destroyed¡ªto acknowledge that they¡¯d failed to catch the crown prince¡¯s interest even on a whim was painful. Those who¡¯d gathered to watch the confrontation between the princes and Irene slunk away, weighed down by similar sentiments as the retreating Netine princess. ¡°Was I too much?¡± Irene asked, when only she and Marie remained. ¡°What was? They picked a fight first. It would¡¯ve been too much only if you had intentionally pretended to be nice.¡± ¡°I only meant to speak truthfully,¡± Irene remarked playfully. ¡°To be honest, my shoulder stung so much that a little temper flared up without me realizing it.¡± ¡°Well, people normally don¡¯t tell the truth,¡± Marie responded in kind, as she swallowed a laugh. ¡°And that smack was rather loud. I¡¯m not sure that the princess¡¯s shoulder is okay.¡± ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s head back inside. I need a change of clothes. I¡¯d much rather wear armor.¡± ¡°But this is so pretty!¡± Marie pouted. Irene lightly tapped Marie¡¯s pouty lips and began to walk back to her room. Compared to what she¡¯d endured to extract an apology from the crown prince, this little tiff had ended briskly. Still, she was a little concerned about what may happen next. As she ascended the stairs, she hoped that nothing would occur to disrupt her wish for an undisturbed and quiet life. Act 3. Ripples created by rainwater After their first meal, Kael and Irene would go on to dine together two more times. Each time, Irene ate well without difficulties, whereas Kael suffered from indigestion after the meal. Despite having to feign normalcy through the meal and call on the imperial physician afterwards, he was unwilling to give up on his meals with Irene. Still, even this small bit of happiness proved to be short-lived, as he soon found himself drowning under the work waiting for him. ¡°Ugh.¡± As he finished reading a memorandum requiring his attention, Kael let out an annoyed sigh. There was simply too much to do¡ªwork continued with no end in sight no matter how many hours he put in, and he was beginning to feel agitated. Stamping the memo with the emperor¡¯s seal, he roughly tossed the papers aside. ¡°Oh my! Things will fall off the table if you act so carelessly. And after all the care I put into neatly organizing everything too! Are you really going to waste my efforts like this?¡± Wellen lightly chided. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Work always multiplies several times post-war¡ªchin up!¡± ¡°This is all your fault.¡± ¡°Let me be the one to say it again¡ªthis wasn¡¯t a war that I started.¡± Fixing a ferocious glare on Wellen, Kael felt the need to blame his aide in order to quell the anger that swirled in his gut. ¡®Because of him, a misunderstanding was caused for no reason! I should¡¯ve prepared my heart first before I met her¡­¡¯ Kael couldn¡¯t help but wonder if things could¡¯ve turned out better had their encounter not been under such unexpected and undesirable circumstances. Exhausted, Kael had little patience for Wellen¡¯s nonsense, and his aide¡¯s claims of being faultless were obviously incorrect since he continued to be haunted by Irene¡¯s face throughout the day. In a growl, he said, ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± ¡°Whatever you say, it¡¯s not my fault,¡± Wellen repeated. Since meetings between Irene and Kael were few and far between, whether intentionally or not, the hubbub in the imperial palace about the crown prince finally finding his mate naturally petered out. Kael was grateful that Irene was finally released from the intense scrutiny directed at her. However, this didn¡¯t mean everything had been resolved, as the rumor had managed to escape the palace walls and was now spreading with vigor elsewhere. Furthermore, unlike those that believed the crown prince¡¯s interest had cooled, Kael¡¯s heart for Irene hadn¡¯t subsided in the slightest. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy,¡± Kael groaned. ¡°Pardon? I didn¡¯t catch what Your Highness just said?¡± Ignoring his aide, Kael didn¡¯t offer an answer and instead inwardly muttered to himself, ¡®I miss her. What¡¯s happened to me?¡¯ He felt miserable. It made him realize how serious his feelings must be, since he was rarely in such a state. He wondered if his suffering was retribution for all the marriage proposals he¡¯d refused up until now. Had he known that he¡¯d feel so restless, he would¡¯ve considered dating once or twice for practice. Chapter 38 ¡°Your Highness? Your Highness,¡± Wellen called. As he watched the crown prince absentmindedly tugging at his hair, he realized that Kael¡¯s sullenness wasn¡¯t caused by the excessive workload after all. ¡°Oh no, what happened?¡± ¡°Keep your mouth shut,¡± Kael warned. ¡°Shall I have her wrapped up in a blanket and brought to you? She might put up a decent fight, but I could ask my brother,¡± Wellen tactfully mumbled using ventriloquism, since Kael had ordered to keep his mouth shut. When he saw Kael clutch his head, he added, ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking about her?¡± ¡°What¡¯re you on about?¡± Kael quickly denied, as his shoulders flinched and he blinked unnaturally. His head was pounding from Wellen¡¯s ridiculous suggestion. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Wellen had been at Kael¡¯s side from the moment the crown prince was born, so there was no way he couldn¡¯t read the subtle changes in the prince¡¯s demeanor. He tapped his chin and said, ¡°Should I really tell my brother to¡ª¡± ¡°Enough of your nonsense,¡± Kael interrupted. After a deep inhale and exhale, he refocused his mind on his work. Whatever wasn¡¯t addressed today would only be added onto the pile for the next day. Picking up the document sent from the Archduke¡¯s estate, he gravely inspected it and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the update on the scoundrel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it, but¡­¡± ¡°Not only did he spread false rumors that he and my sister were in love, he even dared to attempt rape, and now he¡¯s out to kill¡­ We definitely have to apprehend him.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Before her marriage, Daphne, the eldest daughter of the imperial family and Kael¡¯s older sister, almost suffered a catastrophe at the hands of a delusional escort knight. The knight had been sentenced to death, but had managed to escape and was now on the lam. A few days ago, Kael had received intel that the disgraced knight was now attempting to assassinate Daphne and her child. ¡°I thought he¡¯d give up after sister was married, but now he¡¯s even targeting my nephew¡¯s life,¡± Kael snarled. ¡°I simply can¡¯t relate to his motive of wanting to kill her just because he can¡¯t have her,¡± Wellen sighed. ¡°Sister said she intends to move up her visit, and Danielle will be joining her.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the process of gathering the knights into a unit to dispatch as an escort.¡± Kael nodded faintly in response to Wellen¡¯s report and said, ¡°Since Danielle was injured in Daphne¡¯s stead, make sure Sir Scotton is included in the unit.¡± He imagined Sir Scotton, Danielle¡¯s fianc¨¦, must be in a frenzy after hearing the news of her injury. ¡°I heard he already made the request as soon as he learned of the news.¡± ¡°That must be nice.¡± Wellen¡¯s mouth dropped open, but he quickly covered it with his hand. If he hadn¡¯t done so, he would¡¯ve certainly let out a squeak in surprise. ¡°Why¡¯re you reacting like that?¡± Kael said in a dissatisfied tone. ¡°Are you envious now?¡± ¡°Yes, I envy his freedom to throw everything aside in order to go see his fianc¨¦e.¡± In contrast to Kael¡¯s nonchalant response, Wellen appeared to be close to tears. He¡¯d never imagined he¡¯d witness the day he¡¯d hear such words from the crown prince. In an emotional tone, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll work harder.¡± ¡°Yes, I would appreciate that. Now, moving onto the next matter.¡± * * * Meanwhile, Irene was gazing out her window as she sat perched on the windowsill in her room at Atrichen. Though she¡¯d seemed slightly more energized in the initial days after being called by Kael, she had since regressed back to her listless self. Now, the image of her curled up on the windowsill appeared helpless and depressed. ¡°This is my first time seeing a wintry mix,¡± Marie chirped, intentionally brightening her voice as she moved to stand behind Irene. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it once before. You can¡¯t see it easily in Theorin.¡± Chapter 39 ¡°Because the weather in Theorin is extreme,¡± Marie agreed. Though it was in a muffled tone, she was glad to at least hear Irene respond. As she watched over her lady, she wondered if there was any way for her to meet with the crown prince. ¡®He really does appear to be the salve that can heal my lady. But there¡¯s no way he¡¯d meet with someone like me. What should I do now?¡¯ After she wrangled with her thoughts for a while, Marie said, ¡°Lady?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Your Highness hasn¡¯t called for you these days.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it like that with everyone? I guess he lost interest in me.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Worried that her thoughtless ments had made Irene feel worse, Marie desperately tried to change the subject. She blurted out the first absurd thought to pop into her head. ¡°I heard he¡¯s very handsome! Did you think so too?¡± ¡°Yeah, he was handsome. His features¡ªeyes, nose, and mouth¡ªall fit neatly into the golden ratio.¡± Taking into consideration Irene¡¯s ability to describe others, this was meant as an obvious pliment of the crown prince¡¯s looks. Marie felt her curiosity grow stronger. ¡°It¡¯s almost turned to rain,¡± Irene observed. ¡°Oh yes? Yeah? Rain?¡± Marie hastily rushed to the window and looked out. When Irene eyed her because of her exaggerated behavior, Marie awkwardly laughed and said, ¡°Haha. To think it rains in winter in Perkan¡ªwhat a wonderful experience!¡± Thinking her overreaction had startled her lady, Marie hurriedly tried to wrap up the situation. Paying Marie¡¯s erratic behavior no mind, Irene climbed down from the windowsill and said, ¡°I feel like going to bed early today.¡± ¡°Can I offer you an oil massage to help you have a good night¡¯s sleep?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary¡­ It¡¯s fine. I just want to lie down.¡± ¡°Understood. Then, this way please.¡± As Marie led Irene to the bed, she inwardly chided herself to get her head on straight. Though it had momentarily slipped her mind, rain usually heralded the start of something new. * * * The snowfall in the afternoon soon gave way to heavy rain that continued late into the night. Even as the clock struck midnight, the sound of heavy rain continued to endlessly pelt the windows. After swimming in a sea of work all day, Kael awoke with a groan after having almost managed to drift to sleep before he was disturbed by the heavy rain. Still groggy from being half-asleep, he slowly sat up in bed and let out a sigh in a dull, low voice that sounded strangely decadent. After groaning twice more, he got out of bed and headed towards the window. Cracking open his heavily-lidded eyes, he muttered, ¡°This winter rain is ing down like a summer monsoon.¡± He stared at the thick water droplets that pounded against the windowpane as his eyes slowly adjusted. The night appeared much darker than usual due to the thick rainclouds, but against the inky backdrop was something looming in white. Just short of touching it, he leaned in close to the windowpane and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Lady Irene? What¡¯s she doing in the rain?¡± It was a testament to how much he thought about her that he could recognize her hazy figure at a glance. His warm breath fogged up the window, turning into tiny droplets that seemed to trace her hazy figure as they rolled down the glass. With a serious expression, he immediately turned to grab the blanket draped on the couch and headed out of his room. ¡°Your Highness, where¡¯re you headed at this hour¡­¡± ¡°Do not follow me.¡± ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡± After forbidding his servant from escorting him, Kael hurriedly ran towards the garden. His anxiety grew as he worried that Irene might disappear the moment he took his eyes off of her. ¡°I-Irene!¡± he shouted. Fortunately, Irene¡¯s steps weren¡¯t fast and he soon spotted her figure glowing brightly under the dark sky. Unfolding the blanket, he quickly draped it over her head, making the cold raindrops pouring over her head sounded muffled and strange. However, she didn¡¯t seem to register his presence and continued to silently move forward. ¡°Irene!¡± he called again. ¡°Dame Irene!¡± Chapter 40 ¡°Huh? Oh.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Kael added Dame to her name that Irene finally showed an ambiguous reaction and turned her head towards him in a languid manner. Her half-lidded eyes slowly widened and her lips twitched, as if she were about to say something. ¡°What in tarnation are you doing out and about at this ungodly hour?¡± Kael worriedly asked, as he wrapped the blanket securely around her body. His gaze drifted down towards her bare feet and then back to her face. He could see that her lips were no longer rosy and he could feel a chill ing from her body through the blanket. Seeing her in this state caused goosebumps to form on his skin. ¡°First, let¡¯s go inside. Your lips are blue. How long have you been wandering around? Where are your shoes?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Though it was unclear what had happened, Irene calmly followed Kael as he led her towards the back entrance of the Ravello palace. They¡¯d wandered quite far from the front entrance where he¡¯d exited, and it was more important to quickly escape the rain. ¡°Even if the winter in Perkan doesn¡¯t feel like winter, you¡¯ll catch a cold if you wander about like this,¡± Kael nagged, as he crouched down to slip his shoes onto Irene¡¯s feet. ¡°I smell blood.¡± ¡°If you walk around barefoot, of course you¡¯d smell something like that. So, why¡ª¡± ¡°My hands are drenched in blood. The smell doesn¡¯t ever wash away, no matter how many times I soak them in water or wipe them with a towel.¡± The loneliness in Irene¡¯s distant and hazy voice, filled with lamentation, was heartbreaking. As if he were having a seizure, Kael felt his heart throb and pound. His tears welled up and the tip of his nose began to ache. He wasn¡¯t sure how to respond or react, but he straightened himself and looked at her. ¡°Since the rain is a gift under God¡¯s sovereignty, then wouldn¡¯t it be able to wash my bloody hands?¡± Irene asked. Perhaps it was the cold winter rain, or it could¡¯ve been because of Irene¡¯s psychological state, but her hands were trembling. The way her fingertips shook uncontrollably looked pitiful. When Kael clasped her hands in his, he noticed that while her hands looked smooth and clean from a distance, up close it was easy to see that they were covered in tiny scars. Though the wounds had healed and no longer inflicted pain, Kael couldn¡¯t bring himself to clasp her hands tightly. Pained by the sight of her battered hands, he gently asked, ¡°Do you regret the consequences of these wounds?¡± ¡°Regret¡­ I don¡¯t regret it. I just¡­¡± When Irene¡¯s legs suddenly gave out under her and she stumbled, Kael hurriedly pulled her into his arms. ¡°I-It would be dangerous if I don¡¯t so don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± he explained, hugging her tight as he spat out excuses. Irene rested her head against his shoulder and murmured, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I feel like the lives that have been cut short by my hands are too heavy a burden to carry.¡± ¡°Why¡¯re you trying to carry it all by yourself? Is the rest of Theorin utterly inpetent without you?¡± ¡°Even if I was abandoned, as you said¡­ I felt relieved. Going to the empire meant that I no longer had to carry a sword. And yet, when I actually came¡­¡± Hearing Irene sigh next to his ear, Kael felt his heart race. It thumped so violently, he wondered if she could hear it. With some apprehension, he asked, ¡°Tell me. Was it different from your expectations?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with myself.¡±