If You Wish to Have Me - Chapter 61-70

Chap 61

Reception Party

“You’re here, Kisa.”

Seyard greeted Kisa with a smile as she returned to the banquet hall, and immediately followed with a compliment.

“You look beautiful again. Especially, your shoulders seem warm now.”

“Well, my shoulders weren’t particularly cold earlier either. Anyway, thank you for the compliment.”

Kisa smiled back and looked around the banquet hall. The guests were maintaining their same seats from the engagement ceremony, enjoying the course meal served by the duke’s household staff.

“Come, let’s go to the guests now. Naturally, we should start with the table where the princess is seated, right?”

It was time for the couple to visit each table together to receive individual congratulations on their engagement and to greet those they hadn’t properly met before the ceremony.

‘The princess is a bit intimidating, but…’

Even if she had to endure congratulations that masked sarcasm, there was no avoiding it.

However, as Kisa attempted to head toward the princess’s table, Seyard stopped her.

“It’s alright. I’ve already greeted them briefly while you were away.”

“Oh, Seyard did it alone?”

“Yes, so let’s go have our meal now.”

“But these things should be done together…”

“Kisa, didn’t we agree to set aside strict formalities for our engagement ceremony?”

He guided her with one hand on her back while pointing to the seats where they had sat while listening to Gabriel’s performance.

Food was already prepared there, ready to be eaten.

“Besides, you must be getting hungry, right? You seemed to have a rather light breakfast.”

“Ah.”

That was true. Regardless of excitement, it was inevitable to feel nervous about such an important event.

When she got engaged to Daniel, she was too young, and they had only a simple engagement ceremony with just family members.

‘Honestly, my memories of it are quite vague.’

In other words, this was effectively Kisa’s first proper engagement ceremony.

And due to her somewhat sensitive constitution, Kisa had always been prone to indigestion when eating while nervous.

It was only natural that on the morning of the engagement ceremony, she would eat just enough to keep her stomach from growling.

“…You were watching me.”

“Of course. We ate together, after all.”

“Even though you were busy.”

During the meal, he had been intensely occupied discussing urgent matters with Gilliam.

As the Duke of Hillan managing a large domain, he couldn’t focus solely on his own affairs even on the day of his engagement ceremony.

“No matter how busy I am, I would naturally notice that much. Anyway, let’s hurry. The food will get cold at this rate.”

Kisa felt relief spreading in her chest as Seyard led her to the table.

‘This is definitely the Seyard I know.’

Though he might have some peculiarities in his way of thinking, it didn’t change the fact that he was a good person.

Rather, it was only natural that his thinking differed from others given his unusual upbringing.

Having reached that conclusion, Kisa completely dismissed the lingering doubts in her mind.

“Thank you, Seyard. I’ll enjoy the meal.”

She said happily as she sat down in the chair.

The real reception party could be said to begin after the late lunch.

As the duke’s servants efficiently cleared away the tables and chairs to the outside, a space for the ball was immediately secured.

Needless to say, the first dance would be performed by today’s protagonists.

Kisa and Seyard stood in the center of the banquet hall, facing each other and assuming their positions.

Soon after, the orchestra began to play, and the two moved their bodies to the melody.

With her waist entrusted to Seyard’s firm arm, Kisa recalled the memories of the past few days.

In fact, she hadn’t been visiting the Hillan mansion repeatedly just to observe the engagement preparations as if they were someone else’s business.

She had a rather serious purpose: to teach Seyard how to dance.

Although she might not match up to him in other areas, dancing was one realm where Kisa was confident.

She considered herself quite skilled, and most importantly, Seyard was a complete novice when it came to dancing.

He had been sent to the monastery long before reaching the age to enter society, and even after returning to the capital as an adult, he had never danced in front of others.

There were even speculative articles suggesting that the new Duke of Hillan’s dancing skills would be catastrophic.

Kisa herself had clearly witnessed him simply watching others dance at Habertz’s charity banquet, which he attended as the princess’s partner.

For these reasons, Kisa had confidently said to him:

[Let’s practice dancing together! If there are difficult parts, I’ll teach you as best I can. Despite appearances, I know a fair bit about the male dance steps too.]

Not long after, she was completely deflated.

[…What is this? How can you dance so well?]

The catastrophic part wasn’t Seyard’s dancing skills but Kisa’s grand misjudgment.

He danced exceptionally well.

To Kisa’s question, Seyard responded with a face that seemed to ask why she was inquiring about something so obvious.

[Well, because I learned it.]

[You learned to dance?]

[Yes.]

[When?]

[About a month ago. I figured I should be familiar with it if I’m to attend social gatherings.]

[Goodness, only a month ago?]

[Ah, to be precise, I’m still learning. I haven’t been able to call my dance instructor at all these past few days due to various commitments, so the course isn’t completely finished yet.]

He was even saying he was still in the process of learning. Kisa couldn’t close her mouth.

Isn’t he too perfect, this Seyard Hillan?

Bloodline, personality, abilities—he seemed flawless in every aspect.

What she had thought was his only flaw—being born as the younger of twins—no longer hindered his path forward.

In any case, though Kisa had long known he was an outstanding person, it was hard to shake off a bitter feeling.

‘Couldn’t you have left at least one area where I excel more?’

She had truly believed she could be of help to him this time.

“Kisa, focus.”

Seyard, pulling her body closer to him, whispered quietly.

“What if you make a mistake?”

As he said, letting one’s mind wander while dancing was not advisable.

“Well, don’t worry too much. I’ll catch you if you’re about to fall.”

How annoying his confident face was—Kisa complained inwardly.

‘Is it a lie that you first learned only a month ago? Perhaps you practiced intensively at the monastery…’

Of course, that was an unreasonable accusation.

Seyard’s dancing was excellent, but something revealed that he indeed hadn’t danced much before.

His dance moves were too textbook.

He lacked the personal habits that experienced dancers typically develop.

For example, experienced dancers often omit or minimize movements they don’t like, while inserting or exaggerating ones they enjoy.

Fundamentally, dancing in society wasn’t about being evaluated but about enjoying oneself.

People would readily incorporate their preferences as long as it didn’t interfere with coordinating with their partner.

But Seyard’s dancing could be described as colorless and flavorless.

She hadn’t noticed when they first danced together, but after several dances, it became clear that for him, dancing was something to be learned rather than enjoyed.

‘Even so, the fact that he learned so admirably in such a short time is astonishing enough…’

Looking at the man who lightly lifted her by the waist, Kisa resolved to dance with him as much as possible from now on.

So that he could find his own style.

****

“Ugh, I’m exhausted…”

As the world was tinged with sunset hues, Kisa escaped to the terrace and heaved a deep sigh.

Until just moments ago, she had been overwhelmed by guests, and had barely managed to escape when Seyard provided cover.

Everyone showed great interest in the Duke of Hillan’s fiancée and was clamoring to speak with her.

From flattery about how fantastically she had danced to intrusive questions about when she would marry Seyard.

She was nearly losing her mind as each guest tried to corner her for conversation.

‘I knew it would be like this, but not to this extent.’

Since the engagement announcement, Kisa hadn’t attended any large social gatherings, so this was her first time personally experiencing her newfound popularity.

Fortunately, no one seemed to have seen her come here, and there was no sign of anyone approaching.

Thanks to that, Kisa enjoyed some peaceful time alone on the terrace.

Until she heard a familiar voice from below.

“I understand. If you insist…”

It was Gabriel, who was in the garden.

He seemed to be conversing with someone else while standing not far from where she was, though the other person was hidden by a large tree.

“Then please come to the back of the annex an hour from now. It’s a place where no one is currently using, so even the servants rarely approach it.”

The other person must have nodded in response, as only Gabriel’s voice could be heard.

“Yes, then I’ll see you there later. I’ll make my feelings for you clear. And also say my farewell…”

His voice was tinged with deep melancholy, causing Kisa to hurriedly crouch down.

She instinctively felt that they shouldn’t discover her presence.

It seemed Gabriel was planning to confess to Seyard.

 

Chap 62

Witnessed Truth

Kisa lowered her posture and held her breath, listening intently.

However, the conversation seemed to be over, and no more voices were heard. Instead, only the faint sound of rustling as someone stepped on dry leaves could be heard.  

Had both of them left?  

Just in case, Kisa remained crouched for a long time before finally raising herself when her legs began to feel numb.  

There was no one where Gabriel had been standing.  

Kisa, a little unsteady on her feet, left the terrace and entered the hallway.  

“Kisa, you were here.”

She ran into Seyard, who was just coming up the stairs.  

With wide strides, he bounded up the stairs several steps at a time, approaching Kisa.  

“I was looking for you because you weren’t there.”

“Seyard… were you outside?”  

“Yes, I was briefly in the garden. I thought you might be there, but you weren’t. Where were you?”  

Of all places, the garden. Kisa’s face darkened.  

“I was resting for a bit on the terrace over there in the corner. By any chance, did you meet anyone in the garden?”  

“I did encounter a few guests. Perhaps because the weather is nice, quite a few people were taking a walk. Is there someone you’re looking for?”  

“No, it’s nothing like that.”  

The person Gabriel intended to convey his feelings to, and the person who had been in the garden until just a moment ago.  

She hadn’t been able to confirm with her own eyes, but it seemed certain that the person behind the tree then was Seyard.  

‘Besides….’  

The words he had said a few hours ago resurfaced in Kisa’s mind.

[I will tell Kisa what she is curious about, and Kisa will tell me what I am curious about.]  

[For example, the personal matter that Gabriel Williams told you about?]  

She had been distracted by the fact that she didn’t want to be disliked by Seyard and had forgotten, but he had definitely wanted to know what Gabriel’s concern was.  

Even to the point of offering an exchange.  

Moreover, the words she had heard on the terrace a little while ago.

“I understand. If you put it that way…”  

Judging only from those words of Gabriel, it seemed he had decided to reveal his feelings because the other person had asked first.  

In other words, to summarize:  

Seyard, unable to hear Gabriel’s concern from Kisa, had asked him directly. Gabriel, who was about to give up and leave, had perhaps resigned himself when the person he yearned for pressed him. So it seemed he was trying to express the feelings he hadn’t been able to convey until now.  

Thinking that, Kisa’s heart grew heavy. She didn’t know why Seyard was so curious about Gabriel’s problem, but she was the one who had first mentioned it to him.  

“Earlier, I happened to learn about his personal concerns. I wanted to ask if he was alright, but this is truly a private matter, so I thought it would be better for them to talk alone.”  

She should have just made up something, but like a fool, she had vaguely revealed the truth, unnecessarily planting a strange suspicion in Seyard’s mind. 

Perhaps Seyard, after hearing Kisa’s words, had carefully observed Gabriel and sensed his feelings for him in his eyes. 

The truth was only known to him, but it seemed that Kisa’s influence couldn’t be denied.  

“Why do you look like that?” 

Seyard, noticing Kisa’s troubled expression, looked at his fiancée with a worried gaze.

“Are you still very tired? It’s true the guests have been quite a nuisance to you. Leave the engagement reception to me and go in to rest.”  

“No, I can’t do that.”

Kisa shook her head.

“I am your fiancée now. I must fulfill my responsibilities.”

“You don’t need to overdo it.” 

Even as he said that, he seemed a little pleased.  

Kisa felt complicated as she headed to the banquet hall with Seyard. How would he react if he found out Gabriel’s true feelings?  

‘The possibility of him accepting… there wouldn’t be any even if the sky fell.’  

Social constraints were constraints, and Seyard had already once stated that he had no particular liking for Gabriel. 

So he would definitely refuse, but the problem was how he would refuse.  

She hoped it would be in a way that would hurt the sensitive Gabriel as little as possible.

His performance a few hours ago, as he had vowed, was certainly more restrained than before, but if one listened closely, one could feel a faint trace of unrequited love. 

No, rather, because it was a restrained sadness, it created an even more pitiful and sorrowful atmosphere. 

It wasn’t just Kisa’s impression; after the violin solo, several people with moist eyes were noticeable. 

‘He’s already so heartbroken, if his confession fails miserably…’  

A very ominous imagination filled her mind, and Kisa’s face turned pale.  

Seyard was a good person. But it was hard to guarantee whether he, who had grown up in a highly conservative monastery, would look favorably upon Gabriel. 

For a moment, Kisa even thought about asking him for something, but she soon gave up. 

She was clearly a third party in their relationship, and the situation had come about because Kisa had said unnecessary things to Seyard. 

It might be best not to meddle.  

While half-listening to the words of the guests who flocked to her side, Kisa resolved not to interfere. She hoped that the poor musician would have some luck.  

Time passed quickly, and after dealing with only a few guests, the time Gabriel had mentioned was approaching.  

‘He said to meet behind the annex.’  

Kisa roughly knew what kind of place the Hillan Duchy’s annex was. 

It was said to be a building used for residence during the time when the Hillan family was crowded with members. 

The previous Duke of Hillan, Seyard’s father, had uniquely had only two twin sons, but basically, the Hillan family was a family that traditionally had many children. Anyway, Seyard had seen off all his parents and siblings and didn’t have a good relationship with his relatives, so currently, no one in Hillan was using the annex. 

Staff regularly managed the building and there were security personnel so that the building wouldn’t fall into disrepair, but if one were to pick the least frequented place in the mansion, it was undoubtedly the annex. 

The perfect place for a secret meeting, and she had to leave soon to arrive there on time.  

Kisa, who had been trying not to look at Seyard, widened her eyes. He, who had been talking with guests near the platform until a moment ago, was nowhere to be seen.  

‘He’s gone!’  

The thought that the two would meet soon made Kisa’s heart impatient.

‘No, I can’t.’ 

Thinking she needed to calm down somehow, even if she had to borrow the power of alcohol, she was about to go to where the servant carrying drinks was.  

“Oh, Lady Vansfelt.” 

Coincidentally, she bumped into a guest who was coming to talk to Kisa.  

“Oh my!”  

Along with the woman’s scream, the sound of glass shattering echoed through the hall. The drink glass the guest had dropped had hit the floor and shattered into pieces.  

If that were all, she could just clean up the debris and wipe the floor, but there was another problem.  

“I, I’m sorry!”  

The young woman apologized with a pale face. “This is a Madame Estes creation, isn’t it? I’ve ruined this precious thing…”  

Dresses from Madame Estes’ boutique were so sought after that even most nobles had to wait in line, and most of them never even got to see one. They were worth far more than ordinary items. 

Moreover, perhaps because she thought she had offended Kisa, who would soon become the Duchess of Hillan, the woman looked terrified.  

Kisa reassured her.

“It’s alright. It was an accidental mistake.”

“But…”

“Anyone can make a mistake.”  

Of course, it was a precious dress, she liked it, and it was a valuable gift from Seyard, but it wasn’t something worth making a woman who looked younger than Kisa tremble so much. 

She felt sorry to Seyard, who had given her such a nice gift, but if she explained the situation well, he would understand.  

“Well then, I’ll go change my clothes.” 

She couldn’t possibly face the guests in this state.  

As Kisa was about to head for the door, Gilliam, who had noticed the commotion, approached.  

“Is there something wrong, My Lady?”  

“Ah, you’ve come at a good time. Something happened, so I’m going to change my clothes. Could you take care of the banquet hall for me?”  

“Yes, leave it to me.”

With that, Kisa left the banquet hall alone. While wondering if she should call Lily to help her change, a sudden thought crossed her mind.  

‘Should I go to the annex?’  

It was just before the appointed time. If she left now, she might be able to arrive before Seyard and Gabriel left the place.  

But did she really have the right to peek at their private moments?  

Kisa pondered fiercely for a moment but soon came to a decision. Gabriel had ended up confessing to Seyard, contrary to his original plan, largely due to Kisa’s responsibility. Nevertheless, doing nothing was something she couldn’t do.  

‘I’ll do what I can within reason.’  

It would be alright to comfort Gabriel, who had been rejected.  

Deciding so, Kisa changed her steps from heading to her room and started running towards the annex. Miraculously, she didn’t encounter anyone while going to the annex. 

Originally, the annex was a place where people rarely went, and most of the staff were gathered in the banquet hall and kitchen because of the engagement reception.  

Arriving at the annex, Kisa, catching her breath, tried to make as little noise as possible and headed to the back. 

Reaching the corner, she heard the sound of an intense conversation, as if someone was arguing. One voice was Gabriel’s, and the other was…  

‘Huh?’  

At the voice that shouldn’t be heard here, Kisa inadvertently peeked her face around the corner.  

“Please, can you let me go? I can’t breathe by your side.”

“Shut up! Do you think you can dare leave me?”

The one who grabbed Gabriel by the collar and forcefully pressed her lips against his was Princess Arta.

 

Chap 63

Destructive Love

What in the world is going on?

Kisa’s mind went blank at the shocking scene unfolding before her eyes.

Why is the princess kissing Gabriel here?

Moreover, Gabriel, who initially seemed to struggle to get away, was now holding her waist, suggesting it wasn’t just the princess’s desire.

‘Wait, what about Seyard?’

Wasn’t Seyard the one Gabriel loved?

Wasn’t Seyard the one he was supposed to meet here?

Kisa stared blankly at their passionate kiss for a while before snapping back to her senses.

Whatever the reason, it wasn’t a scene that others should be freely watching.

Turning her gaze away from them, she tried to leave.

But her legs were shaking so badly she couldn’t walk properly.

It seemed her body had given out from the shock of learning such a truth after sprinting, something she rarely did.

Kisa sank to the floor without realizing it.

In the deserted annex, only the explicit sounds created by the princess and Gabriel flowed through the silence.

Though there were only two people kissing, Kisa’s face grew hot.

Having grown up in a conservative environment her whole life, Kisa had no experience with kissing herself, and this was the first time she had even witnessed someone else doing it up close.

A strange, unsettling feeling mixed with guilt from eavesdropping on the private affairs of people she knew swirled within Kisa.

Just as she was about to force herself to get up, feeling like she couldn’t stay like this, the kiss finally ended.

The princess, having caught her breath, exclaimed triumphantly.

“See? You act like you don’t like it, but you come running like a dog at the slightest opening! What? Leave me? Study abroad? You can’t go. How dare you even think of going?”

Kisa was startled by the violent language.

It was a side of the princess she had never seen in their nearly ten years of acquaintance.

The Arta Derbon Sorbi that Kisa knew was somewhat selfish and tomboyish, but basically kind and elegant.

A person befitting her royal status.

“Have you already forgotten who took you in when you failed to study abroad and were living like a bug after being swindled by some stupid theater owner?”

She was never someone who used such insulting expressions and looked down on others.

She was the generous princess who would smile and forgive even a clumsy palace worker who spilled tea on her dress.

“You just need to stay by my side until I get tired of you, bark when I tell you to bark, kiss when I tell you to kiss, and play the violin when I tell you to. Is that so hard?”

The fantasy Kisa had held of the ‘princess I secretly admired’ shattered.

She had now seen Arta’s true colors.

“I… I don’t want to live like that,” Gabriel protested to the princess in a trembling voice.

“Princess, there was a time when I thought I could endure it because I loved you. But I still want to go out into the wider world. I want to do more music in Octava.”

But it didn’t work on the princess.

“Yeah, do your precious music. But not in Octava. Stay in this country where I am.”

“There are limitations here. And weren’t you the one who told me not to even think about becoming more famous?”

“Isn’t that obvious? The more famous you become, the more likely this relationship will be exposed. My mother told me to stay quiet until I get married.”

“…Marriage, you say. You are truly cruel. Are you telling me to just suck my thumb and watch you get married from behind the scenes? And to just act cute when you want me to, pretending I know nothing?”

The princess seemed to be in a better mood at Gabriel’s sorrowful question.

“Jealousy is quite cute. It’s presumptuous, but I’ll let it slide. But that’s it. You know very well that your role isn’t my husband. Was your head so bad that you couldn’t even understand that?”

“I… I don’t want to live like that. I’m going to Octava to start a new life.”

Gabriel declared with a fairly determined attitude, but the princess simply scoffed.

“You act all clean, but you’re so ungrateful. Have you already forgotten the favor I bestowed upon you?”

“I, I am grateful for that. I will repay you with the money I have saved.”

“Can you repay me with that measly amount of money?”

“Then I will definitely repay you later. If you don’t like that, I will even borrow money from Duke Hillan to repay you.”

“What? That bastard is going to lend you money?”

“The Duke told me to tell him anytime if I had any financial difficulties-.”

“Seyard Hillan, that son of a b*tch.”

It was a curse filled with hatred, as if she wanted to chew him to death right away.

“Get a grip. Do you really think that bastard is offering to send you to study abroad and even give you money out of pure goodwill?”

“Please don’t talk like that. The Duke is my benefactor.”

“Benefactor, my ass. You were the one who cried and begged me not to marry that guy.”

“…….”

“Anyway, that guy deliberately approached you to mess with me. Earlier, he was so persistent in holding me back in the reception room so I couldn’t get to you. That black-hearted bastard.”

Seyard’s existence seemed to fuel the princess’s anger, and she shouted again in an angry voice.

“Enough, just get out of this damn place! Did you think I wouldn’t be able to come if you were cooped up here? Go to Seyard, that son of a b*tch, right now and tell him you don’t need the study abroad or anything!”

Gabriel was silent.

“What are you doing? Go tell him!”

“……No.”

“What did you say?”

“I’m going to Octava. No matter what you say, Princess, that decision won’t change.”

Kisa thought the princess would be furious, but her tone was surprisingly calm.

“Are you serious?”

“I am serious.”

“I’ll ask you one more time. Are you serious?”

Gabriel couldn’t answer “yes” to the second question.

Because before his answer could come out, the sound of flesh hitting flesh came first.

“I, I’m sorry.”

Gabriel, his spirit broken, apologized, but Arta was merciless.

Slap!

“Tell me. That you’re serious.”

Slap!

“Tell me!”

Slap!

“Where did all that confidence from before go?”

Kisa’s face stung as if she were the one being slapped repeatedly.

Her heart was pounding fast, she was sweating cold, and her legs were trembling.

The princess was terrifying.

She was terrified of her, so easily capable of despising, mocking, belittling, and even resorting to violence.

The sight of Gabriel helplessly suffering her tyranny overlapped with someone else.

Kisa barely stood up on her trembling legs.

She was truly scared, but the thought that she had to do something took hold of her.

As she moved to stop the princess, a force restrained Kisa.

Someone she hadn’t noticed had come from behind, grabbed her arm, and turned her around.

Kisa was about to call out his name, but a large hand covered her mouth.

It was Seyard.

He glanced in the direction of the princess and Gabriel, then shook his head while looking at Kisa.

His eyes seemed to say it was better not to intervene.

Why was Seyard here?

Kisa’s mind, which wasn’t working well, questioned this.

****

The inside of the annex was cleaner than expected.

It seemed the Duke’s servants cleaned and maintained the furniture quite often.

Perhaps that was why Seyard had brought Kisa here.

Seyard, who had led Kisa into the reception room, the closest place to the entrance, first tried to calm the trembling Kisa.

“Kisa.”

“…….”

“Kisa.”

“Oh, yes?”

He gently held Kisa’s fingertips. His warmth spread through her cold fingers.

“It’s okay now. Don’t worry.”

“But Gabriel…….”

“She’ll probably stop after a few hits because her own hand will hurt more. The princess isn’t very strong. But Gabriel is different. If I had to guess, he’s much healthier than the princess.”

“Oh, you know him quite well?”

“I can tell roughly by his physique. He’s thin, but I can see some muscle even through his clothes.”

“Still, he’s still a person, so it must hurt to be slapped.”

“Of course. But if you had stepped in back then, the situation would have worsened.”

“Why?”

“Kisa, who is already disliked by the princess for being engaged to me, would only be adding fuel to the fire by stepping in for Gabriel. Even if she couldn’t do anything too harsh to Kisa, she would have tormented Gabriel even more.”

Thinking about it, it made sense.

She was so flustered that she hadn’t thought that far, but Seyard was, as always, rational.

But there was one thing she didn’t understand.

“Couldn’t Seyard have helped?”

“Pardon?”

“Couldn’t Seyard have stopped her and taken appropriate measures so Gabriel wouldn’t get hit anymore?”

He could have stopped the princess and prevented Gabriel from being hit further.

But he didn’t. Why?

“I’m not trying to blame you. I just want to know…….”

As Kisa struggled to express her thoughts, he tightened his grip on her fingertips.

“Kisa is right. I could have protected him. I could have sent the princess away for causing a disturbance.”

Their eyes met.

“But why should I have to?”

 

Chap 64

Oppression and Subjugation 

Seyard’s eyes, as he asked that, were neither particularly cold, nor sharp, nor irritated.  

They were simply ordinary.  

It was an attitude that almost seemed like he was genuinely curious.  

“That’s….”  

Seyard asked so casually that Kisa wondered if she had just said something strange.  

“Well, because Gabriel is in trouble…?”  

Was it so strange to want to save someone in trouble, someone unilaterally exposed to violence?  

“If someone is in trouble and I have the power to help, isn’t it better to help if I can?”  

“Is that truly all?”  

Seyard’s face, seated next to her on the sofa, gradually drew closer.  

“Is that truly the only reason you’re trying to save Gabriel?”  

“Pardon?”  

“Are you trying to save him simply because he’s someone in trouble? If someone else were in the same situation, would you have tried to help them too?”  

Kisa tried to lean back, but was blocked by the hard wooden armrest.  

“Seyard, what are you talking about? Of course, I would have wanted to help anyone in trouble. Unless they were some kind of terrible villain or something.”  

As she spoke hurriedly, feeling somewhat flustered, Seyard’s eyes narrowed.  

“Kisa, rather, I should be asking you. Why were you there?”  

The hand that had been holding Kisa’s fingertips moved up, past her palm, and reached her wrist.  

He traced the diamond bracelet he had gifted her with his fingers.  

“That goes for Seyard too, doesn’t it?”  

Kisa, thinking he was reproaching her for not being in the banquet hall, retorted defensively.  

But come to think of it, she was genuinely curious how he had suddenly appeared there.  

While eavesdropping on the conversation behind the annex, Kisa naturally learned the truth that the person Gabriel had promised to meet in the garden was the Princess.  

If that was the case, there was no reason for Seyard to be there.  

“I was looking for the Princess because I was concerned about her whereabouts.”  

He explained how he came to be at the annex, without taking his eyes off Kisa.  

“The Princess seemed out of sorts from the moment she first arrived here today. Then, she suddenly left the banquet hall alone, so I thought I should check on her myself. If I had sent the servants, they wouldn’t have been able to stop the Princess if something happened.”  

It was a convincing reason. If the Princess of a nation, of all people, were to get caught up in an unsavory incident, the person who would be in the most trouble would be Seyard, the owner of the mansion.  

“But I saw her heading this way and then lost track of her, so I wandered around a bit. I never imagined I would find Gabriel in the deserted annex. Moreover, you were here as well.”  

He reached out and tucked Kisa’s disheveled hair behind her ear.  

“How did you happen to come here?”  

Unlike his gentle actions, however, the question had a persistent edge.  

He seemed determined to find out why Kisa had come to the annex.  

“I, I was….”  

She couldn’t say she had followed the Princess like Seyard. He had left the banquet hall before her and lost track of the Princess, so it didn’t make sense for Kisa to say she had followed her properly.  

“Actually, I happened to see them on the terrace. I saw the two of them promising to meet behind the annex in an hour.”  

Having reluctantly revealed a piece of the truth, Seyard didn’t seem satisfied.  

“So that’s why you came? Frankly, I find that hard to believe. The Kisa I know isn’t someone who enjoys eavesdropping on secret rendezvous. Especially leaving the banquet hall when even I wasn’t there.”  

His long fingers, which had been toying with the bracelet, wrapped around Kisa’s wrist. Like a new bracelet.  

“Isn’t there another reason? I would like you to be honest with me.”  

Kisa couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way.  

Just a moment ago, she had been the one asking the questions, but now the opposite was true, and she felt like a cornered mouse.  

Seyard wasn’t glaring at her like Count Vansfelt, nor was he raising his voice sternly. He was simply asking questions persistently.  

But he possessed a power that was as difficult to resist as the Count’s, or in some ways, even more so.  

Kisa avoided his gaze and opened her mouth.  

“Alright. I’ll tell you. Honestly, I was worried that Gabriel might get hurt.”  

There was a brief silence before Seyard responded to her words.  

“Why are you worried about him?”  

His voice was devoid of inflection.  

For some reason, Kisa felt the restraint on her wrist tightening.  

“Were you two that close? When did that happen without my knowing?”  

Now, she truly felt she couldn’t take it anymore.  

She didn’t want to speak.  

But she had no choice but to speak.  

Biting her lip, Kisa lowered her head and confessed the truth.  

“I was worried that he might do something bad after being rejected by Seyard.”  

This time, the silence was even longer than before.  

“…Huh?”  

A somewhat dumbfounded voice came from the man whose expression she couldn’t see because her head was lowered.  

“Me?”  

Kisa felt her face burning with shame.  

“Actually, until just a little while ago, I was under a huge misunderstanding. I thought Gabriel was in love with Seyard.”  

But since she had already spoken, she confessed everything, feeling resigned.  

“I thought you were the one Gabriel made plans to meet on the terrace. Because I only heard Gabriel’s voice, and the Princess was hidden behind a tree, so I couldn’t see her.”  

“….”  

“I thought that Gabriel was forced to confess because of my mistake, and I couldn’t just stand by. If something bad happened to him, it would be partly my fault. So I rushed over, but for some reason, the Princess was there-.”  

“Kisa, it’s alright, calm down.”  

He patted Kisa’s shoulders with both hands as she spoke incoherently.  

His right hand, which had been holding Kisa’s wrist, had already let go.  

“Now, look at me.”  

With his right hand, he gently lifted her chin and met her gaze.  

“Oh my, you’ve turned red.”  

He said, gently stroking her soft cheek with his thumb.  

“There’s no need to be embarrassed. I have no intention of laughing at you or blaming you.”  

“…Really?”  

“Of course.”  

“Even though I had such ridiculous delusions?”  

“Everyone makes misunderstandings. We think we’re all looking at the same thing, but the image reflected in each person’s eyes is slightly different.”  

Surprisingly, Kisa’s shame, which had been raging until just now, subsided a little.  

“But I am quite curious why Kisa had such a misunderstanding. Since we can’t help but see things differently, it’s good to bridge that gap through sufficient conversation.”  

It was a truly embarrassing story, but when Seyard said that, Kisa wanted to tell him herself.  

He would surely listen seriously.  

“Well, before, when we were taking a walk in the garden here, Seyard was called to the royal palace by His Majesty the King and left. At that time….”  

Kisa haltingly confessed the beginning of her misunderstanding.  

A while later, the two of them sat side by side on the sofa, chatting.  

“Thinking about it now, it wasn’t the look of someone in love, but the look of a rival in love.”  

“Well, until recently, I was practically considered the Princess’s fiancé. From Gabriel’s perspective, he must have felt a strange emotion.”  

“I really had no idea the two of them were like that. I thought the Princess….”  

“You thought she genuinely loved my brother, her fiancé?”  

“Yes, that’s right.”  

“Just in case, there’s no need to feel sorry for my brother. He wasn’t exactly sincere towards the Princess either.”  

“Really?”  

“Yes, I can tell because we’re twins. Princess Arta isn’t the kind of person Vischer would like.”  

Come to think of it, she remembered hearing a rumor that twins had some kind of spiritual connection.  

She was curious if Seyard was like that, but she refrained from asking too much about his deceased family, as it wouldn’t be appropriate.  

Instead, Kisa decided to ask something else.  

“Um, Seyard. Can I ask you something?”  

“Yes, as you wish.”  

“I asked you this before.”  

Kisa carefully looked into his reddish-brown eyes.  

“Why didn’t you save Gabriel?”  

The conversation had strayed off course for a while, but she was still curious about it.  

“Is there some reason I’m not aware of?”  

The Seyard she had seen so far seemed like he would definitely have a good reason.  

“….”  

He met Kisa’s gaze steadily and, unexpectedly, moved his lips without any hesitation.  

“It’s because, in the end, it’s a relationship he has to sever himself.”  

Kisa listened to his words silently.  

“I could have helped him get through the situation right away. I could have sent him away to study abroad, or to a place where the Princess’s influence wouldn’t reach. But doing so would be meaningless unless Gabriel himself decided to break away from the Princess of his own will.”  

His gaze shifted slightly from Kisa, now directed at the darkened window outside.  

“The only person who can completely break the relationship of oppression and subjugation is himself.”  

“….But Gabriel has already decided to leave the Princess’s side.”  

“No, he is still bound. Even when I suggested studying abroad, he eventually agreed, but he hesitated quite a bit.”  

Hearing that, Kisa recalled that when she looked at Gabriel a little while ago, she felt that even though he said he was leaving the Princess, he still seemed tied to her.  

“I see. I didn’t think that far.”  

“Has your curiosity been satisfied?”  

“Ah, just a moment. I have one more question.”  

“Please, go ahead.”  

“Did Seyard know about their relationship?”  

Arta was convinced that he had deliberately brought Gabriel in to provoke her.  

But Seyard shook his head.

“No, I didn’t. I found out for the first time today.”

 

Chap 65

Closure

Kisa readily agreed with his reply.

“I suppose so.”

Seyard’s casting of Gabriel for their engagement ceremony was purely coincidental. 

He happened to discover Gabriel at a quartet concert held at the Darion ducal residence, and it seems Kisa was deeply impressed by his performance, which led to the casting. 

Perhaps Princess Arta, oversensitive about Gabriel’s situation, unfairly directed her resentment towards Seyard, whom she already harbored ill feelings against.  

“I was just asking. Ah! Now I understand. Why the Princess reacted so strangely when I gave her the invitation.”  

Seyard quickly understood Kisa’s words.

“I see. Now that you mention it, Gabriel’s name was on the invitation.”  

‘The up-and-coming musician Gabriel Williams will add to the richness of the banquet.’ It was something like that, a phrase to introduce the banquet. 

Kisa and Seyard had put their heads together to decide on it, so she remembered it clearly.  

“The Princess would be quite taken aback.”  

In the annex, the Princess had said that Gabriel had been in her grasp but had run away to the Hillan ducal residence. 

Considering that Gabriel, having nowhere else to go, was already staying at the ducal residence at Seyard’s invitation…  

“From her perspective, it would be like seeing her runaway lover’s name unexpectedly on my engagement invitation.”  

It was understandable why she had called Kisa aside and pressed her about the intention behind giving her the invitation. 

She suspected that Kisa had deliberately cast Gabriel to get back at her and then handed over the invitation.  

It was clear that the situation had become quite awkward.  

‘But this is truly blaming an innocent person…’

Suddenly, a scene flashed through Kisa’s mind.

[Just hand over the invitation and come right out.]  

[And don’t forget. Just give the invitation and come back quickly.]  

That’s what Seyard had said to Kisa on the day she went to give the invitation to the Princess.  

‘Huh?’

Kisa couldn’t understand why this memory bothered her.

It was her decision to personally hand the invitation to the Princess. Seyard was simply worried about Kisa and advised her to leave the tea party quickly. 

Of course, after encountering the Princess’s sharp reaction, she had asked him if he knew anything, but he had firmly said he didn’t.  

But what if, just what if Kisa had given the invitation to the Princess as soon as the tea party started, as Seyard had suggested? 

The Princess would probably have been flustered and interrupted the tea party, and then Kisa could have left without needing any excuses…  

“Anyway, Gabriel, it would be best if he made up his mind quickly.”  

“Pardon?”

Kisa’s thoughts scattered at Seyard’s sudden words.  

“If he gives up studying abroad because he’s swayed by the Princess’s demands, wouldn’t it be a waste of his talent?”  

Hearing that, Kisa felt a cloud of gloom descend on her, thinking it might indeed be the case. 

She liked his playing and hoped he would succeed as a musician, but somehow, she couldn’t just leave Gabriel to his own devices, as it felt like her own problem. 

While she hadn’t experienced such intense verbal abuse and violence, Kisa had also lived a life where her fate was determined by others. And she had once genuinely loved her oppressor and craved their affection, which was similar to Gabriel’s situation.  

In her case, it was Count Vansfelt and Daniel who were those oppressors.  

“Still, would he really do that? He was treated so badly earlier; maybe this will make him finally let go of his feelings for the Princess.”  

“Well, I hope that’s the case. But love is a truly strange emotion.”  

Seyard lowered his gaze and tapped the wooden armrest of the sofa with his index finger.  

“It’s hard to predict what Gabriel will do. He seems to genuinely love the Princess, but I wonder if he can truly abandon that love.”  

“……”

Kisa could somewhat sympathize with that sentiment. 

It was relatively quick with Daniel, but it took her a considerable amount of time to give up on wanting her father’s love. 

No, perhaps it wasn’t accurate to say she had completely given up even now. On days when she received the Count’s rare and stingy praise, she felt quite good all day.  

“What does Seyard intend to do? If he really decides to give up studying abroad at the Princess’s command?”  

“Sadly, there’s nothing I can do. I can’t force him to go if he doesn’t want to.”  

It was an obvious thing to say, but if that really happened, Kisa’s heart wouldn’t be at ease for a while.  

“I truly hope Gabriel goes through with it to the end.”  

As Kisa murmured weakly, Seyard reassured her with a gentle voice.  

“It will be alright. Let’s trust him.”  

“……Yes.”  

After that, the two spent some time in silence. Perhaps it was because her tense mind and body had relaxed, but she felt very languid. She didn’t even want to lift a finger. 

Although it was cleaned regularly, it was fundamentally an unused building, so there was visible dust, but she wanted to stay there a little longer.  

“Seyard.”  

As drowsiness washed over her, Kisa swallowed a yawn and voiced a thought that suddenly occurred to her.  

“Don’t worry. It’s not like I’ve fallen for Gabriel.”  

At that, he gave her a slightly surprised look.  

“When you kept asking me why I came here, was it because you thought I had feelings for him?”  

The reply came a beat late.  

“That’s correct.”

“Not at all. Gabriel is an attractive person, but he’s not my type.”

“Then what is your type?”  

“My type is someone more masculine than Gabriel… No, that’s not what I meant to say.”  

Kisa shook her head and returned to the original topic.  

“Anyway, I’m sorry. Now that I think about it, Seyard could have misunderstood. I’ve been paying a lot of attention to Gabriel these past few days. It’s all because of my shameful delusion.”  

Seyard listened quietly without interrupting her.  

“We’re seeing different sides of the same thing, so misunderstandings are bound to happen. Moreover, I abandoned the reception, which is a breach of contract. Even though it’s a contractual marriage, we agreed to fulfill our respective roles… You have every right to be angry and question me.”  

Seyard spoke in response to Kisa’s self-reproach.  

“That’s not the case. I’m not angry, and it’s not a breach of contract. I also left the reception.”  

“Seyard…”  

Just as Kisa’s heart was about to be warmed by his gentle consolation, a word that had been mentioned in their conversation earlier strangely bothered her.  

Reception. Reception?  

In an instant, Kisa’s drowsiness vanished, and she jumped up, shouting.  

“Come to think of it, the reception isn’t over!”  

Seyard, who glanced at the completely darkened scenery outside the window, replied calmly.  

“It would be over by now. We couldn’t keep the guests waiting forever.”  

“Even without the hosts?”  

“Since you’re here, Gilliam probably took charge of the banquet. He’s a capable person, so he would have finished the banquet well.”  

“Still, what will people think? Both parties of the engagement disappearing halfway through!”  

“Well… that our relationship is very passionate?”  

It took Kisa a few seconds to understand the meaning, and she lightly hit the man’s arm. She had just witnessed the intense kiss between the Princess and Gabriel, making the vivid imagination even more vivid, and her face turned red.  

“That’s too much. This isn’t the time for such jokes.”  

Seeing his fiancée looking upset, Seyard grabbed her small arm that was hitting him.  

“Calm down, Kisa. What can we do about what’s already happened? It’s best to just enjoy this moment.”  

He said that and smiled carefree, but Kisa couldn’t bring herself to smile. 

Just thinking about the rumors that would circulate in society from tomorrow made her dizzy.  

****

That day, when the two returned to the banquet hall, Gilliam had finished the reception, just as Seyard had predicted. 

The elderly secretary greeted the two without any particular reaction and reported on how the reception had roughly ended.  

As expected, the guests expressed their doubts about Duke Hillan, who had suddenly disappeared, and the duke’s fiancée, who had left to change her dress and hadn’t returned. 

Moreover, for some reason, even Princess Arta was nowhere to be seen. Just as the hall was in an uproar, the missing princess returned.

The Princess, for some reason, said with a stiff face that she would be leaving now, and taking that opportunity, Gilliam led the conversation towards ending the event. 

For reference, since they couldn’t just offer no excuse, they vaguely said that Seyard and Kisa, who hadn’t returned until then, had a minor health issue. 

In other words, the two had an upset stomach from some bad food. 

Needless to say, almost no one believed that explanation.  

Should she be happy about this or not? 

Seyard’s prediction was once again correct, and from the next day, rumors spread in society that Duke Hillan and his fiancée were sickeningly close. 

So much so that they had left the reception together because they couldn’t bear to be apart… 

Kisa wanted to crawl into a hole.  

In any case, the engagement ceremony ended that way, and it was time for those who had stayed for the engagement ceremony to leave. 

The day for Gabriel to depart for his studies had arrived.  

“Um, there’s something I need to tell you both.”  

Two days before the promised departure date, Gabriel spoke with difficulty at a dinner with Kisa and Seyard, which was also a farewell gathering.

 

Chap 66

Those Who Want to Leave, Leave

Kisa lowered her fork, which she had raised to pick up a piece of meat, and swallowed dryly.

She was anxious, fearing that Gabriel might say he was giving up on studying abroad.

In fact, the day after the engagement ceremony, Kisa, worried about his condition, had summoned Gabriel to the banquet hall with Seyard’s cooperation.

Her excuse was that she wanted to hear his violin performance and receive advice and lessons.

[Oh, this? I fell down yesterday.]

How does one get like that from falling?

Looking at him making excuses while covering his swollen, red cheek, Kisa swallowed such a question.

After spending time thinking about it the previous day, she had reached the same conclusion as Seyard.

This was an obstacle Gabriel had to overcome on his own, not something for Kisa, a third party who wasn’t even close to him, to interfere with.

Instead, Kisa called Gabriel out a few more times to check on his condition.

On the day of the engagement ceremony, though she didn’t know how his conversation with the Princess had ended, he clearly looked more depressed than before.

In contrast to Kisa’s rapidly improving violin skills under the guidance of an excellent performer, his face grew more troubled with each passing day.

At this rate, she thought he might really give up on studying abroad and return to the Princess. It was then that Gabriel suddenly brought up this meaningful introduction.

“Please speak, Gabriel.”

Unlike the tense Kisa, Seyard responded in his usual tone.

“It’s nothing special, I just wanted to thank you both.”

Gabriel said, scratching his cheek where faint traces of violence remained.

“I realized I haven’t properly thanked you since the engagement ceremony. I truly appreciate it. Thanks to the great reception my performance received that day, more people have been seeking me out.”

So it was just a greeting. Kisa secretly sighed in relief and responded awkwardly.

“Oh, I didn’t do much. Seyard was the one who recruited you.”

Seyard slowly shook his head.

“The reason I decided to recruit him was because of you, Kisa, so that’s not true.”

Looking at us, Gabriel murmured in a somewhat sad tone.

“You two make a wonderful couple.”

Somehow knowing who he was thinking of, both Kisa and Seyard remained silent as Gabriel continued.

“I feel a bit awkward bringing this up when I’ve only been receiving help, but I have something important to discuss about studying in Octava, Your Grace.”

When Seyard nodded slightly as if telling him to speak, Gabriel began.

It was quite an unexpected story.

The day before Gabriel was set to leave, Kisa happened to meet him in the garden of the Hillan mansion.

He was staring at the distant sky, standing in the drizzling rain without an umbrella.

For a moment, Kisa thought about giving him an umbrella but decided against it.

Surely the Hillan duchy would have umbrellas for guests, and he could easily ask any passing servant to bring him one.

The fact that he wasn’t doing so must mean he was in the mood to feel the rain today.

After briefly considering whether to leave him alone with his thoughts, Kisa spoke.

“Gabriel.”

He was scheduled to leave early the next morning.

Although they had already said their goodbyes yesterday, she wanted to talk to him once more before he left.

“Ah, Lady Vansfelt.”

When Gabriel noticed Kisa’s presence and looked around, she quickly responded.

“If you’re looking for Seyard, he’s busy with work, so I’m taking a walk alone today.”

Kisa had been visiting the Hillan mansion nearly every day recently, and usually walked in the garden with Seyard.

However, he was inherently a busy person, and today he seemed particularly occupied with estate matters, too busy even for a walk.

“I see,” he answered, then after looking around the garden, spoke again.

“It’s sad to think I might never see this beautiful garden again.”

“Why wouldn’t you? You can come back and see it later. Though it might be quite far in the future.”

“…I wonder if that will be possible.”

“Please do come. It doesn’t have to be after studying in Octava. Come back anytime once your health improves.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

At their dinner together, Gabriel had brought up a different matter—his desire to recover rather than study abroad.

“My health hasn’t been good lately. I think recovering somewhere quiet should be my priority, so I’m afraid I must decline the opportunity to study abroad. Even though you’ve been so kind to help, and with the departure date so close… I’m truly sorry.”

When Kisa first heard this, she thought the recovery was just an excuse.

Indeed, Gabriel’s face had been pale and haggard these past few days, giving him the appearance of someone ill.

But Kisa knew well that the cause was not physical but emotional.

So she thought the recovery was just a pretext to decline Seyard’s support, believing that he had changed his mind and decided to return to the Princess.

But Gabriel’s story didn’t end there.

“I know this is extremely presumptuous… but may I ask for one favor? You’re the only one I can turn to with this request, Duke Hillan.”

When Seyard said it was fine and told him to speak, Gabriel explained his request with an earnest expression.

“Could you arrange a discreet ship passage to my recovery destination? Using regular transportation would likely draw attention. Not to boast, but many people have come to recognize my face lately…”

Gabriel’s reason was that he wanted to recover quietly in a distant place where no one knew him, but couldn’t manage it on his own.

Kisa instinctively understood. Ah, he’s trying to escape from Princess Arta.

This would have been impossible in Octava, his intended study destination.

Octava shared a border with the Kingdom of Sorbi, making it a place the Princess could reach in one step if she wanted.

But if he were to travel to a place several days away by ship, it would be difficult for the Princess to drop everything and follow him.

Moreover, if Seyard provided Gabriel with transportation under the Hillan family’s influence, the Princess would find it hard even to track her lover’s whereabouts.

In other words, Gabriel was trying to completely eliminate any possibility of the Princess reaching him.

It was truly paradoxical.

His decision revealed both a desperate determination to escape the Princess, even at the cost of his studies, and a foolish love he still couldn’t abandon.

“…….”

Kisa took in Gabriel’s lonely profile as he silently stared at the ground.

In truth, if he set his mind to it, he could have lived safely in Octava.

No matter how powerful the Princess was, forcibly bringing someone back from another country like Octava would not be easy.

Furthermore, if an influential person from Octava sponsored Gabriel through Seyard’s introduction and looked after his general welfare, it would be even harder for the Princess to act.

Due to the poor relations between the two countries, any such attempt could escalate into a diplomatic issue.

So why would Gabriel choose to go to a distant place citing his not-so-bad health instead of going to Octava as he so desired?

The answer was obvious with a little thought.

He didn’t have confidence—confidence to reject the Princess if she came all the way to a foreign country and appealed to their love.

Thus, his solution was to flee to a place she couldn’t reach at all.

Some might criticize his decision to run away without choosing either his dream or love, but Kisa couldn’t.

In her eyes, Gabriel was struggling in his own way to resist oppression and constraint.

‘How deep must his love be?’

Kisa, who had relatively quickly erased Daniel from her heart despite over a decade of unrequited love, couldn’t even begin to measure it.

Moreover, the tyranny Daniel had inflicted on Kisa was like child’s play compared to what the Princess had done to Gabriel.

“My lady.”

At that moment, the man who would flee from love tomorrow addressed Kisa.

“You once asked what kind of person Duke Hillan is. You said you were worried about various things before your engagement.”

“Ah, yes. I did.”

“I think I answered without much deep thought at the time, so I’ve been thinking about it more since then.”

“I see.”

That question was just Kisa trying to understand his feelings, mistakenly thinking Gabriel liked Seyard.

But he seemed to have taken it seriously, making her feel guilty.

“Indeed, Duke Hillan is a good person. He not only granted my unreasonable request but also didn’t withdraw his offer of support, saying I could study abroad after my recovery—it’s too generous.”

But, his tone changed slightly.

“However, no matter how good a person is, spending many years together will likely lead to differences in opinion or discord. If such a situation arises, the best solution is to resolve conflicts through conversation. But there’s one thing I want you to remember.”

Gabriel smiled faintly and met Kisa’s gaze.

“The most important thing is yourself.”

It was sincere advice.

“Never give up yourself for love.”

Unlike me.

Kisa felt as if she had heard the unspoken words.

 

Chap 67

Identical Brothers

The next day, Gabriel reportedly left the Hillan Mansion quietly.

Kisa prayed that God would protect his path. That he could finally live for himself.

And exactly one week after Gabriel’s departure, a fierce storm hit the mansion.

Coincidentally, it was the day when Kisa, whose visits had become somewhat infrequent after Gabriel left since she no longer had the pretext of receiving violin lessons from him, visited the place again at Seyard’s invitation.

“Princess Arta has just arrived.”

Gilliam, who suddenly appeared before the two people having lunch together in the dining room, reported in an uncharacteristically urgent tone.

“But, we tried to escort her to the reception room, but she ignored us completely and went to the west wing of the main building.”

Since Kisa had stayed here the night before the engagement ceremony, she knew. The west wing of the main building was where the guest rooms were located.

Immediately, Kisa and Seyard headed toward where the Princess was said to be.

“Kisa, I’ll go check. Please finish your meal.”

Seyard said this, but Kisa firmly shook her head.

“I can’t just hide. After all, I’m the one who will soon become the Duchess of Hillan.”

Hearing her response, Seyard’s expression clouded with worry, but he did not try to dissuade Kisa any further.

The two found the uninvited guest in the corridor of the guest rooms.

Princess Arta, who had been opening doors one by one to check inside, twisted her lips when she saw Kisa and Seyard.

“Well, look who it is. The famously affectionate Duke of Hillan and his fiancée.”

“It’s an honor to see you, Princess.”

Despite her sarcasm, Seyard offered a polite greeting without batting an eye.

“But what brings you here without prior notice?”

“Oh my, I’ve been so heartbroken that I ended up being rude. But please understand. I was so desperate to see the portrait of my fiancé that weighed on my heart today, I had no mind to consider etiquette.”

With a face that didn’t look sad at all, Arta shrugged her shoulders pretentiously.

“I’m sorry to hear of your distress, Princess, but unfortunately, my brother’s portrait is elsewhere. I will guide you there.”

“Oh! Is that so? Still, I’d like to look around here a bit more. Somehow I have a feeling there might be a forgotten portrait around here.”

Having said that, the Princess roughly flung open the door in front of her.

Then, after confirming that there was no one inside, she moved to the next room.

She showed no signs of retreating until she had checked all the guest rooms in the west wing.

Seyard gave Kisa, who was watching the Princess with an anxious expression, a signal to just leave her be.

So the two silently watched as the Princess ransacked the rooms as if she were hunting for lice.

The storm-like inspection took about 20 minutes to complete.

After confirming with her own eyes that even the last room was empty, the Princess approached Seyard with unrestrained steps.

“Where did you hide him, Duke?”

“Hide whom?”

“Don’t play dumb!”

When the shout came out, the already tense atmosphere froze.

Seyard dismissed the mansion’s servants, including Gilliam, who were awkwardly standing around.

When he mentioned there were too many eyes watching, the Princess surprisingly ordered her entourage to follow the duke’s servants.

“You should go back to your meal. I will attend to the Princess.”

But it was when Seyard finally instructed Kisa:

“No, stay here. My purpose for visiting the mansion concerns her as well.”

“…Princess. I don’t know what your purpose is, but wouldn’t it be fine to just ask me about whatever you’re curious about?”

“Ah, how devoted you are to your fiancée. It brings tears to my eyes, having lost my fiancé.”

Seyard let out a faint sigh and turned to Kisa again.

“Kisa, please go now.”

“Kisa, stay here.”

Kisa’s body froze at these two contradictory instructions.

If asked which one she wanted to follow emotionally, it would obviously be Seyard.

However, the Princess was clearly her superior, and truthfully, Kisa herself wanted to stay.

She understood Seyard’s heart well, wanting to keep Kisa away from the furious Princess, but…

‘The Princess clearly came looking for Gabriel. I’m curious about what conversation they’ll have.’

Kisa recalled what Gabriel had said to her in the mansion’s garden about a week ago.

[What’s most important is yourself. Never give up on yourself for the sake of love.]

It was advice filled with his sincere concern, too weighty for her to easily agree to.

Kisa had already been increasingly concerned about him, but after hearing those words, she even felt a sense of responsibility.

She wanted to help him not give up on himself someday, if at all possible.

It was still just a vague hope, but that was how she felt.

So she was also curious about how the Princess, who seemed to have noticed something, would proceed.

Of the two, Seyard was the first to surrender.

“Can’t be helped. Shall we go to the reception room, then?”

Princess Arta scoffed at his perfectly normal suggestion.

“No thanks. I have no intention of having a pleasant chat with you people in the reception room.”

“It seems I’ve earned your significant dislike, Princess.”

“Of course. Did you think you’d hear kind words after daring to steal what’s mine?”

With fewer people watching, the Princess’s attitude grew even more hostile than before.

Unlike Kisa, who involuntarily shrank back as she remembered the scene where the Princess had mercilessly slapped Gabriel’s cheek, Seyard responded calmly.

“I apologize, but I don’t understand what you mean. What of yours did I supposedly steal?”

“Gabriel Williams!”

An angry shout erupted from the Princess’s mouth as she bit her lip.

“Tell me where he went right now! Right now!”

Yet Seyard maintained a face of innocence to the point where it might seem shameless.

“Gabriel… that’s the name of the musician who stayed briefly at this mansion.”

If Kisa hadn’t overheard the situation between the Princess and Gabriel from behind the annex, she would have believed that he truly didn’t know about their relationship.

“I don’t know why you’re looking for him, Princess, but he has already left here.”

“I know. That’s why I’m asking you to tell me where.”

“Octava. He’s said for a while that he wanted to go there to study—”

“Lies! Gabriel hasn’t shown his face anywhere he might go in Octava! And there’s no record of him boarding a ship to Octava!”

Unlike the Princess, who had abandoned all pretense of courtesy as if reaching the limits of her patience, Seyard replied in a polite yet calm tone.

“Then he must have gone elsewhere. Where that might be, I don’t know either.”

“Does that make any sense? You were the one who lured him first, promising to send him to Octava!”

“It’s true that I conveyed my intention to help Gabriel Williams with his studies abroad. But just a few days before leaving here, he rejected my help.”

“Why?”

“I wouldn’t know. I asked, but he didn’t tell me the reason. In any case, he didn’t say he wouldn’t go to study at all, so I naturally thought he would be in Octava by now.”

“How ridiculous. For the past few days, neither anyone presumed to be Gabriel nor any carriage he might have taken has left this mansion. What do you think that means?”

“Does it mean that the Princess had people monitoring the comings and goings at Hillan?”

“Stop playing word games! It means you secretly spirited Gabriel away!”

A momentary silence like the eye of a hurricane fell.

Standing beside Seyard, Kisa anxiously watched the conflict, seeing no room for her to intervene.

Currently, the Princess was in a frantic state over the fact that Gabriel had fled to a place beyond her influence, while Seyard remained so calm it was difficult to discern his thoughts.

“Alright, Duke. There’s no need for us to waste energy like this.”

Having caught her breath briefly, Arta spoke in a somewhat calmer voice.

“You’ve already achieved what you wanted anyway. So just tell me where Gabriel is. In fact, you shouldn’t care what happens to Gabriel. You’ve already accomplished your goal of turning my insides out.”

“I apologize. Due to my foolishness, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I’m giving up now. Taking you as my husband. I’m disgusted just looking at your face and don’t even want to. My father and mother seem to have given up too? Who would stop you when you’re so adamant about marrying that woman even if it means falling out with the royal family?”

The Princess pointed at Kisa with a sneer.

“It’s not even funny. The way you’re ready to fight to the death just because someone touched your woman.”

What nonsense is this?

“Were you that upset? That I invited Kisa to the tea party to humiliate her? That some of the ladies who follow me said a few words to Kisa in anger?”

Arta’s misunderstanding didn’t shrink; rather, it continued to inflate.

“Fine, fine. I’ll remove myself completely from between you two, and the Duke can live with his beloved fiancée.”

After mocking them thoroughly, the Princess muttered quietly:

“Like brother, like brother—they’re twins indeed, both brothers with identical taste in women.”

 

Chap 68

A Curse-Like Advice

The moment the Princess uttered those words, Kisa focused on the expression of the person closest to her before she could even comprehend their meaning.

Then her attention was completely captivated by the unbelievable sight before her eyes.

It happened in the blink of an eye, but she saw it clearly.

The intense and blatant displeasure that appeared on Seyard’s face.

Since he usually wore a smiling expression, the most he would show when expressing negative emotions was to blink expressionlessly or slightly furrow his brow.

Kisa was considerably surprised by the fact that Seyard would reveal his discomfort so distinctly.

However, that expression vanished before Kisa could feel anything beyond surprise.

When she closed her eyelids once and lifted them again, Seyard was back to his expressionless face mixed with awkwardness and annoyance, just as before.

“My goodness, how ridiculous that you would resemble him even in that way.”

The Princess showed no change in her demeanor, apparently not having witnessed that expression. It seemed she had been glancing at Kisa at that moment.

“Princess.”

Seyard spoke in a surprisingly calm voice.

“Let’s stop talking about the deceased now.”

One of the Princess’s eyebrows curved.

“Why? Are you resentful of your brother who was born with everything, unlike you? Is that why you don’t even want to hear about him?”

“That’s not it. You’ve been too excited since earlier. Please calm down a bit.”

“If you want me to calm down, tell me where Gabriel Williams is. Didn’t everything go according to the Duke’s plan? If you don’t answer me, I will continue to make things difficult for the Duke.”

“……”

A somewhat tired sigh escaped from Seyard’s lips.

Kisa’s heart raced with worry that he might actually tell the Princess where Gabriel had gone.

It was true that he highly valued the young musician’s talent, but he didn’t seem to have much personal affection for him.

Coldly speaking, it would be more advantageous for Seyard to simply hand Gabriel over to her rather than continue having friction with the Princess.

‘But if that happens…’

Wouldn’t Gabriel, who had fled once only to be caught again, be treated even more harshly than before?

The thought made Kisa’s heart ache with pity for him.

Just then, Kisa’s and Seyard’s gazes met in midair.

Perhaps it was her imagination, but those reddish-brown eyes seemed to be telling Kisa to be at ease.

“I truly don’t know, Princess. Gabriel Williams, whether out of excessive kindness or foolishness, refused my help and left this place.”

“What did you say?”

“Unfortunately, that’s all I can tell you.”

The Princess gnashed her teeth.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I don’t understand why you’re making things complicated when you’re not even long-time acquaintances with Gabriel. Or do you find my warning that amusing?”

“Amusing? How could that be? However, Princess, I would like you to understand this.”

He stated firmly yet respectfully.

“Even if you are a princess, coming to my private residence without notice, rummaging around inside, and making unreasonable demands constitutes a clear overreach of authority.”

The Princess, finding this unexpected, briefly opened her eyes wide before letting out a deflated sound.

“And?”

“This once, I will overlook it out of consideration for your grief over losing my brother, your fiancé, but I sincerely request that this doesn’t happen again.”

“What if I refuse? What will you do if I decline?”

“Well, I wonder what would happen.”

Seyard smiled softly.

“I know that you, being the intelligent and generous princess that you are, will work hard for the harmony between the royal family and the Hillan family.”

It was a pointed warning that even the head of the Hillan family would rarely use under normal circumstances.

The Princess glared at Seyard with fierce eyes, as if she had much to say.

Kisa watched as she clenched both her fists tightly.

But even after more than a minute passed, the Princess only stared at Seyard without unleashing her anger. Then she suddenly spoke.

“Do as you please. Even if you don’t tell me, I will absolutely find Gabriel’s whereabouts, and in return, I hope the Hillan family won’t interfere in the process.”

“How could I refuse? I wish you good luck.”

That response seemed extremely irritating to the Princess, as her brow furrowed.

“I misjudged you. I thought you were a decent person compared to your brother, but as it turns out, you’re an even more terrible person than he was.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Without responding, she turned her head abruptly. Then, as she moved to leave, she stopped in front of Kisa.

“Ah, Kisa. You were here.”

One corner of the Princess’s mouth turned upward.

“Although our relationship has become rather awkward, we’ve known each other for quite a long time.”

Kisa nodded nervously, not knowing what she was about to say.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’ll be honest with you. I’ve never really liked you since we were young.”

Suddenly, the Princess lifted Kisa’s chin with her hand.

“What’s so special about this mere beauty.”

In her piercing gaze, fragments of a long-held emotion could be felt.

“Still, you haven’t done anything particularly wrong yourself, and for the sake of our history together, I’ll give you one piece of advice.”

The Princess removed her hand from Kisa’s chin and glanced at Seyard behind her.

“Be wary of your fiancé. He might be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, or perhaps something even worse.”

It was a warning aimed more at Seyard than Kisa, and the man who had just received the explicit criticism simply watched the two women’s conversation quietly.

“Just because he treats you well now, just because he has an extremely kind and sweet face, if you believe him completely, innocent Kisa, you might be devoured whole. By then, it will be too late for regrets.”

“……”

Kisa took a deep breath to gather her courage.

To be honest, Kisa had quite respected and liked the Princess, so Arta’s words about disliking her since the past stung her heart.

However, separate from that, she had to say what needed to be said.

“Princess, that’s a misunderstanding.”

Kisa moved her lips slowly to convey her thoughts clearly.

“His recruitment of Gabriel for our engagement party happened before the incident when you invited me to the tea party and… put me in that difficult situation.”

She couldn’t stand by and watch Seyard be falsely accused.

“Therefore, the assumption that he used Gabriel to get revenge for what happened to me doesn’t make sense. Also, the reason he recruited Gabriel was because I attended a concert at the Darion ducal mansion and happened to hear his performance, which deeply moved me—”

Hahahahaha. The Princess’s sudden burst of laughter cut off Kisa’s words.

“Oh, Kisa. Sweet, naive Kisa.”

Arta, with her eyes gently narrowed, stroked Kisa’s shoulders with a soft touch.

“I’m worried precisely because you blindly trust the Duke like this.”

“What?”

“The sequence of events is entirely irrelevant. Anyone who isn’t a fool could anticipate that I would harbor resentment toward you because of your engagement to the Duke. It would be easy to predict that I would eventually summon you and make life difficult for you. In other words, he could have approached Gabriel in advance.”

Her words didn’t end there.

“And what else? Oh, you say his recruitment of Gabriel was a coincidence? Let me ask you one thing. Was it your own will to attend the concert at the Darion ducal mansion? Did someone not suggest it first and invite you to go together?”

“That’s…”

“The fact that your hobby is violin music is information anyone could discover if they tried. How likely is it that someone like you, with such interests, wouldn’t appreciate the performance of Gabriel, who has innate talent?”

Unable to find a counterargument, Kisa unconsciously looked down at her feet.

The Princess withdrew her hand from Kisa’s shoulder, showing what seemed like a victorious smile.

“Well then, I hope you’ll think about it carefully, Kisa.”

“Have you finished what you wished to say?”

Seyard, who had been silently observing the two women until now, moved.

“I’ll escort you to the gate. Shall we go?”

His face was thoroughly devoid of emotion. Even after hearing all of the Princess’s words, he didn’t seem particularly flustered, nor did he appear angry.

“No need. I can find my way out.”

The Princess answered curtly, as if his composure irritated her, and left without any proper farewell.

She truly was like a storm, both in her arrival and departure.

“Kisa.”

Seyard softly called out to Kisa, who was absentmindedly watching the Princess’s retreating figure.

“Are you alright?”

He looked at his fiancée with concerned eyes.

“I’m fine.”

Kisa quickly answered to reassure Seyard.

“The Princess is very angry about losing Gabriel. Especially since he was last seen here, she seems to want to blame everything on Seyard.”

Looking back, it was indeed Seyard who had suggested attending the concert at the Darion ducal mansion together since they had been invited.

The timing of Gabriel’s recruitment might not be that important either.

However, there was one critical flaw in her assumptions.

“Seyard wouldn’t go that far for me.”

“……”

Unless they were truly in a passionate romantic relationship as rumored, using a hidden lover to get back at the Princess for the sake of Kisa, his contract marriage partner?

It was impossible. Even if Seyard had that kind of affection for Kisa, the Princess’s suspicion was too extreme.

It wasn’t as if Kisa had been slapped when summoned by the Princess; she’d just been embarrassed a bit. Would he use such drastic measures to avenge that?

“Isn’t that right?”

In response to Kisa’s question, Seyard smiled faintly.

“That’s right.”

 

Chap 69

Arta Derbon Sorbi

Gurgle. Kisa blushed at the embarrassing sound that came from her stomach.

Looking back, she’d had to get up from the table barely touching her lunch due to the princess’s sudden arrival.

But did the sound need to be so clear? Surely Seyard must have heard it too.

“Oh, this…..”

As Kisa averted her gaze in embarrassment, Seyard’s smile deepened.

“Come on, shall we go back? The food must be cold by now, so we’ll need to ask for it to be reheated.”

Kisa stared blankly at the hand he extended as he spoke.

“Won’t you take it?”

“Pardon?”

In truth, the two of them had never touched palms before.

Such gestures were typically reserved for romantic couples, but Kisa and Seyard weren’t lovers, were they?

“We’re engaged, so wouldn’t it be good to show some affection occasionally?”

He said with a slightly awkward expression.

“Actually, Gilliam mentioned that some of the staff are suspicious that we’re not very close. He says we always walk rather far apart even when strolling in the garden.”

“Really? I had no idea.”

Thinking about it, she hadn’t realized that lovers typically stayed physically close to each other.

Moreover, people would naturally be more relaxed in their own garden, but Kisa and Seyard seemed to have displayed only a dry demeanor.

After what happened on their engagement day, they were already supposedly in a passionate relationship, so showing no signs of affection would be enough to raise suspicions.

That won’t do. Kisa quickly placed her hand on Seyard’s.

“Let’s go then.”

She thought that while other intimate acts might be too much, they should at least hold hands from time to time.

So Kisa headed toward the dining room holding Seyard’s hand.

His hand was large and warm, with some calluses.

The feeling of his large hand enveloping her delicate one was quite distracting, but she tried her best not to be conscious of it.

Because once she became aware of it, her embarrassment would grow uncontrollably.

That wouldn’t do. The two of them planned to continue holding hands, and she couldn’t be embarrassed every time.

“The princess was too harsh. I understand she’s sensitive because of Gabriel, but to openly treat someone as a villain with two-faced intentions.”

Sitting back at the table that day, Kisa did her best to comfort Seyard.

Who was it that told Kisa she wasn’t stupid and took the lead in playing a decisive role in the broken engagement?

It was inevitable to feel indignant when such a kind-hearted Seyard was attacked over moral issues.

“Just erase any advice or counsel you received from the princess. It’s wrong to say about a person…”

‘Huh?’

Suddenly Kisa’s words stopped. She realized there was one particularly concerning statement among what the princess had said.

[Like true twins, the brothers even have identical taste in women, what a mess.]

If Kisa hadn’t misheard, Princess Arta had definitely said this just now.

Unable to understand what that meant, Kisa had to tilt her head in confusion.

By twin brothers, she must have been referring to Seyard and his older brother, Vischer Hillan.

‘But having identical taste in women?’

The princess believed that Seyard deeply loved his fiancée, Kisa.

Therefore, it was natural to assume that the “woman” in the princess’s statement about taste in women referred to Kisa.

That is, the deceased Vischer Hillan also had feelings for Kisa…

‘No, that can’t be right.’

Upon reaching that thought, she shook her head at the absurdity rising within her.

Kisa and Vischer Hillan had barely exchanged greetings; they were practically strangers with almost no connection.

There was no conceivable opportunity for Vischer to have developed any kind of attraction to Kisa.

After all, feelings develop when people meet.

After their first meeting, Kisa had consciously and unconsciously avoided the man because she felt uncomfortable around him.

It was questionable whether he had even properly recognized her existence.

Then why did the princess say such a thing? After pondering briefly, Kisa found an answer.

Having identical taste in women didn’t necessarily mean liking the same woman.

Perhaps in his lifetime, Vischer Hillan had been close to a woman with characteristics similar to Kisa’s.

If his fiancée, Princess Arta, could have Gabriel as a separate lover, there was no reason Vischer couldn’t have done the same.

Kisa glanced across at Seyard, who was eating his meal.

Honestly, she wanted to ask him about his twin brother, but she didn’t have the courage to do so.

‘It wouldn’t be polite to bring up a deceased family member out of mere curiosity, and…’

The expression he wore when the princess mentioned Vischer’s name earlier was clear in her mind.

It seemed that, as the princess had said, he didn’t particularly like his twin brother.

Given his unique upbringing, it might actually be more strange if he did like him.

Simply for being born a little earlier, Vischer had everything that Seyard didn’t, didn’t he?

‘Let’s not say anything unnecessary.’

For Kisa, Seyard’s feelings were several times more important than determining the exact meaning of the princess’s casual remark.

“Is something wrong?”

Seyard, feeling Kisa’s gaze, tilted his head to the side.

Kisa looked at him for a moment, then replied in a deliberately cheerful voice.

“It’s nothing. The food is really delicious.”

****

In the carriage returning to the palace, Arta Derbon Sorbi glared into empty space.

The person currently occupying her mind was the woman she had faced until just now, Kisa Vansfelt.

Kisa. Arta silently repeated the name in her mouth.

When she was young, she was one of the girls her mother had casually selected as potential friends for her youngest daughter.

She recalled the day she first saw Kisa.

Delicate features, deep blue eyes, and long, thick eyelashes.

When Arta first saw Kisa, she thought the child looked like a fairy from a storybook.

Kisa’s appearance was that striking.

But at least until then, Arta had merely recognized it as an objective fact, without feeling any particular emotion because of it.

Kisa was somewhat frustrating due to her excessive timidity and gentleness, but apart from that, she had no notably bad qualities and was just one of many friends who looked up to Arta.

Then one day, an event occurred that brought about a massive change in Arta’s perception.

The young princess actually had a pure liking for a certain family’s heir, whose face she could barely remember now.

His large eyes and seemingly gentle personality had captured the princess’s heart.

Arta, while pretending otherwise, would linger around the boy whenever she had a chance to meet him at social events.

That’s when she happened to overhear it. The immature conversation of boys discussing which girl among their peers was the prettiest.

The heir answering “Kisa Vansfelt” in a shy voice to his friend’s persistent questioning.

Arta felt a shock similar to having the world turned upside down.

Looking back now, it seemed ridiculous, but at the time, Arta had no doubt that she was the prettiest and cutest person in the world.

That’s what everyone around the princess had told her.

Especially her father and mother, who couldn’t contain their adoration whenever they saw their late-born daughter, often saying, “Our daughter, the most lovable in the world.”

On such occasions, everyone around would unanimously agree with the royal couple and praise Arta’s cuteness.

Naturally, Arta expected her name to come from the boys’ lips, including the heir.

But the person they all unanimously praised as pretty was Kisa.

The very child whom Arta had inwardly looked down upon for having a personality that didn’t match her appearance.

Feeling an inferiority she never expected to experience toward someone like Kisa, Arta went crying to her mother.

[Oh my, my precious daughter. Who dared to make you cry?] 

The queen was startled and embraced her youngest daughter.

But after hearing Arta’s story, she chuckled and stroked her daughter’s hair.

[My darling daughter, you’re feeling unnecessary sorrow. What does it matter if the boys pick Count Vansfelt’s daughter as the prettiest? So what if the count’s daughter is prettier than you?]

[If it bothered you so much, how about trying this.]

The queen whispered in her daughter’s ear.

Her mother’s instruction was simple. The next time, unlike before, have the boys have the same conversation in front of Arta.

Arta followed her mother’s advice.

With many friends like Melissa volunteering to speak on the princess’s behalf, Arta didn’t need to ask directly.

This time, the boys’ answer was different from before.

[Of course it’s the princess! Princess Arta is the cutest and prettiest!]

Arta took their answer back to her mother.

The queen smiled as if to say “you see?” and explained:

[Who is actually prettier, what those boys truly feel inside—such things aren’t very important, my daughter.]

What truly mattered was having the power to make your name come from their lips, regardless of who was actually prettier or what the boys really thought.

[And you were born with that power. Unlike Kisa Vansfelt. Always remember that.]

It was a moment when her mother’s new teaching became an absolute compass in the princess’s life.

After that, Arta no longer felt any inferiority toward Kisa.

Appearance wasn’t particularly important.

People would glance at Kisa but ultimately praise Arta.

Except for one man, Vischer Hillan.

 

Chap 70

The Princess’s Fiancé

If she were asked to describe her fiancé Vischer Hillan in one word, Arta could confidently say:

The most stubborn-necked person in the world.

The man who had been arranged as her match since she was too young to remember was none other than the legitimate heir and only successor of the Hillan family, a great noble house said to have a longer history than even the royal family.

How preciously must he have been raised? Even the king expressed subtle dissatisfaction, saying he was a man who simply didn’t know how to bow his head.

Given Arta’s preference for submissive men with weak self-assertion who adored her endlessly, such a fiancé could hardly please her.

Moreover, this man, several years older than Arta, arrogantly treated the princess like a child.

Though he never committed any notable rudeness, he didn’t value the princess’s words as gold either.

No matter what Arta said to catch his attention, he was such a boring man who would merely nod once saying, “I see,” before returning his gaze to the newspaper he’d been reading.

He used two main approaches when conversing with his fiancée.

One was pretending to listen while actually ignoring her, and the other was indulging her just enough to end the conversation quickly.

In Arta’s lifetime, he was the only one who had left such an intolerable insult.

This time, it wasn’t the sort of problem her mother could solve even if she ran to her in tears.

The queen, trying to soothe her frustrated youngest daughter, asked if it wasn’t actually good that he wasn’t so easily manageable. Adding that a man who’s too easy would be boring.

Regrettably, that showed how little she knew her daughter.

Arta preferred easy men. She liked men who trembled at her every word and action, worshipping her.

And given her preference, she and Vischer Hillan, who thought too highly of himself, were like oil and water—completely incompatible.

Of course, that didn’t mean she wanted to break off the engagement.

The princess wasn’t foolish enough to refuse a husband like Duke Hillan simply because he didn’t match her taste.

Even though she herself would despise Vischer Hillan to the point of grinding her teeth, as long as others considered him the best marriage prospect, she was willing to endure his unpleasant aspects.

Vischer and the Hillan ducal family were trophies that would bring honor to Arta Derbon Sorbi.

Would she give up the position of mistress of Hillan because she found her husband-to-be disagreeable?

The joy of love and romance could be found with other men. Men who matched her taste perfectly.

Vischer, likewise, seemed largely unconcerned about Arta carrying on with other men.

Once, on impulse, wanting to see any sign of disturbance in his expression, the princess told him she had someone else she loved.

How did that dull man respond then?

He said, “I see,” and went back to reading his newspaper.

Apart from her wounded pride, Arta’s life plan was perfect.

It was somewhat disappointing that she couldn’t subdue the haughty Vischer, but it was simple to define him as such a being from the start.

A man who wouldn’t bleed a drop even if pricked with a needle. A man so full of himself that he couldn’t share his heart with others.

A man whose impassive steel-like expression couldn’t be cracked by anyone, not even Arta.

That’s how the princess viewed Vischer Hillan.

Until she accidentally discovered that he had feelings for a woman.

That woman was Kisa Vansfelt. Someone who had once, long ago, made the princess feel inferior.

Kisa, why you again?

The inferiority complex that Arta thought had disappeared from within her surged violently.

In fact, since that childhood incident, Kisa hadn’t held much significance to the princess.

There were plenty of friends who were more perceptive, eloquent, or loyal than her.

Even her once-impressive beauty had at some point started to seem unremarkable.

What good is a pretty face? It couldn’t even win the heart of the fiancé she was pining for.

When consoling Kisa about her troubles with her indifferent fiancé, Arta secretly harbored such thoughts.

Yet how foolish Kisa was, not knowing this and thinking the princess truly cared about her.

Anyway, to her, Kisa was just one of many attendees at tea parties.

But, but! To think that it was this Kisa who held the heart of Vischer Hillan, whom Arta had failed to subdue and had grudgingly accepted!

This was impossible. Was even the proud Duke Hillan ultimately just a pathetic character who easily fell for looks?

While Arta was struggling to understand why she should feel defeated by someone like Kisa, Vischer died meaninglessly.

A fire that broke out at the villa where he often spent time alone claimed his life.

When she received the tragic news about her fiancé, Arta nearly fainted.

Not from sadness, but from the indignation of eternal defeat.

With Vischer’s death, Arta had forever lost the chance to forcibly subdue him or steal his heart.

The opportunity to prove she was superior to Kisa had also vanished like bubbles.

This made her so sorrowful that she refused to eat.

While her family was extremely worried and Gabriel devotedly cared for his lover, the one who restored the princess’s vitality was someone else.

Seyard Hillan. Vischer Hillan’s twin brother and the new Duke of Hillan who resembled him exactly.

When Arta saw him visiting the king for succession to the title, she decided to use him as a replacement for her dead fiancé.

This time, she would definitely triumph over Kisa. By capturing Seyard Hillan.

She didn’t think it would be too difficult.

Seyard was quite clever, but unlike Vischer, he wasn’t hardened by the capital’s political scene or noble society.

Indeed, unlike his brother who merely blinked no matter what the youngest princess said, Seyard showed relatively easy-to-read reactions.

She thought she just needed to push a little more.

But then.

[I have gotten engaged.]

When she heard the sudden engagement announcement at Count Habertz’s charity banquet, it felt like someone had struck the back of her head with a blunt object.

Seyard wasn’t an innocent scholar raised in a monastery.

In some ways, he was even more cunning and crafty than his brother.

While Arta was confidently teasing Kisa at tea parties, certain of victory, that man was plotting to escape her grasp beneath the surface.

And in a way that mercilessly trampled the princess’s pride—by becoming engaged to Kisa.

The princess tried everything to make up for her mistake. She tried to prevent Seyard and Kisa’s union.

But both her father and mother just shook their heads helplessly.

Unlike Vischer, who had been the princess’s fiancé, there was no proper justification to strongly constrain Seyard.

In despair, Arta fell ill again. And during that time, Gabriel seized the opportunity to flee from her.

In his mind, he seemed to have hoped that with Vischer’s death, Arta might now look only at him. How presumptuous.

Though she had no intention of fulfilling that futile wish, Arta was determined to bring Gabriel back at all costs.

To her, Gabriel Williams was so obviously her possession that she couldn’t even imagine a situation where he wasn’t hers.

To be honest, she was a bit tired.

Whether it was Kisa, Vischer, or Seyard, Arta decided to abandon these beings who had tormented her for so long and to whom she had been obsessed.

What could she do if, despite all her efforts, the love of those ominous twin brothers belonged to Kisa Vansfelt?

The princess planned to spend a happy and comfortable life with a man she liked rather than continuing to entangle with people she disliked.

“So I haven’t lost, Kisa.”

I’ll live a much better life than you, so I’m the winner over you.

In the carriage, the princess quietly muttered to herself.

“And Vischer.”

Her gaze turned toward the distant sky, as if her dead fiancé were there.

Just watch carefully. The sight of your brother, who was like a worm compared to you, possessing the woman you could never have.

Imagining the aggrieved face of a man she could never see again, Arta giggled.

****

On a day when the season had turned to early summer, Kisa left home as usual and boarded a carriage to visit the Hillan mansion.

A few days earlier, Seyard had told Kisa that she could come to the duke’s residence anytime, even without an invitation.

To be honest, Kisa had been bored lately.

She didn’t want to go to social events because too many people clung to her annoyingly, and there wasn’t much to do just staying at home.

Therefore, she was currently heading to the Hillan mansion with the purpose of secretly watching Seyard work and perhaps having a meal with him.

But then it happened.

Neeeeiiiigh!

Along with the horses’ rough cries, the carriage suddenly lurched.

As Kisa suppressed a groan after hitting the side of her head against the wall, the coachman called out to her.

“I’m sorry, miss! Someone suddenly jumped in front of the horses, so—!”

“What? Then what happened to that person?”

“Fortunately, we stopped before hitting them, so they’re fine… Wait, who are you?”

“What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

Before Kisa could check on the coachman’s distress, the carriage door flung open.

The intruder who barged into the carriage sat directly across from Kisa.

“It’s been a while, Kisa.”

The man, whose eyes had become somewhat sunken and skin darkened since she’d last seen him, was Daniel Lowens.

“I heard the news. You’re engaged, aren’t you?”

He twisted his lips into a crooked smile.