~TMPM 18~

Chapter 18

Did the sun rise in the west today?

I asked Cassian, feeling uneasy about a situation that shouldn’t even have occurred.

“Why?”

For someone who told me to leave work, the skin on his cheek looked slightly roughened. Your Highness?

I asked, curious, and Cassian looked at me with a bittersweet expression.

“Because it hurts me so much to see you being so indifferent toward yourself.”

A brief silence passed.

Cassian’s eyes were far too serious for this to be his usual teasing.

“Did I miss something?”

I decided to ask honestly.

“Yes.”

He slowly slipped his fingers through the bracelet he had left hanging and spoke.

“Why are you so dull to your own misfortunes?”

A low sigh escaped his lips.

“You’re so sensitive to other people’s matters, yet even now, you’re probably thinking about how my face looks, huh?”

How did he know?

I looked up at him without hiding my expression, and for some reason, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“So how could I not worry? I must take care of my precious aide.”

With a softened expression, Cassian slid his hand along the bracelet and took mine.

“When you were beside Princess Alexis, wasn’t there someone who showed malice?”

I rolled my eyes for a moment.

There had been a brat who had thrown a little tantrum.

“Do you mean Count Gash Youngsik?”

“That’s a relief.”

Cassian clasped my hand reassuringly.

“It wasn’t that you were dull—it was that you overlooked it entirely.”

“Well… um… but at most, he was someone who could spill ink on the documents I wrote.”

He looked harmless, like a little bird, yet Cassian was making such a big deal of it?

Before I could fully question it, Cassian answered quickly.

“What if Count Gash Youngsik had a short tea with the Queen three days ago?”

“Then the story changes entirely.”

I met Cassian’s gaze and spoke.

“Of all the kingdom’s guests, Count Gash Youngsik has no reason to meet the Queen. He wants to become a consort of Prince Alexis.”

Meeting the mother of the Third Prince, who is meant to be the principal consort?

Even a fool would know it’s best to avoid it, lest he be blackmailed or trapped.

I cleared that calm thought and said to Cassian:

“Then Youngsik must have fallen for the Queen’s shallow trick.”

“Yes, unfortunately.”

The Queen had planned to use Youngsik to deal a blow to either me or Cassian.

And she would effortlessly pin the blame on him, naturally eliminating the Third Prince’s rival in the process.

From what I’d seen in the past few days, it was clear Youngsik didn’t have a cunning personality.

So I hadn’t been particularly wary.

“The Queen took advantage of his anxiety.”

“Yes. In any empire or kingdom, to become a consort, one must either catch the ruler’s eye or gain the principal wife’s approval.”

“She must have persuaded the Third Prince to promise him the position of First Consort.”

“Yes. And now you can understand why I worry about you.”

Cassian said that, lifted my hand, and placed a brief kiss on it.

“But… returning home early today is only a temporary solution.”

The Queen probably knew I visited Cassian’s office regularly and could roughly guess my return time.

Count Youngsik might try to intercept me at an inopportune hour.

But would avoiding him today solve the problem?

I looked at Cassian with a questioning expression. He nodded with a faint smile, as if he understood.

“I hope that will be enough to make him give up.”

“Because a diplomatic incident could arise?”

“Yes. Princess Alexis, you said, have a fondness for younger, slightly naïve, handsome men.”

“And it wouldn’t be good if the Third Prince monopolized your love entirely.”

It was best if the Third Prince stirred up some jealousy in the court, distracting the Queen.

I nodded in understanding.

“Alright, I’ll avoid him today. And I’ll try to coax Count Gash Youngsik too.”

“Good.”

Cassian nodded as if it were the best option, but his expression was oddly apologetic.

I didn’t like that expression.

“By the way, Your Highness.”

“Hm?”

“Even if we hadn’t been engaged, wouldn’t you have been broken off with?”

I asked mischievously.

“Other than the age difference, nothing matches, indeed. But…”

Cassian’s expression shifted from apology to a strange smile.

“Does that mean I’m not pretty to you, Rose?”

“…Excuse me?”

Shouldn’t I be more concerned about him not being foolish?

When I looked at him, dumbfounded, his face came so close that our noses nearly touched.

“Really… not pretty?”

Mirror… haven’t you checked?

I felt my breath catch. Getting his face this close was cheating!

I tried to slightly avert my gaze, but Cassian gently held my head, making me meet his eyes again, and whispered in a low voice.

“Hm? Rose, answer me. This is very important to me.”

Why did I have to indulge Cassian and end up in this predicament…?

To keep my oxygen flowing, I barely managed to speak.

“Of course… you are.”

Cassian’s violet eyes softened.

He urged me with his gaze, as if wanting me to say more. I didn’t want to give the answer he wanted, yet…

“You’re always… beautiful.”

There was no winning against him.

Even after answering, he didn’t let me go, gazing at me as if craving something.

“…Your Highness.”

I managed to move my eyelids, blinking as I closed my eyes tightly.

From my blocked view, I heard a soft sigh.

Peck.

Finally, a gentle touch brushed against my forehead and vanished, along with the touch that had held my cheek.

When I slowly opened my eyes, Cassian’s face was as usual, and he spoke in a quiet, almost lonely voice.

“My fiancée says I’m less pretty… I guess I’ll have to try harder.”

“Eh?”

I had said he was pretty!

When I looked at him, stunned, the mischief on his face was overwhelming.

“Rose, you really love pretty things, don’t you?”

Cassian grabbed my hand and lifted me abruptly.

“Just like delicious food.”

“…Your Highness!”

“I can’t afford to lose my precious aide, so I’ll have to make an effort.”

Ah, this wicked employer of mine…

I worried for nothing. He had just teased me again.

I felt like I had lost out big time.

The spicy stew we had that day was absolutely divine.

How did he know I would crave it? He had even told the chef to prepare it in advance.

A human like a ghost…

He had read all my patterns.

Anyway, thanks to Cassian’s foresight, protection, and early leave, I returned home safely.

He even assigned two capable knights to escort me, just in case.

They were the ones known as Cassian’s “swords” in the original story, so even if something had gone wrong, I likely would have been safe.

The truth of his words became apparent the next workday when I entered Princess Alexis’ office.

Count Gash Youngsik, who usually ignored or sneered at me, was blocking the entrance.

“I think it’s about time to leave, Salice aide.”

“Has Princess Alexis dismissed me, sir?”

I asked him with a calm smile.

Dealing with this guy was tedious. I usually shook him off with something like a tax inspection, so it was hard to choose a gentler approach.

“Then I, too, will gladly return to Prince Cassian.”

I deliberately smirked.

“I’ve been so lonely these past week apart from Your Highness.”

“Alone…?”

Count Gash Youngsik looked exasperated at my words.

“Are you talking nonsense? Do you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Excuse me?”

I looked at him with a deliberately clueless expression.

People get frustrated at my innocent-looking face.

“Princess Alexis should feel honored to have you near her at all!”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Don’t play dumb! Do you think I don’t know that every evening you spill all sorts of secrets to Prince Cassian?”

His handsome face twisted into a bitter smile.

“You should be grateful. I could take this confession straight to Princess Alexis—”

“No, the one who should be grateful is you.”

I cut him off and stepped closer, whispering.

“I just prevented a diplomatic dispute between me and Prince Cassian.”

“Wha… what?”

“Don’t play dumb. I even have proof.”

I looked at him like a villain, grinning.

His simple face drained of color.

There are many ways to persuade someone.

And exploiting a weakness is one perfectly legitimate and clean method.