~TMPM 20~

Chapter 20

“…Why is the Third Prince here?!”

That woman, they say her nickname is the Devil!

Count Gash Youngshik looked around in disbelief at the absurd situation.

But not a single strand of brown hair could be seen anywhere.

He had been fooled.

Overcome by a sudden thought, Count Gash Youngshik could no longer endure it and sank to the ground, eyes wide in shock.

The first to recover composure was the Queen.

“Y-You… what are you doing here?”

No one should have been in this place.

It was essentially an abandoned temple, yet her precious son was out on a nighttime stroll.

“What do you mean ‘what am I doing’! Your Majesty keeps interfering between me and Alec! I had to find a quiet place to go on a date, so I came here!!”

The Third Prince shouted at the Queen, full of frustration.

“But… to think my own son! And to me, who should be enjoying a happy, sweet, joyful newlywed life!! You expect me to… take in someone like you?!”

The Third Prince, consumed by anger, strode toward the Queen.

His footsteps pounded the ground as he spoke.

“I can’t do it! I just can’t!! How can I share love? I want Alec to only look at me!”

Then he let out another explosive statement.

“Your Majesty too!! I don’t want to share, but the other concubines—uuubbbrrpp!”

“Q-Quiet! Prince! Do you think this is a place for just you and me?”

“Ubbrrpp!”

The Queen could only clamp her hands over her mouth to stop him, but the Third Prince expressed his sorrow and indignation with his entire body.

The Queen, having to physically restrain her nearly grown son, lost the elegance of her veil, and soon her dress and hair were in disarray.

Alexis Periander waited until the chaos settled, then approached the half-fainted Count Gash Youngshik before intervening with the Third Prince.

“What a shame. I quite liked you, you know.”

“Y-Your Highness…”

“But a noble causing harm to his own country? That won’t do.”

With a casual smile, Alexis reached into Count Gash Youngshik’s coat and smoothly retrieved the recording device.

Gash Youngshik was at a loss and could not stop Alexis. Then, the Queen turned pale.

“P-Princess!”

Seeing the recording device in Alexis’s hand, she called out desperately.

Since it was the person who would marry the Third Prince, she thought there was still hope rather than someone else discovering it.

But Alexis, even at this moment, strictly prioritized her objectives.

“Cute one, come here. I know your heart.”

In a voice so sweet and gentle it was almost unbelievable, she called the Third Prince.

The Third Prince, who had been running around like a wild colt, finally calmed down and slowly moved away from the Queen, slipping back into Alexis’s arm.

Count Gash Youngshik, watching this, felt jealousy almost suffocate him, and the Queen felt an urge to roll her eyes at her son’s ingratitude.

But Alexis, confident as ever, calmly pocketed the recording device and spoke to the Queen.

“Shall we talk a little, then? To the lady who will soon be my new mother?”

In that moment, her negotiating partner had shifted from a small fry to a major player.

Once the commotion in the abandoned temple subsided and Alexis’s attendants took Count Gash Youngshik away, I could finally lift myself from the shadowed corner where I had hidden.

“Too bad, just a little.”

Speaking in a small voice, Cassian supported my unsteady body beside him.

“Considering what we’ve given up, this isn’t so bad.”

With a slow gesture, he removed the hood I had pressed down over my head and met my gaze.

Step by step, as he approached, the moonlight grew stronger, and I could clearly see the features of his face.

“Rose, you’re really greedy.”

“Call it prioritizing efficiency.”

I protested lightly at Cassian’s teasing, feeling a bit wronged.

I wished the Third Prince had revealed everything the Queen had done to the other concubines—then we might have found a lead on what she did to Cassian’s mother.

As I clenched my jaw, he gently held my hand and shook it slightly.

“Which is why I say this, Rose. If we rush too much, everything could go wrong.”

He slowly bent his waist, meeting my eyes at the same level with his violet gaze, speaking in a soothing tone.

“You once told me something yourself, didn’t you?”

“……”

Caught off guard, I couldn’t respond. Had I really said that? When…? Perhaps during a busy moment?

Cassian chuckled softly as I searched my memory.

“How sad, my fiancée doesn’t even remember our private memories.”

“…Your Highness.”

“For now, we should be satisfied. We’ve suffered no harm, and Princess Alexis will resolve everything anyway, right?”

Cassian pressed a kiss to the back of my hand as he spoke.

Watching him do this with intensity, I eventually understood and nodded.

The clever and sly Cassian Artes had already received a prepayment from Alexis.

The fair and righteous princess seemed not to notice.

This abandoned temple was also where the Queen hid her wealth.

But for a single strike, there was no justification yet, and the impact would be minimal, so they were just gathering information.

‘But if she arranges to meet here, things change.’

The Queen would have had no choice but to come out.

She rarely left the palace, but she responded to Count Gash Youngshik’s call.

Of course, she did not reveal to Princess Alexis that this place was the Queen’s hidden treasure.

But Alexis was perceptive—she would have guessed something was there and could negotiate with the Queen to her advantage.

This increased the likelihood that the restless Queen would act.

“Exactly. Princess Alexis shielded us well. Thanks to her, we struck a blow to the Queen and now have leverage for any future mistakes.”

Speaking like that, I leaned toward Cassian out of mock frustration.

“Also, Your Highness used me as bait.”

I wasn’t angry, I knew it was the right move, but it still annoyed me.

‘Why tell me about the plan right before executing it?’

I had given Cassian everything that could help, but unlike the original story, he had been scheming since I became Alexis’s temporary aide.

If anything went wrong under her care, it would be Alexis’s responsibility.

So he used that as a shield to involve the Queen.

“Feeling hurt, Rose?”

“Of course not. How could I.”

I denied it openly, showing no emotion.

Was that even a denial?

I knew Cassian wouldn’t neglect my safety, but I was sulking.

He seemed to think I couldn’t be trusted, that I might leak something to Princess Alexis.

After a year of working so hard, he didn’t trust my ability.

At that moment, a warm presence enveloped me from behind.

Cassian wrapped me in his arms and whispered softly near my ear.

“…I just wanted to give you a moment of peace, Rose.”

“……”

“You liked Princess Alexis quite a bit, right? Unlike me, you’re delicate.”

I felt his arms tighten gradually.

His heartbeat transmitted softly through his shoulders.

“Of course you managed well, but your mind must have been uneasy. I didn’t want that.”

“…Your Highness.”

“To give you a sweet rest, a place to be comfortable… I’m still not enough, but at least for a moment.”

Normally, he would have joked here, but his sincerity left me speechless.

It wasn’t that I was truly upset, just that I wanted to show a little.

My camaraderie toward Cassian was genuine.

Time seemed to slow.

Cassian rested his forehead on my shoulder, showing no intention of letting go.

I reached out and stroked his hair.

“…I won’t say thank you.”

“Mm.”

He answered immediately. He understood that his considerate gesture might feel like mistrust.

“And don’t pretend it’s nothing.”

He was hurt too. Even if his character changed from the original story, his heart wasn’t made of iron.

Where there was brazenness, there were still shallow scars.

So, at least while I’m Cassian’s aide…

“I’m not too weak to handle what I must. You hired me to be by your side.”

“…Rose.”

“So let me handle it. I’m not the type to run away.”

Perhaps this was Cassian’s trauma in this altered world.

He had lost aides one by one to hard work and the Queen’s schemes.

At that moment, Cassian held me tighter and raised his head, meeting my gaze closely.

“You mean…”

“Yes?”

His moonlit eyes curved around mine.

“You’re saying you’ll take responsibility for me forever?”

“……”

What is this absurd shift in mood?

When I looked puzzled, Cassian’s face broke into a wide, cheerful smile.

“Y-You’re teasing me, right?”

“No, I’m serious.”

“You’re teasing me!”

I tried to pull away in frustration, but Cassian’s strong grip held me fast.

This scoundrel…

I wasn’t even trusting him completely, and he acts like this!

Annoyed, I pursed my lips and turned my head sharply in protest.

“Ugh.”

It was my attempt at a serious objection.

Yet Cassian’s laughter rang in my ear, annoyingly satisfying as if mocking me.