The prince had just, without any reason or provocation, picked a fight with someone. If this were an official occasion, it would have been a serious breach of etiquette. Even in a private setting, it was an unacceptable rudeness.

Only the person who was suddenly attacked remained calm.

The Duke removed his hand from his hair. As he straightened his posture, his large shadow loomed over the prince.

Hyacinth tensed instinctively.

A cold smile lingered on the man’s lips. His ashen eyes, as always, held a chill. And then.

The Duke slowly opened his mouth and spoke.

“So. Who are you?”

“I am—”

“No, actually, I don’t need to know.”

The man cut him off sharply and glanced at Hyacinth. His raised eyebrow was more mischievous.

That same gesture. From the audience chamber……

Hyacinth felt an urge to flee.

“How dare you!”

The prince exclaimed sternly.

“And who are you to……”

“Michael.”

Benjamin grabbed the prince’s arm and subtly shook his head. A gesture advising him to stay silent. The prince, not entirely oblivious, closed his mouth with a sullen expression.

Hyacinth sighed deeply inside.

Is the etiquette in Kochen so different from here? She couldn’t understand why the prince, who had shown flawless manners until now, suddenly picked on someone.

……And he didn’t even realize his mistake.

The Duke silently looked the prince up and down.

“Um, Duke.”

Hyacinth forced a smile and faced him directly.

“Prince Michael seems unfamiliar with Tyche. I would like to apologize on his behalf for the unintended rudeness.”

“Unfamiliar and loud. What a fantastic combination.”

His eyes, glancing at the prince, held a faint mockery. Hyacinth had to resist the urge to rub her cheek.

“Lady Laurel, you should take good care of your fiancé.”

“No. I mean. He’s not…….”

He’s not my fiancé. Not yet.

But he will be soon.

I didn’t want you to know, not in front of you…….

Hyacinth clenched her teeth unconsciously. She hated not being able to control her expression. She could hear the sound of something crumbling inside.

The pieces of emotion she had stacked up, the one at the very bottom, had been nudged by that man.

“Is he?”

The one I am…… positively discussing…… marriage with.

Damn. Such a wretched expression. Hyacinth finally admitted it plainly.

“If there are no major issues, he will be my fiancé.”

“I see my guess was correct. Congratulations on moving to the next stage of your life.”

“…….”

“You are a wise lady, so I believe you will do well. There’s a saying that a husband’s success depends on his wife.”

“……Thank you for your blessing, Duke.”

“You’re welcome.”

Hyacinth couldn’t bring herself to look directly at the Duke and lowered her gaze. She was afraid to see his face. Afraid to read his true feelings. Afraid to see if he genuinely congratulated her on her engagement.

You know, Duke. I can’t genuinely congratulate you on your marriage. Never…….

Even knowing he had no likely marriage prospects, just the thought made her head hot. That was the difference between him and her.

Caleb’s words stabbed at her heart again like a dagger.

“You mean nothing to him.”

I know. I know. Hyacinth swallowed a bitter breath. She heard a mocking laugh from above.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is quite amusing. What a pointless scheme.”

“Pardon?”

Why is Arthur suddenly mentioned? Hyacinth looked up with wide eyes, but the Duke turned and left coldly.

Wait. Hold on.

Weren’t they waiting for Arthur with Benjamin? Can he just leave like this?

“Benjamin?”

“Yes?”

“Weren’t you waiting for Arthur?”

“We were.”

Then why isn’t he stopping him? The Duke is about to break his appointment with the Crown Prince.

But her second cousin just looked on with a troubled expression and didn’t stop the man. Hyacinth frowned slightly and then realized something else strange.

A sense of incongruity crept in.

……Now that I think about it.

Really, now that I think about it, the prince was quiet. Wasn’t he the one who picked a fight earlier? Shouldn’t he be pointing it out now?

Confusing.

Hyacinth glanced at Michael to resolve this unclear situation. As soon as she turned her head, the prince smiled brightly.

A genial, very fresh smile.

“What’s wrong, lady?”

His face was as calm as ever.

It was so normal that Hyacinth got goosebumps, considering he had deliberately provoked someone earlier.

What is this? She pondered deeply.

What am I missing?

A puzzle is usually solved with one clue. Thanks to the timely arrival of Crown Prince Arthur, Hyacinth understood this strange moment precisely.

The one who could urge her uncle about her marriage.

The one who could bring a foreign prince to this place.

The one who deliberately called Benjamin and the Duke here.

The one who orchestrated the situation so the Duke would see her with another man.

Only one person.

……Damn it, Arthur!

Hyacinth couldn’t stop her expression from turning cold. Even if the spring breeze blew outside, a snowstorm raged in her heart. It was inevitable.

She knew her eldest cousin was a meticulous planner, but she didn’t expect to be caught like this!

No. It’s fine if I’m caught. But why involve the Duke just because I like him! There should be limits!

“Brother Arthur.”

“……Hello, Hyce.”

Arthur stopped with a guilty look.

“Good afternoon. You met Michael?”

“Don’t you have something to say to me?”

“Well? Today…… you look very pretty……?”

Even if he did, he couldn’t say it in front of Michael.

Hyacinth nodded briefly but had no intention of stopping her retaliation. She walked briskly to her cousin and quietly lifted her foot. Then she firmly stepped on the Crown Prince’s shoe.

“Ow!”

“Oh my god! Hyce!”

“Oh…….”

Hyacinth almost decided to stomp on his foot with her heel but restrained herself. No matter what, she couldn’t ruin her reputation completely.

She spun around and curtsied primly to Prince Michael.

“Excuse me, Your Highness. I need to discuss something with Brother Arthur and must leave for a moment. Benjamin will guide you through the garden.”

“No. Wait, Hyce! Hyce—!”

“Shall we have a talk?”

Ignoring Arthur’s urgent calls, Hyacinth turned decisively. Her demeanor was cold, reminiscent of someone else. Like an icy glacier.

“Hyce!”

Arthur hurriedly chased after Hyacinth, leaving only Benjamin and Michael behind.

While Benjamin’s mind buzzed with the family commotion, Michael chuckled nonchalantly, as if he found the situation amusing.

“Haha, it suddenly got quiet. Lady Laurel has quite an interesting personality.”

“……But Michael, why did you act like that? You’re not the type to be so rude.”

The Michael Benjamin knew was lighthearted but always deliberate in his actions. He wasn’t someone to behave recklessly in front of a lady.

“I wanted to see the lady’s true feelings. That’s all.”

“What?”

“Haha!”

Michael laughed loudly and reached out to pat Benjamin’s shoulder.

“Ben. Who was that man earlier?”

“…….”

“Not even a Count? Lowborn? He didn’t seem like it.”

“……He is a duke. Trisel of the North.”

“Ho? Then why did Lady Laurel’s hand come to me? Her heart seems to be with him.”

Benjamin’s face gradually darkened. His complexion turned pale. Whether or not he noticed his friend’s anxiety, Michael winked cheerfully.

“You should deny it, Benjamin! Honesty isn’t always the best policy.”

“No. I didn’t know Hyce’s feelings…….”

“It’s fine. Tyche must have had a reason to choose me as the lady’s suitor. I won’t question it.”

“…….”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…….”

After a long silence, Benjamin finally managed to speak a single word.

“……Are you okay?”

Even if political marriages are made without love, knowing your future spouse has feelings for another man isn’t pleasant. Any man would be rightfully upset.

But Michael’s reaction was entirely different.

Incredibly so.

“I’m okay.”

His tone was the same as usual. His voice was clear, without a shadow. Like the hottest season, his friend remained cheerful even now.

“Honestly, Ben. I actually like this situation.”

“…….”

“Oh, looks like the lady is coming back?”

Michael began to tidy his appearance to greet Hyacinth. Benjamin alternated his gaze between his friend, his cousin, his brother, and then back to his cousin before firmly closing his mouth.

As the second son stuck between the firstborn troublemaker and the third-born troublemaker, Benjamin had to be sensitive. To protect his identity, he had to develop awareness and judgment.

The wind carried the scent of roses. He quietly recalled.

‘Lady Laurel, you should take good care of your fiancé.’

He clearly remembered the expression of the one who said those words.

‘I see my guess was correct. Congratulations on moving to the next stage of your life.’

Hyacinth might not have been able to look at the Duke, but Benjamin, as an outsider, observed him clearly.

And he saw it.

The man, who usually maintained an emotionless demeanor, showed clear signs of agitation for the first time. His lips tightened, and his throat bobbed roughly a few times. Although it wasn’t much different from his usual cold and expressionless face……

It was clear the Duke was displeased. Benjamin sighed deeply.

……This won’t be easy.

* * *