Chapter 17

Ding—  

The sound of a bell echoed. Inside the spacious shop, there were already quite a few customers.  

“Since this is the Empire, everyone seems wealthy and elegant.”  

Raphael looked around the shop, searching for Rivera. Naturally, he assumed she would be there.  

However, even after carefully scanning the large interior, Rivera was nowhere to be seen.  

“Did she step out for a moment?”  

Raphael sat down at a suitable table and decided to wait for her. Women took a long time to fix their makeup, so he figured he’d wait a little longer.  

But no matter how long he waited, she didn’t show up.  

Eventually, after 30 minutes, he realized he had been stood up. Even then, he didn’t want to believe it and continued waiting.  

Finally, after an hour had passed, he abruptly stood up.  

Bang.  

“She dared to break her promise with me?”  

He had made women wait before, but he had never been stood up. For someone to stand up the Crown Prince of a kingdom and not even send someone in her place—this was the first time he had experienced such rudeness.  

Raphael didn’t consider the fact that he himself was late. It was natural for him to be late, but Rivera being late was unacceptable. Those in a lower position were supposed to bow and watch their words in front of someone with greater power.  

“Regardless of Duke Bartman, I’ll have to teach her some manners first.”  

He couldn’t bear the humiliation of being ignored. Thinking about how he would confront her the next time they met, Raphael stormed out of the shop, his face flushed red.  

A moment later, a woman stepped out from the building across from the shop where they had been supposed to meet. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat, she looked in the direction Raphael had disappeared. Her gaze was filled with contempt and anger.  

“You shouldn’t have done this to me.”  

The voice, cold and full of resentment, belonged to none other than Rivera.  

She had arrived at the meeting place earlier than the agreed time. And she had seen it.  

She had seen Raphael entangled with another woman.  

* * *  

Two hours earlier, Rivera had arrived at the meeting place ahead of time and was leisurely passing the time.  

“If I’d known, I would’ve come out later.”  

She had left home early because she didn’t want to deal with her parents’ watchful eyes, but now she had nothing to do for an hour. It was too short a time to do anything meaningful, yet too long to do nothing.  

– Rivera, how was the meeting with him? Did you dislike him? 

– Yes, tell us. He seemed to like you, didn’t he?  

Her parents, who normally didn’t care much about her relationships, were unusually involved this time.  

The problem was that they didn’t seem to want things to go well.  

‘It felt like they were hoping it wouldn’t work out.’  

Her parents had been the ones to set up the meeting, but now their behavior was incomprehensible.  

Rivera, who had planned to end things with Raphael and then reveal her relationship with Adrian to her parents, worried about how they might react. She even considered finding some kind of calming medicine to ease their shock.  

While wandering around aimlessly, she noticed a familiar carriage.  

‘That’s the insignia of the Kingdom of Lenin, isn’t it?’  

She realized she had ended up near Raphael’s lodging.  

As she looked at the building where the Crown Prince was staying, she heard a familiar voice and turned her gaze. In a jewelry store next to the luxurious inn, she saw Raphael with his knights—and a woman.  

Rivera instinctively hid in an alley. Soon, the Crown Prince’s group exited the store, and she began to overhear their conversation.  

“Kyaa, Your Highness, do I really get to keep all of this?”  

The woman’s hands were full, as if she had just finished an extravagant shopping spree.  

‘Sister?’  

It was one of the women from Trisha’s establishment, Royal Charlotte. Rivera recognized her immediately, as they had a personal connection.  

‘Why is she with the Crown Prince of Lenin?’  

Raphael was boasting about his wealth, exuding arrogance. When a carriage approached, he gave a slight nod.  

“Shall we have a little fun before we go?”  

“Huh? In broad daylight? Don’t you have an appointment today?”  

“Bah, when have I ever cared about the time of day? And so what if I’m a little late for the appointment? Do you think anyone would dare complain to me about being late?”  

“Pfft, that’s true.”  

The woman and the Crown Prince entered the carriage.  

A moment later, as the carriage began to rattle, the coachman hesitated to approach, not wanting to disturb the Crown Prince during his “busy” time. The royal knights of Lenin exchanged awkward glances, equally unsure of what to do.  

‘So that’s why he said it was fine for me to have a boyfriend?’  

Because he wasn’t any better himself?  

Or perhaps his life was so morally bankrupt that he didn’t have the decency to care about such things.  

Rivera clenched her teeth in frustration.  

“…Why did he propose to me in the first place?”  

She hadn’t been swayed by his love letters. What angered her was how easily he had tried to manipulate her, treating her as if she were insignificant.  

Grinding her teeth, Rivera cursed Raphael under her breath.  

“You messed with the wrong person.”  

If he had simply backed off when she told him she had a boyfriend, she wouldn’t have had to witness such a disgusting scene. But now, it was too late for him.  

* * *  

The ballroom, prepared to foster friendly relations with the Kingdom of Lenin, was filled with handsome men and beautiful women, all engaged in lively conversations.  

Raphael, with his considerable wealth, was dressed in the finest clothes and adorned with the most exquisite jewels, drawing everyone’s attention. His immense fortune and status were evident at a glance.  

Soaking in the admiring gazes of the women, Raphael puffed out his chest and began searching for Rivera, who had said she would attend today.  

Although she was from a lesser family and didn’t match him in status, the public would see him as a romantic Crown Prince who pursued true love, disregarding family ties and societal expectations. They would praise him as a romanticist.  

‘But where is she?’  

As he grew increasingly irritated by her absence, Raphael clenched his jaw.  

She had left without saying a word last time, and now, she hadn’t contacted him at all. The thought of Rivera made him furious. Once he brought her to the Kingdom of Lenin, he planned to lock her up in the palace, ensuring she couldn’t meet anyone else, and teach her proper manners.  

“Just wait and see.”  

As he muttered through gritted teeth, a woman standing before him spoke up.  

“What are you waiting to see?”  

Startled, Raphael turned to face her, his jaw dropping.  

“…L-Lady Rivera?”  

Her light purple dress, adorned with thousands of diamonds, complemented the white silk fabric perfectly. Draped over her shoulders was a short shawl, giving her an air of elegance and charm.  

Her cheeks were lightly flushed, her lips glistened like cherries, and her slightly upturned eyes gave her a proud yet coy appearance.  

Raphael’s heart began to race.  

‘What’s happening to me?’  

He was captivated by Rivera’s beauty. Despite her supposedly humble origins, she was dressed in the most precious jewels.  

Though he himself was wealthy, Rivera’s icy demeanor made her seem like an ice flower—cold and untouchable, yet dangerously sharp if mishandled.  

“Is this the first time we’re meeting since our last appointment?”  

“Y-Yes, that’s right. When I went to the meeting place that day, you weren’t there. Did something happen?”  

“I had something come up, so I sent someone in my place, but they said you weren’t there. I thought it was strange since I sent them at the agreed time, but I assumed you were busy and let it go. Were you upset?”  

Rivera’s words, laced with thorns, made Raphael regret his actions. He forced an awkward smile.  

“Of course not. I also sent someone, but it seems we missed each other. In that case, shall we arrange another meeting? This time, I’ll make sure not to be late.”  

“I’ll pass. As you know, my boyfriend wouldn’t like it.”  

Rivera turned her head sharply, her expression cold. Her dismissive attitude made Raphael anxious.  

What would it be like to see tears streaming down her haughty face? To hear her gasping my name while lying beneath me?  

As a surge of excitement coursed through him, he felt his body react.  

“Ahem. Are you planning to continue seeing that man?”  

“Of course. Didn’t I tell you from the very beginning that I already have someone?”  

“Haha, but… can you really say he’s better than me?”  

Rivera looked at him as if he had just said something utterly ridiculous.  

“Are you seriously suggesting that you’re better than my boyfriend?”  

“Well, isn’t it obvious?”  

His words belittled her.  

Raphael had known she had a boyfriend, but how extraordinary could this man be for her to act so boldly in front of a Crown Prince?  

Fascinated by the beauty of this thorny rose, Raphael’s expression hardened.  

“Well… I’m so shocked I don’t even know what to say. Did I not tell you who my boyfriend is?”  

“Why would I need to know that?”  

“My, my… If you had asked even once, I would have told you.”  

Rivera spoke as if she truly pitied him, her gaze mocking. Then, as if spotting someone, she smiled brightly.  

“There he is.”  

Waving cheerfully, she seemed to be signaling someone.  

Raphael, mesmerized by her radiant smile, didn’t notice at first. But then he felt a dark shadow looming behind him and finally turned around.  

A large figure pulled the petite woman into his arms.  

“Did you call me, Rivera?”  

The voice was low and soft.  

It took Raphael a moment to realize who this man was.  

How could he not recognize him?  

The man who avoided women like the plague—Duke Bartman—was looking at Rivera with a gaze full of affection. Brushing a stray strand of hair from her cheek, he smiled faintly.  

“Allow me to introduce him. This is my boyfriend.”  

Even as he listened to their conversation, Raphael was too stunned to process it.  

“…Duke Bartman?”  

This was the man who had once plunged the continent into fear.  

Raphael had tried countless times to arrange a meeting with him, only to be refused due to his busy schedule. Rumored to be cold, indifferent, and ruthless, Duke Bartman now appeared utterly disarmed, his demeanor warm and tender before Rivera.