Her hand stopped reaching for the doorknob.

Melissa steadied her breath in place with a stiff expression. There was no way she couldn’t understand what those words meant.

“Then we’ll load it on the next cargo ship.”

It was Arthur’s voice.

Melissa withdrew her extended hand.

Her fingertips grew cold. When she clasped her hands together, they trembled slightly. While Reizen’s exclusion of her from work matters might have been partly due to her background, it was also because he was preparing for rebellion.

As she had been the Crown Prince’s fiancée, he had to be careful in case she still had feelings for the Crown Prince and might report everything.

Even when talking with Arthur in the reception room, there was a reason their conversations would stall and go in circles when Melissa was present.

They planned to stockpile weapons in Tavania, bring them to Glinford by ship, and then move them by train once the station was built.

The puzzle pieces started coming together in Melissa’s mind. Moments she had noticed but tried to dismiss as impossible accumulated to form a conclusion.

Reizen is a prince supported by the commoners.

Since all those lending him strength, from parliament to the revolutionary army, were commoners, it would be difficult to maintain a system based on the strict class hierarchy like before even if he seized imperial power.

Then what he wanted was…

‘I need to get out of here.’

Melissa’s lips turned pale blue.

Various complicated thoughts briefly crossed her mind, but more important than that was pretending not to know.

This was something she shouldn’t have known.

Old men, children, even stray dogs could all fight on Reizen’s side, but she was the one person who couldn’t.

‘I am…’

A Grey.

A descendant of those who created this society.

If this society were to collapse, the Grey ducal family would be first in line to disappear into the annals of history along with the imperial family.

‘Surely Rael didn’t get dragged away after hearing this conversation?’

Was that why there were no guards watching out front?

She had thought it strange that the usual doorkeeper wasn’t there today, and now she worried if something had happened to Rael.

Melissa tried to find Rael.

Just as she was about to leave, almost like fleeing, the butler’s voice came from behind her.

“My lady? Is something the matter?”

Melissa flinched in surprise.

“Ah. I came looking for Clara and Rael.”

Her heart was pounding hard. Though she hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, she couldn’t help being conscious of what she’d heard.

“I see.”

The butler stroked his beard with his usual warm smile.

“They should be in the garden. There was quite a commotion when Miss Rael took a knight’s sword and went out.”

“What did you say?”

Melissa was genuinely shocked.

She hadn’t imagined Rael could be that thoughtless. As Melissa lifted her skirts and hurried out with quick steps, the butler followed behind.

The garden had been turned into a mess by the reckless actions of two ladies. They were chasing each other like cat and mouse around a statue, looking every bit like children.

Fortunately, it seemed the guard’s sword that Rael had taken out had been retrieved, as familiar-faced knights were returning while wiping away their sweat.

‘Good heavens.’

Melissa felt dizzy. She was already lightheaded from coming out under the blazing sun without a parasol, and she couldn’t take anymore.

As her legs gave out and she was about to fall, someone caught her by supporting her waist.

“You should be careful, Melissa.”

It was Reizen, who had come out after hearing the commotion.

When their eyes met, the man who shone brightest under the sunlight smiled properly. The exceptionally handsome man with fair skin whispered in a voice sweet enough to tempt Satan.

“You only use these tactics on me, right?”

Tactics – it was an insulting choice of words.

When Melissa furrowed her brows, his hand around her waist tightened. He seemed to be waiting for some kind of response.

Could he have noticed that she had overheard? Was he testing to see if she was acting normally or not?

Melissa answered somewhat grumpily.

“Your Highness really has a terrible personality.”

A slow response came back.

“You’re very politely mean.”

Freed from Reizen’s hands, Melissa stood straight with proper posture. She looked up at him directly while gracefully clasping her hands together.

With an expression that suggested she had no idea what grounds he had for calling her mean.

Reizen smiled faintly. Creating shade with his hand to block the sunlight falling on Melissa’s face, he said.

“Since you seem not to know, I’ll tell you – you smile well at others but frown whenever you see me. You do smile sometimes, but they’re rare when it comes to me.”

“Well, that’s because there isn’t really…”

Just as she was about to say there wasn’t much to smile about, Arthur whizzed past her side.

The man who flew like the wind toward Clara forcefully pulled his daughter away as she clung to Rael like melted candy, not even noticing his hat falling off.

While Melissa’s attention was diverted, Reizen’s voice continued beside her.

“You’re always looking elsewhere.”

Melissa looked up at the somewhat lonely-sounding words. He was still holding up one hand above her head, creating shade for her.

“Come to think of it, you said the same thing in the capital.”

That she was lost in other thoughts all day even while beside him.

“Did I… do that?”

“Yes.”

He answered with a smile. The man wearing a light shirt and suspender pants bent down toward her and said.

“I wish you would smile at me more often.”

Whether he was deliberately trying to enchant her or not, he tilted his head slightly with smiling eyes. His blonde hair scattered across his neat forehead.

Looking at that face, the man she had thought frightening just moments ago now seemed to shine like the most beautiful god. Could he be acting like this on purpose, knowing what she had overheard?

Melissa’s eyes wavered.

A wind blew through the garden lush with fresh greenery. Clara’s quacking shouts could be heard, and Rael’s shouts grew louder.

The wind that came from afar, stroking the grass heads in order, simultaneously ruffled both Melissa and Reizen’s hair.

Melissa smoothed her disheveled curls behind her ear. Even in that moment, Reizen’s gaze remained persistently fixed on her face.

“Is the wind too strong?”

A ticklish feeling she hadn’t felt for a while since the mark manifested gently stroked her heart.

She had thought she was desperately wanting to touch him because her body was heated up by the mark, but the attraction she had felt all this time wasn’t a lie.

This feeling wasn’t an illusion created by the mark… it was real.

A woman who could be of no help at all on the path he intended to take. It would be enough if she became a hindrance, yet looking at such a woman that no one would welcome, the man asked.

“What do you like?”

As if he would give her anything she liked.

When she was a young lady, everyone who asked about her preferences had ulterior motives. They meant to curry favor with the Duke by coaxing her.

But this man had no such intentions. Because she had nothing to offer.

What did she like?

Was he asking how to make her smile?

Melissa opened her mouth with a blank expression.

“You…”

I like you.

At that moment, Clara suddenly popped up from below with a “Wah!” startling both of them, and the rest of the words were swallowed back.

* * *

For several days, she was too tired to move. After learning what Reizen was plotting, her worries were endless.

Melissa was eating dessert with Clara and Rael. As she blinked slowly, still not recovered from fatigue even during the day, Melissa suddenly asked as if she just remembered.

‘You’re leaving tomorrow, right?’

Rael’s departure date was approaching.

While Clara would frequently travel between Sys with Arthur, Rael planned not to return until she settled down after going to Tavania.

Rael, who had become quite close with Clara over the past few days, answered while tucking a napkin under the child’s chin who had spilled dessert.

‘Yes. Arthur has several properties he bought in Tavania. Since Arthur and Clara will mainly be in Sys, he said I could use those places.’

‘How kind of him to provide accommodation too.’

‘Well, I’ll pay it all back later.’

Rael shrugged. Beside her, Clara stabbed her cake with a fork and put it in her mouth, only to spill it again.

As food fell onto the tablecloth with a splat, Rael burst out.

‘Ah, why do you eat so messily! Is there a hole in your chin?’

Most children would have been reduced to tears, but Clara never backed down. The child, still chewing her cake, opened her mouth wide and pointed with her finger.

‘There are holes here, what are you going to do about it!’

Her mouth full of gaps where baby teeth had fallen out was visible. When she retorted what could she do about food flying out while chewing, Rael was left speechless.