Shortly after, the chamberlain returned with fresh refreshments, sparing Leian from having to force more sociability.

Alex, who was sociable wherever he went, led the conversation, and Calie smoothly followed his lead.

And Leian, feeling more like an uninvited guest than ever, silently drank his tea and ate his snacks.

The refreshments served at the Crown Prince’s Palace were delicious. However, Leian couldn’t fully enjoy their flavor.

“I heard you enjoy attending the opera.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Leian likes opera too. Isn’t that right, Leian?”

When Alex suddenly turned to him while chatting with the lady, Leian almost choked on his tea. He quickly put down his cup and replied politely:

“Yes, I do enjoy it.”

“Then perhaps we could go to the theater together soon? The three of us.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s always more enjoyable with more people. I’ll try my best to make time, so I hope you two can accommodate me.”

Leian wanted to protest immediately. The claim that it’s more enjoyable with more people might often be true, but it certainly didn’t apply to this situation.

He absolutely declined to be a nuisance between his brother and the woman who was practically his brother’s fiancée. If there were truly many people, it might be different, but three was too awkward a number.

However, openly refusing the Crown Prince here would be foolish.

No matter how benevolent his brother was, the fact remained that he was Leian’s superior. He was the lord Leian would serve for life.

“I understand, brother.”

“I will adjust to whatever time you set.”

In the end, he had no choice but to answer respectfully, swallowing tears of blood. The lady beside him also readily agreed.

Leian continued to avoid looking at the lady. If their eyes met now, he feared he wouldn’t be able to maintain his composure. The fake calm he had been holding onto might crumble, and his face would twist unattractively.

So he kept avoiding Calie. All because of the pitiful desire not to show a shabby appearance to the woman he liked.

Unrequited love was truly a wretched thing.

* * *

Leian needed to inform his mother about his plan to attend the opera with his brother and Lady Lucaen. Since it wasn’t something he could keep secret anyway, it was better for him to speak up first.

As expected, the Empress was quite displeased—not with her son for accepting the invitation, but with the Crown Prince for making such an offer in the first place.

“I don’t understand why he shows so much interest in you. Perhaps he’s intoxicated by his own image of being merciful enough to show kindness even to a half-brother? He must feel a sense of moral superiority while putting on this benevolent act. What a cunning fellow.”

“Mother, please be careful with your words. Someone might be listening.”

Leian admonished her with a sigh. Of course, right now the mother and son were alone in the back garden of the Empress’s Palace.

Leian had lured his mother out under the pretext of a walk, and the Empress, at her son’s request, had dismissed all her ladies-in-waiting to walk with him alone.

In truth, the Empress was normally quite suspicious by nature and never made dangerous remarks except when everyone else had been dismissed like this.

The fact that she freely grumbled about the Crown Prince, calling him “this fellow” and “that fellow,” showed how deeply she trusted her son.

That didn’t mean there was any tender bond between the mother and son. A subtle tension already flowed between them, caused by the mother’s ambition and the son’s rejection.

Nevertheless, they treated each other with importance because, one way or another, they were bound by fate—if one fell, the other would inevitably sink with them. In that sense, blood was indeed thicker than water.

“Yes, you’re right. I apologize. I got too excited. Being cautious of eavesdropping ears everywhere is a very good habit.”

The Empress quickly softened her expression and patted her son’s arm. Leian deliberately averted his gaze, uncomfortable with her satisfied look.

He found his mother increasingly uncomfortable as he grew older and she revealed more and more ambition for the future.

Whenever she praised or lectured him, he had to restrain himself from screaming for her to stop, as he could guess what her standards were.

His mother wanted her son to act like an emperor. She wanted him to display qualities of a ruler that surpassed his father and brother.

But that was clearly treason. Leian couldn’t bring himself to directly point out what they both already knew.

‘For fear that speaking it aloud would make it a fact.’

There was a complete difference between pretending not to know something while actually knowing it, and having it become public knowledge that made it impossible to pretend ignorance.

The former at least left room to deny any such intention, but the latter could turn a single word into evidence that strangled the speaker.

If the son clearly told his mother, “What you’re trying to do is treason,” and those words reached someone else’s ears, it would be tantamount to handing a weapon to those who were wary of the second prince.

So Leian kept his mouth shut today as well, hoping that if he exercised enough caution for both himself and his mother, her unreasonable greed would soon subside, and eventually his brother would become emperor as was natural.

And beside him would probably be Calie as Empress. Leian tried not to imagine that scene.

“You said Lady Lucaen is going too?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“The Duke is quite ridiculous. Even though the engagement isn’t officially confirmed yet, he’s already acting as if he’s part of the imperial family. The way he desperately tries to keep his daughter by the Crown Prince’s side prevents other noble daughters from even having a chance.”

“But isn’t it practically confirmed?”

“Nothing is certain until the very end. Who knows what variables might emerge from where? Looking at it, Duke Lucaen is quite arrogant. Thinking everything in the world will naturally go his way. People usually get stabbed in the back when they let their guard down like that.”

It wasn’t particularly pleasant to hear disparaging remarks about the father of the girl he had feelings for.

Separately from that, Leian didn’t particularly like Duke Lucaen either. The occasional glimpses of his vile gaze and cold sneer were unsettling.

Some evaluated him as a wise politician who knew moderation, but Leian thought he was merely a cunning opportunist.

Sometimes it was hard to believe that Calie was related by blood to such a man. How could a girl with warm yet clear eyes like spring breeze share a bloodline to someone like him?

Still, from what he had gathered and seen directly, Lady Lucaen was a beloved daughter in her family. Leian was sincerely glad about that.

He quietly prayed that she would continue to be loved like that and live happily for a long time. He would be satisfied with blessing her from afar as she became his brother’s wife.

“Anyway, enjoy the theater, son. Since you’re already going, there’s no helping it. Just don’t do anything there that might be criticized.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Leian answered dryly.

Of course, he had no intention of doing anything criticizable while at the theater with his brother and his brother’s prospective fiancée. Rather than being mindful of his princely brother, he was more concerned with making a good impression on Lady Lucaen.

He had a desire to remain good friends with her, even if they couldn’t be anything more. Besides, they would eventually become family anyway. She would become his sister-in-law……

So wanting to make a good impression on her was natural. Leian justified his desire in this way. And he deliberately avoided his mother’s eyes, afraid she might detect his impure thoughts.

In the end, he and his mother were the same—in the sense that they both coveted what they shouldn’t. Reminded once again of the original sin flowing in his bloodline, Leian felt dejected.

Anyway, time passed, and the day to go to the theater arrived.

Leian took special care in choosing his clothes and grooming his hair. This too was an extension of his greed. There was plenty of room to rationalize that he was putting in so much effort because it was an outing with the Crown Prince.

Leian headed for the main gate of the imperial palace. There, the Crown Prince, the lady, and the Crown Prince’s attendants were waiting in front of a carriage. The girl looked very pretty in her pink dress. Leian’s face suddenly grew hot.

“Thank you for coming, Leian.”

“I should be thanking you for the invitation, brother.”

When Alex greeted him with a smile, Leian responded politely. His answer was half sincere and half false.

He was glad to be able to spend time with Calie thanks to his brother’s invitation. But every moment of seeing her was stained with guilt, so he couldn’t be completely happy.

Leian stole a glance at the girl’s face. Their eyes met, and Calie gave a shy bow of her head. With a feeling of his nape burning up, Leian returned the bow and quickly turned his eyes away.

“Shall we go now?”

“Yes, brother.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Everyone nodded at the Crown Prince’s lead. The three of them boarded the carriage in turn.

Alex personally opened the door for the lady to enter first, and Calie took his hand as she climbed into the carriage. She smiled brightly.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Not at all.”

Alex smiled back at her. Watching this, Leian briefly averted his gaze, feeling childishly sick to his stomach. Alex said:

“Leian, you sit next to the lady.”

“Yes, brother.”

Leian composed his stiff expression and answered politely.

The instruction to sit next to the lady wasn’t devastating. It seemed better than sitting across from her for the entire journey. At least this way, he wouldn’t have to see her face.

Leian boarded the carriage without his brother’s help. As expected, sitting beside her meant he couldn’t see Calie’s face, which was actually more comfortable. However, it was awkward how their sleeves brushed against each other with the slightest movement.

Alex was the last to board and closed the door. He lightly tapped on the wall, and the coachman who heard the signal began to drive. They moved forward with a bumpy motion.

The journey wasn’t as uncomfortable as he had anticipated. Alex led the conversation with his consistent sociability, and Calie responded wittily in her lark-like voice.