“To be honest?”

“Well, your appearance is… completely my type!”

“Ha…!”

Caden let out a hollow laugh, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Emma flinched but didn’t stop talking.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Imperial Academy’s Department of Arts… but even in a place filled with the most handsome and beautiful people across Sweld, I’ve never seen anyone as stunning as you, Your Grace.”

“…And?”

At Emma’s shameless explanation, Caden’s thick eyebrows twitched in irritation.

For a moment, Emma shrank back like a frightened turtle, but she quickly regained her resolve and continued her “Ode to Caden Blackwood.”

“Well, your proportions aren’t exactly aesthetically perfect, but…”

“What?”

Caden’s eyebrows twitched again, clearly displeased by the remark about imperfection. Emma, startled, forced a casual smile.

“Actually, that’s what makes you so charming!”

“You’re quite good at spinning things.”

Though his tone was mocking, his expression and gaze softened slightly. Encouraged, Emma began her full-fledged praise.

“Your facial features are distinct, yet they’re different from the perfectly symmetrical good looks of other men. Of course, I’m not saying your features are vague or unfinished, but… uh!”

At the word “unfinished,” Caden’s expression darkened, and Emma froze mid-sentence.

“Breathe. Keep going.”

“…Anyway, overall, you have a rugged and masculine vibe, but your features are delicate. When you keep your mouth shut… you look melancholic. Almost sad. It’s… what should I say? There’s a decadent charm to it…”

“What…?”

Despite his bewildered expression, Emma pressed on, determined to express her thoughts.

“And your physique is amazing too. You have an overall languid aura, but there’s a subtle sexiness to it. In short, Your Grace is absolutely. Perfectly. My type.”

“Really…?”

“Yes! In short, you’re the ideal type of handsome man for this era. If you had debuted as an actor in a grand theater, you would have been wildly successful…”

“What nonsense is this? Are you saying I should’ve been some lowly clown?”

Under his murderous gaze, Emma quickly lowered her eyes. Her gaze inadvertently landed on his chest muscles, faintly visible through the gap in his robe.

Her mind, already in chaos, blared with warning signals.

“Where are you looking?”

At his displeased tone, Emma snapped back to reality.

“Ahem. Nowhere. Anyway, calling them clowns is a derogatory term for that profession.”

“What…?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Her small, pale face flushed pink. Caden stared at her peach-colored cheeks and her small lips, which continued to babble nonsense.

“…Then what did you mean?”

Caden’s voice dropped. For some reason, looking at her flustered face made him feel an inexplicable thirst.

“Overwhelmed by your unmatched beauty and aura, I found myself captivated… and before I knew it, my heart followed. Even if you ask when it started, I can’t…”

“Answer. I’m asking.”

Caden’s persistent gaze was suffocating. Emma feared he might accuse her of lying at any moment. Lowering her eyes, she tried to look as wistful as possible.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give you a clear answer. I usually like statistics and analyses based on reliable data, leading to precise conclusions. But when it comes to my feelings for you, I just… couldn’t reach a rational conclusion. That’s why I decided to quit. Before I became a burden to you, Your Grace.”

“……”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Caden’s elegant fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk. Though the sound was faint, every tap felt like thunder in Emma’s heart.

She felt like a prisoner awaiting a death sentence, terrified of what decision Caden might make after his deliberation.

‘What if he says, “How dare someone like you desire me?” and draws his sword in disgust?’

Caden was different from the rumors, but that didn’t mean the rumors were entirely false. He was indeed as beautiful, cruel, and particular as the rumors claimed.

Even with careful planning and preparation, Caden’s unpredictable actions often left Emma flustered.

‘Love? I don’t love him. No, I ‘can’t’ love him! Someone as unpredictable as him is the last person I’d fall for.’

As someone who prioritized safety above all and aimed for a simple life, Emma knew Caden was the worst possible match for her.

Since childhood, she had taken on the role of family breadwinner. For her, romance was nothing more than a luxurious candy in a shop window—something she couldn’t afford.

Feelings of attraction, physical connections, or romantic excitement—Emma had no immunity to any of it.

She had learned everything about love from books.

‘Isn’t it just a temporary hormonal interaction for reproduction? A fleeting emotional disturbance for the sake of species survival?’

That was the extent of her understanding.

The only reason she could give for loving Caden was his appearance, and even that was genuine.

‘He doesn’t believe me, does he? Or maybe he does? What’s he thinking?’

She sneaked a glance at Caden’s profile, but his expressionless face gave nothing away.

‘Well, I did my best.’

Her compliments about his appearance were sincere, without a shred of falsehood. She could only hope that her honesty would count for something.

“So, you fell for my dazzling looks, and as you watched me, your heart followed? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes, exactly! Completely! But!”

“…But?”

Caden tilted his head slightly, as if asking why she would add a “but” at this point.

“I’m going to give up!”

“……”

The silence that followed was even heavier than when she had confessed her love.

‘What’s with this silence? Did I say it too soon? Does it sound like my confession wasn’t sincere? Should I have said it with a sadder expression?’

Unsure of where she had gone wrong, Emma panicked.

Caden, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly gestured for her to come closer.

Emma wanted to turn and run, but her body moved obediently, as if an invisible string connected her to his finger.

“Closer. Closer.”

Apparently dissatisfied with her hesitance, Caden kept beckoning her. Before she realized it, the distance between them had shrunk to the point where they were almost touching.

She was now face-to-face with a lion.

“W-why…?”

“I heard your reason for loving me. It was quite impressive.”

“Does that mean you believe me?”

Emma’s fear momentarily gave way to a faint smile.

“But I still can’t completely erase my doubts.”

“……!”

Just when she thought she had convinced him, her meticulous boss refused to let it go. Emma’s smile faded, her lips drooping like a puppy deprived of its treat.

‘This is ridiculous. I look like a dog that just lost its bowl.’

Caden chuckled at her expression, though Emma, lost in thought, didn’t notice.

“Fine. You fell for my looks, and as you kept watching me, your heart followed. It’s a plausible story.”

“Of course! That’s the truth! I don’t even understand why I have to prove my feelings in the first place…”

“What nonsense.”

“Pardon?”

Emma unconsciously looked up, meeting his gaze. His jet-black eyes held a mischievous glint, almost as if he were teasing her.

“Do you think you have a choice? If I tell you to jump, you jump. Have you forgotten that I’m the boss who puts food on your table?”

Apparently, it wasn’t just her imagination.

“That’s…!”

It was petty and unfair. But Emma quickly acknowledged that Caden had a point.

Her boss was capricious, demanding, and sensitive, but he had his own logic and principles.

‘If the almighty boss says jump, I jump.’

Emma nodded vigorously, and a faint smile appeared on Caden’s lips.

“Do you know why I doubt you?”

“Why?”

“It’s the timing.”

“What timing?”

Emma tilted her head in confusion, prompting Caden to elaborate.

“You acted like you’d stay forever, then suddenly handed me a resignation letter. I asked you to find the woman I spent the night with, and out of nowhere, you confessed your love. Why now? It’s suspicious, don’t you think?”

“Well, as I said…”

“If you were me, wouldn’t you be suspicious too?”

“Not at all.”

Emma shook her head with a brazen expression.

‘You’ll never be me, and I’ll never be you. You’re you, and I’m me. Your question is flawed from the start.’

As she grumbled internally, Caden suddenly grabbed her chin, tilting her face upward.

‘If he moves any closer, we’ll…!’

Their lips were just a breath apart. Emma tried to pull away, but his grip was unyielding.

“Ha. Ha… Could you back off a little?”

“Why? You like my face, don’t you? Take a good look.”

“……!”

She could barely breathe. Did he really need to get this close just to interrogate her?

At this distance, she could see every detail of his sharp nose and thick lashes. Her mind went blank.

‘He’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he? Is this some kind of new interrogation technique?’

As she squirmed to move back, his large hands suddenly grabbed her head.