Chapter 33

“Oh, chocolate cake really is the best, isn’t it?”

Even after arriving at the reception room, Kahil was more interested in dessert than in Evan. He scooped up a large bite of cake with his fork and savored the taste.

“When I was at the ducal residence, they only ever served bitter tea. It was so hard. Ah, Your Majesty, can I have more hot chocolate?”

“Do as you please.”

“Maybe it’s because we’re family, but I knew I’d have something in common with you, Your Majesty!”

While Kahil was excited, Evan was busy contemplating what to do with the man in front of him. His eyes quietly scanned Kahil from head to toe.

Kahil Karbel. The current Grand Duke of the Karbel Grand Duchy and son of the late Second Prince.

By title, reputation, and bloodline, he was a threatening figure. Arthur must have known this, and tried to bring Kahil to his side, under the name of marriage alliance.

The union of the Karbel Grand Duchy and the Daian Dukedom. If realized, it would be influential enough to shake the capital. But Arthur’s plans probably didn’t stop there. The son of the late Second Prince, connected to the imperial family—surely that caught his interest. Bringing the Grand Duke to the capital must have satisfied him.

He’ll be disappointed for a while. Evan thought of Arthur, imagining how let down he must be by Kahil. To be honest, even Evan hadn’t expected this side of the Grand Duke.

“I have a question.”

“Yes?”

“You never came to the capital before. Why did you suddenly decide to come this time?”

“Oh, that? Actually, I’ve wanted to visit the capital ever since I was a kid.”

Kahil spoke, chewing a mouthful of cake.

“But my father never let me come, so I only made it here now. It’s really unfair. If I’d known there were so many delicious things in the capital, I would’ve run away and come here long ago.”

Makes sense.

The reason Grand Duke Kahil maintained his reputation for so long was thanks to the Second Prince’s efforts to hide his son’s foolishness. But after his death, no one could stop Kahil anymore, and so the truth was finally revealed to the world.

A man of no real worth. That was Evan’s conclusion as he looked at Kahil. Especially since Kahil had grabbed Diana’s wrist, Evan’s feelings toward him had sunk to rock bottom. Evan stared at Kahil’s hand holding the fork. Normally, he would have made sure that hand couldn’t even pick up dessert, but there was another reason Evan had allowed Kahil into the reception room.

“What’s with the book?”

“The book? Oh, my book?”

“Yes, the book.”

He wanted to toss it aside immediately, but there was one thing he had to ask.

“What kind of book makes my aide a fan of you, Grand Duke?”

“Well, it’s a book featuring my great achievements and illustrations.”

At the mention of his book, Kahil shrugged his shoulders proudly.

“There are so many people who want to buy it, it’s really hard to get a copy. But my fans go all out to get it.”

“So, my aide went all out to get your book?”

“That’s right. It’s my first time meeting a fan, so it was really nice to see her with the book. I could tell she admired me from the moment I saw her. Oh, right. Diana is your aide, isn’t she? Could you pass on a message for me? I’d like to talk with her sometime soon.”

“…….”

“By the way, she hasn’t fallen for me, has she? That would be a problem. Too bad, I’m already set to marry Lady Irene. If that’s the case, please let her know it’s not possible.”

Kahil was so absorbed in his cake that he didn’t notice the tense atmosphere in the reception room. He just smiled and ate, oblivious to what Evan might be thinking.

*   *   *

After the garden incident, Diana returned to her office, and Sophia went back to the Marquis residence. Sophia’s face was so bright, she even said she’d visit the palace every day for a while.

It’s exhausting…

After all the shocking events in the garden, Diana collapsed into her chair, worn out. All that remained was the book beside her. But now, every time she saw the book, she remembered Kahil’s shocking behavior, so she pushed it away from her desk.

“Th-that book! Where did you get it?”

Neil, trembling all over, spotted the book on Diana’s desk. Even just looking at it, Neil was excited.

“It’s the new book about Grand Duke Kahil! I tried to get it myself but failed! Are you a fan of the Grand Duke too, Aide?”

“No, I just… happened to get it.”

“I can’t believe I’m seeing it here. Can I borrow it for a bit? I’ll return it right away.”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you!”

Neil carefully picked up the book like it was a precious treasure and cheered. Diana watched him with unfocused eyes.

“…By the way, Neil, you know the Grand Duke is at the palace today, right?”

“Of course! I knew! Oh! Isn’t he meeting with His Majesty today?”

“…….”

“So did you see him? The Grand Duke? What was he like? Did he have the dignity of the Lord of the North, as they say?”

Neil’s sparkling eyes left Diana speechless.

“Rather than me explaining… it’s better if you see for yourself.”

“So words alone can’t capture his greatness? I guess I’ll have to see him myself.”

It really couldn’t be explained in words. Even if Diana explained properly, Neil wouldn’t believe her. Seeing, hearing, and experiencing it himself was the only way.

“Then that’s perfect. He should be in the reception room with His Majesty right now. Want to go?”

Diana herself was curious about what was happening in the reception room. She considered sending Neil to check, but Neil shook his head vigorously.

“No, I’ll visit His Highness separately later.”

“Why? You wanted to see him so badly. If you go now, you’ll meet him right away… Oh, is it because of His Majesty?”

“Yes.”

She’d thought Neil had been doing fine without her for a few days, but apparently not. Neil looked truly uneasy.

“No matter how hard I try, I don’t think I’ll ever get close to His Majesty.”

“What happened this time? Did His Majesty do something while I was gone?”

“Actually, it was right after you returned. He suddenly dragged me away and made me report everything that happened at your house, in detail!”

“That’s all? You’re an aide, so reporting to His Majesty is normal. Why?”

“It wasn’t just a normal report! How could I remember everything that happened at your house, down to the second, for hours? He just wanted to torment me, I’m sure.”

Neil shivered, recalling the nightmare. His fear of Evan was greater than his desire to meet the Grand Duke. Diana gave up on sending him.

“Fine. I’ll go after the reception meeting ends.”

“If you happen to meet the Grand Duke, could you tell him about me? That I admire him so much?”

“If I meet him, I’ll mention it. He’ll probably… really like it.”

Though Neil’s admiration might be shattered as soon as they met. Diana glanced at the clock. There wasn’t much time left until the official meeting ended. The palace had been quiet, so it seemed nothing major had happened between the two men, but maybe the shock from the garden was still lingering—her heart continued to race with anxiety.

Hopefully, the meeting will end without incident.

With that thought, Diana sighed softly.