52. So She’s Jealous After All

Herwen looked at Ariella with eyes full of displeasure.

‘What’s with that dull hair color? Larael’s hair used to shine even in the dark…’

He unconsciously compared Larael and Ariella. As he did, everything about Ariella—whom he’d once believed he would love forever—began to annoy him. Sensing his gaze, Ariella looked back at him.

“Still, it’s nice that we can meet officially now.”

Ariella scanned Herwen up and down with a cold expression as she spoke. She was no fool; she could tell that the way Herwen looked at her had changed. Still, she thought it was just a temporary phase.

Today, the two of them were meeting to prepare for their engagement ceremony.

“You still haven’t met Larael?”

“No. She refuses to see me.”

At those words, Herwen frowned, but felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He thought Larael was jealous of Ariella, who was engaged to him.

‘Of course, considering how much she was once infatuated with me, even if she tries to keep her distance now that she’s the Empress Consort, she can’t help her feelings for me.’

Surprisingly, Ariella was thinking something similar. She concluded that, even if Larael had become the Emperor’s consort, she still hadn’t forgotten Herwen and was jealous of Ariella for being engaged to him, which was why she refused to meet her. Back at the theater, Larael’s smile as she read Herwen’s note had been as bright and fluttery as a girl newly in love.

Ariella thought the strange shadow on Herwen’s frowning face must be from the lighting.

“Anyway… Lady Nox, would you give me the same comfort you offered the Northern Duke when he was heartbroken?”

Feeling a little better, Herwen sank deep into the sofa and spoke languidly. When Ariella looked at him with contempt, he smirked and patted his thigh with both hands as if inviting her.

‘What does he think he’s doing with the servants around?’

Ariella’s eyes grew cold. She was quite offended. This was her home, where her status was at its peak. With just a few words, Herwen made her feel like some vulgar laborer. She glared at the maids standing stiffly in the drawing room. The thought that they might be laughing at her behind her back made her furious.

“If there’s anything to discuss, speak directly to my father from now on.”

Ariella stood up from her chair and glared down at Herwen. He looked at her askance, bewildered.

As she turned sharply and left the drawing room, Herwen simply watched her go, then soon got up from the sofa as well.

“She’s starting to get uppity.”

Herwen clenched his jaw, left the Nox family mansion without looking back, and strode away in anger.

“It’s been a while—let’s go to the palace.”

He ordered as he got into the carriage. The Empress Dowager had summoned him to the palace. At the thought of going, Larael’s face flickered in his mind.

“To Abella Palace!!”

Herwen straightened his clothes as he sat in the carriage. The thought of seeing Larael again after so long melted away the bad mood Ariella had left him in.

While Larael was enjoying a leisurely afternoon, she heard that Herwen had come to Abella Palace and was waiting for her in the drawing room. She closed her eyes tightly. With the mindset of wanting to get an unpleasant task over with, she hurried down to the drawing room. She wanted to send Herwen away as quickly as possible.

“What is it?”

“Oh, I didn’t expect you to come so quickly just because you heard I was here. It’s almost like you were waiting for me?”

Larael had underestimated just how delusional Herwen could be. She stared at his shameless face, cursing him inwardly.

“I’d prefer if you didn’t come looking for me anymore. As you know, there are many eyes and ears in the palace…”

“Then are you suggesting we meet in secret?”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“Larael, I’ve gotten used to the way you talk now—it almost feels more intimate. Don’t you feel the same?”

“…”

Herwen stood from his chair and slowly approached Larael, who was standing by the door. When she instinctively stepped back, he tilted his head, looking sullen.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

“I never gave you permission to come and go from my palace as you please. This isn’t acceptable.”

“Well, if that’s how you feel, I’ll leave. I don’t want to provoke Your Highness and be turned away at the door in the future…”

Herwen had come to the palace to see the Empress Dowager anyway, and now that he’d seen Larael’s face, he was satisfied.

In Herwen’s eyes, even Larael’s sharp attitude seemed like jealousy over his engagement to Ariella. Larael herself opened the drawing room door and nodded for him to leave.

Every time she moved, her long silver hair swayed beautifully. As he passed her, Herwen suddenly turned and grabbed a handful of her hair, bringing it to his nose and sniffing.

“Trabella blossom perfume? You’ve changed your favorite scent?”

Larael shoved him away with all her strength. Caught off guard, Herwen lost his balance and tumbled to the floor. Larael’s breathing grew ragged with anger.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

The drawing room door was open, and all eyes and ears of Abella Palace were on them. For him to behave like this—Larael felt disgusted, as if a bug had touched her. But more than that, if this scene reached Edward’s ears, she couldn’t even bear to imagine it. She didn’t want to give him any reason to misunderstand. Heat boiled up inside her.

“Larael!!”

Herwen got up, shouting angrily. As he charged at her, he saw the palace maids, attendants, and servants watching through the wide-open door and quickly look away when they met his eyes.

“I overlooked your rudeness because you are His Majesty’s brother, but if this continues, I will not tolerate it any longer.”

“Fine, fine!!”

Assuming she was just embarrassed by the crowd, even her harshness seemed cute to him. Herwen laughed and quickly added,

“I came to see my mother anyway. I’m leaving now.”

“While you’re at it, please don’t ever come back.”

Larael gritted her teeth and spoke in a voice only Herwen could hear.

Herwen just laughed it off, taking her desperate sincerity lightly.

“Got it. So pouty…”

He whispered just as quietly, then left the drawing room.

As soon as he was gone, Larael returned to her bedroom.

“I want to take another bath. Please prepare the water.”

She said this, then went to her dressing table, picked up the scissors lying there, and mercilessly cut off the section of hair Herwen had touched.

“Your Highness!!!”

Joanna screamed and snatched the scissors from Larael’s hand. The maids in the bedroom stared at the hair on the floor in shock. Although Larael hadn’t cut it too short, the severed section now formed an awkward layer.

“I’ll trim it evenly right away.”

Kara, who usually took care of Larael’s hair, quickly trimmed her hair to match the cut. Fortunately, since Larael had only cut the ends, it didn’t take much.

“I was thinking of getting a trim anyway, but Your Highness, you’re so impatient.”

Sasha tried to lighten the mood with a laugh, but Larael just stared at the mirror with emotionless eyes, not smiling at all.

Larael doubted whether she could ever truly get revenge on Herwen. She thought she was making progress, but every time she met him, her confidence vanished.

‘Even if I told Edward the truth right now, would he really understand everything? There’s no way I’m valuable enough to him for that…’

Larael smiled bitterly. She knew Edward cared for her, but she believed it was out of responsibility and his inherently kind nature.

“The bath is ready, Your Highness.”

Larael nodded and forced thoughts of Edward out of her mind. She couldn’t burden him with her problems. With that thought, the trembling in her hands after her encounter with Herwen began to subside. The anxious redness in her eyes faded away, as if it had never been there.