Chapter 3.1 – To Him, It Wasn’t an Accident

Working as someone’s aide didn’t merely mean assisting with their official duties. This was especially true for the only female aide to the Crown Prince.

After Alehin and Marielle officially decided to become a couple, they enjoyed public dates. Sometimes they spent time alone in the city, and other times, Alehin would take extended leave to visit estates owned by the Ivans family or royal properties. Naturally, an aide to attend to the Crown Prince also had to accompany them to such places.

The Crown Prince’s official lover was akin to the future Crown Princess. Moreover, having a pre-marital relationship was something that everyone accepted quietly if they were dating. Alehin and Marielle were no different.

“Oh dear, where are they going this time?”

“It’s not too far. To the Belynas Islands….”

“Ah, another island?!”

Darius clutched his head in frustration, while the youngest, Broin, looked on helplessly. It wasn’t Broin who decided on going to an island for a break, but as the bearer of the news, he had to endure the chief aide’s grumbling. Broin hesitated but shared a piece of good news.

“This time, they’re going for a short trip. Just 3 nights and 4 days. And they said you can work from there….”

“Do we look like the kind who would shove paperwork in their faces while they’re having a good time?”

“Well, no.”

“Do all five of us have to go?”

“No, they said the minimum number of people is enough.”

Darius, who was tapping his pen irritably against the desk, quickly decided who would go this time.

“You, go.”

“Me?”

“Yes. And Katia!”

Katia, who had been listening to their conversation from behind, frowned for a moment before turning to Darius with a calm expression.

“You want me to go too?”

“There’s no choice. The only one who can closely assist Lady Ivans is you, Aide Evlaine.”

That was true. What male aide would dare attend to the Crown Prince’s lover and future fiancée, the Crown Princess? Katia counted the times in her head. The fiery couple went somewhere almost every month and a half. It had been six months since they officially announced their relationship, and they had already gone on three long trips. This didn’t include the dates they had in the city.

Katia was getting annoyed.

Her feelings for Alehin hadn’t disappeared. At least it wasn’t as painful as before, where just seeing him made her heart ache.

But somehow, following the couple on their far-off ‘trips’ was something she really didn’t want to do. Even if she accepted that most of her time as an aide wasn’t her own, watching the person she adored be happy with someone else for days on end was not pleasant.

Of course, Marielle was truly a good person. If she were mean, selfish, or foolish, Katia’s heart might have been at ease. She could have hated or envied her freely. But Marielle always took care of the aides and bodyguards following them, especially Katia, who had to act as her hands and feet.

‘I’m always grateful and sorry.’

With her pretty voice, she whispered while holding Katia’s hand tightly. Katia couldn’t bring herself to openly dislike the delicate young lady.

She thought about asking for a transfer to another position, but it felt like a waste to leave after all the time she had spent enduring and building her position here. And there was no place as good as this one. It offered honor, money, and a little power. Most importantly, Alehin, who still occupied her heart, was here.

Regardless of her good feelings toward the couple, the constant external schedules were exhausting. There were countless things to prepare. From checking all sorts of trivial luggage to ensuring the condition and safety of their accommodations, inspecting the security personnel, and coordinating with Leonid on how to reach their destination, there was a lot to do.

Even assisting with the Crown Prince’s public duties was a handful, but having to arrange leisure trips too made her feel indignant.

‘I can’t even rest as I please!’

Waiting idly at those scenic places made her nerves feel thin. The male aides, who could take turns, had it better. Katia, being the only female aide, had to follow the couple every time.

She thought that perhaps her feelings for Alehin would wear out faster than expected, allowing her to move on.

Whether she accumulated complaints or not, Darius had decided, and Katia, as a subordinate, had to comply. She called Broin and informed him of what needed to be prepared before stepping out for a short break.

Holding a cup of cold water, she left the aides’ office and walked slowly.

“If only they’d hire one more female aide….”

Feeling parched, she sipped water as she walked, nodding politely to passersby. The urge to return and ask if she could leave early, citing upcoming difficulties, rose to her throat, but she swallowed it down.

As she headed to the rest area, she saw a group climbing the stairs. Someone who noticed her first raised a hand and greeted her loudly.

“Katia!”

“Oh, Jamil.”

Four or five security personnel assigned to the Crown Prince approached Katia. The one who called her was Jamil, the person Katia was closest to in the Crown Prince’s palace. They were of similar age and Jamil was one of the few women among the security personnel, which quickly bonded them. As Katia made eye contact and lightly greeted each person, her gaze finally met Leonid’s.

As if they were merely colleagues working in the same palace, they exchanged greetings with composed expressions.

“Captain, hello.”

“Looks like you’re heading somewhere, Aide Evlaine.”

“Just taking a short break.”

Leonid nodded as if he understood. They exchanged light bows and went their separate ways. As Jamil passed by, she whispered, “I’ll contact you later.” Katia nodded, and as she brushed past Leonid, his hand lightly touched the back of hers. Just the brush of his fingertips sent a shiver down her spine.

Since that night, which felt like an accident, they had been intimate quite a few times. Surprisingly, Leonid seemed to sense exactly when she needed him. Boldly, he didn’t care about the location. Even if it wasn’t because of Alehin, whenever she felt down, he would discreetly pull her into a secluded spot.

How he could so accurately read her feelings was a mystery. Katia even wondered if Leonid was secretly watching her, but she knew that wasn’t the case.

Entering the empty lounge, Katia plopped down on the nearest chair. The water in the cup she held sloshed over, wetting her hand slightly. Annoyed even by the cup, she set it carelessly on the sofa table.

It was something she had to do, and it was her duty to be here, so she did it.

‘But it’s still annoying…’

Was it normal for new lovers to be like this? 

Katia, inexperienced in romance, didn’t know. 

Did they really want to be together so much?

Sitting rather arrogantly, Katia quickly straightened up when she heard a knock followed by the door opening. As soon as she saw who entered, she jumped up in surprise.

There stood the person she admired and loved the most. Alehin, with a warm smile, peeked in and waved at her.

“Your Highness!”

“Sorry, I hope I’m not disturbing your break. May I come in for a moment?”  

“No, not at all. Please, come in, Your Highness.”  

Alehin approached Katia, who was flustered and fumbling. It was extremely rare for him to personally seek her out, especially in a resting area like this, which felt unusually private. As Katia stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do, Alehin gestured for her to sit across from him.  

“My, I feel terribly sorry for interrupting your break like this.”  

“No, Your Highness, it’s fine. But may I ask what brings you here?”  

“Well, about that…”  

For some reason, Alehin hesitated to speak. The Crown Prince, her superior and lord, was not the type to falter like this.  

Katia’s heart sank instantly. 

Could it be that he had realized I harbored inappropriate feelings for him? Was he here to confront me about it? Or perhaps to warn me because Marielle Ivans was bothered by it? Or worse… was he here to say that working together was becoming difficult?  

A flood of negative thoughts overwhelmed her. Katia couldn’t think of any other possibilities. After all, it was rare for her to have such a private moment alone with Alehin.  

She bit her lip slightly, her heart beating erratically. She wished Alehin would say something quickly, but for some reason, he remained silent. In the end, her impatience got the better of her, and she spoke first.  

“If… if you’re here to reprimand me for any shortcomings I have…”  

“No, no! That’s not it at all!”  

Alehin hastily waved his hand. Judging by his reaction, it didn’t seem like he was here to scold her.  

Katia repeated to herself, “Calm down, calm down.” If there truly was an issue with her, Alehin wouldn’t have come personally to address it. Such matters were usually delegated to subordinates. If she were to be dismissed, it would have been Darius who came. That thought brought her a small sense of relief.