Chapter 6.1 – It’s Okay If You Don’t Love Me, Because…

The next day, Katia went to work with a slightly tired face. Having barely slept, her face inevitably looked rough. Hiding her emotions while working had been something she’d done since she started working under the Crown Prince, so she thought it wouldn’t be too difficult. However, that was Katia’s arrogance.

It was much harder to hide her interest in Leonid than it was to hide her feelings for Alehin. Although they weren’t in the exact same space, Leonid was always at Alehin’s side, making it impossible to completely avoid him. She chose to avoid entering the Crown Prince’s office as much as possible, but she couldn’t completely evade it.

Katia hadn’t seen Leonid until nearly lunchtime, perhaps because he had arrived at work before her. He was surely guarding Alehin’s side today as well. The report that needed to be submitted before lunch was a matter Katia found difficult to entrust to anyone else. She took a deep breath while sitting at her desk, then closed and opened her eyes tightly.

After all, she would have to face him continuously from now on. Katia chanted to herself, “I’m okay,” as she stood up from her seat.

“I’ll be in for a moment.”

Holding the report to be submitted, Katia knocked on the office door. As she opened the door and entered, she braced herself for the shock of facing Leonid.

“Ah, I see the arrangements for the meeting are complete?”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

As always, Alehin was seated in his place. However, the person guarding his side was not Leonid but someone else. Alehin noticed Katia glancing at him but pretended not to notice.

Katia politely placed the report on Alehin’s desk and waited quietly. On the surface, it seemed like she was waiting for Alehin to review the report and say something. But she couldn’t stop her thoughts from drifting elsewhere.

‘Why isn’t he here?’

Unless it was something significant, Leonid was always by Alehin’s side. Especially until lunchtime, it was almost a given. For him not to be in Alehin’s office at this time was truly unusual.

Could it be that he was so shocked by the breakup I proposed yesterday that he was bedridden? 

Katia shook her head at the thought. Leonid was a strong person. He wasn’t the type to abandon his duties just because he got dumped.

Then why wasn’t he here? 

Katia’s mind was already filled with worry and anxiety about Leonid. She didn’t realize it, but Katia’s gray eyes were anxiously darting around.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn’t even notice Alehin had finished reading the report and was looking at her. Alehin watched Katia, who wasn’t coming to her senses, for a while before clearing his throat softly. But when she didn’t hear that either, Alehin made a slightly louder noise and called her.

“Aide Evlaine?”

“Ah, yes!”

“I’ve marked parts of the report that need more supplementation, but there’s nothing that requires a separate report.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Is there a problem?”

“No, there isn’t.”

“You seem distracted, unlike other days.”

His tone wasn’t accusing at all, but Katia blushed and bowed her head. There was nothing wrong with his words.

“I’m sorry.”

“Well, there are days when it’s hard to concentrate.”

Alehin handed back the report with a kind smile. Taking it, Katia bowed and turned towards the door.

Before she could touch the doorknob, the door suddenly swung open. She let out a small gasp and stepped back.

A large figure blocked her path. Katia reflexively looked up.

She almost called his name out loud. Leonid, with a slightly tired face, looked down at her. As Katia bowed her head and stepped aside, Leonid spoke.

“It’s the first time I’m seeing your face today, Katia.”

Katia froze, uncertain if what she heard was real. When she looked at Leonid with wide eyes, he smiled and spoke again.

“You look a bit tired. Didn’t you sleep well?”

“Uh, yes?”

“It’d be good to leave work early today.”

Both Alehin and the man standing behind him watched the two interact in a daze. In fact, Leonid seemed to be the only one in the office with his wits about him.

Katia almost screamed. She couldn’t understand why he was acting this way. She had clearly told him she would act as if ‘nothing had happened.’ That meant behaving as they did before anything occurred between them. But Leonid’s current behavior was far from that.

Unable to respond, Katia simply bowed her head and quickly slipped past Leonid out of the office. Watching her retreating figure, Leonid returned to his usual indifferent expression, as if nothing had happened.

After sending the dazed guard away with a glance, Leonid relaxed his shoulders and let out a small sigh once the door closed. Watching him, Alehin asked curiously.

“What are you doing right now? Hm?”

“There’s no need for you to concern yourself, Your Highness. And please don’t use me as a messenger to Marielle.”

Despite the sharp retort, Alehin merely chuckled as if he found something amusing.

Meanwhile, Katia, having exited the office, threw the report onto her desk and hurriedly ran outside. Her cheeks were burning, and her head felt dizzy. Holding her flushed cheeks with her hands, she entered the break room and replayed the scene from earlier in her mind.

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed crazy. Leonid, the man who always appeared so taciturn and cold… openly acted familiar with Katia. It was a scene anyone would find suspicious. Just yesterday, they were strictly professional, and now suddenly having a friendly conversation!

Was he protesting in this way? That he couldn’t accept the one-sided breakup declaration? 

She fanned her flushed face with her hand. She had never anticipated such a situation. She had only thought she would stew and simmer alone, avoiding his eyes…

“What should I do…?”

Katia stayed in the break room for a long time until the heat on her face subsided.

Fortunately, Katia didn’t encounter Leonid again that afternoon. He had gone out with Alehin, accompanied by Aide Darius. Left in the Crown Prince’s Palace, she spent the day in relief yet startled at the thought they might suddenly return.

Leonid’s strange behavior didn’t end just that one day. As if determined, he began openly treating Katia differently from others.

“Katia, your hair looks beautiful today.”

“Are you not feeling well? Your complexion doesn’t look as good as usual.”

“Here, have some tea. You like this one, right?”

“If it’s alright, would you like to take a walk for a bit?”

As Leonid began openly showing interest in Katia, the Crown Prince’s Palace started buzzing. Ever since Leonid Karev had become known to people, there had never been a single instance where he had treated someone of the opposite s*x in such a warm and familiar manner.

Naturally, all eyes turned to Katia. This drove her to the brink of madness. The subtle, curious gazes of others became a source of stress for her. She often found herself unable to eat properly, and her stomach ached frequently.

“What’s going on? Why is the Captain acting like that?”

Eventually, Jamil couldn’t hold back her curiosity and approached Katia to ask about it two weeks later. When Katia, who was feeling unwell, skipped her meal and sat alone on a garden bench, Jamil quickly took the seat next to her and pressed her for an answer.

“Judging by the Captain’s behavior, it seems like he’s openly courting you. Isn’t that right?”

“…I already rejected him. I told him to stop.”

“What?”

“But starting the next day, he just kept… and kept…”

Katia buried her face in her hands.

“I really don’t understand. I thought I made it clear when I rejected him.”

“Maybe he’s still hung up on it? Or…”

Jamil lowered her voice and whispered.

“Could it be that the shock was so great it drove him mad?”

“…Jamil, you know that doesn’t make any sense, right?”

“Well, yeah. Leonid Karev going crazy over heartbreak—that’s a bit far-fetched.”

Scratching her chin, Jamil agreed with Katia. Leonid was far too composed and rational to lose his mind like that. Jamil, frowning, asked Katia another question.

“Why don’t you just accept him? Do you really dislike him that much?”

“It’s not that I dislike him. But… I told you. I don’t want to get hurt.”

“I didn’t know you could be such a coward, Katia Evlaine.”

“I don’t know… I really don’t. I thought he’d ignore me out of pride, but why is he acting like this?”

One tilted her head in confusion, while the other clutched her head in frustration. Suddenly, a voice came from behind them.

“So this is where you were, Katia.”

Katia’s shoulders flinched. Both women turned around in surprise.

Standing there was Leonid, wearing a pleasant smile. The moment Katia saw him, her face turned pale, and she sprang to her feet.

“So you were with Jamil Testa.”

“Captain, did you follow me all the way here?”

“I just happened to see you while passing by.”

He gestured to Jamil with his eyes. It was a clear command for her to leave so he could be alone with Katia. Hesitating, Jamil rose from her seat beside Katia. Katia hurriedly tried to grab her friend, but Jamil shook her head slightly, her expression troubled. No matter how kind Leonid was to Katia, he was an intimidating superior to Jamil, strict and sometimes even frightening.

Still, as a friend, Jamil whispered to Leonid as she passed him.

“Don’t push her too hard. You’re scaring her.”

Leonid didn’t respond to the advice. His gaze remained fixed on Katia, unyielding.

So he’s not as stone-hearted as I thought. Once he loses it, he really loses it. 

Jamil had a feeling Katia wouldn’t win this battle. She glanced back and forth between Katia and Leonid before leaving.