Carlisle sensed the change in Cornelia and reacted swiftly.

Noticing her momentary hesitation, he extended his long arms and pulled her into his embrace.

By the time she registered his unhurried yet deliberate movement, she was already enveloped in the deep, rich scent of wood.

Carlisle lowered his head and pressed his lips firmly against the pale nape of her neck.

“Hngh—!”

Cornelia sharply inhaled at the sudden intimacy.

“Carlisle!”

The spot where their skin touched grew hot almost instantly.

Cornelia squeezed her eyes shut as the air between them took on a strange heat.

The unease she had felt moments ago vanished from her mind, replaced by the struggle to steady her deepening breaths.

Her eyelashes trembled.

She tried to free her hand and pull away from his embrace, but the firm strength holding her in place left no room for escape.

“I’d like it if you told me what’s wrong.”

His voice was smooth as silk, coaxing her gently, but Cornelia couldn’t reveal her thoughts.

Her mind was a tangled mess; the only thing she knew for certain was that he needed to leave.

“There’s… nothing wrong.”

“Really?”

“Your Majesty.”

“Carlisle. I believe I already gave you permission to call me by my name.”

“Haah… Fine. Carlisle, I’m asking you—please, just go back.”

Her words carried an unmistakable mix of emotions she hadn’t managed to conceal.

“Oh dear, Cornelia. It seems I’ve upset you.”

“That’s not it. It’s just… If someone were to see us like this—”

“Cornelia. You underestimate my abilities.”

“Your abilities?”

“There’s no one better than me when it comes to erasing presence and covering tracks.”

Ah. Now that she thought about it, Carlisle was a Swordmaster.

She vaguely recalled overhearing her older brother mention it during training.

The fact that he had managed to slip past the Marquisate’s tight security—rivaling that of the Imperial Palace—was proof of his exceptional skills.

“Well, that’s a relief… At least I don’t have to worry about you getting caught on your way back.”

It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious, even if he were highly skilled.

Besides, at that moment, Cornelia had no desire to remain in his presence for too long.

If she let this continue, she had a dreadful feeling that she would end up swept away by him, her emotions thrown into complete disarray.

She opened her mouth to send him away again, but—

“Shall we go on a date?”

“…What?”

“If a date sounds too overwhelming, we can just take a nighttime stroll.”

Carlisle smoothly adjusted his words as he lifted her delicate hand and kissed it lightly.

“A date or a nighttime stroll—it’s the same thing, isn’t it?”

“Is it?”

Carlisle tilted his head slightly.

“In that case, you can choose whichever one you prefer.”

“That’s completely ridiculous—”

“So, what’s your answer?”

Cornelia was about to argue but suddenly hesitated, pressing her lips together.

In truth, from the moment he had said the word “date,” her heart had already started pounding.

Just moments ago, she had wanted nothing more than for him to disappear.

Yet now, to her surprise, a flicker of anticipation began to rise within her.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Had she always been this fickle?

Of course, she should refuse.

But as her gaze fell upon the robe Carlisle offered, she hesitated—then, at last, she reached out and took his hand.

“Where… are we going?”

Now that she had made her decision, she felt like a child sneaking out behind her parents’ backs. Her heart raced.

She had sworn not to be reckless, but the moment she faced Carlisle, her firm resolve crumbled as if it had never existed.

“You’ll find out when we get there. But first, wrap up warmly. You’re still unwell, so be careful.”

Did he even realize he was the reason she was unwell?

Cornelia peeked out from beneath the robe, narrowing her eyes as she stared at him.

Carlisle let out a quiet chuckle, then, pretending not to notice, carefully tucked a stray strand of her golden hair back into place with a gentle touch.

***

“This place is…”

Cornelia’s head turned in all directions as she took in her surroundings.

The place Carlisle had led her to was bustling with so much noise that she could barely make out the words of the person standing next to her.

As lively music began to play, people leapt up from their tables, dancing freely.

Servers weaved through the tightly packed crowd, swiftly carrying trays laden with food and drink.

Cornelia was too stunned to close her slightly parted lips.

“Is this your first time at a traveler’s tavern?”

“Yes, it is.”

Carlisle watched her, eyes shining with amusement, and chuckled softly before raising his hand to place an order with practiced ease.

“I’d ask for your preference, but I think I’ll have to make a recommendation today.”

He gently guided her to his side.

“So, what do you think now that you’ve seen it for yourself?”

“It’s… a very lively place.”

“Are you fascinated?”

Cornelia was still glancing around when she turned to face him, drawn in by the unusually relaxed tone of his voice.

“Well… Actually, I find it even more fascinating that you seem so familiar with this place.”

Carlisle merely shrugged.

“The emperor has a duty to observe the lives of his people up close.”

“Is that why you’re here? It was quite impressive how naturally you scaled the marquisate’s walls.”

“Oh dear, it would have been better if you found something else impressive. What a shame.”

A breath of exasperation escaped Cornelia’s lips.

His unshakable composure, unfazed by anything she said, was somewhat irritating. Yet, at the same time, the way he revealed his white teeth in a charming smile made her heart race.

While Cornelia was lost in thought, trying to analyze these conflicting emotions, a server placed two massive tankards, each as thick as a forearm, on the table before swiftly disappearing.

“Here you go! Two glasses of ‘Phantom Night’! Enjoy!”

The server left just as quickly as he had appeared.

Carlisle slid one of the tankards toward Cornelia.

“This is the most popular drink here. Would you like to try it?”

Cornelia hesitated briefly before lifting the tankard to her lips.

After taking a sip, she half-closed her eyes and scrunched her nose.

Noticing her reaction, Carlisle reached out and gently stroked the bridge of her nose.

“This… is alcohol, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. Does it suit your taste?”

“Hmm… The aftertaste is a little bitter, so it’s quite strong, but… it’s not bad. It’s actually better than I expected.”

One sip turned into two, then three.

As she took another drink with widened eyes of admiration, satisfaction flickered in Carlisle’s crimson gaze.

He should probably warn her about its potency, but he decided to let her enjoy herself.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Did you bring me here just to introduce me to this drink?”

“Do you think that’s all? Look over there, Lia.”

Following the direction of Carlisle’s outstretched hand, Cornelia turned her head.

The once-boisterous crowd had suddenly gone silent, laughing and chattering loudly in excitement.

When had it become so quiet?

Everyone, now seated like refined gentlemen and ladies, was fixated on a small stage at the front.

Their faces were filled with anticipation, as if they were waiting for an important announcement.

“Carlisle, what—”

“Shh. Just wait a moment.”

Carlisle glanced toward the front, raised a finger, and silenced Cornelia’s question.

Then, pulling her close, he whispered,

“It’s about to begin.”

The moment his words fell, the entire tavern was so silent that even the slightest noise would have been noticeable.

‘What in the world is going on?’

With the sudden quiet, her senses sharpened, making her heartbeat thunder in her ears.

A brief moment of stillness passed before a hooded figure appeared in the dimly lit space.

Cornelia held her breath, anticipation filling her chest.

Then—her eyes widened.

A voice, unlike anything she had ever heard before, echoed through the room.

A deep murmuring blended with a steady melody, creating an enchanting atmosphere that made it impossible to look away.

It wasn’t a cheerful or familiar tune.

Yet, from the first note to the last, the hauntingly captivating voice drew her in completely.

Though it was a solo performance, the presence on stage was as overwhelming as if a hundred musicians were performing together.

“What did I just witness?”

Cornelia’s cheeks were flushed with excitement and wonder from experiencing such extraordinary artistry.

Her expression was so radiant that anyone would find her utterly endearing.

Carlisle smirked, satisfied.

Braving the risks and slipping away for this nighttime outing had been well worth it.

“Carlisle, do you know who that musician is?”

“Why? Are you thinking of becoming a patron? I’ll make sure to have a detailed report on them prepared for you next time.”

“Not next time—right now—”

“I’d rather you focus on us for the moment.”

As soon as Cornelia’s attention shifted to someone else, Carlisle immediately reached for her hand, pulling her gaze back to him.

“Carlisle?”

“Lia, I don’t want our relationship to be just a passing encounter. I have a feeling it will grow deeper… and stronger.”

She had expected this conversation to happen eventually.

The lingering effects of the alcohol and the mesmerizing performance vanished in an instant, bringing her mind back to sharp clarity.

Cornelia had already made her stance clear. Now, with Carlisle persistently overstepping his bounds, she no longer felt the need to conceal her discomfort.

“You can’t be certain of that. I already turned down your proposal.”

“Yes, you did. But who knows? Maybe rejection will turn into acceptance.”

Carlisle raised a single brow playfully, and Cornelia let out a quiet sigh.

She steadied her expression and reminded him of reality.

“That won’t happen. I made my decision based on who I am. That hasn’t changed.”

“Then let’s add something new to your reasoning—tonight.”

“Carlisle.”

“I’m doing my best, Lia. To win your heart. So that all my efforts won’t be in vain.”

“……”

For a moment, she was at a loss for words under the intensity of his crimson gaze.

But Cornelia quickly regained her composure and continued,

“No matter what you do, my decision won’t change.”

“Well, I think otherwise.”

Carlisle had drawn even closer.

“When you listened to that musician and tasted that drink—you enjoyed them both, didn’t you? Almost as if they were perfectly suited to your tastes?”

“What… do you mean?”

Cornelia’s heart pounded at his quiet remark.

Leaning in so close that their breaths nearly mingled, Carlisle whispered,

“I spent quite a bit of money… and persuaded a few people. I wanted to know what you liked.”

Persuaded people? Who?

Cornelia blinked rapidly, trying to grasp the meaning of his unexpected confession.