42. Someone who’s weighing on your mind?

Kincaid replied coldly, but Adelaida immediately shot back.

“I’ll have you know, I have pretty high standards when it comes to men. Why would I marry a childhood friend who has worse handwriting than I, is a picky eater, and is downright mean?”

Kincaid let out a snort at her words.

“You and every other brat—so impudent.”

“Oh? Does that mean someone else besides me has also rejected Your Highness?”

Adelaida asked with a sharp tone, but Kincaid simply curled one corner of his mouth in a smirk without answering.

The public fully expected the Crown Prince and the Duke’s daughter to be married soon. But in truth, the two only saw each other as childhood frenemies. Moreover…

“By the way, what kind of stunt did you pull that got the whole capital talking as if I’m madly in love with you?”

‘What were you trying to block, exactly? A marriage proposal?’

At Adelaida’s exaggerated reproach, Kincaid snorted again.

“If you’re going to do something, do it thoroughly.”

To that end, he’d hired rumor-mongers who had spent the past few months spreading gossip throughout the social circles—stories about the Crown Prince and Lady Adelaida Sevaron.

“Besides, weren’t you the one who felt relieved once those rumors were out?”

“It’s the same for you. If I weren’t around, you’d be easy prey for the matchmaking vultures of high society, Your Highness.”

Adelaida’s retort only made Kincaid raise one corner of his lips in amusement.

Kincaid had no intention of marrying anyone yet—much less becoming a pawn to satisfy the selfish ambitions of the Empress Dowager and her daughter. In that context, Adelaida, his childhood friend, was the perfect shield.

“Well, playing the part of a tragic duchess hopelessly in love with a cold-hearted prince is kind of fun, I suppose.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“But as I wrote in my letter, I expect you to keep our promise.”

Adelaida composed her voice and looked directly at her long-time friend.

“I earnestly request this as your long-time friend.”

She had, after all, made the long journey from her duchy to the capital for this very moment.

“I’m not so heartless that I’d ignore an old friend’s wish.”

Kincaid replied with a crooked expression.

“Still, I’d prefer if we kept it a secret that we’re not actually lovers.”

“Well, that’s only natural… but hearing you say that, does that mean there’s someone on your mind?”

Adelaida’s casual probing question was met with Kincaid’s usual blank, stoic expression and silence.

***

“I wonder when she’ll be back.”

Lady Adelaida, who had gone to have tea with the Crown Prince right after arriving at the palace, had yet to return. Hailey turned her head to gaze out the window. Night had already fallen, darkness blanketing the sky.

“What in the world could they be talking about for so long?”

Even if they were childhood friends, for an unmarried man and woman to spend such a long time alone without a chaperone was a major taboo in high society.

“But then again, with that would-be tyrant as the other party, maybe taboos don’t matter.”

After all, she was the most likely candidate for Crown Princess. Add their shared childhood history to the mix, and it would be more surprising if the two didn’t end up together.

“Still… I don’t know. I just feel strangely uneasy.”

Until now, Hailey had never even imagined the original male lead, Kincaid, being engaged to or marrying another woman.

“I have to stop their engagement somehow…”

Her chest felt tight with frustration—perhaps because no good plan was coming to mind. Then—

Clack.

At the sound of the door opening, Hailey quickly stood up. Adelaida, who had just entered, looked surprised when she saw Hailey.

“Don’t tell me… you waited here the whole time? I’m sorry.”

“It’s no trouble. Serving you is my duty, my lady. And there are quite a few things I need to report, so I was waiting for your return.”

Hailey gestured toward a tray overflowing with envelopes.

“You’ve received invitations from the various royal quarters.”

“This many? If I were to accept them all, I’d have to stay in the palace for an entire month.”

Adelaida muttered in disbelief at the sheer number of invitations. At that moment, as if on cue, Hailey handed her a bundle of papers.

“I’ve compiled a list of the noblewomen who sent them.”

“You even did this for me… thank you, truly.”

Upon receiving it, Adelaida saw that there were two sheets of paper. They listed the same names and titles, but in different orders.

“This one is organized according to status and rank within the Imperial Palace.”

Sure enough, at the top of the list were names like Empress Dowager Margarita, Princess Catherine, and Duchess Siela.

“Then what about this one?”

When Adelaida picked up the other sheet, Hailey calmly responded.

“That one is organized in the order the invitations were received.”

As Adelaida examined the list more closely, she could indeed see that the order differed from the previous sheet.

“Why go through the trouble of preparing two different lists?”

Unable to suppress her curiosity, Adelaida asked. Hailey answered politely.

“I wasn’t sure which format would be more convenient for you, my lady, so I prepared both.”

More accurately, Hailey had yet to fully grasp what kind of person Adelaida Sevaron truly was, so she had taken both approaches.

‘Is she like any other noble lady, obsessed with status and hierarchy…’

‘Or is she an outlier, indifferent to palace power plays?’

“In a situation like this, of course, it should be first come, first served. One tea invitation from each person is more than enough.”

When Adelaida picked the second list, a faint smile appeared on Hailey’s lips.

“Oh, and the gifts from the various royal quarters have been neatly arranged over there.”

Adelaida’s gaze shifted to the table, where it was piled high with gift boxes. Hailey noticed her lady’s delicate brows slightly furrowed.

So she politely asked,

“Shall I have the attendants return them all tomorrow?”

Adelaida remained silent.

If she truly was the kind of duchess who had no interest in bribes or power struggles, those gifts would naturally be unwelcome.

In that brief moment, Hailey reached a quick conclusion.

“Pfft.”

A sudden soft laugh rang out. Startled, Hailey looked up to see Adelaida suppressing a giggle.

‘Why? Why is she laughing? Did I say something wrong?’

As Hailey stood puzzled, Adelaida spoke in a voice still tinged with amusement.

“So here you are—the kind of person who’d survive even if thrown off a cliff.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Ah, is that the fruit I asked for?”

Adelaida pointed to the fresh grapes neatly stacked on the table and asked,

“Yes, and just in case, I also prepared some light sandwiches. I’ve also run a bath, so you can bathe right away.”

“That’s exactly what I needed to hear. I haven’t had dinner yet, and I’m starving.”

‘…What on earth were you doing with His Highness the Crown Prince until this hour without having dinner?’

As Hailey thought about it, she suddenly flinched. Isn’t this situation generally called a date, or perhaps a secret meeting?

“Hailey… Hailey, was it?”

Adelaida’s voice calling her name snapped Hailey back to attention.

“I should change into my loungewear first and then have a meal. Could you help me?”

“Of course, Lady Adelaida.”

Hailey quickly went to find the loungewear and approached Adelaida. Adelaida took off her green silk dress, which matched her blonde hair, and changed into comfortable loungewear. Hailey, picking up the dress that had fallen on the carpet, widened her eyes as she noticed something.

Could it be…?

“Hailey, I’m sorry, but could you prepare a cup of tea?”

At Adelaida’s request, who had already sat at the table, Hailey quickly responded,

“Yes, of course.”

Hailey hung the dress on the hanger and then moved toward the tea table.

***

Finally, the day of the ball to select the future Crown Princess had arrived. However, the Crown Prince Kincaid, the main figure of the event, was going about his schedule as usual. The only difference was that after finishing his morning activities, he went for a garden walk with Lady Adelaida Sevaron.

“Adelaida, watch your step.”

As Adelaida stepped onto the still-damp cobblestone, Kincaid extended his hand to her.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Adelaida willingly took his hand and moved forward. The gentle scene drew admiring glances from the maids nearby.

“It seems like His Highness has feelings for Lady Sevaron after all.”

“They really look good together.”

The maids’ whispered conversations reached Adelaida’s ears, and she couldn’t help but smile softly.

“You’re especially kind today.”

“I don’t know what you mean. I’ve always been kind.”

Kincaid’s nonchalant rebuttal made Adelaida link her arm with his. This wasn’t something Kincaid had planned, and his brows furrowed slightly.

“If we’re going to do it, we might as well do it properly.”

“I didn’t plan on going that far.”