Soon after, the delegation was assembled. Led by Helia Bailey, it included the chancellor and several high-ranking officials. Those who were surprised by her inclusion quickly learned of the empire’s proposal. The news spread rapidly, leaving many puzzled.

“An engagement proposal to that infamous princess? Has the crown prince of the empire lost his mind?”

Such murmurs echoed not only within Bailey but also in Pteria.

Yet the man at the storm’s center, Cedric Prekin, seemed entirely unbothered. Even when informed that Bailey’s delegation intended to assess him, he simply laughed it off.

His aides, however, began to genuinely worry about his sanity. There were still two other princes in the imperial family. While neither of them showed much interest in power, they remained legitimate heirs. A misstep on Cedric’s part could jeopardize his position as crown prince.

Unable to hold back, his chief aide and confidant, Basen Patru, finally spoke on behalf of the others.

“Your Highness, what exactly are you thinking?”

“What do you mean?”

Feigning ignorance, Cedric smiled slyly. That expression was infuriatingly familiar, and Basen momentarily found himself at a loss for words. Even after years of serving him, Cedric’s dazzling smile still had the power to render him speechless.

Knowing this, Cedric shamelessly used his looks to his advantage. His luminous platinum hair was mesmerizing, and his vivid red eyes seemed to pierce through one’s soul. Anyone who met his gaze often forgot their words entirely.

The power to captivate others through appearance is not something just anyone can possess. And this was precisely the strength of the Prekin royal family, particularly the crown prince standing before him.

“The marriage proposal, I mean,” Basen finally replied, regaining his composure. His tone carried a faint hint of exasperation, making Cedric chuckle. His laughter spilled seductively from his crimson lips.

“My only love is for the empire,” Cedric declared.

What kind of nonsense was this? Basen frowned slightly, unable to grasp the meaning behind the words.

“And as my consort and the empire’s empress, there’s no one better suited for the role than her.”

“…The princess of Bailey, you mean?”

Basen was well aware of the rumors surrounding the princess of Bailey. Though they might have been exaggerated, the fact that she was infamously notorious seemed undeniable. Indeed, the crown prince was aware of this, too. But to say she was well-suited? Was he trying to ruin the empire? Basen’s frown deepened.

“You saw it too, didn’t you?” Cedric asked.

“Saw what?”

“Her composure—even when she realized who I was, she didn’t so much as flinch.”

Basen let out a low groan. He knew precisely what Cedric was referring to.

Once Cedric made up his mind about something, there was no persuading him otherwise. Despite being the crown prince of the only empire on the continent, Cedric was bold and uninhibited. His straightforward approach and daring initiative earned him admiration. His experimental policies, based on firsthand observations in the countryside, set him apart from the current emperor’s moderate rule.

The people of the empire adored their crown prince and took pride in him. With such steadfast public support, Cedric’s position was unshakable. His unconventional decisions were met with optimism. Even if he failed, it was seen as an experimental failure, not a personal one—a strength few politicians could claim.

When Cedric insisted on witnessing a crumbling nation firsthand, he dragged a protesting Basen across the border into Bailey. First, they observed the suffering citizens crushed under heavy taxes and neglected by their king. Next, Cedric turned his attention to the aristocracy, determined to see how decadent their lifestyle had become. A masquerade ball was the perfect opportunity to go unnoticed. But it was there, amidst his confidence, that he unexpectedly crossed paths with the princess of Bailey—and even asked her to dance. Basen had cursed himself endlessly for not stopping him.

But that was it. Just a single dance. They barely exchanged words during that brief encounter.

And now, based on that fleeting moment, Cedric had proposed marriage? Basen couldn’t fathom what his master was thinking. Though the crown prince was known for his unorthodox ways, to Basen, he was merely a boss who often left him exasperated. Suppressing the familiar ache in his stomach, Basen asked cautiously:

“You’re aware of the rumors about the princess, right?”

“What rumors?”

“They say she’s extravagant.”

“She must be a woman of great ambition, then.”

“She’s known to treat her subordinates harshly.”

“She clearly understands the extent of her authority.”

Cedric’s nonchalant responses, punctuated by a smirk, left Basen utterly defeated. He already knew it was futile to argue, but the crown prince still needed to understand this matter’s widespread opposition.

While everyone else praised Cedric as a free spirit, Basen knew better. Though Cedric often acted as if he were following his whims, he had an uncanny ability to read the room and bend its atmosphere to his will. The crown prince was, above all else, a natural-born politician.

“How do you plan to welcome the delegation?” Basen finally broached the actual topic. The emperor, having trusted Cedric, had entrusted him entirely with the task of receiving Bailey’s delegation.

Thinking back, the emperor hadn’t opposed Cedric’s proposal to the princess either. How he persuaded the emperor was a mystery but undeniably impressive. Basen silently marveled at his audacity.

“I’ll treat them with the utmost respect—just as I would the future crown princess.”

Cedric’s radiant smile rivaled the brilliance of his disheveled platinum hair.

“Understood. I’ll make the preparations accordingly.”

Basen bowed deeply in acknowledgment. Cedric nodded, satisfied.

As preparations in Pteria began earnestly to receive Bailey’s delegation, the news spread like wildfire. The rumored marriage became a hot topic among aristocratic circles across the continent and among commoners. People even began placing bets on whether the engagement would proceed or fall through. The story of Cedric and Helia’s marriage proposal was setting the continent ablaze.

Naturally, the news reached the Duchy of Effenberg.

***

“…What did you say?”

Unable to believe his ears, Ruben stared blankly, prompting Ikael to avert his gaze as he repeated himself.

“The princess received a marriage proposal. From Cedric Prekin, the crown prince of Pteria.”

Ruben was at a loss for words. The pen in his hand slipped onto the desk, spilling ink everywhere, but no one paid attention. After a moment of heavy silence, he finally spoke in a low voice:

“What’s the royal family’s response?”

“They’ve decided to form a delegation and visit the empire with the princess.”

While they hadn’t given a definitive answer, the signs were undoubtedly positive. Ruben buried his face in his hands. His fingers raked through his hair as he let out a weary sigh. His naturally striking features, though shadowed by fatigue, only made him appear more dangerously beautiful. But precisely, this haunting beauty made his haggard state all the more heartbreaking. He looked utterly worn down from days spent relentlessly working without rest. His desk was buried under an unprecedented mountain of documents.

Recently, Ruben had rarely been home. He’d been tirelessly meeting people, and the duchy was inundated with letters. When he did return, he shut himself in his office, emerging only sporadically. His once-pristine appearance had understandably suffered. Wil was deeply concerned, but neither Ikael nor Enoch dared to intervene. They knew all of this was for one person.

“This news casts a shadow over all our efforts,” Enoch remarked, rubbing his temples wearily. Like Ruben, he, too, had been working tirelessly. None of the three in the room had escaped this grueling pace. They had forgone proper meals and sleep, following Ruben’s lead without complaint, as if it were their penance.

“For the princess, this might be a blessing,” Ikael said quietly. “If she becomes the crown princess of the empire, she could live a life completely unconnected to this place.”

“…”

Ikael’s words were valid. She could finally be free if all ties with this place were severed. If it meant escaping the mire of her current reality and soaring into the sky, there was no reason not to spread her wings.

However.

Marriage to someone else? It was a possibility she had never considered—or rather, one she had avoided thinking about altogether.

Ruben’s sharp mind quickly conjured the image of Helia in the arms of the Crown Prince. Large hands stroked her radiant red hair, her golden eyes shining more brilliantly than ever as they gazed at him. The Crown Prince pulled her into his broad embrace, and Helia smiled—a smile Ruben had never once seen in his lifetime.

Ruben abruptly rose from his seat. Startled by his sudden movement, Ikael and Enoch stared at him intently, but Ruben could not care about their gazes. All his energy was focused on suppressing the storm of emotions within him.

Anger rose against the Crown Prince, a man he had never met. The thought of Helia smiling for someone else—a smile she had never shown him—made his world feel like it was collapsing. He wanted to run to her, tear her away from that man, and lock her in his arms so no one else could ever touch her. So that her golden eyes would reflect only him.

‘…What am I thinking?’