What was that? Though it lasted only a moment, I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling.

Her purple eyes had definitely glared at me intensely.

“Find out where he is. He’s not one to abandon this place and leave.”

But Genevieve quickly averted her gaze from me and addressed the palace minister.

“My goodness. We shouldn’t keep them standing like this.”

Then, smiling as if nothing had happened, she took my hand.

I flinched at her cold touch, but she gripped my hand firmly, paying no attention to my reaction.

“Go and enjoy yourselves. Seeing the energy of young people makes me feel younger too.”

Her cold hands contrasted with her warm smile.

Suppressing the growing sense of dissonance, I forced myself to smile back.

Was that unsettling feeling just my imagination?

As Genevieve released my hand, her clear red eyes sparkling, the chief chamberlain guided us to our seats.

“Your Highness, the Grand Duke of Hedegen and his wife.”

At the servant’s announcement, the Crown Prince, laughing while conversing with others, turned to look at us.

Aiden Strat Rustein.

Aiden had purple eyes like Genevieve and blonde hair similar to Carlo’s, but while Carlo’s blonde resembled sunlight—almost radiant—Aiden’s was a deeper shade of gold.

“I know, I know. It’s been a while, Carlo? How have you been?”

“Well, thanks to you.”

At Carlo’s calm response, Aiden grinned broadly and opened his arms.

He laughed heartily, embracing Carlo while subtly making eye contact with me.

“I’ve really missed you. Thanks to you, we were able to protect Northcheshire. If I hadn’t been injured then, I would have fought alongside you.”

Though addressing Carlo, Aiden’s gaze kept scanning me up and down.

What’s with that sleazy smile…

In my imagination, a crown prince would be either a cold northern beauty or a warm southern charmer, but this prince reminded me more of a loose thug or a slimy pervert.

“Lea.”

At that moment, Carlo casually detached himself from Aiden, called my name, and wrapped his arm around my waist protectively.

Aiden’s gaze faltered as he glanced at Carlo’s hand on my waist.

“Well, I’m glad to see you’re doing well together.”

Then he looked up at Carlo with a composed face.

Aiden was slightly taller than average, but Carlo was so tall that Aiden inevitably had to look up at him.

Then again, any man other than the Crown Prince would have to look up at Carlo too.

“So the rumors about you two getting along are true?”

“What do you mean?”

Though Carlo responded with a faint smile, his eyes weren’t smiling at all.

There it was. Carlo’s characteristic chilly gaze.

Aiden seemed to notice Carlo’s unfavorable reaction and laughed more heartily, speaking casually.

“No, let me correct myself. I meant that you look good as a couple.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is a compliment. Nothing could be better for newlyweds than a good relationship. Can we expect news of a child in the Hedegen family soon?”

“……”

“I’ve ordered tomorrow’s breakfast to be prepared a little later than usual. Can’t rush newlyweds to eat when mornings can be… heated.”

What is this pervert thug saying…

I wanted to tell him to go laugh somewhere else, hating his smirking expression.

“You speak as if your jokes were truth.”

Just then, a firm, cool voice spoke up.

“I fully understand Your Highness’s desire to make everyone laugh, but by centering the topic on our marital relationship, I worry some might misinterpret your pure intentions. After all, Your Highness represents the future of the Empire.”

Carlo delivered these words calmly without changing his expression, then gave a gentle smile with a composed face.

“……”

Aiden, who had brought up trivial matters hoping to see Carlo’s expression change, hesitated and stared at him for a long time.

Then he looked fiercely around at the people managing their expressions.

“Haha, well, this wasn’t so much to make people laugh as…”

“To mock, then?”

When Carlo responded casually, Aiden’s eyes widened in shock.

“That’s… not it.”

“I was joking too.”

Carlo looked down at Aiden, slightly raising the corner of his mouth.

“Ahem!”

Aiden, whose gaze had been following his drooping eyelids, suddenly cleared his throat and avoided Carlo’s eyes.

“Well, um, hmm! Enjoy yourselves. Both Carlo and you, Grand Duchess.”

“……”

“Uh, your sister, Lady Azanie, has already arrived. Dillan is still in his office handling work. Quite the valuable talent for the imperial palace, isn’t he? He’ll join us soon, so greet him when he arrives. Yes, enjoy yourselves. Oh, I already said that, right? Ahem! Anyway, since Mother put a lot of effort into this schedule… well.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Carlo, who had been listening leisurely, deliberately gave a formal greeting. This seemed to make Aiden feel superior, as he smiled magnanimously as if he had never been flustered.

“Haha. Anyway, I’m really glad you came. It feels great to see an old friend at the imperial palace again.”

Carlo responded with a serene smile and turned away with his arm still around my waist.

“Do you regret coming here?”

He looked at me and spoke in a calm tone, meeting my eyes.

His gaze was markedly different from the icy stare he had shown earlier.

“No? I’m fine.”

“Why is that?”

“Because I have you with me. That’s reassuring.”

When I smiled brightly and looked up at him, Carlo scoffed and replied:

“Who said I’d protect you?”

After idly spending time at tables filled with delicious food, the afternoon soon arrived with the sun casting long shadows.

During tea time, people approached us with great interest, trying repeatedly to engage us in conversation. Each time, Carlo acted like a steadfast knight guarding me, pretending to take care of me, which prevented them from discovering what they wanted to know.

This disappointed those who believed our relationship was just for show or imagined I lived under the Grand Duke’s indifference.

Those people became so flustered whenever they made eye contact with me, not knowing how to treat me, that I almost felt sorry for them.

“Hello, Grand Duchess. I’m Violet Swinton.”

Ah! Lady Mariette’s daughter!

Thinking she had come to see Carlo, I was surprised when Violet sought me out instead.

She gestured as if relieved, saying the line to greet us had been so long that it was finally her turn.

“I heard about you from Mariette. I’m so glad to meet you!”

“I’m also Her Majesty the Empress’s dedicated maid working here at Brüpelier, and I received an invitation to this picnic. I’m truly delighted to meet you.”

Violet smiled warmly and very carefully asked if she could sit beside me, watching Carlo’s reaction.

“Of course.”

I looked at Carlo confidently.

Just minutes earlier, Lily Azanie had asked if she could sit with us, but Carlo had slightly furrowed his brow at her, causing Lily to retreat without daring to sit.

Fortunately, this time he nodded lightly, as if telling me to do as I pleased.

“Please, sit down.”

When I responded gladly, Violet sat beside me, smiling with genuine pleasure.

“I’ve heard so much about you from Mother. She said you helped her create many wonderful memories in St. Berte. She told me you’re such a warm person and that I should learn from your character.”

“…My character?”

“Yes!”

Ah, Mariette… you see me too favorably. How much will you regret it later… Suddenly, in this vast imperial palace, I missed Mariette terribly.

Just then, a bell began to ring.

“Gentlemen participating in the polo match, please board the boats to move to the field.”

As the protocol minister spoke in a businesslike tone, men began leaving their seats one by one.

The planned picnic hosted by the Empress was scheduled for an overnight stay, with a banquet and fireworks viewing on a ship after the tea party. There was no polo match on the agenda.

“I guess they want to separate us somehow.”

Carlo remarked, looking at my puzzled expression.

This match seemed to be arranged to separate me from the Grand Duke.

“Carlo? Not planning to go?”

Aiden, about to walk away with the other men, stopped in front of our table and asked.

Carlo stood up and shook his head lightly.

“No, Your Highness. I’ll stay here.”

“Haha, surely not because of the Grand Duchess?”

“Yes.”

“……”

When his joking comment received a serious answer, Aiden could no longer smile and stared at Carlo with a stiffened face.

“…But didn’t you participate in all games before? Everyone will be expecting you.”

“I’ll pass this time.”

“The Empire’s general is living under a woman’s skirt—what a pity.”

At Aiden’s sarcastic remark disguised as a joke, I looked back and forth between Violet and Carlo before grabbing his arm.

“Go ahead. I’ll be fine with Lady Violet. Don’t worry.”

He frowned, seemingly reluctant to speak, but my grip on his hand tightened even more quickly.

At that moment, his sharp eyes softened and darkened slightly.

“I’ll wait for you. Really.”

Smiling gently for Aiden to see, I pretended to brush dust off Carlo’s shoulder and whispered:

“Go and flatten his nose for me.”

Though I said this, I wasn’t sure if this stubborn man would listen.