“Ah!”

With an exclamation that burst like a flower bud, she sprang up from the sofa as if discovering the most welcome person in the world.

Just like someone who had been waiting for him to come for a long time.

“Carlo!”

As Lea ran toward him with outstretched arms, Carlo instinctively bent down.

Immediately, her delicate body fell into his embrace.

At the same time, goosebumps spread across his entire body.

When he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her slightly, Lea, who had encircled his neck with both arms, burst into surprised laughter.

“How did you come? I heard you couldn’t!”

Her sweet, lovely scent tickled him.

Soft rose-colored hair cascaded onto his nape, and his arms tightened around her.

The sweet fragrance, the soft skin, and the fluttering dress scattered his thoughts.

I’m done for…?

A helpless, broken chuckle escaped between his lips.

You never move according to my will.

You’re exceptionally skilled at being troublesome, annoying, and making me worry.

Nevertheless…

Despite being a woman who turned him into such a mess.

He didn’t dislike that feeling.

When she ran to him and fell into his arms like this, she made him feel like he owned the world. What could he do now?

He no longer had the ability to resist this woman who smiled broadly as if encountering the most welcome person in the world.

Let whatever happens, happen.

“I told you to contact me immediately if anything happened.”

Holding her close, Carlo calmly spoke into her ear and waited for a reaction.

He felt her fragile body—so delicate it seemed it might break if squeezed too hard—flinch, and as she pulled her head away from him, he slowly let her feet touch the ground.

“…What happened?”

“Dillan.”

“Ah! You mean meeting Dillan?”

“Now you mention it.”

“Um… he’s my brother?”

“I told you I don’t like it. Don’t meet him anymore.”

“But I already promised?”

“You promised…?”

“Well, not exactly, but I might meet him… Ah! Is this because of what Dillan said earlier?”

As Lea hurriedly added, Carlo’s long eyes filled with a sharp, cold sneer.

From across the room, Joseph, startled, tried to rush over, but Carlo glanced at him keenly and gestured for him to stay back while calmly staring at Lea.

What conversation did she have with Dillan that would make the stoic Joseph show signs of alarm?

“Ah… It seems you heard.”

Carlo replied in a leisurely tone, lazily lifting the corner of his mouth.

“Shall I hear more details?”

With an incredibly innocent face, she blinked her eyes and nodded with a rather serious expression.

“It’s because of that thing about unrequited love or first love or whatever, right?”

Well.

First love.

“That all seemed to be before marriage!”

What kind of bastard would be labeled as her first love?

First a gentleman, and now a first love?

Carlo took a deep breath to calm his boiling insides and swept back his hair.

“…What nonsense is that?”

Throughout my explanation, Carlo, having removed his jacket and seated at the head of the table, maintained an inscrutable, expressionless face.

His indifferent attitude, barely listening, somehow made me nervous and pressured me to explain more.

Ha! Joseph… When did you ever fail to report every detail of my life and conversations to Carlo?

I thought you would do the same this time, which is why I shouted at Dillan, but you left that out?

I raised my voice to make it clear that I would always be on this man’s side in any situation, and you should have conveyed that!

With much to say, I sat upright on the sofa to his right, then quickly moved closer, pressing against the armrest.

His gaze briefly took in my position leaning on the armrest, then looked at me bluntly as if asking if I had more to say.

Leaning halfway forward toward him while clinging to the armrest, I continued speaking.

“No, you should have heard everything I said to Dillan.”

“What did you say?”

“Whether it’s first love or unrequited love or whatever, seeing how fixated you are on such nonsense shows how immature you are, brother!”

“And?”

“And that’s all in the past! Did you ask to meet me just to say that?”

“……”

“The only person I love now is…!”

Trying to recreate our earlier conversation, I suddenly found myself at a loss for words.

Feeling embarrassed to continue, I bit my lip while holding my breath.

Ah… why am I getting tongue-tied over this?

These were just words I blurted out to intimidate Dillan, so there’s no need to attach meaning to each word.

Stay calm, self. This is no big deal, right?

“I-I said the only person I love is Carlo!”

It’s not like saying I like this man is something new.

I could say it twenty-four times a day like a cuckoo clock, so there was no need to feel awkward.

But with his quiet response, I awkwardly rolled my eyes and quickly turned to Joseph.

“Th-that’s what I said, right, Joseph?”

After all, having a reliable witness would be better.

Joseph nodded at my gaze and turned his eyes toward Carlo.

“That’s correct, Your Highness. The lady told Dillan Azanie that no matter what anyone says, she only has you.”

See! I triumphantly turned back to Carlo with a bright smile.

“As evidence, she stated that Your Highness is handsome, s*xy, capable…”

What…?

“Affectionate and kind, and that you only have eyes for her.”

You’re explaining in that much detail?

I could feel my face, which had been smiling brightly at Carlo, turning bright red.

“Um… that’s accurate.”

I awkwardly pulled away from the armrest where I had been leaning to appeal to him more closely.

His gaze quietly followed my movements, but I pretended not to notice and straightened my back.

I tried to act casual, even raising my eyebrows lightly as if it were nothing.

“Yes… well, that’s what I said. I… it’s not wrong, is it? I’m more objective than anyone.”

My mind was in such disarray that my mouth moved on its own.

As I swallowed dryly and brazenly pretended to look elsewhere, I heard a chuckle.

Carlo had lowered his head and was covering his forehead, as if dumbfounded.

“So… we’re good now, right?”

“What’s good?”

“I’m asking if the misunderstanding is cleared up.”

“Who had a misunderstanding?”

“Huh!”

Who was it just now that was looking down at me like a demon with those lowered eyes, watching me arrogantly?

Wasn’t it you who was emanating such a terrifying aura that one wrong word would ruin everyone’s future?

And now that your misunderstanding is cleared up, you’ve quickly returned to being so relaxed, smiling languidly!

“……!”

Ah! Could his extreme mood swings be due to that antidepressant?

Didn’t they say the side effects included nervousness and impulsiveness?

I had been worried about whether he had been given the drug, and looking back at this man’s behavior—saving me yet suddenly getting irritated, secretly taking care of me while still criticizing—my concern might not be unfounded.

“Your Highness. I heard you haven’t eaten yet. Would you like to have dinner now…?”

Norbert approached Carlo and spoke in a concerned tone.

What time is it now, and he still hasn’t had dinner?

“You told me not to skip meals!”

“That’s why I’m going to eat now, aren’t I?”

He casually stroked my head before standing up.

For some reason, my heart fluttered, and I found myself touching the spot where his hand had been.

After dinner, Carlo came to bed fresh from his bath.

I kept finding my eyes drawn to the firm muscles occasionally visible through his robe, so I pretended to look up at the empty air.

Gulp.

When Carlo habitually removed his robe, carelessly draping it over a chair, and approached the bed, I held my breath and turned my head completely away.

Despite having seen this many times before, the back of my neck grew hot, and I instinctively hid it by leaning against a large pillow.

Carlo sat down on his bed, which was placed right next to mine.

“Um… how’s your health?”

“Why ask about my health suddenly?”

“Just because. Checking Your Highness’s health is one of my duties?”

He maintained silence as if hearing an unexpected answer and furrowed his brow.

Did it sound like unwelcome meddling?

How can I check if he’s alright or not? Should I call a doctor to confirm?

“Well.”

Contrary to my expectation that he would dismiss me with a cursory reply, Carlo looked at me with a thoughtful expression.

Perhaps because he was awake so late, his gaze seemed both bored and languid.

“…Come to think of it, I do feel unwell.”

“You’re sick?!”

My mouth fell open at this bolt from the blue.

My heart sank, and I hurriedly threw off the blanket and moved toward him.

“Where does it hurt?”

“My shoulders seem to hurt.”

“Your shoulders?”

“And my head seems to hurt too.”

“Oh no, your head…?”

That’s really serious! I quickly touched his forehead, feeling the coolness of his not completely dry hair against the back of my hand.