“The reason he is respected is not because he has a lot of money or a high status. It’s because of his insane visuals, no, I mean… his noble and upright character, and his unwavering will even in the face of difficulties. And I keep telling you, there’s nothing between Sir Roengreen and me.”

“How many priests pretend to be clean on the outside but aren’t in reality?”

“…”

I was so dumbfounded by his persistent nitpicking that I couldn’t find the words to respond.

‘What did I do so wrong?’

I hadn’t cheated, so I didn’t understand why I had to explain myself in such detail.

Even if I did have some kind of relationship with Gined, it wouldn’t be a problem.

True to the setting of a Rated-19 novel, in this world, it was common for people to have lovers regardless of gender or status, both before and after marriage.

Especially for high-ranking nobles, having two or three lovers was not a big deal.

It was an unwritten rule even between married couples, and they didn’t interfere in each other’s private lives.

So why was the Crown Prince, who didn’t even love me, clinging to this so persistently?

Unable to hold back my rising irritation, I snapped back.

“But what does it matter to you if I’m with another man? Didn’t you say personal feelings don’t matter?”

The Crown Prince seemed unprepared for my retort and couldn’t respond immediately.

His speechless face was quite a sight.

***

Even after returning to the palace, Pinion was in a foul mood.

“You seem displeased. Did something happen at the Dronay estate, Your Highness?”

Pinion’s loyal knight, Nerva, asked.

“Something unpleasant? Perhaps.”

“Did Lady Dronay try to make a move on you again?”

“…No. She was so quiet, it was almost awkward.”

Pinion lacked a conscience but was quite self-aware. He knew that he, not Lou, was the one who behaved foolishly today. Even he thought his actions were pathetic.

“I don’t know, but… isn’t it good if she was quiet? No hassle.”

Nerva, loyal but inexperienced with women, spoke naively.

Pinion ignored Nerva’s words. His mind was entirely preoccupied with Lou.

He couldn’t get her last words out of his head.

— But what does it matter to you if I’m with another man?

She wasn’t wrong.

Whether Lou Dronay had dinner with Gined Roengreen, had tea with him, or did something more, it had nothing to do with him.

“Then why do I feel so disgusted?”

“Pardon? I didn’t catch that?”

“……”

He knew Lou had changed recently.

He just hadn’t thought much of it.

For the past ten years, he had always been the winner, and Lou had always been the loser. He had no doubt this time would be the same.

He leisurely waited for Lou to raise the white flag and surrender.

But for some reason, this time Lou was standing firm.

“Nerva, do you remember how Lou was on my birthday this year?”

“Hmm… I can’t recall.”

Having said it himself, Nerva seemed shocked, his mouth agape.

“This is unbelievable. I really can’t remember, Your Highness!”

Lou Dronay was known to be cheerful and kind, but she was infamous for her drastic change when it came to matters involving her fiancé.

Especially at events like parties or festivals where beautiful women gathered, she was even more extreme.

If any woman seemed to get close to the Crown Prince, she would follow them, pull their hair, and throw water, ruining the atmosphere.

Because of this, Nerva would shudder at the sight of Lou’s lavender hair.

“It’s natural you don’t remember. She didn’t come.”

“What? Lady Dronay didn’t?”

“Yes. Hard to believe, but it’s true.”

A few days before the Crown Prince’s birthday, Lou had visited the palace to greet him privately but did not attend the actual party. A few days later, Pinion heard from someone else that she had left for the Holy Kingdom.

And she didn’t think of returning for nearly two months.

At first, he felt relieved, but as time passed, he grew more curious.

Pinion began to suspect that this wasn’t just Lou’s whim but the will of the Dronay family.

Could the proud Duke of Dronay be plotting something against the imperial family?

If not, Lou’s behavior made no sense.

He occasionally visited the Dronay estate, pretending to inquire about Lou’s well-being while trying to gauge the Duke and Duchess’s intentions. If he detected any improper motives, he planned to give a suitable warning. Despite his annoyance, there weren’t many families as useful as the Dronay family.

However, the Duke and Duchess seemed to welcome his interest.

Pinion didn’t fully trust their reactions.

The Duke and Duchess were known for their elegance and dignity, but he knew they were seasoned old foxes who had experienced all sorts of things.

And just yesterday, upon hearing that Lou had returned, Pinion made a surprise visit to the Dronay estate.

Compared to her flawless parents, Lou was remarkably straightforward. He planned to catch her off guard and find out their true intentions while the family was gathered.

Lou certainly seemed surprised. But there was no sinister undertone typical of someone plotting something. She just looked like she didn’t understand why he was there.

There was no joy or excitement on her small face at the sight of her fiancé after a long time.

‘What is this?’

Throughout their interaction, Lou maintained a polite but indifferent attitude.

Ironically, Pinion found a sense of familiarity in her unfamiliar demeanor.

It was exactly how he had treated her all along.

Even with him right next to her, Lou was absorbed in looking at the flowers.

Pinion realized he had rarely seen her profile or the back of her head.

She looked quite lovely buried among the flowers, but it oddly annoyed him.

Seeing her sit down without realizing her dress was getting dirty, he felt a stubborn urge.

To draw her attention, he acted provocatively, unbuttoning his shirt to reveal some skin and holding her hand without hesitation.

She was clearly flustered but also desperately tried to avoid him.

‘Why?’

When she shook off his hand, Pinion plucked a rose with his bare hand.

But rather than feeling pain, he felt an inexplicable thrill seeing Lou worry about him.

For a moment, he thought he could get hurt multiple times.

Until he saw another man’s name on the handkerchief.

“Gined Roengreen.”

Pinion spat out the name as if chewing it.

Pinion knew of Gined Roengreen.

‘A priest with quite a decent appearance.’

Wasn’t he the illegitimate child born between the Queen of the Kingdom of Freyr and her lover?

What was so tragic about the secret of his birth.

To think he fled to the temple for such a trivial reason, he must be a worthless guy aside from his face.

The clueless Nerva chimed in again.

“If you’re talking about Gined Roengreen, the Commander of the Sephiroth Holy Knights, I really admire him too. His spirit is firmer than anyone’s, and his swordsmanship is among the best on the continent. Ah, Your Highness, you’ve seen him, haven’t you? They say he’s so handsome that even men turn their heads. Is that true?”

“Nerva.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Shut up.”

Hearing Nerva’s words twisted his mood. It was as if he was feeling jealous of the Commander of the Sephiroth Knights.

“Who would be jealous of the Pope’s dog…”

It was absurd for the future ruler of the Empire to be jealous of a mere priest.

Pinion lightly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

He didn’t care what Lou was thinking.

After all, she was his fiancée and would soon become the Crown Princess. At least, he was certain of that fact.

Even so, he anxiously drummed his fingers on the table.

The tightly wrapped bandage was bothering him.

Seeing the white bandage reminded him of the handkerchief with Gined’s name crudely embroidered on it.

Without hesitation, he tore off the bandage. It was excessive treatment for a minor wound that didn’t even hurt.

Suddenly, Pinion’s face turned cold.

His exposed hand was smooth, without a single scab.

***

“What is this?”

After the Crown Prince left, I was about to change into a comfortable dress when I noticed blood dripping from my finger and was startled. The pain was quite strong.

Seren, who was helping me change, gasped when she saw my wound.

“Oh my, Miss! You’re hurt!”

While Seren held my hand to stop the bleeding, I stared at the drops of blood.

I had no idea how it happened.

I was just removing the accessories I had been wearing while Seren prepared the dress.

“It looks like a puncture wound from something sharp. Could you have pricked yourself with an accessory?”

“Maybe?”

Thinking back, it seemed likely that the brooch I had just removed was the culprit.

With dozens of sharply cut gems and a large, pointed pin, it was the most reasonable explanation.

Still, I couldn’t shake the lingering suspicion.

“But I’ve used this brooch for years and never had this happen before…”

Besides, the small wounds scattered around looked just like,

‘Just like the Crown Prince’s wounds earlier?’