Chapter 2 – Uninvited Guest

Knocking before entering a room with an occupant was a basic etiquette observed throughout the kingdom. This was even more so when the occupant was the ruler of the nation. Neither Lenoa nor Betier had heard any sign of Kairan’s approach.  

“Your Grace, the Grand Duke, isn’t knocking a matter of courtesy?”  

“I’ve sent multiple messages, all ignored. I did knock, though.”  

Even when Betier pressed him with a firm tone, Kairan responded indifferently. Seeing this, Lenoa felt a twinge of guilt.  

Kairan was Lenoa’s closest aide. However, the fact that Lenoa kept her distance from him was widely known among the court. In truth, whenever Kairan sent messages through Betier multiple times a day, she would always find excuses—claiming she was busy or had other tasks—and reject them outright.  

This had become their routine: after being turned down, he would just show up unannounced. While such behavior wasn’t particularly unusual given their professional relationship, she always found him unsettling.  

This sentiment wasn’t exclusive to Lenoa; her true confidant and personal maid, Betier, felt the same way. Betier actively worked to ensure that Kairan and Lenoa wouldn’t have to meet, even if it meant going against a Grand Duke—a rank just a step below royalty—despite her own status as a Marquis’s daughter.  

“By the way… what brings Your Grace to Her Majesty today?”  

“Well, naturally…”  

Fixing his gaze on Lenoa, Kairan strode into the room with deliberate steps. The sound of his footsteps echoed loudly, contrasting the silence from earlier when they hadn’t even noticed his presence.  

Ignoring the maid seated beside Lenoa as if she were invisible, he knelt on one knee before Lenoa. With his gloved right hand extended, he presented it to her as if on display.  

“I shall escort you to the dining hall.”  

Kairan was now wearing a warm smile. His earlier cold demeanor had vanished entirely. To an outsider, it might seem as though Lenoa had personally requested his escort.  

“…It’s fine. I can go with Betier.”  

Instead of taking Kairan’s hand, Lenoa placed her hands on Betier’s.  

She found it difficult to confront Kairan directly. He always acted in a way that made her uncomfortable, and she could never understand his intentions.  

In the past, he had failed to ascend the throne due to various factors. Instead of claiming the ruler’s position, he remained in the royal palace, working by Lenoa’s side.  

This wasn’t unusual. Despite holding the title of Grand Duke, Kairan wasn’t a member of the royal family. A position as the closest aide to the monarch suited him better than the throne itself.  

Lenoa hadn’t wanted to be either a successor or a Queen, but she eventually accepted her role. Refusing it would have been a betrayal to those who had supported her, and it was her parents—who wanted her to inherit the throne more than anyone else—who had raised her to be a warm-hearted person who cared for others.  

Although she had been born into the royal family, where even the smallest disputes could become deadly, her parents’ love had shaped her into someone who valued others above herself.  

In the end, she had emerged victorious in the competition for the throne, not Kairan. Naturally, he must harbor resentment toward her. She had even considered relinquishing the throne to him, but doing so now would only reignite the recently calmed tensions within Celesta.  

Moreover, she had spent years studying as the heir, and her administrative skills had steadily improved.  

It was only natural for Kairan to resent her. Yet, he always volunteered to escort her, seeking her out daily without fail.  

Kairan’s persistent attempts to close the gap between them were overwhelming for Lenoa.  

“I’ve had enough of being ignored by you all day.”  

“…”  

“Who am I to you, Your Majesty? Think about it.”  

Lenoa and Kairan were bound by an inseparable relationship, as if a long, unbreakable thread tied their positions together.  

Looking at Kairan, who still held out his hand, Lenoa hesitated. As he said, she had rejected his requests for an audience three times today, aside from breakfast and lunch. This was largely thanks to Betier’s efforts.  

However, no matter how much she disliked him personally, he was her secretary in an official capacity. Sharing a space with her secretary was perfectly normal.  

As Queen, she frequently had to deal with people she didn’t get along with. It was part of her duty—a lesson she had learned from a book she disliked, which now sat on the table.  

“Alright… I’ll leave it to you.”  

In the end, Lenoa gently lifted her hand and placed it in Kairan’s. Together, they left the room and made their way to the dining hall on the first floor.  

Throughout the walk, Lenoa’s heart trembled. It was already uncomfortable enough being around him, but now he was holding her hand. Once they arrived at the dining hall, they would naturally have to dine together. Meals for royalty were typically shared with close aides like secretaries.  

The sound of their footsteps filled the dim corridor as they descended to the first floor. With no one else around to break the awkward silence, Kairan suddenly spoke.  

“Your Majesty.”  

Startled, Lenoa nearly pulled her hand away, but Kairan tightened his grip as if determined not to let go.  

“As I said earlier, I am your closest confidant.”  

“…”  

“Please refrain from avoiding me so blatantly.”  

Even a fool could sense it—the maids’ attitudes and, most of all, Lenoa’s. She remained silent in response.  

Finally, they reached the dining hall, which felt unusually distant today. Inside, a luxurious meal prepared by the royal chef awaited them at the long, rectangular table. The ingredients and cooking methods were of the highest quality—a true feast worthy of the kingdom’s finest.  

Yet, faced with such a lavish spread, Lenoa had no appetite. Even after Kairan pulled out her chair and seated her, she couldn’t bring herself to pick up her utensils.  

“Your Majesty?”  

Lost in thought as she stared blankly at the food, Lenoa snapped back to reality at Kairan’s voice.  

Protocol dictated that she, as the senior at the table, had to pick up her utensils first. With a sigh, she reluctantly reached for her fork with a weary hand.  

“Must I pick it up for you as well?”  

“N-no.”  

“I am not your maid.”  

Lenoa was at a loss for words, further sapping her energy. If anyone had witnessed this, it would have become a source of amusement behind her back.  

Thus began their uncomfortable meal. Despite the abundance of food, her tightly laced corset made it impossible for her to eat much.  

Moreover, she felt unusually fatigued today.  

‘I don’t feel like eating…’  

But she couldn’t tell him that. He might get upset.  

“Do you not have an appetite?”

As always, it was Kairan who broke the silence. He had already set down his utensils and was resting his chin on his hand, watching her.  

Caught off guard by his gaze, Lenoa flinched. She had only been nibbling at the salad closest to her.  

Her body felt heavier than usual, but with tomorrow’s audience looming, she couldn’t afford to admit she wasn’t feeling well. Her mind was restless, and she had rejected all of Kairan’s requests for an audience today.  

With her body and mind both in poor condition, and under Kairan’s watchful eyes, she found it impossible to eat.  

‘What will he say next…?’

Kairan’s earlier offer to escort her had already been declined, and the cold atmosphere between them lingered all the way to the dining hall. It was a clear reflection of their strained relationship.  

Despite being Queen and secretary, Kairan constantly meddled in Lenoa’s personal affairs, even in trivial matters. While most of his feedback was appropriate for his role, there were times when his involvement crossed the line, leaving her uncomfortable.  

After much deliberation, Lenoa decided to skip dinner altogether. She figured she could use the remaining time to review the work she hadn’t finished earlier.  

“I’ll take my leave now. Please enjoy your meal at your leisure.”  

Just as Lenoa began to rise from her seat—  

“Wait a moment, please.”  

Kairan suddenly grabbed her arm.  

‘Ah, so he’s going to stop me entirely…’  

Without hesitation, Kairan gently but firmly guided the startled Lenoa back into her chair.  

“Without you expressing it, it is difficult for me to grasp your intentions, Your Majesty.

He picked up a plate and handed it to her. On it was a small lemon pudding, topped with a bright red cherry—a dessert.  

It was Lenoa’s favorite dish.  

Since her days as a princess, she had always eaten it first during meals, to the point where her mother, the Queen Dowager, would scold her, saying, ‘Desserts should be eaten last.’ Even now, her fondness for it hadn’t changed. Regardless of the change in staff, the royal chefs always ensured lemon pudding made its way to the table.  

Tonight, however, she hadn’t touched it due to the circumstances.  

The soft yellow pudding, with its tangy sweetness, reminded her of her own hair color. Just looking at it rekindled her lost appetite.  

Lenoa picked up her fork again.  

“Please don’t get up until you’ve finished this.”  

As soon as Kairan finished speaking, Lenoa stabbed the pudding with her fork and took a bite. She resolved to finish it quickly so she could leave.  

“…”  

Kairan, noticing how hurriedly she ate, averted his gaze. He was well aware that she was conscious of his presence the entire time she was eating.  

Shortly after, Lenoa fled the dining hall as if escaping.  

Kairan’s eyes followed her retreating figure.  

‘I should’ve offered her mine as well. That way, she might’ve stayed longer.’  

Left alone in the dining hall, Kairan’s gaze fell on the lemon pudding.  

It was a dessert he enjoyed as well. It reminded him of Lenoa, who had just disappeared from view. Not only the color of her hair but also the tangy sweetness and the cute cherry on top.  

“…”  

The pudding, the door—everything reminded him of Lenoa, and it was driving him mad.  

She had rejected all his requests for an audience, yet she seemed so cheerful with that maid. Surely, she must have noticed the ugly anger that had surfaced on his face. Perhaps that was why she had run away from him without even looking back.  

Overwhelmed by a surge of emotion, Kairan gripped the plate tightly with trembling hands. He was tempted to hurl it to the floor.  

This wasn’t the first time he had felt this way. It had been like this ever since he met Lenoa—or perhaps even before that. He had a habit of throwing things violently or being unable to sleep properly at night. These tendencies only made him more difficult to deal with.  

Lenoa, who had just been with him moments ago, was completely unaware of this side of him.  

Kairan raised the plate with force, but his gaze was suddenly drawn to Lenoa’s chair. There was something there. Hastily, he inspected the chair.  

‘Ah… no.’  

For a moment, it felt as though his heart had stopped.  

On the floor near Lenoa’s chair, leading toward the door, were drops of red blood.