Chapter 8 – Meetings Within and Beyond Intentions

The nanny repeatedly called out for her son, but there was no sign of him appearing. Just as everyone began to tilt their heads in confusion, a servant came rushing in, flustered.  

‘That must be him.’  

Kairan suddenly thought of the unnamed servant from the fourth floor and smirked.  

“Ma-Madam, the young master is currently out.”  

“Oh, is that so? Even though Her Majesty and the secretary have come all this way, he’s still out.”  

The nanny exchanged a helpless smile with her husband.  

‘So his name is Harpe. I wanted to meet him today.’  

Lenoa imagined Harpe’s appearance in her mind. She pictured a tall, handsome man with black hair, exuding a warm and kind aura, just like his adoptive parents.  

‘I hope he’s different from Grand Duke Blandi in personality.’  

Glancing at the person standing beside her, Lenoa let her imagination run wild, feeling elated.  

‘Harpe? What a name. And he didn’t even get the message? How disappointing.’  

Unlike Lenoa, Kairan found the name oddly unlikable. Though he had long known about Viscount Elwen and his wife, this was the first time he’d heard about their adopted son. It didn’t matter whether he was adopted or biological; what bothered Kairan was simply the fact that he was a man.  

‘Well, if he doesn’t show up, that works for me.’  

Repeating ‘don’t come, don’t come’ in his mind, Kairan found himself chuckling at his own erratic mood swings today.  

While each of them entertained vastly different thoughts about Harpe, Viscount Elwen and his wife ushered their guests into the mansion.  

Although the couple were nobles, their rank as viscounts meant their estate wasn’t particularly grand. There were few expensive decorations or servants, making it seem more like the home of a wealthy commoner.  

“What’s the use of being a noble? Life is the same for everyone. You just need the essentials.”  

Lenoa appreciated the couple’s modest lifestyle, while Kairan thought to himself that the lack of unnecessary decorations at least meant nothing would get in his way. 

Once inside the hall, the viscountess politely asked a middle-aged maid to bring tea. When the maid left, only the four of them remained.  

Though Lenoa had countless things she wanted to say, the awkward atmosphere made her glance repeatedly toward the direction where the maid had disappeared.  

“How are the two of you getting along? Working together must naturally bring you closer.” 

The nanny said, breaking the silence with a cheerful smile as she looked at the two seated side by side.  

“…”  

Lenoa, at a loss for words, stared blankly at the viscountess, who simply smiled in return, oblivious to her thoughts.  

In truth, Lenoa had mentioned Kairan in the letters she sent to Viscount Elwen and his wife. She wrote that Kairan Blandi was the son of her father’s old friend, her secretary, and someone who worked with her at the palace. However, she made no mention of him being her potential successor.  

Her letters were factual and concise, barely spanning five sentences. The only slightly personal comment was:  

— Grand Duke Blandi is better at work than I am.  

And that was the truth. Kairan would swiftly process the towering stacks of paperwork in the office and pass them to Lenoa. When reviewing the documents, she couldn’t help but admire his flawless work. She had witnessed him tirelessly striving for the throne during the succession dispute, often forgoing sleep.  

‘A person more suited to the throne than I am.’  

That was Lenoa’s one-line evaluation of Kairan’s competence.  

Thus, while Lenoa had only written factual comments about Kairan in her letters, the nanny had misinterpreted their relationship and was now enthusiastically chattering away.  

‘Hurry up with the tea…’  

At that moment, Kairan’s low voice broke the tension.  

“Her Majesty falls asleep whenever she sees me.”  

Kairan compared Lenoa to a character from a fairy tale as he recalled her sleeping in the moving carriage. A strange smile, with only one corner of his mouth raised, appeared on his face.  

‘What does he mean, I fall asleep whenever I see him?’  

In reality, Lenoa was the type to fall into a deep sleep, oblivious to her surroundings. Today was no exception.  

‘Did I make it too obvious that I find him uncomfortable?’  

A wave of dizziness washed over her as overthinking filled her mind. Sensing the uneasy atmosphere, the nanny forced a laugh and quickly corrected her earlier comment.  

“Haha… You both must be so busy all day that it’s hard to get closer.”  

“W-What do you think of the current political climate?”  

Viscount Elwen chimed in, trying to change the subject.  

‘Phew, thank goodness.’  

Lenoa silently thanked the couple for their perceptiveness.  

Though she didn’t want to discuss work today, she answered to the best of her knowledge, with Kairan occasionally adding his input. When the maid finally returned with tea, they quietly sipped it, and the atmosphere calmed down.  

‘I’ll have to write a letter explaining our actual relationship and send it to the viscount’s estate when we return.’  

As the chamomile tea—her favorite—soothed her mind, a servant approached. It was the same one from earlier.  

“The young master has returned.”  

‘Finally!’  

Lenoa barely restrained herself from shouting in joy. She was eager to meet Harpe and see if he matched her imagination.  

“Let’s go greet Harpe together.”  

Her excitement was evident as she stood up. The viscount and his wife also rose happily, but Kairan remained seated.  

“Why do we have to go to him? Just tell him to come here.”  

With his arms crossed, Kairan even added a hint of insolence to his tone.  

The couple exchanged uncomfortable glances, visibly unsettled by Kairan’s attitude. Lenoa hesitated but ultimately respected his decision. This was a chance to put some distance between herself and Kairan, whose constant presence even outside of work made her uneasy.  

“Then we’ll go on our own. Take a rest.”  

“Yes, of course. I’ll have a servant show you to the guest room.”  

Understanding Lenoa’s intentions, the couple quickly left the room, not giving Kairan a chance to protest. A different servant hurriedly approached, cautiously observing Kairan’s icy demeanor, and guided him to his quarters before disappearing.  

Finally, silence. Alone in the room, Kairan felt a chill as if a cold wind had blown through.  

When the couple had inquired about his relationship with Lenoa, Kairan had been just as flustered as she was. Seeing her fidgeting nervously, he had answered on her behalf.  

‘She falls asleep whenever she sees me,’ he had said, referring to the sleeping queen from his earlier musings in the carriage.  

‘Did that remark upset her?’  

The thought that his words might have deeply affected Lenoa made his hands tremble.  

Lying down to rest crossed his mind. He had stayed up all night preparing for today’s outing, and fatigue was catching up with him.  

Even as drowsiness crept in, thoughts of Lenoa remained vivid. Why was she so calm and serene when asleep on his lap, yet always tried to avoid him when awake?  

No matter what he thought about, it always came back to her. Though only a few minutes had passed since she left, Kairan’s chest ached with longing. If he stayed here any longer, he feared he might tear the sheets apart.  

Abruptly, Kairan stood and hurried outside, driven by an overwhelming desire to see her again.  

***

“Greetings to Her Majesty. I am Harpe Elwen.”  

“Oh my…”  

The black-haired young man bowed politely.  

The first impression Lenoa had of Harpe was nothing short of astounding. As an adopted son, his appearance was vastly different from the Viscount couple’s. His jet-black hair, crimson eyes, and towering height gave him a somewhat intimidating aura.  

However, his gentle personality, inherited not through blood but through the heart, reflected his adoptive parents. Though Harpe’s manner of greeting was similar to Kairan’s, his politeness was palpable.  

Harpe, so unlike Kairan. Finding that he matched her imagination perfectly, Lenoa felt as though she had guessed correctly.  

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Lenoa Moon Celesta.”  

It was only proper to reciprocate his polite demeanor. Lenoa lifted the hem of her dress and greeted Harpe in return.  

“Oh, there’s no need to be so formal. Lady Lenoa, you’re just too much.” 

The nanny said teasingly, causing the four of them to burst into laughter.  

The atmosphere was far more relaxed than when they had been in the stifling hall with Kairan earlier.  

Suddenly, Lenoa remembered something she had forgotten. Looking at Harpe with a smile, she spoke up.  

“If we’re being informal… may I shake your hand?”  

“Oh, it would be an honor.”  

Harpe appeared momentarily flustered by Lenoa’s unexpected request but soon extended his hand toward her with a slightly awkward smile. Lenoa gently took his hand.  

Even through the gloves, she could feel the warmth of his soft hand, as if a fire had been kindled in her heart.  

‘Why am I acting like this today?’  

For the first time in her life, Lenoa found herself overwhelmed by an unfamiliar emotion.  

Unlike Kairan, whose steely demeanor always kept people at a distance, Harpe had a kind expression and a warm voice.  

The two men couldn’t help but be compared, and Lenoa found herself drawn to Harpe’s peculiar charm.  

‘Of all the men I’ve met since my days as a princess, he’s the most handsome…’  

“What are you doing, Your Majesty?”  

A voice as cold as sudden rainfall interrupted her thoughts.  

Before she knew it, Kairan had appeared and forcefully knocked Harpe’s arm away.  

The atmosphere changed drastically with Kairan’s arrival. His face, as red as his hair, twisted into a scowl as he glared at Harpe, who stood in front of Lenoa.  

‘How dare someone like you approach my Queen…’  

Kairan’s violet eyes burned with hostility. He glared as if he wanted to kill and grabbed Harpe by the collar. He wanted to throw not an object but a person.  

“N-No, stop it!”  

Unlike the seething Kairan, Harpe, who had been grabbed by the collar the moment they met, turned pale.  

But it wasn’t because of Kairan’s behavior. Harpe’s widened eyes were fixed on Kairan’s appearance.  

“Y-You… could it be…”  

Harpe barely managed to stammer out the words before his body swayed violently.  

‘What’s wrong with this guy?’  

Kairan’s fury shifted to confusion, and his grip loosened.  

With a thud, Harpe collapsed onto the ground. Kairan clicked his tongue as he glanced at the man sprawled on the floor.  

‘Who even is this guy, acting like this…?’