Chapter 2.2

“Um, Chief Aide Aleph.”  

“Hm? What is it?”  

Aleph, who had been lost in thought, turned his head sharply. Standing before his desk was a junior aide, nervously holding a stack of files.  

“Well… If it’s not too rude, may I ask Lady Raymore for a favor…?”  

Pause. Though Aleph couldn’t be certain, he felt as if the Crown Prince’s gaze had shifted in his direction. It seemed he wasn’t mistaken, as the young aide flinched after glancing at something beyond Aleph’s back.  

The aide was a new recruit, recently assigned to the Crown Prince’s office, and likely still unfamiliar with the atmosphere. Aleph cleared his throat and responded naturally.  

“Hmm, now that I think about it, you were in charge of reviewing the banquet planning proposal, weren’t you?”  

“Y-Yes, that’s correct. Originally, I was going to request the Raymore Duchy’s final review in writing, but since she’s here today…”  

The young aide glanced briefly in Carnier’s direction as he spoke.  

The final coordination of the royal wedding schedule was originally under the Empress’s jurisdiction. However, with the Empress’s position currently vacant, and no concubine or imperial princess delegated authority over the inner palace, most of the responsibilities had fallen to the Crown Prince.  

People said the Emperor was empowering the current Crown Prince to avoid obstacles. The problem was that along with power came a mountain of tasks.  

“Hmm, go ahead and ask. I believe Lady Raymore would also prefer this to the hassle of exchanging written correspondence.”  

“Ah, yes…!”  

The rookie aide bowed deeply and withdrew. Servante’s gaze, which had been fixed in that direction, also shifted. Aleph rolled his stiff neck and massaged it lightly.  

‘It seems His Highness is extremely, overwhelmingly preoccupied…’  

And why wouldn’t he be? His fiancée, whom he had only exchanged letters with on rare occasions outside of official ceremonies, was right beside him. And she was drawing quite a bit of attention.  

“Beth, remove Baron Fahel and his wife from the list moving forward.”  

“Yes, Miss.”  

Meanwhile, Carnier was completely focused on her work. Apart from the occasional instructions she gave, she didn’t speak or show any interest in Servante. For someone who had proposed a romantic relationship first, her attitude was remarkably composed.  

It was to this Carnier that the aide, having received Aleph’s permission, cautiously approached.  

“Excuse me, Lady Raymore.”  

“Yes, I heard what you discussed with the Chief Aide.”  

Carnier, having just finished signing a letter, looked up as she handed it over. Then, with a gentle smile, she extended her hand.  

“Please, give it to me. I’ll review it right away, Aide Guillem.”  

“Y-You know who I am?”  

“How could I not know the Crown Prince’s aide?”  

Carnier replied elegantly as she took the file from his bewildered hands.  

“I heard you graduated at the top of your class from Durendal Academy. Your reputation as a remarkable talent, enough for His Highness to recruit you immediately, precedes you.”  

“T-That’s an exaggeration…”  

In truth, he was just a low-ranking aide being pushed around in an office full of monsters. Still, it wasn’t unpleasant to hear someone recognize and praise him after so long. Guillem’s expression grew brighter.  

“I didn’t realize you were also a person of such humility.”  

“Haha… You flatter me.”  

As Carnier’s soft words flowed, Guillem’s jaw slackened further. It was just small talk to ease the awkwardness of the situation, but compliments from a beautiful woman were always pleasant.  

“By any chance, will you be accompanying His Highness on the honeymoon trip?”  

“Yes, I will. How did you know?”  

‘How did I know? It’s obvious. Leaving an inexperienced recruit behind while the Crown Prince’s palace is vacant for an extended period would be risky. It’s much safer to keep him within sight and let him gain experience.’  

Of course, Carnier didn’t say this outright.  

“I didn’t know for sure, but I had a feeling. Then I suppose we’ll see each other at the destination. I look forward to your support there as well.”  

“O-Of course! Thank you!”  

Guillem seemed thrilled, thinking he had left a good impression on the future Crown Princess. But for Carnier, it was just a polite remark to avoid making the person standing before her feel awkward.  

‘Hmm? But this part seems a bit off.’  

Even as she spoke, Carnier continued reviewing the documents. A small error caught her eye.  

“Aide Guillem, about this section here.”  

“Y-Yes?”  

“The number of vases doesn’t match the number of seats at the table…”  

The young aide leaned forward to look where her pale finger pointed. The veil fluttering from her hat danced in his vision.  

‘Ah, the scent…’  

It wasn’t intentional, but a sweet fragrance brushed past his nose. Having grown up in a household full of men, spent three years at an academy teeming with boys, and worked in a stark, male-dominated office, Guillem’s eyes wavered slightly.  

It was a refined, elegant, yet delicate floral scent, like a faint whisper of petals.  

At that moment—  

Thud!

A sharp sound echoed through the office, startling everyone present.  

“Y-Your Highness…?”  

Aleph blinked in surprise. Servante had slammed the documents onto his desk and stood abruptly. In a cold voice, he asked,  

“How much time is left until the regular meeting?”  

“Uh, about an hour, Your Highness.”  

“Let’s head to the council chamber. I’ll handle the remaining work there.”  

“Understood.”  

Though puzzled, Aleph quickly began gathering important documents. It wasn’t unusual for Servante to arrive early at the council chamber. When the Crown Prince announced his presence, elders and ministers would arrive early, and the meeting would begin without delay.  

As Servante donned his coat and prepared to leave, the other aides also stopped their tasks and rose to bid him farewell.  

However, Servante issued an unexpected order.  

“All aides present, follow me.”  

“…Pardon?”  

“It’s a valuable experience to see how the proposals you’ve reviewed are handled. Follow me.”  

“…Understood.”  

Normally, he would have considered it cumbersome and taken only the Chief Aide. This was unusual. But an order was an order.  

Aleph gestured to the other aides, and the startled group quickly gathered their stacks of files. Even Guillem, who had been standing before Carnier, was no exception.  

‘…Could it be?’  

Aleph’s narrowed eyes followed the young aide, who was fumbling to gather his belongings.  

Could it be, could it possibly be, could it really be…?  

“Sir Luca, you stay behind.”  

“Yes, Your Highness.”  

Luca responded immediately, his eyes darting around as if he understood the reason. The instruction was clear: stay behind to guard Carnier, who would be left alone.  

Servante was about to lead the aides and knights out when—  

“Your Highness.”  

A soft voice stopped him in his tracks.  

“Have a safe trip.”  

Carnier smiled softly, as if she never intended to hold him back in the first place.  

Servante, who had been observing her with an unreadable expression, responded in a low voice.  

“…Don’t overwork yourself either.”  

With that, he promptly led his people out of the office.  

Carnier watched the hem of his long cloak disappear beyond the door before she sat back down. Without a hint of concern, she resumed her work.  

Beth, who had been glancing at the sole remaining knight, Luca, whispered quietly.  

“…It seems like he left on purpose.”  

“Most likely.”  

The council chamber was a place where only those granted entry rights could step foot. Even if she became the Crown Princess, it would likely remain off-limits to her.  

“I went through all the trouble of dressing you up beautifully… but I’ve been deceived. How is this a date?”  

A date…? 

No matter how quietly Beth spoke, everything audible reached its intended ears. Luca, who was standing behind the now-empty Crown Prince’s desk, perked up slightly.  

“Spending time together makes it a date.”  

“How is it a date when you’re in the same space, not exchanging a single word, and just working?”  

“It’s a date. It’s the best date I can have with him right now.”  

Carnier unfolded a fresh piece of stationery. Her fingertips, which had been gripping the quill for a long time, ached slightly. Yet the elegant handwriting that filled the pristine paper betrayed no sign of discomfort.  

“It’s a way to maintain decorum without interfering with each other’s work.”  

“…Why does it have to be that way? Romance is about people. Of course, it should disrupt work a little, and decorum shouldn’t even matter.”  

“Who doesn’t know that? It’s just…”  

Carnier lifted her head. She smiled at Luca, who had been sneaking glances her way.  

“I don’t want to give His Highness a reason to end this relationship.”  

“…”  

“What do you think, Sir Luca? Am I being a hindrance to His Highness?”  

Beth’s sullen gaze also turned toward Luca. Having unintentionally overheard the entire conversation due to their shared space, Luca felt slightly awkward.  

It seemed the young lady had long realized that Luca was aware of this “relationship.”  

“…I’m sorry. I don’t think it’s my place to comment.”  

“True. It is your superior’s ‘relationship,’ after all.”  

The way she emphasized the word “relationship” felt oddly intimidating.  

Though Luca was often described as “unnecessarily cheerful” by Aleph, and usually came across as carefree, he was sharp enough to be chosen as the Crown Prince’s guard at a young age.  

Thus, he also knew that this delicate future Crown Princess was far from an easy opponent.  

“Let me rephrase the question, then.”  

The young lady, whose appearance was as delicate as a doll and as fragile as a flower, tilted her head.  

“Do you think His Highness will return here right after the council meeting, or not?”  

“…”  

Though what she held in her hand was a quill, for a moment, it inexplicably appeared like a sword. Luca remained silent.  

Understanding the meaning of his silence, Carnier’s smile grew even brighter.  

‘S-Scary.’  

Were all noble romances supposed to feel like battles? 

Luca broke into a cold sweat.  

And just as Carnier had predicted, Servante did not return to the office even after the council meeting had ended.