Chapter 38
Similar curls, hair of a similar shade. As the rumors said, she did look healthy. Her features, praised as beautiful, and everything else as well. Unlike Nita, there was no trace of sickness or fatigue at all. She was a woman who matched the rumors perfectly in every way.
But, well…
Chase slowly closed and opened his eyes once, and that suspicion from before began to rise faintly in his mind.
If she was in the Mage Tower and didn’t know about her younger sister’s situation, then having the composure to attend a night ball was contradictory.
Their eyes met only for a brief moment. As another young lady took Vivian’s arm and led her away, their gazes drifted apart. Chase, too, turned his eyes away from her without hesitation.
Instead of the central staircase, Chase used the secret staircase on the right and entered the Royal Room located on the third floor of the castle.
The room, decorated with large windows and luxurious furniture, was empty. Even so, Chase stepped inside without any sign of surprise. As the door closed, an attendant pressed on one side of the wall. The wall flipped over. Stepping inside and passing through a short passage, an entirely different space appeared.
The Royal Room, designed so that the first and second floors could be seen clearly below, had one side made of special glass that could not be seen from the outside.
Standing in front of the window, idly swirling a wine glass, the Imperial Crown Prince, Kyle de Leopold, turned at the sight of Chase and broke into a bright smile. With red hair and striking features, Kyle greeted him in a rather dignified voice.
“Welcome. Duke Chase.”
“Have you been well?”
At Chase’s properly courteous greeting, Kyle’s brows furrowed for a moment.
“I don’t like that greeting.”
At the provocative tone, Chase’s eyes narrowed.
“Then should I prostrate myself and bow?”
Silence briefly fell over the space. Then Kyle burst into a hearty laughter.
“You really can’t take a joke. You wouldn’t do it anyway, yet you say things like that.”
Chase looked at him with tired eyes, as if fed up.
With a flick of his hand toward the attendant, Kyle received a glass and handed it to Chase. After that, all the attendants were dismissed. Once there was no one watching, Chase set the glass down and shifted into a crooked stance.
“Aren’t you tired of sending invitations every year when I reject them every time, Your Highness?”
“I didn’t force you this year. You came on your own.”
“What if I refused?”
“Of course, I would have sent knights to drag you here by force.”
“…Tch.”
Amused by Chase clicking his tongue, Kyle smiled.
When the former Grand Duke and Duchess were still alive, Chase often came and went from the Imperial Palace and grew up like brothers with Kyle. This was because the Empress and Chase’s mother, the former Grand Duchess, were as close as real sisters. When she died, the Empress wept for three days without rest. After that, she cherished Chase as if he were her own son.
The gentle Kyle and the cold Chase got along well despite their contrasting personalities, growing up while taking the same lessons. And as soon as they became adults, the two secretly formed a sworn brotherhood. The Imperial Crown Prince and the Grand Duke of the North. Aside from their official positions, they were at ease with each other.
“How was it?”
At Kyle’s question, spoken while looking down at the first floor beyond the window, Chase answered indifferently.
“It doesn’t seem much different from last year… but if I had to point out one thing, over there.”
Chase’s finger pointed toward two noblemen standing beside the chandelier on the first floor. Kyle relied heavily on Chase and expected him to notice what he might miss. Though Chase had not come here for this purpose, he had already taken note of the nobles’ information out of habit, so he offered a few remarks to Kyle.
As their conversation continued for a while like that, Anthony, who had stepped away briefly, returned. After greeting Kyle with proper courtesy, Anthony gave a short report.
“We’ve found her.”
Kyle asked with curiosity,
“Who?”
“Who else? That foolish Grace.”
Kyle, who had been preoccupied with preparing for the ball lately, asked with interest. In place of the irritated Chase, Anthony briefly summarized the situation. After hearing the full story, Kyle narrowed his eyes.
“Oh? Not bad. Even with an imperial order, they sent a woman like that. Why not just send her back immediately?”
“That was the plan.”
“And?”
Chase, who hesitated for a moment, set down his glass.
“There was something that bothered me a little.”
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