Chapter 93
“How did you end up meeting His Highness the Imperial Prince?”
Lara tilted her head curiously as she asked. At first, she had stubbornly insisted on calling her ‘Miss Lynette,’ but after seeing how Mari treated her with ease, she too had begun to call her by name. The nervous way she had fidgeted when first appointed as her exclusive maid, happy yet at a loss, had also lessened a great deal.
“Perhaps it was fate.”
Lynette answered lightly. Lara wrinkled her nose, then laughed.
‘If only it really were fate.’
What could be better than that? Then there would be nothing at all to worry about.
Hiding a bitter smile, Lynette lifted her teacup.
Lara, who had been quietly watching her, parted her lips, then slowly leaned closer.
“Um, but… who is that man?”
Though she had vaguely said ‘that man,’ there was no mistaking who she meant. The only other man entangled with Lynette was Sillian. Because she was often seen walking through the gardens hand in hand with him, plenty of people gossiped about the two of them.
“You mean Sillian?”
“The man with the long blond hair.”
“Yes. His name is Sillian.”
“I see.”
Nodding, Lara waited for her to continue. She seemed deeply curious about his identity, or perhaps the other maids had urged her to ask.
“He’s just…”
How was she supposed to explain? She had thought it over many times, but never found a good excuse.
Wasn’t it strange in itself to be seen holding hands with another man? Especially when she, Lynette, was known as the lover of Prince Euphen.
‘Should I say… a friend?’
But that hardly made sense. Friends didn’t meet every day to stroll together, much less hold hands while doing so.
Explaining the handholding was the hardest part.
Instead of answering, Lynette turned the question back on her.
“What do we look like to you?”
At that, Lara faltered, her lips moving without sound. It seemed she was hesitant to voice what she thought. After all, it wasn’t easy to tell the lover of a prince that she looked as though she had another man.
When Lynette gave a small laugh, Lara fidgeted nervously and lowered her head. Lynette let the silence linger, choosing not to say any more.
How long did that faint awkwardness last?
Just then, Mari entered with a tray of treats.
“Mari!”
Looking relieved that the uncomfortable atmosphere had been broken, Lara greeted her brightly.
“I baked some pastries and brought them.”
“Let’s have them together. I’ll get some more tea.”
“I’ll do it!”
When Lynette moved to get up, the red-haired maid darted off before she could.
Soon after, the three of them sat around the table with the pastries, quietly enjoying their tea time. The weather was fine, and it would have been nice to eat outside in the garden, but considering their positions, it wasn’t so easy to spend leisure time openly.
“Come to think of it, I’ve heard some things going around the castle lately.”
“What sort of things?”
“That His Highness the Imperial Prince Euphen is aiming for the throne.”
Mari whispered the words as if sharing a secret. Lara’s eyes widened and she quickly chimed in.
“Yes, I heard that too. When I said I was going to the Detached Palace, they even told me to be careful.”
“His Highness?”
At words she never would have imagined, Lynette frowned.
‘He’s aiming for the throne?’
The Euphen she knew would never. Regardless of ability, he had no interest in the throne whatsoever.
What he desired was simply a lifetime of peace.
‘With me…’
He had truly been a man without greed. Sometimes he would even joke, half-seriously, “Shall we run away somewhere far away, where no one knows us, and live together with just the two of us?”
If only that could have been. But she could not leave. As long as she guided Euphen, she needed Shirin’s magic.
She had told him she liked it here, but sometimes, she too would imagine it. Going far, far away, to live together alone.
But whenever she painted that dream of happiness, bitter reality always pulled her back down.
“Don’t nobles often come and go from the Detached Palace?”
At Lara’s words, Mari replied as if it were obvious.
“There’s nothing strange about nobles coming and going. Though, it’s true. I’ve never seen so many compared to now.”
“Well, the details must be known only by His Highness and the nobles.”
Lara shrugged as if it were nothing.
“Still, everyone says His Highness won’t stay quiet for long.”
“If His Highness truly became the Emperor, what would happen to you, Lynette?”
At Lara’s question, Mari let out a short laugh.
“Then she would rise in the world, of course. She’s the Emperor’s lover.”
“But a lover is still just…”
Both of them glanced at Lynette cautiously. She knew well enough what they couldn’t bring themselves to say.
That no matter what, she would remain only a lover.
She had thought about it countless times, even before returning. In all her time loving him, she had never once demanded ‘marriage’ or ‘status’. Euphen was a prince, and a prince’s match was destined to be someone else entirely.
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