Chapter 38
The next day.
As soon as the sun rose, Cyan arrived carrying a bottle of medicine. While he explained the dosage in a businesslike manner, Euclid showed up.
“Did you sleep well?”
Having regained his usual composure overnight, Euclid grinned broadly. Leaning against the doorway, he looked at Sylaria and said,
“I’ve brought the attendants who’ll serve you.”
Sylaria’s eyes widened at Euclid’s explanation. She’d expected to have attendants assigned to her now that she was living in the First Prince’s Palace.
But she hadn’t imagined that the First Prince himself would introduce them.
“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Rainier. I am Cora, the head maid. I will serve you without fail.”
“Hello, I’m Marin! If you need anything at all, just let me know.”
After the stern-looking head maid, a bright maid with blue hair greeted her.
While Sylaria exchanged greetings with them, Euclid watched her with a satisfied expression.
“I’ve assigned a maid to your sister as well. If you need anything, just say the word. Cyan will take care of the engagement ceremony, but if there’s anything in particular you want, let me know.”
After Cyan and the other attendants withdrew, Euclid looked around Sylaria’s room and spoke.
Sylaria watched him silently. Not long ago, he was someone whose gaze alone sent chills down her spine.
Now, he took such attentive care of her.
Watching his changed demeanor, she almost felt as if they were truly engaged out of love.
As Sylaria stared at him, Euclid tilted his head.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I feel guilty.”
At her words, Euclid furrowed one eyebrow. Folding his arms, he spoke seriously.
“Guilty? Is my fiancée a criminal?”
“That’s not it. I’m the one using you, but you’re being so good to me…”
“So you feel sorry?”
“Yes.”
“How honest. I like that.”
Euclid said neatly, then uncrossed his arms. He checked the window frame for dust as he continued,
“It’s not as if I didn’t know, and I agreed to everything from the start. There’s no reason for you to feel that way. In fact, I’m getting the better deal. I have a Purifier now.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, so forget about any guilt and just ask me for more things.”
Sylaria blinked slowly at Euclid’s suggestion. Now that he mentioned it, he was probably right.
Considering how important a Purifier is to a Holy Knight, and how significant marriage is to a prince, it wasn’t a loss for him.
“Then, may I ask you for just one thing?”
When Sylaria spoke, Euclid responded with a jerk of his chin. As he came closer, she caught her breath.
Euclid stood before her, his face filled with curiosity. As his large shadow fell over her, Sylaria parted her lips.
“Don’t get hurt.”
“……”
“For my sake as well, please don’t let yourself get hurt.”
When she finished, Sylaria tried to look up at Euclid. But with the sunlight at his back, she couldn’t see his expression clearly.
“Your Highness?”
“…I’ll keep that in mind.”
When Sylaria called to him, a hoarse voice came from Euclid.
As his low voice fell, his large hand came to cradle her cheek. Sylaria smiled and closed her eyes.
* * *
“Damn it, damn it!”
Arendtert, his eyes bloodshot, cursed as he walked through the Second Prince’s Palace garden.
Euclid and Sylaria’s engagement ceremony was being swiftly arranged. The First Prince’s overly competent aide had even moved the schedule forward.
Since hearing the news that morning, Arendtert had been burning with rage. He cast off the mask of a graceful prince and fumed openly.
He was anxious. The fact that Euclid was getting engaged before him, and that his partner was Sylaria, drove him crazy.
‘If that bastard really gets married before I do—!’
It was something he didn’t even want to imagine.
But at the same time, it was highly likely to become reality.
The hidebound Council of Nobles and the Emperor had agreed to support whichever of the two princes established a family first.
If he didn’t want to fall behind Euclid, Arendtert had to get engaged as soon as possible.
‘But to whom?’
Arendtert clutched his head. No matter how urgent it was, he couldn’t just marry anyone.
No matter how he thought about it, losing Sylaria was a waste.
A woman as pure and untouched by high society as a single flower blooming in a field was rare. Unless he went looking in some backwater corner…
“Hahaha, Grizelle! Over here!”
In his desperate search, Arendtert’s eyes landed on a girl who resembled Sylaria.
With the same brown hair and violet eyes as her—when he saw Elenia, his gaze sharpened.
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