Chapter – 07
“Coming to the Seyren Marquis estate so early in the morning… was there something urgent?”
Reneve deliberately ignored Lucius’s outstretched hand and turned her gaze away.
It must have been embarrassing for him. There were almost no people who would refuse his kindness. Yet Lucius simply clasped his hands behind his back as if nothing had happened and began walking half a step ahead.
“I was taking a walk in the imperial garden this morning, and those flowers caught my eye. They reminded me of you, so I came right away.”
What a ridiculous act.
Reneve stared at his familiar back and clenched her fist tightly. She had the sudden urge to smash the back of his head with a pot.
At that moment Lucius slightly turned his head toward her.
“My lady?”
“Thank you for the flowers, Your Highness. I’ll decorate my bedroom with them.”
“It’s just a small gift. You don’t need to treasure it so much.”
A satisfied smile appeared on Lucius’s face.
He wandered around the Seyren estate garden for a while, talking about this and that. Clearly, he had come to persuade Reneve not to go to Bashker in place of the princess.
As they walked, they arrived at a small villa that was no longer in use.
Lucius stopped in front of the fairy-tale-like building.
It was a villa the Marquis of Seyren had built for Reneve’s late mother.
“I didn’t know there was such a place in this estate.”
In her previous life, Reneve had shared her first kiss with Lucius here. Back then she had been so excited she couldn’t sleep.
To be fair, his looks really were exceptional.
“My lady?”
Lucius brought her back from her thoughts.
“The sunlight is getting strong. Your Highness, perhaps we should head back.”
Reneve tore her gaze away from the villa and turned toward him.
“…!”
She flinched.
At some point Lucius had moved right in front of her.
“…Your Highness?”
As their eyes met, Lucius slowly tilted his head toward her. His narrowed blue eyes quietly stared at her lips.
Ah… so instead of words, you plan to persuade me with your body?
Reneve looked into his deep gaze for a moment.
Then—
“Ah… choo!”
She forced out a fake sneeze.
The atmosphere shattered instantly, and Lucius frowned slightly.
“It seems like you’re catching a cold. Let’s return to the mansion.”
“A wise decision, Your Highness.”
Reneve shamelessly gave a small curtsy.
Lucius, still walking half a step ahead, suddenly stopped.
As she tried to pass him, he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
“Reneve…”
“Don’t touch me!”
Reneve reflexively raised her voice and shook off his hand.
She immediately regretted it. She was supposed to be hiding her claws right now, yet she had revealed her true feelings.
But just being near him, even breathing the same air as him, felt like torture. She had reached her limit.
“Reneve. What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?”
Looking slightly irritated, Lucius tightened his grip on her wrist.
“Ugh…”
“Three years. You know that’s not a short time.”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t go to Bashker, Your Highness?”
Reneve answered his question with another question.
Lucius ran a hand over his face.
“Reneve, you know that unlike ordinary nobles, royal marriages happen early. Try to understand my position— ha…”
As he spoke, anger seemed to rise in him, and his grip tightened even more.
“Ah!”
She tried to endure it, not wanting to appear weak, but it hurt too much.
Unlike Reneve’s frail body, Lucius had trained in swordsmanship. The difference in strength was obvious.
“Please… let go.”
“You can never escape me, Reneve.”
At that moment he pulled her wrist and kissed her.
You… insane bastard.
Reneve twisted her body to resist his rough advance.
But he held her tightly, making it difficult.
He grabbed her chin forcefully. Her lips parted slightly.
“—!”
Reneve seized the chance and bit his lip.
Even in her rage she controlled her strength. She didn’t want to die for injuring royalty in this life.
Still, a drop of red blood formed on his lip.
“Reneve! What is this—!”
Lucius’s face twisted. He raised his hand.
Reneve was just about to kick him between the legs—
“…?”
Something suddenly flew between their faces.
Lucius spotted a small stone rolling on the ground and shouted:
“Lewin! Lewin!”
Imperial knights rushed over.
“You called, Your Highness!”
Lucius picked up the stone and looked toward where it had come from.
“Search the area.”
“Yes, sir!”
The knights quickly surrounded him while others spread out to search.
“Your Highness, please return to the palace by carriage!”
Judging it dangerous, they urged him to leave.
“Reneve. You should be careful. Today is the last time I’ll tolerate such excessive rudeness.”
Slowly licking the blood from his lip, Lucius gave a low warning.
As Reneve watched him and his knights leave, she frowned.
“Who would dare…?”
As soon as she entered the mansion, Reneve called out:
“Patrick! Patrick!”
“My lady, the young master has gone out.”
The butler hurried over and informed her.
“Where is Father?”
“He went to the imperial palace with the young master…”
If it wasn’t Patrick or her father, then who would do something so dangerous?
If caught, they could have been executed on the spot for harming royalty.
“Do you know where they went?”
“The lord went to the palace, and the young master to a salon.”
“I see. Then check if any staff were absent earlier.”
“…Pardon?”
“Right now.”
“Yes! I’ll do so immediately, my lady.”
After the butler left, Reneve bit her lip.
Patrick and her father had alibis.
But she still needed to prepare in case Lucius raised complaints later.
It wasn’t time yet to reveal her hostility… but now she had drawn his suspicion.
She looked out the window at Lucius’s loyal dogs searching the estate like it was their own home.
Then a maid approached carrying the bouquet.
“My lady, the flowers are so fresh and beautiful. They say His Highness prepared them personally for you. He really is so romantic—”
The maid fell silent at Reneve’s cold expression.
“…Shall I put them in a vase?”
“No. Leave them there.”
“Yes, my lady.”
As soon as the maid left, Reneve threw the bouquet onto the floor.
Then she stomped on it with her shoes.
Eventually she was practically jumping on it.
Flowers are not guilty.
Only the one who brought them is.
After thoroughly checking the staff, the imperial knights finally left.
Fortunately everyone had been at their posts, so they found no reason to cause further trouble.
By the time they left, evening had fallen.
“If it wasn’t Patrick, Father, or the staff… then who was it?”
Reneve headed toward the incident site.
Partly to look for clues, partly to calm her troubled mind.
When she reached the villa area—
A deep male voice spoke from somewhere.
“Walking alone this late without even a maid… you really are a fearless lady.”
Startled, Reneve turned toward the voice.
“…Who’s there?”
A dark figure jumped down from a tree some distance away.
He was at least two heads taller than her.
As he stepped into the light, his face became clear.
“…!”
Reneve’s eyes widened.
The Emperor of Bashker!
She immediately regretted coming alone.
But she soon realized escorts wouldn’t have helped anyway.
If he could infiltrate the heavily guarded Seyren estate, a few guards would make no difference.
Why is he here?
She was confused.
As she stepped back slightly in fear, Ikar stopped where he was.
“There’s no need to be that afraid. I have no intention of harming you.”
Reneve swallowed nervously and examined him.
Messy black hair.
Crimson eyes like the sunset.
Perfect facial proportions.
A thick masculine neck.
Broad shoulders and strong arms barely concealed by his black shirt.
His overwhelming presence matched the rumors of him being a war maniac.
“You look more frightened than you would facing a monster. Where did that boldness go—the same boldness you had when volunteering to study abroad?”
With arms crossed, Ikar tilted his head.
Though she knew who he was, she pretended not to.
“…State your identity.”
She didn’t want to sound scared, but her trembling voice betrayed her.
“Me? I am…”
He smirked slightly.
“…the one responsible for your safety until you arrive in Bashker.”
