Chapter – 16
“I rely on you, Rona. I’ll never be able to let you go for the rest of my life.”
Illeon had always believed that giving one’s heart to someone was the same as creating a weakness. To have sincerity meant being vulnerable, and in turn, giving others a reason to end your life. Illeon was a commander. If the leader of an army met death, the entire force would crumble in an instant. His life was not his own—it belonged to the Empire, and to all his soldiers. He convinced himself that he could not afford such weaknesses. His thoughts on marriage or heirs were plain and practical. He would arrange a marriage that benefited the grand ducal family, produce a child to carry on the line, and ensure his wife’s position as the matriarch of the house. That was all. For most nobles, marriages were conducted like this, based on conditions and the family’s advancement. Illeon himself never intended a marriage to be anything extraordinary. Born to lead a house, he had naturally understood from childhood that he could not live solely for himself.
That was the mindset of Illeon, raised as a successor and trained through years of warfare. But everything changed after he met Rona. She made him more emotional than anyone else. He was sincere. Illeon did not believe in the miraculous power of love, but he could now understand why people chased such illusions. His genuine desire for Rona was so special and strong that he felt he would follow her wishes without question.
“Rona. Don’t run away.”
Rona was weak-willed. Hesitating at his words about being thirsty, she eventually cupped the water to his lips, thinking, He even had the butler do it… Ironically, it was Illeon’s first kiss, though he had never even been on a proper date with a woman before. Of course, the butler had never fed him water directly with her mouth. But when Illeon said he was thirsty, Rona, guided by impulse, pressed the water jug to his lips and let him drink a little at a time. She wouldn’t dare ask, Did the butler also feed you with her mouth? He wanted her to feel pity and stay by his side, unable to leave easily. He wanted her time and her heart for himself. Illeon thought this selfish desire was something even the gods should allow. He had lost all his shining honor, all his glorious future. After barely escaping a swamp of despair, he had gained a single joy in life—and if he could not selfishly hold even that, he might as well have them take his life. He could act as shamelessly as necessary to keep Rona at his side, to make her pity him more, to make her care for him.
“Good night, Rona.”
Illeon closed his eyes in comfort.
Karina bit her nails. She had been doing it for so long that her nails had become ragged and unsightly. Yet she kept gnawing at the tips, even when there was nothing left to bite. Tap, tap. The door opened, and a maid who attended Karina entered.
“How did it go? Did you find out?”
The maid nodded awkwardly.
“The Crown Prince is too busy to find the time.”
“Did he say anything else?”
The maid nodded again. Karina’s face contorted.
“That’s impossible.”
Sabiel’s attitude had changed like flipping a palm. It was after the day Karina had boldly allowed herself to be with him, refusing to return to the palace that night. Sabiel had not left her side the entire night. It had been a dreamlike, sweet, and fantastic night. Karina had been slightly flattered by it. After all, the Empire’s greatest man, the Crown Prince, had whispered endless praises into her ear. When she tried to leave the next day, insisting she had to return to the Earl’s mansion, his hands clung to her with regret.
“I have to go, Sabiel.”
After sharing deep intimacy, saying his name felt natural on her lips.
“Do we really have to?”
“We’re not officially married yet. If we do this, it would be a stain on both me and Your Highness.”
When she drew a boundary, Sabiel clung to her desperately.
“The Emperor must approve our marriage soon. I don’t think I could sleep without you anymore.”
On the way back, the Crown Prince filled the carriage with yellow roses. Lady Harrington, Karina’s mother, gasped at the sight. She had just learned that the flower’s meaning—eternal love—was contained in the bouquet. Yet that was the end of it. Afterward, Sabiel never sent a carriage for her to enter the palace. Even when Karina subtly sent a messenger herself, he did not come, citing busyness. Four days after that night, she had not seen a trace of the Crown Prince.
“How could he treat me like this?”
Karina was indignant.
The maid watching her was troubled. The Crown Prince Sabiel had a notorious reputation as a libertine. Though he held the title of Crown Prince and bore the name Oder as the Emperor’s only child, it was known that he was not the true Oder. The true Oder was Grand Duke Illeon Clavent, born with the exact traits of the Oder line. Nobles often demanded the Crown Prince be deposed because Illeon could inherit the Imperial Sword. Sabiel could not become a Swordmaster, and rumors spread that the true heir could not wield the Imperial Sword. Already, he had grown crooked, indulging in drink, gambling, and women. But it was only gossip; a commoner could never tell a noble girl such things. Young, naive, and from the countryside, Karina had fallen into the Crown Prince’s trap. The maid felt pity for Karina, but it was too late to intervene. Any hint of warning would have resulted in blame for not telling her sooner.
“I have to go to the palace.”
Seeing Karina press her lips together in a sorrowful expression, the maid could only feel sympathy.
Under the midday sun, the Crystal Palace shone like a jewel. Within the geometric gardens, mainly of green leafy plants, the palace appeared like a large gemstone fallen on the grass. Inside, Sabiel exuded a gloomy, oppressive aura.
“Is this all?”
“Apologies.” The aide lowered his head under Sabiel’s piercing gaze.
“There are so few staff at the Grand Duke’s mansion. It is impossible to send someone, and the Duke never goes outside, so it’s difficult to observe from the outside.”
“Incompetent!”
Sabiel threw the report the aide had presented onto his desk. It stated that the Duke’s household had received a maid through a city employment agency: her name was Rona Herapalis, aged twenty-seven, two years older than Illeon, and serving at his mansion. Sabiel sneered.
“Maid… huh? Must be a night maid.”
It was unusual that Rona had no identification in the employment agency’s records. Even commoners in the Empire received identification upon adulthood. A lack of proof suggested a shady past. Fugitives, prisoners of war, and wandering gypsies were treated with contempt and suspicion.
“Blonde hair and purple eyes…”
Immediately, a certain person came to mind. The famous beauty of Hadunsha, the gem Elisia. She was thought dead—but apparently, she had survived. Yet that was all Sabiel knew. She had neither returned to Hadunsha nor appeared anywhere. If she were alive, this would be impossible.
“I’ll take a look at the Grand Duke’s blind spot myself. Perhaps some scheming woman is trying to exploit the Duke’s wealth.”
Though he said this, Sabiel was genuinely curious about Illeon’s woman. Illeon had left for the battlefield at sixteen, after graduating from the military academy. Having grown up in an all-boys school, he had never truly interacted with women. While Sabiel picked flowers from beautiful women at the city’s parties, Illeon was fighting on the front lines—so the rumors went.
“Illeon’s woman… making her mine would be quite a sight.”
The Illeon who looked happy that day strangely provoked Sabiel. He was unsettled that Illeon, despite being blind in a metaphorical sense, had precisely captured his own hand. Just a glimpse behind the curtain would have sufficed, yet the thought lingered persistently. Suddenly, a cunning idea arose.
“Illeon’s woman… I need to see her.”
Sabiel ordered his aide.
“Bring her here. By any means.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Even after the aide left, Sabiel’s mind remained captivated by the image of Rona. The fact that her hair and eye color matched Elisia’s excited him greatly.
“Rona… such a cute name.”
He thought that perhaps by taking Illeon’s woman, he could both torment Illeon and satisfy his own desires for Elisia. Sabiel licked his lips in anticipation.
