Chapter 10
Even though there was no need for her to be so frightened, she kept treating him with constant wariness.
Like a small, harmless animal, Kaillus held both palms open, as if to show he meant no harm.
“Isabella.”
“Yes—yes?!” she flinched.
So, according to what he’d heard, the ducal faction was trying to prevent the broken engagement by any means, while Isabella herself was determined to carry it through.
Then this opportunity could not be wasted.
A glint flashed briefly in his eyes. It was a slightly underhanded method, but a fitting excuse to keep her by his side had just occurred to him.
“Did you come into the palace while deliberately hiding your identity for a reason?”
She could never say that the reason was a mission to see her favorite. Isabella quickly nodded, trying not to arouse further suspicion.
“That is correct.”
“Then—”
A red light, like flames, flickered in the depths of his elegantly curved eyes.
“If I can help you break off your engagement, will you help me as well?”
Isabella could hardly believe her ears. Of all people, the Crown Prince was offering to help her end her engagement?
The word of the Crown Prince was equivalent to the will of the Imperial Family itself.
If Kaillus lent her his support, even the stubborn young duke of the Lanceless house would no longer be able to force his will.
‘It’s certainly not a bad proposal.’
As Kaillus intended, Isabella found herself intrigued by the offer.
But that was all it was—just an appealing proposal. Deep suspicion still rose within her.
Why would someone as important as the Crown Prince go so far as to help with something as trivial as her engagement?
“Are you truly saying you’ll help me break off my engagement, Your Highness?”
“Yes. But there is a condition.”
As expected. There was no such thing as a favor without a price.
He was clearly asking for something in return.
She had to be careful—no, she had to be even more cautious, since this was a proposal from the Crown Prince, someone she had just met.
And yet, for some reason, Isabella felt her attention drawn toward him.
The gaze that once coldly cut down assassins now shimmered with a gentle warmth.
Her instincts had never been wrong before. And they were telling her that this man was not someone bad.
Could she trust Kaillus? It truly didn’t feel like he had any ill intentions.
The suspicion in her eyes slowly faded. Hesitating at the end of her words, Isabella asked with curiosity.
“What condition do you want from me, Your Highness?”
Kaillus smiled kindly and suddenly extended one hand, palm facing upward, as if inviting her to take it.
‘Is he telling me to hold his hand?’
While she hesitated, he gently waved his hand up and down, like a fox flicking its tail.
Perhaps because of that subtly alluring gesture, Isabella unconsciously reached out and placed her small hand on his palm.
Their hands almost touched, warmth hovering between them. Only then did Isabella snap back to her senses and try to pull away.
But Kaillus, who had looked like he might seize her hand at any moment, raised his head and smiled at her.
It was a smile filled with familiarity, like greeting an old friend. Meeting his eyes, Isabella froze for a brief moment.
“I don’t bite.”
“But—”
“Just holding my hand is enough. It’s a very simple thing.”
Kaillus casually held out his hand again, inviting her.
Isabella stared at the large hand right in front of her.
‘Is it really enough just to hold his hand?’
After a moment of doubt, she slowly placed her soft hand into his palm.
The moment Isabella’s hand touched his, a satisfied breath escaped his lips.
“Haa… just as I thought.”
Kaillus confirmed it immediately—the pure energy flowing from Isabella had suppressed the violent surge of mana that had been burning his heart.
A faint smile formed on his lips.
At last, the key to stopping his unbearable mana overload had come to him on its own. He had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.
Just confirming this was enough for today.
“I don’t think I could possibly hold Your Highness’s hand every day like this,” Isabella said as she carefully withdrew her hand.
No matter how advantageous the condition might be, she could not casually touch a member of the imperial family.
If she accepted his proposal, it would interfere with her plan to quietly end the engagement and leave for Korea.
So it was better to refuse—this offer was a double-edged sword.
Kaillus, however, had already anticipated her rejection. And he had no intention of letting her leave.
“You’re fine.”
“Pardon?”
Kaillus’s pleading gaze, carefully crafted to evoke sympathy, was enough to shake her resolve.
“You holding my hand is a huge help to me, Isabella.”
What did he mean that simply holding her hand could help him?
Isabella looked down at her palm in confusion.
Kaillus, meanwhile, made a decision—he would show her directly.
“Isabella, look at this.”
A small flame-like surge of crimson mana bloomed in his open palm.
It looked like a sunset sky had been captured in his hand. Isabella let out a breath of pure awe.
“Wow… is that Your Highness’s mana?”
What had once been a small flicker of fire had now expanded to cover his entire hand, surging uncontrollably.
Before his mana overload, he had been able to control it freely. Now it moved on its own.
The brief improvement from touching Isabella had not solved the root cause.
Kaillus decided it was better to be honest with her.
“The problem I have is this.”
“Problem?”
“Have you heard of mana overload?”
Isabella recalled her academy coursework.
Mana overload was a condition caused by instability in the mana core or defects within it.
“Yes, I studied it in my academy’s general magic theory course.”
“Do you know what symptoms it causes?”
“That mana operates uncontrollably… and it puts strain on the body…”
As she spoke, Isabella’s expression gradually stiffened.
‘No way…’
Her uneasy gaze shifted to Kaillus’s hand. The mana there was growing slightly larger again.
She looked back at him. His usual composed eyes were now shadowed with self-reproach.
“You’re right. The mana overload I developed three months ago hasn’t improved no matter what I’ve tried.”
“That’s…”
Naturally, it would not be easy to cure.
Even now, there was no clear treatment, and successful cases were extremely rare.
Kaillus gave a bitter smile.
“It seems I’m not even capable of basic mana control—unworthy of the so-called genius Crown Prince.”
“Then earlier… was it because of this? And the medicines that the Lanceless young duke mentioned…”
“Yes. They’re probably trying to eliminate me, thinking this is the perfect moment.”
So there were frequent assassination attempts on the Crown Prince.
Isabella could not help but gasp.
“Your Highness… are you really alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Kaillus found the assassins almost laughable.
Even with mana overload, he was still a skilled swordsman capable of using aura.
But he could not hide this condition forever. Secrets inevitably surfaced.
“Isabella, I must not have any flaws.”
Whether in the past, present, or future—he had to remain perfect.
The “small sun of the empire” could never fall.
Isabella recalled her own past, when she tried so hard to be worthy of her engagement to House Lanceless.
Compared to the Crown Prince’s burden, hers was trivial.
Still, she could understand him. No matter how much one struggled, some situations never changed.
“I believe Your Highness’s condition can be cured.”
At that moment, the previously subdued mana surged violently again.
Alarmed, Isabella quickly grabbed his hand.
“Your Highness, are you alright?”
The warmth of her hand carried sincerity, and Kaillus felt his chest tighten painfully with emotion.
“Yeah… if you stay by my side like this, I think I’ll be fine. No—I’m sure of it.”
With that confident answer, the raging crimson mana gradually stabilized.
Seeing that her presence truly helped him, Isabella hesitated.
‘If just holding his hand is enough… then maybe I should help him?’
This was clearly meddling. She already had her own problems.
And yet, she couldn’t ignore him.
She was not someone who could turn away from those in need.
Biting her lip, she spoke again.
“Your Highness. I really do want to break off my engagement.”
“Yes.”
“Can you truly help me with that?”
“Of course, Isabella.”
To reassure her, Kaillus placed a hand over his chest as if making a vow, then leaned forward slightly to meet her eyes.
Meeting his gaze, Isabella felt as though she might be drawn into those deep orange eyes like a summer sunset.
“I will make you my special aide—and help you achieve everything you want.”
