Chapter 21
“Rinzel? Do you have something more to say?”
Hernan turned back to look at me.
“We said we’d think about what you’ll wear next time!”
“We did.”
“I want you to wear a three-piece suit!”
“A three-piece…?”
Hernan looked confused.
“I’ll tell you why next time we meet.”
“Alright. I’ll hear it then.”
With that, Hernan left the room. I stared blankly at the door he had closed behind him.
Just how handsome would he look in a three-piece suit?
Hernan returned to the imperial palace around sunset.
Truthfully, he wanted to stay with her until late into the night—until the next day’s sun rose.
Because talking with Rinzel was enjoyable.
Even trivial conversations would have been fine.
He wasn’t good with words, so he didn’t mind simply listening to her talk.
In other words, anything was fine—as long as he could exchange words with her.
Even so, the reason he returned to the palace was exactly as he had told Rinzel: a family dinner hosted by his father.
Unless they were engaged or married, he couldn’t stay overnight at the duke’s residence.
The emperor’s command was absolute—at least as long as Hernan wished to remain the crown prince.
If he had given up that position early on like Ilya, he wouldn’t have followed his father’s orders so strictly.
Hernan went straight to the dining hall without even changing his clothes. He had barely made it back in time and didn’t have the luxury to change.
And, just as he had said, his father was strict about punctuality.
Even being one minute late would earn him a scolding.
Three people were already seated in the dining hall:
Delta, Angel, and Ishar.
As usual, the youngest prince, Ilya, was absent.
Hernan greeted the emperor and empress briefly before taking his seat.
Delta’s gaze lingered on him persistently.
In truth, this dinner wasn’t so much about eating—it was arranged because the emperor and empress wanted to hear about Hernan.
They were curious about his late-blooming romance. And they were also interested in Rinzel, who seemed to be quite talkative.
Before the food was even served, Delta spoke first.
“So, did you have a good time with Lady Rinzel today?”
“Yes. Today, she said being with me felt like paradise.”
“Paradise, huh. That’s a fine compliment.”
Angel, the empress, joined in.
“It’s such a relief that Lady Rinzel sees something good in someone as stiff as you.”
“With all due respect, Rinzel even finds me cute.”
The moment the word cute came out, all three of them froze in shock.
“…!”
Ishar was so startled he dropped his fork with a clatter.
Hernan bristled.
“What part of me isn’t cute?”
Then he thought to himself that even saying that was shameless.
“…Never mind. It’s enough that Rinzel alone finds me cute.”
Picking up his fallen fork, Ishar thought:
…Lady Rinzel. Doesn’t she have rather strange taste?
At that moment, Delta burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! I’ve lived long enough to see the day—someone calling you cute!”
Unlike when he had only heard about her, Delta quite liked Rinzel after meeting her.
So much so that he wouldn’t even mind if she cared only about appearances—
because it seemed unlikely anyone else would view Hernan as positively as she did.
Most people were too intimidated by his cold and imposing demeanor to see his true nature.
In high spirits, Delta called out to him.
“Hernan.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Look at my face.”
Hernan looked at him.
“What do you think is written all over my face today?”
Hernan almost gave a dry response—What are you talking about?—but stopped himself.
Rinzel’s words suddenly came to mind.
‘Among all kinds of “kim,” the finest one—handsomeness—is written all over it.’
Maybe his father would like it if he repeated what Rinzel had said. He had seemed delighted back then.
Hernan answered solemnly:
“…Handsome…ness?”
It was the correct guess.
“Exactly! That’s the answer I was hoping for!”
Delta grinned from ear to ear.
Hernan smiled faintly.
I’ve never seen Father this pleased before.
The usually formal dinner felt unusually warm tonight.
The people, the tableware, the dining hall, the food—everything was the same.
The only difference was that “Rinzel” had seeped deeply into their conversation.
Was her presence really this significant?
Hernan found himself missing her again.
Delta continued, as if he had more to say.
“Hernan. You should put down some of your burden.”
A sudden mention of “burden.”
“My burden, you say?”
“Yes.”
Hernan thought it over.
Since the civil war had ended, both his duties and emotional burdens had already lightened to some extent.
What was his father referring to?
His head tilted slightly in confusion.
Angel and Ishar also looked puzzled.
“The burden you need to let go of is…”
Delta trailed off, and all eyes turned to his lips.
Finally, he revealed the answer.
“Your handsomeness.”
A strange silence filled the dining hall.
Only Delta looked delighted.
“Hahaha! I wonder who he takes after to be this handsome.”
Delta was clearly enjoying Rinzel’s style of wordplay.
Angel, who had been momentarily stunned, responded belatedly.
“Oh my, Your Majesty. Everyone in the palace knows Hernan takes after you, don’t they, Ishar?”
“….”
Ishar said nothing, and Angel glanced at him.
“Ishar?”
An awkward smile spread across his face.
“Yes. That’s correct. Mother is right.”
“Your Majesty, look at Ishar’s expression. He can’t stand your jokes.”
“Oh? Ishar, do you also wish to put down your ‘handsomeness’?”
Only then did Ishar force a perfect smile.
“Haha, not at all, Father. I intend to carry my handsomeness for life.”
As their conversation continued, Hernan fell into deep thought.
How did Father manage that kind of wordplay? I want to try it on Rinzel too…
After dinner, as Hernan left the hall, someone called out to him.
“Hernan! Wait a moment.”
Again—it was Ishar.
As always, he had followed him.
Hernan stopped walking, and Ishar stood in front of him.
“Hey, Hernan.”
“Just get to the point.”
“The trousers you’re wearing look awfully familiar.”
“That sounds like a very familiar line.”
Hernan scoffed.
“You’re not the only one who uses shops in the capital.”
Ishar smirked in disbelief.
Hernan’s shamelessness left him speechless. He couldn’t understand how his once-honest brother had become so brazen.
“So, what are you going to copy next?”
At the question, Hernan answered without hesitation:
“A three-piece suit…?”
The confidence was absurd.
Ishar let out a hollow laugh.
“I’m warning you—don’t snatch something I’ve already reserved.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Though it didn’t seem like he would.
Ishar decided to drop the topic of clothes.
After all, he wasn’t the only one who used Annette’s shop.
There was another reason he had stopped Hernan.
“I didn’t call you over to talk about clothes… I have something to say about Lady Rinzel.”
“Rinzel…?”
“I think I’ve figured something out.”
Ishar ran his tongue over his lips.
In his mind, he saw Rinzel again—her body marked with bruises.
“….”
To be honest, Hernan didn’t want to talk to Ishar.
He harbored unpleasant feelings toward him.
It was a strong emotion he had never felt before.
Though he had never been in love, he knew what it was called:
Jealousy.
He felt jealous of Ishar.
Even if Rinzel liked him, he didn’t like the idea of Ishar taking interest in her.
He wanted to be the only one who knew her.
It was petty and selfish—but he couldn’t stop himself.
That was why he had been avoiding Ishar, only copying his clothes instead…
But now, Ishar had brought up Rinzel.
And worse—he claimed to have discovered something about her.
Hernan’s emotions surged.
Jealousy and curiosity battled within him.
Curiosity won.
Clenching his fist, he spoke.
“What did you find out about Rinzel?”
His voice was cold.
Ishar, with a serious expression, replied:
“Before that, I have something to ask you.”
“What is it?”
“Did you know your original fiancée was Lady Rike?”
Hernan nodded.
When he returned to the palace after ending the long civil war, his father had suggested a political marriage.
At the time, it didn’t matter who the bride was—young or old, beautiful or not.
If there was one small thing he wished for, it was that she wouldn’t fear or hate him.
After all, they might spend their entire lives together.
He didn’t even hope for love.
So when the bride changed, he felt nothing.
Only after meeting Rinzel did he feel fortunate that she had become his fiancée.
“Didn’t you find that strange?”
Hernan tilted his head.
“Why should I?”
It wasn’t uncommon for political marriage partners to change.
He saw no reason to attach meaning to it.
Ishar’s expression grew more serious.
“Then let me put it another way. Did you know Lady Rinzel has bruises all over her body?”
