🔊 TTS Settings
chapter 70
With that handsome face of his, Sian always managed to charm the women around him — but right now, he was filled with nothing but dissatisfaction.
He had no choice but to accompany Hermes on this royal tour, yet his heart was already somewhere else — with Indigo.
At this hour, he would normally be home, talking with Linette.
He could easily picture it: the two of them finishing the day together, eating the meal he cooked, drinking the coffee she brewed.
And if things had gone a bit further… perhaps holding hands, maybe even a kiss goodnight.
But instead of Linette, what stood before him now was Hermes.
Watching the local lord fawn over Hermes, bowing and flattering him endlessly, only made Sian’s mood worse.
They were treated to a dinner so extravagant it could’ve rivaled a royal banquet.
Throughout the meal, the lord’s daughter clung to Sian’s side, and he finally had to pull away with a stony face.
The next head of House Theodore was indeed a man worth admiring — even drooling over — but her constant attempts to cozy up to him after dinner drove him to retreat early to his room.
Not long after, the Crown Prince himself, slightly flushed from wine, came to Sian’s chamber to read reports.
Sian didn’t bother to hide his displeasure.
It had already been half a month since they’d left on this journey, which meant they still had another half to go before returning.
He was restless, desperate to go home — and when letters from his family began arriving one after another, it only worsened things.
They were filled with the usual teasing remarks that grated on his nerves.
Though he was happy to hear news about Linette, the way his family seemed completely enchanted by her worried him.
It almost felt like they’d steal her away before he could get back.
Just as he sighed yet again, Hermes, skimming through a report, spoke up.
“You seem quite the popular man, Sian. The lord’s daughter practically threw herself at you.”
“It’s not me who’s popular, Your Highness. It’s the Theodore name,” Sian replied coolly.
“Still,” Hermes said with a faint smile, “I envy that much — the freedom to love whomever you choose.”
Becoming Crown Princess wasn’t easy.
A woman had to be from at least a count’s family, and even then, she had to pass a series of imperial trials — ten exams over three months, testing both intellect and lineage.
Only the highest scorer could become the Crown Princess.
Because of that, Hermes could never experience romance.
For him, love was an indulgence forbidden to the heir of the Empire.
Marriage was a duty, not a choice — and producing an heir was a royal obligation, not an act of affection.
No woman dared flirt or even exchange glances with him.
But Sian’s circumstances were different.
House Theodore never conducted such tests when choosing a bride.
If their son loved someone, they accepted her — regardless of her rank or birth.
That freedom made him an easier target for ambitious women.
But Sian had been firm: he already had someone he loved.
Earlier that evening, he’d wiped clean the spot where the lord’s daughter had touched him, using his handkerchief.
He missed Linette so much it hurt — he wanted her hand to brush away the memory of anyone else’s touch.
Unable to do that, he perched by the window, arms crossed, glaring at Hermes.
“Am I really that irresistible?” Hermes teased, leaning back with a lazy grin. “The way you’re glaring at me — it’s enough to set anyone on fire.”
Sian frowned.
“There must have been plenty of people you could’ve taken on this tour. Did you bring me just to get back at me?”
When the Crown Prince announced a royal tour, every noble in the Empire fought for the chance to join.
It was an opportunity to gain favor.
Yet Hermes had chosen him — and only him.
“Revenge? Now that’s unfair,” Hermes said lightly. “Do I really seem the type?”
“Yes,” Sian replied flatly.
Hermes chuckled. For all Sian’s stubbornness, the man was perceptive when it mattered.
“After you left the banquet, Iris locked herself in her room and cried her eyes out. She’s loved you — and only you — for over ten years, Sian.”
“I will never marry a woman I don’t love,” Sian said firmly. “Even if I abandoned the one I love and married the princess, I would never share a bed with her.”
That declaration made Hermes exhale in disbelief.
To him, it sounded like Sian was saying he’d turn Iris into a mere ornament while seeing his lover in secret.
It was a clear rejection — a line drawn so deep that even a Crown Prince couldn’t cross it.
Hermes understood perfectly well.
“I suppose one man suffering through a loveless marriage is enough,” Hermes muttered. “But tell me — is this woman of yours… current?”
“Yes.”
Sian’s answer was short but certain. He absentmindedly rubbed his fingers, and Hermes noticed a ring glinting there — simple, unadorned, but new.
The prince frowned.
“Don’t tell me that woman gave you that ring?”
“Of course not,” Sian said, a hint of pride in his tone. “I chose it myself and proposed to her. It may look ordinary, but she was happy with it.”
“What?” Hermes looked incredulous. “The mighty House Theodore’s heir proposed with that? That’s absurd.”
“Why not?” Sian countered calmly. “My father and grandfather did the same — and they’re still happily married.”
The value of that ring wasn’t in gold or jewels.
It was a promise — the key to all the wealth and honor of House Theodore, freely offered.
“So she accepted that proposal,” Hermes said slowly. “Does that mean… she’s a commoner? A woman without wealth?”
“That’s not it,” Sian said. “In fact, she’s the one who asked if I was marrying her for her family’s fortune. You’d faint if you saw how rich they are.”
Hermes gave him a look that said, you expect me to believe that?
But Sian only shrugged, perfectly at ease.
“She might be wealthy,” Hermes said, “but surely even she can’t compare to our Iris.”
“The princess’s riches come from the Crown,” Sian replied sharply. “My Linette built hers with her own hands. She earned everything she has — maybe with her family’s help at first, but it’s hers.”
He laughed softly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a quiet challenge.
How could a flower grown in a greenhouse ever compare to one that bloomed on its own in the wild?
“Ha… who would’ve thought the great Lord Theodore would fall head over heels for a woman?” Hermes said, shaking his head.
He was an extraordinary catch — the kind other women would kill to have.
And yet this man had fallen completely for someone unknown, with no noble name or title.
Hermes could only sigh.
Sian’s tone hardened.
“If she’s just ‘a woman’ to you, then I suppose that makes the princess even less. So please, don’t insult her again.”
“Lord Theodore!” Hermes snapped. “That’s crossing the line!”
“With respect, Your Highness — you started it,” Sian said evenly. “You should watch your words. My woman’s beauty would make even the nobles of Sephia jealous. To me, she’s more than I deserve.”
“What does Sephia have to do with—”
Before Hermes could finish, Sian merely smiled and looked out the window, toward where Indigo lay far away.
“She’s a pearl buried in mud. Until she’s washed clean, Your Highness, you wouldn’t recognize her brilliance. But if you’re to become Emperor one day, you’d best learn how to see such things.”
The words were polite, but the message was sharp: Don’t look down on her.
As he spoke, Sian turned the ring on his finger. He had polished it so often that it gleamed in the candlelight.
Having silenced the Crown Prince, Sian had no desire to wash the “mud” from his pearl just yet.
If others saw her true worth, they’d try to steal her away.
So for now, he was content to keep her brilliance hidden — just for himself.
With a faint, knowing smile, Sian lifted the ring to his lips and kissed it, perfectly aware of how much it irritated Hermes.
This was his way of getting even.
❅
Every day, Linette crossed off another number on her calendar, waiting eagerly for Sian’s return.
During that time, Cloud and Rosemary visited so often it was as if they had moved in.
“Honestly,” Rosemary said one afternoon, “maybe we should make sure that son of ours never comes back. It’s so nice visiting without having to tiptoe around him.”
“Rose, you shouldn’t say things like that,” Cloud said mildly.
“Why not? He’s the one who monopolized our dear Linette and made it awkward for us to visit. Now that he’s gone, we can finally come freely! Honestly, whose son is he? How shameless.”
“Yours,” Cloud replied drily.
“Oh, he’s your son too,” she shot back. “You can’t put all the blame on me. He inherited your stubbornness, you know.”
Watching Linette bustling about the café with her usual grace, Rosemary smiled warmly.
There was something deeply charming about a woman who worked with her hands — she understood now why her son was so smitten.
She turned a blind eye to Cloud entirely, focusing on Linette.
“Don’t you think we came too early?” she asked.
“It’s better to wait in advance,” Cloud replied, sipping his coffee. “If we show up late, some other man might steal her first.”
Tomorrow was Linette’s day off.
The couple had come a day early — essentially camping out to “kidnap” her for a visit.
“By the way, we got a letter from Lucian,” Linette said. “He said the tour’s almost over.”
“Lucian returning and us taking you home are two different things,” Cloud replied. “He won’t stop us — and he probably won’t even come by the estate anyway.”
Rosemary laughed. “True! He’s still keeping our family’s identity a secret from her. I do wonder how she’ll react when she finds out — I hope she doesn’t faint from shock.”
“That’s exactly why we should start easing her in now,” Cloud said seriously.
Her future in-laws were clearly plotting something, but Linette was too busy to notice.
Business was booming, and she greeted customers with her usual bright smile.
“By the way,” Rosemary whispered, “you made sure to remove the family crest and flag from the carriage, right?”
“Of course,” Cloud said. “Until she knows who we are, everything stays hidden.”
The book he’d brought to pass the time lay forgotten on the table. Watching Linette work was far more enjoyable.
“Oh my! That’s Cheese!” Rosemary exclaimed as a large, fluffy cat sauntered over.
She reached out, and Cheese rubbed his head affectionately against her hand.
“How adorable,” she cooed, lifting him up despite his weight.
Cheese purred and then turned his eyes toward the table — more specifically, the cookies on it.
He stretched a paw toward them… and froze when a pale hand caught him mid-reach.
“Cheese! What did I tell you about stealing food? Do it again and no dinner for you.”
“Meow,” came the guilty reply.
Pulling back his paw, the cat pretended innocence, nuzzling into Rosemary’s cheek as if nothing had happened.
Linette couldn’t help but laugh.
“Sorry about him,” she said. “Would it be alright if Cheese came along with us? He got sulky last time I went on vacation without him.”
“I love cats,” Rosemary said immediately. “Of course he can come. How about you, dear?”
“I don’t dislike cats,” Cloud said. “He can come. My mother will adore him.”
At their approval, Linette beamed and finished her work.
As soon as she closed up, Rosemary practically kidnapped both her and Cheese, bundling them into the carriage.
Cheese’s face pressed up against the window, his body dangling as he stared out — a sight that made everyone laugh.
When they arrived and stepped out, Linette saw Cordelia waiting.
After exchanging a polite greeting with Cloud and Rosemary, Cordelia rushed forward, grasping Linette’s hands.
“Welcome! I missed you so much I came running,” she said brightly. “Come, let’s eat together. And tonight, let’s share a room — I’m giving myself to you tonight, so hurry and take me!”
