SDA 10

Chapter : 10

Castilian tilted his head.
“…You like a man like him?”
He sounded a little surprised.
‘She says my brother is her ideal type… how could that be…’
…Well, it made sense. After all, Chase was indisputably the most popular guy in the academy.

The prestigious Tiarosa Academy, located in the Kingdom of Rehaton, had the so-called “G4 (Gorgeous Four).”

• Chase Willow, from the Carnon Empire.
• Grand Duke Trosian Polyteum Rochard.
• Crown Prince Castilian La Idebert Carnon.
• And Roderick de Vichel, a minor marquis of Rehaton Kingdom.

In fact, when Castilian enrolled, Chase’s popularity had already reached its peak.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has enrolled!”
“Finally, we’ll get to see him in person?”

The mysterious, enigmatic Crown Prince made everyone curious about Castilian.
However, no matter how long they waited, he never appeared, and people gradually lost interest.

The truth was different.
Castilian had been attending classes normally all along, but wearing a magical device called the “Appearance-Altering Glasses” to change his looks.
Those who saw him as the glasses-wearing version remembered him as a large, unattractive man.

“Where is His Highness the Crown Prince? I’ve never seen him before.”
“I wonder… why does only his ugly secretary follow him around next to the G4?”
“When will we get to see him… Ah! Senior Chase! Senior Trosian!”

From Castilian’s perspective, wanting to stay hidden, he was simply grateful that people assumed he was the secretary.

Chase asked him:
“Rian, why are you hiding your face? If you walked down the street, women would collapse in waves.”
“…I had a reason that made me realize I must hide it.”

Castilian replied briefly and stopped. Chase didn’t press further, sensing he didn’t want to explain.

Anyway, during his academy days, Chase had been the kind of guy whose popularity could devastate the school.
‘Well… there wasn’t a girl who didn’t like Chase.’
Growing up watching a brother like that, it was no wonder Siena’s type was a man like Chase.

Chase shrugged as if he understood what Castilian was thinking.
“Of course, if you reveal to Siena that you’re the Crown Prince…”
“I won’t.”
“Right… you’ll say you don’t want to, and that you’ll hide your hair color too.”

Chase dragged out his words, stroking his own chin, then continued.
“I’ve got a good idea.”
“An idea?”

Chase leaned closer to Castilian.
“Rian, you’re perfect in every way, but your personality is the problem.”
“…”
“Even another man can see it—you have the looks, body, status, wealth. You have everything.”
“…”
“But you speak too little and show no expression. In short, you’re boring.”

He drew an X in front of Castilian’s nose.
Perhaps because Chase and Siena shared similar eye shapes, it felt as if Siena herself was drawing a line: ‘I don’t like boring men like you!’

Chase added:
“If you liked another girl, I wouldn’t have said this. But Siena is my sister, and she’s used to my way of speaking.”
“…”
“So, if you want to win Siena’s heart, you must act ‘like me.’”
“…”
“Crown Prince, it’ll be tough, but try to follow me.”

Caught completely off guard, Castilian spent a full year learning how to act like Chase.
That year was the hardest time of his life.
Though he could excel at almost anything, imitating Chase was truly difficult.

“Today’s weather is nice. The sunlight is dazzling.”
“…Indeed.”
“No, Rian. At times like this, you should say, ‘Well, I’m not sure, but perhaps it’s because someone brighter than the sunlight is next to me.’”
“I see.”
“Don’t just answer—memorize it. Now, next scenario: if Siena says, ‘It’s raining today,’ what should you say?”
“Rain… don’t catch a cold…”
“Wrong.”
“….”
“You should say, ‘The rain is the sky crying out of jealousy for your beauty. And now, I’m with someone the heavens themselves recognize as beautiful. I am truly a lucky man.’”
“….”
“And you must wink at that moment. Got it?”

Chase’s examples were utterly outrageous.
‘How am I supposed to copy this…?’
But to win Siena’s heart, he had to succeed.
Castilian never gave up, and eventually, he did.

“Hello, Director? I look forward to your guidance. I hope for your continued consideration on my behalf.”

Through painstaking effort, he had become a clone of Chase.
With the “Butterface Mask” on, Castilian was officially deployed to the center a month ago.

“Chase, what should I do at the center?”
“You don’t have to do anything.”
“But as the youngest employee, if I don’t work…”
“By the authority of the center’s head, you’re allowed to lounge and do nothing. Don’t worry.”
“….”
“Focus on Siena instead.”

Thanks to Chase’s lack of concern, Castilian became a lazy noble rookie who didn’t work.
‘I feel a bit sorry for the staff, but now’s my chance.’

Castilian devoted himself entirely to gaining Siena’s affection.
“Director.”
He lingered around her every day, talking to her at every opportunity.

Despite his efforts, Siena showed little interest.
“Please be quiet.”

If anything, she seemed annoyed.
‘Why? I’m acting like Chase, who she supposedly likes…’

Meanwhile, he noticed she liked Johan.
“I have no personal interest, at all. None.”

She claimed not to care, but it was obvious.
Whenever Johan appeared, she froze, stared blankly, and got upset while investigating Violet…
‘I don’t know Johan Beloster well, but his personality is the complete opposite of mine.’

Johan was different from both stoic Castilian and natural Rian.
Even just from his expression, you could sense his kindness. His character felt upright without a word exchanged.

Castilian’s doubts multiplied.
‘She says she likes a guy like Chase, but why Beloster…?’
How long had they known each other?
‘Does the Marquess Beloster turn into someone with Chase’s personality when he’s alone with Siena?’
He had no clue where things had gone wrong.

Back to the present…
Clearly, the Crown Prince’s situation showed no signs of resolution.

Chase spoke.
“It’s frustrating, both you and Siena.”
“….”
“Rian, just reveal your identity and make her Crown Princess. You know that’s the fastest way.”

Castilian looked up from his clasped hands.
He saw Chase with his arm draped over the sofa, like a protective shoulder.

Suddenly, a fragment of memory flashed through Castilian’s mind.

“Rian… that’s a fitting name.”
“….”
“I’ll remember.”

It was the day three years ago when he first learned about Siena… or rather, when he fell for her.

For a moment, his red eyes trembled, and his throat tightened.
After some time, Castilian finally responded.
“…No.”
“….”
“I don’t want to see you as the Crown Prince. And I hate that you would force me to become your princess by using your status.”

“Our Highness is quite stubborn, indeed.”

He remembered himself in the academy, wearing glasses and pretending to be unattractive.
‘For some reason, I always tried to hide myself.’

Something had happened then…
Chase scanned Castilian’s dry expression.
‘…As expected, he has no intention of telling me.’

So Chase shifted the topic.
“They say if you keep trying, even a tree hit ten times will fall. Keep going. One day, it’ll work.”

He poured whiskey into a glass on the table.

At that moment, the cries of a raptor echoed from outside.
Chase raised his eyebrows.
“The Emperor must be desperately searching for his son.”

As mentioned before, Castilian had left the palace and was hiding in Chase’s mansion.
He only went to the palace occasionally to report he was alive, and always returned to Chase’s mansion.

Because of the Crown Prince’s repeated disappearances, the Emperor and Empress took measures.
They dispatched well-trained falcons across the empire to track Castilian’s movements.

Screech, caw.
A black falcon circled above the mansion, screeching fiercely.

Castilian, with dyed patches behind his ears, stood up.
“I’m going.”

He tried to hide in a room without windows.

Chase was left alone.
Spinning his glass, he went to the window.
“I guess I’ll have to calm it down. It’s too noisy at midnight.”

Chase flung the window open and called out to the falcon circling in the sky.
“Crown Prince’s secretary? Want to come in for a drink?”

He raised his glass as if genuinely inviting it to join him.

Siena had spent days carefully preparing a script.
She even called Johan yesterday for a reading and a final meeting.

And today, finally, the day had come.
The day the “Johan Beloster Love Operation” would be executed.