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Chapter : 27
I thought the original story was over, but here comes
When I stepped outside, I saw Leopold’s carriage waiting at the main gate. The black carriage bore the golden emblem of the imperial palace, and several guards were visible.
Unlike someone who visits a noble house alone, Leopold—the son of a duke—had an entirely different presence.
“It is an honor to visit your house, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Welcome.”
The servants came out to bow toward him, in accordance with royal protocol, as he sat inside the carriage.
All the daily practice of greetings for this very moment had been worthwhile.
Soon, the carriage door opened, revealing a beautiful boy with silver hair and golden eyes.
Leopold’s face, which I hadn’t seen in a long time, was still dazzlingly beautiful. His silver hair shimmered in the sunlight and swayed in the wind—it looked almost like a dream.
The servants and maids of the duke’s house, who had never been this close to Leopold, all gasped in awe the moment he appeared.
Had I not warned them in the morning, the entire estate would probably have been filled with thunderous applause.
But Leopold, as if accustomed to it, completely ignored his surroundings.
“…Tina.”
Leopold stepped out of the carriage and, with a soft smile, called my name and quickly approached me.
Normally cold, he now wore such a gentle expression that the roses I had painstakingly cultivated in the garden seemed almost black in comparison—they were utterly outshone.
I had only seen him in formal settings at the palace recently, so seeing him in relaxed attire in a private space felt completely different, almost unreal.
Ah, of course—it’s not real. This is like a story. That explains it. Leopold’s appearance could only exist in a story.
His radiance, twice as dazzling as usual, left me momentarily dumbfounded. I quickly snapped back to reality and lightly slapped my own cheek.
“Welcome.”
“Thank you for inviting me.”
Without glancing anywhere else, Leopold stepped confidently toward me.
Though I hadn’t exactly invited him… I swallowed the words that rose to my throat.
At first glance, Leopold’s expression seemed cold as usual, but his subtle, soft aura made him look much more pleasant than usual.
It wasn’t just me who noticed it—others seemed to feel it too.
It seemed something good had happened to him before coming here. Hmm, maybe he won the lottery.
“…It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.”
Regardless of my thoughts, Leopold looked around the surroundings, then said with a nostalgic gaze and tone.
If a thirteen-year-old said that with such a distant look, it might have seemed comical, but with his appearance, it somehow fit perfectly.
In a previous life, he didn’t come often, but he occasionally visited the duke’s house because Evelyn—the only friend he had—used to stay here.
Since Evelyn liked the estate, the male leads often accompanied her, and it seemed Leopold remembered those times.
“Yes, it has.”
The familiar scenery must have reminded him of Evelyn in a past life. Naturally, he couldn’t help but think of a lover he had left behind.
“After all, you can meet again, right? Cheer up.”
“…”
Since there were many people around, I omitted Evelyn’s name. Leopold stared at me intently with his strange golden eyes.
Just as he parted his lips, seemingly to say something,
“Am I just decoration? I’m a guest too.”
A disgruntled voice came from behind.
Reflexively, I turned around and saw Asad staring at Leopold with blue eyes, burning with overt jealousy.
“….”
I had completely forgotten about him. With Leopold’s arrival, I had momentarily overlooked the earlier guest.
Asad, who had boldly entered the room, didn’t know the way, so he had followed me five steps behind reluctantly.
“Sorry, I forgot.”
“Hah.”
I genuinely hadn’t noticed Asad was there.
Asad let out a sigh of disbelief, staring at me with blue eyes that seemed to silently ask, “Did you really forget?”
“…Why are you here?”
Leopold finally seemed to notice Asad’s presence.
Apparently, he didn’t know either. Leopold was the type who rarely paid attention to others, but right now, Asad probably didn’t know that.
“Honestly, the two of you together….”
“….”
Asad growled in irritation, while Leopold shot him a cold, piercing glare.
I watched the two of them with a peculiar sense of curiosity.
…Somehow, their roles had completely reversed from my previous life.
As I remembered, around this age, during the imperial palace swordsmanship competition, Leopold had lost, and he had desperately tried to catch up to Asad.
Back then, though outwardly cold and indifferent, his actions betrayed impatience and competitiveness.
But now, at eighteen, the current Leopold no longer looked like someone crushed by defeat. Though he had lost at the sword competition, there was now an air of relaxed confidence.
And Asad…
In a public place like this, he was the only one daring to provoke the crown prince of this country.
I was about to step in to mediate when
“…Tina.”
“Hmm?”
Leopold’s golden eyes suddenly focused on me. I had been casually glancing at him, but his gaze caught me off guard.
His eyes, twisted in displeasure, carried not only annoyance but also a hint of reproach.
…Why is he looking at me like that?
Ah.
He must have misunderstood, thinking I had called Asad to meet at our agreed-upon place without telling him.
Of course, Leopold wouldn’t want to see Asad. Asad was also one of the three male leads who had fought over Evelyn. It was natural their relationship would be strained.
“Don’t make the same mistake twice.”
But… why does something Leopold said in my past life suddenly come to mind now?
“….”
It couldn’t be, yet Leopold seemed angry just because Asad was here.
I felt like I was making some kind of mistake in front of him.
Why? There’s no loyalty or justification he needs to uphold with me.
“Miss, why don’t you go inside the house and talk with your friends? It’s chilly.”
“Oh, yes. Right, let’s go in.”
A servant gently suggested this while I stood there in a daze. Naturally, I couldn’t leave Leopold standing outside, though Asad could probably stay for three days straight without issue.
“Please this way.”
“Yes.”
The servant began to lead the way, and I followed, with Leopold and Asad trailing reluctantly.
Even as I followed, I couldn’t shake an inexplicable uneasy feeling.
“….”
Feeling a prickling at the back of my head, I stopped and turned around. At the same time, our eyes met.
“Tina?”
“What is it?”
I stared at both of them, then silently stepped forward and grabbed Leopold’s arm.
His golden eyes widened slightly, surprised. I glanced at Asad and said,
“…Do you want to go ahead for a bit?”
“….”
Leopold stared at me strangely, as if trying to read my thoughts. I felt my cheeks warm under his gaze.
“What?”
Asad, incredulous, asked back. Seeing his growing displeasure in his blue eyes, I grabbed Leopold’s hand and started running.
Leopold, who I thought would resist, quietly followed my pace.
“Hey! You’re leaving me behind again!”
I heard Asad’s irritated voice shouting from behind. He was clearly frustrated at being excluded.
“We’ll catch up soon! Sorry!”
“….”
I ran, leaving Asad behind, glanced back once, and then turned forward without hesitation.
I hadn’t set a specific destination, but I chose a quiet, secluded spot. Before I knew it, I had arrived at the lakeside where I jog every morning. No one would come here.
“Phew.”
I took a deep breath to calm myself after running. I felt a bit warm.
When I looked back, I realized I had run quite a distance. Neither Asad nor Leopold’s guards were in sight. My morning jogging practice had paid off.
“….”
Leopold stood there with a slightly bewildered expression, unaccustomed to the situation.
I caught my breath while looking at him. Unlike me, who was sweaty, he hadn’t broken a sweat, and his expression was as neutral as ever.
“….”
Still, his face was strangely flushed. Had running tired him out? Not the type of person who would get exhausted so easily.
I looked at him in confusion. Leopold averted his eyes slightly and answered.
“…Hand.”
It was a very quiet voice, but I heard it clearly.
