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# Chapter 5
A few droplets of tears I hadn’t managed to swallow fell onto the stone floor with a soft thud.
The corners of my eyes burned so much that I couldn’t hold back the tears. But worried about ruining my makeup, I desperately tried to stop crying.
Sniffling, I pressed firmly against the tears pooling in my eyes to wipe them away.
Then, the moment I looked up.
> *“……Are you alright?”*
>
> *“Kyaak!”*
>
> *“Shh.”*
A man pulled me toward a corner of the balcony, glancing around at the startled shriek that had escaped me before I could stop it.
Caught off guard and weak from surprise, I was dragged along, my eyes widening in shock.
Even looking up, the man’s face was obscured by the backlight, making it hard to see.
The shock was so sudden that even my tears came to an abrupt halt.
> *“Wh-who are you? How did you get in here……?”*
>
> *“I was here first. The young lady barged in afterward, closed the door, and started crying.”*
He meant that he had already been on this balcony—a place I’d entered thinking no one was there, needing only a place to hide myself.
My face flushed crimson at the man who had witnessed my embarrassing state.
> *“I-I’m sorry. I was flustered earlier.”*
>
> *“It’s alright.”*
Only after seeing that I had calmed down did he release me and step back.
Under the bright moonlight, the man’s face suddenly came into my view.
Moonlight scattered white over his golden hair, as if molten gold had been poured over it, and a handsome man with gentle, curved eyes revealed himself.
His transparent blue-green eyes were sharp enough to pierce through a person, yet his face gave off a warm, gentle impression.
And I recognized him immediately.
> *‘The protagonist of this novel, the crown prince who marries Ives Rotessier!’*
How did I know? Because anyone could see that face could only belong to the male lead!
And the male lead, Killian, often hid his identity and occasionally took refuge on balconies to avoid those who knew his face.
He tilted his head beyond the balcony door, glanced outside, and then asked me.
> *“……I’ve been curious ever since you came in crying.”*
>
> *“…….”*
Embarrassed, I averted my gaze and pretended not to notice.
But Killian asked me outright.
> *“Are you crying because things aren’t working out with a man you have a crush on?”*
>
> *“…….”*
*He saw everything.*
Ashamed of how utterly disheveled I must have looked, I bowed my head without answering.
> *“It’s fine. I’m in the same situation.”*
He muttered that with a self-deprecating, low chuckle.
Right. At this point in the story, Killian was the one who had a one-sided crush on Ives first.
> *“……You mean Lady Ives Rotessier?”*
At my words, Killian was silent for a moment, then belatedly lowered his voice even further, his wariness now blatantly evident.
> *“How did you know?”*
>
> *“Honestly, is there any gentleman in high society who hasn’t had a crush on Lady Rotessier at least once?”*
>
> *“Ah.”*
The crown prince, quickly and easily convinced, nodded.
> *“I also know who you like, my lady.”*
He’d probably figured it out because he’d been watching me for some reason until just now.
As I thought this, Killian asked.
> *“Isn’t it the young Duke of Irisel?”*
>
> *“Yes.”*
>
> *“I hear you’re childhood friends. In that kind of relationship, it’s natural for one side to develop feelings.”*
>
> *“You know well.”*
And unfortunately, I was the one who had fallen for Hares.
The one who longed for someone she could never have, the one who pined away.
> *“The young Duke of Irisel is also quite popular. You must be just as anxious, to the point of hiding your tears like this.”*
>
> *“Something like that. I already know it’s impossible anyway.”*
>
> *“Why do you think it’s impossible?”*
From the perspective of a crown prince who had always gotten whatever he wanted, this must have been utterly incomprehensible.
For me, Hares was everything, and that was precisely why I couldn’t bring myself to approach him and risk destroying our current relationship.
> *“I heard Lady Rotessier has caught your heart.”*
>
> *“Ives did?”*
>
> *“So the two of you are love rivals. And while my rival in this one-sided love is Lady Rotessier, I already know that I don’t even stand a chance either.”*
Killian stared at me for a long moment before answering.
> *“Honestly, since the opponent is Ives, I do look comparatively pathetic, I admit.”*
>
> *“You’re quite frank.”*
>
> *“I don’t want to lie and give the other person false hope. Isn’t it better to realistically assess my own level?”*
>
> *“And your conclusion?”*
*Just as I thought—sharp-tongued as ever.*
> *“If you put in some effort, I see plenty of ways to appeal to him as a woman. Rather, if you dress up well and show him an unexpected charm, he’ll be shocked and fall for you faster.”*
>
> *“Do you see my dress today? I revealed my neck, shoulders, and even my chest, thinking that’s what men like, but he didn’t show the slightest interest.”*
Since he was being so honest, I couldn’t bring myself to hide either, so I spoke plainly.
Killian stared at me for a while, then shook his head.
> *“It doesn’t suit you.”*
>
> *“Excuse me?”*
>
> *“It actually diminishes your charm. You have a cute and lovely appeal, so you’d be better off highlighting that.”*
Ives possessed a pure, fairy-like, mysterious charm. So those kinds of clothes had suited her well.
I had worn this because I thought that was also Hares’s taste.
But to hear that it actually suited me *less* because of that!
> *“Thank you.”*
Since the crown prince surely had a better eye for these things than I did, I bowed my head in gratitude.
He looked down at me for so long that it became almost uncomfortable, then suddenly opened his mouth and made a suggestion.
> *“……I don’t usually make proposals like this, but what do you think about us cooperating?”*
>
> *“Cooperating on what?”*
>
> *“For an insensitive man who won’t even say you look pretty no matter how much you dress up, he needs something like a sense of crisis. A stimulus.”*
>
> *“A st-stimulus? From me?”*
What could I possibly do to stimulate Hares?
> *“Think about market principles. There’s an item everyone wants, and it’s in my possession. But I didn’t realize its value. Then I look at it again recently and see that it’s more beautiful than I remembered. What do you think I’ll do?”*
>
> *“Cherish it dearly.”*
I understood what he meant.
> *“So you’re saying we should pretend to become close, to stimulate Hares and Ives?”*
>
> *“Ives is just now meeting new people, having new experiences, and realizing how charming she truly is. Which means she’d rather enjoy herself than choose something specific yet…… but I don’t like that.”*
>
> *“But what if we do this and they think we’re together and end up dating each other?”*
That would be the absolute worst.
> *“Then we’ll just date each other.”*
>
> *“……Are you in your right mind?”*
>
> *“Honestly, you’re not my type right now, but if Ives chooses the young Duke, you might become a decent option.”*
>
> *“You’re really strange, you know that?”*
*Too honest! And he’s not my type at all either!*
> *“Still…… it’s not a bad proposal. I’ve already decided to try, even if it means risking our relationship.”*
>
> *“I’ll change your style. At this rate, forget your childhood friend—you’ll have trouble getting married at all.”*
>
> *“It’s not that bad?!”*
*Isn’t that a bit harsh?* Surely at least one of those many men might show interest in me!
> *“It’s not that you have no strengths at all, so it should be fine. I’ll assume you agree. Come to 3 Risbel Street tomorrow at 2 PM, and I’ll help you.”*
>
> *“……Alright.”*
I never thought I’d end up receiving help from the male lead himself.
But this still seemed like a slightly better option than just getting rejected outright after confessing.
I nodded in agreement. Killian then pulled his lips into a smile.
Those pale blue eyes, impossible to read, looked down at me quite beautifully.
> *‘Killian is a scheming obsessive. He smiles with that kind, handsome face, but his intense obsession with Ives is enormous.’*
That’s right. That man smiled so kindly and charmed people, but behind the scenes, he subtly manipulated everything to his will.
I had no idea what he was plotting even now, but the fact that he was being surprisingly honest with me made me decide to cooperate with him.
Besides, since there was no real exchange of benefits between us, there was no disadvantage even if things went wrong.
> *“……By the way, your crush is coming this way.”*
>
> *“Hic.”*
My cheeks were still warm from crying earlier. I asked Killian urgently.
> *“Do I look like I’ve been crying?”*
>
> *“Completely.”*
>
> *“Where?”*
At that, Killian raised his hand and lightly brushed my eye corner with his thumb. I flinched and squeezed my eyes shut.
Soon after, he said to me.
> *“It’s fine now.”*
Just as he said that and his hand fell away, I heard the balcony door open.
> *“Hey, piggy. ……Huh?”*
Hares fell silent for a moment, flustered by the unexpected person. I quickly turned and approached him.
> *“Oh. Are you done?”*
>
> *“Here, lemonade. ……But.”*
His face clearly asked, *What is that man doing here?*
I drank the lemonade I’d taken, trying not to seem awkward. I could only hope Hares wouldn’t let his gaze linger on Killian.
> *“Hey, wait a second.”*
Then Hares suddenly took off his outer robe. And draped it over my shoulders.
Since I was small even among women, and Hares had a good physique even among men, I was half-buried in his robe like a child wearing her father’s clothes. I tilted my head.
> *“Why?”*
