ITSND 05

Chapter 5

Standing at the door were Theo—who had no business being there—and Gemma, fidgeting anxiously behind him, clearly unsure what to do.

She had intended to lead him to another reception room, but it seemed that black-hearted northerner had heard Kadin’s voice and barged in here without a second thought.

“You’ve arrived.”

She was annoyed that he’d shown up without sending word first, but since she had to keep pretending to like him in front of the Crown Prince, she forced a smile and hurried over to him.

Instead of answering, Theo slowly looked her up and down before raising an eyebrow.

“However.”

As Liriope approached him, Theo looked down at her with cool eyes.

“I don’t think that’s appropriate attire to be wearing in front of another man.”

“Ah, well… you came without any notice. But it’s just loungewear, so I didn’t think—”

“In the first place, don’t allow anyone who barges into your estate unannounced to enter. Even if it’s His Majesty the Emperor, it’s still a discourtesy toward my fiancée.”

“What?!”

At Theo’s words, Kadin immediately shouted in a sharp voice.

Looking at Kadin with his usual expressionless face, Theo replied,

“And don’t you come barging into my woman’s home whenever you please.”

My fiancée.

My woman.

Watching Theo say such things as though they were perfectly natural, Liriope’s emotions became complicated.

Even though she knew he ultimately belonged to Rosearin, her heart pounded uncontrollably, leaving her feeling miserable.

“Liriope! Are you seriously going to get engaged to this guy?!”

Liriope’s gaze shifted from Theo to Kadin at his outburst.

It was probably the first time.

The Crown Prince hadn’t called her Lady.

“What a misunderstanding. We’re already engaged.”

At Theo’s words, Liriope looked back at him.

“You haven’t even held an engagement ceremony yet! Just because you stamped a piece of paper—!”

“I actually came today to set the date for the engagement ceremony. Since you’re already here, why don’t you help us pick the date?”

Interrupting Kadin, Theo spoke so casually that Kadin’s face immediately turned pale.

“Don’t be ridiculous! You can’t get engaged to Lady! She’s loved me for years!”

At Kadin’s shout, one corner of Theo’s lips curled upward.

He looked down at Liriope standing beside him as though she were utterly adorable.

Caught off guard by the unfamiliar gaze, Liriope blinked.

Still looking at her warmly, Theo said,

“She likes me now.”

“And she likes me very much.”

Then, smiling so charmingly that his cheeks dimpled, he called her by a nickname she’d never heard before.

“Isn’t that right… Ripe?”

“R-Ripe?!”

“You’re not allowed to call her that. It’s a nickname only I get to use.”

Since when?!

Liriope looked up at Theo in disbelief.

Still wearing that gentle smile, he looked down at her again.

“Isn’t that right, Ripe?”

Theo skillfully and effortlessly sent Kadin away.

Watching him, Liriope finally understood why Kadin had never been able to defeat Theo.

Theo Artein was naturally gifted at dealing with people.

Kadin, on the other hand, had grown up sheltered under his mother’s wing and had never truly learned to stand on his own.

Naturally, someone like him was no match for Theo.

But… why isn’t this guy leaving…?

After sending Kadin away, Liriope looked toward Theo, who had comfortably settled onto the sofa and was leisurely drinking tea.

Sensing her gaze, Theo looked up from his teacup.

The moment their eyes met, Liriope instinctively flinched.

Forcing an awkward smile, she asked,

“So… what brings you here? Without any notice, too.”

Theo raised one eyebrow before setting down his teacup.

“I already gave notice.”

You did…?

“It seems Duke Staila neglected to pass the message along.”

Well, of course. Father hasn’t returned from the Imperial Palace for two days now.

“You didn’t contact me directly.”

Liriope smiled stiffly.

Theo simply shrugged.

“I didn’t think you’d be particularly happy to receive a message from me.”

Her eyes widened.

Blinking in surprise, she stared at him.

Theo answered with a languid yet breathtaking smile.

That smile threw her heart into complete confusion.

Unable to endure his gaze, Liriope hurriedly looked away.

“Ah… haha… why would you think that…?”

Theo simply smiled as he continued staring at her.

“So… what did you come for…?”

“Ripe.”

Theo interrupted her by calling her with the nickname he’d just invented.

“You’d be wise to think carefully. The fact that Kadin came here carrying that worthless piece of paper means he clearly has some ulterior motive.”

Theo lowered his eyes to the engagement contract the Crown Prince had left behind.

Liriope looked down at it as well and answered calmly,

“I know.”

Ulterior motive or not, Kadin would soon become entangled with the heroine during the Hunting Festival and naturally fall even deeper for her.

When that happened, today’s nonsense would become meaningless.

So there was no reason to take his visit seriously.

Apparently surprised by her answer, Theo looked at her strangely.

“…That’s a relief.”

The corner of his mouth lifted in satisfaction.

Soon, an awkward silence settled between them.

Unable to bear it any longer, Liriope spoke first.

“I doubt that’s the only reason you came…”

At that moment—

Fwoosh!

With a clear, mystical cry, Linix flew into the reception room.

More precisely, as soon as Linix entered with its magical call, Theo naturally raised his hand.

And Linix just as naturally landed on his wrist.

Remembering that Linix had never interacted with Theo before, Liriope stared blankly at the strange sight.

“So this is your graduation project.”

Theo looked at Linix as he spoke.

According to what Gemma had told him, the fire phoenix Liriope had created for her graduation project had become the Academy’s first-ever living graduation work.

It wasn’t surprising the rumors had reached even the North.

But why is he acting so comfortable sitting on that northerner’s arm?

Liriope stared at Linix, who had comfortably settled onto Theo’s wrist and begun grooming its feathers.

“You certainly possess talent. Though it doesn’t seem Duke Staila particularly likes seeing you use it.”

“My father?”

“The fact that he refuses to let you go to Peruan says enough.”

Peruan.

Liriope’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“Peruan? That’s where the Forest of Monsters is. Why would I go there?”

Seeing her glare at him seriously, Theo’s elegant lips curved upward.

“There isn’t a better place to make full use of your talent.”

“That’s only because you’re obsessed with fighting.”

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Liriope immediately bit her lip.

Oops.

But Theo merely laughed as though he found her amusing.

That smile was dazzlingly handsome.

Liriope had to struggle to calm her racing heart.

“I’m not obsessed with fighting.”

Tilting his head slightly to meet her eyes, Theo spoke with a smile in his voice.

“I simply can’t ignore creatures that attack humans.”

His gaze made the heart she had been trying so hard to calm begin pounding wildly again.

Avoiding his eyes, Liriope muttered quietly,

“I heard you’re always on the battlefield because you’re addicted to war.”

“That’s just a rumor. No matter how crazy I may be, do you really think I’d happily spend my days surrounded by swarms of monsters?”

“…”

“Well, once we’re married, I’ll stay in the Grand Duchy. So you won’t have to worry about anything else.”

“…Anything else?”

Liriope tilted her head, unable to understand what he meant.

Theo’s smile widened.

The moment she heard his next words, she couldn’t help covering her face with both hands.

“I mean I won’t leave my wife lonely. I have no intention of spending even a single day apart from my beloved wife.”

Watching her reaction, Theo stood and walked toward her.

Gently taking hold of the wrist covering her face, he lowered her hand.

Then he placed a sheet of paper into it.

“I’ve been told these are the luckiest dates among all the auspicious ones. Choose whichever date you like.”

Liriope lowered her eyes to the paper now resting in her hand.

Theo quietly watched her.

Feeling his gaze, she looked back up.

Theo studied her for a moment before his eyes shifted to the shawl draped over her shoulders.

It had slipped carelessly to one side and now hung loosely from her arm.

He stared at it briefly before reaching out and taking hold of it.

“If you were going to regret it, you should have done so before using me.”

Carefully, he pulled the shawl back over her shoulders.

As he did, the back of his hand lightly brushed the nape of her neck.

The place his skin had touched grew hotter and hotter.

Liriope unconsciously swallowed.

Theo watched her with an unreadable gaze.

Unable to bear the intensity of his stare, she lowered her head.

His eyes darkened.

Then—

The hand that had been holding her shawl slowly left the fabric and began moving toward her face.

Startled by how close his hand had come, Liriope instinctively recoiled.

Theo’s hand froze.

He immediately lowered it and stepped back.

Had he remained there even a moment longer, he might have reached out and touched her flushed cheeks.

Unable to understand his own impulse, Theo’s expression hardened.

Clenching his fist, he turned away.

After taking a single step, he stopped once more and spoke without looking back.

“I’ll say it again. It can’t be undone now. You chose me, and I chose you as well.”

“Even if that foolish Crown Prince cries, begs, and clings to you, our engagement cannot be broken.”