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Chapter 01
Prologue
“Time to go to my place now.”
“Huh? Mm-hm…”
“We said we’d go home and properly greet them, remember?”
Edwin smiled brightly at Dana.
Honey-colored blond hair, neatly folded eyes, a sharp nose bridge and a firm jawline…
For some reason, his beauty shone even more today.
He’s handsome today, too…
“Do you like my face that much?”
Edwin’s innocent question snapped Dana out of her thoughts.
“I do— I mean, no, that’s not it!”
Dana opened the window of the carriage as it sped along.
Yes, she hadn’t noticed at first, but there had definitely been many strange things.
The trial date that had been set oddly fast.
The flowers in their newlywed home, as if the imperial palace garden itself had been moved there.
Edwin’s innate elegance and composure, as though he’d been born with them.
The way he seemed unusually close to the Minister of Magic.
…Still, no matter how you looked at it, my husband being a prince?!
Could I really call that enormous imperial palace “home”?
I need just a little—just a little more time to prepare myself!
“Haha… Edwin, maybe not today, but—”
“That won’t do, Dana.”
He spoke with a gentle smile on his lips.
“You promised you’d accept me completely.”
“…”
“From the moment I first saw you, you were always mine.”
Dana froze.
The gaze fixed on her brimmed with obsession.
Dana Hartwin worked in the Potion Management Division of the Healing Magic Bureau at the Ministry of Magic.
It sounded grand, but in truth it meant she was a low-level clerk who brewed stamina recovery potions.
Today as well, she checked potion inventory and attached labels.
The work itself was simple—just overwhelmingly abundant.
The reason someone from an obscure family like hers had been able to join the Ministry of Magic was because she had spent over a year working in the monster-infested northern region.
The high pay was proportional to the sheer hardship she endured.
Perhaps aware of that, the kingdom had a policy: anyone who served more than a year in a monster subjugation unit would be automatically placed in a related department. Dana had passed that way.
The interview was strange, though…
As usual, the interviewers asked a barrage of formal questions.
The interview itself had been little more than a formality; she was going to pass anyway.
It was just after she’d finished answering the final question.
‘Do you happen to have a favorite poem?’
There had been one interviewer who kept bothering her.
A man seated silently behind a curtain at the very back.
‘Yes, I do.’
Dana answered without hesitation, thinking of her favorite poet.
And then—
‘…’
The man behind the curtain said nothing.
Thus accepted, Dana worked diligently for over a year—beyond diligent, really, putting in overtime and weekend shifts.
All for the sake of extra pay.
Dana Hartwin was the department’s official pushover.
She survived on one cheap sandwich a day, yet couldn’t stop her family’s extravagance.
All of it was exposed to everyone by her older brother, Jamie.
When she refused to fund his business venture, he came storming into her workplace to throw a tantrum—together with their mother.
‘You earn so much, yet you can’t even support your only brother’s business? Is it because of the last loan? Or the one before that?’
‘Really, why are you so heartless toward your own family?’
Seeing their luxurious clothes and jewelry, all the employees clicked their tongues.
Even now, thinking back on that day made Dana’s face flush.
As she fanned her heated cheeks, a coworker spoke up.
“Dana, it’s lunchtime. You’re going to eat a sandwich by the fountain again, right?”
Dana smiled awkwardly. There was no point hiding it anymore.
“See you later.”
While her coworkers headed to a decent restaurant nearby, she sat down by the fountain.
At lunchtime, it was quiet and empty. Dana liked this stillness.
As she inhaled, the fresh scent of the garden trees filled her lungs.
For some reason, being close to nature always energized her.
She soon took out her cheap sandwich. One glance showed the ham and vegetables were past their expiration date.
“How much is this month’s loan interest again…?”
She muttered as she took a bite.
Right on the hour, the fountain burst into motion.
Clear water splashed behind her, and the sound echoed.
It made her head feel a little clearer.
Turning around, she saw her reflection in the calm water—dark circles beneath blue eyes.
At the same time, her black hair fluttered gently in the breeze.
Dana played with the surface of the water.
“My workplace is always so peaceful…”
“Should I kill them…?”
A chilling voice from the opposite side of the fountain shattered the peace.
What—murder at my sacred workplace?!
Her tension rooted her feet to the spot.
A large shadow fell over her stiff body.
Along with a man’s shoes.
Dana slowly lifted her rigid head and met his gaze.
“Huh?”
He wasn’t a rough thug at all.
Rather, he was a man with a blond, angelic face.
A high, straight nose stood out against flawless skin.
Despite his gentle eyes, his alluring red lips suited him all too well.
“…”
“…”
They locked eyes for several long seconds.
His vivid red eyes captured Dana’s gaze.
It was his voice that broke the silence.
“…My luck is good today.”
A bright smile followed. Seeing that meltingly sweet grin, Dana stood there blankly for a moment.
The man chuckled softly as he lowered the book in his hand.
“Is there something on my face?”
“…Ah, I’m sorry!”
She’d been staring far too rudely. Fidgeting awkwardly, Dana spoke.
“The reason I was staring is… well… because you said you were going to kill someone…”
“Ah, that’s nothing. Someone kept me waiting.”
A murder threat being “nothing”…
But somehow, looking at that smile, she felt like she should believe him.
“I see, nothing at all! Then I’ll be going—excuse me!”
As Dana hurried to leave, she accidentally knocked his book sitting by the fountain.
Oh no!
Before she could even reach for it, the book fell straight into the water.
She quickly retrieved it and shook off the water, but a thoroughly soaked book wouldn’t return to normal.
“I’m so sorry, I’m really sorry!”
What kind of bad luck is this today?! Dana grimaced.
“I’ll compensate you!”
“There’s no need.”
He waved his hand, saying it was fine.
As angelic in heart as he was in appearance. Dana nodded dazedly and handed the book back at his gesture.
Her eyes widened when she saw the cover.
It was a poetry collection by Shane.
“Oh? I like this book too!”
“I know.”
What do you mean, you know?
As Dana stared at him wide-eyed, he gently brushed aside her bangs.
It seemed some water had splashed onto them earlier.
“Ah…! Not many people know this poet… it’s nice to meet you!”
She smiled brightly as she spoke—a clear smile like spring sunlight.
“….”
The man froze. His vividly shining red eyes trembled.
Before he realized it, his hand reached toward Dana’s cheek.
Dana blinked at the sudden touch.
In the tension, their faces drew closer.
In a low voice, the man murmured,
“There’s something I want to say…”
Gulp. Dana swallowed dryly.
Just then—
“There you are!”
Someone appeared from afar. Startled, Dana quickly pulled away.
The owner of the voice was the Minister of Magic’s secretary.
Not her direct superior, but clearly someone of higher rank.
I can’t run into a boss during my precious lunch break.
Dana quickly stepped back and spoke to the man.
“My apologies. I’ll be going now!”
“Wait—”
Before he could stop her, Dana disappeared.
As she walked briskly away, she recalled what had just happened.
What was that just now?
The unfamiliar flutter in her chest, her flushed face…
A strange, ticklish feeling around her heart.
Unaware of her thoughts, the angel-faced man—Edwin—kept his gaze fixed on her for a long time.
In the meantime, the secretary approached him respectfully.
“I greet Your Highness, the Third Prince. I’ve come to escort—”
“You really have no sense at all.”
It had taken so long to meet her again.
As the man smiled faintly, the secretary flinched.
When the Third Prince, Edwin Hedron, smiled brightly, it was tantamount to a death sentence.
Fortunately, he simply passed by the secretary, Paul.
“How has Dana Hartwin been all this time?”
“Yes, just as you saw earlier.”
Paul remembered the low-ranking Dana clearly.
After all, she was a talent personally selected by the Third Prince—
though even without Edwin’s influence, her qualifications had been more than sufficient.
“Then I shall guide you to the Minister.”
Paul led Edwin with a bowed posture.
The Third Prince was an unpredictable figure.
A tyrant would have been better—he was a madman who could go anywhere.
Trailing behind, Edwin hummed a tune.
Unaware that Paul’s face had gone deathly pale.
