TLWM 29

Chapter 29

“The Empress interfered again.”

“Yes… In the end, only the Duke’s second son was punished.”

I couldn’t help grumbling.

We’d planned to drain half of Duke Jamoti’s fortune with this mess.

His Majesty’s going to be disappointed, I thought.

The Emperor loved nothing more than finding “justifiable” reasons to fatten the national treasury — and his own pockets on the side.

Cassian, on the other hand, was calm as ever.

“You expected this, didn’t you, Rose?”

“Well, yes.”

Of course, the Empress wouldn’t allow her family to take a serious hit.

The fact that the Duke’s second son had been sacrificed alone probably meant she’d already shattered dozens of teacups out of frustration.

“When the report reaches His Majesty, I’m sure the Rose Palace will host another dramatic performance,” I muttered.

“The second son will have to stay alive, though,” Cassian replied dryly.

I sighed, feeling strangely deflated. He looked as if it was all no big deal.

Was I the only one who cared this much?

“I didn’t expect much anyway,” Cassian added casually.

“…Please stop reading my mind, Your Highness.”

“I thought you were just showing it on your face,” he said mildly as he signed the final section of our report.

“Rose never hides her expressions from me.”

“…You’re not the only one I don’t hide them from,” I shot back weakly.

He smiled slightly. “Outside of Salice territory, you mean.”

Ugh. He always had to have the last word.

If Cassian ever actually let me win a small argument, that would honestly be more terrifying.

“Anyway, Rose,” he said.

He brushed aside the whole “exhibition incident” as if it were nothing.

We’d just survived a full-scale royal trap, and even managed to wound the Empress’s pride.

And yet he was moving on already.

Not that I was that disappointed, really.

If the Empress were the kind of person who could be taken down this easily, the protagonists of the original story wouldn’t have had to suffer nearly as much.

At least Duke Jamoti’s estate is losing money fast, I thought with satisfaction.

Between Princess Alexis’s negotiations and the aftermath of this scandal, their fortune was bleeding dry.

That alone was a small victory.

Maybe the Empress would finally start saving on teacups.

“Yes, Your Highness,” I answered, pretending to sound obedient.

Cassian chuckled.

“Your face looks far too serious for someone who just got good news.”

“Your Highness seems to be very amused by my expression.”

“You just realized that? I’m hurt,” he teased.

I frowned harder on purpose.

This man…

“I actually brought you news you’ll love, Rose,” he said suddenly.

“…A story I’ll love?” I repeated warily.

Whenever he said that, it usually meant one thing — more work.

“Don’t be so defensive. For once, I’m not lying,” he said, lips twitching in amusement.

Oh, he knew he was a con artist.

I swallowed my retort, not wanting to commit the crime of “royal insult.”

Still, judging by that crooked smile of his, he’d read my thoughts again.

“How disappointing,” he said lightly. “I was going to give you a vacation.”

“…What?”

I blinked.

Did I just hallucinate?

“Is ‘vacation’ a new word for ‘audit report’ or ‘urgent assignment’ now?”

He laughed. “No, you heard right. I’ve actually been meaning to give you one for a while.”

I must have looked deeply skeptical, because he went on smoothly, “Tomorrow’s the weekend, isn’t it? Do you have to work Sunday or Monday?”

“That’s a strange question coming from you, Your Highness,” I said flatly.

He chuckled and signed the final line of the report before standing up.

“I mean it. You can take next week off.”

Wait—did he just say next week off?

Nine full days?!

I could barely handle the idea. I’d never even taken the normal summer or winter holidays that other aides enjoyed.

This felt like a miracle from heaven.

“Now I’m starting to regret my decision,” Cassian murmured dryly.

“No! You can’t take it back!”

I yelped before I could stop myself.

Who knew when I’d get another chance to rest like this?

“Still,” I said cautiously, “why now?”

He called for his attendants to distribute our finished reports, then casually sat on the edge of my desk, looking down at me.

“I thought you’d run out the door the moment I said ‘vacation,’” he teased.

“What if something comes up and I have to come back midway through my leave?”

“I’ll handle it.”

“…Pardon?”

I stared at him.

In the past year, our schedules had never failed to overlap.

“Does that mean you’ll be working through the holidays again?”

He smiled. “I don’t take vacations, Rose.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Though if my lovely fiancée wanted me to take one so we could spend time together, I’d be delighted.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Cold as ever,” he sighed melodramatically.

I ignored him.

He continued, explaining in that calm, reasonable tone of his, “The timing just works. Thanks to the Anden delegation, most of our diplomatic work for the first half of the year wrapped up early. We even got ahead on reports.”

“That’s true,” I admitted.

Though that “progress” had come at the cost of endless late nights running between Cassian and Princess Alexis.

“And we have some time before the next audit. The exhibition’s going well too. I can handle a week without you.”

His kind, steady tone caught me off guard. I looked up at him silently.

“What is it?” he asked softly.

“I’m just… worried you’ll overwork yourself.”

He smiled faintly. “That’s what I always say about you.”

Then, with surprising tenderness, he brushed the tips of my hair.

“Don’t worry. Just rest. You’re my precious aide, after all.”

Honestly… what was he?

He could call me his fiancée with a smirk and make it sound like teasing, but moments like this —

Those were worse.

Because they felt real.

“…I don’t run away easily, Your Highness,” I said quietly.

Cassian’s hand stilled for a second.

His eyes softened — then he smiled again, regaining his composure.

“I’ll try to understand that exactly as you meant it, Rose.”

Exactly? What other meaning could there be?

Of course, my impossible boss didn’t bother clarifying.

***

Three Days into My Precious Vacation

I was supposed to be relaxing at my sweet home, doing absolutely nothing.

Instead, I found myself eight hours away from the capital — sitting in a luxurious bedroom next to none other than Lady Wilhelmina Lopez, the duke’s daughter.

“Um… so, how do you like your room?” she asked brightly.

“Oh, it’s… wonderful,” I said quickly.

“Of course it is! I gave the staff very specific instructions.”

“…Sorry?”

“Ah, nothing! I just meant our family villa is famous for its beauty, so of course you’d like it!”

I definitely heard the “gave instructions” part, though.

How did this even happen?

Let’s see…

It must’ve started around noon.

I’d been happily spending my vacation reading all the novels I’d been hoarding for months.

Day or night didn’t matter; I was too absorbed to notice.

By the time I finally fell asleep — long after dawn — I planned to sleep straight through to the afternoon.

My maid Joan, who knew full well how much I cherished my lazy days, usually never disturbed me.

When I overslept, she’d simply prepare my favorite stew and let the delicious aroma wake me gently.

But today, only an hour or two after I’d gone to bed, Joan burst into my room, frantic.

“Miss! You have a guest!” she shouted.

That guest turned out to be—

Lady Wilhelmina Lopez.

***

“How can the Second Prince’s aide and fiancée be lazing around like this?!”

Yeah. That was how it started.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t even greeted her at the front door… she’d barged straight into my bedroom.

And now, here we were, eight hours from the capital, at her family’s villa.

“Are you still half-asleep?” she asked, tilting her head. “You seemed fine at lunch, though—you ate so well!”

Ah. So that’s why I remembered eating but not waking up properly. I must’ve eaten in my sleep.

“Are you very tired? Did I overdo it by bringing you here?” she asked suddenly, sounding genuinely worried.

Her tone was so dejected that guilt hit me like a punch.

I couldn’t let her think she’d done something wrong.

“Snap out of it, Rose!” I told myself—and slapped both cheeks hard.

Smack!

“W-what are you doing?!” Wilhelmina cried, grabbing my hands.

“I was just trying to wake—”

“There’s no need to punish yourself like that! Do you think I’m that cruel?!”

“Of course not—”

“I only invited you here because you’ve been so overworked helping Prince Cassian! I wanted you to relax with me, and now I’ve made you upset!”

No, no, that’s not what this is!

But her eyes were already glossy with tears, and somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to explain.

Because really—how do you tell a crying noblewoman that she accidentally kidnapped you on your vacation?