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Chapter – 25
It was a blatant act of disregard, but the Crown Prince neither flew into a rage nor began pounding wildly on the door.
Nor did he stoop to breaking it down like some common ruffian.
He merely called to her from outside.
“Lady Bolsheik! My lady! Please, let’s talk for a moment! Lady Bolsheik!”
Along with the endless knocking came the Crown Prince’s voice — persistent to the point of obsession.
Even Sebastian, who had remained calm until now, began to show cracks in his composure under such relentless pressure.
But inside the room, Ashili didn’t even blink, let alone frown.
It doesn’t matter, she thought.
Ludwig had clearly told her — it was fine to ignore the Crown Prince.
So Ashili decided to indulge herself fully in doing just that.
After all, she couldn’t very well beat up the fool who thought he could barge in on anyone whenever he pleased — without invitation or prior notice — simply because it suited him.
Instead, she drew upon every ounce of her experience surviving the social world — that valuable skill of hearing your boss drone on during a dinner party and letting the words drift in one ear and out the other.
A most useful technique, as it turned out — even in another world.
But while Ashili sat in serene indifference, the servants’ faces grew darker by the minute.
They, no less than anyone from the imperial palace, knew exactly what sort of man the Crown Prince was — and what he might do when provoked.
Seeing their unease, Ashili whispered gently,
“Pay him no mind.”
The servants bowed their heads, but their unease didn’t fade. Ashili smiled — a radiant, blooming-rose sort of smile.
A smile so vivid one could almost catch a whiff of rose fragrance from it.
“Well, I suppose it is hard to ignore a mad dog barking that loudly outside.”
Everyone knew exactly who the “mad dog” referred to. But instead of reacting with shock, the servants merely cast their eyes downward in silence.
“I’ll just have to make it so you don’t have to hear him, then.”
Clack.
Closing her book with deliberate noise, Ashili rose to her feet.
Sunlight revealed how pale her cheeks were — so pale the veins showed beneath her skin — and the servants’ faces filled with worry.
Ever since Ludwig had left, she’d barely slept.
How could she, after dreaming of falling endlessly into a bottomless pit?
Her lack of sleep had left her vision swimming white, but she showed no sign of weakness, gripping a chair to steady herself.
If she were to collapse right here and now, would the Crown Prince retreat?
Of course not.
He’d make a scene — fuss over her, demanding to know what had happened.
“Hah…”
She exhaled softly, then reached for the doorknob.
Knock-knock-knock-knock-knock!
Of course, the knocking — and his voice — had not stopped for a moment.
Her temples throbbed, but with a calm smile fixed on her face, she opened the door.
“…Ah—whoa!”
The Crown Prince, caught mid-knock, nearly stumbled into her as the door swung open.
He straightened up quickly, stepping back.
From Ashili’s perspective, it would’ve been preferable if he had actually struck her by accident — she could then make him beg forgiveness until he dared not show his face again.
But she couldn’t very well fake such a thing.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince.”
That dazzling, rose-scented smile struck him full in the face, and for some reason, he couldn’t speak right away.
“What have I ever done to so offend Your Highness that you torment me so?”
His eyes widened. Then, slowly, step by step, he approached her — until he stood close enough to look down into her crystalline blue eyes, their surfaces reflecting his own face.
“Milady, there must be some misunderstanding, but to finally behold your lovely face in person—honor beyond words, truly—ahk!”
He didn’t even finish the sentence before a hand grabbed his collar from behind and yanked him backward.
He barely managed to keep from falling, though pain shot through his neck and throat.
He didn’t need to look to know who had done it.
“Brother!”
Even as he called out in pain and hurt, Ludwig did not look at him.
“Ashili.”
His gaze, unwavering and intent, was fixed solely on her.
“Ludwig.”
As though nothing had happened, Ashili smiled faintly, reaching toward him with a delicate hand.
“I didn’t know you’d returned. Had I known, I’d have gone to greet you.”
“No need. You’re not well enough for that. Are you hurt anywhere?”
“My body’s fine. Only my heart aches a little.”
“What did he say to you?”
“He called my name — over and over, loud enough for the heavens to hear. It pained my heart, truly.”
Her gentle voice carried easily enough for everyone present to hear, and she pressed a hand dramatically to her chest.
“What could possibly have upset him so, that he kept pounding on the door even after being told I couldn’t see him?”
“I’ll find out.”
“Would you? I’m merely a lady without title — it wouldn’t do for me to question the Crown Prince himself, now would it?”
Even Sebastian and the servants, who had seen Ashili’s unwavering calm as she ignored the Crown Prince’s presence, found themselves nodding in agreement with her smooth, composed words.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince — the supposed offender — pointed to himself, baffled.
Me? What did I even do?
“I only knocked politely and called out a few times!”
The next moment, his neck stiffened.
For right before him — just as he’d done to Ashili moments ago — Ludwig leaned in close.
“Wh—when did you—”
Ludwig didn’t answer. He merely gripped the Crown Prince’s shoulder.
“It’s not that there’s a problem! I just wanted to talk—”
But when he met those abyss-deep blue eyes, the Crown Prince froze completely.
Ludwig’s hand barely tightened, yet it felt as though his shoulder might be crushed.
“Your Highness.”
His dry voice carried a chilling weight.
“Do not approach her.”
One line.
“Do not touch her.”
Another.
“Do not even look at her.”
The third, final line.
The murderous pressure in his voice squeezed the air from the Crown Prince’s throat until he could only gulp soundlessly.
“Ludwig.”
Ashili’s voice broke through at last.
The Crown Prince collapsed forward, gasping for air.
“Haa—haa—huff—”
Ignoring him, Ludwig returned to Ashili’s side.
“No one is to be let in,” he ordered Sebastian.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Ashili placed her hand naturally into the one Ludwig offered. Neither of them spared the Crown Prince a glance as they re-entered the room.
The door closed behind them.
Sebastian, ever courteous, bowed deeply to the still-stunned Crown Prince.
“This way, Your Highness.”
Having neatly dealt with the Crown Prince’s disturbance, Ludwig stepped into the room and immediately lifted Ashili into his arms.
“What are you doing?”
“You look like you’re about to collapse.”
He laid her gently on the bed and brushed a pale cheek that looked almost waxen.
“You haven’t slept, have you?”
“No.”
It was a short answer, no complaints, no explanations — but her weary tone said enough.
“I did sleep a little, but I woke right away. Anyway… where did you go?”
“The palace.”
“What? When the Crown Prince was here? Oh, right — the Emperor?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He wants to begin selecting candidates for the Crown Princess. He said the Crown Prince is likely to make an outrageous fuss about it, so instead we should hold it under the pretense of choosing a Grand Duchess.”
Ashili tugged lightly on the sleeve of his robe.
“Well, isn’t that something. That ‘Grand Duchess Selection Party’ was supposed to be a cover for him to secretly choose a Crown Princess candidate anyway. Guess that failed, so now they’re trying again under a different name.”
“Probably. But this isn’t a selection for Grand Duchess.”
“I know.”
“As I told you — there’s only one Grand Duchess for me.”
His tone was dry, his expression unreadable — yet his plain words carried all the sincerity she could bear.
Ashili looked up at him, opened her mouth, then closed it again.
I’ll have to remind myself several times a day so I don’t come down with axe-sickness.
He doesn’t love me — he’s just being kind, that’s all.
She shook her head lightly.
“I know. You’re not the kind of man to go back on your word. But Ludwig—”
“Yes?”
“Take off your jacket. Watching you in it is making me short of breath.”
Without protest, he slipped off his coat and tossed it aside.
When Ashili’s hand brushed the air near his collar, he understood at once and unbuttoned the top of his shirt.
That small gesture alone eased the invisible tension between them, and Ashili let out a long, quiet breath.
Then a large hand covered her eyes.
In the comforting darkness, she felt her breathing even out — a strange calm washing over her.
Whenever he was near, she always felt at peace, almost drowsy.
Then it struck her —
If I feel so safe when he’s with me, then maybe…
