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Chapter 05
Because of those damned red marks, when I went to see Father I could only leave my hands and face exposed.
I don’t usually wear dresses that come up to the neck because they feel stifling, but I had no choice but to pull one out.
“Father!”
I might get scolded, so I had to put on as cheerful a face as possible.
When I entered his study, Father wasn’t alone — my brother was there too.
“Brother?”
“Yulia.”
Both my brother and I — our brilliant silver hair and pretty violet eyes — were all gifts from Father. The three of us had the same hair color and eye color.
Because I visited the study often, there was a very cozy sofa and table set up inside.
“I heard you were ill. Are you all right now?”
“That’s why I told you not to go out… You should refrain from drinking from now on.”
I was delighted to receive both Father’s and Brother’s worry at once. That’s precisely why I couldn’t reveal the truth.
Sleeping with the mastermind had to remain a secret for my entire life.
“Yulia. Since you happened to come, don’t feel pressured — listen to me.”
I was about to sip the tea set before me and listen to Father, and the moment the tea touched my lips—
“Duke Zikbert sent you a marriage proposal.”
Gulp— clatter!
The tea in my mouth spilled out, and the teacup in my hand fell to the floor and shattered into pieces.
And it perfectly reflected how I felt inside.
I couldn’t understand what the mastermind’s aim was in doing something like that. He’d said he would keep it secret for a while!
“If you don’t want it, I’ll use him for kindling.”
“Father. I’ve told you many times! I’m going to live with you and Brother forever!”
“That’s right, isn’t it? You’re different from other noble girls.”
“Of course! I said I’ll live with Father and Brother forever!”
“Other noble daughters said they would live with their fathers, but in the end they brought home a fiancé.”
“That’s needless worry. Burn that ominous proposal right away!”
I wanted it burned and gone immediately. Even seeing it made me uneasy.
I hope I never get involved with the mastermind again — why does this feel so ominous?
“Yulia. If it’s Duke Zikbert, I could entrust you to him… ”
“No. I refuse. Absolutely not.”
“…Very well. If you insist so stubbornly, I’ll use it for kindling.”
Where did that horrible idea come from?
How could anyone even try to connect me to that man?
And of all people, Father suggesting it — me!
“Yulia. Duke Zikbert isn’t that terrifying a person.”
“Father, you know I’m waiting for someone. I said I’ll live with you and Brother forever until that person appears.”
I hardly remembered anything, but I was relieved that such a person existed.
They were a good excuse.
Maybe Father humored me because he wanted to preserve my childlike innocence and didn’t want to send me outside the palace.
“Even if that person appears, could you say you’ll stay with us forever?”
“I will. Don’t worry — I would never marry without Father’s or Brother’s permission!”
At my words, Father and Brother smiled as if I were adorable. Even though I was an adult now, I didn’t entirely dislike being looked at like that.
In fact, I almost wished they’d keep treating me like a child.
“Father, if you pass on, I’ll take good care of Yulia, so don’t worry.”
“What nonsense. I still have many years left.”
“You’re preparing thoroughly for the handover so we don’t have to worry.”
After spending time with Father and Brother and finishing dinner, Brother escorted me back to my room.
“Brother, did you come into my room last night by any chance?”
“No? Why? Did someone break in? Shall I tighten security?”
“No, it’s not that extreme… But maybe increasing security is a good idea.”
A chill ran down my spine. If it wasn’t Brother, who had come into my room?
I brushed it off and said I must have been mistaken, then went into my room.
Wanting to feel the cool breeze to calm myself, I headed to the terrace — and stopped. It felt like someone had slipped onto the terrace.
The moment I saw whose hand it was—
“Seems I worried for no reason.”
The mastermind had naturally come over to my side.
I thought the intruder who had come into my room last night might have been the mastermind. He moved so naturally, like he’d done it many times before.
How did he find where I was so quickly?
Even Cecil never came into my bedroom… The chill intensified.
“You wrote in your letter that you were so sick you couldn’t possibly be seen, yet you look perfectly well.”
“No! That’s… well…”
Maybe because I was flustered, my words came out jumbled.
“…I’m glad you’re healed. I was worried you might stay ill.”
He hugged me. His touch was cautious, like one treating a precious handcrafted object.
As I’d felt before — actually, seen up close — the sensation seemed to come through his clothing, as if his body was forged by steel. The thought was inappropriate, but he was more solidly built than I’d imagined.
“I thought I’d go mad being apart from you even a little, but you didn’t seem that way.”
“…Hm.”
“The night breeze is cold. It’d be better to go inside.”
“It’s still evening—”
…but.
He pushed me into the room.
I had only gone out for some fresh air on the terrace, and he forcibly ushered me away from it.
A question popped into my head.
“What were you thinking…?”
“You promised to call me Chester.”
“…Fine. Chester, why did you send me a marriage proposal?”
“For a warning. It seemed you had no intention whatsoever of taking responsibility for me, my princess.”
His hand touched my cheek.
It felt similar to the touch from last night. I grabbed his hand and, like yesterday, I rubbed my face against it.
“…Yulia?”
“You were the one last night, weren’t you?”
He smiled languidly, amused, and then drew his face close to mine.
“Hmm… maybe?”
So it was him — the intruder from last night was the mastermind himself.
I’d thought he was Brother and hadn’t realized. How stupid of me to not be able to tell Brother and the mastermind apart.
“I didn’t used to touch sick people… ”
He said something suggestive, and his lips covered mine.
It was different from last night.
Last night was rough — a possessive kiss that left me breathless, barely letting me breathe. This kiss was gentle and tender.
It felt as if I were looking at a different man, and I didn’t entirely dislike it.
“…When someone behaves so prettily, you want to touch them.”
He smiled seductively like a lazy wolf, the kind of smile that could enchant someone.
Reality finally hit me and my face flushed.
Being that close to him felt dangerous.
I pushed him away to keep my distance because I couldn’t let my guard down.
“They say colds are cured by being passed on.”
“…Don’t try anything weird.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t have the nasty hobby of tormenting the sick. You needn’t be so wary.”
I didn’t trust him. Well, maybe I should trust him less.
“I won’t devour you right away.”
“Then…?”
“I truly came because I was worried. I’ll send you a gift tomorrow.”
He smoothed my hair and kissed it. His gaze, staring at me, felt heavy.
He wasn’t exactly my type, but he was undeniably handsome — and that annoyed me.
If not for that face, I might have caused a major incident or at least not have to push him away like this.
“Send the letter again, Yulia.”
He kissed my brow, then, as if satisfied he had no lingering attachments, headed toward the terrace and jumped down.
This is the second floor. To jump down like that without hesitation looked unreal.
It was hard to believe — though the original story said the mastermind exceeded human limits, I hadn’t expected to see it firsthand.
I had some suspicion: someone who’d survived battlefields from a young age should have scars somewhere. Yet his bare body showed no blade marks.
They say the cleaner the body, the more formidable the skill. Even our brother, who was excellent at swordsmanship, bore a few scars.
Still, I couldn’t believe it. I stepped closer to where he’d jumped and, even though I had no intention of jumping myself, a deep fear gripped me.
To think he’d leap from this height as if it were nothing.
“….?”
I stood stupefied. The sensation that told me this wasn’t a dream was the memory of his touch on my forehead.
If he could go to the ground floor and return this quickly, strengthening the guards would be pointless.
“…Is it possible for such a monstrous person to be defeated by the male lead?”
He was monstrous in many ways — then what must the male lead be?
If someone could defeat that kind of monster and take the heroine, Cecil must have a very hard time ahead of him.
“Your Highness! Wake up and check outside at once!”
“Hmm?”
My governess woke me urgently. Worried something had happened, I threw a shawl over my nightclothes and went out.
At once, I understood why she’d been so flustered.
Anyone who saw it would surely react the same.
Outside, flowers overflowed and luxurious-looking boxes were piled up, each with a name clearly displayed so everyone would know who had sent them.
“…Chester Zikbert?”
That crazy bastard! Was this the gift he mentioned yesterday?
Gifts are fine, but sending something so showy where everyone can see was unnecessary.
When I opened one of the boxes, I felt like fainting.
Yes, I am the princess — but gifts like these would be fine if they came from Father or Brother. From the mastermind, they were unbearably overwhelming.
“Oh my! Your Highness!”
“….”
“Such beautiful jewels!”
They were indeed beautiful.
But the problem was that they were from the mastermind, not Father or Brother.
I wanted to send these shining things back to the sender.
I bit my teeth to hold back the rising anger and said, “Governess, send all of these back to the House of Zikbert. Immediately!”
