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Chapter 20
Just when I was starting to wonder how long this would go on, the knights finally came to a stop.
Like a newborn baby rabbit surrounded by them, I also halted along with them.
“Your Highness, Lady Erbel has arrived.”
Having completed their duty, the knights quickly lined up and disappeared down the corridor.
I thought they would stay until the very end to guard me, but judging by how swiftly they withdrew, this area must be completely secure.
Left alone in the blink of an eye, I stood awkwardly beneath the large golden doors at the end of a long hallway covered in a red carpet.
Then, from beyond the doors, a strange sound began to echo.
Thud-thud-thud!
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
It sounded like a large bird running quickly with hurried steps. Just as I tilted my head in confusion and perked up my ears, the closed doors suddenly swung open.
“Lady, thank you for waiting. Please, come inside.”
A brown-haired man hastily smoothed his disheveled hair and bowed politely to me.
At a glance, he appeared to be an avian beastman. Judging by his build and features, he was likely from a hawk or eagle tribe.
“My name is Kin Kaim, an aide to His Highness the Crown Prince. I am of the hawk tribe.”
As our eyes met, Kin smiled gently and continued his introduction.
Hawk beastmen usually served within the imperial palace, so it was clear that he was one of the Crown Prince’s close attendants.
“Sir Kaim, thank you for guiding me.”
“Please, just call me Kin.”
“Alright, Kin.”
An aide to the Crown Prince! It seemed that today I would finally learn the true identity of my fiancé.
Until recently, this was a moment I had long awaited—and now, one I wished to avoid.
Suppressing my rising tension with practiced ease, I followed Kin into the spacious room.
A dazzling chandelier sparkled overhead, and the interior was lavishly decorated with gold and jewels.
“This is the guest chamber used for honored visitors.”
Adjusting his slipping glasses, Kin spoke slowly, allowing me time to look around comfortably.
As I listened and walked, I suddenly noticed how unusually dark his complexion seemed. The deep circles under his eyes stretched down toward his jaw.
That alone was concerning, but combined with his pale face, he gave off an almost detached, exhausted aura.
“His Highness is waiting inside.”
Stopping beneath a dark blue curtain embroidered with golden dragons, Kin spoke softly and stepped aside.
“…Pull yourself together. Even if the Crown Prince turns out to be a monster, do not scream.”
Left alone again, I swallowed dryly and slowly drew back the heavy curtain.
The deeper I stepped inside, the louder my heartbeat pounded.
A man’s back came into view, like a ray of light entering my trembling vision.
He stood facing a wide-open window, looking outside—likely observing the nobles arriving one by one for the palace party.
‘Did he see me from there?’
If he had been standing there the whole time, he must have seen me arriving with the knights.
I bit my lower lip and moved forward slowly.
When the distance between us narrowed to about four steps, my breath caught.
There was no room for hesitation now. The man before me was the Crown Prince I had been so curious about—and my betrothed.
“Your Highness.”
My voice trembled as I called out to him.
It was the first time I had ever spoken that title aloud—the very words I had only ever said silently to myself.
The man slowly turned around.
‘…A mask?’
I blinked in confusion at the unexpected sight. A luxurious mask depicting a white dragon covered his face.
The long whiskers of the dragon were embroidered with diamonds—clearly an extravagant and valuable piece.
The Fernando imperial family were said to be descendants of dragons, so it suited the Crown Prince perfectly.
However, the mask completely concealed his features, which made things rather inconvenient for someone like me who had long awaited seeing his face.
“Lucellin, I’ve been waiting for you.”
“You… have been waiting for me?”
My voice clearly carried disbelief.
‘What kind of nonsense is that?’
If anyone had been waiting, it was me—not him.
“Because you saved me.”
“…I don’t understand what you mean at all…”
As his words continued, my composed expression began to crumble.
I had never saved the Crown Prince in my life. This was our first meeting.
We had never even met before—something everyone knew.
‘Did he mistake me for someone else? But he called my name perfectly…’
Suppressing my confusion, I carefully studied the face faintly visible behind the mask.
Golden eyes gleamed, staring directly at me.
Like a predator locking onto its prey—eyes that refused to let go.
As I met his gaze, a strange sense of familiarity stirred in my mind.
‘Those eyes… I’ve seen them before. Not just once… several times…’
Suddenly, a face came to mind.
The man who had stood under the moonlight, whispering dangerously for me not to forget him.
‘…That’s impossible. Killis is a snake. So it can’t be.’
Even so, the unsettling doubt wouldn’t fade.
As if aware of my confusion, the man’s lips curved into a smile.
“It would be troublesome if you’ve already forgotten.”
With those cryptic words, he untied the strings of his mask.
My heart began to pound wildly.
Thump. Thump.
The sound echoed so loudly it felt like he might hear it.
In the silence, as the ticking of time seemed deafening—
The mask finally came off.
“……!”
The world seemed to freeze.
In that brief, breathless moment, my lips parted on their own.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“Haha, that’s quite the reaction. Though I like that too.”
At my blunt outburst, Killis chuckled softly.
I stared at him blankly, not even aware of what I had just said.
Silky white hair, and beneath it, golden eyes shining just like that unforgettable night.
‘Why is Killis here?!’
The very man who had lingered in my thoughts all morning—Killis.
‘So… Mangdeok is Killis… and Killis is the snake… and now he’s the Crown Prince…?’
It felt like being struck in the head with a massive rock.
I stepped back stiffly, unable to process anything.
“My greetings to Lady Erbel. I am Killis Fernando, Crown Prince of the Fernando Empire.”
With a smooth smile, he gave a slight bow and introduced himself.
Unlike the authority expected of a Crown Prince, his manner was unexpectedly gentle.
Meanwhile, I completely failed to maintain my composure.
“And… I am also your ‘Mangdeok.’”
Without the slightest embarrassment, he said it casually, tilting his head with a bright smile.
His shamelessness only made me more flustered.
‘He’s really a snake? The Crown Prince? Not a dragon descendant?’
Questions swirled endlessly in my mind.
In Rubidium, dragons were legendary beings of the distant past.
Alongside black rabbits, they were one of the most beloved and blessed creatures by the gods.
The Fernando imperial family, said to be their descendants, symbolized the empire’s strength and pride.
And now—
That belief shattered completely.
“W-wait… I need time to process this.”
“Take all the time you need.”
But even after asking for time, all I did was stare him up and down.
Surprisingly, Killis didn’t avoid my rude gaze at all.
If anything, he seemed pleased—smiling as if inviting me to admire him freely.
‘Wow… when he smiles, he’s ridiculously handsome… Wait, no, I shouldn’t be admiring him!’
Why did the gods make snakes so beautiful, just to mess with innocent rabbits like this?!
No wonder rabbits get completely devoured by snakes!
At this very serious moment, I found myself realizing exactly why snakes and rabbits were natural enemies.
