WDYEHM 30

Chapter 30

The door closed.

The subordinate finally let out the breath he had been holding without realizing it. Then he slowly turned to look at Casey.

“Is that really… Miss Orte?”

After returning yesterday, Casey immediately gathered information about Orte. When he approached the Duke of Weekend before, he had collected enough information—but he hadn’t looked into Orte.

Because he didn’t think it was necessary.

He only knew her name, age, and her position in the family. But the Orte he met after four years felt different somehow.

Curious about her hostility toward him, Casey collected as much information as he could in a short time.

From what was known publicly, Orte was very weak and beautiful. Other than that, she was known as the “hidden flower” of the Weekend family, wrapped in mystery.

And just like the rumors suggested, it was extremely difficult to find information about her.

There was almost nothing.

With such little information, the subordinate had thought Orte would be innocent, foolish, and easy to deal with.

But the Orte he met was completely different.

Her pale skin made her look weak, and even at just 17, she was as beautiful as a flower about to bloom.

But that was all that matched the rumors.

Her tightly closed lips and her calm yet sharp gaze made people freeze.

“For someone who hasn’t even debuted in society yet… she feels completely different.”

There was something unusual about her presence.

When he looked directly into her eyes, they didn’t seem special at first—but they felt impossibly deep.

For a brief moment…

…it felt like being swallowed by a huge wave.

“She really doesn’t seem interested in you at all, Your Highness.”

Casey contacted Clef after returning yesterday. He used business as an excuse, but Clef seemed to understand his true intention and agreed easily.

“There’s still plenty of time.”

Casey said this while still looking at the door Orte had left through.

***

After leaving the dining room, Orte planned to go find Clef immediately.

She wanted to confront him and send Casey away.

But then she stopped.

No… I don’t need to care.

Just being in the same place as Casey made her feel disgusted, and it clouded her judgment for a moment.

Orte took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Objectively, there was no strong reason for her to reject this engagement so desperately.

After all, before the marriage could even happen, Yvonne would appear and the engagement would be broken.

But even for that short time…

she didn’t want to be called Casey’s fiancée.

It felt horrible.

“I hate it.”

Rather than getting engaged to Casey, she would rather sit at the same table with the three men of the Weekend family every day.

“Miss, you didn’t eat?”

Sef asked when Orte came out of the dining room so quickly.

“From now on, unless I say otherwise, bring all my meals to my room.”

“Yes, I will.”

Orte returned to her room.

Soon, Sef brought a simple meal. After eating, Orte asked for a book and spent her time reading.

[Book Passage]

“Do you know that the main god once created seven great angels?
It is an old and almost forgotten story.
Pure souls with no known names would descend into the human world as representatives of the god.
Just like when the god first came to the human world, they often took the form of dragons.”

“Dragon…”

It had been years since Orte heard that word.

She read the sentence again.

A dragon she had once seen long ago came to her mind. Even though time had passed, the memory was still clear.

It was beautiful.

Orte gently traced the word and fell into thought.

At that moment—

Knock knock.

Orte looked up.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Sef carefully peeked inside.

“Miss… I didn’t want to disturb you, but the Third Prince’s subordinate came. He keeps asking to see you just once…”

“Tell him to leave.”

“Miss…”

Orte looked back at her book.

Understanding that she wouldn’t change her mind, Sef had no choice but to leave.

Outside—

“I’m sorry, but Miss said you should leave.”

The subordinate was startled.

“What? Could you at least tell her I came alone? His Highness isn’t here.”

“I already told her. She still said to leave.”

“I just have something small to deliver. Just for a moment…”

Suddenly—

The door opened.

Both Sef and the subordinate were shocked.

The subordinate quickly bowed.

“Miss Orte, I apologize for coming without notice. His Highness sent me to give you something—”

Orte spoke coldly.

“Are all people from the imperial palace like this?”

“…Excuse me?”

“So rude. And uneducated?”

The subordinate froze.

“…I apologize. Please forgive my rudeness, Miss Orte. But I didn’t come to insult you. His Highness wanted to apologize for this morning and sent flowers—”

“You should call me ‘Lady,’ not Miss Orte.”

“Even lower nobles must show me respect. And you’re not even a noble.”

Cold sweat ran down his forehead.

Orte looked at the large bouquet in his hands.

“An apology? If you sent someone who doesn’t even know basic manners to insult me, then you succeeded.”

“No, Lady! That’s not—!”

“Do not speak until I finish.”

She then glanced at Sef.

Sef took the bouquet from the subordinate.

“Tell him I accept the apology. There’s nothing more to say.”

“Yes… yes.”

Orte returned to her room.

The subordinate finally breathed again once he left.

He went down the stairs and found Casey near the greenhouse.

Seeing that the bouquet was gone, Casey smiled slightly.

He expected Orte wouldn’t accept it.

“Your Highness, she did accept it, but…”

“Well, she accepted it, that’s enough.”

“But…”

The subordinate hesitated, remembering her expression.

It looked like she might tear the flowers apart at any moment.

He explained everything.

“I also realized my lack of manners… I’m sorry for lowering your reputation.”

“…Just don’t repeat it next time.”

“I will study proper etiquette.”

The subordinate spoke firmly.

At that moment—

Casey smelled something burning.

A pink flower petal, on fire, fell in front of him.

He looked closer.

It was from the bouquet he sent.

“…No way.”

He looked up.

Burning petals were falling from above.

He followed the direction—

Orte stood by the open window.

With an emotionless face, she plucked each petal, burned it with a candle, and dropped it outside.

“Your Highness… those are the flowers you sent…!”

Finally—

She brought the flame to the entire bouquet.

It caught fire.

She watched it burn, then looked up—

Her eyes met Casey’s.

Her expression didn’t change.

Then—

She threw the burning bouquet outside.

Without hesitation. Without regret.

She shut the window tightly.

And closed the curtains.

Only after she disappeared—

Casey let out the breath he had been holding.

He touched his heated face.

This had never happened before.

He had always used his appearance when needed. He acted how others wanted and easily gained favor.

But this—

This was the first time someone treated his gift like that.

She burned it… and threw it away in front of him.

What was this feeling?

Embarrassment? Shock?

Or something else…

“Zeno.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Should I bring another bouquet? Or return to the palace?”

“Flowers won’t work on Orte.”

“…You’re staying? Even after seeing that?”

Casey remembered her white hand, calmly burning each petal.

“I’m staying because I saw that.”

For the first time—

A desire rose deep inside him.

The desire to possess something.