Until this morning, I’d had the whole plan mapped out.
What expression to wear when I met Crown Prince Luciano, what conversations we’d have.
I’d even imagined his reactions, running through every possible scenario in my head.
But the moment our eyes met, my mind went completely blank.
‘This wasn’t part of the plan…’
I needed to act like nothing was wrong, but seeing his face instantly flooded my thoughts with that horrific mistake from the other day.
Shame made my heart pound wildly, and all I wanted was to run away right then.
“Ah, hello. Have you been well?”
I barely managed to squeeze out a greeting.
I tried my best to plaster on the same bright, sunny expression from before.
But I had no idea what my old expressions even looked like anymore.
My whole body felt rigid, and I couldn’t tell if I was smiling properly at all.
Crown Prince Luciano was watching me with those cool, detached eyes.
Would it have been better if he’d looked at me with outright contempt?
The blank expression hit me even harder, like a bone-deep ache.
I felt like I might faint on the spot.
“Luciano, dear, you should speak a bit more warmly to a friend.”
At Empress Isabel’s voice, my head turned toward her.
And that’s when the shocking realization hit me belatedly.
Everyone else was standing in deference to the royals’ arrival, while I alone sat there, frozen in a daze.
I jumped to my feet and bowed my head.
“It’s an honor to share this space with such esteemed company. I apologize sincerely for my delayed greeting—my mind wandered.”
“Oh, no need. It happens. Everyone, please sit comfortably.”
Empress Isabel let out a soft chuckle, showing a generous demeanor.
‘I thought she’d say something snide.’
She took her seat at the central table alongside Prince Stephen.
Crown Prince Luciano sat at the same table as me.
I flinched reflexively, but he remained utterly composed.
So, they’d deliberately placed me and Crown Prince Luciano at the same table.
“Is everyone doing well? This year, I didn’t invite the adults so you all could enjoy yourselves more freely. Does that feel burdensome at all?”
Empress Isabel signaled the start of the tea gathering.
“Not at all. We’re all grown up now, so we can manage just fine on our own.”
Betty was the first to respond, fluttering toward Empress Isabel with a coquettish air.
‘No wonder her ignoring me earlier felt so blatant.’
It seemed Betty was itching to catch Empress Isabel’s eye.
“Thank you for arranging such a lovely occasion.”
“We’re delighted to have this enjoyable time thanks to you, Your Majesty.”
Others quickly chimed in, catering to Empress Isabel’s mood.
“Hehe, the empire’s future looks truly bright.”
‘Is the empire really headed for ruin, or what?’
Empress Isabel sat there with an air of arrogance, while the children fawned over her like desperate sycophants.
“Your Majesty, how do you manage to grow more beautiful with each passing day?”
“I’m grateful you think so.”
“I’m so envious. Please share your secret with us.”
The vapid chatter continued unabated.
Perhaps because they were still children, they didn’t know how to hide their emotions like adults did.
Their overt efforts to ingratiate themselves were downright distasteful.
I couldn’t help sighing and averting my gaze.
Crown Prince Luciano stared blankly at the flowers on the table.
He fixated on them with almost obsessive intensity, refusing to look away.
It seemed like a deliberate act to ignore his surroundings.
‘What a strange feeling.’
Crown Prince Luciano was ignoring me too.
A peculiar bitterness welled up inside.
Of course, I was grateful for the indifference.
I was thankful he wasn’t mocking or teasing me.
But on the other hand, it hit me that I truly meant nothing to him.
‘After nearly a year of effort.’
I’d thought he might at least glance my way once.
Since his arrival, Crown Prince Luciano hadn’t turned his head toward me at all, except for that initial moment.
It felt like the greeting I’d initiated earlier had been a dream.
‘I knew he was cold, but this stings.’
Maybe I’d harbored a faint hope that my declaration of cutting ties would make him pay me a little mind.
It drove home how utterly ineffective my sunshine strategy had been.
Let’s think positively.
‘If he forgets about me like this, I should be thankful.’
At least in my mind, the future embarrassment might feel lessened.
Though, of course, that was unlikely to happen.
I was half-listening to the surrounding conversation, letting it flow in one ear and out the other, when it happened.
“Why is Crown Prince Luciano so quiet?”
Empress Isabel singled him out.
The gazes of those who’d been absorbed in their own little world shifted over.
Was she about to start her mischief again?
Crown Prince Luciano seemed to sense her intent too; he blinked once, then turned his head with a calm expression.
“I’m naturally on the quiet side.”
I was impressed.
It came across not as arrogance, but as genuine poise.
I hadn’t noticed because I’d seen him so often, but his composed demeanor was markedly different from last year.
In just one year, Crown Prince Luciano had grown remarkably.
And, predictably, Empress Isabel didn’t appreciate this side of him.
“Being too quiet isn’t ideal either.”
“Is that so? It seems better than acting like a blustering fool.”
As he said this, Crown Prince Luciano’s eyes flicked briefly toward Prince Stephen.
“Ahaha! I can handle that much!”
“Prince Stephen, really?”
“Of course! Just leave it to me!”
Right on cue, Prince Stephen was boasting recklessly to someone.
Crown Prince Luciano quirked one corner of his mouth up, then let it fall.
It was a blatantly mocking smirk, obvious enough for anyone to catch.
Empress Isabel’s cheeks trembled at the sight.
Unable to scold her own son outright, she glared solely at Crown Prince Luciano.
“Still, not saying a single word is a bit much, don’t you think? Your friend went to the trouble of coming—won’t you even converse?”
When Crown Prince Luciano didn’t respond, Empress Isabel’s eyes shifted to me.
“Don’t you agree, Espin?”
Suddenly, all attention was on me.
‘This was her plan from the start with the invitation.’
I’d assumed her obsession with inviting me stemmed from some grudge.
Given how she’d orchestrated the children to blatantly ostracize me, I’d thought that was her clear aim.
But seeing the sly smile on Empress Isabel’s face, I realized it was something else.
She’d fixated on me to use as a weakness against Crown Prince Luciano.
“Espin, you’re unusually quiet today too. You two don’t seem to be talking at all. And here I thought you were friends.”
We’re not friends, so it wouldn’t affect Crown Prince Luciano anyway.
Of course, I wasn’t thoughtless enough to blurt that out.
Instead, I offered a weak smile.
“I’m still not feeling well. Since today isn’t the only day, we’ll talk later.”
This level of acting wasn’t hard, and to others, I probably looked quite drained.
Crown Prince Luciano’s gaze, which hadn’t turned my way before, now landed on me.
Empress Isabel put on a concerned expression.
“Oh dear, still not better?”
“I was quite ill, so it’s lingering. But I’m much improved now.”
“Oh my, Espin. You were seriously ill? How did that happen?”
Oops, a slip-up.
Seeing Empress Isabel’s delighted reaction as she asked, I realized this was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
I needed to stay sharp.
“I just overate a bit.”
“Come to think of it, there was some commotion at Crown Prince Luciano’s palace recently, wasn’t there? Did something happen between you two?”
She raised her voice deliberately, as if to ensure everyone heard.
The children, who hadn’t even met my eyes earlier, now stared at me with curiosity brimming in their gazes.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
I feigned ignorance on purpose.
Empress Isabel responded with a languid smile.
The way her eyes crinkled in that predatory grin felt ominous.
“For instance, maybe someone was bullying you, or something like that.”
Empress Isabel’s gaze slid briefly to Crown Prince Luciano before returning to me.
‘This is the real play.’
Her subtle tone was proposing a deal.
Urging me to take the hand she was extending right now.
If I did, things like the ostracism I’d endured earlier wouldn’t happen again.
I could tell this was my last chance.
Caught off guard by her making such an offer right in front of the person in question, I reflexively glanced at Crown Prince Luciano.
Our eyes met in that instant.
His gaze gleamed with a cold light.
Still, after over a year together, I could sense the warning in that look: Watch what you say.
The problem was, we didn’t have a deep enough bond for me to know exactly what words to avoid.
This was trouble.
‘I have no idea what Crown Prince Luciano wants me to say!’
Tension surged through me suddenly.
Maybe I should pretend to collapse from the pressure.
But if I did that, my parents might genuinely faint, so I scrapped the idea.
“Espin? Why aren’t you saying anything? Were you really bullied?”
As I hesitated, lost in thought, Empress Isabel’s voice rose a notch.
She feigned concern on the surface, but couldn’t hide the excitement bubbling underneath.
She seemed convinced I’d give her the answer she wanted.
Feeling Crown Prince Luciano’s piercing stare, I opened my mouth.
“Yes, I’ve been bullied.”
“!”
At my response, a smug smile crept onto Empress Isabel’s face.
In contrast, Crown Prince Luciano’s expression remained unchanged.
He simply didn’t look away from me.
“You’re saying bullying is happening right here in the palace? How dare they! Who would commit such an outrage? As empress, I can’t overlook this.”
Empress Isabel exclaimed dramatically.
The corners of her mouth rose sky-high.
She burned with apparent zeal to drag out and punish whoever had tormented me.
“Espin, tell me who it is. I won’t let them get away with it.”
Hearing Empress Isabel’s resolute words, I extended my hand.
“That one.”
“!”
All eyes followed my finger tensely, and it pointed straight at Betty.
Everyone gaped at me, mouths agape.
What? Why?
‘Ostracism counts as bullying, doesn’t it?’
I boldly ratted out Betty without a hint of shame.
