An invitation from Prince Luciano?
It was something I truly hadn’t anticipated.
I’d assumed that, outside of formal events, we’d never cross paths again.
And even those formal occasions, I planned to avoid as much as possible.
“What on earth prompted him to invite me?”
“Who knows? Maybe he wants to get closer to you, miss.”
“No, that’s not it…”
If it were me, I wouldn’t want to befriend someone who’d shown such a shocking side of themselves.
I assessed the situation with cool realism.
After that day, I’d given up any dreams of romance with Prince Luciano.
“Why not? You’re so utterly lovable, miss. Have some courage.”
I shot my nursemaid a glare.
How could anyone find me lovable after witnessing that wretched scene where I’d practically emptied my guts?
She was wonderful in so many ways, but sometimes her words felt utterly insincere.
I let it slide past one ear while pondering how to handle this burdensome invitation.
Prince Luciano’s iron walls had crumbled.
It should have been a profoundly moving moment, yet it didn’t fill me with pure joy—there was a subtle unease.
Of course, if this had come during the height of my sunshine offensive toward him, I’d have leaped for joy.
‘But now that I’ve given up on everything, it’s more of a headache.’
No matter how I thought about it, we seemed destined to struggle even as friends…
What could possibly be his reason for summoning me?
And while the tea party had been somewhat bearable with others around, the idea of meeting him alone made my stomach drop.
My mind tangled in a web of complexity and subtlety, I clung to my nursemaid’s waist.
She stroked my hair with familiar gentleness.
Her touch brought a measure of calm to my heart.
“Can’t I just not go?”
“If you don’t want to go, miss, then don’t.”
“Really?”
“Of course. Do as you please. I’m always on your side, aren’t I?”
Her unwavering voice drew a soft, crumbling laugh from me.
Like my parents, having someone at my side who unconditionally took my part felt truly wonderful.
It was a steadfastness I’d never known in my previous life.
My hesitation vanished.
I sprang up and penned a reply.
[Prince Luciano,
Thank you so much for the invitation.
However, due to circumstances, I find it difficult to visit tomorrow.
If it’s an urgent matter, please send it by letter, and I’ll respond.
Espin Samuel]
I declined Prince Luciano’s invitation.
In truth, I’d agonized over it deeply.
My romance with Luciano, the original male lead, was over, but I hadn’t even begun with Harrison or Damian.
To meet them, maintaining at least a friendly connection with Luciano made sense.
But for the sake of my mental health, becoming strangers right about now seemed ideal.
Even though the tea party had passed somewhat smoothly, seeing him didn’t leave me unaffected.
Gratitude swelled within me, but the embarrassment and mortifying shame were far greater.
Even now, flashes of that moment when I’d spewed everything resurfaced at random.
Unless I could erase my own memories, this blunder would haunt my mind forever, stirring deep humiliation each time.
The conclusion was clear: better not to face Prince Luciano at all.
The fact that he’d invited me personally, after all his rejections, did nag at me.
But I soon brushed it off as insignificant.
We had no particular matters to discuss, after all.
‘If it’s truly important, he’ll contact me again.’
* * *
‘Is it truly important?’
I stared down at the letter in my hand, feeling a bit foolish.
[I request your visit tomorrow at 2 p.m.]
A second invitation had arrived from Prince Luciano.
His tone felt somehow more polite this time.
Though “polite” might be a stretch for something still so blunt.
“Are you planning to decline this one too?”
“I don’t know.”
I genuinely couldn’t fathom why he wanted to see me.
Part of me wanted to ignore it, but since this wasn’t like him, brushing it off entirely felt impossible.
‘Is something really going on?’
Moreover, his royal status weighed on me.
For now, he teetered on the edge of death at any moment, but eventually, he’d become emperor.
In this world, earning the enmity of the powerful brought no benefits.
‘Come to think of it, Empress Isabel acted the same way—why are these royals so fixated on me?’
I made up my mind and wrote the letter.
Keeping it brief and to the point, I sealed it in an envelope and handed it to my nursemaid.
“What have you decided?”
“I’m going.”
I’d accept the second invitation.
* * *
‘What the…?’
The moment I opened the door to the reception room, I froze in surprise.
Prince Luciano was already seated there.
I greeted him with as neutral an expression as I could muster.
“Hello, Prince Luciano.”
Instead of opening his mouth to welcome me, Prince Luciano simply gazed at me steadily.
His eyes roamed from the top of my head to the tips of my toes, as if appraising me.
Those red irises held no particular emotion, which steadied my nerves.
Come to think of it, when I was alone, the muffin incident replayed endlessly in my mind.
Even in quiet moments, waves of shame would surge to my scalp and then subside, over and over.
But facing Prince Luciano now, those thoughts didn’t arise.
Perhaps it was due to that calm gaze of his.
For starters, I entered the reception room and closed the door.
“Do you have something to say?”
I jumped straight to the point.
At that, tension pulled at Prince Luciano’s closed lips.
“Sit down first.”
Without protest, I settled onto the empty sofa.
No sooner had I sat than Prince Luciano rose abruptly.
And then he stepped out.
Huh?
Huh?
Huuuh?
What?
…Left alone without a single explanation.
I was so stunned and incredulous that for a while, I couldn’t react.
It was a strangely familiar scenario.
Greeting and parting—that’s all.
It had happened every time I’d visited Prince Luciano.
But today, I’d been invited, hadn’t I?
‘You asked me to come!’
What on earth was this about? I wanted to demand answers, but the culprit was gone.
I tried to calm my emotions, but the more I did, the clearer the absurdity became.
He’d invited me, only to abandon me and leave.
Who said I wanted to come?
I’d only shown up after two invitations!
I hadn’t clung to him like before, yet things had unfolded this way, leaving me in a foul mood.
Stifled with frustration, I thought, ‘See if I come next time he calls!’
‘This is really the end! The absolute end!’
I leaped to my feet, intent on heading home.
But before I could exit the reception room, the door swung open on its own.
Prince Luciano stood in the doorway.
“What is it?”
His tone was utterly composed.
“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”
I snapped back irritably, then spotted what Prince Luciano was holding.
‘Huh? Why does he have…’
It was instantly recognizable, yet unbelievable that Prince Luciano was carrying it now.
“Sit down again.”
So, dazed, I followed his instruction and returned to my seat.
All the while, my gaze was glued to what Prince Luciano held.
‘No way, it can’t be.’
Prince Luciano placed what he’d brought onto the table.
‘Come on, it can’t be.’
He picked it up.
Soon, the sound of liquid pouring filled the air, and a fragrant aroma spread.
‘Gasp, really?’
He’d actually brought tea?
What Prince Luciano had carried in was a fully prepared tea set, ready to drink.
Having filled the cups, he placed one before me.
Even seeing it right in front of me, I could hardly believe it.
I stared blankly at the gently rippling tea, then looked up at Prince Luciano.
His face was as expressionless as ever.
He filled his own cup and took a sip with casual ease.
As if we’d shared such moments before.
No—as if this were utterly routine for us.
When I just stared in a daze, Prince Luciano finally spoke.
“Don’t just look—drink it.”
Not only was this the first time he’d offered me tea, but we were drinking it ‘together’!
This felt even more monumental than the invitation itself.
I knew how sensitive he was about the act of eating.
The same person who’d turned stone-faced at my muffins was now providing me with something to consume.
Why was he suddenly giving me tea?
He’d suspected me, hadn’t he?
‘Could there be poison in this tea?’
Suspicion crept in on my end.
I was utterly confused, unable to comprehend Prince Luciano’s behavior.
“I didn’t give it to you to stare at—I gave it for you to drink.”
Only after hearing his urging words did I pick up the cup.
It was more a reflexive action in my foggy state.
The warmth of the cup.
The fragrant scent wafting through the air.
They lent a strange sense of reality.
Habitually, I brought the tea to my lips, and the moment it touched my tongue.
“!”
I was stunned.
What?
‘How did he brew it so perfectly!’
It didn’t seem like top-grade tea from the palace stores.
But with the ideal temperature and precise timing, there wasn’t a hint of bitterness.
To make mid-grade leaves taste like luxury…
It was galling.
Of course he’d outdo me, but his skill surpassed even my nursemaid, whom I considered the ultimate expert.
Aren’t royals supposed to just consume what others prepare?
‘Even as a talented male lead, does he have to excel at this too?’
For some reason, my lips pursed in a pout.
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your expression just now—never mind.”
Prince Luciano started to say more but swallowed it.
As if I’d ever understood what he was thinking.
Watching him lift his cup again, I cleared my mind and sipped the tea myself.
No, but seriously—how did he brew it this well?
This place is a tea haven, a real gem.
I shook off the tangled thoughts and focused on savoring the delicious tea.
He didn’t speak to me as I emptied my cup.
I wasn’t in the mood to play the sunny heroine like before, so I just drank in silence.
Without the pressure to impress, it felt peaceful.
The tea was so good I kept sipping, and before I knew it, the teapot was empty.
“I’ll be going now.”
The implication: if you have something to say, say it.
Prince Luciano regarded me for a moment, then summoned a servant to prepare the carriage, without broaching any matter to me.
“The carriage is ready.”
At the servant’s announcement, I stood.
This was the first time we’d parted so normally, and I fretted over the timing of my farewell.
Should I say goodbye now or not? As I hesitated, he rose as well, following my lead.
With him taking the initiative, I couldn’t manage a greeting and simply walked behind him.
‘All the way to the palace entrance? Is he seeing me off?’
Today was truly bizarre.
Had he caught some fatal illness or something?
No, that couldn’t be—he was the protagonist, destined to live long and prosper.
Or maybe he had something to say but was too awkward?
No matter how I pondered, it felt odd and unsettling.
Before boarding the carriage, I glanced back at Prince Luciano one last time.
He still showed no sign of speaking.
“Thank you for the tea. Farewell.”
I offered a polite enough goodbye and climbed into the carriage.
As I settled in and reached to close the door, Prince Luciano held it open, preventing me.
I was about to ask him to let go when—
“Next time…”
The voice was so faint I wondered if I’d misheard, and I paused.
“What did you say?”
Prince Luciano gazed at me with clear eyes.
And then,
“When will you come again next time?”
