* * *
I wondered if Gabriel had followed us, but fortunately, it was not her.
“Ah, Diano.”
“I saw you moving this way and followed.”
“I see. Good work. But…….”
Unlike usual, Diano was accompanied by his younger sister, Acacia. The moment their eyes met, Acacia bowed her head in greeting.
“Hello, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
At Acacia’s cautious greeting, Adrian nodded.
He would not have acknowledged anyone else, but because it was Acacia, he accepted the greeting. Diano quickly apologized.
“I’m sorry. My brother was away from his post, so I had no choice but to…….”
“It’s fine. Stay here.”
Adrian subtly adjusted where Diano stood. The party hall beyond the front windows of the glass greenhouse garden disappeared from view.
As if a lingering indigestion had settled, Adrian instantly grew more at ease.
“Don’t move from that spot.”
“Yes.”
The moment Diano and Adrian reached some kind of tacit agreement, Acacia’s gaze shifted to Artie.
At Acacia’s rare shy smile, Adrian tilted his head.
“Hello, Lady Obiedo! I’m Acacia.”
Acacia introduced herself to Artie first in a tiny voice.
Artie, whose mind had been utterly drained by Ronen’s barrage of questions, brightened the moment she saw the cute Acacia.
So cute!
“Hello, Lady Benedetto. We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
“Yes, yes!”
Perhaps delighted that she had been recognized, Acacia’s face lit up.
“I didn’t think you’d remember me.”
“Oh my, how could I forget such a cute young lady?”
“Hehe.”
Overcome with shyness, Acacia looked down at her own feet and twisted her body. Even that was so cute.
“Are you enjoying the party, Lady Acacia?”
“Ah……. It’s hard, but I’m all right.”
“I see. If it ever becomes too much, please tell me anytime.”
“Yes! And, um, Lady Artie. Please speak comfortably to me.”
Acacia said, her cheeks flushed. Artie liked that too.
She had always wanted a cute younger sister like this someday.
“Then shall I call you Acacia?”
“Yes!”
As Acacia beamed, Ronen, who had been stuck to Artie’s side like gum, narrowed his eyes.
“Sister! Speak comfortably to me too.”
“All right, Ronen.”
Ronen smiled in satisfaction and glared at Acacia. Acacia’s shoulders flinched.
“Why aren’t you greeting me?”
“Ah. Hello, Crown Prince Ronen.”
After greeting him primly, Acacia immediately attached herself to Artie’s side. Ronen’s expression twisted.
‘I was planning to have my sister all to myself.’
Acacia felt the same way.
‘There’s a strange boy stuck to her side.’
With Artie between them, Acacia and Ronen glared at each other. Sparks flew in the air.
“Sister, let’s go over there and sit.”
“Sister! I like it here better!”
The two pulled Artie in different directions.
Ronen and Acacia glared at each other. Each gripping one of Artie’s arms, they growled at one another.
“What funny little brats.”
Artie, flustered, tried to soothe them both. Watching this, Adrian’s mood plunged even further.
Why was everything so displeasing? Adrian could not guess the reason his own mood was so foul.
Ronen asked Artie.
“Artie! Can I call you Artie too?”
“I don’t particularly mind……. Um. That is, well.”
At the stinging gaze she felt from beside her, Artie glanced at Adrian.
Ronen knew that as well, but instead he smiled as if to provoke Adrian.
“I’ll call you Artie!”
That little brat.
Adrian’s sharp gaze pierced Artie. Artie’s nape prickled, but because Ronen had breezily pushed ahead, she had no choice.
Adrian also disliked that Artie had been swept up by Ronen’s pace and failed to draw a proper line.
“Then I’ll call you Sister Artie too!”
“Go ahead, Acacia.”
Acacia’s expression brightened. Ronen shot her a murderous glare.
He did not like that Acacia had so easily achieved the familiarity he had barely obtained by watching for cues.
“Hey!”
“What!”
Acacia and Ronen snarled at each other again. Artie tried to stop them.
Diano apologized unnecessarily.
“I’m sorry. Acacia isn’t usually like this.”
“It’s fine. Leave them.”
He said it was fine, but Adrian’s expression was not fine at all.
“I grabbed Artie first.”
Ronen began speaking as if asserting ownership.
“What does that have to do with me? I’m closer to her!”
“What?! I’m the one who’s close to Artie!”
“You don’t look that close.”
“What are you talking about! Artie and I! Huh?! We’ve even held hands!”
“What? You’ve already held hands?! Pervert!”
“What?! Why am I a pervert!”
Artie could not understand.
Why on earth were those two fighting?
Adrian was the same. Why on earth were those two fighting? In the end, Artie was his anyway.
Watching the two children bicker over something absurd, Adrian thought now was his chance.
“Ah.”
At Adrian, who grabbed her arm, Artie raised her head. When their eyes met, Adrian mouthed.
‘Follow me quietly.’
Artie’s gaze turned toward the children still fighting, but she had no choice but to follow Adrian.
“All right! Let’s ask Sister Artie who she’s closest to!”
“Yeah, let’s ask Artie!”
Just as the two, unable to reach a conclusion, looked for their judge—
In the vision of the two children who turned their heads, there was no one but Diano, standing there awkwardly.
“What? Diano, where’s Sister Artie?!”
“Heh heh, well…….”
Diano could not withstand his younger sister’s sharp gaze and looked away.
With his quick mind, Ronen realized what had happened and fell into despair.
“That cunning demon!”
* * *
Having led Artie out of the greenhouse garden, Adrian found himself smiling at an inexplicable, refreshing feeling.
At first, he had simply brought her out to torment the little brat Ronen, but…….
“Wow, look at the stars in the sky!”
As they left the greenhouse, a cool breeze scattered Artie’s silver hair.
Gazing at those water-blue eyes that sparkled brighter than the stars in the night sky, his heart throbbed without his meaning it to.
What is this? Arrhythmia?
“Your Highness?”
Had such a soft and gentle voice always been this beautiful? Adrian stood quietly, looking at Artie. She was smiling faintly in the cool breeze.
This isn’t bad either.
No, it was good.
It was the first time he had seen her smile, and smiling made her look like a completely different person.
Her smile is pretty.
Artie’s gaze shifted from the sky to him. The fact that Artie was looking at him filled him with a fresh sense of satisfaction.
“You seem to be in a better mood now.”
At Artie’s words, Adrian furrowed his brow.
“In a better mood?”
“You were angry the whole time earlier.”
That was news to him.
“Angry? Me?”
“Yes.”
Adrian’s expression twisted. It was an unbelievable statement.
Had he been angry? He had been uncomfortable. But…….
He had not thought he was angry, not at all.
“I overstepped. I’m sorry.”
“…….”
When Adrian stood there with a frown, saying nothing, Artie quickly apologized.
Surprisingly, Adrian was more displeased that Artie had apologized.
He hadn’t wanted to make her wear that expression.
The moment the smile vanished from Artie’s face, his mood plummeted immediately.
Adrian was bewildered by the unfamiliar feeling. It was a sensation he had never experienced even once.
What on earth should this be called?
“No. Don’t apologize.”
“What?”
Artie’s eyes went wide in surprise.
Looking at Artie with her rabbit-wide eyes, Adrian could not believe what he had just done. He quickly covered his mouth and furrowed his brow.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Artie tried to say something, then closed her mouth. Watching Artie quietly stay by his side, Adrian frowned even more.
She was by no means charming, nor sexy and mature, nor even a great beauty—so why did his gaze keep drifting to this woman?
Adrian could not understand his own state.
Moreover, this clamorous heart did not even feel like his own.
Perhaps that was why.
Why he said something so unlike himself.
“Just endure until Mother’s birthday party.”
Brushing aside her fluttering hair, Artie looked at Adrian.
“I’ve found Essen’s location.”
A startled gaze landed on Adrian.
“Then I’ll let you live.”
To the very end, Adrian could not understand the reason his gaze lingered, caught on those fair cheeks.
