As I continued to smile playfully, Sys shot me a mock glare, grumbling. He must have felt left out. Rant, puzzled, muttered under his breath, emphasizing one word in particular.
“Sister, isn’t it rude to visit someone else’s home this late at night?”
A blue vein pulsed at Sys’s temple. Seeing the two gearing up for another round, I shook my head.
“Rant.”
“Yes, Sister!”
He beamed, leaning closer. I started to pat his head out of habit, but stopped—Sys was glaring at us with a terrifying expression.
Suppressing a laugh at his jealousy over a child, I tapped Rant’s forehead instead.
“It’s past your bedtime.”
“But!”
He pouted, glancing between Sys and me. While his face crumpled, Sys’s lips twitched upward.
“You have training tomorrow morning. Go rest, don’t worry.”
I gently shook his soft cheeks, my tone firm yet kind. His face drooped like wilted cabbage.
“Rant.”
“…Yes.”
Reluctantly, he nodded at my call, his stubborn lips pursed.
“Good night, Sister.”
His large hand cupped my cheek, and his lips brushed mine like a dragonfly’s wings.
“Sweet dreams, my puppy.”
I stroked his soft navy hair, planting a gentle goodnight kiss on his forehead.
Did I treat him too much like a child in front of others?
Unlike his usual bright smile, a shy flush colored his cheeks. I’d been treating him like a young boy, despite his growing maturity. He’d always be my dear puppy, but I needed to be more mindful in public.
As I pondered, Rant stood from the sofa and bowed to Sys.
“I’ll take my leave, Your Highness.”
His stubborn tone lingered on the title, and Sys’s face, already a mix of emotions, crumpled further.
“I’ll come by early tomorrow, Sister.”
“See you then.”
Rant glanced at Sys one last time. I couldn’t see his expression, but Sys’s increasingly sour face told me enough.
“What is with that kid?”
As Rant left, the steward conveniently brought tea. I lifted my cup, facing Sys’s sulky demeanor.
“My brother.”
“You know that’s not what I mean.”
I sipped the tea, savoring its rich aroma.
“Bee!”
“My ears work fine.”
“That kid—”
“He’s a child who thinks his sister is the world.”
“A child? You’re blind to it, but that kid’s a wolf in puppy’s clothing!”
“I know.”
“What?”
He blinked, dumbfounded, as I set down my cup.
The image of Rant bristling and growling at Sys made me smile. He’d tried to hide it, but his clinginess and Sys’s overreactions betrayed his playful mischief.
And besides…
“Of course I know. I raised him that way.”
I leaned back into the plush sofa, smiling.
“The world isn’t soft enough for a gentle puppy. He needs sharp teeth to protect himself.”
A tame puppy was cute, but the world wasn’t kind enough for coddling—especially for Rant, forever marked as a bastard.
“Hah, a marquis and a guard dog? Are you trying to kill me?”
Sys clutched his head, groaning.
“Isn’t that pretty charming?”
“Absolutely not,” he said, shrugging with a sigh, refusing to agree.
“To him, you’re a thief come to steal his sister. If you plan to stay by my side, you’ll have to deal with it.”
He fell silent, his deep golden eyes reflecting me fully.
“Does that mean you won’t push me away anymore?”
“Do you want me to?”
“No.”
He stepped closer, enveloping me in a gentle yet firm embrace, as if holding something precious.
“Don’t push me away again. Never…”
His heartbeat thrummed against me as he buried his face in my neck, murmuring.
“As long as you don’t push me away, a cold-blooded gatekeeper and a guard dog are nothing.”
“Pfft, you can give up if it’s too much.”
“You’re cunning. You already know my answer.”
“I don’t.”
“Even if you don’t, I’m never letting go. Never.”
He tightened his hold, as if vowing to himself. His raw emotion brought a smile to my lips, which I hid by lightly pushing his arm.
“Enough joking.”
“Joking? Can’t you see my heart?”
He grumbled, but released me obediently.
“What brings you here so late?”
“What else brings a man to his fiancée’s home at this hour?”
He traced my jaw with a finger, flashing a teasing smile.
“If you’ve no business, I’ll take my leave.”
“Such a heartless fiancée,” he sighed, raising his hands in surrender.
“I’m assigning guards to you for a while.”
“Is something wrong?”
His playful demeanor vanished.
“Nothing immediate, but my brother hasn’t reached the north yet, so we need to be cautious. Especially with the marquis away.”
“My family’s knights are vigilant.”
“It’s not that I doubt them. I just can’t rest easy otherwise.”
He took my hand gently, his eyes trembling with unease, unlike his earlier levity.
“The First Consort and my brother won’t stay quiet. I know them better than anyone.”
“I’m prepared too, so—”
“Bee.”
He called softly, and I paused, meeting his gaze.
“Just this once, do as I ask. Please.”
Multiple layers of protection weren’t a bad idea, so I nodded. He smiled, relieved.
I understood his worry. I didn’t expect the First Consort to back down quietly either—she’d been glaring daggers at me to the end.
I recalled the last time I saw her.
—
“I raise a new matter,” the First Consort declared.
“What is it?” the emperor asked.
“The charge of attempting to assassinate the Crown Prince.”
