Chapter 87
Cesare was currently frantic in his efforts to build his own power base.
The Ainluk family, who should by rights have been his allies, had fallen apart the moment the engagement was broken, making it all the harder for him to expand his influence.
It would never be easy to persuade Peris, who had sided with the Crown Prince from the very beginning, and to make matters worse, the Ainluk family—who had been tacit supporters—had ended up dating Lady Peris herself.
To them, I must look like the villain standing in their way.
I had absolutely no interest in politics, yet the way they kept snapping and clawing at one another was starting to make me curious.
“Why not just declare outright that you’re supporting His Highness the Crown Prince?”
The Ainluk family had never publicly declared allegiance to any member of the imperial house, but until quite recently they had been known as pro-Cesare.
Yet now, right after the broken engagement with Nanael, every eye was on the Ainluk family’s next move.
If, at this precise moment, the neutral Ainluk family were to swing toward the Crown Prince?
For Cesare, it would be a devastating blow—powerful enough to shatter what forces he still had.
And it would also land a satisfying hit on Nanael, who would then have to endure Empress Rosaria’s endless scolding.
“That wouldn’t be difficult, but…”
Alferen let the words trail off, clearly weighing multiple possibilities.
The reason he had not yet supported the Crown Prince was the bargain he had struck with the Emperor.
The Emperor did not want the Crown Prince’s power to grow too large.
Even though he knew perfectly well that Cesare was chasing empty dreams, the Emperor pretended ignorance and deliberately encouraged him—that was simply his way.
One of those encouragements had been the engagement between Nanael and Alferen.
Thanks to that, Empress Rosaria had fallen into the genuine delusion that her son might actually become emperor.
‘Yet in the truly critical moments, the Emperor never gave Cesare any real chance at all.’
Because of that, toward the end of the original story, the empress—her stress piled sky-high—resorts to reckless moves.
The Emperor had failed to account for her fragile disposition.
The tactic of dangling hope just out of reach, keeping the opponent perpetually on edge.
Used skillfully, it can keep someone dancing in the palm of your hand, but the moment they step outside your predictions, control slips away entirely.
‘If Alferen joins the Crown Prince’s side now, the empress will certainly be driven into a corner.’
She has already taken a blow from Nanael’s broken engagement; this would be provocation without equal.
It might trigger a butterfly effect, forcing the empress into a fatal misstep far earlier than in the original story.
‘Fine. Anything that interferes with my romance is getting removed from the stage.’
Nanael was poison—someone who could cause trouble at any moment.
The thought of disposing of that threat as quickly as possible and then living sweetly with Alferen filled me with sudden drive.
“If you’re worried about the holy water, don’t be. I’ve already confirmed it.”
A few days earlier I had obtained a piece of the ice dragon’s glacier through Eden and entrusted it to the fairy king Ordel; I had also confirmed that he melted it successfully.
Of course, Davin’s case was different—he had been exposed to the glacier for far longer.
Still, it should be enough to free Alferen from being manipulated by the imperial family.
I squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“I’ll go see Lord Davin tomorrow.”
Alferen looked down at our joined hands and exhaled softly.
“You really are unstoppable.”
For a fleeting moment he frowned, biting his lower lip as though struggling to hold something back.
“Ren oppa?”
He did not answer my call for a long while, then stood.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
“Already? You could stay longer.”
We had only just acknowledged our feelings; parting now felt unbearable.
“Can’t you stay with me a little more?”
I clung to his arm like a pleading child, and his eyes wavered.
“Yeah… I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because I might do something I shouldn’t.”
“Huh?”
“Come on.”
Without further explanation, Alferen pulled me outside.
We had spent quite some time on the terrace, so the banquet hall was nearly empty.
Most guests had probably moved to the lounges or gone home.
‘What—even Adrian and Summer are gone?’
My little brother had gone through that mess earlier, and now the two of them had vanished together?
I made a mental note to interrogate them properly once I got home and climbed into the carriage.
He sat opposite me, a faint smile on his lips.
A lingering, unspent tension hovered inside the carriage.
And I—already deep in the throes of new love—found even this small distance regrettable.
The moment the carriage paused, I darted to the seat beside Alferen.
“Delly?”
I rested my head on his shoulder and took his hand.
“I want to ride like this. Is this not allowed either?”
“…It’s allowed.”
Alferen gave a soft chuckle and gently stroked my hand.
How could such a small gesture make me feel this happy?
‘So this is what real dating feels like.’
Everything until now had been nothing more than practice.
The moment we understood each other’s hearts, emotion surged like floodwaters breaking a dam.
There was no longer any need to hold back.
I kept stealing glances at his face and grinning foolishly; he covered his mouth and murmured,
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“Why? He’s mine—I can look all I want. Got a problem with that?”
I twisted fully toward him to meet his gaze, and Alferen rubbed his face as though exhausted.
“Haa… you’re driving me insane.”
There was no trace of annoyance. The subtle curve of his mouth told me I wasn’t the only one losing my head.
Alferen sighed deeply and lifted my hand to his lips.
“If you keep being this cute, I might not take you home.”
“Really? Then where would you take me?”
I teased with a bright smile, and he answered quite seriously.
“Curious?”
In that instant the air around him shifted entirely.
His blue eyes slowly traced over mine, then my nose, then my lips.
He was only looking, yet heat rushed to my cheeks.
I felt spellbound, unable to move beneath his gaze.
“If you’re curious, try pushing a little further.”
He whispered tenderly and pressed his lips firmly against the back of my hand.
Somehow I knew that if I said yes, something enormous would happen.
‘But… it’s only our first day!’
We had already kissed—everything up to that point—so only one thing remained.
In my excitement I had provoked him far too much.
Truthfully, I could probably run away into the night with my gorgeous boyfriend without regret…
‘But I—I’m not ready yet!’
Yes. We had only just begun; rushing ahead would be trouble.
I had never stayed out overnight without telling anyone.
My face burning, I lowered my eyes and retreated meekly.
“Sorry for getting carried away.”
At my sudden politeness, Alferen let out a low laugh.
Then came his meaningful words.
“Why stop there? I was hoping you’d keep going.”
“…”
“Too difficult for a proper lady, perhaps?”
With that he flashed a wicked grin and brushed a light kiss across my lips.
“You’ll have to grow up quickly. Otherwise…”
He let the rest hang, gently pressing his forehead to mine.
“I can’t promise what I might do.”
As though nothing had happened, he guided me back to leaning on his shoulder.
All I could see now was the lower half of his face.
His lips, turned toward the window, curved with evident pleasure.
Like a malfunctioning robot, I sat obediently against his shoulder—then abruptly covered my face with both hands.
‘Otherwise? Otherwise what?’
Even now, anticipating whatever he might do, I felt utterly ridiculous.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
* * *
Having left behind the heart-fluttering first day of romance, I arrived home to a strange sight.
“Miss Summer?”
It was none other than Summer herself standing in our house.
Why on earth was Summer here?
I had assumed she and Adrian slipped away together since they weren’t at the banquet.
But to think they had come here.
‘What the— their progress is way ahead of the original story!’
To my fledgling eyes—having only just begun a real relationship—Adrian and Summer looked impossibly mature.
Summer gave me an awkward smile the moment she saw me.
“Hello, my lady.”
“Hello. But Miss Summer, what brings you here…?”
My words trailed off as my gaze fell on her dress.
The yellow gown Lotti had sewn with such loving care stitch by stitch was now covered in ugly, mottled stains.
Anyone could see she looked as though she had been bullied.
Only then did I realise this was not the rosy development I had imagined. My expression hardened as I asked,
“What happened at the banquet?”
