“Heading home?”
The man’s piercing blue eyes scanned Grace.
His gaze, intent on scrutinizing her, moved from her toes to her head, eventually meeting her eyes again.
The corners of his eyes narrowed slowly, as if he’d found something amusing.
“Name.”
With just two words, the atmosphere instantly turned frigid.
Despite the oppressive air, Grace held his gaze firmly.
As the man twisted his lips slightly, parting them as if to speak—
“Your Highness, are you here!?”
A voice thundered from outside the library, echoing within.
The sound came from the direction of the door leading to Trion Palace.
Hurried footsteps approached, and soon a servant entered, beaming as he saw the man.
“Your Highness, there you are!”
Your Highness…?
“I’ve been searching for you everywhere, Your Highness.”
Grace alternated her gaze between the man and the servant. Her thoughts, momentarily frozen, began to race.
Your Highness? That must mean he’s the Crown Prince…
Then this man is Crown Prince Karl…?
As she slightly wet her lips to calm her surprise, the prince was already twisting his lips again, as if to say, Have you figured it out now?
“Name.”
This time, his low voice was even clearer.
Now that she knew who he was, there was no pretending not to hear him anymore.
Grace slowly bowed.
“Grace Blodin, apprentice librarian of the Royal Library, Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince nodded faintly, acknowledging her greeting.
Without raising her head, Grace kept her eyes fixed on his polished shoes.
She wondered what he might say next.
Would he reprimand her for failing to recognize the Crown Prince of the empire?
Or perhaps he’d punish her?
Curiosity outweighed her concern.
Just as Grace began to lift her head slightly, unable to suppress her curiosity, the sound of footsteps echoed closer.
The Crown Prince was walking toward her.
Startled, Grace quickly bowed again, properly this time.
Her heart pounded in sync with the sound of his steps.
The sudden tension made her dizzy.
Is this the end of my time here?
Is my dream of working in this magnificent library over?
At that moment, gleaming black shoes, polished to perfection, appeared in her field of view.
Without a speck of dust, the shoes stopped directly in front of her.
“Do you know Viscount Ivan Aster?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Is that so?”
Grace, still tense, kept her eyes glued to the tips of his shoes.
The Crown Prince stood silently for a moment before walking away again.
Am I in the clear? Or… am I on his radar now?
Only after a long pause did Grace straighten her back.
The man had already left the library and was heading down the path to Trion Palace.
Watching the prince disappear into the shade of the trees, Grace couldn’t shake a sense of foreboding.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
The next day, her unease became reality.
In the morning, a servant from Trion Palace came and went. By lunchtime, Viscount Ivan summoned Grace directly.
Usually, after receiving her assignments in the morning, Grace would spend her afternoons tending the library, limited to book lending without further involvement.
It was the first time she’d been summoned like this, and she climbed the stairs to his office with a flutter of nerves.
“Did you call for me, Viscount?”
Ivan, who had been focused on paperwork, looked up sharply at Grace.
“Did you meet the Crown Prince yesterday?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Where?”
“In the library…”
“What?”
Before she could finish, Ivan exclaimed and clicked his tongue in disbelief.
Grace recounted the events of the previous day in detail—from failing to recognize the Crown Prince, to her greeting, and to his abrupt departure.
After she’d laid everything bare, Ivan folded his arms with a grim expression.
“I don’t understand.”
“Did something happen because of me?”
Grace’s voice was tinged with worry, but Ivan shook his head.
“No, nothing like that. It’s just… what should I say…”
“Please speak plainly. Whatever punishment it is, I’ll accept it.”
Resolving herself, Grace bit her lip, trying to quell her fear.
Seeing her determined expression, a faint chuckle escaped Ivan, and the shadow on his face lifted.
“It’s nothing like that. His Highness simply invited you to a tea party.”
“Me? Why?”
Grace’s eyes widened.
Honestly, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant encounter.
And yet, being invited to a tea party?
Why invite a mere librarian?
“I’m not sure of the reason either,” Ivan replied, staring at Grace for a long moment.
The Crown Prince was up to something.
It was certainly different from four years ago when he left the empire as if he had been exiled.
His gaze and tone carried defiance toward the Emperor.
A cold yet strangely confident air surrounded him.
No one could tell what he was plotting, let alone why he would invite Grace Blodin to a tea party.
…Was it just simple curiosity?
Having spent his life immersed in books, Ivan had no knack for discerning people’s intentions or navigating political schemes.
Ivan shrugged his shoulders.
“Either way, this works out well. I was planning to introduce you to His Highness as the new apprentice librarian. Consider this an early introduction and just go.”
“It’s my first time being invited to a tea party. Will it be okay?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Even a royal tea party is just a place to drink tea.”
“Really?”
“Just act as you would here. Will you go?”
Grace hesitated for a moment.
She couldn’t possibly refuse the Crown Prince’s invitation.
Yet, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about it either.
Even so, Grace nodded.
“I’ll go.”
Her curiosity pushed her forward.
Surely, she would find answers there.
The reason for the tea party invitation, as well as why he had left the library so abruptly.
“Then I’ll relay your answer to His Highness,” Ivan said, immediately pulling out writing paper.
Hiding her unease, Grace quietly awaited the day of the tea party.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
On the appointed day, a royal attendant came to the library at the Trion Palace.
“Are you Miss Grace Blodin?”
The attendant asked with a reluctant expression.
“Yes.”
Even after her reply, the attendant continued to look at her grimly before leading the way.
As they passed a shaded path lined with soft greenery, the grandeur of Trion Palace’s marble facade came into view.
Everything inside the palace was ornate and impeccably orderly.
Beyond the white doors lay an unfamiliar world.
Ladies dressed in elaborate garments, intricate decorations, and, among them, the undeniable presence of the Crown Prince.
Grace clasped the hem of her dress tightly with her hands, which were beginning to sweat.
“Your Highness, this is Grace Blodin, an apprentice librarian at the Royal Library,” the attendant announced.
At this, everyone seated around the white table turned to look.
“I greet Your Highness, the Crown Prince,” Grace said, ignoring the pricking stares and bowing.
The ladies exchanged awkward smiles and glanced at each other.
“So this is the additional guest you mentioned…”
The trailing voice carried a faint hint of disdain.
A librarian? Why was she here at the Crown Prince’s tea party?
Why was a woman, dressed in attire ill-suited to the gathering of noble ladies, present?
Their gazes, a mix of curiosity and suspicion, shifted from Grace to the Crown Prince.
Grace, too, had been wondering since Ivan delivered the message.
Why had Crown Prince Karl invited her?
Why had he overlooked her earlier rudeness during their first meeting?
The only one who could provide answers was Karl himself.
Hiding her nervousness, Grace bowed toward him.
“Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness.”
“Take a seat.”
The Crown Prince offered a polite smile, barely curving his lips.
An attendant pulled out an empty chair, waiting for Grace to sit.
As she took her seat, the other ladies seemed to have made a silent agreement to sip their tea simultaneously.
In front of Grace, however, there was no tea, not even a teacup.
Noticing the empty space, Grace inadvertently looked up, only to find herself locking eyes with piercing blue ones.
She swallowed dryly.
The Crown Prince stared at her with no expression, as if studying her.
Meeting his gaze felt like a bad idea, so Grace subtly looked away.
Why had he invited her here, of all places?
It wasn’t just for tea—his position wasn’t so leisurely.
Though Ivan claimed ignorance, there had to be a reason.
What could it be?
While Grace pondered, preparations for the afternoon tea were completed.
The unfamiliar yet delightful aroma of tea tickled her senses.
As Grace lifted the teacup handle, her eyes accidentally met the Crown Prince’s again.
Why does he keep staring?
Among the noble dresses and royal uniforms, Grace felt out of place.
Unversed in noble etiquette, she quietly wondered how to handle this moment.
When in doubt, a smile or laughter is best.
Grace instinctively smiled brightly.
At that, the Crown Prince’s lips curled ever so slightly.
“Miss Grace Blodin. You’re the eldest daughter of the Blodin family, rulers of the La Grass territory, correct?”
As soon as the Crown Prince asked, all eyes turned to Grace.
“…Yes?”
She nearly lost her composure.
Grace bit her lip tightly and forced herself to maintain a smile.
How did he know?
It was a difficult question to answer.
The Blodin family governed the La Grass territory, but Grace no longer had any connection to them.
It was all in the past.
Her uncle had inherited the title and the estate, meaning the correct answer to the Crown Prince’s question was “no.”
However, if she answered “no,” he would ask why, and she would have to explain everything in detail.
She didn’t want to reveal her past and family history, especially in front of people she had just met.
Of course, silence wasn’t an option either—it wouldn’t let her avoid the situation.
“Lady Grace, you are part of the Blodin family, aren’t you?”
The Crown Prince gently prompted her, addressing her by name.
“His Highness asks, yet you remain silent?”
“How insolent.”
“Is she even really from the Blodin family?”
The other ladies seated around the table threw sharp comments one by one.
The Crown Prince glanced at them indifferently before turning his gaze back to Grace.
“Lady Grace.”
“…”
If she didn’t answer, their interest and misunderstandings would only grow.
Grace parted her lips, then glanced up at Crown Prince Karl with a look of frustration.
His expression made it clear he was waiting for her response.
Struggling to remain composed, she steadied her trembling voice and replied.
“I am not the eldest daughter. Nor do I hold the position of a count’s daughter.”
“Then, are you no longer affiliated with the Blodin family?”
“I hold no title, but my uncle is Count Theodore Blodin.”
The sharp stares bore into her.
Eyes demanded an explanation as to why someone without a title, and not even a noble, was present here, claiming to be from the Blodin family.
“You have no title? Is that why you’re an apprentice librarian?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Then why don’t you have a title?” he asked again.
Why was he digging so deeply?
Grace glanced uneasily at the Crown Prince.
His piercing blue eyes shifted ever so slightly.
At that moment, a strange thought crossed her mind.
Could this be some sort of test?
