HTEVD 06

Chapter 06 …

“If it’s something I have to face sooner or later, the earlier the better. What kind of person is Her Highness the Princess?”

“…I know that the Young Marquis is clever.”

Before I could feign modesty, the Count quickly added,

“Learn from Her Highness the Princess’s grace and manners.”

◇ ◆ ◇

After Count Elza left, a maid approached me.

“Young Marquis, would you like to visit the greenhouse garden?”

“Hm?”

“Even though it’s out of season, the roses are in bloom.”

I was about to shake my head, but then my eyes met the maid’s, and I flinched. A brief silence followed.

“…Sure. I’m curious.”

She wore a maid’s uniform, but she was not a maid. I couldn’t recall her name, but I was certain she was one of Lloyd’s escort knights.

The maid remained silent as we walked down the long corridor.

‘This isn’t the direction of the greenhouse…’

There was no reason Lloyd’s subordinate would harm me, but I swallowed nervously. At the end of the deserted hallway, the maid turned, bowed deeply, and whispered,

“Please forgive my discourtesy. I assure you, no harm will come to you, Young Marquis.”

Without a sound, she opened a door and bowed again, signaling me to enter.

I hesitated, then slowly stepped inside. The study, lined wall-to-wall with bookshelves, was tidy but carried a cold, stale air, as if it hadn’t been used in a long time.

“Sorry for calling you here so suddenly, Young Marquis.”

I heard a familiar boy’s voice. Following the sound, I moved toward the back of the bookshelves.

Lloyd stood there with his arms crossed, expressionless. The shadows cast by the shelves traced along his beautiful platinum hair and graceful facial lines.

“May Abel bless you. Light of the Empire—”

“You’re not surprised,” Lloyd cut off my greeting. His blue eyes fixed firmly on me.

“I am surprised. May I ask the reason you called me here?”

“…It wouldn’t look good for a boy to be seen visiting the room of a young lady who’s just entered the palace.”

‘As rigid as ever.’

In my past life, I did everything imaginable to win Lloyd’s heart. Innocent hugs and pecks on the cheek were the mildest of my attempts. I pretended to be drunk and leaned against him, even snuck into his bedroom once—but he never wavered.

Lloyd was handsome and kind by nature, but that wasn’t why I fixated on him. It wasn’t some sentimental “love” either.

Prince Frey van der Lloyd, the Second Prince with no interest in the throne.

‘I needed someone to be my fence. My protection.’

Married members of the imperial family are granted lands far away from the capital. Back then, I believed marrying Lloyd was the only way to safely escape the palace. Compared to the depraved Crown Prince, Lloyd seemed like a naive prince buried in books. I foolishly thought seducing him would be easy.

‘But I was arrogant.’

When I undressed, he dressed me again. When I hugged or kissed him, he didn’t push me away, but his lips stayed sealed and his body unmoving like a statue. Then, at nineteen, Lloyd fell head over heels for a girl. Contrary to my self-pity that my noble status wasn’t enough to win his interest, his lover was actually from a merchant family.

Lloyd wasn’t unkind—he simply treated me with the same polite generosity he extended to all nobles, servants, and imperial subjects.

‘And even though I knew it was hopeless, I couldn’t let go.’

Thirteen-year-old Lloyd walked toward me at a measured pace. Sunlight, the same color as his hair, streamed in from behind him as he stepped out of the shadows.

“I heard you were invited by Her Highness the Princess.”

The words that came out of his mouth were unexpected.

“It would be best not to go.”

“…This isn’t something I can decide on my own.”

“For the time being, keep a low profile.”

“To refuse a royal invitation would be a breach of protocol.”

“You know the rules very well. Almost as if you’ve lived in the palace for a long time.”

It wasn’t an accusation, but my heart went cold.

“They say the blood of the Imperial Sword, Periang, runs in you. That’s why you’re so exceptional, or so they claim. But…”

Lloyd stepped closer. I almost stepped back but raised my chin higher, feigning calm, unwilling to show weakness.

“I don’t believe in the power of bloodlines.”

It was a strange thing to say—from someone with the noblest blood of all.

“You can’t know something you’ve never been taught. Your behavior isn’t that of a thirteen-year-old commoner.”

His low voice brushed against my ear, sending chills down my spine.

“Delay meeting the Crown Prince and the Princess for as long as possible.”

“…Is that an order?”

“Consider it advice. Don’t assume that suspicious behavior will be overlooked just because of your blood. Especially not by the imperial family.”

We stared at each other, neither lowering our guard. At this age, Lloyd showed me no special emotion. Why was he suddenly saying this?

“I’m honored that you think so highly of someone so lacking as myself.”

I answered innocently with a bright smile, and he frowned slightly.

“I’ll be careful not to offend His Highness the Crown Prince or Her Highness the Princess. Thank you for your concern.”

I bowed politely with my eyes lowered. When you can’t discern someone’s intentions, the best move is to feign ignorance and step aside. It’s something only a thirteen-year-old can get away with.

“Hah.”

Lloyd let out a quiet laugh.

“I’m warning you of danger.”

“It’s just a tea party. And since Her Highness the Princess is hosting it, how could there be any danger?”

“…Then promise me this.”

He turned his back and took a few steps away.

“Do not eat anything at the tea party.”

I hid my trembling hands in the folds of my dress. That scorching heat in my throat and chest. The blood soaking into my clothes. The stench of iron. Just recalling the end of my past life made me dizzy.

“Why would you say that?”

“It’s advice. A warning.”

“Unsolicited advice, at that.”

At my cheeky reply, Lloyd raised an eyebrow.

“Fine. If you follow my advice, I’ll grant you what you want.”

“…What I want?”

“I’ll marry you.”

For a moment, my mind went blank. As I replayed his words, which he had tossed out as if doing me a favor, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“What did you just say?”

“I’ll marry you.”

“Is that what you think I want?”

I retorted sarcastically, but his gaze held not a trace of hesitation. My stomach twisted. He was acting as if he knew the desperate, clinging version of me from my previous life.

“That’s not what I desire.”

“…Why? If you marry me, it will surely benefit you—”

Lloyd suddenly let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

“You’re more ambitious than I thought… Do you wish to become Empress?”

“No!”

“Then why?”

If I were nineteen, I would have accepted his offer. Marrying him and leaving for a distant estate was exactly the ending I’d longed for.

‘But at thirteen, that future is still too far away.’

Imperial royals can only marry and leave the palace at the age of twenty. Lloyd, however, would fall in love at nineteen and ask to annul our engagement. And if a royal demands a breakup, the other party has no choice but to accept.

“I’ve never coveted the position of Crown Princess or your consort, Your Highness. And telling me not to eat anything at the tea party… It almost feels like you’re teasing me.”

Lloyd sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead.

“In that case… bring Vanessa with you. The maid who guided you here.”

“…Understood.”

Was he going to keep me under surveillance? Why…? But I had no grounds to refuse. I nodded.

Knock, knock.

As if on cue, a knock sounded from outside, and Lloyd lowered his voice.

“Be cautious. Keep out of sight.”

The library door opened slowly, and the maid—no, the escort knight Vanessa—handed me a bouquet of flowers.

‘A cover story that I went to the greenhouse.’

I silently accepted the bouquet of red roses into my arms.

“Shall I prepare some tea to help with your fatigue?”

When I returned to my room, Vanessa asked.

If even the lowest-ranking direct imperial, the Second Prince, could plant someone by my side, then the Crown Prince and Princess likely had their own spies as well.

“Yes, please.”

I carefully observed the bustling maids.

‘I was too careless.’