Chapter 48
“Second Prince, this is Lady Glenna Corneille. She is to become the First Prince’s bride.”
“I’m Glenna Corneille. May the radiance of the sun bless you, Your Highness the Second Prince.”
“Pleased to meet you. Congratulations on your engagement, my lady.”
Franz kissed the back of the woman’s hand with a blank expression.
Her chin lifted slightly at his courteous gesture. She seemed thoroughly satisfied that the Second Prince had shown her proper respect.
Franz looked at the woman briefly, then brought a glass of champagne to his lips.
The woman, set to become the First Princess Consort, seemed like the perfect match for Crayton. Her arrogant demeanor and flashy appearance suited him perfectly.
Franz offered a dry, formal remark.
“I suppose I’ll see you at the palace soon.”
“Yes, Your Highness. By the way, hasn’t Prince Crayton come to Narot today?”
She clearly wanted to continue the conversation. But Franz turned his head away, pretending not to notice.
“He has not.”
Franz gave a curt reply and said nothing more. Glenna’s face twisted at his indifference.
She pursed her lips and snapped open her fan. The faint snap of the fan opening made Franz furrow his brow slightly.
‘She’s more clueless than I thought.’
Even though he was obviously disinterested, she showed no sign of retreating. Glenna seemed quite self-centered.
‘Soon-to-be First Princess Consort, huh. Can’t exactly drive her off.’
When Glenna cleared her throat, Franz let out a faint sigh.
He reluctantly glanced her way, and she lit up with a bright smile.
“I heard all the empire’s most eligible bachelors are gathering in Narot this spring. Supposedly, it’s all for Lady Nerys, Count Danil’s adopted daughter. Did you know that?”
“I didn’t.”
“I see. Then what brings you here, Your Highness? Oh! Did Her Majesty the Empress send you?”
“Yes.”
“Her Majesty must care a lot about Nerys. After all, Nerys is her niece. Have you met her?”
“No, not yet.”
Franz replied indifferently. His tone made it clear he was only responding out of obligation.
As he answered all her questions with curt replies, Glenna’s face turned red with frustration. She waved her fan quickly and raised her chin.
“Then, enjoy your time here.”
Franz’s brow twitched at her abrupt end to the conversation. Still, he merely nodded, not showing any displeasure.
At his reaction, Glenna spun on her heel.
Her entire posture screamed that she had no intention of speaking to him further. At her blatant hostility, Franz smirked faintly.
‘She’ll look good next to Crayton.’
Crayton had shown a great deal of interest in Glenna’s looks ever since their engagement was announced. Now that Franz had seen her in person, her glamorous beauty would no doubt meet his brother’s high standards.
‘Perfect match.’
Franz dryly offered mental congratulations to his brother. With a stunning bride like that, they suited each other.
As for her personality or other traits, who knew how Crayton would rate them?
‘He’ll figure it out.’
Franz coldly cut off the thought and finished his champagne.
He hadn’t been in the best mood ever since he’d been summoned unexpectedly to Narot.
He was currently at the spring villa of House Roshanak, having been invited by Count Danil Roshanak.
‘Spring hunting, huh.’
Franz let out a short laugh. A cool smile briefly touched his beautiful face before vanishing.
They called it a hunting trip, but no one was fooled about its true purpose.
Just as Glenna had said earlier, this event was essentially a matchmaking gathering.
Its purpose was to find a suitable marriage partner for Lady Nerys of House Roshanak.
Since the Empress’s family—House Roshanak—was so powerful, this estate’s guest rooms, as large as a mansion, were filled to capacity.
Franz, too, had been given one of the guest rooms on the Empress’s order.
‘It’s packed.’
He handed his empty glass to a passing attendant. Just seeing the banquet hall full of nobles made him feel weary.
They had gathered under the pretense of a spring hunt, but most were too busy gossiping to care. He couldn’t help but think they had chosen the most idle nobles to invite.
Of course, among the imperial family, Franz was the most idle of them all.
‘Is there a more pointless way to waste time than this?’
He looked around the banquet hall and then turned his back on it. Even if he had nothing better to do, he was done wasting time there.
It was something he had done all his life—and would likely continue to do for the rest of it.
Franz left the banquet and headed for the study. Surrounded by empty-headed chatter, he felt like he was becoming stupid himself.
He figured some refined reading might clear his mind.
‘This should be it.’
It didn’t take long for him to find the study on the second floor.
Unlike the noisy banquet hall, the study was quiet. After all, who would come to Narot for a spring hunt and end up in the library?
‘Well, I guess I’m the only weirdo.’
Franz quietly closed the massive study door and looked around.
Rows of long bookshelves filled the space. The library mimicked the imperial archives, reeking of House Roshanak’s intellectual vanity.
He wandered slowly, browsing the titles. Occasionally, he picked out a few books that looked interesting.
He was looking for a way to kill the boredom during this so-called spring hunt.
Then—
“Hic…”
A faint sob came from the corner of the study.
At first, Franz dismissed it as the wind. The sound was that soft.
“Hrk…”
But when he heard it again, he couldn’t ignore it. He set the book he had picked out back on the shelf.
Then, as if drawn in, he walked toward the sound.
‘What is that smell?’
Franz wrinkled his nose.
The closer he got to the source, the stronger the overwhelming scent became. It was a sweet, dizzying aroma.
It smelled like fruit… or maybe flowers. Whatever it was, it was getting thicker.
He felt like he might faint just breathing it in.
‘Is it incense?’
He covered his nose with his sleeve and looked around. But there was no sign of incense.
Who would burn incense in a library anyway? A scent that strong would damage the books.
“Hrk, hic…”
Just as he considered turning back due to the overpowering fragrance, the sobbing voice carried a note of pain.
Franz moved forward instead.
He would remember this moment for the rest of his life.
The moment he met his soulmate—the woman he would love so deeply that a lifetime wouldn’t be enough.
A small woman sat curled in the corner of the study, clutching a book tightly to her chest.
“Are you all right, my lady?”
Franz approached her and knelt down.
She had red hair and her eyes were closed as she hugged the book. Beads of sweat dotted her pale forehead.
“Are you unwell—”
Franz’s eyes widened.
The woman opened her eyes, revealing clear green irises beneath thick lashes.
The moment he saw those eyes, his mind went blank.
The flushed skin around her eyes, her dry lips, and the sorrowful glint in her gaze held him captive.
She stared at him with tearful eyes, lacking focus—perhaps from a fever.
“It hurts…”
Only then did Franz remember to breathe. As he inhaled, that sweet scent assaulted his nose again.
‘Perfume?’
He reflexively tried to cover his nose—but stopped.
This wasn’t perfume. It wasn’t artificial. It was her natural scent.
‘How can a person smell like this?’
He clenched his fists. From afar, it was subtle—but up close, it made his knees weak.
Franz had lived his whole life detached from desire.
But now, he felt an overwhelming urge to steal a kiss from her. He wanted to wet her dry lips with his own, to hold her close.
If he could, he wanted to devour her whole.
His throat bobbed. Franz was shocked by the primal desire taking hold of him for the first time in his life.
Shameful thoughts he’d never known ran rampant through his mind. Even as he recoiled in horror at himself, he couldn’t stop thinking.
Until—
“Hrk…”
Her sobs returned.
‘You lunatic.’
Franz snapped back to his senses.
He had been entertaining depraved thoughts while the woman was clearly in pain. He was no better than trash.
“Where does it hurt? Shall I call for a physician?”
His voice was polite, but roughened with strain. He feared she might notice his inner turmoil.
Fortunately, she didn’t seem to notice anything. Her body was far too feverish.
“It’s hot… so hot…”
Her trembling hands reached out and clutched his shoulder, making him flinch.
Her thin fingers burned his skin.
She stared blankly at him, then smiled faintly. It was a smile so beautiful, it made him thirsty just looking at it.
“…You’re cool.”
Her hand slowly slid from his shoulder to his firm chest.
Time seemed to stop.
As she gasped and touched his chest, Franz grabbed her hand.
His cool touch met her burning palm, and she smiled again.
Franz stared at her, dazed.
As he gazed at her intently, her face slowly leaned toward his.
