ILTDAMH|CHAPTER 58

Chapter 58

The Summer Festival (1)

After the humiliating encounter when she had gone to see Ruan, Lucianne had hardly stepped outside her home. 

So when she saw Diamond lingering uneasily in front of her house, she gasped in shock.

Deimond hurried over, pressed a hand over her mouth, and glanced warily around before whispering.

“It’s been a while, Lady Baroness.”

“Please—come inside first.”

Lucianne quickly ushered him into the Beano-man estate.

“What do you mean, Your Highness? What are you saying you’ll do?”

In the reception room of the barony, Lucianne had been sipping tea. 

At his words, she dropped her teacup in shock, and Deimond only smiled faintly.

“I told you—I will reclaim my place.”

“But… Your Highness, you are no longer the Crown Prince—”

“Indeed. I am no longer the Crown Prince. But surely you don’t believe I committed such crimes, do you?”

“What?”

“I have never brought women to my chambers to kill them after a night together. Never. You, at least, must believe in my innocence. All of this—everything—was orchestrated by the current Crown Prince to destroy me.”

The desperate look on his face made Lucianne’s chest ache. 

For an instant, she cursed herself for ever allowing her heart to waver toward Ruan.

Of course His Highness would never do such a thing. 

The man who had pressed gold coins into her palm with kindness the last time she visited him—he could not be guilty.

It must have been the Duke who plotted to frame him. 

That explained everything. 

That was why, when she had approached him before, he had looked at her with such terrifying eyes and threatened to kill her.

I must have been out of my mind for a while. 

His Highness was always the one for me.

Lucianne nodded with firm conviction.

“Of course. I never truly believed Your Highness was capable of that. It was the Duke of Canoluf, and the current Crown Prince, who conspired against you.”

Foolish woman.

Deimond had dealt with women like her all his life. 

They strutted about, imagining themselves refined and proud, but at the first coaxing—at the first show of vulnerability—they would tumble into lies without resistance. 

Lucianne was no different. 

Handling her was easier than drinking a sip of tea.

“That’s right. Which is why I need your help.”

“My help? How?”

“My maternal grandfather, Lord Craft, has been secretly gathering knights. Once they’re assembled, I’ll soon reclaim my throne. But before that, there’s something I must settle. Do you know where your sister is?”

“My sister? You mean… Mer?”

“Yes. As you know, I owe the Duke of Canoluf a debt.”

He knows Mer is with the Duke?

“But what does my sister have to do with that?”

“Simple. She is the Duke’s weakness.”

So it was true. The Duke really does care for Mer.

But why? That plain, witless girl?

Well… thinner, she had looked somewhat better—but even so, I was far more deserving. 

Very well. If the Duke chose her over me, I’ll make him regret it.

The memory of being cast out of Phenomenon village by Mer rose bitterly in Lucianne’s chest.

But why does His Highness want her? 

Is he truly planning to kill the Duke? 

Could he even defeat Ruan?

“And if I were to tell you where my sister is… what would you do to her?”

What—does she think I’ll harm the girl? 

A promise costs me nothing.

Daimond waved a hand lightly.

“Come now, Lady Lucianne. Would I harm your sister? I only mean to use her—for a time—in my revenge against the Duke.”

Not that erasing her entirely would be so bad. 

She no longer mattered anyway.

“I don’t care.”

“What?”

Lucianne looked at him with cold indifference.

“She is no longer my sister, nor a daughter of this house. Do as you like with her. In fact, I hope she suffers alongside that Duke. She abandoned her family—her parents, even me—so she deserves punishment.”

What? So I can do whatever I please to her? Well, I won’t complain about that.

“What could she have done to make a gentle lady like you so angry? Do not worry. I will… persuade her kindly. So, where is she?”

Lucianne hesitated, then asked in return:

“If Your Highness regains your title as Crown Prince… would you—”

Would you make me your Princess Consort?

She couldn’t bring herself to finish the words, but her eyes said enough.

Daimond understood at once.

Ah, so that’s what she wants—the Crown Princess’s seat. 

Very well. 

For now, I’ll promise her anything.

He smiled and said smoothly:

“Of course. At my side will be you, Lucianne. May I call you Lucy?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Her bashful tilt of the head was an act of seduction, he knew—but even so, his body stirred painfully after so long denied.

All thanks to that bastard Ruan.

But if this woman offered herself so willingly, why should he refuse?

He took her hand, gazed deeply into her eyes, and murmured:

“Then call me Deimond. I have longed for you. It was the thought of seeing you again that gave me strength to endure my exile. Lucy.”

“Your Highness…”

“Daimond.”

“Your Highness, not here—”

His burning gaze made her lower her eyes, trembling. 

He leaned closer, his breath brushing her ear.

“The first person I thought of after escaping exile was you. Even with death at my heels, I came here—to you.”

Yes. 

Compared to him, the Crown Prince, Deimond is far better. 

Far better than Mer’s Duke.

Just wait, Mer. 

Ruan.

The humiliation you gave me, I’ll repay tenfold.

When she dropped her gaze again in feigned shyness, Deimond pulled her into his arms and captured her lips. 

At her ear, he whispered:

“Remember this, Lucy. From this moment, I am only your man. Do not reject me.”

Blushing, she whispered back:

“Daimond… Mer is in Phenomenon village.”

A cruel smile touched his lips as he pressed his face to her neck, while she melted against him.

“Hush. Tonight, I want only you, Lucy.”

And Daimond unleashed on her all the pent-up hunger he had carried since his exile.

***

“Ugh! Wa—wait, Ruan, not there, not—!”

At Merican’s half-scream, Ruan looked grave.

“Good grief… how can your body be like this…”

They had barely begun warm-ups for the self-defense lessons when Merican’s shrieks echoed through the house.

“You call this stiff? Of course I’m stiff! I’ve never done anything but breathe my whole life! How could I ever be like you, who trains with a sword every day?”

But Ruan only sighed.

“That’s not what I meant. You’re too thin. I’m afraid I’ll snap your bones if I’m not careful.”

What nonsense is this now?

In truth, since she had started living with him, he had fed her regular meals as at the Ducal estate, and her body had filled out again. 

She scowled.

“That’s ridiculous. I’ve gained plenty since you first saw me! Stop fussing about my body and just—tell me what to do.”

“Rosalin, I don’t see it at all. But fine. Let’s begin. This is how you break free if someone grabs you from behind. Come, wrap your arms around me.”

“A—around you?”

“Yes. Tight. Like this.”

So, with great hesitation, she slipped her arms around his waist.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

“No, not like that. Tighter.”

“Ti—tighter? L-like this?”

“No, tighter! Grab me properly—”

“Like this? Kyaa!”

As soon as she hugged him with all her might, he thrust his hips slightly back and struck down on her arms. 

Her grip fell apart instantly, and she tumbled backward in surprise.

“Rosaline! Are you all right? I meant to go easy—”

But she was already scrambling up, eyes wide.

What was that? 

I held him so tightly—yet he slipped free in an instant.

“Amazing! Let me try it on you!”

She insisted, and he reluctantly circled his arms lightly around her waist.

“Not like that. Hold me tight—like I did. And tell me again what to do.”

Amused by her determination, he explained again.

“You push your hips back, then strike down on my arms, and—ugh!”

She did exactly as he said. 

His hold broke at once, and he stumbled back a step.

“It really worked! You weren’t just going easy on me, right?”

“Of… of course not.”

He blinked at how easily she had slipped free.

“Again! Grab me harder this time.”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. 

Ruan smiled faintly.

“Very well. Let’s try again.”

She shoved back, broke free once more, and spun around—only to find her face inches from his.

Too close. 

Way too close.

Startled, she jerked back. He stepped away, a fraction too quickly.

“……”

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

In the silence, only the loud beat of two hearts could be heard—though neither knew which belonged to whom.