NMBTD 50

Chapter 50

The moment he saw Aleisia, Franz realized just how foolish he had been.

The woman who arrived in a luxurious golden carriage was the same one from the library. She—Aleisia—was far more beautiful than he remembered.

The instant he saw her shy expression, Franz’s heart began to race uncontrollably.

He wanted to run to her and grab her hand. He wanted to say that he had been searching for her, that he missed her.

But he had to turn away.

Because he spotted the sharp gaze of Crayton, who had come to see the soon-to-be second prince’s bride.

The moment he saw him, all the blood in Franz’s body ran cold.

It was a disaster.

Franz bit his lip hard.

In his desperation to find the woman who would be his soul-bound partner, he hadn’t thought things through.

He should not have sought her out.

Franz’s position in the imperial family was unstable. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t strange to think he could be killed at any time.

Crayton’s ambition to take the crown prince’s place had only intensified after his marriage.

He had openly tried to poison Franz in order to eliminate him.

In such a situation, if it was discovered that Franz loved Aleisia—

If Crayton found out that she was Franz’s greatest weakness—

Then he would be the first to try and kill her.

“That must never happen.”

He could not allow Aleisia to become Crayton’s target. He had to protect her.

That thought completely filled Franz’s mind.

“I greet Your Highness, the Second Prince. I am Aleisia Ambrose. May the glory of the sun be with you…”

“Escort Lady Ambrose to the secondary palace.”

Franz curtly issued the command and avoided her like he was fleeing.

His heart burned as he saw the confused look on Aleisia’s face. But this was the only way.

Compared to Crayton, who had powerful backers, Franz lacked political support.

So this was the best method—to keep his distance.

Only now did Franz realize that his lack of ambition had become poison.

If only he had desired more, if he had built political power—

Then he might have found another way, instead of pushing Aleisia away.

But it was too late.

Crayton’s foundation was already solid. Franz had no strength to oppose him.

The only fortunate thing was that Crayton seemed uninterested in Aleisia.

The moment Franz turned his head away, the interest vanished from Crayton’s eyes.

When Franz said he would send Aleisia to the secondary palace, Crayton made a sarcastic comment about how harsh that was.

He seemed truly regretful.

It was as if he was disappointed not to have found Franz’s weakness once again.

Franz felt certain at that moment.

To keep Aleisia safe, he couldn’t let her remain in Crayton’s sight.

And for that, he had to treat her coldly.

He could do it. Hiding emotions was something he’d been doing ever since his mother passed away.

He was confident.

But when Aleisia stepped onto the wedding stage, he could not hide his feelings.

Dressed in a gown he had prepared just for her, walking toward him—she was breathtaking.

No one knew, but her wedding dress was full of Franz’s obsession.

He had ordered a high neckline and long sleeves, wanting no one else to see even a glimpse of her.

She wore multiple veils so that not even Crayton could look upon her.

To the point where it was hard to even recognize who the bride was.

But even though she was so thoroughly hidden, the moment he saw her, Franz’s heart pounded wildly.

“Pathetic.”

Franz scolded himself. This was just the beginning, and already he was scared he might mess it all up.

He had never realized he was such a coward.

Everything worried him.

Did Crayton see his trembling eyes when Aleisia entered the cathedral?

Would he collapse under the weight of her smile?

Sending her to the secondary palace wasn’t enough.

He had to push her away even more decisively.

He needed the rumors to spread—that the Second Prince disliked his bride.

So he made it happen.

He had the fountain she loved demolished, spoke harshly to her, and treated her coldly in front of as many people as possible.

With each cruel act, the sparkle in Aleisia’s eyes dimmed.

And with each glance at her fading light, Franz’s heart broke.

He clutched his chest in pain more times than he could count each day.

This isn’t right.
I shouldn’t do this.
No—this is the only way.

There was no choice. If he wanted to keep poison off her table, to keep her from falling victim to a mysterious “accident,” this was the best way.

For a powerless Second Prince, this pitiful, cowardly method was all he had to protect the woman he loved.

But this wasn’t the only torment Franz suffered.

Ever since the day he met Aleisia, he had been plagued by an awakened desire.

If only he’d never known.

But now that he had experienced her sweet scent, and the intense pleasure that came with it, each night became a living hell.

Every night, Franz had to suppress himself, recalling her scent.

Especially on the nights they neutralized mana together—his desire grew even wilder.

The loving gaze in her eyes, the soft brushes of her hand, the fragrance that lingered on her neck—

Every detail was vivid, driving him mad.

Like a lunatic, Franz would revisit and relive every moment he had shared with her.

But there’s a limit to how long desire can be repressed.

So Franz obtained the veil Aleisia wore on their wedding day.

Each night, he buried his face in the veil soaked with her scent and tried to calm himself.

He survived only by pouring his dark longing into the fabric.

He kissed it with possessiveness, caressed it with burning hands, and whispered countless words of love.

He expressed a futile love that would never reach her.

He knew it was filthy and shameful—but he couldn’t stop.

“Your Highness?”

One night, Aleisia entered his bedroom.

The moment he saw her bathed in moonlight, Franz’s heart plummeted.

Panicked she might recognize the veil—or see the disheveled state he was in—he shouted at her.

“Get out!”

“Your Highness, I… I just wanted to see you, even for a moment…”

Her emerald eyes filled with tears as she trembled.

Franz, throat tightening, yelled again.

“I said get out!”

“I… I just wanted to see your face for a moment…”

Her fragile, shaking body looked ready to collapse at any second. Franz’s fingertips tingled.

He wanted to embrace her. To comfort her.

To throw away this cursed veil and whisper real love directly to her.

To tell her that, truly, he loved her.

“Alei—…”

“L-Lady Glenna said she shares a bedroom with Prince Crayton…”

But then—

“…What?”

Just as Franz’s confession was about to escape, she interrupted.

“I-I am Your Highness’s consort. I was told a princess doesn’t need permission to enter the prince’s chamber. Even my mother said… this is strange. Please… don’t push me away.”

Aleisia’s tearful excuse silenced him.

“I’m the only one… the only one who lives alone in the secondary palace…”

“Did you tell the Crown Princess about me? Did you talk about me to Crayton?”

Franz, flustered, pressed her for answers.

“Is that why you came here?”

“Please don’t be angry. I’m sorry…”

“You came here because of what Crayton said?”

Franz’s voice trembled. A wave of humiliation—of being played—washed over him.

But even stronger than that was something else:

Fear.

He had worked so hard to keep Aleisia away from Crayton and Glenna.

But now, in the void he had created, she had turned to them.

The thought sent chills down his spine.

“Absolutely not.”

Franz clenched his fists.

He could never allow her to rely on Crayton or Glenna again.

She had to regret ever taking their advice.

That was the only way to protect this innocent woman.

He had to become cruel.

He had to make today’s memory so painful, she would never again turn to the First Prince’s household for guidance.

Franz raised his clenched fist. He closed his eyes tightly and slapped her cheek. Then he forced out a strained, cold voice.

“Aleisia—you, are you trying to toy with me? If not for our soul bond, I’d have already stripped you of your title!”

Aleisia’s eyes filled with terror. Tears welled in those pure, beautiful eyes.

Franz clenched his jaw at the pitiful sight. He wanted to fall to his knees and apologize, to beg her to strike him back.

But he couldn’t collapse now.

He couldn’t let all his efforts go to waste.

Franz hurled cruel insults at Aleisia, loud enough for all the attendants to hear.

“Please… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Your Highness…”

She collapsed to the floor, begging, before eventually fleeing in tears.

Franz drove her away with a heart that felt like it had been torn to shreds.

It was a night of torment he would never forget.