RYL Chapter 28

Chapter 28

As I watched the Crown Prince sitting there with his polite smile, a thought crossed my mind.

No wonder he ended up falling for the heroine despite having a terminally ill first love.

Even after getting together with the heroine, he had caused her quite a bit of trouble, struggling with his feelings—whether it was guilt or lingering attachment to Lilianne.

Now, it seemed like I had taken Lilianne’s position in this story…

But, well, this relationship would end anyway once the heroine appeared.

Like Lilianne said, I might as well take advantage of this situation while I could.

After all, the Crown Prince was a potential VIP customer who could bring huge benefits to the salon business.

“Thank you for taking the time, Lady Claire.”

Mikael smiled charmingly at me.

I smiled back.

“Oh, no. I should be the one thanking you for coming.”

“I was happy to receive your invitation first.”

As I looked at his smooth, crescent-shaped smile, I awkwardly averted my gaze.

Happy, huh?

He’s not seriously thinking of me as more than a friend… right? That would be a problem.

“I actually did some research on you, Lady Claire.”

I was caught off guard by his unexpected words.

“…Excuse me?”

“My apologies if that bothers you. I thought there was a chance the Devonshire family was intentionally approaching me to establish ties with the royal family.”

Excuse me? You were the one who suggested we be friends first!

“If that were the case, I would’ve been quite disappointed. But thankfully, it wasn’t.”

“Of course not!”

My sharp response made the Crown Prince smile apologetically.

“I hope you understand. It’s the first time I’ve ever asked someone to be my friend.”

So, he’s not used to this kind of relationship?

Well, considering all his relationships were likely based on family alliances, it did make him seem a little pitiful…

As I started to feel a bit sorry for him, he carefully asked,

“Do you still think I approached you because of Lilianne?”

…About half, maybe?

Since I couldn’t answer right away, I just stared at him in silence.

Mikael gave an awkward smile.

“Making friends is harder than I thought. I’ll have to try harder.”

Well, no need to try that hard.

At least he seems like a decent person…

“If you have any doubts about me, feel free to ask anytime.”

Compared to Mathieu, this guy was practically a saint.

“There’s no need to try so hard. If we have to force ourselves to become friends, then it’s not real friendship.”

I said it without much thought, but I suddenly felt Mikael’s intense gaze on me.

Clearing my throat, I quickly changed the subject.

“Besides, I already know quite a lot about you.”

Mikael’s handsome eyes widened in surprise.

“…About me?”

“Yes. In summer, you often go sailing for leisure, and in winter, you enjoy hunting in the northern forests. Lately, though, you’ve been too busy with your heir training to do either.”

I had simply recited a few details I remembered from the novel.

But Mikael seemed unexpectedly touched, staring at me in a daze.

“You know more about me than I expected.”

Oops, did I make it too obvious?

“Oh, well… You’re quite a famous figure, after all.”

I smiled to brush it off, worried he might get suspicious.

Mikael, however, grinned brightly.

“That makes me happy. I didn’t realize you were so interested in me.”

He lightly touched his lips, as if trying to hide his flushed face.

Why is he getting so happy over this? Is he more innocent than I thought?

As I pondered this, Mikael’s slightly embarrassed smile suddenly faded, and he gazed directly into my eyes.

“Lady Claire, you’re much more straightforward and lively than the Young Duke described.”

Well, that’s because the Claire Mathieu knew and the me now were two completely different people.

Feeling a bit uneasy under his gaze, I quickly steered the conversation back to my real purpose.

“By the way, my acquaintance is opening a new salon soon. If you’re free, would you be interested in visiting?”

I pulled out a prepared invitation.

It was for Clina Salon, set to open in a week.

Mikael accepted the invitation without hesitation.

“Of course. Will you be attending as well, Lady Claire?”

His question made me tense up for a moment, but I forced a casual smile.

“Ah… Maybe? Even if I do, I’ll be wearing a mask, so you probably won’t recognize me.”

Mikael gave me a knowing smile.

“I think I’ll recognize you.”

His confident expression left me momentarily speechless.

That would be a problem…

***

A high-end bar frequently visited by noble children.

Mathieu had been spending almost every night here lately.

If he drank at the family estate, his father, the Duke, would find out.

So he had no choice but to escape here instead.

As usual, Mathieu sat at the bar with his close friend, Alex, drinking.

Then, the door swung open, and a familiar voice rang out.

“So, this is where you two have been hiding.”

It was Crown Prince Mikael.

His sudden appearance surprised Alex.

“Your Highness, what brings you here? You’re always so busy that we never even see you.”

The three of them had been close friends since childhood, but after Mikael became the Crown Prince, his responsibilities as the heir and his royal duties kept him busy.

Their occasional horseback riding gatherings were the only times they could still meet.

Half surprised and half happy, Alex spoke as Mikael smiled and sat next to Mathieu.

“Being the heir is important, but I also want to take some time to figure out what I really want.”

Saying that, Mikael handed an empty glass to Mathieu.

“Pour me a drink, will you?”

Mathieu stared at the glass for a moment before responding indifferently.

“You’re rich. Order your own drink.”

Mathieu had already heard about Mikael meeting Claire.

He hadn’t wanted to know, but rumors spread ridiculously fast, and eventually, the news reached him.

Even though it was just a simple tea meeting, it left him feeling strangely irritated.

Almost as if he had caught his wife cheating.

Because of that, his tone toward Mikael wasn’t exactly friendly.

“You’re rich too, aren’t you?”

Mikael replied with a teasing smile, unfazed. Mathieu stared at him blankly.

“I thought you didn’t drink on weekdays.”

“I’ve decided to start living the way I want to.”

If the Duke saw him acting this way, he would be furious. But since the three of them had been friends since childhood, Mikael wasn’t concerned.

The only reason he even spoke formally now was because he was Crown Prince.

Ignoring Mathieu’s sharp words, Mikael casually took Mathieu’s drink and poured himself a glass.

Then, surprisingly, he downed the entire drink in one go.

As he set down his empty glass, he began speaking in a reflective tone.

“Until recently, I just assumed I would marry Lilianne because the royal family and the Sinclair Marquisate had always been closely connected.”

Mikael had always been that kind of person—unlike Mathieu, who resisted and rebelled against fate, Mikael simply accepted it.

And Mathieu had always found that frustrating.

Mikael poured himself another drink and smiled bitterly.

“I never really gave myself or Lilianne’s feelings much thought.”

He slowly swirled the amber liquid in his glass, watching it intently.

“Lilianne told me to find someone who truly makes my heart race.”

Mathieu listened in silence.

“At first, I was confused… but thanks to someone, I kept thinking about her words.”

Mikael chuckled softly, as if recalling a particular person.

“I realized that what I feel for Lilianne is just familiarity and comfort.”

He smiled, looking as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

“Thanks to that, I’ve been able to reflect on my true feelings.”

Then, Mikael met Mathieu’s gaze directly.

“And I think I’ve found the heroine Lilianne was talking about.”

For some reason, Mathieu’s heart started pounding.