“Came to your senses quickly, didn’t you?”
A man in a splendid uniform stepped into the dining hall.
The moment our eyes met, I froze in place.
It wasn’t because the man in front of me held the power of life and death.
It was purely because of his appearance.
A man who looked as though he had been meticulously crafted by the greatest artisan, piece by piece.
A man so breathtaking it felt as if a god had briefly wandered into the human world.
Dark bluish hair, so neatly groomed that I felt an urge to run my fingers through it, and eyes like a clear blue lake that seemed capable of pulling anyone into their depths.
Sharp features, a refined jawline that looked almost seductive, and a perfectly balanced, well-trained body that made the formal attire sit on him flawlessly.
Even I found myself momentarily lost, staring blankly.
If Prince Ryuana Riberveil Arbesk was a beauty who could make women weep, then the Crown Prince was a dangerously captivating man.
So this is what an unreal person looks like. I always thought my brother was the most handsome in the world, but maybe I need to revise that opinion. But…
‘Huh?’
What is this strange discomfort?
There was no obvious problem.
The Crown Prince was perfect, beautiful, flawless—without a single defect.
And yet, I felt something was off. Like one piece missing from a hundred-piece puzzle.
—You must always look at a person’s true nature. Those who lie will always show some sign. Their eyes, expressions, words and actions—observe them carefully. You’ll definitely feel something out of place.
My brother used to give operatives of the Hwan organization assignments like that.
Thanks to him, my instincts had sharpened beyond that of an ordinary person. And that instinct was telling me now—
The Crown Prince was strange.
Or was it simply my over-sensitivity?
While I was hesitating, unable to speak—
“I believe I said hello.”
The Crown Prince spoke first in an amused tone.
Ah. Focus.
“Ah, g-good day. I am Ryuana Riberveil Arbesk. It is an honor to meet Your Highness the Crown Prince. May you receive the endless blessings of the Goddess and nature.”
“May the freshness of nature surround you. Welcome to Arnoan Palace, my brother. Do you mind if I call you Ryuana like Seonon does?”
The Crown Prince smiled at me.
Wow, he’s handsome. No—focus!
“Y-yes, of course. Did you hear about me from Seonon?”
“Yes. There were quite a few interesting stories. You apparently hit Seonon?”
“…Pardon?”
I turned toward Seonon behind him with an incredulous look.
“See? You should’ve behaved better.”
Seonon mouthed the words and shrugged.
You bastard—I told you there was a bug!
“Well…”
“I’m not blaming you. I also think that guy deserves a few hits. I can guess how he must have acted.”
The Crown Prince sighed deeply and shook his head.
“I sent him on a remote assignment to correct his temperament, but it doesn’t seem to have worked. I hope he learned something this time. He’s also a headache for me.”
“What did I do?”
“You know exactly what you did. You’re not going to deny it, are you?”
“….”
Oh—Seonon got shut down.
At the Crown Prince’s words, Seonon closed his mouth.
“Call me brother too. Even if our mothers are different, we’re still siblings. Right?”
Siblings?
I thought it was absurd internally, but I simply nodded.
I didn’t want to cause trouble yet.
“Understood… brother.”
“Good. Enough introductions. It’s late—you must be hungry. Shall we eat?”
“Is that… really okay?”
“Yes. You must be tired from the long journey. You should at least eat properly.”
Even though I wanted to sit far away from him, I had no choice but to sit across from him.
No—I was about to sit down.
Just as I pulled the chair—
Seonon stepped in and pulled it out for me first.
Startled, I looked at him, and he smiled.
“These tasks are for a direct attendant like me. That’s what I’m here for.”
“Hmm? But you’re serving me, not His Highness…”
“Since I was personally assigned to Prince Ryuana, it’s fine. A mere Seonon like me can’t extend service beyond my duty.”
“But isn’t that against court etiquette?”
“Correct. However, since I am directly appointed by His Highness as your attendant, it’s permitted.”
Seonon glanced back at the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince listened with amusement.
“You’ve changed since becoming Ryuana’s attendant. I’m a little hurt.”
“I am merely fulfilling my duty. As you ordered.”
“Well, I can’t argue with that.”
The Crown Prince laughed.
His gaze turned back to me.
“You know what kind of person Seonon is, right? He’s unpleasant, but…”
Seonon shot the Crown Prince a sharp glare.
Why are you glaring? He’s not wrong.
“…he’s capable. Keep him close. If he ever acts out, come to me. I’ll deal with him directly.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
As I replied obediently, the Crown Prince looked satisfied.
But only briefly.
“However, I do not want this kind of kindness. I am a Nehturin.”
“I know. But as a Nehturin, you are a target for many.”
“And yet…”
I glanced at him briefly.
“…there is already one such person sitting right in front of me.”
The atmosphere turned cold instantly.
My words had pierced the air.
“….”
The Crown Prince and Seonon now looked at me differently.
I continued calmly.
“I was attacked a month ago at the Laqiena Marquis household. Assassins disguised as servants and knights.”
“….”
“It was quite an impressive infiltration. One of them even seriously injured a guard, almost preventing me from reaching you.”
I smiled faintly.
“From that moment on, I decided. I would not keep dangerous people by my side.”
The air froze.
Even the food on the table felt untouched now.
After a silence, the Crown Prince spoke coldly.
“So?”
“….”
“Yes. Seonon is an assassin who would kill you given the chance. But so what? Your opinion doesn’t matter in making him your attendant. Are you refusing my order?”
“No. If it’s an order, I will follow. However…”
“However?”
“I didn’t expect you to use other people. I thought you would kill me yourself, brother. Or are you afraid of me?”
At my faint smile, their expressions shifted.
The Crown Prince’s gaze grew colder, while Seonon watched carefully, as if evaluating something.
“I avoided bringing you to the Imperial Palace because I didn’t want chaos in the court. This palace is already my final consideration.”
“I haven’t done anything yet.”
“‘Nothing’ always connects to ‘everything.’ I don’t want to relinquish control. Your existence itself is a threat to me.”
“I thought, even if not hospitality, you would at least handle this personally as a brother.”
“Brotherly affection, is it?”
The Crown Prince gave a dry laugh.
“If you die, doing so without leaving a stain is the best mercy I can offer. But if you insist, I’ll grant your wish.”
He raised his glass.
“Let’s drink to a brotherhood built on lies. Or must I order that too?”
“Not at all. However…”
Before I could finish—
Crash!
I deliberately knocked the glass over.
“…I’m sorry. My hand slipped.”
“….”
The Crown Prince looked speechless.
Anyone could see it was intentional.
“I apologize, brother. It seems we’ll need a new glass. I cannot use magic.”
“You…”
“If one must test poison with silver, it’s better not to drink at all. After all, losing a Nehturin would be quite unfortunate.”
The Crown Prince stared at me in disbelief.
Seonon suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ahahah!”
“You were right. He’s interesting.”
The Crown Prince leaned back, exhaling deeply.
“…I underestimated you.”
But then, his eyes gleamed sharply.
“Good. If you insist on the harder path, I can’t help it. It would’ve been easier for both of us if poison had worked.”
“If I were going to be poisoned, I wouldn’t have come here, brother. I came here to live, not to die.”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
He smiled faintly.
“I thought you might swap the glass or pull some trick. You look like a well-behaved young noble.”
Then he glanced at Seonon’s clothes.
“Is that outfit Seonon’s work?”
When I confirmed it, he shook his head.
“You’re going to have a hard time wearing clothes from now on.”
“Pardon?”
“That guy is obsessed with beauty. He designs everything—clothes, hair, accessories. The problem is it’s overly extravagant and takes forever.”
What?
“At imperial balls, I sometimes feel like running away because of him. And you’re already good-looking—he’ll go even more overboard.”
Seonon smiled.
“My loyalty is simply to make Your Highness the center of attention.”
“That’s just your doll-play.”
“Is it? I enjoy it, and you benefit as well. Mutual gain, no?”
Later that night, after everything ended…
In the deepest hours of the Arnoan Palace, assassins infiltrated my room.
And one by one, they fell into my traps.
The first was taken down quickly.
The second realized too late.
The third tripped over a wire.
The fourth was subdued with sleeping powder.
And then—
Seonon arrived.
“Was this your doing?”
“No.”
I met his blade with mine.
“You really are fun.”
Then—
I drew a gun.
Bang.
Seonon froze.
“…Gun?”
“You should’ve known I don’t like losing.”
A bullet grazed his cheek.
He smiled.
“You’re getting more interesting by the moment.”
And he left.
The next morning, I walked straight into the Crown Prince’s office.
No knock.
“Good morning, brother.”
“…How are you alive?”
“Let’s start properly.”
I looked at him calmly.
“Or should I say… Arsen, twin of the 4th Prince?”
Silence.
Then—
The Crown Prince laughed.
“No way. You figured it out already?”
Then he smiled brightly.
“My name is Arnon B. Arbesk. As you said—twin of the Crown Prince.”
He shook my hand warmly.
“You’re surprisingly healthy.”
Then he asked:
“…Seonon visited you last night, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re still alive?”
“…Yes?”
Arnon burst into laughter.
“Ahahah! You survived after Seonon came to visit?”
