TOPFCP 59

Chapter 59

Luckily, when I arrived, only Secretary Berrin had come in to work. I greeted Berrin and sat down to check over the manuscript I was going to work on today. Then the Crown Prince walked in.

Normally, whenever he entered, I would spring to my feet to greet him, but maybe because of yesterday’s dance lesson, even getting up from my chair made the muscles in my thighs pull and ache.

Jereon quietly watched me struggle to stand and clicked his tongue softly.

“Why can’t you even control your body properly? Muscle pain?”

“I think so.”

At my reply, Jereon turned his head to look at Hassel.

“Hassel, bring some herbs good for sore muscles.”

After receiving the Crown Prince’s order, Hassel immediately left the office and instructed a servant waiting outside.

Of course, just because I had muscle pain didn’t mean I could skip the morning greeting.

I walked over slowly, matched the height of my lips to his lowered head, and gave the usual cheek kiss greeting—smack, smack—before going back to my seat. Berrin, who was used to this kind of greeting by now, waited expressionlessly and then followed the Crown Prince to hand over a report.

Jereon began reviewing the documents as usual. Not a single trace of fatigue showed in the way he walked or sat down.

“Guess I’m the only one with lousy stamina.”

He had moved even more than I did yesterday, even led me through the dance, so he should be more tired—but it didn’t show at all.

After a while, a servant brought a cup of murky herbal tea, as cloudy as water from a swamp, and placed it on my desk. Just looking at it, I could tell it would be horribly bitter.

“Is this even safe for humans to drink?”

I had a gut feeling it would make me queasy until lunch, so I didn’t touch it.

When Jereon got absorbed in a heated discussion with Hassel about something, I quickly poured the tea into the potted plant on my desk, set the empty cup back, and focused on writing my novel.

I didn’t notice it at first because I was concentrating, but at some point, Jereon was standing behind me, peeking at the dialogue between the main characters. That wasn’t unusual, so I ignored it—but then, he picked up the empty cup with his gloved hand.

“Shanael.”

“Yes?”

“You didn’t drink this, did you?”

“No, I did.”

“What did it taste like?”

“Umm… it was really bitter, I think.”

“Huh? It only smells bad. It’s not actually bitter.”

“Ahaha. Right, now that I think about it, it was kind of bland too…”

When I smiled up at him, he set the empty cup down with a sharp thunk and gave Hassel another order.

“She didn’t drink it. Bring another one.”

As he returned to his seat, Jereon kept an eye on me. Not long after, another cup of the tea appeared on my desk. With him watching so intently, I had no choice but to drink it this time. Just as I’d feared, it was so bitter that my tongue tingled.

So this is what “giving the illness and the cure” means.

While I was wincing from the taste, Jereon’s hand, with its bracelet, came into view and pressed something against my lips.

“Candy.”

I obediently opened my mouth and let him pop it in. The sweet jasmine scent filled my mouth, neutralizing the bitterness. He set the tin of candies on my desk and returned to his seat.

Whether it was the medicine working or my muscles finally loosening up, my stiff shoulders were gradually feeling better. I stretched my neck and checked the time.

It was already five minutes to noon.

“Ah, I have a lunch appointment.”

I tidied up my workspace and got ready to leave. It would take time to walk to White Garden, so I stood up and approached the Crown Prince’s desk.

“Your Highness, I have a lunch appointment, so I’ll head out a bit early.”

“Alright.”

“But… we have dance practice again today, right? My body still aches everywhere…”

Jereon silently looked up at me. His expression clearly did not say, “We can skip it.”

“I was just kidding. I’ll see you later.”

I caught a faint curve of his lips as I turned away. I still couldn’t understand why he insisted on dancing with me despite all the times I’d stepped on his feet yesterday.

On the way to White Garden, I tapped my shoulders lightly. Thanks to the herbal tea, my arms felt much lighter.

As I neared the entrance, I spotted a red-haired man and his aide waiting. The prince raised his hand in greeting when he saw me.

“I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“I can’t skip a promise with Your Highness. Especially when you’re a guest of the Imperial Palace.”

“Shall we go in?”

He must have made a reservation beforehand because as soon as we entered, a servant guided us to a table. I’d unintentionally become a regular at a place frequented only by nobles.

“What brings you here this time?”

I asked Felix while nibbling on the appetizer bread.

“I came with a diplomat to discuss some issues with our trade goods. I’m just here as a tourist, really. Lady Shanael, have you ever been to my kingdom?”

“No, I’ve never left the Empire.”

“Then would you like to visit sometime? I’ll prepare a place for you to stay and personally show you around.”

“Thank you, but I can’t leave the palace until I finish my novel.”

Felix’s bright smile stiffened abruptly. He must’ve thought I was making excuses to reject his offer. But the fact that I couldn’t leave was real.

“You’re joking, right? That’s basically imprisonment.”

“It is imprisonment.”

My casual response seemed to catch him off guard.

“So the rumors were true… that they keep the author locked up and make them write.”

“It’s true, but I’ve gotten used to it. The work environment is good, the food is great, and I even get to live in a luxurious palace. Realistically, when else would I live in a palace if not now? I choose to look on the bright side.”

When I reached for my cup of water, his gloved hand overlapped mine. Even through the fabric, his touch felt oddly cold.

“Shall I help you? To escape.”

“Ah… no, I’m fine.”

“I could really help you.”

“I appreciate the thought, but I’ll pass.”

I put my hand down. For some reason, I didn’t feel like drinking anymore.

The main course arrived, and we began eating. From time to time, the prince stared at me intently, as if he wanted to say something but held it back, wearing only a sly smile.

“This feels… off.”

This discomfort was different from what I felt around the Crown Prince. I’d once compared Jereon to a nosy but well-meaning neighbor lady—sometimes annoying, sometimes meddlesome, but never truly malicious.

But this prince… his gaze reminded me of the cultists who used to wander the streets of my hometown.

I once encountered one who smiled kindly, offered flowers, tried to help with my bags, and invited me to his “church.” Not all kindness is genuine—I learned that early on. That cultist disappeared without a trace one day, and all that remained in the burnt-down church were unidentified remains.

I didn’t know why I suddenly remembered that, but the prince’s “kindness” felt uncomfortable.

As I lifted my cup again, I caught sight of someone passing by.

“Huh? Sir Magnum.”

Magnum was leaving White Garden with a woman after what looked like a meal. And, as expected, the woman was different from last time.

“I heard there’s going to be a ball at the palace.”

“Hm? Oh, yes.”

I quickly turned my gaze back to the prince.

“Will Lady Shanael be attending too?”

“Unfortunately, yes. I can’t get out of it.”

“Do you already have a partner? For example, the one who gave you that necklace…”

Felix looked pointedly at my pendant as he cut into his food. I thought I’d hidden it well under my clothes, but apparently a bit of it was peeking out.

Ordinary people wouldn’t recognize its value at a glance, but a wealthy prince clearly could.

“That pendant… isn’t it something couples exchange?”

“Sharp eyes, Your Highness. You’re right, but I could never have that kind of relationship with the person who gave it to me. It was a token of encouragement, nothing more.”

“That’s quite the extravagant ‘token.’”

He wasn’t wrong. It was worth about five gold bars. I just smiled in response.

So what if I’m a little materialistic? I should at least have something to show for my time in the palace.

Still, why did he care what I wore anyway?

I stabbed at my salad while silently wishing dessert would come soon. Since I was on duty, the prince drank wine alone—but even then, his gaze stayed fixed on me the entire time.