Chapter 09
Lie
“Elros, what are you doing here?”
It was Gelion.
The warm light flowing from the lamp he carried cast deep shadows across his sculpted face.
In that moment, his winter-sky-colored eyes shone more vividly than ever.
Those calm eyes of his traveled from my face to the portrait hanging on the wall, examining it carefully.
Then, as they returned to my face, I noticed a depth in his gaze that wasn’t just my imagination.
“I had an old dream and came to look at the portrait. I must have been really cute when I was little, right?”
I preemptively spoke as if reading his thoughts.
But Gelion remained silent, as though he had anticipated even that move of mine.
After a long moment, Gelion broke the silence.
“You’re still cute.”
His voice was flat, like a judge reading a verdict.
Yet, having observed him for so long, I knew there was sincerity in it.
“Let’s go. I’ll see you to bed. We’ll stop by the kitchen for some tea on the way—it helps with sleep. Don’t think foolish thoughts.”
He extended his hand toward me, emphasizing the last words.
“Foolish thoughts.”
I couldn’t help but wonder if he had sensed the decision I made in that room.
Knowing Gelion, I thought, it was entirely possible.
The next day.
I summoned the four men of the Cowell family as soon as the sun rose.
And I declared:
“I’m going to the prince’s mansion.”
“What?”
“Roze, are you talking in your sleep…?”
Mirret and Evan expressed their disbelief one after the other.
Even though the simplest solution was for me to go to the prince’s mansion, it seemed they had no intention of letting me go.
So I decided to act myself.
It felt like Leo might be in danger if I didn’t go, yet they weren’t willing to let me go, even if it meant handing over Leo.
I wanted to protect both Leo and the Cowell family.
If it was possible through my own choice, all the more reason to act.
Especially since it wasn’t a particularly difficult task.
But for that, I had to lie—because if I didn’t, there was no way they would easily let me go.
So, after a night of contemplation, I prepared the lie:
“I… actually like the prince.”
A moment of silence fell over the grand duke’s office after my sudden declaration.
I met the widened eyes of the men one by one.
Mirret and Evan had their mouths agape.
I pressed on with my speech, undeterred by the icy atmosphere.
“So I’d like to get to know him, see what kind of person he is. I think it’s amazing to have a chance to meet the other party before marriage—in a positive way. So… could you allow me to go to the prince’s mansion?”
It wasn’t difficult to make my face mask the truth.
I only had to keep my usual expressionless look.
But…
“Lie.”
The moment Gelion spoke, I felt as if a cold sweat ran down my spine.
“…What do you mean?” I blinked in disbelief.
Gelion furrowed his brows.
Then I realized: he hadn’t asked to figure me out.
He was just testing me.
And the fact that I had laughed—a rare occurrence—seemed to confirm his suspicion.
He knew I was acting.
‘Why am I lying…? Is it for Leo?’
Gelion’s winter-sky eyes seemed to ask me that.
At that moment, Mirret’s quiet muttering began to stir Gelion’s usually calm pupils.
“So… that’s why you asked about your first crush back then? You fell for the prince at first sight…?”
I turned to Mirret, whose blue eyes were as misty as the dawn sky.
Then I remembered the question I had asked him—right after meeting the prince at the palace.
I instantly thought, ‘Yes, this is it.’
“Right… the day after you went to the palace… correct?”
I emphasized the timing as I repeated the question to Mirret.
Evan looked devastated and tearful.
“Roze, you said you didn’t fall at first sight! Were you lying to me too back then?!”
“Sorry, Evan. Back then, I didn’t even realize it…”
The way Mirret and Evan pressed me, and I offered excuses, clearly showed that we had previously discussed this topic.
Gelion, no longer doubting my lie, suddenly looked as if he had lost his country.
“By that Olen… our Roze actually fell…?”
Since I had never liked anyone since becoming Elros, it seemed the shock to everyone was even greater.
Even the grand duke’s expression was no different from the other three.
“Ro… Roze… Roze…”
He couldn’t say anything more.
‘I’m glad they all fell for it.’
Even in the real world, I had never liked anyone, so I was simply relieved I could deceive them.
“Let me go, Father. I think I like the prince. I want to spend time with him.”
I sealed the request before the grand duke could regain his composure.
His turquoise eyes trembled subtly.
Once the grand duke’s permission was given, everything moved swiftly.
After packing my chessboard, favorite books, and a few cherished dresses, my part was done.
The rest of the luggage would be handled by the Cowell family staff.
And soon, I stood before the prince’s mansion—the same place where Lenar had kissed the back of my hand.
I was greeted by the butler, Douglas.
It was the same as the day Lenar had visited for dinner.
Douglas immediately guided me to the drawing room where the prince was waiting.
And the prince waiting to greet me was…
“Welcome. Thank you for coming.”
Lenar, dressed in a dark navy uniform embroidered with silver thread, rose from his chair.
His sleek black hair suited him well.
“…….”
“…….”
A peculiar tension hung in the drawing room.
Perhaps because it was the first time we were seeing each other since the hand-kiss?
In truth, both Lenar and I had purposes.
Both aimed to use the other for our own ends.
Lenar wanted to use me as a means to gain the Cowell family’s support, and I wanted to live comfortably with him until I found the heroine, Castina, in place of Olen.
The difference was whether we knew the other’s intentions.
That difference made it clear who would benefit more in this cohabitation.
“Long time no see,” Lenar spoke, curling his lips into a subtle smile.
“Thank you for greeting me… then.”
I lightly bowed, preparing to leave Lenar.
He looked momentarily surprised.
“Wait…!”
Lenar called me urgently.
I paused for a moment.
But I had planned to act this way from the start.
It was a minimal courtesy.
I wanted to live with Lenar, yes, but I didn’t want him to think he had won me over.
Looking back, I realized I had been too passive when he kissed my hand in the greenhouse, or when he carried me like a princess.
I feared he might think I had already fallen for him.
I simply disliked physical contact and tolerated it when he touched me, with little emotional response.
“…You’re leaving as soon as you arrive?”
Lenar asked, slightly anxious.
“Yes.”
My brief answer brought a resigned smile to his lips.
But he didn’t give up easily.
“You must be tired from the journey. Would you like some tea?”
“No, thank you.”
“Then some cookies?”
“That’s fine too.”
I smiled slightly to convey that everything was truly fine.
After a moment of silence, Lenar blinked once.
A sense of ease returned to his previously tense expression.
“Very well. Then we shall meet at dinner after you’ve rested sufficiently.”
“…Dinner?” I questioned.
Lenar’s eyes narrowed.
He seemed genuinely annoyed.
“Yes, dinner. Surely you must dine together, right?”
“Always…?” I asked, bewildered.
I thought our relationship would naturally follow the same way the Emperor and Empress of Graciana never dined together in her lifetime.
‘Last time was a special case.’
Yet Lenar seemed to think differently, looking rather dissatisfied with my question.
“Hm—hm—”
Douglas, standing in the corner of the drawing room, coughed unnecessarily to break the tension.
Lenar, snapping out of it, blinked once and forced a polite smile.
“I understand. If you prefer to dine alone, I’ll respect that. Please feel at home here.”
“…Why is he suddenly drawing boundaries like that? Didn’t we already kiss?”
Lenar muttered to himself, watching the direction Elros had disappeared.
Douglas was aghast.
“You kissed?! You two already kissed?!”
Lenar smirked quietly at Douglas’ wide-eyed reaction, though his mood was still unsettled.
He hadn’t thought seducing Elros, the Cowell heiress, would be so easy.
Her refusal was just a minor hurdle.
Overcoming the next one would be enough.
Yet he still felt irritated.
‘Why?’
Something was bothering him in a subtle way.
Lenar strained to figure out what it was.
At that moment, Douglas cautiously asked:
“Sir, have you been calling the Grand Duchess ‘Grand Duchess’ all this time? And she never corrected you?”
“What?”
Lenar’s face stiffened.
It was clearly a mistake to treat her with such respect.
Yet the fact that she didn’t correct him was strange.
It was almost as if she thought his status was lower than hers.
‘…Could she know I’m not Prince Olen?’
For a moment, Lenar’s face lost all color.
Then, he smiled.
‘…Interesting, Elros.’
“Douglas, Elros is staying on the first floor, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. But why…?”
