Chapter 15
I had only shared the story of giving a handkerchief to Rosarin and invited her to tea, yet Theo seemed to be saying something extremely significant to Liriope.
She blinked rapidly, struggling to escape this confusing situation.
Theo, watching her with a peculiar gaze, let out a short sigh and continued speaking.
“Even so, if you don’t trust me, I’ll tell you everything.”
“…Huh?”
“I did give her the handkerchief.”
“…….”
“It happened before our engagement papers were exchanged, and it wasn’t particularly significant, so I have no reason to apologize to you.”
“Oh, no… It’s not that I’m upset… um, I mean, I think there’s some misunderstanding.”
“It was the day I was summoned to the royal palace, and it had rained heavily the day before. I didn’t want to arrive too early, so I used a carriage instead of a teleport. On the way, I ran into that Countess’s daughter.”
‘No… I didn’t ask for an explanation about the handkerchief…’
“The carriage wheel broke, and the coachman was fixing it. The Countess’s daughter was standing outside. As I said, there were puddles from the rain the day before. My carriage passed through one of them, splashing mud on her clothes. So I stopped the carriage.”
Theo’s expression was calm, as if the incident was nothing special.
Perhaps, at that time, he had no feelings for Rosarin at all, and it wasn’t even mentioned in the original story.
After all, until he met Rosarin at the Harvest Festival, Theo barely noticed any woman more than a stray stone on the road.
“I tried to offer compensation, but she refused. So I gave her a handkerchief and told her to come collect the reward anytime she changed her mind.”
“…Ah, I see…”
“Of course, that was before our engagement, so now it wouldn’t be proper for her to come and collect it from me.”
“…Hmm?”
“Therefore, it would be better if you collected it on my behalf. You can take any amount you like from me.”
“…No, why would I do that?”
Liriope tilted her head in confusion, and Theo crooked his lips slightly as he replied.
“Now, I’m officially your man, aren’t I? So I can’t be casually talking to another woman.”
“…….”
“I also don’t want to make you worry about me even a little.”
Theo smiled lazily.
‘W-what is this man…’
Liriope began to doubt whether this was really the same man who had treated women like stones before meeting Rosarin.
Usually, men who aren’t interested in women don’t have the skill to enchant them like this.
What on earth had he taken to make him capable of charming someone so effortlessly with such a small gesture?
“It’s not like I’m worried about it or anything.”
“Really? My fiancée seems quite jealous. Or am I seeing it wrong?”
Theo, wearing a lazy smile, picked up the golden bell beside the table and rang it once.
“It seems the meal is finished. What shall we have for dessert, Lipe?”
Immediately, a staff member appeared, eagerly offering a dessert menu to Liriope.
“Today, we have fresh strawberry cake and ice cream, which I can confidently recommend.”
Her eyes lit up, and Liriope handed the menu back to the staff.
“Dessert must be cake and ice cream. Give me both.”
The staff bowed and quickly left.
“And, Theo, would you like any dessert…?”
“Just coffee.”
“Then please have the coffee with the strawberry cake. The fresh strawberry cake goes perfectly with coffee.”
Strawberries were her favorite fruit, and she could never resist cake or ice cream made with them.
Liriope’s face lit up with joy at the thought of eating the strawberry cake, and she smiled without realizing it.
Theo watched her with a peculiar gaze and slightly lifted one corner of his mouth.
Liriope felt a little embarrassed but then remembered the invitation that hadn’t been concluded, and asked Theo.
“You’ll come, won’t you?”
“If you want me to come to your house, I can come anytime.”
“No, not anytime. I mean the day you invited Rosarin.”
“Then there’s no particular reason for me to go. You can receive the handkerchief instead.”
“Why should I receive Theo’s handkerchief?”
“Because you are my fiancée.”
“No. Even if I am your fiancée, I won’t take a handkerchief you lent to another woman. I won’t do it.”
“I see.”
“Exactly. So you take care of your own handkerchief, and please accept my invitation.”
“…If you want me to, I’ll of course accept.”
Theo shrugged once.
Liriope nodded, feeling relieved.
If Theo and Rosarin met before the original story, their feelings for each other might develop even before the Harvest Festival.
‘But then, would it change the part where Cardin falls for Rosarin during the hunting festival…?’
If Theo and Rosarin were already connected, Theo would probably choose Rosarin as his hunting partner.
‘No, wait. I’m still his fiancée, so he might have to choose me.’
Still, Theo wouldn’t leave Rosarin alone during the dangerous hunting festival.
That would mean the two would stay together, and Cardin’s episode of falling for Rosarin might instead become Theo’s.
‘Well, that’s actually good for the main couple.’
It would prevent the obsessive side plot with Cardin, and nothing would block their love. Liriope nodded to herself, convinced of this.
At that moment, a fork holding a neatly cut piece of strawberry cake was brought right to her face.
Looking up, she saw Theo offering it to her.
Blinking slowly, Liriope stared at him, unsure.
Theo didn’t hesitate and gestured for her to open her mouth.
The bustling surrounding and the occasional admiring whispers made her cheeks flush.
“Oh my, how romantic!”
But Theo seemed completely unfazed, continuing to offer the fork.
‘What on earth is wrong with this guy?!’
Despite all her thoughts, once she tasted the cake, all her worries melted away.
Liriope could honestly say it was the best strawberry cake she had ever eaten.
It was so delicious that she grabbed the fork from Theo and started eating the rest of the cake on her plate, ignoring all manners.
It melted in her mouth, sweet and tangy but not cloying.
No words could describe its exquisite taste.
Liriope devoured it with “Mmm!” of delight.
Theo sat opposite her, elegantly sipping coffee, watching her with a smile.
The nobles around them whispered among themselves, observing the unusual scene.
Then, suddenly:
“Princess!”
Liriope, saddened that half of her strawberry cake was gone, heard a familiar shout behind her.
She quickly turned and saw the Crown Prince standing at the entrance of the second-floor dining hall, wearing a black silk cloak over his head, flaring his nostrils.
‘Why is he here…?’
Cardin made Liriope frown immediately.
She swallowed the cake in her mouth and tried to ignore him.
Thudding footsteps approached, and the clueless Cardin quickly reached Liriope’s table.
He plopped into the empty seat without even glancing at Theo and said:
“I can’t believe you’d go this far.”
Liriope raised her eyebrows.
“I don’t know who told you I was on a secret outing today, but I already said I’d be engaged. There’s no need for this.”
‘What nonsense…’
“That’s nonsense.”
Theo, voicing Liriope’s exact thoughts, calmly placed his coffee cup on the table.
Both Cardin and Liriope turned their gazes to Theo.
“What?!”
“Stop talking nonsense and leave, idiot.”
“You!!”
“You’ve been on a secret outing or not, Lipe never cared, so stop imagining things.”
“This! This!”
“And who taught you the rudeness of sitting at someone else’s table without permission? Did you come hungry to steal food or what?”
In a composed voice, Theo said, then offered a spoonful of ice cream to Liriope.
Blinking, Liriope realized she had no choice but to eat it to avoid an awkward scene.
Cardin’s gem-like blue eyes widened in shock at the sight.
“Wh-what… are they doing?!”
