Chapter 22
‘But his clothes…’
Liriope’s eyes narrowed as she noticed Cardin’s unusually different outfit.
It looked as if he had put in extra effort to dress up—almost like something one might wear to a festival.
“Lady!”
Turning his head, Cardin spotted Liriope and smiled brightly, quickly striding toward her.
“Are you going to a ball or something…?”
Liriope asked as she looked him up and down, examining his neatly tailored uniform.
“The ball is next week. What, are you bringing it up because you want me to escort you?”
At Cardin’s words, Liriope’s brows furrowed slightly.
“Well, if the lady wishes—no, if you, Liriope, wish it, then I don’t mind. I’ll…”
“Of course not. Absolutely not.”
Fearing he would spout more nonsense, Liriope quickly cut him off and shook her head firmly.
Cardin pouted at her and asked,
“By the way, why is that bastard here?”
“Ah, we were having tea. With Lady Rosearin.”
“Lady Rosearin?”
Cardin’s expression changed slightly.
He had always harbored some affection for Rosearin since their academy days, so just hearing her name was enough to pique his interest.
‘Ugh, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that. The male and female leads are having a lovely moment, and now the second male lead shows up to ruin it.’
Deciding she couldn’t let Cardin intrude on Rosearin and Theo, Liriope quickly stepped closer to him.
“So, what brings you here? You came to see me, right? Shall we go to the reception room?”
Cardin’s expression softened a little at her nearness, and he looked down at her as he replied,
“I don’t mind a garden date.”
“I said this isn’t a date. What’s the reason you came here?”
Still in that outfit, she thought, unable to voice the rest. Liriope’s eyes swept over his clothes again.
Cardin puffed out his chest exaggeratedly, as though to show his attire off more clearly.
“Because today I look more handsome than ever.”
“…”
“And I thought it would be nice to show you.”
At his words, Liriope’s brows drew together again.
“This is an outfit I had made for the upcoming ball. And it suits me remarkably well.”
‘So to summarize, he tried on his ball outfit early, thought it looked amazing, and decided to show me. Is that it?’
Once she pieced together the situation, Liriope looked up at him with a horrified expression.
Cardin, however, only beamed at her.
“Well? Don’t you think so too?”
Whether she did or didn’t, she honestly wondered what on earth was inside this guy’s head.
Even though she was openly grimacing at him, Cardin didn’t seem to care and looked ready to say something else—
And just then.
A pleasant baritone voice came from behind.
“I distinctly told you not to entertain unannounced visitors, Lipe.”
Both Liriope and Cardin turned their heads at once.
There stood Theo, striding toward them with sharp eyes fixed on Cardin.
Like a male lead walking straight out of a movie.
But no matter how much Liriope looked behind him, Rosearin was nowhere to be seen.
“Where’s Lady Rosearin?”
“She should still be where she was.”
“What? How could you just leave her there? Do you know how awkward she must feel sitting alone?!”
Liriope scolded Theo sternly.
“If you know that, then why are you here with this idiot instead of sitting with her?”
“He just happened to…”
“What? Idiot?! You bastard, how many times have I told you not to call me that?!”
Flaring up at the word “idiot,” Cardin cut Liriope off and shouted at Theo.
Theo looked at him coldly before replying with indifference,
“Many times?”
“You bastard!”
‘Ugh, these two fighting cocks!’
Letting out a deep sigh that welled up from her chest, Liriope quickly turned away.
She couldn’t stop worrying about Rosearin, who must still be sitting alone.
“Where are you going, Lipe?”
“Where are you going, Lady—no, Liriope?”
Both Theo and Cardin asked at the same time from behind her, but Liriope didn’t even glance back as she shouted,
“I’m going to Lady Rosearin, of course!”
Walking quickly back to the tea table, Liriope found Rosearin sitting alone, looking lost, and groaned aloud.
She hadn’t invited her to cause distress—she only wanted to grow closer. But looking at Rosearin now, it seemed as though she had deliberately abandoned her to flounder.
“Lady Rosearin!”
Taking a deep breath, Liriope called out loudly.
Rosearin, who had been staring blankly at her teacup, immediately lifted her head.
The moment her eyes met Liriope’s, her once-expressionless face lit up with a bright smile.
‘…Oh.’
Liriope felt a strange pang of emotion and faltered.
It was like watching a puppy, lost and forlorn, suddenly brighten with joy at the sight of its returning owner.
Of course, Rosearin wasn’t a lost puppy, so the comparison was unfair—but still, seeing her gloom vanish into a radiant smile directed at herself left Liriope with an odd feeling.
“You took a while.”
Rosearin stood as she smiled at Liriope.
But then her gaze shifted past Liriope, and her expression quickly turned flustered.
Even without looking back, Liriope knew Theo and Cardin had followed.
Rosearin swiftly bowed to Cardin.
“I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Awkwardly smiling, Liriope stepped closer to her.
“Ahaha, looks like we’ve got one more guest joining our tea time.”
Before they knew it, Liriope and Rosearin were sitting opposite each other, while Theo and Cardin sat on either side.
Rosearin seemed bewildered by Cardin’s sudden appearance, while Liriope worried about the possibility of these two men already starting a love rivalry before the original story even began.
Fortunately, both of them were too busy snarling at each other to pay Rosearin much attention.
“I hear there’s been chaos in the north, yet you seem to have time to trail after women.”
“Thanks to her help, things were resolved quickly.”
“You bastard. How far are you planning to use the Lady—no, Liriope—for your gain?”
“Use her? What a stupid thought from a stupid head.”
Theo and Cardin traded barbs relentlessly, ignoring the two women in front of them.
It was Rosearin’s first time witnessing their quarrel, and she looked utterly uncomfortable, as though sitting on a bed of thorns.
Watching her, Liriope asked Gemma to bring fresh tea and turned to Rosearin.
“Um, about forms of address… would you call me just by name?”
“Ah…”
“And I’d like to drop the titles too and call you Rose, if that’s okay?”
“O-of course! Please do!”
“Thanks. Then you can call me Liri. It feels more like we’re close friends that way.”
She added the explanation so Rosearin wouldn’t feel too pressured.
“I see. So calling someone that way makes it feel like you’re close.”
Cardin muttered under his breath.
Liriope ignored his cryptic comment and asked Rosearin,
“Rose, when are you going to choose a dress for the ball? Want to go together?”
She refused to let her carefully planned tea time end with nothing but Theo and Cardin’s bickering, so she brought up a topic she knew would interest everyone: the upcoming ball.
Besides, she had a bigger plan—her ‘become best friends with the heroine’ project.
Looking relieved, Rosearin smiled brightly and nodded.
“Yes, I’d love to.”
Her expression clearly showed how grateful she was for Liriope’s timely lifeline out of the awkward situation.
‘Honestly, she’s such a pure-hearted heroine.’
Liriope smiled gently at her.
“Since we’re on the subject of the ball, Lady—no, Liri. I permit you to wear a dress matching mine.”
Suddenly, Cardin blurted out something outrageous.
“I’m saying, I’ll allow you to wear a couple outfit with me, which you’ve always wanted, Liri.”
“Seems your brain has been eaten by monsters.”
Theo scoffed in Liriope’s stead, since she was too stunned to respond.
“What did you say?!”
Cardin glared at him, brows furrowed.
“If my woman is going to wear a couple outfit, it will be with me—not with an idiot like you.”
“Back then, Liri begged me to match with her just once—!”
“And how long are you going to milk that pathetic old story? It’s pitiful.”
“P-pitiful?! Who do you think you are, talking about my feelings for Liri—!”
“Just call her ‘Lady’ already. How many times are you going to correct yourself from Lady to Liri? If your brain’s slow, at least make an effort. Or better yet, just use what comes naturally—it makes you look less stupid.”
“You! You—!”
Liriope, listening to their endless squabble, let out a short sigh.
Then she clapped her hands sharply, cutting Cardin off, and turned to Rosearin.
“Oh! Dresses with a similar look would be so pretty—like friendship dresses. Rose, want to match with me for the ball?”
It was just a thought that slipped out, but as soon as she said it, three pairs of eyes fixed squarely on her.
Theo and Cardin’s faces were filled with dissatisfaction.
