CHAPTER 36
By the time Idris had finished processing the mountain of paperwork, it was already ten o’clock.
As he stretched his stiff body, he paused when he saw the annex building through the window.
‘…She’s probably asleep by now.’
He had intended to visit Leticia to see the little guest if he finished early.
But it was already past the child’s bedtime.
Just as Idris was about to turn away after staring at the annex, a knock sounded.
“Your Highness, may I come in?”
The office door opened, and Heather stepped inside.
The moment Idris saw Heather’s serious expression, he had a sense of what this was about.
Perching on the edge of his desk, Idris asked:
“How did it go?”
“We’ve been watching the mansion and Lady Leticia for the past few days, but there’s been no sign of a new tail.”
It was about the surveillance they had discovered a few days ago near Amon’s shop.
“And did you find out who was behind it?”
“It seems they covered their tracks well. We couldn’t find any link to either the Farnese duchy or the Grand Duchy of Zahir. We plan to keep watching for now.”
“…I should’ve kept him alive.”
Idris regretted his actions that day.
It had been an emotional decision, one the usual him wouldn’t have made.
Just because Leticia had been put in danger—just that fact had enraged him.
“They’ll lay low for a while after your warning, but eventually, they’ll act again—more cautiously. That’s when we’ll catch them.”
“I’m sure.”
“But with that big guy constantly by her side, I doubt anything dangerous will happen.”
At the mention of Wig, Idris’s already cold gaze turned even icier.
“He’s useless. Just follows his master around like a dog. He didn’t even notice someone was tailing them.”
Heather flinched, sensing Idris’s suddenly sharper mood.
‘Seems like that guy’s fallen out of favor…’
In nearly a decade at Idris’s side, Heather had rarely seen him overtly annoyed with someone—except for the late Empress, Deon, and Aria. He was otherwise equally indifferent to everyone.
And now…
‘He’s overly worried, it seems.’
Sure, being followed was concerning, but in a way, it meant the enemy wasn’t planning an immediate move. If they were, there wouldn’t have been a tail in the first place.
Then it struck him—every recent instance of Idris acting out of character was connected to Leticia.
Dining with her more often. Smiling sincerely in ways he never did in front of others.
It was almost as if…
‘Is His Highness… starting to like Lady Leticia?’
At the end of that speculation, Heather shook his head.
‘No way. He’s been looking for that woman Aria for years now.’
Idris himself had once told him that Leticia was just an “excuse to avoid the Emperor’s nagging about marriage.”
Still, it was clear he was worried about Leticia’s safety—whether as a business partner or for some other reason.
Reading Idris’s thoughts, Heather offered a suggestion:
“Well… if you’re really that concerned, why not just tell Lady Leticia and assign her a bodyguard?”
But Idris didn’t look pleased at the idea—instead, he frowned.
“…Am I worried about Leticia?”
“Aren’t you?”
That thought had never occurred to him.
Momentarily thrown into confusion, Idris dismissed Heather.
“I’ll handle it. You can go home for today.”
Heather, as if waiting for that very line, gave a quick bow and exited the office.
Left alone again, Idris mulled over Heather’s words.
‘I’m… worried about Leticia?’
Come to think of it, he was.
He’d killed that tail in a fit of anger.
He was still worried that someone might follow her again.
None of this was like him.
‘Why am I…?’
As he searched for the reason, the image of Aria flashed through his mind.
He immediately furrowed his brows and forced himself to stop.
‘…Leticia is not Aria.’
This behavior of his—it was just a momentary mistake.
He concluded as much, when—
‘Hm?’
He sensed a presence near the door.
Looking in that direction, he spotted a pair of eyes peeking through the slightly open door.
‘Heather must not have shut the door properly.’
As he sighed, his eyes met with those of the child. She gasped and quickly disappeared behind the door again.
It might’ve been annoying if he were still busy with work, but now, he didn’t mind.
Idris gently called out:
“Hello.”
No response.
But since he could still sense her presence, she hadn’t run off.
“Little lady, didn’t you come to see me?”
A pair of wide eyes slowly reappeared from behind the door.
“I was told not to bother you…”
“It’s okay. I’m done with work.”
“Really?”
Only then did the child trot into the office.
Idris chuckled at the sight.
He generally liked children.
Unlike adults, who judged him by status or rumors, children acted purely based on their feelings.
“But isn’t it bedtime for little ones? Why aren’t you asleep? Why come looking for me?”
“I have something to tell you, Prince.”
“Something to tell me?”
The girl looked up at him with a serious expression and nodded.
“You see, I… I want to marry you.”
“Oh?”
Despite the surprise proposal, Idris remained completely unfazed.
“Why do you want to marry me?”
“Well, if I marry a prince, I can become a princess.”
“Ambition. That’s important.”
“And I can eat yummy food every day and live here too.”
“Wealth. Also important.”
“And… because I just like you!”
As the child sincerely listed her reasons, Idris smiled and played along with mock seriousness—until her honest feelings made him laugh for real.
“If you eat well and grow up, then maybe you can marry me.”
But his rejection was gentle yet firm.
“I appreciate how you feel, but I don’t think that’s possible, little lady.”
“Why not?”
“Because there’s someone else I want to marry.”
“Boss lady?”
Idris paused at Aria’s question, the name slipping out naturally.
Yes, he had Aria.
But then, why…
‘Why does Leticia keep coming to mind?’
Just as he was about to correct himself—
“Aria!”
Leticia entered the office through the open door.
Her hair was damp, and she was in her pajamas. Idris stared blankly for a moment, then furrowed his brow.
Thinking Aria had done something wrong, Leticia quickly explained.
“Sorry for the trouble. She sneaked out while I was getting ready for bed.”
“It’s fine. I was done with work anyway. But…”
Idris took his coat from the sofa and draped it over Leticia’s shoulders.
“You’ll catch a cold like that.”
“Ah… thank you.”
Leticia was about to leave with Aria but turned back, as if something occurred to her.
“Goodnight, Idris.”
Just a simple goodnight—but for some reason, her voice sounded especially pleasant.
Idris softly replied:
“…To you as well.”
After the two left, he could still hear their voices faintly through the door.
—“Didn’t I say not to bother the prince because he’s busy?”
—“I didn’t bother him. I was really quiet…”
—“How does a little thing like you remember this place? You’ve only been here once.”
Listening to their fading voices, Idris let out a small laugh.
He’d never imagined hearing anyone else’s voice in this mansion.
‘But this kind of small commotion… I don’t mind it at all.’
He looked out the window toward the corridor that led to the annex, watching the two disappear.
It was bedtime for adults too.
But just as he stepped out of the office, something bumped against his foot.
“This is…”
It was a small stuffed bunny doll—one Aria had been holding.
The premonition