Chapter 4
Black hair, appearing gray or blue depending on how the light hit it with his movement, rippled like waves.
Beneath it, a bright silver shimmered in his eyes. In the brilliantly lit imperial palace, the man, clad in black formal wear over dark-blue half-plate armor, had a gaze that was almost inorganic.
His presence was exceedingly clear and alien, like a protruding stake. His beauty made him seem less like a living person and more like a work of art sculpted by a great master.
The attendant stared at his delicate features, dumbfounded, then suddenly came to his senses and said,
“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will be out soon…”.
“Ah.”
The Grand Duke responded without emotion.
Tick.
The minute hand of the clock clicked.
‘Two hours.’
Dominique Roman Haswell, the Grand Duke of Haswell, slowly straightened his body, which had been leaning against the windowsill.
It was a movement that created the illusion of a languid black panther stretching. He had been leaning against the windowsill of the Crown Prince’s palace for two hours now.
Crown Prince Lexion Roman Kallark was likely the only one who could make the First Grand Duke, who was staying in the capital to be commended for his wartime achievements, wait like this.
‘Useless acts.’
Dominique knew well that Lexion’s attitude of making him wait was to some extent intentional.
It was probably an attitude he had learned from his father, the Emperor.
In Dominique’s view, it was merely a conventional power struggle. The Emperor had long exerted himself to make Dominique kneel.
His desire to confirm his power by oppressing others was especially harsh towards Dominique, his younger brother’s son.
From the beginning, it was the Emperor’s will that Dominique remained unmarried and celibate.
Even coming and going from the capital just to have significant military achievements stolen by the Crown Prince and to play the role of a mere attendant.
‘That won’t last long, though.’
So, it wasn’t difficult to humor his cousin, who was much younger than him.
‘At least there was something to see today.’
Amidst the dazzlingly extravagant and utterly boring scenery, Dominique’s gaze remained fixed on the woman outside the window.
Her perfectly straight posture and silver hair that sparkled in the creeping sunlight.
A rigid body so motionless that others might believe it to be a statue. Beneath that, uniquely impassive blue eyes.
The desperately hidden emotions behind those static eyes strangely captivated his gaze. It was a gaze very familiar to Dominique. The eyes of prey that instantly piqued a hunter’s interest.
Eyes that desperately tried to hide their desperation, resisting with their whole body even while fearing what was to come.
“It feels like I’ve come to a hunting ground.”
“Pardon? Your Grace, what do you mean…”
It was the moment Dominique calmly remarked.
“Cousin.”
Lexion, dressed in a flamboyant uniform, burst out from inside. The scent of women’s perfume wafted from him.
It was a quite fresh and strong citrus scent, a fragrance that clearly indicated where he had spent all his time.
Soon, a woman with rich auburn hair approached and bowed her head to the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness, I’ll take my leave.”
“Are you leaving already?”
With those words, the sound of a deep kiss followed. The woman whispered shyly.
“Others are present, too…”
“What does it matter? Stay a little longer.”
“My brothers will be looking for me.”
“Tsk. I’ll visit you next time.”
“I will guide the Lady to the back door.”
A maid standing some distance away approached and bowed her head.
The woman’s eyes briefly met Dominique’s, but Dominique paid no attention.
He merely thought that the fragrance she left behind was unnecessarily strong.
“A hunting ground, you say.”
Lexion, who had picked up Dominique’s muttering, then feigned an innocent smile, as if only just noticing his presence.
“Didn’t our cousin get enough hunting at the border?”
“Anyway, we should head to the banquet hall now…”
Lexion’s gaze, which had been continuing his words, turned to the outside and abruptly stopped.
“Damn it.”
When a harsh curse finally burst from Lexion’s lips, Dominique turned his gaze back to the woman.
Since Lexion had cursed immediately after seeing that woman, this was quite interesting.
“Your Highness, why are you… Ah.”
The attendant also looked outside and began to fidget, watching Lexion’s expression.
Dominique asked, seemingly not curious at all on the surface.
“Is there a problem?”
“That woman is that woman, Your Grace.”
The attendant hastily added. It was the first time he had heard an attendant refer to a noble lady as ‘that woman’ instead of ‘the lady of such and such family’.
Feeling a bit more interested, Dominique read the surrounding atmosphere. The attendant bowed his head to Lexion.
“Shall I tell her to withdraw now?”
“No. That mad dog won’t listen to such words anyway.”
Mad dog. As soon as he heard those words, Dominique’s lips subtly curved upwards.
The attendant and Lexion flinched at that momentary change and turned their gaze towards the Grand Duke.
It was a strange feeling, as if the statue had momentarily come to life, and the two men fell silent. Dominique merely offered a single comment.
“No wonder.”
“No wonder?”
“A dog recognizes another dog, you see.”
Lexion immediately showed annoyance at the incomprehensible remark.
“Is that the reaction you should show to a cousin bitten by a mad dog?”
It was a very famous story that Crown Prince Lexion had been bitten by Ernberg’s mad dog a few years ago and had been obsessively pursued ever since.
Other young ladies only looked at the Crown Prince with longing eyes, like staring at an unattainable cake.
This was because whenever they approached the Crown Prince, that mad dog would approach with a smile that made people flinch and tell them to get lost.
People whispered that the Crown Prince had been thoroughly ensnared by the mad dog.
‘But then, he seems to be enjoying himself thoroughly behind the scenes.’
Dominique simply commented, still sensing the citrus scent lingering in the air.
Looking again, the woman was smiling quite beautifully for a mad dog. Dominique spoke casually.
“She’s smiling.”
“No matter what she hears, that woman just clings on with that stupid smile,” Lexion grumbled.
Dominique read something additional in Lexion’s eyes besides boredom. It was not difficult for Dominique, who had carefully observed imperial figures.
‘He seems to be quite enjoying it.’
A strange light flickering between the Crown Prince’s furrowed brows conveyed it. That he was enjoying the woman’s desperation, and the situation itself.
This scene of a woman from Ernberg, one of the most powerful families in the empire, if not any other family, clinging to him.
“I’m bored to death.”
He said that, but an undeniable thrill could be felt at the end of his words. Dominique calmly concluded.
‘He seems to want to drag this situation out for quite a while.’
Indeed, it was a situation that someone like Lexion would enjoy. Someone who needed everyone around him to pay attention to him, to have all the attention.
Thinking of young Lexion, who would break something if he couldn’t contain his anger, Dominique’s lips subtly curved upwards.
Young Lexion, who had broken the leg of an attendant because he had responded to the Grand Duke first instead of the Crown Prince.
Young Lexion, who had damaged the chef’s wrist because he had served dessert to him first.
Lexion frowned when he saw Dominique’s lips curl.
“I was bitten by a mad dog, and you’re laughing?”
“Well.”
Dominique’s gaze slowly swept over Kyrie Ernberg again. Savoring each of the emotions glimpsed beneath her radiant smile.
The desperation of a cornered soldier. The anxiety hidden behind her perfectly still demeanor and painted smile.
‘She probably doesn’t know that this kind of behavior only encourages Lexion more.’
Though he didn’t know the exact reason, that mad dog was merely feigning madness because she was cornered.
The very fact that she had to merely wait there instead of forcefully entering the Crown Prince’s palace when he didn’t come out proved that there wasn’t much she could do.
A predator does not wait for its prey to emerge. It destroys the prey’s den and suffocates it.
So, Dominique simply assessed it. A mad dog, she called herself.
‘She’s a more boring woman than I thought.’
It would have been interesting if she were a woman of more plausible worth, and if she had truly managed to ensnare Lexion.
“Anyway, we should go through the back door too.”
“You’re the Crown Prince, so do as you wish.”
Dominique readily replied to Lexion’s words. Then he scanned Kyrie, who was still rooted to the spot.
A somewhat sarcastic remark escaped his red lips.
“It seems she hasn’t seen a real mad dog yet.”
Just mimicking it won’t do. The more desperate she appears, the more Lexion will enjoy it. And merely feigning madness won’t resolve the situation.
Dominique rose from his seat and followed behind Lexion.
A less impressive woman than expected.
That was the conclusion of Dominique Roman Haswell’s very first feelings towards Kyrie Ernberg.
‘Disappointing.’
The reason his gaze kept returning to her was thus resolved.
