Chapter 103
Raylenne blinked slowly, processing what she had just heard.
“Is that really true?”
“Though he’s not as blatant as when he was younger, I can definitely tell,” Aiden replied with certainty. Given his sharp intuition, Raylenne couldn’t dismiss his words lightly. However, she hadn’t noticed Crown Prince Harbian being overly persistent in his conversations, and he seemed to withdraw easily.
Seeing her thoughtful expression, Aiden added, “At least I’m not powerless to just stand by and watch, like before. That’s a relief.”
He gently took Raylenne’s hand and kissed the back of it. “I will protect you.”
* * *
Meanwhile, back at the palace, Harbian stood by the window, still in his overcoat, watching Raylenne’s carriage disappear into the distance. He didn’t blink as the carriage became a tiny speck and finally vanished.
“She certainly has a beautiful face. For a flower of the castle, she seems to have quite a bit of resolve,” commented Palton, Harbian’s aide, who had approached quietly.
Turning his gaze from the window, Harbian replied, “Her value isn’t just in her appearance.” A slight smirk played on his lips as he thought back to Raylenne’s piercing gaze, which seemed to see right through him.
Despite her bold and aloof demeanor, Raylenne showed genuine affection toward her close ones, something that intrigued Harbian. “She definitely has an allure that draws people in.”
“Yes, if she were to appear at a few social gatherings, men would surely line up for her. It seems the eldest son of the Bedeusian family is already quite taken with her, considering he visited with Merian today, despite having been a prisoner in the Ergen Duchy,” Palton observed.
Harbian thought of the two ‘guard dogs’ always by Raylenne’s side. They bared their teeth whenever anyone unfamiliar approached her, which was surprising given their usual dispositions. Even Caverion and Aiden, who seemed unlikely candidates for such roles, were fiercely protective of her.
This only made Harbian more curious about Raylenne. ‘How did she manage to enchant someone as cold as Caverion and someone as stoic as Aiden?’ he wondered.
Even just a few words exchanged with Raylenne had been enough to provoke hostility from Aiden, a man known for his rationality and self-control. Harbian’s smile widened at the thought. He didn’t want to give her up to anyone else.
“Palton, how long do you think my father will live?”
“Well… His health has been rapidly declining lately, so it’s doubtful he’ll survive the year.”
“Good. Then I’ll plan my wedding to coincide with my ascension to the throne.”
Palton quickly approached, his interest piqued. “Is there a lady you’ve set your heart on?”
“You saw her today.”
“Raylenne Ergen…?”
“Yes, I intend to marry her.”
Palton furrowed his brows, confused. “But didn’t a marriage proposal fall through before?”
Palton knew the details of the failed proposal. Harbian had casually mentioned it the day it was called off, explaining the reason behind it.
‘”She said she didn’t want someone as licentious as me.”‘
At the time, Harbian’s nonchalant attitude made it seem like he didn’t care about the marriage, so Palton didn’t give it much thought. Though it wasn’t ideal that the proposal had failed, Harbian was capable of rising to prominence in the empire without the support of the Ergen Duchy.
‘”Not only is he intelligent, but he also possesses an extraordinary ability,”‘ Palton thought with a sense of awe. However, he couldn’t understand why Harbian would want to pursue a failed engagement again. This was uncharacteristically unpredictable, even for him.
Palton expressed his concern, “I’ve heard that Caverion is very protective of his sister. He’ll likely be very particular about her prospective spouse.”
“I suppose so,” Harbian replied, now expressionless as he took off his coat.
“But that doesn’t mean there’s no way,” he continued.
Palton, holding Harbian’s coat, asked, “What do you mean?”
“I’ll make it so she has no choice but to marry me.”
Palton couldn’t quite grasp his meaning. Harbian smiled gently.
“Palton, do you know when a woman’s value is most severely diminished?”
“…I’m not sure.”
“It’s when she loses her chastity.”
Palton’s eyes widened in shock as he realized the enormity of Harbian’s plan. Despite the seriousness of his statement, Harbian appeared completely calm.
“If she spends the night with me, even her overly protective brother would have no choice but to marry her off to me.”
“But that’s…,” Palton trailed off.
“Why do you think all the countless women who’ve spent the night with me have kept silent? It’s not a favorable tale for them, either.”
Palton mentally shook his head in disbelief. Harbian was indeed a person of extraordinary intellect. ‘Who else would dare think of such a scheme involving the empire’s only princess?’
“The problem is… how to separate the two guard dogs from the princess,” Harbian mused, looking down at the bustling palace staff below.
“Palton, is there a ball planned at the palace soon?”
“Yes, as we do every year.”
A faint smile crossed Harbian’s lips. “Perhaps we should host this one a little differently.”
* * *
When Raylenne returned to the duchy, the first person she saw was Caverion.
‘He came out to meet me?’
Despite assigning plenty of guards, he was here in person. As Raylenne stepped out of the carriage, Caverion greeted her with his usual warm smile.
“You returned on time, Raylenne.”
“Why did you come all the way out here, brother, when you’re so busy?”
It might seem like she’d been away on a long trip to anyone watching.
“As I get older, the only thing that grows is my worry,” he said, sounding oddly like an old man.
Seeing Aiden emerge from the carriage behind her, Caverion’s warm expression vanished.
“Were there any issues on the way?” Caverion asked Aiden in a markedly stern voice, quite different from how he had just spoken to Raylenne.
Aiden, however, seemed unbothered by the change in Caverion’s demeanor. He responded calmly, “We met Harbian. He mentioned that he plans to see Raylenne more often.”
Caverion’s gaze grew icy. “Does he still harbor feelings for Raylenne?”
“It seems so.”
Caverion muttered quietly, “How audacious…”
Sensing the tense atmosphere, Raylenne quickly interjected, “It’s too early to make any assumptions, brother.”
Although the story of Aiden’s strict upbringing had sent shivers down her spine, she couldn’t jump to conclusions based on just a look. After all, Harbian had only spoken to her twice.
“No, Raylenne. It’s better to be cautious. From now on, you should take a guard knight with you whenever you go out. If Harbian approaches you, report it to me immediately.”
Though Caverion’s orders felt overly protective, Raylenne understood that he genuinely cared for her and nodded in agreement. “Okay, brother.”
* * *
Contrary to Aiden’s and Harbian’s concerns, time passed peacefully. Raylenne focused on training Aiden, and as a result of their daily practice, Aiden became much more adept at controlling his power. Of course, there were moments when he lost control, leading to unexpected physical contact, which they kept secret from Caverion.
‘Though it was just holding each other,’ she thought. They almost went further in a moment of emotion, but Janie had interrupted just in time.
“Let’s call it a day,” Raylenne said to Aiden, who looked exhausted after training. Aiden nodded, and she smiled proudly.
“In just a month, you’ve made incredible progress.”
Caverion had given them two months, but the clever Aiden had nearly mastered control within one. It seemed he wouldn’t need a handler after all.
However, Aiden did not share her satisfaction. “I’m not sure if I’ve truly made significant progress.”
“Why? You’ve controlled your power well enough that you don’t need a handler.”
“A handler isn’t necessary, but… I still find it hard to use my power properly.”
That was true. While Aiden had become proficient at controlling his power, using it effectively remained a challenge. Some days he wielded it like a seasoned awakener, but on others, he struggled.
“Don’t be too hard on yourself. Being able to control your power is already a big step,” Raylenne encouraged.
Aiden shook his head firmly. “No, I need to be able to use this power freely to feel secure.”
Raylenne understood what Aiden meant.
“I will protect you.”
He was striving to keep that promise. Wanting to fully harness his power was part of that effort, a desire to protect Raylenne from any potential threats or dangers. While Raylenne was grateful for Aiden’s dedication, she also felt a pang of sadness for him.
As she looked at him, lost in her thoughts, she suddenly realized something.