Chapter 40
Chapter 40
What is even happening right now?
Rosalyn stared at Annie, who was clinging to her, sobbing uncontrollably. Her quiet whimpers soon turned into loud wails.
“Waaah! Thank you so mu… waaah!”
The palace attendants nearby began to cast strange looks on them as they passed. Flustered, Rosalyn gently pried herself out of Annie’s embrace and hurried back to her quarters.
***
At some point, Hans stopped bringing Theodor his lavender tea altogether. It seemed the Empress had realized Theodor was deliberately avoiding it. She was probably plotting something new during the tea parties.
The thought made Rosalyn uneasy.
So on the days the tea parties were held, she wandered around near the Empress’s palace, hoping she might pick up some sort of clue.
That was when the York family’s carriage arrived, and Lady York and her attendants poured out. Upon spotting Rosalyn, the attendants flinched and quickly disappeared into the Empress’s palace. Annie followed alone behind them.
Oddly, they didn’t seem to be bullying Annie anymore. At least, not within the palace.
Just then, Annie’s pink-rose eyes met hers.
There was a subtle tremble in Annie’s gaze, and an odd expression crossed her face.
‘What’s that about?’
As Rosalyn wondered, Annie quietly vanished into the palace. The same thing happened the next day. And the day after that. Every time, they locked eyes in front of the palace.
By now, Annie would shyly smile at her, lips parting slightly like she wanted to say something but she never spoke, simply bowing her head and hurrying inside.
Rosalyn was beginning to get curious.
So one day, she decided to go over and ask directly.
She waited until Annie was alone, after the other attendants had already gone inside.
“Hey.”
The moment Rosalyn addressed her, Annie’s face lit up.
‘She really is beautiful.’
With the usual gloom of being bullied washed away, Annie looked even more stunning than she had in the original story. Even Rosalyn felt her heart skip a beat.
“Is there something you’ve been meaning to say? Don’t just stare, you can tell me.”
Blushing deeply, Annie suddenly grabbed Rosalyn’s hands with both of hers.
“U-unnie!”
Unnie?
Rosalyn blinked at the unfamiliar term, and Annie gave a ninety-degree bow.
“Thank you so much for always protecting me!”
… What?
Then Annie continued, her voice thick with emotion.
“Ever since that day, you’ve always come by and watched over me, haven’t you? Because you were worried those attendants might bully me again.”
No, I just came to see what the Empress was plotting.
It seemed Annie had gotten the wrong idea.
‘So that’s why she always had that odd look when our eyes met?’
Still, seeing Annie’s angelic smile made it impossible to tell her the truth.
Then Annie said softly, “I’m really lucky to have someone as dependable as you, Rosalyn Unnie.”
“How do you know my name?!”
Rosalyn was startled, and Annie grinned sheepishly.
“I asked around. They said you used to be Prince Theodor’s awakening tutor back in Siphoc, and before that, you were an apprentice mage at the eastern Mage Tower. You like chocolate and cats, and you dislike…”
How does she know all this?!
It felt like meeting a devoted fan who knew everything about their favorite celebrity.
Rosalyn stared at her in disbelief as Annie hurriedly tried to explain.
“I-I’m sorry! I was just curious because I really like you, and I might’ve looked into it a little bit… Are you mad?”
With her head bowed and her voice small, Annie looked heartbreakingly lovely.
But… was this part of her original characterization?
In the novel, she was the heroine constantly caught in Theodor’s obsessive grasp, suffering under his torment. Rosalyn never imagined she’d be the informant type.
“…I’m not mad. Just surprised, that’s all.”
“Thank goodness…” Annie beamed, tears sparkling in her eyes. “I’ll never forget how you’ve been like a guardian angel to me! If there’s anything I can do for you, anything at all, just say the word!”
“Haha… okay…”
With that, Annie trotted off toward the Empress’s palace for the tea party. Partway there, she turned back and gave Rosalyn a bright, enthusiastic wave.
‘She’s such a radiant and energetic girl.’
Now Rosalyn understood why the original novel had compared her to a sunflower.
She gave a slightly awkward wave in return.
‘Something she could help me with…’
Wait.
A sudden thought crossed Rosalyn’s mind.
“Excuse me!”
She called out and caught up to Annie.
“I actually do have a favor to ask. Would that be alright?”
“Of course! If it’s you, unnie, I’ll do anything. Just tell me!”
Annie answered like a loyal soldier, and Rosalyn stepped in close.
***
Rosalyn’s request was simple.
She wanted Annie to quietly observe the conversations happening at the Empress’s tea parties. As Lady York’s handmaid, Annie was allowed access to the palace annex where the events were held. If the Empress ever brought up specific plans to harm Theodor, she might dismiss all the attendants. But even if she didn’t hear everything, Annie might still pick up a clue or two.
‘At the very least, I want to find out who recommended that purple potion.’
They arranged to meet at a teahouse in the city. It was hard to find a private spot to talk inside the palace.
‘Come to think of it, this’ll be my first real outing into the city.’
Since arriving at the capital, Rosalyn hadn’t had a reason to leave the palace. Her only glimpse of the city had been during the carriage ride from Siphoc.
Though the meeting with Annie was hours away, Rosalyn decided to head out early and take a stroll through town. For some reason, her heart fluttered as she opened her wardrobe and picked out a dress for the occasion. There were so many to choose from, even that was a task.
Of course, the most beautiful one was the red velvet gown Theodor had gifted her.
Just seeing it brought back memories of that day with him in this very room, the way he had asked her to call him by a nickname while she was dressed in it.
The memory made her heart flutter strangely. Softly, she whispered the nickname under her breath.
“…Theo.”
Saying it aloud left her oddly calm. With the heroine Annie now in the picture, who knew how things would unfold, even if for now, they were strangers?
She recalled Annie’s breathtaking face.
A black-haired prince with mismatched eyes, paired with a radiant heroine was a perfect match.
Now that Theodor had awakened and his terminal illness had been cured, surely he wouldn’t fall into the same obsessive spiral.
Thinking so, Rosalyn set aside the red dress and instead chose a white linen gown suitable for a daytime outing.
She was on her way to the palace gates when she unexpectedly ran into Theodor.
His body was slick with sweat as his sword training with Aiden had just ended. His physique had improved remarkably thanks to the intense regimen. Even through his damp shirt, the definition of his muscles was visible.
“Your Highness, done with your lesson?”
“That was the last thing on my schedule today. I’m going to rest now.”
He was about to pass when he caught sight of her outfit.
“… Why are you so dressed up?”
“I’m heading into the city. I have plans.”
“With whom?”
A sharp glint flashed in Theodor’s eyes. As far as he knew, Rosalyn didn’t know anyone outside the palace.
“Just a friend.”
“Which friend?”
Why is he interrogating me like this?
She couldn’t exactly say your future love interest.
“… A handmaid from another household. We’ve grown close recently. I’m just going out for tea.”
At the mention of a handmaid, Theodor’s shoulders visibly relaxed.
“And since I’m going out, I figured I’d take a look around. It should be fun since it’s my first time.”
Then his heterochromatic eyes lit up.
“Wait here a moment.”
“… Huh?”
“I’ll go with you.”
“I thought you said you were going to rest?”
“Something came to mind. I have an errand in town. Just wait here a bit.”
Rosalyn blinked at him suspiciously. As far as she knew, Theodor had no reason to visit the city. And even if he did, his attendants would take care of it.
So why wasn’t he back yet?
An hour passed, and still no sign of him.
At last, he appeared in the distance.
‘What on earth is he wearing?’
He had on a dazzling emerald frock coat, far flashier than even the formalwear he’d worn at Kyle’s birthday celebration. The gold buttons down the front sparkled in the sunlight.
Everyone on the street would stare at him dressed like that.
But that wasn’t all.
“Wait… what’s that smell?”
A strong, peculiar scent wafted from Theodor.
“Your Highness… did you wear cologne?”
At her question, Theodor looked flustered.
“…Is it okay? My attendant said it was a fragrance women like…”
It wasn’t that the scent was bad. It was just… he’d used way too much. Wait, flashy frock coat, overpowering cologne…
Why is he so dressed up?
Rosalyn finally asked.
“Your Highness Theo, why are you dressed like this?”
Theodor turned his head slightly. A faint red crept up to his ears. He cleared his throat, then murmured in the tiniest voice, barely a whisper.
“…Isn’t this our first date?”
But it was so quiet Rosalyn didn’t hear him.
“What was that? I couldn’t hear you!”
“It’s nothing. Let’s go to the carriage.”
