Chapter 4 Part 3
Hyle stared blankly at me as I greeted him cheerfully with what seemed like a dumbfounded expression, and for some reason cleared his throat a couple of times while covering his reddened ears.
“Lady Laté, would you grant me the honor of escorting you?”
Then Hyle bowed and skillfully extended his hand.
His face was quite serious for what was merely a formal courtesy.
It seemed he was conscious of the many observers.
Of course, Hyle’s show of courtesy wouldn’t earn him any points with Mattio or Fergio… but that was fine.
“Gladly.”
When I placed my hand on his, Hyle firmly grasped it and helped me into the carriage.
Just as the coachman was about to close the carriage door, someone suddenly thrust their arm through the closing gap to stop him.
“You should explain this combination, my dear sister.”
The culprit was, predictably, Fergio.
Judging by his furrowed brow, being ignored by me earlier seemed to have affected him quite a bit.
“Does this need an explanation? It is what it looks like.”
I expected him to get angry like Mattio at my cold response… but strangely, Fergio was looking back and forth between Hyle and me with curious eyes.
“Well, this is certainly more interesting than the emperor’s dog.”
Having seemingly reached his own conclusion, Fergio released his hold on the carriage door.
Then with a grin, he tossed a comment at Hyle.
“Hey you, you’re dead if you lose her to that guy.”
…That guy? Who’s “that guy”?
“That won’t happen.”
“Of course it shouldn’t.”
Fergio’s eyes curved pleasantly at Hyle’s firm response.
The two men briefly exchanged this cryptic conversation that excluded me, then quickly turned away as if nothing had happened.
When the carriage door finally closed, the sound of hooves began to move.
“This feels like committing a crime.”
Hyle was the first to break the quiet atmosphere.
Well, he was essentially sneaking away with the Crown Prince’s woman.
Come to think of it, it made sense that Fergio would find this situation interesting.
Hyle, who was known for being aloof and uninterested in women, getting involved with none other than the future Crown Princess…
I couldn’t even imagine everyone’s expressions when Hyle and I would enter the party together.
“This is nothing. There’s more to come.”
“Is this recklessness a Laté family trait?”
Hyle’s gentle voice drew us closer together.
When I looked up, our eyes immediately met as he was already watching me.
Under his black hair, those unfathomable deep green eyes showed gentle ripples.
The white cravat worn under his dark blue uniform and the sparkling emerald brooch suited him remarkably well.
Looking at Hyle’s newly noticed charm, I suddenly felt the surreal sense that this was indeed inside a novel.
Although much time had passed, I had never forgotten Korea, my homeland.
Back then, whenever I read fantasy novels like this, I used to daydream about meeting such wonderful men in real life.
But to think I’d be seeing such a man up close like this…
“With such a gentle heart, how could Abel consider you a rival?”
Feeling awkward in this unfamiliar atmosphere, I joked with a slight smile.
Hyle exhaled shortly and loosened his constraining shirt.
“I read all the notes you gave me. But really… Do you think it will work? It seemed quite childish.”
“All love triangles are childish by nature. The charm of a romance drama is not wanting to have something yourself, but not being able to stand seeing others have it.”
And such calculating nature became good prey for the devil.
Abel didn’t like me anyway.
That’s why this plan had a high chance of success.
“Of course, as you say, the Crown Prince is sensitive about his public image. So he might easily break off the engagement as planned.”
However, his quiet following words came hesitantly and faintly.
His dark expression suggested he was considering an unwelcome possibility.
“We should consider the case where the Crown Prince genuinely likes you, not just as a means to an end.”
“Don’t worry about that. That won’t happen.”
There was a valid reason for my certainty.
In the original story, and in my first and second lives, Abel had never once looked at me that way.
Although there were some variables this time, they weren’t significant enough to change Abel’s predetermined course.
Though this was just my opinion, so whether it would actually be true remained unknown. But I didn’t think this prediction would be far off.
“You need to know that things don’t always go as planned.”
Hyle, having heard my whole story, should know well that Abel wouldn’t genuinely like me.
Yet his expression remained quite serious as he continued to speak about the possibility of Abel’s feelings.
“Well… even if Abel truly liked me, it wouldn’t be a big problem for the breakup. Is that really important?”
Even if Abel really liked me, that was separate from his public image.
As long as Abel was the Crown Prince, he had no justification or reason to be involved with me at the cost of being embroiled in unnecessary rumors.
But Hyle still nodded with a serious look.
“It is important.”
Why is he worrying so much? It hasn’t even happened yet.
Above all, Abel wasn’t foolish enough to throw away his dignity as Crown Prince just because he liked me.
So one way or another, the breakup was almost certainly predetermined.
“Don’t worry, Hyle. I only have you.”
When I answered playfully with a relaxed expression, Hyle’s face instantly hardened.
Hm? What’s with that cold expression?
Could it be that saying I only had him was that offensive…?
“How can you say such…”
“Hyle, you suddenly don’t look well… are you sick?”
“It’s not that.”
When I tilted my head curiously and examined his complexion, he turned his gaze sharply to the window without relaxing his rigid expression.
…Why is he suddenly acting like this?
