Chapter 67 - The Crown Prince’s Type

Fresia was silently grumbling about her lord’s lack of patience when Max spoke up again. “You mentioned that you struck a deal with Duke Floyen as a way to get information from him, right?”

“Ah, yes.” Fresia swallowed nervously because the details of this deal were supposed to be a secret that not even her lord should’ve been aware of. ‘It’s something that he can benefit from as well… So it’s better for him to not know.’

At that moment, Max said, “Get in touch with him.”

“I’m sorry? There’s nothing to report to him at this moment…”

“You can make something up.”

Fresia could guess her lord’s true intentions from the words he said in an icy tone. ‘It seems like he’s trying to drive the duke away from his home by using me as bait.’

* * *

A week had already passed since I was forced to stay in my room.

“It seems like you are well enough to take a walk outside, my lady,” Allen said after lifting the detainment order on me. 

I smiled at his words and inadvertently stole a glance at the porcelain rabbit on my bedside table. ‘Father has probably proceeded with the preparations for my meeting with the crown prince.’ I sighed. Despite my concentration these past few days, I hadn’t been able to think of a way to avoid this meeting.

‘It would be another story if I pretended to date someone my father approved of.’ I didn’t know anyone who he held in high regard, but perhaps Lord Frederick or Mikhail, the main character of this novel, were to his standards. Even so, someone like Lord Frederich, who was accomplished in all aspects of his life, would never take part in my scheme. 

‘That means my only solution is to follow the original novel and cling to Mikhail again… It seems like I’ll die whether I date Mikhail or the crown prince.’ I sighed out of resentment for my unfortunate circumstances when I heard a noise coming from the balcony, which was attached to my room. 

Tap, tap!

I turned around, startled by the sound. Sure enough, a familiar face met me. ‘Father’s disciple is here again.’ I sighed again and walked towards the window. 

‘Why does this guy keep visiting me instead of my father? If someone sees us…’ At that moment, I suddenly thought about the scandalous rumors I once feared would arise from his visit. ‘Wait, that’s it!’ 

I hurriedly ran towards the window and opened it. When I saw him, I smiled brightly and tightly grasped his hands. “Welcome!”

After seeing my reaction, he hardened his expression. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked with a serious tone. 

Well, it didn’t matter that his personality was a little vile. He was my only solution.

My mouth widened into a smile. “Hey, do you want to…”

* * * 

“I can stall him for at most two hours. You must leave the mansion before then,” Fresia had said.

Max stared at the duke’s mansion as he recalled her words. ‘Why isn’t Jubelian coming outside?’ He unconsciously clenched his teeth as he became overwhelmed by restlessness. When he finally saw a familiar shadow from afar, he raised the corner of his lips. 

‘She’s finally moving.’ Max crossed the garden, finding it easy to avoid the guards around the mansion. After arriving at the familiar ledge, he spotted her again. ‘Her ankle must be okay now, seeing as she’s standing.’ 

He smiled unconsciously, finding himself captivated by the view. However, he soon came to his senses. ‘Why am I smiling like a fool? I should just tell her what I need to tell her before running out of time…’

Max then realized that he had nothing to talk to Jubelian about and became absorbed in his thoughts. ‘This is driving me crazy.’ He was disappointed in himself for doing things he didn’t understand, but the urge to see the woman turn around and look at him was great enough to push him forward. 

Tap, tap. 

He hit the window with his fingers, prompting the woman to turn around. Her skin was a milky color, her hair radiated with light, her coral lips were slightly parted, and her periwinkle eyes contained mysteries; these very characteristics made up the face that had been troubling him these past few days. 

“What a foolish expression,” Max muttered to himself, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart. But the moment a broad smile appeared on her face, his efforts became futile.

‘Even her foolish expression is pretty.’ He continued to stare at her face as if he was possessed when the door that connected the balcony to her room opened. 

“Welcome!”

Max’s heart jumped when she greeted him and grabbed his hands with her smaller ones. “What do you think you’re doing?” Max criticized, trying to suppress his emotions as much as possible. He was afraid of her knowing that he had been shaken up by her actions. When he saw her unfaltering smile, his heart began to pound harder.

‘Why are you smiling even when I’m being rude to you?’ Max glared at Jubelian, wondering if she had ulterior motives for being so kind to him. Her coral-red lips parted.

“Hey, do you want to go out with me?”

Max stared blankly at her, surprised by the words that came from her lips. ‘Go out? What is she saying?’ When a thought suddenly occurred to him, he felt like he had been hit with a ton of bricks. ‘Is it possible that… she’s been nice to me all this time because she likes me?’

Max had always detested people who approached him with hidden agendas, but at the thought of her doing so… he found it strangely acceptable. Now that he learned the reason behind her friendliness, he became relieved. ‘I see, that’s why she said that.’ He tried to control his expression and lower the corner of his lips, which kept trying to ascend into a smile. 

“Oh, in case you’re mistaken, I don’t like you. I just want a contractual relationship, so could you please stop frowning?”

Max ruthlessly twisted his expression in response.