Chapter 10: LTSV

Angelina decided that perhaps she ought to take the contents of the novel with a grain of salt as she wrapped Artoas back in the cloth.

Right. What's done is done.

True to her practical nature, she quickly shook off both her bewilderment and the tangle of thoughts weighing on her mind.

There was no undoing what had already happened.

If that was the case, dwelling on it would only make her miserable.

Honestly, it wasn't even that major of an incident, was it?

Sure, it was a shame that the scene where the heroine put the Crown Prince in his place had been ruined.

But it wasn't the pivotal event that brought the male and female leads together.

She was slightly bothered that she had inadvertently helped recover the male lead's family heirloom, but in the grand scheme of the novel, it was hardly something that would derail the story.

When he comes to prove it's his family heirloom, I'll just hand it over and be done with it.

In a world where coincidences happened every other chapter, a brief encounter between the male lead and the villainess's younger sister was hardly worth worrying about.

I don't even have enough time to finish my bucket list. I can't waste time stressing over something like this.

There were already more than enough things in the world to worry about.

Obsessing over something she couldn't change served no purpose.

Having completely let go of her concerns, Angelina smiled in relief.

Unfortunately, she was the only one who felt relieved.

The two guards who had watched everything unfold beside her wore grim expressions instead.

Holly silently glanced at her senior knight, Laura, asking only with her eyes and the shape of her lips,

"Senior... Miss will be alright, won't she?"

To Angelina, it had simply been the smile of someone who had accepted reality.

To Holly, however, it looked like the smile of someone who had given up on everything.

After sighing deeply enough to make the ground sink several times, only to smile like that...

How could anyone not worry?

Laura slowly shook her head before replying with a meaningful look.

"Meeting Duke Cadenhart must have caused her a great deal of stress."

The Pavilion Marquis family, relatives of the Empress, had been bitter enemies of House Cadenhart for generations.

As supporters of the Empress, House Flovert naturally found it difficult to have any friendly relationship with the Cadenharts.

Besides...

No matter how indifferent their young lady pretended to be, she dearly loved House Flovert and adored her elder brother, Marquis Flovert, who carried the burden of leading the family.

She had never once complained since childhood because she never wanted to worry him.

She always restrained herself, carefully choosing her words and limiting her own actions.

Watching her was enough to make one's heart ache.

So surely...

Even now, she was worrying that whatever had happened with Duke Cadenhart might somehow bring trouble to House Flovert.

Laura felt a pang of sympathy.

Maybe... I shouldn't have told her.

What's done is done. But from now on, I'll have to be more careful.

She silently renewed her vow.

Just as the Marquis had ordered...

She would ensure that nothing, absolutely nothing, would ever harm their young lady.

Seeing Laura's determined expression, Holly nodded solemnly as well.

* * *

"What the hell was that woman?"

Back at the Imperial Palace, Crown Prince Aiden ripped off his wig and threw it across the room.

Brilliant crimson hair spilled free from beneath the brown disguise.

"A billion?!"

Still irritated by what had happened at the auction house, he immediately grabbed a glass of water and emptied it in one long gulp.

The cool water washed down his throat, calming the heat rising inside him.

"She must have known it was the Cadenhart family's heirloom. Otherwise, who spends a billion on a single sword?"

He shot his aide an expectant look.

Dominic answered with an uncomfortable expression.

"We couldn't identify the woman in Balcony One. The Flovert Auction House is exceptionally strict when it comes to protecting its clients' identities."

In other words...

There was no way to know whether she had recognized the sword.

As though he'd expected such an unhelpful answer, Aiden clicked his tongue.

"Tch."

"I can't exactly reveal who I am, either."

If he openly declared himself the Crown Prince and demanded the information, they might comply.

But that would expose the fact that he had personally visited the auction house.

This outing had been a secret—one his mother, the Empress, knew nothing about.

He couldn't afford that.

"Damn it... That sword would've been the perfect leash for that bastard."

The Empress believed the fallen House Cadenhart was no longer worth worrying about.

Aiden disagreed.

Blake still bothered him.

That stubborn man would undoubtedly restore his family's former glory.

As much as Aiden hated to admit it, the two of them had been compared their entire lives.

No one understood Blake's brilliance better than he did.

That was why, the moment he learned that Artoas had appeared at a Flovert auction, he'd seen an opportunity.

A trump card.

Something that would ensure Blake could never threaten his position again.

But then...

That mysterious woman had ruined everything.

"We couldn't see her face," Dominic reported, "but it doesn't appear she was wearing a wig. If that's the case... could she have been the younger sister of Marquis Flovert?"

Ante Flovert's striking silver hair had made him famous throughout high society.

And considering the auction house belonged to House Flovert, it was only natural to suspect his sister.

But Aiden shook his head.

"Have you forgotten what a snake Marquis Flovert is?"

His handsome face twisted into a scowl.

The Empress believed she held Marquis Flovert firmly on a leash.

Aiden thought otherwise.

That scheming bastard definitely has another plan hidden somewhere.

That was why Aiden had planted spies throughout Flovert territory.

The ones sent into the marquis's estate itself never lasted more than a week before Ante sniffed them out and threw them out.

So Aiden had settled for placing informants elsewhere.

The auction house had been one such place.

It was thanks to that spy that he had learned about Cadenhart's heirloom.

"If the Marquis had known that Cadenhart's heirloom was being auctioned, he would've pulled it from the auction and tried selling it directly to me or my mother."

"There is no way he'd waste money by bidding on it himself."

Ante Flovert wasn't the type to take a loss.

"...No."

Aiden paused mid-sentence.

His black eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"The Marquis himself would never do something like that..."

"But if it was his younger sister..."

That changed things.

"There's no guarantee siblings think alike."

Just look at himself and his mother.

They were family, yet they disagreed on plenty.

Why should siblings be any different?

"I doubt the world could produce two people as sinister as Ante Flovert."

Dominic nodded in agreement.

Having dealt with every sort of lunatic imaginable, even Dominic disliked dealing with Ante Flovert.

The man was impossible to predict.

"How old is his sister again?"

"She came of age only a few days ago."

"Ah. Right."

Even Aiden had heard that House Flovert had prepared an extravagant coming-of-age celebration, only to cancel it at the last minute.

A faint smile curled across his lips.

"Then she's just reached the age where she'll start acting on her own convictions."

He slowly rubbed his chin, looking intrigued.

"I just hope she's easier to talk to than that gloomy brother of hers."

"Shall I arrange contact?"

Dominic immediately caught on.

Aiden shook his head.

"If we're too obvious about it, Marquis Flovert will intervene."

Everyone in noble society knew how fiercely Ante Flovert protected his younger sister.

Countless young noblemen had shown interest in her simply because her brother was so handsome.

Yet not a single one had managed to catch more than the ends of her hair.

"For now..."

"Put someone on her."

Dominic's shoulders stiffened.

It was hard enough planting spies in the Flovert stables because of Ante's suspicious nature.

Now he was supposed to keep watch on the sister he treasured above all else?

Still, refusing an order wasn't an option.

He bowed.

"Understood."

Aiden smiled faintly.

"She just became an adult."

"And thanks to her brother, she's never really experienced high society."

"...Which means she's probably never been in love."

The moment those words left his mouth, Dominic understood exactly what the Crown Prince was planning.

A similar smile spread across his own face.

"Perhaps we should help her discover... a brand-new emotion."

Seeing his superior's absolute confidence, Dominic chuckled.

The Crown Prince truly believed there wasn't a woman alive who could resist his charms.

"There's nothing more wonderful than love."

"If things go well, I may gain a card that can provoke Marquis Flovert..."

"...and obtain the heirloom that'll let me control Blake."

"My congratulations in advance."

"Then shall we have a drink?"

"It would be my honor."

Certain of victory before the game had even begun, the Crown Prince happily raised his wine glass.