By Zephyria 
“I wish you’d get off my lap.”
“Excuse me?”
“You’re heavy.”
Cecile, momentarily stunned by the curt remark, snapped back to reality. Even if he’d been preoccupied, there was no reason for him to be sitting on Alexis’s thighs!
As Cecile scrambled to his feet, losing his balance and swaying, Alexis reached out and caught his elbow. He still had a broad smile on his face. Cecile belatedly realized this was just an extension of the playful teasing.
“Perhaps you should stop playing pranks now.”
“Oh my, that glare is quite intimidating.”
The words, spoken with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, lacked any sincerity. When Cecile frowned, Alexis stopped teasing and stood up.
“Are you busy?”
“…I am rather busy. Wouldn’t Your Highness say the same?”
“Since you’ve come all this way, spare me ten more minutes. Let’s take a short stroll. We both need a moment to catch our breath, don’t we?”
Alexis led Cecile away without further ado. The attendants followed at a distance, allowing space between themselves and the pair.
The two strolled through the greenhouse, engaging in conversation. Mostly trivial matters.
The hardships of entertaining guests, the breakfast they’d had that morning, the names and meanings of rare flowers that occasionally caught their eye.
But Cecile was overwhelmingly happy. The tranquility of this moment, walking side-by-side with Alexis, was almost unbelievable.
His laughter-tinged voice, his casual remarks, the pace of his steps matching his own—it all felt surreal. And yet, it was enough to make Cecile feel fully compensated.
Some time passed—it felt like well over ten minutes—but they hadn’t even walked halfway around the greenhouse.
Just as he thought it would be nice to remain confined in the greenhouse, an attendant came running from afar, breathlessly searching for the Crown Prince.
The attendant, finally slowing down, gasped for breath and said,
“Your Highness, guests from the Kazarzhan Kingdom are arriving! You should begin preparations.”
“They don’t give me a moment’s peace.”
Alexis didn’t seem surprised by the attendant’s report, as if he already knew about the guests’ visit. He simply brushed his bangs back, showing a hint of annoyance.
“It’s a demanding guest, so I must greet them personally. We should part ways here.”
“Your Highness, may I accompany you?”
“Really? I thought you had much to do. And you aren’t particularly close to the Kazarzhan, are you?”
“I wish to spend a little more time with Your Highness.”
Taken aback by the unexpected proposal, Alexis stared down at Cecile’s face.
It was clearly a lie, but Cecile’s eyes conveyed sincerity.
He seemed desperate to avoid his work. Moreover, the excuse itself was rather pleasing.
Alexis’s lips curved into an elegant line.
“Very well, I’ll humor you this once. Let’s go together.”
* * *
A carriage adorned with precious jewels passed through the castle gates. The mounted guards flanking the lead carriage proudly held aloft the Kazarzhan royal banners.
The Kazarzhan Kingdom was a nation with a long and rich history, comparable to the Berka Empire. A nation that loved adornment, even their banners displayed extravagance. Splendor was synonymous with Kazarzhan.
As the carriage stopped, Alexis stepped forward. The door opened, revealing Larissa, the Kazarzhan princess.
Her slightly tanned skin and form-fitting dress were strikingly exotic.
“Larissa Ortega. Welcome to the Empire.”
Alexis greeted her respectfully. He clasped his left hand behind his back, bowed slightly, and kissed her hand. Princess Larissa puffed out her cheeks and smiled happily.
“It was a long journey. But it was worth the effort.”
The princess brushed back her cascading hair and looked around.
The clear sky, the refreshing air devoid of heat and humidity, the beautiful scenery of the Imperial Court—she was quite taken with the Berka Empire, which she was visiting for the first time.
Above all, the Empire’s Crown Prince, who was escorting her personally, was even more charming than she had anticipated.
She had fallen for him at first sight upon seeing his portrait, but Alexis Winter Graham, in person, was a dazzlingly handsome man.
The princess couldn’t hide the smile that bloomed on her face, revealing her satisfaction.
Having already alighted from the carriage, the princess approached Alexis and quickly linked arms with him. The attendants were startled by her forward behavior, but lowered their eyes, pretending not to see. Indeed, the Kazarzhan princess was as assertive as rumored.
Leaning her cheek close to Alexis’s firm arm, she said,
“Please call me Lara. May I call you Alexis?”
“As you wish, Your Highness. I hope you will be comfortable during your stay in the Empire.”
Alexis responded without any sign of agitation. He allowed her to do as she pleased, yet he maintained his boundaries.
His demeanor was so elegant that the princess, already in high spirits, found it difficult to notice the line drawn between them.
“Of course. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this trip, and I’ve made thorough preparations.”
The princess had brought with her over thirty attendants, and the procession of baggage carriages that followed seemed endless.
Alexis calmly asked, watching the guards thoroughly search the carriages that had arrived from Kazarzhan.
“The Empire has made every effort to ensure your comfortable stay. Is there anything you are concerned about?”
“Not at all. Most of this is for my personal adornment. Five carriages were needed just for the dresses and jewels.”
“Then there’s nothing more to be done.”
“Let me tell you in advance, I’ve come all this way to win your heart. I’ll show you plenty of beautiful things, so look forward to it.”
Everyone was surprised by the princess’s bold declaration. Even Alexis let out a wry chuckle in disbelief.
“…….”
The only one maintaining composure was Cecile. He already knew that Princess Larissa was infatuated with Alexis, so it wasn’t worth being surprised.
Just then, another carriage stopped. From within a four-wheeled carriage, equally magnificent but a different color from the one the princess had arrived in, a long leg extended.
“Lara, I’ve told you countless times, clinging women aren’t attractive.”
Few people could use the princess’s nickname. Everyone turned their gaze towards the source of the voice. The man with tanned skin and reddish-brown hair was Killian, the Kazarzhan heir.
Having approached, Killian skipped the formalities and gently pushed the princess away from Alexis’s side.
“I apologize for my sister’s immaturity. But her heart is sincere, so please be kind.”
“It’s been a while. I didn’t expect Prince Killian to come in person. The reply to the invitation didn’t mention it.”
“Yes, I wasn’t entirely confident sending only Larissa. It’s a form of surveillance.”
Killian shrugged. The ease with which he carried himself was one of his weapons. Though smaller in build than Alexis, his presence was in no way inferior.
He gestured towards the long line of baggage carriages.
“While most of it is Larissa’s belongings, there are many gifts from Kazarzhan. It’s His Majesty’s birthday, so we couldn’t treat it lightly.”
“Gifts from Kazarzhan, His Majesty will be delighted.”
“I assure you, he will be pleased.”
Killian then turned his gaze, hands clasped behind his back.
“This place remains unchanged. It’s surprising how little has changed in ten years.”
As Killian scanned his surroundings, his eyes fell upon someone.
While everyone else bowed slightly in deference, one person held their head high.
His delicate features naturally drew the eye, but the person glared fiercely at Killian with emerald-green eyes like jewels. The intense hatred in them was evident to all.
‘Why is Killian here? Only Princess Larissa should have come. I’m not ready to face that bastard yet.’
Cecile was greatly disturbed by the unexpected turn of events. He clenched his fists, trying to control himself, but couldn’t stop his teeth grinding and his eyes tightening.
Meanwhile, Killian tilted his head, observing Cecile’s face. Having recognized him, he smiled slyly.
“Could it be… you’re Cecile Adrian?”
Cecile had no choice but to step forward. He stood beside Alexis, greeting the Kazarzhan prince.
“It’s been a long time, Your Highness Killian.”
“You’ve changed so much. When did you grow up so much?”
“That much time has passed.”
Cecile replied curtly, maintaining politeness while avoiding unnecessary conversation.
In the past, he had fawned over Killian to take advantage of his position and abilities. But now, there was no reason to do so. Avoiding him was the best course of action for his own mental health.
Contrary to Cecile’s wishes, Killian seemed quite taken with him.
The child he had glimpsed ten years ago had grown into quite a beauty. He liked his appearance, but he was particularly intrigued by his fierce eyes. Killian’s smile deepened with each intense exchange of glances.
“They say children grow up in the blink of an eye, but I didn’t expect you to grow up so well. Nice to meet you, shall we shake hands?”
Cecile looked down at the hand extended towards him, then reluctantly grasped his hand. A tremor, impossible to hide, was transmitted, causing Killian to squeeze his hand tightly and laugh.
“I’d like you to give me a tour of the palace. Would that be possible?”
“…….”
Cecile couldn’t speak. His mind kept telling him to answer, but his body wouldn’t obey. It felt as if a monstrous lump was lodged in his throat.
The silence made the atmosphere chilly. Noticing Cecile’s discomfort, Alexis continued the conversation.
“Cecile… seems to be too busy to spare the time. I’ll guide you to your lodgings first. You must be tired from your long journey, it would be best to rest.”
Alexis said, looking down. His words and manner were polite, but his eyes, fixed on their clasped hands, were undeniably cold.
“Yes, that’s right. I’m terribly tired. I was just longing for a warm bath and massage, so this is perfect.”
Killian quickly removed his hand and brushed his hair back. A light scoff escaped his lips. The perceptive Killian had already noticed Alexis’s wariness.
“I look forward to seeing you again soon.”
The Kazarzhan siblings finally departed, their entourage trailing behind them.
Cecile watched their backs, then, unable to bear it any longer, turned away.
He ran to a grove of trees, bent over, and vomited, “Waeek!”