By Zephyria 
Kilian was slowly approaching.
His hair was tousled as if he had just woken up, and his face was still heavy with sleep. The robe he had carelessly thrown over his half-naked body dragged along the floor with each step he took.
Seeing this, Larissa’s lips twisted in distaste. The pleasant mood she had enjoyed until now plummeted to the depths at the sight of her own flesh and blood’s disgraceful behavior.
“Why don’t you take a look at yourself first? Ha, really! Even after coming all the way here, you still have to engage in such messy antics?”
“What’s new? I’ve always been like this.”
Kilian laughed and tightly gripped the waist of the woman beside him. It seemed he had no intention of hiding his lewd behavior at all.
“If you neglect the woman sent by Her Majesty the Empress, it would be a shame. I have loved her wholeheartedly in return.”
Cecile, who had been staring at the table since Kilian’s arrival, lifted his eyes at those words. The woman’s face in his arms looked strangely familiar.
“……”
As soon as their eyes met, the woman flinched and quickly averted her gaze, as if she had committed a crime.
She was undoubtedly one of the maids serving the Empress. Unable to hold back, she had slipped into bed with him. Cecile scoffed at the Empress’s swift actions.
Kilian gave the woman a light slap on the backside, indicating it was time for her to leave. He then looked around. Unfortunately, there were no empty chairs.
“Please, have a seat, Crown Prince Kilian.”
One man, who had been observing, stood up. It was the very man who had been sitting closest to Cecile.
“Well, I won’t refuse.”
Kilian confidently took the empty seat. He plopped down with a thud, resting his arms on the back of the angular chair and leaning back in a slouch.
As a result, the collar of his robe, embroidered with golden thread, flared open. Kilian, exposing his dark chest, scanned the people gathered around him.
“How fascinating. How did you manage to gather only men that Larissa would like?”
After a brief moment of reflection, he let out a laugh that sounded like air escaping from a balloon.
In the chilly atmosphere, only Kilian was laughing. Larissa shot him a fierce glare in protest, but he seemed completely unconcerned about ruining the cheerful mood.
Kilian’s gaze wandered around before settling on the man sitting next to him. His thin lips curled into a wide grin. It was particularly interesting to see Cecile, who usually wore a cold expression, looking so stiff.
“I hear you also have a preference for men.”
“……”
“So, is that why you know all the handsome men in the Empire?”
Kilian asked with genuine curiosity. Cecile, without even blinking, replied.
“Please, keep your interest to yourself.”
“You’re so cold. Can’t you at least smile a fraction as much as you do when you’re with Larissa?”
Cecile felt his irritation rising at such an absurd remark. Ignoring him with a sharp dismissal, Kilian quietly chuckled.
“Well… I suppose a cold demeanor suits your face.”
Kilian’s upper body gradually slouched further. He rested his chin on his hand, focusing solely on Cecile.
Cecile began to feel increasingly cornered. At this rate, he might end up hurling harsh words at Kilian. He couldn’t afford to ruin his plans, so it was best to excuse himself.
“I have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave. We can meet again later.”
Finally, he dragged his chair back and stood up. As he quickly disappeared, as if chased by something, Kilian wore a meaningful smile.
He lifted his teacup to his lips, swallowing the bitter tea along with the sweet saliva that kept pooling in his mouth.
After a suitable amount of time had passed, Cecile returned to find Princess Larissa, just as he had promised. Fortunately, Kilian seemed to have lost interest, allowing Cecile to execute the rest of his plan with ease.
The more bored the princess became, the higher the chances of her seeking out Alexis. Thus, he took care to keep her entertained, diverting Larissa’s attention elsewhere.
He showed her the rare sights within the palace and even let her watch the knights train. They rode in a carriage together, exploring the bustling streets of the capital.
Of course, he was accompanied by the ever-handsome attendants, and he continuously provided entertainment that Larissa would enjoy, leaving her no time to regain her composure. Cecile devoted all his time solely to Larissa.
Thanks to his enthusiastic efforts, her interest in the Crown Prince diminished rapidly. Although she occasionally brought him up, it was at a significantly reduced level compared to before.
Cecile’s plans continued smoothly right up until the day before the Birthday Celebration Ceremony.
On the night of the full moon, while enjoying dinner with handsome men, Princess Larissa suddenly seemed to remember something and struck the table with her fist.
“By the way, isn’t there a pre-celebration for the Birthday Celebration Ceremony today? I heard there would be some kind of concert.”
“…Yes. There will be an opera performance.”
Cecile replied, his eyelids heavy with fatigue.
“Opera? I’m curious! Can we go?”
“……Um.”
Cecile hesitated for a moment. He was certain Alexis would also make an appearance. He pondered how to avoid that encounter and spoke indirectly.
“If we go now, the performance will have already started, and we won’t be able to enter the main hall. If you wish, we might be able to watch from the viewing area on this floor… but it might be a bit difficult to see, don’t you think?”
“Not at all! It sounds like it would be a unique experience. Oh, and we can drink wine while watching, right?”
Princess Larissa seemed quite fond of the high-quality wine, a specialty of the Berka Empire. She had already polished off two large decanters. Cecile sighed in frustration at her extraordinary drinking capacity and reckless decisions.
Just one more day, if he could endure this for just one more day, it would be over.
The opera hall was, as expected, in full swing.
The audience that had arrived early was captivated by the enchanting voice of the soprano singing on stage. The sound of the song resonated throughout the space, reaching a climactic point.
The velvet curtains surrounded the darkened room, with only soft candlelight illuminating the aisles. Cecile, who had taken the lead in guiding the way, suddenly stopped as he spotted someone already seated in the viewing area.
Sitting in a plush golden chair was undoubtedly Alexis. With his long legs crossed and his upper body leaning against the backrest, he was enjoying the opera when he sensed a presence and turned his head. His bright hair shone even in the pitch-black darkness, gently tousled.
As their blue eyes met, Cecile clenched his fists tightly. This was bad. Alexis should never be seen like that.
However, contrary to Cecile’s wishes, Alexis was slowly rising from his seat. Now that he had spotted a guest, he couldn’t ignore it.
“Oh my!”
Larissa, who had been following behind, also spotted Alexis and let out a short exclamation. She quickly covered her mouth, but her eyes were already wide with surprise.
In the meantime, Larissa had forgotten a crucial fact while indulging in the sweet pleasures Cecile provided. No handsome man could compare to the Crown Prince of the Empire.
Upon meeting him in person, it felt as if she had awakened from a dream and realized the reality. Princess Larissa quickly walked over to Alexis.
“It’s been a while, Alexis. Have you been busy? I’ve missed you so much since we haven’t met.”
“It has been a while. Princess Larissa Ortega. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Being aware that the performance was still ongoing, Alexis greeted her in a low voice. His almost whisper-like tone was deep and soft, tickling the ears of those who heard it.
As expected, Princess Larissa was completely captivated by the Crown Prince’s charm. She clung to him almost as if she were embracing him, showering him with active affection.
Seeing all his efforts rendered useless in an instant, Cecile let out a long sigh in disbelief.
“Princess Larissa, how about we put the conversation on hold for now and enjoy the performance first?”
Cecile discreetly approached and tried to dissuade Larissa. However, the willful Princess Larissa completely ignored him, tightening her grip around Alexis’s arm and shooting a glare at Cecile.
“Does the opera really matter right now? I want to talk to Alexis more than watch the performance. Why are you so oblivious?”
Cecile bit down hard on his teeth. A harsh sound rose in his throat, but he had to stifle it, unable to raise his voice. However, Larissa’s behavior was something he could not tolerate, and his gaze grew even sharper.
Alexis, seeing Cecile like that, secretly smiled. It was clear what he was thinking.
It was simply pitiful and adorable to see him holding back with that personality. He wanted to call him over and comfort him.