By Zephyria 
I was on my way back from the central library.
I had heard the news that Yuria was entering the palace today. I hadn’t planned to go and greet her, but as soon as I spotted her standing alone, my mouth opened involuntarily.
“What are you doing here? You couldn’t have come alone, could you?”
There was no sign of Alexis or even a servant around. As Cecile looked around, Yuria’s eyes widened in fear.
“Um… well, I…”
Of course. She doesn’t know Cecile at all. When a stranger began to question her, the innocent woman became frightened.
“Did you get lost, perhaps?”
Yuria’s cheeks turned as red as they could, to the point where I wondered if a person’s face could get that crimson. She felt the need to explain herself honestly, fearing that I might think she was suspicious.
“I was… looking for the restroom…”
Once the words slipped out, she felt so embarrassed that she could hardly bear it.
Cecile, realizing her situation, let out a short sigh of understanding. Without hesitation, he turned his body in a different direction.
“Follow me.”
Cecile took on the role of a guide. Yuria, feigning surprise, followed behind him. As she caught up with his long strides, finding the destination in the maze-like palace was a matter of moments.
As Yuria quickly disappeared inside, Cecile stood guard in front of the entrance.
Just then, a servant who had come looking for Yuria was seen peering around the hallway. When he made eye contact with Cecile, the startled servant hurriedly bowed. Cecile’s gaze sharpened immediately upon seeing this.
“You there. Come here for a moment.”
“Yes, Sir Cecile. Is there something you need?”
The servant approached with a nervous gait, his head bowed low.
“You came to find Yuria, didn’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“She’s a newcomer to the palace. It’s only natural for her to get lost wandering around this vast place without a guide, isn’t it? Why did you leave a guest unattended? Are you out of your mind?”
“Uh? No, that’s not it. I was going to guide her, but… Lady Beatrice left first…”
“Do you expect me to believe that right now?”
The cold expression on Cecile’s face reminded one of Empress Elizabeth. Knowing his prickly personality, the servant could only bow his head repeatedly, unsure of what to do.
He had only wanted to tease a naive girl a little. He had planned to playfully mock her and then take her back, but he never expected to be caught by Cecile.
“I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
“Be careful. Next time, make sure to escort her properly.”
“Yes, yes! I will do that!”
Cecile waved his hand dismissively, signaling for the servant to leave. The servant hurriedly fled as if he were escaping. Just then, the restroom door opened, and Yuria peeked out with a shy expression. She had inadvertently been eavesdropping on the conversation inside.
“Um… thank you for your help.”
“Thank you for what?”
Cecile turned to her with a smile, as if he had never been angry.
It was quite strange. In my previous life, I had been eager to torment Yuria, but now I found myself wanting to give her something instead.
“Here, use this.”
Seeing her wet hands, Cecile took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Yuria gratefully accepted it and dried her hands. The handkerchief was incredibly soft and smelled wonderful. She cautiously looked up at Cecile.
Now that she saw him closely, she couldn’t help but marvel at how stunningly handsome he was.
Despite being a man, his features were delicate and beautiful. His skin had a warm glow, and he looked like someone who had never experienced hardship in his life. From his attire to his dignified posture, it was clear he belonged to an extraordinary background.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I ask your name?”
“Cecile Adrian.”
“…Ah!”
“Yes, I am that Cecile Adrian.”
Cecile smiled gently at Yuria’s reaction. She must have heard about him from those around her, including Alexis. Of course, it probably wasn’t a good impression.
“I am Yuria Beatrice. It’s an honor to meet a great star of the Empire.”
Yuria belatedly tried to show her respect. Cecile waved his hand, dismissing her greeting.
“It’s fine. What great star? I’m already a fading star.”
“I’m quite ignorant of etiquette. I failed to recognize someone so esteemed and committed a faux pas.”
“Even if you say it’s fine, it still is. Rather, the esteemed one is you, Yuria. Come along. I’ll guide you to the main gate.”
Since I was also heading outside, I walked alongside Yuria.
As Cecile continued to engage her in conversation, Yuria, who had been tense, slowly began to respond. At some point, their conversation became surprisingly comfortable for two people who had just met.
“It’s amazing. You feel like someone I’ve known for a long time.”
“Perhaps we met in a past life.”
Cecile replied lightly with a smile.
Looking back, it was the first time I had such a normal conversation with Yuria. I had always been harsh and thrown insults at her.
I still remembered the last prayer she had offered me. Perhaps it was thanks to that prayer that I had met the goddess Gaia.
The words of gratitude lingered on my tongue. Unable to express them directly, I wanted to repay her kindness in some way. In Cecile’s way, in a manner he could manage.
“This time, I’ll help you a lot.”
“Pardon?”
“The palace is more treacherous than you might think. You’ll be coming here often, so it would be nice to have at least one person you know.”
Perhaps my sincere kindness was conveyed, as Yuria’s lips formed a round smile. Just then…
“Yuria!”
At the sound of a loud voice calling her name, she turned around to see Alexis rushing toward them. His expression was quite serious.
“Your Highness.”
“I told you to wait up front.”
“Ah, well…”
He immediately took care of Yuria first. Cecile, who was with her, felt almost invisible.
“…I’ll take my leave now.”
Cecile clutched the book in his arms tightly and bowed his head toward Alexis and Yuria. He didn’t bother to ask the man, who was ignoring him, how he was doing. Without leaving a trace of regret, he turned away.
Alexis remained tense until the end. Only after Cecile had disappeared outside did he inquire about the situation.
“Was everything alright? Did that guy bother you?”
“Bother me? He actually helped me.”
“Cecile helped you?”
“Yes. He even guided me. He was so kind to me.”
In that brief moment, Yuria had developed a strong fondness for Cecile and gazed dreamily at the empty space.
“He was a wonderful person. So handsome.”
“What?”
“I’ve never seen such a beautiful man in my life.”
It seemed that Cecile’s appearance had played a part in swaying Yuria’s heart. Yuria had always liked pretty and beautiful things. After years surrounded by rough men, it was only natural that Cecile’s face would be etched in her mind.
“Don’t be fooled by that face. He could easily charm you.”
“Why do you dislike Cecile so much, Your Highness?”
“Are you asking because you don’t know?”
“I just think you should be a bit kinder! Even if you’re not blood-related, he’s still your brother.”
At her bold words, Alexis let out a laugh of disbelief. He then placed his hand on his forehead and looked out the window. He took in the sight of Cecile walking confidently away.
Well, he did what he had to do. Cecile Adrian.
After sending Yuria off in the carriage, Alexis returned to his estate.
The Saint Palace, which he had returned to after five years, hadn’t changed a bit. Today, his servants welcomed him back warmly. Moreover, a precious guest was also waiting for Alexis.
Duchess Vandell held her voluminous dress and greeted him politely.
“Olika Vandell. It’s an honor to meet a great star of the Empire.”
“Duchess Vandell, it’s been a while.”
“Please, speak comfortably. This old woman is feeling neglected.”
“It’s been a long time, nurse.”
As Alexis opened his arms, Duchess Vandell approached with a bright smile, as if she had been waiting for this moment. The two embraced, sharing a joyful reunion.
“My goodness! What happened in the five years that you’ve grown so much? The last time I saw you, you still looked like a boy… now you’ve become a proper man.”
The Duchess marveled at Alexis’s stature, which was now beyond her reach. In five years, he had not only grown taller but also bulked up, making it hard to recall the cute little prince he once was.
“You’ve aged a bit, nurse.”
“Of course, I’ve aged! Worrying about you and my son has only added more wrinkles every year.”
“But you’re still beautiful, so don’t worry.”
Alexis personally led the Duchess. It had been a long time since he had met someone like family, and there was much to discuss.
While they were enjoying tea, Duchess Vandell looked curiously at the handkerchief in Alexis’s hand. The prince had been staring at it with a serious expression for a while.
“Is there something wrong with that handkerchief?”
“I was wondering how to return it.”
He had just taken the handkerchief that Yuria had borrowed. He had no intention of using it as an excuse to meet her again.
Alexis stared at the handkerchief and asked, “Do you think Cecile is pretty too?”
“Suddenly?”
“I was surprised. As far as I remember, he was… really just a small, skinny kid. But now he’s grown so much.”
“He has grown a lot. He was always pretty, even as a child. Didn’t he look like a doll?”
“He did. But now, how should I put it…?”
The Duchess seemed to read Alexis’s thoughts, took a sip of her tea, and smiled brightly.
“He resembles Her Majesty the Empress quite a bit.”
“Ah, that’s the biggest problem.”
Alexis rubbed his eyes with his empty hand. Only then did he find the reason why he felt uneasy every time he saw Cecile.
He had heard later that a lot of effort had gone into the banquet. He would later learn that separating the guests was also Cecile’s unilateral decision.
It probably wasn’t out of any ill intent. It was likely an action taken to avoid provoking his own mood.
Sighing, Alexis tossed the handkerchief onto the table.
“It’s unfortunate. With that appearance, I won’t be hearing anything good.”
He understood that Cecile was trying hard to win favor, but Alexis had no desire to get close to him.
What could he do? He could only blame his mother.