Chapter 33: Two Men

Crown Prince Arthur lightly patted Duke Xavier Auguste on the shoulder, wearing his characteristic affable smile. Despite being slightly shorter than Xavier, his aura was in no way overshadowed.

“Haha, why so stiff? It’s not as if the ladies’ lounge is some forbidden territory for men.”

“Wouldn’t it be a different matter when someone like Your Highness enters?”

“Ah, do you have a precious lover hidden away in here?”

Arthur’s gleaming golden eyes narrowed as they locked onto Xavier’s teal gaze. Not one to back down, Xavier returned the stare, his eyes burning with a determination that could crush the Crown Prince beneath him.

“This time, Your Highness, you’ll have to yield the Saintess to me.”

“You mean Saintess Yuria?”

Both men’s gazes simultaneously turned toward me. Internally, I let out a silent scream.

Especially with Xavier’s gaze—his obsessive, sticky intensity felt as though it was coating my entire body, like marinating meat.

Arthur finally broke his gaze from me and turned back to Xavier, responding with a smirk.

“I proposed to the Saintess.”

“What?”

“Pardon?!”

Xavier’s furious voice clashed with my startled exclamation.

What is wrong with this man?! Why would he say that here?!

The glass of juice in Xavier’s hand trembled dangerously, as if it were a miracle it hadn’t spilled.

“Of course, I’ll respect the Saintess’s wishes.”

“Your Highness, are you joking right now?”

“No.”

As Arthur walked past Xavier, he placed a hand on the Duke’s shoulder and whispered something in a low voice. Xavier immediately turned to look at me, his expression hardening like stone.

‘What? What did he say?’

Arthur’s retreating figure disappeared down the hallway, leaving behind a sharp contrast between his composed demeanor and Xavier’s rigid, brooding face.

‘What on earth did the Crown Prince tell him?’

I noticed Xavier’s large hands, pale and trembling as they held the glasses of juice. For some reason, I felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

“Are those for me?”

One glass was orange juice, the other strawberry juice. The ice had already melted, and water droplets clung to the outside of the glasses. Xavier seemed to snap out of his thoughts and looked down at his hands.

“I didn’t know what you’d like.”

“Thank you. You should’ve used a tray; your hands must’ve been cold.”

“Ah, I didn’t think of that.”

“Or you could’ve asked a servant to bring them.”

“Why would I ask someone else to bring something meant for you?”

His words made my heart flutter slightly.

“I’ll enjoy them.”

Out of consideration for his effort, I drank both the orange and strawberry juices on the spot.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Yes, thanks to you. Shall we head back?”

“You want to leave?”

“Yes.”

Finally, a faint smile appeared on Xavier’s lips. I turned to Rosetta, who had been standing quietly nearby, and addressed her.

“Miss Rosetta, I think we’ll have to part ways for today. Next time, I’ll invite you to my residence. Would you like to visit?”

“Really?”

“Of course, I promise.”

“Oh, I’d love that! Then I’ll go find the Pope now. Take care!”

Rosetta didn’t forget to give me a crushing hug before leaving.

“Ugh! Take care, Miss Rosetta.”

“Yes, Saintess!”

Rosetta beamed at me one last time before bowing politely to Xavier and skipping down the hallway, waving her hand enthusiastically.

“Shall we go as well?”

“Wait a moment. I left something in the lounge.”

I quickly returned to the lounge, took care of what I needed to do, and came back out. Xavier, who had been leaning against the wall waiting for me, looked at me quizzically.

“Didn’t you go to retrieve something?”

“Oh, I just left it there.”

“Why?”

“I just felt like it.”

Xavier tilted his head, clearly not understanding my reasoning. I looped my arm through his and urged him.

“Let’s go. I’m tired.”

I felt his body stiffen slightly under my touch.

“…Alright, let’s go.”

As we walked away, Xavier glanced back toward the ladies’ lounge. His gaze lingered on the green bottle of hangover remedy I had intentionally left on the table.

‘Someone drunk will probably end up drinking it.’

＊

“Ah, I’m getting drunk.”

Jude shook her short red hair as she poured more alcohol into her mouth. The golden medal pinned to her chest swayed as she moved.

“Jude, that’s enough.”

Ethan scolded her. Wilhelm, sitting nearby with his one good eye, silently chewed on a chicken leg as he watched her.

The three generals were gathered at a dining table in one corner of the banquet hall, sharing drinks. Jude poured herself another glass and downed it in one go.

“No way. It’s all over now.”

“Why are you acting like this on such a good day? If His Grace finds out, you’ll get an earful.”

“Tch, let him! He’s so happy with that little villainess—or saintess, or whatever she is!”

“Jude! Watch your mouth!”

Ethan’s loud voice startled Wilhelm, who dropped his chicken leg onto the floor.

“Ah, my chicken.”

Wilhelm picked it up carefully, brushed off the dust, and continued eating it.

A few nobles who hadn’t yet left the banquet hall glanced over at the commotion but quickly turned their gazes away. Ethan lowered his voice and leaned toward Jude, whispering.

“Jude, let’s just go.”

“No way. Why are you whispering like that? It’s creepy.”

“Shh! The banquet’s winding down, and His Grace has already left.”

“What?”

Jude froze mid-drink and glared at Ethan.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Yes. He left with the Saintess.”

“Saintess, my as$.”

The small glass in Jude’s hand shattered with a sharp crack.

“Jude, your hand is bleeding.”

“It’s fine. This is nothing.”

The real pain was elsewhere.

Jude swallowed her words and pressed her lips into a thin line. Wilhelm, who had finished his chicken and was now gnawing on a rib, casually remarked.

“Ethan says you like His Grace, is that right? Haha.”

“Shut up, Wilhelm!”

“Why? You’re the one who told me. You should aim for a tree you can climb. Looking at one you can’t will only hurt your neck. Haha!”

“Wilhelm, do you want to die?”

“Nope. Haha.”

Wilhelm, unfazed, met Jude’s murderous glare with his single eye. Ethan thought to himself how utterly insensitive Wilhelm could be.

“If it were me, I’d confess, no matter what.”

“…….”

Jude had no response to Wilhelm’s final remark. She couldn’t find the words and instead called out to Ethan.

“Ethan, let’s go.”

“Alright, good decision.”

“What? You’re leaving without finishing the meat?”

Wilhelm grumbled with his mouth full of food. Jude shot him an annoyed look as she stood up.

“Ethan, just stay and hang out with that idiot.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay alone? You seem drunk.”

“I’ll be fine.”

Jude threw on her coat over her uniform and left the banquet hall. Though late spring was giving way to early summer, her chest felt cold and empty.

For over 12 years, she had been content just being by his side, but now, for the first time, it wasn’t enough.

Not at all.

That day had been a bitterly cold winter day. She had tried to save some children being harassed by thugs who had stormed into the slums. Not out of a sense of justice, but because they had destroyed the last shanty she had to her name.

She fought with a thick tree branch, but a 12-year-old girl stood no chance against grown men. Beaten to the brink of death, she lay on the ground, barely breathing.

“Huff… huff…”

“Damn brat! Tch!”

The men left, and the children they had tormented began to cry, tears streaming down their faces.

“Waaaah! Waaah!”

“Shut… up…”

It wasn’t the pain from her injuries but the noise that was driving her mad when—

“You’re hurt badly.”

“…Who are you?”

A boy dressed immaculately, like an aristocrat, entered her blurry vision.

“Come with me.”

The boy reached out and took her filthy, branch-clutching hand without hesitation. For the first time in her life, Jude felt warmth on that freezing day.

Just being near him had been enough to keep her warm. She had been happy to call him her lord, despite her lowly origins.

Until Yuria Graham showed up!

For over a decade, she had only been able to watch from afar, and that woman had stolen his heart in an instant.

‘I haven’t even confessed yet!’

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“Damn it.”

Jude rubbed her eyes harshly and hurried through the corridor connecting the banquet hall to the palace.

Thud!

She collided with someone, unable to watch where she was going.

Startled, Jude instinctively grabbed onto the person’s clothing.

“How dare you!”

“Ah!”

“Show proper respect to His Highness the Crown Prince!”

It was a chamberlain. Next to him, Count Willem twitched his white mustache and cleared his throat.

Jude, a commoner promoted to general by Duke Xavier, held the rank of a baronet. In a society bound by strict class hierarchies, there were limits to how far she could rise. Count Willem, in particular, always looked down on her.

“…I greet the Little Sun of Brillante.”

“Tsk, tsk.”

As expected, Count Willem clicked his tongue in disdain and shook his head.

“Count Willem, that’s enough.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince sternly rebuked Count Willem before stepping forward to address Jude.

“General Jude, it’s a pleasure to see you.”

“Your Highness, I apologize. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Hmm, it’s alright. These things happen.”

“Th-thank you.”

‘The Crown Prince is someone you can never fully understand. Be cautious.’

Her lord’s frequent warnings echoed in her mind.

“But were you crying, General Jude?”

“Pardon? Yes.”

Jude, drunk and emotional, momentarily lost her composure. It was a mistake she would never have made under normal circumstances.

“The brave General Jude, known for her valor, shedding tears like a little girl. Haha.”

Count Willem narrowed his eyes, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Indeed. General, how about we have a little chat?”

“Y-Your Highness? No, I must return.”

Jude’s face filled with panic. The Crown Prince wanted a private conversation with her?

“It won’t take long.”

The handsome Crown Prince’s lips curved into a gentle arc, but his golden eyes were as sharp and cold as metal.