The Lennox family mansion in the capital.
Violet sat on the sofa, crossing her arms and legs, her brow furrowed.
“Do you still not have any plans?”
“What plans?”
“For dealing with Lady Ferbache and Yohan Harssen.”
Cassius fixed his deep, purple eyes on her.
“I can’t make a move yet.”
“If you wait too long, you’ll miss the right moment. What will you do if they get engaged?”
“I’ll decide the timing myself.”
Cassius continued, “Leave it to me. You don’t need to concern yourself.”
“How can I not be concerned? I suffered humiliation at the hands of Lady Ferbache!”
Violet gritted her teeth as she stared at Cassius.
Her voice held a trace of resentment, but he only looked back at her coolly.
“That’s for you to deal with. It has nothing to do with me.”
“Is that how you’re going to be? I even have evidence.”
The “evidence” she mentioned referred to the time he used hyenas to launch an attack on Yohan Harssen.
At her subtle threat, a shadow crossed Cassius’s face, his eyes glinting coldly.
“Evidence, you say.”
His voice, low and unsettling, sent a shiver through Violet.
She could feel the air grow heavy with the dangerous aura he exuded.
“Give up on trying to threaten me. It’ll get you nowhere.”
His voice was frigid.
Violet bit her lip and averted her gaze.
“There’s nothing more for us to discuss, so kindly leave. And don’t show any more interest in this matter.”
Cassius ended with a dismissive gesture.
“I’ll be watching.”
“And what exactly will you be watching?”
Feeling the sting of his indifference, Violet ground her teeth but had no choice but to leave his office.
Thud.
The door closed behind her.
“Hmm.”
Cassius turned his chair to gaze out the window, his eyes deep and contemplative.
‘Yohan Harssen, I haven’t forgotten.’
He recalled that humiliating moment in the training grounds when that man had shamed him.
Grinding his molars, he felt his anger rise once more.
Each time he remembered Yohan’s taunting words after surviving the hyenas, Cassius’s thirst for revenge sharpened even further.
This time, he wouldn’t show mercy.
There would be no kindness or reprieve.
This time, he was sending his top-tier hyenas, ones with assured efficiency.
Though Cassius had initiated this, Yohan, seemingly blinded by his affection for Lady Ferbache, could no longer see reason.
‘I’ll strike the next time he’s assigned to an external mission.’
Unlike the first officer, who usually led on the battlefield, the second officer was frequently dispatched on missions.
That timing would be ideal.
Even though his father, the Duke Lennox, was watching over him, he wouldn’t object as long as Cassius only used hyenas.
Just like last time, he’d leave no evidence, so even if Yohan suspected, it wouldn’t be a problem.
There was no worry about the hyenas spilling anything if caught; they were bound by a blood oath, which would cause them to spit blood instead of the truth.
‘Yohan Harssen.’
Cassius’s eyes darkened. Memories of the disgrace he suffered at Yohan’s hands only fueled his desire for revenge.
‘This time, you won’t survive.’
Meanwhile, Yohan, who was on duty as always, received a summons from the commander.
He had no idea why but assumed it was another mission.
“Hello, Yohan.”
Female officers passing by in the corridor greeted him with bright smiles.
“Hello. The weather is lovely today.”
“It is! It’s perfect for going out.”
When Yohan replied with a cheerful smile, the female officers giggled and nudged each other playfully.
“Where are you headed in such a hurry?”
“I’m off to see the commander.”
“Another special mission?”
“I suppose so.”
“Be careful out there!”
After a lighthearted chat, Yohan continued on his way, noticing the women casting glances at him with soft laughter as they walked away.
Upon reaching the commander’s office, he entered to find Fedelian seated at his desk, his expression stern.
The look on his face made it clear that he was still sour about what had happened recently in the reception hall.
At that time, Yohan had boldly accused the crown prince of being the culprit.
“You’re here.”
Without looking up from his papers, Fedelian addressed Yohan.
“What’s the reason for calling me here? Do you wish for my services once again?”
Yohan quipped playfully, trying to provoke Fedelian with a smirk.
“If you’re here to joke around, you should stop.”
Fedelian scowled.
Though he was usually the type to laugh things off, the sting from last time still lingered.
“…Anyway, the reason I called you is for another mission assignment. This one’s straightforward, so take a look.”
Yohan walked to the desk, accepting the papers Fedelian handed over.
There was no set destination, nor any specific task—just an order to guard someone for a certain period.
“Is this really something that needs a special assignment?”
Yohan tilted his head, puzzled by the simplicity of the mission, wondering why it required the presence of a top-tier mage.
“Only my fiancée would know that.”
Hearing “fiancée,” Yohan paused, suspecting that Rudella Bismark might be calling on him again.
‘I told her to call when she needed… but did it have to be this soon?’
Last time, she even had him stop by the Topaz Palace.
“Something’s been strange about my fiancée recently.”
Fedelian eyed Yohan with suspicion, his golden eyes glimmering as if interrogating him.
“Anything happen that I should know about?”
“What exactly are you referring to?”
“…When you were hiding out during the last attack.”
“Nothing of note happened.”
Yohan genuinely thought it was nothing.
All he’d done was scold her a bit and, for warmth, briefly hold her hand and smile.
Could that really stir a woman’s heart? Especially someone as rigid as Rudella? It seemed impossible.
“I see. You can go now. The mission starts immediately, so head to the Topaz Palace.”
Fedelian waved him away, clearly wanting him out of sight.
Stifling a chuckle, Yohan bowed before leaving the office.
‘He seems quite upset.’
It was understandable. Who would have guessed Yohan would say such a thing in front of the emperor?
Although it could have been considered an insult to the royal family, Yohan knew the emperor well enough to take that gamble.
The emperor valued competence over personal background, which is why the shady and cunning Fedelian occupied the position of crown prince.
Though he appeared menacing, he was also a top-class knight and the crown prince known for his flawless public reputation.
‘Should I go see Rudella, then?’
He could inform Francia later.
Deciding on this, Yohan set off from the palace.
Upon arriving, he headed straight to the Topaz Palace.
On the way, he saw a garden in full bloom with lilies, looking even more beautiful today, perhaps due to the unusually strong sunlight.
The pure white lilies always seemed to suit Rudella well.
As he crossed the garden toward the Topaz Palace, he noticed Rudella standing there, gazing at the sky as a cold wind blew.
“…What are you doing here?”
Yohan slowly spoke as he stood beside her.
“You’ve come.”
Rudella turned her head and smiled faintly, as if she had been waiting.
However, her gaze didn’t directly meet his.
“I was waiting for you.”
“The wind is cold.”
“I’m fine; I handle the cold well.”
Rudella stood up and smoothed the wrinkled hem of her empire dress.
“Today, I plan to go out to the capital.”
“Are you planning to take it easy?”
“Yes.”
Rudella’s expression seemed somewhat stiff, her movements slightly awkward as if she were nervous.
“Your mission is to escort me until we return.”
“Understood. I will do my best.”
“There’s no need to be so formal. We’re just strolling around the capital, after all.”
At Yohan’s serious attitude, Rudella covered her mouth and chuckled.
“Then, let’s go.”
Rudella led the way, and Yohan slightly bowed his head and followed her.
Crossing the garden of lilies, they arrived at the front of the palace, where a coachman waited respectfully.
“You’ve arrived?”
“Let’s depart immediately.”
“Yes.”
For the escort, Yohan offered his hand to help her into the carriage.
Rudella hesitated briefly, then took his hand with a trembling grip.
Once she was inside, Yohan entered and sat across from her.
In the quiet of the carriage, the two sat in silence for a while.
Rudella turned her gaze outside, lightly tapping the window frame with her fingertips, as if to mask her discomfort.
“Is something making you uncomfortable?”
Yohan asked cautiously.
At his soft voice, Rudella looked at him in slight surprise.
Their eyes met briefly, and then she quickly turned her flushed face back to the window.
“Oh, no… not at all. Why would I be?”
Though it wasn’t their first time alone in a carriage, Rudella’s demeanor was different than usual.
As the carriage slowly passed through the garden in full bloom, Yohan quietly observed the scenery outside.
“It’s a peaceful road to the capital.”
Yohan murmured.
Rudella nodded slightly.
“Yes, though it’s been quite a while since I’ve had the chance to look out like this…”
She trailed off, falling silent again, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she continued to gaze out the window.
She gave Yohan a quick glance, then hurriedly turned her eyes back outside.
“…You seem to be troubled by something.”
Yohan observed her unusual behavior, finding it strange.
“No, it’s just… it’s nothing…”
Rudella shook her head, stammering.
Though she seemed to want to say something, she pressed her lips together, choosing to remain silent.
“I see…”
There was no point in pressing further, so Yohan simply nodded in acknowledgment.
“What will you do once we reach the capital?”
“Well… I’ll decide as we go along.”
Rudella had no particular plan; calling Yohan was more of an impulsive decision.
“I see. Sometimes, exploring the city without a plan can be nice. Perhaps you’re thinking about managing your stress better?”
When Yohan smiled, Rudella froze for a moment, then forced a smile.
“Yes… exactly. Managing stress, just as you said.”
“You made a good choice. Stress is the root of many ailments.”
In reality, Rudella’s recent worries were all because of Yohan, but she couldn’t admit that.
If he noticed her feelings, she’d never be able to face him again.
“Today, too, you won’t meet my gaze.”
“Oh, did I? I wasn’t aware…”
“You’ve been doing so since our last visit to the Topaz Palace.”
Yohan pressed the matter intentionally, trying to discern her intentions.
If she held feelings for him beyond respect, he knew he’d need to keep his distance.
Even if that wasn’t the case, she was the crown prince’s sharpest blade.
It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
“Hm, hm.”
She cleared her throat unnecessarily and looked at Yohan with narrowed eyes, finally meeting his gaze.
Her bright blue eyes trembled slightly, as if she was forcing herself to hold eye contact.
“Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong. Yes.”
She smiled awkwardly, her face red, leaving Yohan feeling even more puzzled.
There didn’t seem to be any other intent.
It seemed she truly held feelings beyond respect for him…
Still, it was hard to believe.
Rudella, of all people?
In this peculiar atmosphere, they finally arrived at the streets of the capital.