Ricardo thought it was none of his business, and as he slowly blinked his eyes, he looked at the moonlit sky through the glass ceiling of the greenhouse. It was a night when the moonlight stood out brightly.
Despite the heavy pain in his side, he ignored it and kept watching Yvonne with his sideways glance.
“Are you not going to stop?” Yvonne asked tiredly as her gaze lingered on him.
“What do you mean, stop? I’m just lying here doing nothing, as you can see,” Ricardo replied with a chuckle.
Yvonne sighed deeply. “The way you look at me is inappropriate.”
Ricardo laughed quietly. “Am I not allowed to look at you? People have the right to see what they want.”
Yvonne shook her head in disbelief as she bandaged his bloody hands. She noticed that she was buttoning his shirt, and quickly said, “Don’t move too quickly, or make large movements. If your injury gets worse, this time it won’t just end here.”
Ricardo, still watching her with an unreadable expression, raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you the crown princess of this country?”
Yvonne looked at him, slightly surprised. “Why are you asking that suddenly?”
Ricardo nodded at her hands, still holding his shirt buttons. “I find it strange that the crown princess is helping me button up my shirt. It feels like I’m being served by a maid.”
Yvonne quickly turned her back on him, her face turning bright red. She was from the noble Ziegfried family and had never seen a man’s bare skin, not even her husband, who was more of a figurehead than anything else.
“I… it was a mistake,” she stammered.
Ricardo, still grinning, continued buttoning his shirt himself. “No worries, youāve already seen everything.”
Yvonne, embarrassed and stuttering, tried to defend herself, saying, “It was unavoidable.”
Ricardo smiled and said, “Now, let’s talk about how to get you out of here. It’s easier to sneak out from inside the palace than to come in, right?”
The palace was tightly secured, surrounded by elite guards and special forces known as the Star Troops, all trained to protect the Emperor. Sneaking Ricardo out with his current injuries was practically impossible.
“Weāve been lucky so far to avoid detection by the Star Troops. But if we stay here much longer, weāre bound to be caught,” Yvonne said.
Ricardo nodded in agreement and then added, “So… I think the best place for me to stay would be in your bedroom, Your Highness.”
Yvonne, who had been up all night, looked at Lucy with bloodshot eyes. She had to hold back a yawn as she spoke.
“Donāt worry, I have a plan,” she said, trying to reassure Lucy.
Lucy, still worried, whispered, “But he’s a dangerous man, Your Highness. He might be part of the opposition faction. How can you help him?”
Yvonneās residence in the palace wasn’t as grand as the Emperor’s, but it was still impressive, and it was well-guarded by her loyal people. The area was secure, and no one would dare enter without her approval.
Yvonne made a decision: if she kept Ricardo safe here, he wouldnāt be found by the Emperor’s forces. She would do whatever it took to protect him, even if it meant giving up her own bedroom.
Lucy was still concerned. “But it’s too risky!”
Yvonne sighed as she glanced at herself in the mirror. “My bedroom is the safest place in this palace. Itās the only place we can trust.”
“But he’s dangerous,” Lucy insisted.
Yvonne didnāt answer right away, feeling the weight of Lucyās concern. She knew Lucy was loyal, but she couldnāt explain everything to her. Lucy didnāt need to know the full truth ā that she needed Ricardoās rebellion to exact revenge on the Emperor.
Yvonne, still holding her emerald earrings, said with a faint smile, “Donāt worry. Once the festival is over, he wonāt be my problem anymore.”
