FDSML CH 13

Chapter 13

The first-floor lobby of the Mage Tower was in an uproar.

Princess Nanael was trying to go inside, and the receptionist stood in her way.

Nanael shot the receptionist a razor-edged glare. “Do you know who I am? Move.”

“As I explained, Your Highness, there’s an emergency. You can’t meet the Tower Master right now.”

“I said I’ll just see his face and go!”

“I’m sorry, but we have orders to admit no one—”

Smack!

Nanael’s hand flew. The receptionist clutched her cheek, stunned.

“You’re just a clerk—how dare you talk back? Lay a hand on me again and I’ll have you hanged.”

With that chilling warning, Nanael marched into the lift. Whether the threat of a gallows worked or not, the receptionist didn’t try to stop her again.

“Pathetic.”

Still seething from the quarrel, Nanael strode to the study, where Eden blinked at her. “Ah—may I ask who—”

“Out of my way, unless you want a slap too.”

Eyes blazing, she swept past him toward the door.

“W-wait, please!” Eden moved to block her, but the maid at Nanael’s side stepped in.

“Her Highness is here to see her fiancé. Don’t interfere.”

“H-Her Highness?” Only then did Eden realize who she was and startle. She’d never once visited the Tower throughout the engagement—why come now, of all times?

Inside were a debutante, Lady Ferris, in no fit state, and a Tower Master acting even less fit. A powder keg.

“Just a moment, Your Highness!” Eden pleaded, but Nanael threw the door open.

What she saw made her gasp.

“Ha!”

She dropped the bouquet she’d brought.

Alperen was not alone. Beside him was the still “indebted” Lady Ferris—half-disheveled. Most ridiculous of all, Alperen was holding the ribbon of her blouse.

Anyone could tell what it looked like.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Nanael’s face iced over. Eden, coming in behind, finally caught the scene and sucked in a breath.

“Oh—!”

He spun around to face the wall. Alperen frowned at the intruders. “I said no one was to be let in.”

Even then, he didn’t forget to cover Rodelia’s upper body with his jacket, so no one else could see.

Watching that, Nanael’s voice rang out sharp. “You’re going to have to explain this.”

“Why should I?”

His cold retort turned her eyes into slits. Defending another woman in front of his fiancée?

“So this is your ‘emergency’? Looks like a secret tryst to me.”

“Think whatever you like.”

Without so much as a glance at Nanael, Alperen wrapped Rodelia snugly with his jacket sleeves—so she wouldn’t try to undress again.

Rodelia squirmed, pleading, “Mmm, Oppa, this is tight.”

“Bear with it. You’ll be cold again in a minute.”

“Hmph. I’ll let it slide because you’re handsome!”

She leaned against his shoulder, voice dripping with sugary aegyo.

“Unbelievable.”

Nanael stared, stunned. The intimacy was beyond “close”—they looked like lovers, plain and simple.

So the tame cat wasn’t so tame after all. And she’d been creeping around my fiancé behind my back?

Did she drink all that wine on purpose that night?

Her eyes sharpened with “reasonable suspicion.”

Meanwhile, Rodelia’s emotions were bouncing all over. Whether it was the potion or not, Alperen looked a hundred times more handsome than usual—her heart actually hurt. Everyone else looked like straw dummies. Even Nanael barely registered.

“You’re not human, are you? Where do you hide your wings?”

Flattery she’d never say normally came pouring out unfiltered.

“They say a prince’s curse breaks with a kiss. If I kiss you, do your wings pop out?”

With Rodelia getting bolder, Alperen had no time to spare for Nanael. He clamped a hand over Rodelia’s lips and said flatly,

“You should go. I don’t have the bandwidth right now.”

When he loosened his tie and bound Rodelia’s hands, Nanael’s face twisted.

“I see now. You’ve been itching to break the engagement, haven’t you?”

Alperen knew she was misunderstanding, but he didn’t explain. Any explanation could make things harder for Rodelia.

When he kept silent, Nanael’s tone grew even sharper.

“You used me as a shield until Lady Ferris finished her debut! You dared to use me!”

It was an insult of the worst kind. He’d stayed silent through her tantrums and lovers, and yet over Lady Ferris, he’d thrust breakup papers at her—she’d suspected as much then. Seeing it with her own eyes, humiliation and fury boiled over.

“You think I’ll meekly accept a breakup? I never let anyone take what’s mine!”

Her suspicion that Rodelia had deliberately snatched her debut items hardened into certainty. Clearly, it had all been a ploy to deceive her. And now that she’d “lost” her fiancé, she saw red.

Alperen’s voice went glacial. “I was never yours.”

“…What did you say?”

“As I understood it, Your Highness didn’t exactly want this engagement either.”

“Breaking it and being dumped are not the same thing!”

“Then you should’ve gone first. I would have accepted.”

“Listen here, Duke Ainruck—!”

As Nanael’s voice rose, Alperen covered Rodelia’s ears—like he didn’t want her hearing any of it.

Not that she was listening; in her potion-clouded state, she could see no one but him.

“If you came about the breakup papers,” he said, voice cold, “there’s no taking them back. Please leave. As you can see, I’m busy.”

His look said, Keep this up and I’ll have you removed by force.

“…We’ll see. I’ll repay this humiliation.”

Nanael spat her threat and stormed out, grinding the trampled bouquet underfoot on her way.

A moment later, Eden stared at the ruined flowers and let out a long sigh. Such a short visit, such massive fallout.

“I’ll clean this up.”

He’d only heard of the Third Princess’s rampages—this was the first time he’d seen one. Still, at least it hadn’t come to blows.

She’s every bit as fearsome as the rumors. And a breakup… What is the Tower Master thinking?

Eden glanced toward Alperen. The push to accelerate research had to be connected. Knowing why the engagement had been maintained only made the duke’s intent harder to read.

Then Alperen said, “Eden.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Bring ice water and a blanket. Her temperature regulation’s off.”

Rodelia was already chattering her teeth, shivering with cold. Eden moved at once. “I’ll be right back!”

***

Rodelia swung between hot and cold and then drifted into a deep sleep.

Alperen cast a calming spell over her mind and body.

He watched her freely—her head pillowed on his thigh. Normally, she never let anyone within a certain distance. Seeing her so trustingly settled on his lap, he couldn’t help thinking that this kind of mishap wasn’t entirely bad.

Of course, he hadn’t expected Nanael to barge in, but…

Unable to bear the heat, Rodelia began untying the ribbon of her blouse.