~Chapter 43~
Ivan immediately regretted his words as soon as he said them.
But once the words were out, he couldn’t take them back.
Flustered, Ivan looked at Ruby and the children.
“No, I didn’t mean that, I—”
But Ruby wasn’t fazed by Ivan’s words. She responded calmly.
“It’s definitely more humble compared to the Imperial Palace, right? It’s probably because it’s an older mansion. But if you look closely, this mansion has its own charm. I’ll tell you more about it after we eat.”
Ruby didn’t directly argue with Ivan’s words, but instead, she smoothly moved on. This only made Ivan feel more embarrassed.
Why did he have to say that?
Ivan couldn’t even focus on Ruby’s description of the food.
He couldn’t really taste the food either. All he could do was regret his words and move his fork around mechanically.
When they were almost finished with the meal and dessert was about to be served, Ruby approached Ivan.
Ivan was about to take a bite of dessert when he felt a small hand touch his shoulder.
“Ivan, Your Highness.”
“Huh?”
Finally, Ivan snapped back to reality and looked at Ruby, who was standing beside him with a worried look on her face.
“Is the food not to your liking?” Ruby asked.
The touch of Ruby’s hand on his shoulder felt unusually warm to Ivan. It felt as though a fire had ignited at the spot where her hand made contact.
“No, it’s fine. It’s good,” Ivan lied, despite not even remembering what dishes had been served.
“Really? I was just worried because you’ve been staring at your plate so seriously. I thought maybe you didn’t like it.”
Ivan just repeated what Ruby said in his mind and forgot to relax his expression.
“No, it’s just that the food is different from what I’m used to at the palace. I was just observing that.”
Ivan tried to make an excuse.
Ruby smiled, seeming relieved by his explanation.
“I’m glad you like it. The chef worked really hard for more than a week on the menu.”
“Is that so? Please thank the chef for me.”
“I will, I’m sure they’ll be really happy to hear that.”
After saying that, Ruby returned to her seat.
A faint scent of flowers lingered in the spot where Ruby had been. Ivan sat there, staring blankly, breathing in the lingering fragrance and watching Ruby’s figure as she walked away.
Why did it feel like she was moving so slowly, even though she was just walking back to her seat?
“Prince Theo, you eat so neatly,” Ruby praised Theo, who was only five years old but already practiced perfect dining etiquette.
It was a result of his education in palace manners from a very young age.
Theo, embarrassed by the compliment, fidgeted in his seat.
“It’s nothing. It’s just how it’s supposed to be.”
“You’ve worked hard to be able to do this,” Ruby said with a smile.
“Ha-ha,” Theo smiled shyly.
Ruby treated Theo the same way she did her younger siblings, which allowed Theo to enjoy the compliment without letting his pride get in the way. His joy was pure, just like other children his age.
Watching Theo, Ivan felt a pang of jealousy. If only he were a little younger… Could he have been as honest and carefree as Theo in front of Ruby, without worrying about his pride?
After finishing dessert, they set out to explore Grand Duke Lux’s mansion.
“Ruby, can I show Prince Theo the training grounds first?” Calix asked.
“Of course, just make sure to ask Sir Hans for permission first,” Ruby replied.
“Got it.”
Calix led Theo and Sasha toward the training grounds.
“Shall we tour the inside of the mansion first, or would you like to join them at the training grounds?” Ruby asked Ivan.
Ivan realized that this was his chance to be honest.
“I’m not interested in the training grounds. I’d rather see the inside of the mansion.”
To be honest, Ivan didn’t really care about where they went, but he didn’t want to miss the chance to talk with Ruby one-on-one (even though she was holding Maria in her arms).
“Alright. Then I’ll take you to the lobby first.”
Ruby led Ivan to the lobby. Before she started her explanation, Ivan asked the question that had been on his mind.
“Why did you go to Cardonia? Was it for a vacation?”
“No, it wasn’t really a vacation. I went there because I had something to do.”
“What kind of work?”
“As you know, I haven’t been formally recognized as Grand Duke Lux’s official heir yet.”
“Right.”
The fact that Ruby and the children still used the Brooklyn family name, instead of Lux’s, showed that Grand Duke Lux hadn’t fully accepted them as heirs yet.
“So I’ve been given several tasks to prove myself.”
“Tasks?”
“Yes, several assignments.”
“What kind of tasks?”
“They vary, but the first task I chose was to increase the population of Cardonia.”
“Increase the population?”
“Yes. Cardonia is a barren land. It’s always struggling with food shortages, and many people leave because they can’t live there. As a result, the population keeps shrinking. So, I was given the task of increasing the population in such a territory.”
From the sound of it, this wasn’t an easy problem to solve.
“Already? You have to solve this now?”
“Well, I don’t think my grandfather gave me this task expecting me to solve it right away. He just wanted to see how I would approach solving it.”
“So you just need to pretend to be doing something, right?”
But Ruby shook her head firmly.
“No, I plan to do everything I can. I want to prove myself through results.”
“How?”
At that, Ruby’s gaze turned to Ivan.
“Would you like me to tell you my plan?”
Seeing the subtle curve of Ruby’s eyes, Ivan felt an intense thirst in his chest.
“Can you tell me?”
“Of course. I’d be happy to share it with you. We’re friends, after all.”
Ruby moved closer to Ivan, as though sharing a secret. She looked around to make sure no one else was nearby before leaning in close to his ear.
“Well, my plan is…”
Ruby whispered her solution to Ivan.
Every word Ruby spoke brushed against Ivan’s ear, sending a shiver through him. He found himself involuntarily flinching.
“…What do you think?”
Ivan snapped out of his daze and finally understood what Ruby had said.
Her solution was something Ivan hadn’t even thought of before.
“It’s a new approach for me. To be honest, I’m not sure if it will work,” he admitted.
It was a method he had never learned in his Imperial Management classes, and since Ivan had never worked in the field, he couldn’t guess what the result would be.
“It will work,” Ruby said confidently, almost as if she had already foreseen the future.
“Will solving this make you the heir?”
“No. I’ll probably continue to be tested until the time comes to officially select the heir.”
Ruby stared off into the distance.
Ivan couldn’t help but wonder what was going through her mind whenever she looked away. Her profile always seemed so full of confidence, with no hesitation in her demeanor.
At times, Ivan found himself envious of Ruby. He often wondered if he would ever have the same kind of confidence. He wasn’t sure if he could pass all the tests and become the crown prince, especially with Theo’s potential. He knew that if Theo showed better qualities, Ivan could lose his chance to become the heir.
“Isn’t it hard to keep being tested?” Ivan asked, unsure if he was asking Ruby or himself.
Ruby looked at him and answered confidently, “I actually think it’s a good thing. I’d rather prove myself through my abilities than just become the heir because I’m from the Lux family. That way, no one can doubt my right to be the heir.”
Ivan thought about what Ruby said and imagined applying it to his own situation. Could he endure the tests to prove he deserved to be the heir, like Ruby? He wasn’t sure yet, but somehow, he felt that with Ruby by his side, it might be possible.
He wanted to be close to Ruby, someone who had something he didn’t. He wondered how he could keep her by his side.
Lost in thought, Ivan finally spoke up.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
