Did the sun rise in the west today?
In a situation that shouldn't have happened, Cassian asked with a skeptical expression.
“Why?”
For someone asking me to go home, isn't his face rough, Your Highness?
When I asked with a puzzled look, Cassian looked at me with bitter eyes.
“I'm so sad that you seem so indifferent to yourf, Rose.”
A moment of silence passed.
Cassian's eyes were too serious to be a joke as always.
'Is there something I didn't notice?'
So I decided to ask frankly.
“Yes.”
Cassian spoke as he slowly inserted his fingers between the bracelet I was wearing.
“Why are you so stupid that you take hatred on yourf?”
A low sigh escaped his lips.
“You're so sensitive about other people's affairs, even now you're probably just thinking that my face looks bad.”
How did he know that?
When I looked at him without hiding my expression, a smile somehow appeared on his lips.
“So how can I not be worried, I have to take care of my precious assistant.”
With a soft face, Cassian pulled his hand out of the bracelet and held my hand.
“When you were with Princess Alexis, wasn't there someone who showed malice?”
My eyes rolled for a moment.
There was someone complaining and showing usual behavior...
“You mean perhaps Lord Gash?”
“This is rather convenient.”
Cassian's fingers intertwined with mine, looking comfortable.
“It's not that you didn't know, but you're really ignoring it.”
“Well... but he looked like someone who would most likely spill ink on the documents I write...”
He seemed to have the courage of a bird, but for Cassian, did he worry too much about what he might be planning…?
Cassian quickly answered my reasonable internal question.
“What if I said that Lord Gash briefly had tea with the Empress three days ago?”
“Then that's a different story.”
I opened my mouth to meet Cassian's gaze.
“Among the royal guests, Count Gasch has the least reason to meet the Empress.
He wants to become Alexis’s consort.”
Meeting with the mother of the third prince who will become the legal husband of the princess?
Even a fool knows it's best to avoid it because he might get caught and blackmailed...
I pushed my reckless thoughts aside and spoke to Cassian.
“Lord Gash will fall for the Empress’ superficial scheme.”
“Yes, unfortunately.”
The Empress will use Count Gasch to plan an attack on me or Cassian.
She will then quietly place the blame for the crime on him, which naturally allows her to eliminate the young Count who may become the Third Prince's love rival.
From what I have seen over the past few days, I have already noticed that this young Count is not of a devious character.
That's why I didn't warn him much either.
“The Empress took advantage of his impatience.”
“Yes, whether in the empire or the kingdom, to become
We read that you must either be loved by the imperial family or obtain permission from the legal spouse.”
“She must have said that she would convince the Third Prince to give him the position of First Concubine...”
“Yes, now you understand why I am worried about you.”
Cassian said this as he raised my hand and kissed it briefly..
“But… today’s early departure is only a temporary measure, right?”
The Empress probably knows that I visit Cassian's office regularly, and she can roughly guess the time of my return.
There was every possibility that the young Count would try to interfere with my late return home.
But does avoiding it today solve the problem?
When I looked at Cassian with an inquiring face, he nodded with a slight smile as if he understood.
“I hope you'll give in to this.”
“Because it might cause diplomatic problems?”
“Yes, Princess Alexis said that she likes younger men who are a little stupid and handsome.”
“It's not good for us if the Third Prince monopolizes all of Alexis' love too.”
Anyway, it would be perfect if the Third Prince aroused jealousy in the royal family and distracted the Empress..
I nodded to Cassian in understanding.
“I understand, I will avoid him today.
I will also try to talk to Lord Gash nicely.”
"good."
Although he nodded as if this was the best option, Cassian had an uncharacteristically disappointed face.
I didn't quite like that face, so...
“More than that, Your Highness.”
"Yes?"
“Even if you weren't engaged to me to begin with, wouldn't you have ended your engagement to her anyway?”
You asked a hurtful question.
“You don't fit her type except for the fact that you're younger, but...”
The disappointed look disappeared from Cassian's face and was replaced by a strange smile.
“Am I not beautiful to you, Rose?”
"…What?"
Shouldn't you be more concerned about not being as stupid as her type?
When I looked at him with a stunned face, his face came so close to mine that our noses almost touched.
“Am I really… not pretty?”
Don't you look in the mirror?
My breath suddenly ran out.
Isn't it cheating to get so close to this face?
When I caught my breath, I tried to shift my gaze a little.
Then Cassian gently held my face, making our eyes meet again, and whispered in a low voice.
"Hmm?
Rose, answer me.
This is very important to me."
Why did I show kindness to Cassian and end up like this...
To avoid lack of oxygen, I could barely open my mouth.
“How… could that be?
Of course.”
Cassian's purple eyes curved gently.
Although I didn't want to give the answer he really wanted to hear, his eyes pushed me as if he was asking me to speak quickly.
“You're always... beautiful.”
As if I could beat him.
Even after I answered him, he didn't let go and looked at me like he wanted something.
“…Your Highness.”
I barely moved my eyelids and closed my eyes, which had become stiff from forgetting to blink.
I heard a shallow sigh beside my blocked vision.
Get away..
In the end, the soft touch on my forehead disappeared, and even the sensation that was caressing my cheek disappeared..
When I slowly opened my eyes, Cassian spoke in his usual sad voice, as if asking me to listen.
“Since my fiancée says I'm not pretty enough, I'll have to work harder.”
"What?"
Didn't I say you're beautiful?
As I looked at him with a stunned expression, his face was full of riot, while a sudden flutter moved in my heart..
“You like pretty things very much, don't you, Rose?”
Cassian grabbed my hand and pulled me quickly.
“The same goes for delicious things.”
“…Your Highness!”
“I can't lose my precious help, so I'll have to try harder.”
Oh, really, this terrible employer...
I wasn't worried about him, he was just teasing me again..
But I felt like I had suffered a great loss.
The spicy soup I ate that day was absolutely amazing.
Somehow, he knew I would miss it, so he even asked the chef to prepare it in advance.
This person is a ghost...
He reads all my thoughts.
However, thanks to Cassian's predictions and protection, as well as my ability to leave work early, I was able to return home without incident..
He even appointed two skilled knights to accompany me, in case of emergency.
They were the ones known as Cassian's Swords in the original story, so even if things went wrong, there was a good chance I would be safe..
I could tell that what he said was true as soon as I entered Her Highness Alexis' office the next working day.
Lord Gash, who usually ignored or stared at me, blocked the entrance.
“I think it's time for you to stop coming, Assistant Salis.”
“Did Her Highness Alexis fire me, Mr.
Gash?”
He asked him with a calm smile.
Having to appease someone like that…
Since I've been dealing with people like him through methods like tax audit every time, it's hard for me to choose a friendly approach, right?
“If that is the case, I will gladly return to Your Highness Cassian.”
I started to make fun on purpose...
“I was feeling very lonely after being away from His Highness for a week.”
“Far…?”
Lord Gash spoke as if he could not believe what I was saying.
“You're talking nonsense, do you think I don't know?”
"Yes?"
You looked at him with a deliberately stupid expression.
Everyone gets upset when I put on this unaware face.
“You should know that it has become really annoying for Her Highness Alexis to keep someone like you around her!”
“I don't understand what you're saying.”
“Don’t act stupid, do you think I don’t know that you are reporting all kinds of secret information to His Highness Prince Cassian every evening?”
His beautiful face was stained with a sarcastic smile.
“You should be grateful, I can immediately inform Her Highness Princess Alexis of this matter-”
“The one who should be thankful is you.”
She interrupted his words and approached him
Touch..
“His Highness Prince Cassian and I have prevented diplomatic conflict for you.”
“W-What…?”
“Don't act stupid, we have evidence.”
I looked at him with an evil smile.
His simple face turned pale.
There are many types of persuasion.
Exploiting vulnerabilities is also a very legitimate and clean way to do so.