Cassian did not ignore the unusual facial expression she made.
“As Rose said, if necessary, I will contact you to inform you of your compensation, my beloved.”
Compensation is not important at the moment.
Perhaps the lives of my dear friend, Wilhelmina, and you, my devilish boss, could be in danger.
Of course, if he gives it to me, I'll accept it.
Cassian raised his hand and cupped my cheek while looking at my face with a look of relief.
Although it was spring, it was a bit cold at night, but I felt the warmth of his big hands.
“At least I don't think I've disappointed you in anything business-related at all.”
“Yes I know.”
“So, enjoy your vacation with Princess Wilhelmina.
I like that Rose is surrounded by her desires and making a happy face.”
Why did he talk about me as if I were just a greedy, materialistic person?
Not that I'm not like that, but not in an exaggerated way like that.
Cassian, who escorted me to the entrance of the palace, looked at my still worried face.
“Is there anything on your mind?”
His tone of voice was really nice...
He tickled my cheek as if he was asking me to tell him everything I was afraid of and leave it all to him.
“It's okay, even if it's just nonsense, it's impossible not to listen to what Rose says.”
“……It’s just what if.”
Even though it was just an incident in the original work with no connection to the current reality at all, I couldn't get rid of my turbulent feelings..
Although it is the story of her craft and destroyed it since childhood..
“I hope Wilhelmina won't get involved in this.”
Although I can't find a single common point at the moment..
I thought I could tell him about this unsettling feeling.
Even though he looks like the devil and is my toxic boss who always overworks..
“I mean the princess.”
"Yes."
I couldn't help but believe him because he never ignored what I said.
Suffering alone and keeping my mouth shut wasn't my style.
“I'll make sure of that.”
He answered indifferently, but truthfully, I felt that the strength that had been tightly holding my entire body began to weaken..
“I'm jealous as expected.”
"Yes?"
Cassian looked at me with a mischievous look on his face.
“Since you always take care of Princess Wilhelmina this way, I was wondering if I should also keep the lady under surveillance to protect my fiancé.”
“What is this-”
I swallowed my words automatically.
Because he spoke suddenly.
The purple eyes that filled mine were staring at me as if they were teasing me, and then...
scan-
His soft hand moved and fell on my cheek, which was close to my lips.
“So please forgive this level of rudeness, my dear.”
My mind, which had been confused by the voice whispering near my ear, began to think more slowly.
“……Uh, um.”
I didn't notice that anyone came to see me.
“Oh my God, oh my God...!”
I automatically turned my head when I saw the startled voice coming from behind me, and Wilhelmina was standing there..
With her cheeks stained red as she sat with her maid.
“Hmm, we didn't see anything.
I was just taking a short walk.”
What excuses are you seriously making?
“It seems a bit cold, let's take a scarf and go for a walk again.”
"Yes yes!
Ma'am!"
There was a scarf already draped over Wilhelmina's shoulders, and the maid had an extra scarf in her hand that seemed to have been brought for me to wear.
“Velma-”
“Oh, by the way!
You said that the pavilion over there was completely renovated today, but no one comes at night, right?”
“Of course, miss!”
I tried to explain to her, but Velma turned around awkwardly and started to walk away, as if she couldn't see me.
After Velma and the maid left, there was only silence.
I looked back for a while, then made a disgusted face and turned my head towards Cassian..
“However, wouldn’t it be better if I lived up to the princess’s expectations?”
Then he kissed my knuckles with a relieved look on his face.
The hero was ruining my friendship again..
Fortunately, Cassian Artiz didn't mock me any further and walked away like a gentleman.
“It would be bad if Rose resigned, so I should stop at this point.”
If I can call him a gentleman...
When I went to see Wilhelmina at the entrance, Cassian's reaction was one of disappointment.
“…Why did you come already?”
She had a serious face.
I wondered what she wanted to talk about with a maid from the villa.
“I promised you a late snack together, didn't I?”
“This is not important now...!”
“What about our promise?”
Velma pursed her lips for a moment as she calmly asked the question.
“This is not so.”
Even if Cassian interferes, I can take care of it this time.
I smiled and approached her.
“You were very sad that we couldn't have dinner together today, but weren't you Velma?”
“It can't be!
You were so excited too!
As soon as I decided to take you to the villa, I made reservations at that restaurant-”
Velma's face brightened as the words poured out, and then she looked angry.
“Are you kidding me?”
"Velma?
Me?"
Honestly, it would be a lie if I said I didn't feel that way.
At least not now.
In the first place, the love that is more precious than friendship does not exist in me now.
“…I did my best not to misunderstand me.”
Velma patted my arm as if she was upset.
I laughed a little at that.
Even though we're friends, I thought she was like a really clumsy little sister, so I thought she was really cute.
“Okay, miss, is it possible for me to ignore the instructions you gave me earlier?”
asked the butler, who was quietly observing our mood, warily.
“The instructions you gave a short while ago?”
When I tilted my body to look at the butler as if curious, Velma desperately blocked my path and said:
“Okay, tell everyone not to worry and just relax.”
“I understand, miss.”
The old butler looked at us, and for some reason he often turned away with a happy smile on his face.
The only person who could answer me was Velma, so I stared at her blankly, and she took my hand and led me away, as if she were pulling me.
"We were supposed to have a late snack together!
I want to spend some time in my room today and talk about novels!"
“Yes, that's fine, but what are the instructions...”
“I heard that you liked the dessert you had yesterday, so I asked the chef to make it in a different style.”
What were those instructions?
It was difficult for me to suppress my curiosity, but I decided to bear with it in the end.
I can't be a mean person who bullies his friends, because I'm not a devil.
The next three days passed without much happening, without Cassian visiting me for work.
I think he was sincere when he told me to have a good time with Wilhelmina, but I never wasted any more time like that evening.
However, he would always come to see me at least once every day at lunch or dinner, or even at night when that was not possible.
Only Velma was the happiest every time she saw us together.
“You don’t know how lucky I am that Your Highness cares so much about you.”
I don't think my mother would like it as much as Velma does.
But when she said that, she looked so dreamy and happy that I didn't bother to correct her thinking or break the illusion.
One of the reasons I got engaged to Cassian was to free her from her love for him.
“Are you less anxious now?”
Cassian, who came to visit me the night before his return to the capital, asked me in calm words.
“…Is that why you make time to visit me every day?”
“That's one of the reasons.”
“Are there other reasons?”
“Let's show ourves to Princess Wilhelmina.”
I sat on the railing of the suite that Velma told me about a few days ago and shook my head because I expected this.
“The most important reason is...”
Cassian sat next to me and looked at me.
What are those ominous eyes?
While I was on high alert, Cassian let out a loud laugh.
“Because I miss Rose.”
“Do you enjoy teasing me like this?”
Should I pretend that I'm surprised now that I've heard this?
Why don't you do some research on the benefits of silence, Your Highness?
“Yes, it's fun.”
This pervert..
“It's so nice of you to show me that fun face, Rose.”
Cassian scratched my ear with his knuckles.
“When you first saw me in the capital, you looked at me like a monster.”
Has this matter come to light?
I didn't mean to be so rude at that time.
I don't even know what my face looked like.
When I objected with my eyes, Cassian showed a soft look on his face, as if he were happy.
“You will return to the capital later, right?”
“Are you leaving tomorrow, Your Highness?”
“I think I'll probably have to look into it for another day or two.”
I sighed deeply upon hearing those words.
“When you return to the capital, there will be a huge backlog of work.”
"I know."
Cassian leaned his head on my shoulder.
“How lucky I am to have Rose by my side.”
“This is a hardship for me.”
My shoulders shook a little from Cassian's laughter.
“For my anxious help, I will send a message that everything is fine before I leave.”
“So you're saying you'll be busy tomorrow?”
This is an opportunity to spend more time with Wilhelmina, he said..
“Because I want to protect Rose's vacation as much as possible.”
It was a beautiful voice that made my heart flutter more than any word I had heard recently.
I answered, stroking Cassian's hair as he leaned on me.
“I'll wait.”
What he said was meaningless.
Even after completing all preparations for departure and asking Velma to wait for half an hour, Cassian's carriage never arrived.