I watched Askin walk away, his back straight and his steps rhythmic, as if he had no regrets about leaving me behind in the rain. Even in his anger, his etiquette was perfect.
'What is wrong with me?' I wondered, letting out a hollow laugh.
I realized I was doing the exact same thing Askin was. I was doubting the person who approached me, keeping my distance, and bracing for an attack. I felt a strange sense of empathy for him, even though I was still furious.
I wanted to take off Ian Niño's coat, but the chill from the rain was starting to set in. My whole body was shaking. I had no choice but to keep it on. I didn't like that he was following me, but I needed to get to my carriage.
* * *
While Charlize staggered away...
Duke Altsbeit stood in the shadows of the official corridor, watching her from a distance. Unlike Loxdian, who had taken a shortcut through the rain, the Duke preferred the more dignified, albeit longer, route. He was savoring the "drunkenness" of his victory.
He saw Charlize walking away with a man’s coat draped over her shoulders.
"Who is that Youngshik?" the Duke asked his aide.
"That is the eldest son of the Child family, Master Ian," the aide replied.
The Duke stared at them for a long time. A new plan, subtle and dangerous as a snake, began to take shape in his mind.
"Master Ian has just returned after a very successful diplomatic mission, hasn't he?"
"Yes, Your Majesty is expected to grant him a medal for his services quite soon."
"Hmm. It seems I have eyes for talent after all."
The Child family was prestigious, traditionally neutral, and heavily involved in international commerce. Lately, however, Count Child had been playing a subtle game of tug-of-war between the aristocratic faction and the Imperial court.
'If I can pull them firmly into my camp...' the Duke thought.
He knew the Imperial nobles also claimed the Child family as their own, which was the hallmark of a truly successful merchant house. But the Duke was confident.
'Since I already have the Lemut estate in my grasp, I’ll just confiscate that bastard’s property to cover the debt and marry Charlize off to the Child family instead.'
He began to calculate the value of the Child family's trade routes and specialized businesses. It was a good deal. As for Charlize’s "annoyance" at being used as a pawn again? He’d just spend a little extra money to buy her silence, as he always had. Everything was going according to plan.
"Prepare to leave early tomorrow morning," the Duke ordered his aide.
* * *
Askin stood at the door of his carriage, his hand on the handle. He knew that one more step would take him away from the palace and back to his estate.
"Duke?" the coachman asked, looking at him with concern.
Why couldn't he take that last step?
*...In the banquet, I will keep my mouth closed and act like your fiancé...*
He’d said those words with his own mouth. He’d promised to play the role.
*...Have you ever actually listened to me?*
Charlize’s voice echoed in his head. If his role was to be her fiancé, shouldn't he have listened to her side of the story at least once?
*...I even went into debt to help you! Was it really so hard to give me a single chance?*
He knew the odds were that it was all a lie. Charlize was a woman who enslaved men, who expected them to kiss her feet. And yet... he’d seen her tears tonight. He’d seen a seriousness in her eyes that he couldn't explain away.
"Damn it," he whispered, turning back toward the palace.
He didn't just walk; he ran. He didn't have time to answer his knight’s confused shouts. He was breaking his own word, but the regret of *not* hearing her out was starting to outweigh his anger.
'It’s not like me,' he thought. He always gave his subordinates a chance to explain their failures. He’d even give a criminal a chance to speak before passing judgment. So why hadn't he given that same courtesy to Charlize?
Askin stopped, his breath coming in ragged gasps through the rain. He looked ahead and saw her.
Charlize was walking through the downpour, wearing a man’s oversized coat. Ian Niño was walking next to her—not quite beside her, but close enough that they looked like a pair.
'I see. She’s already found a replacement.'
The sight of her pale face under Ian’s protection hit him harder than the rain. Askin felt a surge of bitterness. He turned back toward his carriage, wanting nothing more than to tear off his wet clothes and forget this night ever happened.
* * *
I finally reached the sheltered corridor. I’d refused Ian’s offer to take me home in his carriage—I didn't want to be in his debt, and I didn't want to start any more rumors.
I was shaking with cold, but I hadn't lost my mind. 'I’ll sleep tonight, and then I’ll figure out how to survive,' I told myself.
My relationship with Askin was over. I’d done everything I could, and he’d chosen to believe the worst of me. There was no point in trying to talk to him now. If he’d had any intention of listening, he would have done it back there in the rain.
Ian Niño had suggested we wait in the corridor until my carriage arrived. I couldn't refuse; the warmth of the shelter was the only thing keeping me upright.
I looked at him, my eyes hard. Why was he still following me?
"Princess."
I stopped and looked back at him. I was so tired I felt like I could fall asleep standing up.
"I’m ready for the next slap," Ian said, his voice light and teasing.
I turned my head away, my fatigue making my voice sound sharper than I intended.
"Are you really finding this funny?" I asked, my inner Charlize radiating hostility at his sympathy. "Do you think it’s a joke that my fiancé just abandoned me in public? Is my appearance so pitiable that you feel the need to interfere?"
"No, not at all," Ian replied, his smile never wavering. "But I do have one more question. What kind of person do you think a 'guy like me' is?"
I stared at him, amazed that he could still counterattack with a smile even after everything I’d said.