# Chapter 20
Chapter 20
“Now, can you trust me to be a trustworthy conspirator?
To convince the opponent, it was necessary to make a profitable offer, whether emotional or material.
Now, Cayena had to persuade Raphael by offering him an emotional benefit.
“You say you need my trust.
Is it because whatever happens next is something Your Highness needs?
“As expected, you are smart.
He wasn't as surprised as last time because he had already received a ridiculous compliment.
“And these words are also, without a doubt, a test of whether Your Majesty can trust me.
“I assure you I will do you no harm, Sir Kedrey.
If you suffer any harm because of my order, I will compensate you for it.
The word of a crown princess was an excellent guarantee.
But Raphael didn't understand Cayena's ultimate goal.
If it was to prevent Rezef from becoming emperor, his method was meaningless.
It was also inefficient.
It was much better not to involve the Kedrey family, who had a bad relationship with the imperial family, but to rely on the help of other influential families.
But Cayena chose him.
So this was possibly unrelated to the succession of the throne?
Why was the princess going so far?
When Raphael looked at Cayena's easy smile, it didn't seem like she was going to tell him.
“Oh, but I really meant it when I said you'd get along with Olivia Grace.
Another strange thing was that Cayena seemed to encourage him to associate with Olivia.
She seemed very sincere too.
“According to what you say, my marriage talks will be canceled soon.
Doesn't that mean I won't have to meet anyone?
What he said was right.
If Cayena didn't know he and Olivia were linked, she would have told him to do whatever he wanted.
“I don't intend to impose it on you.
But if your mother tries to coerce you, I recommend meeting Ms.
Olivia Grace.
“I thought Your Highness hated Lady Olivia Grace,” Raphael said.
Cayena humbly admitted.
It was because it was true.
“Well, it was like that.
But I just felt like it was all pointless.
She didn't say it, but Raphael could guess that her words also referred to her former affection for Raphael.
“Is she telling the truth?”
Was she saying that she had truly ended her long obsession with him and removed him from her heart?
Raphael found this hard to believe, as he had long, old memories of suffering because of her.
But she swore she wouldn't treat him like that in the future.
It was an oath made without ulterior motives.
Still, it was the first time Raphael saw Cayena swearing something.
“It would be better to go back now.
It's not good to stay together in a place like this for a long time.
“Yes, Your Majesty.
Cayena took a deep breath and turned around.
To be honest, it was difficult to walk on an unpaved dirt path because of the shoes.
The road was not well maintained and the route was more difficult to navigate due to the bush.
Cayena purposely chose the trail for these reasons, as it meant no one would be using it.
However, high heels and heavy dresses were not suitable for this place.
“Ahh!
— When Cayena tripped over a rock, Raphael supported her waist to help her.
Turns out she ended up in his arms.
“Be careful, Your Highness.
Cayena pulled away from him as if she was burned.
Raphael's eyebrow rose at the overly sensitive attitude.
"Drug."
Cayena was trying to avoid contact as much as possible because she knew Raphael hated touching people.
"Even if he didn't, I just started to get my image back.
I can't make him look bad again."
Cayena would need Raphael's full help later to create a fake husband.
“Because I intend to broker a marriage in the city-state of the Western Duchy.”
Cayena was thinking about creating a fictional person in that state.
He would be a rich, young and handsome man who would be her husband.
“The road is a little difficult.
My apologies.
Cayena said that as an excuse and looked at Raphael.
But his expression was a little strange.
“…is he pleased to have helped me with this little thing?”
In fact, Raphael was contemplative for the opposite reason.
He knew the ground was uneven and that Cayena was wearing heels.
“But why doesn’t she accept my offer to accompany her?”
Even now, heA grabbed the hem of her own dress again and didn't ask him to follow her.
No one knew he hated contact with people.
It was a condition that not even his mother, nor Jeremy, the one who observed him most closely, knew about.
He knew very well that in everyday life, he needed to suppress his displeasure.
This was normal.
He could be patient, although he felt disgusted and trapped when accompanying others for just a moment.
Raphael promptly extended his hand.
“I will accompany you, Your Highness.
This was common sense and common behavior.
That's what he thought.
But a part of his mind had this thought.
“Am I really doing this just because I’m expected to?”
He didn't have to force himself to escort Cayena before.
However, Cayena had no intention of offending him further, so she refused.
“There is no need.
Raphael was convinced by his action.
The princess felt disgusted with him.
“She didn’t like me?”
It wasn't just in your imagination.
It would be difficult to find anyone in Eldaim who didn't know that Cayena liked Raphael.
How can this mind change in an instant?
Thinking about it, it was strange.
It seemed that Cayena, who he had met after a long time in front of the emperor's room, was the same on the outside.
“Has she been acting the whole time?”
If that was the case, it was scary.
Comparing their past and present, they were not the same person.
Her way of speaking and acting was meaningful, like a seasoned politician.
It was like a person who had lived several times.
“…this is absurd.”
Raphael thought he was making an excessive assumption.
Cayena stepped forward again, not seeing the subtle change in Raphael's expression.
“I have to tell them to get rid of my high heel shoes and change them to low heel shoes.”
She frowned at her uncomfortable shoes.
In her original life, she did not feel discomfort in her high heels because she only walked in beautiful landscaped gardens.
So, all of Cayena's shoes had high heels.
Raphael found Cayena looking at the ground, her brow slightly furrowed.
Instead of following her, he walked slowly to match her steps.
Since they were just focused on walking without talking, it only took them a moment to reach the entrance.
Cayena's ladies-in-waiting and Raphael's attendant quickly walked towards them.
Upon seeing their masters, they exchanged perplexed looks.
It was because the atmosphere felt strange.
“Why did the two of them come back so awkwardly?”
Surely the princess wasn't being escorted when they entered the path?
But now, the two were distant from each other.
“Are the rumors true?”
Cayena's refusal to Raphael's request to see him five times was secretly rumored not only in the imperial palace but also in the social world.
They also cited it as one of the evidence that Cayena no longer cared about Raphael.
Even though the two spent time today, there will be rumors that Cayena has been away from him.
They walked towards the castle, still with a medium distance between them.
Suddenly, Cayena said: — I would like to offer you a cup of tea, since we have finished walking, but I will have to let you go, as you must be busy, Sir Kedrey.
Originally, this type of meeting required serving tea and refreshments, and even dining together.
Especially since Cayena had received tea leaves as a gift, telling her guest to return without trying them together was an action that could be interpreted negatively.
But Cayena said he should go because she was thinking about Raphael.
That's because she knew that Raphael wasn't a person who liked to spend time like that, just as he hadn't liked it in the past when he felt uncomfortable with her.
“I don’t know if she’s being thoughtful or weird.”
Raphael had only planned to meet Cayena today, so there was nothing on his agenda afterwards.
That's because, when he thought about the usual Cayena, he thought that she would invite him for both dinner and afternoon tea.
But suddenly, after a short walk, she told him to go.
“… I'm fine, Your Highness.
Even if he had to go because he was really busy, he would have to respond, yes, to the kindness offered by the princess.
But, did she say it out of courtesy or did she really think it was okay?