* * *
At the same time, the scent of roses grew overpowering, stabbing at his nostrils.
In the entire kingdom, only one person used such a heavy rose fragrance.
Identifying the figure wasn’t difficult.
Kaindel straightened up as soon as he recognized who was approaching him.
With a flawless smile as if he’d never uttered a single curse, he greeted her with a slight bow.
“Your Highness. It’s a pleasure to see you again. How have you been?”
“Ah, I heard you’ve returned. Congratulations on subjugating the Great Calamity, Duke of Shudegarten.”
When Kaindel acknowledged her, Kerelona’s lips curved into a satisfied smile.
“It must have been no easy feat. You’ve done well.”
“Thank you.”
Father or daughter, they’re just the same.
Kaindel suppressed the urge to let his face twist in disgust.
As if an unexpected marriage proposal hadn’t already soured his mood, standing before someone he detested made his lips twitch involuntarily.
Following proper etiquette, he gave a shallow bow.
Kerelona, observing him intently, changed the subject without delay.
“So, have you thought about it?”
“…Thought about what?”
Kaindel blinked at the abrupt question, devoid of context.
The last conversation he’d had with Kerelona was over a year ago.
There was no way he could recall every detail from back then.
“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”
“My proposal.”
“Ah.”
Only when Kerelona mentioned her “proposal” did Kaindel understand what she was talking about.
“Help me.”
“You mean to assist Your Highness with something you’re planning?”
“Yes, it’s just a plan for now.”
“And do you have a particular reason for needing my help?”
“Because you’re a hero.”
The conversation they’d had back then came flooding back.
She had asked for his assistance because he was a hero.
Though he hadn’t inquired about the specifics of Kerelona’s plan, it wasn’t hard to guess.
Most likely rebellion or civil unrest, something along those lines.
Kaindel easily saw through her intentions.
What remained unclear, however, was why she had devised such a plan in the first place.
“I don’t understand why Your Highness would entertain such thoughts.”
“When I was young, I lost someone I loved—a nanny.”
“A nanny?”
“She was executed for allegedly stealing a countess’s valuables.”
Kerelona recounted the story in an almost cheerful tone, as if reminiscing about a happy memory.
She perched on the windowsill as she spoke.
Kaindel watched her silently.
It was impossible to tell if her smile was genuine or not.
“But it wasn’t true. My nanny was falsely accused, simply because she was a commoner.”
At this, Kerelona tapped her fingers rhythmically on the windowsill.
The sound of her nails against the wood echoed through the corridor.
Come to think of it, the hallway had grown eerily quiet.
Given that they were in the royal palace, there should have been attendants or maids nearby.
It seemed Kaindel had only just noticed, preoccupied with revisiting unpleasant memories.
“Our world is structured to make it nearly impossible for commoners to survive.”
“…”
“Surely you’ve felt it too?”
Kerelona glanced out the window briefly before directing her question at the silent Kaindel.
Her tapping ceased.
She looked up at him, awaiting an answer.
Her reason for seeking his agreement was obvious.
It was about Isa.
The rumor that Kaindel cherished Isa, a commoner, had spread far and wide.
Kerelona must have assumed he shared her anger at the injustices commoners faced.
But why?
Kaindel furrowed his brows slightly and blinked.
It made sense for commoners to be angry about their mistreatment.
It was even understandable for nobles close to them to share in their anger.
But for a princess—a figure who benefited the most from such a system—to be enraged over commoners’ struggles seemed contradictory.
Wasn’t she herself the greatest beneficiary of that structure?
“Who is this plan for?”
“What?”
“The plan Your Highness is devising. Who is it for?”
“For whom, you ask?”
Kerelona chuckled as if she’d heard an amusing joke.
“Of course, it’s for my people.”
Her claim that the plan was for the kingdom’s citizens was riddled with flaws.
Kaindel scrutinized her, his gaze probing for the truth hidden in the murkiness of her words.
Who were the “my people” she referred to?
Did Isa fall under that category?
Probably not.
Any act driven by personal motives would result in outcomes that served personal interests alone—just as when he’d defeated the Great Calamity.
The answer he needed to give her was obvious.
“I disagree with Your Highness’s views. I won’t help you.”
“Duke of Shudegarten, think it over again.”
“Have a good day.”
He had a bad feeling.
If this dragged on any longer, he feared he might be ensnared.
Guided by that ominous premonition, Kaindel took a step forward without hesitation.
The lingering rose fragrance was beginning to give him a headache.
He needed to escape this place. Only then could he think clearly.
“You.”
He’d barely taken a few steps when Kerelona’s voice stopped him.
“How long do you think you can remain in that position?”
“…”
“To the nobles, heroes are only useful during a Great Calamity. Afterward, they’re just a nuisance—a threat to their power. Don’t think you’ll remain untouchable forever. That…”
“I don’t,” he interrupted in a low voice, cutting her off.
Kaindel lacked the patience to let Kerelona reiterate what he already knew.
Her motives were transparent, and that transparency grated on him.
“I’ll be leaving now.”
“Don’t let your bravado get the better of you. Consider this a warning, Duke of Shudegarten.”
“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“……”
The smile that had curved his lips twisted bitterly.
As expected, these people were the kind he didn’t even want to associate with.
Kaindel’s once-gentle facade crumbled entirely.
Raw, unfiltered disgust began to seep out, slowly but surely.
After subduing the Great Calamity, he had a clear understanding of how the nobility would treat a “hero.”
Unlike the commoners who revered him, the nobles would focus solely on their own security before turning their attention to more practical matters.
Moreover, the instability of the Schudelgarten family was bound to make it an appealing target for them.
Knowing all this, Kaindel had once considered marrying a suitable partner.
After all, few things were as useful for stepping into the social sphere as a strategically advantageous marriage.
If not for the variable named Isa, he might have gone along with the princess’s plans—whether out of mere curiosity or a desperate desire to escape his suffocating reality.
But the moment he chose to let Isa fully into his life, all his plans unraveled.
That was simply how it was.
“I already have a lover, Princess.”
“……”
“And I believe the same could be said for you.”
Revealing his relationship with Isa directly to Kerelona had been an uncalculated move.
Even hinting that he knew about her connection with Lord Heron had been unplanned.
Looking back, it might seem like he had carelessly exposed his vulnerabilities, but surprisingly, he felt no regret.
“So let’s avoid doing anything that would make us both uncomfortable.”
As Kaindel brushed past Kerelona, he lightly tapped her shoulder.
“Consider this a warning.”
Relief washed over him.
Letting out everything he had bottled up felt liberating, as though a long-clogged faucet had finally been cleared.
Surely, even the princess’s pride wouldn’t allow her to push further now.
He was just about to move forward, confident in his assumption, when—
“Well, well.”
Kerelona, who had seemed to hesitate for a moment, smiled faintly.
Her narrowed, delicate eyes were strikingly beautiful.
“How unfortunate.”
* * *
