* * *
“Dowoon, are you headed to the office now?”
Noticing that I was lingering at the palace entrance, Anna approached me with a gentle inquiry.
“Hmm, just thinking.”
Really thinking. About what to do from here on.
Anna and my shadow will follow me wherever I go and whatever I do, and Baek Yigang will have eyes on me.
So doesn’t that mean I can move however I want?
If I’m within Baek Yigang’s reach, why not roam freely?
I’ll start by wandering toward where that guy I ditched last time is.
I’ve been feeling stifled from working nonstop lately.
…Although I did take breaks—those were all planned. I never rested on my own terms.
“Then how about a walk…?”
“Dowoon, I apologize, but His Highness instructed that you should come to the office once his work is done.”
“Oh no, I suddenly can’t hear a thing. Maybe I’ve got water in my ear?”
Ignoring Anna’s attempt to rein in my freedom, I smiled and dashed toward the gardens.
“Why are you here?”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, why is His Highness here…?”
I came out to get some time alone, so why, of all things, is Ian, whom I just saw this morning, here?
“Ahaha, I usually stroll through the gardens around this time. It’s pure coincidence we met—shall we walk together?”
“…Oh.”
I hadn’t thought to check if Ian would be out for a walk.
Of course not. Who would expect to run into the prince as soon as they step outside for a stroll?
Plus, this wasn’t even in the original story, so it’s beyond my control.
Ugh, seriously!
How am I supposed to tell him to his face that I don’t want to walk with him when he’s smiling at me like that…?
Walking separately isn’t an option either.
How could I enjoy a casual walk with the empire’s prince behind or in front of me?
“All right then…”
Without any other choice, I offered the answer he clearly wanted, moving closer to Ian with a resigned look.
Although we weren’t close enough for Anna behind us to overhear, Ian remained mindful of the attention around us and spoke to me politely.
“But, Your Highness, aren’t you bringing a guard?”
“As you know, a royal always has their shadow.”
Even as a Wizard, I had Anna with me, but here Ian was, wandering about without a guard, just as if he were back in his quarters.
Even though he has a “shadow,” not having anyone right next to him could still be dangerous….
“Besides, right now, isn’t the continent’s greatest Wizard right here beside me? There’s no need for anyone else.”
“…Ahem.”
He just called me the continent’s greatest… not even the empire’s but the continent’s…!
“Well, yes, if you’ve got the continent’s greatest Wizard right next to you, what need is there for guards? Trust me, Your Highness. Hmm-hmm.”
I’m not happy, not in the slightest. I’m just humoring him.
This awkward laugh—don’t get any ideas.
Baek Yigang would never say something like this!
So, as I ended up strolling with Ian, we exchanged a few words.
I’d felt this before, but despite Ian being much younger than me, our conversations never felt out of place.
Which means… maybe our mental ages are the same…
No, better to say Ian is mature for his age.
That’ll make me feel better.
“Oh, you stopped by the magic department?”
“Yes, for a quick mana check.”
While we were chatting casually, Ian suddenly stopped.
“Your Highness?”
When I turned around in confusion, I saw Ian staring fixedly in one direction.
Following his gaze, I immediately understood why he’d stopped.
“Well, what are the chances of running into two familiar faces? Lucky day.”
Why is Piel here again?
For a moment, my eyes met Piel’s.
He looked at me with that same gentle expression, greeting me with his calm gaze.
The crimson glow of the sunset seemed to ignite his platinum hair like a blazing fire.
His eyes as they moved from Ian to me carried a strange look.
As if he had eagerly waited for this moment to meet… not us, but me.
I barely managed to hide my skeptical look.
Although no one tops Baek Yigang in making people uneasy, that doesn’t mean Piel is any less disconcerting.
“Greetings, Your Highness, the Second Prince.”
I didn’t even have the mental space for pleasantries about the blessings of the goddess.
I was more concerned about why he’d shown up here.
Ian continued to silently watch Piel, his expression unreadable.
After a moment, Piel made to approach us, and Ian leaned in close, whispering into my ear.
“Mr. Dowoon, I’ll handle my brother. Step back.”
“What? What do you mean—”
Before I could ask, Ian tugged on my sleeve.
Reflexively stepping back, I found myself staring at Ian’s back.
Did he somehow pick up on the fact that Piel makes me uncomfortable?
“Ah, it seems I don’t need anyone else here after all,” Piel murmured, his gaze flicking to Ian before drifting back to me.
I felt a chill as Piel’s platinum eyes narrowed in a brief sigh, then half-closed with what seemed like amusement.
“I see. You always make that face whenever you see me.”
I had no idea what about my face prompted such a comment.
“Uh, what…?”
Suddenly, Piel’s face drew close.
I started to stammer, caught off guard, but he smoothly laughed and took a step back.
“Didn’t mean to startle you. But since we ran into each other, I have something to discuss. I’d been meaning to find you anyway.”
The soft breeze played with Piel’s light hair, giving him a look of a fallen angel.
Just as I was thinking this, he spoke again.
“Why don’t you ever come to see me?”
The question struck me as clearly as if it had been whispered directly into my ear.
What did I just… no, I’d heard him perfectly.
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
Piel’s statement was so blunt that it left me baffled.
Why don’t I… come see him?
What nonsense is this?
“Yes, it seems you’ve forgotten. We had an agreement to meet, remember?”
“…Ah?”
His platinum eyes cooled as if he’d expected my reaction, and he sighed with slight frustration.
Now that he mentioned it, I vaguely recalled nodding when Piel once asked me to stop by his office.
But typically, you don’t call that kind of vague arrangement a “promise,” do you?
“Ah, so you had no intention of coming. Yet you’re willing to go everywhere else just fine.”
Piel studied my reaction closely, refusing to let my awkwardness slide, and even glanced subtly at Ian.
So, his reason for appearing out of nowhere is…
“You came all this way because you were worried I’d forgotten about our… ‘arrangement’?”
“Indeed.”
Seeing Piel’s straightforward answer, it seemed there was no other reason.
What kind of prince appears in person for something so trivial?
Ah, come to think of it, this guy!
He’s the same nut who once went directly to the magic department to buy a mountain of rare artifacts!
The dignified image of the mysterious royal in my mind shattered… though perhaps it had already been shattered long ago.
“I was actually planning to come by soon.”
A lie. I had no intention of going, nor will I in the future.
But there was no way I could say that, so I played along, though Piel’s face brightened oddly.
“Then join me for dinner this evening.”
“No….”
“Hmm?”
“Ah, I mean, I’m busy, so it’d be difficult.”
Realizing how blunt “no” sounded, I hastily came up with a different excuse.
Having dinner with Piel alone?
That’s insane.
Just thinking about it gives me chills—not because of Piel, but because of how Baek Yigang would react if he heard.
“Well, I’m pretty sure you have no other plans today. You met Ian in the morning, visited the magic department at noon… so your evening should be free, right?”
Piel tilted his head with an innocent look, but his tone was pointed.
Is he a stalker?
Or secretly hired as my shadow?
How does he know every detail of my schedule?!
What is he, Baek Yigang?
“How exactly do you know all this?”
“I told you before, didn’t I? I’m very interested in you.”
His answer came immediately, as if it was only natural.
And suddenly, his past words floated through my mind.
“Cheong Dowoon, I’m very interested in you. Your abilities, your personality, even your origins—I find it all fascinating.”
Wait… he was serious?
“Since we’ve walked enough, let’s go for a meal. Ian, you may return now; the air’s getting chilly.”
Ignoring my response, Piel softly smiled and took my hand.
And that’s when it happened.
Suddenly, Ian, who had been quiet, grabbed my wrist on the opposite side.
What the hell are you doing now?!
“Lord Douhn is currently in my company. You should wait for your turn.”
“Oh, look at you, showing some spirit.”
Caught with both wrists held by the princes, I blankly stared between the two men, my expression one of disbelief.
“Excuse me, gentlemen. I have something to say.”
Seriously, now that Baek Yigang isn’t here, these Baek Yigang wannabes are getting obsessed?
These damn brothers…!
* * *
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