* * *
In the original story, and even in this current life, I’d never met him in person…
His gaze fell on me.
Sitting alone and owning the entire bath, Castian smiled at me with a slow, sly curve of his lips.
“I think this is our first time meeting face to face, right?”
“Yes… but do you know me?”
“Sure. You’re the only son of the Lowell family.”
Even for a prince, it was surprising that he knew so much about noble lineages.
“And…”
This time, his eyes shifted to Cedric.
“To think Young Lord Soliwen would be here too.”
Cedric glanced at Castian.
“I didn’t hear there’d be royalty among the guests.”
“I came incognito—hid my face and status. If people knew I was a prince, they’d fuss, and that’s more annoying than it’s worth.”
They clearly knew each other.
While I recognized the prince’s face from portraits, Cedric, the duke’s son, had likely met him many times in person.
“What are you waiting for? Don’t just hover there—come in.”
Castian beckoned us.
I looked between Cedric and Castian, then carefully stepped into the water.
It was hot, but not unbearable once I got used to it.
“Huu…”
A sigh escaped without thinking.
Liette’s recommendation was spot on.
The warmth enveloped my body, and the fatigue I’d been carrying seemed to melt away.
Cedric finally stepped into the bath and sat beside me—right between me and Castian.
As I savored the tingling relief in my bones, the odd tension in the air kept my eyes darting around.
I wanted to talk to Cedric, but with the prince sitting next to us, I couldn’t relax enough to speak freely.
Maybe Castian picked up on the mood?
He broke the silence.
“By the way… since when has the Lowell heir been an Alpha?”
“Ah—no, I’m actually a Beta.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I heard the Beta men’s bath had an issue…”
“Hmm, I see. Makes no difference, I suppose.”
As if a small curiosity had been resolved, Castian nodded slightly.
Leaning back more comfortably, he stared at me before lifting one corner of his mouth.
“Edgar.”
“Y-yes?”
He knew my name too?
“You just turned twenty, didn’t you?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then we’re three years apart. Even better.”
…Huh?
Better?
What was?
“The more I look at you, the prettier your eyes are.”
“Uh… really?”
“Yeah. The way the outer corners curve down slightly—that’s totally my type.”
He traced a curve under his own eye as he spoke, then added playfully:
“You look like a fox that gives eye-kisses. A very cute one.”
For someone raised under strict imperial rules, he had a surprisingly free-spirited personality.
From what I’d heard, that was true to his reputation.
“Was that… a compliment?”
“Of course.”
Since he said so, I gave him an awkward but pleased smile.
Hey, as long as it’s not an insult.
A compliment’s a compliment—makes even whales dance, they say.
Even if it was a bit odd hearing it as a guy, from a guy… I didn’t dislike it.
And then—
“Your Highness, when do you plan to leave?”
Cedric, who had been quietly soaking beside me, suddenly spoke up.
His tone was polite but cold enough that anyone could hear the underlying message: ‘Aren’t you done here yet?’
‘Gasp.’
I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Even if Cedric was the son of a duke on par with the imperial family, it was still reckless to speak so bluntly to a prince.
‘Why is he being so prickly all of a sudden?’
Worried things would escalate, I anxiously glanced back and forth between them.
“…Pfft! Hahaha!”
But Castian suddenly burst into laughter loud enough to shake the bathhouse.
Tears welled at the corners of his eyes as he chuckled and finally replied,
“Sounds like someone wants me gone.”
“Then go.”
“But I just got in. That’s pretty harsh.”
Castian grinned.
“What are you so wary of, my dear lord?”
“……”
“That’s not like you.”
Cedric didn’t respond—just furrowed his brows silently.
The steamy air suddenly felt heavy on my shoulders.
Tension filled the space, and the barely veiled hostility between them continued.
“That’s not something for Your Highness to worry about.”
“Now you’ve just made me even more curious.”
“……”
“Hmmm. Should I take a guess?”
And I, quietly sitting like air, let out a silent sigh.
This was torture.
I hadn’t even been in here for five minutes, and I already wanted to leave.
‘If you’re going to have a power struggle, do it somewhere else.’
By the way, the Soliwen ducal house was distantly related to the imperial family, so their relationship was pretty amicable.
Also, since neither of them was releasing any pheromones, it didn’t seem like a real fight.
Which only made it more confusing.
‘Why are they acting like this?’
“Are you two dating?”
Castian suddenly dropped a bomb.
At first, I didn’t realize I was one of the “two,” so I just blinked… until it hit me.
“Wha—?! No! We’re just friends!”
I quickly jabbed Cedric in the ribs with my elbow.
But after running his mouth nonstop before, he now kept his lips sealed in a firm line and didn’t help me explain at all.
Frustrated, I puffed out my cheeks.
Meanwhile, Castian stood up from the bath with a broad smile.
“All right. I’ll take my leave.”
“Y-Your Highness! That’s really a misunderstanding!”
“Sure. And since it isn’t a misunderstanding, there’s nothing to worry about.”
Castian gave a low chuckle as he watched me try to explain, then walked off toward the changing room.
For some reason, I felt uneasy.
I stared after him for a moment before turning back to Cedric.
“Hey, why didn’t you help me? What if he misunderstood?”
“…Can’t he misunderstand a little?”
“What?”
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
Cedric let out a quiet sigh through his nose before adding slowly,
“His Highness the Second Prince likes men.”
“…Ah.”
“You don’t like that.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I hate it…”
“Anyway. That’s why I stepped in. It looked like he was interested in you.”
“That’s… why?”
“Yeah.”
His deep blue eyes, shaded faintly by his lashes, gazed at me silently.
It was only then I realized how close we were standing.
…Had I soaked in the hot spring too long?
A wave of breathlessness washed over me, and I discreetly caught my breath before climbing up to sit on the stone ledge.
“I can handle stuff like that myself, so you don’t have to help.”
“……”
“But thanks for looking out for me.”
Cedric said nothing for a moment, then gently rested his head against my thigh.
The gesture was kind of cute, and I couldn’t help but soften.
‘Did I just think he was cute?’
That’s not something I would’ve imagined thinking in the past.
Absentmindedly, I ran my fingers through Cedric’s damp, black hair.
His hair was silky—surprisingly addictive to the touch.
And his head was so small…
Then, suddenly, Castian’s loaded remark came back to me, and I quietly withdrew my hand.
‘Ugh.’
This is bad.
Now I’m self-conscious.
‘It’s so uncomfortable being aware like this between friends…’
…Doesn’t it bother him at all?
I stared quietly at the round back of his head, unmoving as he leaned against my thigh like he was sleeping.
“Cedy, don’t fall asleep.”
“I’m not.”
“Let’s stay a little longer, then go.”
“Okay.”
We chatted about silly things—how hungry we were, what we felt like eating, whether Lett was enjoying herself—and then we left the spring.
That night, I slept like a log.
After soaking in the hot spring, all my fatigue melted away. I didn’t even dream.
When I woke up, I was greeted by sunlight and felt completely refreshed.
I ran into Liette and Cedric in the hallway and joined them on the way to breakfast.
And there—
“Well, Fox, we meet again.”
—I ran into Castian.
He was wearing a hat and sunglasses, so I didn’t recognize him at first.
But once he spoke to me, it was obvious.
“Your Highness….”
“Shh.”
Castian pressed a finger to his lips in a hush gesture, so I quickly closed my mouth.
There were other people dining nearby besides us.
Everyone staying at this inn was nobility.
In other words, anyone here could potentially recognize the prince.
Liette, who had been peeking curiously beside me, gasped and covered her mouth when she realized who he was.
She leaned in and whispered in a hushed voice.
“That’s the prince, right? When did you two meet?”
“Yesterday. At the bath.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. I don’t know why he’s here though….”
“Are you going to keep standing? Have a seat, both of you.”
Castian made the suggestion while I was still speaking with Liette.
After a brief exchange of glances, we quietly took seats near him.
Liette sat beside Castian.
Across from him was Cedric.
Which meant I ended up sitting across from Liette—though originally, I had planned to sit opposite Castian.
But Cedric had pulled my arm, stopping me and seating himself there instead.
I awkwardly sat down, setting down my tray, and then accidentally met eyes with Castian.
He had clearly been watching our movements closely, and the moment our eyes met, he smirked slightly.
Something about it felt… off.
I slowly dropped my gaze to my tray.
Liette, always sociable, struck up conversation easily.
“Your Highness, what brings you here?”
Castian responded with an easygoing smile.
“Do you know what the best thing is about being a prince without succession rights?”
“What’s that?”
“I can go wherever I want, like this.”
“Your Highness, I bet people call you a bit of a troublemaker, don’t they?”
Liette’s bold comment made Castian burst out laughing.
He chuckled quietly under his hat as he twirled noodles onto his fork, eyes still on Liette.
“You’re… Count Rossman’s…?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’m Liette.”
“Traveling with?”
“A coachman, a porter, and the three of us.”
“Ah, then you must be heading to the capital?”
Castian seemed to recall that all three of us had just turned twenty and that the Spring Ball was coming up.
I quietly ate my breakfast but looked at them to show I was listening.
Liette answered for us.
“Yes. The Spring Ball is happening soon, after all.”
“I was just about to head back to the palace myself.”
Castian said nothing for a while after that, and I had a bad feeling.
Cedric, likely thinking the same, stared daggers at Castian.
Then came the words I was dreading:
“Since we’re all headed to the same place, might I join your carriage?”
Just as I feared.
* * *
