“Why aren’t you going after him?”

In the past, as soon as Christof’s face darkened, I would stay by his side and apologize to cheer him up.

But I had not moved one bit.

I raised the wine jug and smiled at Harald.

“Since you said my wine is good, it’s obviously more important for me to pour more for you.”

[You look so pretty when you smile. Harald is going to melt.]

[He’s blushing. He can’t handle it.]

[Spill the wine on yourself. Seduce him.]

I stole a glance at Harald. I did not notice anything different about him. Did he really like me?

As the thought crossed my mind, my hand trembled, and some wine spilled onto my front.

Summer clothes were already thin. The fabric stuck to my skin. The pink lining underneath faintly showed through.

“You!”

His eyes widened. He quickly pulled out his silk handkerchief and handed it to me to cover my chest.

He turned around and gave everyone else a warning glare.

[Haha. Anyone who dares look this way will have his eyes gouged out.]

“Go home and change your clothes.”

[Man. Louisa finally came over, and now Harald has to send her away.]

I froze.

“Your place is too far from my house. I’ll catch a cold with these wet clothes the whole way.”

Harald let out a cold snort. “Tch, Christof’s place is right there. Go change there.”

[Uh-oh. He’s jealous.]

[Did that backfire?]

He thought I was using it as another excuse to get close to Christof.

I admit that I had caused trouble on purpose quite a few times over the past few years. I had also used Harald and others as props just to appear in front of Christof more often.

But I truly was not meaning it that way.

“Can’t you just find me a room?” I tugged at his sleeve and looked at him pitifully.

“Huh?!”

He had a grim expression and was about to say something harsh when I sneezed.

“Follow me!”

[Look at how worried he became!]

[So Mr. Ladies’ Man is actually... a total cinnamon roll?]

[It looks like our baby girl finally came to her senses today!]

I did not like bringing servants whenever I went out.

The clothes Harald sent were gorgeous but complicated to wear. I struggled for quite a while to put them on.

When I opened the door, Harald was leaning against a pillar, looking back at me with a strange expression.

“You...”

Without explanation, he pushed me back in front of the mirror in the room.

“Do you really think you can go outside looking like that?”

He skillfully picked up a wooden comb and helped me fix my hair.

[Oh, I see. He just doesn’t want anyone else seeing how cute his wife looks, even when she’s a mess, huh?]

[Aw, he knows how to comb hair, too. Did he practice in secret?]

[Is this what a womanizer turns into after becoming a husband?]

[Come on, Harald. Get it together. Why are your hands quivering?]

I peeked at him through the mirror. His face was red, and his lips were pursed tight as he focused intently on styling my bun.

“Your Highness, I didn’t know you had such a sweet, domestic side. You really are the son of the king’s favorite.”

“Shut up.”

He tugged at my hair as a warning. I obediently stopped talking.

His late mother, Queen Mary, was the king’s favorite.

After she died, Harald started acting out and became more unrestrained. The king turned a blind eye to it. That was also why neither the courtiers nor the commoners dared to offend him.

The room fell silent.

After he did my hair, I let him fix my clothes. My eyes remained fixed on the constantly changing words in the air.

According to those words, Christof had been lukewarm toward me. After I had loved him one-sidedly for six years, he eventually married me and made me his queen.

But after he ascended the throne, he deliberately caused me to lose my child.

Eventually, he had my entire family executed on false charges.

I was given a cup of poisoned wine and died under house arrest in a remote tower.

As for Harald, after the incident, he rushed from his fiefdom to the capital. He sought justice for my family.

At court, he pointed his sword at Christof, but he could not bring himself to kill him.

In the end, Christof exiled him. He fell ill and died in the northern wastes.

He was once a fine young man who dressed in gallant robes. Ultimately, he passed away in a remote wasteland.

I felt a jumble of emotions.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. Harald stepped back and walked around me with satisfaction.

“See? I’m pretty good.”

I looked into the mirror. The hairpin, updo, and clothes were flawless. He was even more skilled than the servant who personally attended to me.

[He’s so proud of himself, haha! He really has a knack for serving others, too!]

I tilted my head and smiled at him.

“I guess you really do have a way with women. You’ve even got talent for this.”

His expression changed.

“What are you even saying? I’m not like that!

“I have very high standards. I’ve never touched any of those girls.

“That was all just for show. Just for show!”

[He’s freaking out. He’s totally freaking out!]

[Haha. That serves him right for being such a show-off before.]

I slowly grew to believe those floating texts as I watched him defend himself until his face turned red.

He really did like me.

“What are you two doing?”

Christof suddenly emerged at the doorway.

I shuddered.

Before, I could never bear to be apart from him, at that moment, I could not avoid him fast enough.

How could I feel affection for a cold-hearted king who killed their entire family?

“A man and a woman alone in a room? Louisa, you even changed your clothes!”

Harald frowned.

“Your Highness, barging into my private chamber like this isn’t exactly proper, is it?”

“I—” Christof was speechless. “If I hadn’t come in, how would I know what you two were up to?”

Rage surged when I heard this. “It’s not like I belong to you. I can do whatever I want!”

Harald was stunned. He looked at me and then at Christof.

“No, no. We didn’t do anything. Don’t go saying stuff like that!”

[Haha. Why is he backing down like that?]

[He doesn’t want to ruin Louisa’s reputation, I guess. That’s so sweet, I’m so moved.]

Christof whipped his sleeve back in fury.

“Did you swallow the wrong medicine today? I’m done with you!”

After Christof left, I looked at Harald with teary eyes.

“At least you’re kind, Your Highness. Boohoo...”

[Louisa has changed for the better!]

[The sweet, spoiled girl deserves the best life. Harald, your good days are here!]

[Oh man, Christof will be jealous if he hears that]

Harald’s face instantly turned red. He looked away awkwardly.

“O-Of course. Who do you think I am?”

[What a scaredy-cat this man becomes when it comes to love.]

Three days later, the royal family held a hunt. The king was in high spirits. He even offered a jeweled hunting knife as a prize.

I searched through the eager young people and found Harald.

“You’re going the wrong way. Christof is over there.”

Harald nonchalantly pointed to the opposite side.

[Yeah, right. Look at him acting tough when he’s been holding on to that comb every day like a lovesick puppy!]

[He’s been bragging about those two jars of elderflower wine to everyone.]

[Harald, I swear, try saying something useful for once.]

“I’m not lost. Thanks for the handkerchief, Your Highness,” I said and smiled plainly as I handed the handkerchief back.

He took it and glanced toward Christof’s side with a frivolous smile.

“Ms. Sinclair, if you keep this act up, you’re not going to be able to explain yourself to Christof.”

He thought I had been using him to make Christof jealous.

Just as I was about to argue back, some young aristocrats from the other side started making snide remarks.

“Ooh, Ms. Sinclair. Your Christof is right here.

“Are you lost?”

The people around Christof have always made fun of my one-sided love for him. They would tease and mock me from time to time.

Christof had never once stopped them. He seemed to enjoy watching the spectacle involving me.

Something was different this time. He raised his head and looked directly at me. “Louisa, come over here.”

The people around him chimed in, “His Highness is calling you. Hurry up!”

I frowned and snapped in a low voice, “I’ll stand wherever I want. None of you gets to tell me otherwise.”

I turned to Harald and said with a smile, “Good luck winning first place, Your Highness.”

Harald froze for a moment before he broke into a bright, cocky smile.

“Thanks!”

[Harald, honey, I can only imagine the butterflies in your stomach right now!]

[You go, Harald! You’re about to have a wife!]

Christof glared at me with a dark gaze and then stormed off angrily.

Before leaving, he said harshly that as long as he was there, no one else would take first place.

I regretted my actions. I should not have been so showy.

The hunting ground was vast. There was no telling what might happen in such a place.

“That sour expression looks ugly on you.”

“Harald!”

I was being worried about him, but he insulted me instead.

He patted my head and said, “Relax. I’m not some pushover.”

[So he sneaks in a sweet moment and then bails? Man up!]

[No, he was blushing really hard. He’s afraid Louisa would catch on.]

I watched as he left. I could feel myself blushing, too.

Horses galloped at full speed. Arrows tore through the air. The hunt was fiercely intense.

Harald moved with grace and struck with speed. Every shot hit its target. Many people paid attention to him.

“Wow. I didn’t know Harald was this skilled.”

“Right? He’s actually on par with Prince Christof.”

“How come we never noticed it once?”

Even the king stared at Harald’s figure and seemed lost in thought.

[Of course. That’s because he didn’t care before.]

[Now it’s different. For his wife’s sake, of course, he’s going all out.]

The herald announced the tally.

“Prince Christof: twenty-four.

“Prince Harald: twenty-four.”

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

“He tied with Prince Christof. That’s impressive!”

The king nodded.

“Harald, you did well this time. However, I only have one jeweled hunting knife.”

Christof glanced smugly at Harald and then at me. He then said, “Father, you’ve always given me plenty. I’m happy to give this jeweled hunting knife to Harald.”

Upon hearing that, the king nodded approvingly. The people also showered Christof with praise. They called him gracious and noble.

Harald clicked his tongue scornfully, then walked over to the hunt and used his sword to lift open the dead tiger’s mouth.

“Look here!”

The crowd was stunned. A prey animal was still in the tiger’s mouth.

The herald stammered, “Prince Harald: tw-twenty-five…”

Christof left the field with a sour expression. Everyone rushed to congratulate Harald. He, however, ignored the crowd and came to stand in front of me.

“Heh. I won.”

I smiled. “Congratulations.”

He took another step closer. His eyes sparkled as he looked at me. I could feel his breath on my face. It tickled.

“I won.”

I tilted my head up. All I could see was that cocky, spirited young man.

“I saw.”

Realizing we were too close to each other, his face flushed. He averted his gaze from me.

“What I’m trying to say is… you wanted me to win. So I won.”

My heart pounded violently.

The wind was howling across the hunting ground. But my whole world had shrunk down to just that one quiet, blushing boy.

On the way back, Harald walked near me several times. But each time he walked away again.

I could not figure him out.

[Why is this kid so useless? Where did all that energy from the hunt go?]

[Tell Louisa you want to ask her out! You’re killing me here!]

I held back my laughter and deliberately teased him.

“So, since you came in first, don’t I get some of the credit? Aren’t you going to thank me?”

“Uh... A flash of surprise lit up Harald’s eyes. He turned away awkwardly.

“Um, well… I heard Langdon’s has new dishes. They’re actually pretty good...

[Aren’t you usually a smooth talker? Now you’re stammering?]

[Tell her you’re into her. Pin her against the wall!]

[Langdon’s cost a fortune. Harald is really splurging to win his girl over.]

I nodded, and just as I was about to agree, Christof’s low voice came from behind me.

“What are you guys talking about?”

Thus, the three of us ended up in the private room at Langdon’s and stared at each other with wide eyes.

[Ooh. Christof is getting jealous.]

[A face-off. I love watching this. Keep going.]

At the square table, Harald massaged the space between his eyebrows.

“What brings you here, Christof?”

Christof chuckled. “I’m just here to celebrate your achievement of the jeweled hunting knife. That’s not too much to ask, is it?”

With that, he waved his hand generously and ordered every famous dish in the restaurant.

He even requested a live-band performance.

Christof was obviously showing off his wealth. Harald became agitated.

“Louisa. These grapes were brought in from the southern vineyards this morning. Try one.

“Louisa. This truffle was just unearthed at dawn. Here, taste it.”

Christof refused to be outdone.

“Louisa...”

“Louisa...”

In no time, my plate was piled as high as a small mountain.

I tasted one shrimp that Christof had peeled. He immediately became smug and looked at Harald provocatively.

I took a sip of the wine that Harald had poured. He also immediately snorted and used it to challenge Christof.

I let out a soft grunt.

[Sweetheart. You’re stuffed, aren’t you?]

[Is this really how princes compete for a girl? This is how they fight at the dinner table?]

I rubbed my stomach. I really could not eat anymore.

I looked up and saw Christof and Harald’s pitiful gazes.

“I chose this for you myself. Come on. Just one bite!”

Get lost!

Seeing that I was about to lose my temper, the two of them finally ended this childish farce.

“Louisa. See that harpist all the way on the right? She’s an old friend of Harald’s.”

Christof pointed toward a graceful girl in red beyond the partition.

I raised my head to take a look. Although I could not see her face clearly, I knew she must be a beauty.

I had always known Harald was a flirt. But I never expected to run into his lover.

“I’m not what you think!”

Harald saw my expression change and immediately tried to explain.

Just as the song ended, the harpist gracefully stepped forward.

“Your Highness, you once said my scent was unusual. So I made you a special sachet. Would you come with me to get it?”

Harald hesitated. It really looked like he wanted to go.

I sighed.

“You should just go with her. Thanks for the meal.”

I rose to take my leave. Harald’s face turned pale.

He looked at Christof, then at me, then at the harpist.

“Louisa, I...”

Ultimately, he was speechless.

I turned and left the dejected and powerless young man standing there alone.

[No, don’t go! That guy is actually just—]

Just what?