“Diego, please have some self-control for the time being,” the Empress looked at her son with raised eyebrows. It was the day after the award ceremony.
She had an unusually sharp tone when she addressed Diego, who stood opposite her.
“You can’t afford to make an unfavourable first impression on the young lady who will become your fiancée.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Diego replied with an unenthusiastic smile.
“I will do my best within my abilities. Although, I am not sure if it will satisfy you.”
In response to the unconvincing answer, the Empress sighed deeply, touching her forehead.
The engagement kept being postponed due to Diego’s disorderly behaviour.
After much effort, the Empress finalised a marriage proposal with a young lady from a prestigious family who just made her debut.
It was an esteemed family whose support would be of great importance to Diego in the future. To achieve this goal, there had to be zero mistakes during the wedding planning process and no breaking off the engagement.
Even though he was a prince, assigning blame was out of the question.
“Ah, must I leave now? As you can see, I had too much to drink yesterday.”
Diego retorted casually. Unaware of his mother’s feelings.
He had swollen eyes and a wrinkled shirt from a night of tossing and turning until the sun rose.
“Well, I might make a mistake in front of the guests. Mother will have to work hard to cover it up.”
It was a light-hearted jest, but the Empress’s expression darkened. She sighed deeply, eventually relenting.
“……You may go now. Just don’t forget your mother’s advice.”
“Of course.”
Diego, who offered a nonchalant farewell, exited the reception room.
The Empress had a troubled expression, but her demeanour remained composed.
He was a prince who had lived without caring about anyone’s opinions.
His face, still bearing traces of last night’s revelry, appeared quite fresh. That was until he encountered someone.
“……”
Diego gazed at a man passing through the lobby, a wry smile forming on his lips.
As always, Caius looked put together, unlike him, who looked dishevelled.
“Brother.”
Diego greeted Caius as he approached.
“Good to see you here.”
Caius, standing still, looked downwards with a blank expression.
Caius, not maintaining his composure, muttered as if facing something insignificant.
“Oh, you were also summoned by Mother.”
Diego’s immaculate demeanour crumpled at that moment.
Although he didn’t react strongly to any words, Caius’s haughty comment always had a way of crushing him completely.
With a look that seemed to say he was pitiful, worthless, and not worth his attention, Caius stared, just as he always did.
“Yes, unfortunately. It’s a pleasure to see you, Brother.”
Diego continued confidently, unfazed by Caius’s unchanging gaze.
“It’s been quite a while since we had a chance to talk like this. It seems you’ve been quite busy, Brother.”
Diego subtly taunted Caius.
“Your fiancée seems quite lonely recently.”
Caius’s eyes narrowed momentarily. Diego noticed this subtle change and chuckled.
“While my dear brother was away, I grew close to the princess. For some reason, she still seems lonely, even though my dear brother has returned…”
Despite the blatant provocation, Caius showed no reaction but his cold gaze.
However, his presence at this moment felt more intimidating than usual. It was either due to the physical difference or his unique expressions.
At this point, Diego swallowed his saliva, feeling somewhat suppressed.
Caius finally spoke, maintaining his calm demeanour.
“It would be wise to avoid making unwarranted assumptions.”
It was a clear warning.
Diego knew he should stop at this point, but he wanted to provoke Caius a little more. He had a feeling that witnessing his arrogant demeanour crumble would be the only way to ease his frustration.
“I’d like to do that too, but I can’t help but feel sorry for the princess, who still looks lonely even when my dear brother has returned…”
The remnants of alcohol in Diego’s system fueled his impulsiveness.
“If my dear brother is too busy, I can comfort her in his absence.”
Caius said nothing, but he looked at Diego as he always did, with a disdainful gaze that asserted his superiority.
“Diego Hercesia.”
Caius tilted his head as if to loosen his stiff neck.
His face remained unchanged without a trace of anger.
“Do you covet what’s mine?”
His relaxed attitude was unexpected, causing Diego’s determination to waver.
With the substantial difference in stature, his self-esteem was trampled upon.
He wanted to strike Caius’s haughty face with his fist at any moment. However, Diego remained patient and managed to restrain his anger.
He forced a smile onto his lips.
“Well, how can you be so sure, Brother?”
Diego started to speak without regard for the truth.
“It’s arrogant to think there’s been nothing between the princess and I.”
Caius couldn’t hide the smirk on his face. Diego continued, feeling triumphant.
“I don’t understand why you think that way. Why would she wait for a fiancée who was not returning anytime soon… That’s your arrogance, Brother.”
Intoxicated, Diego leaned against the railing, chuckling.
Caius stepped forward, his smile disappearing.
He grabbed Diego’s shoulder with his large hands. It looked like he was about to crush his shoulder blades.
“Really?”
Caius’s voice was as relentless as his grip.
His threatening eyes made even the confident Diego falter.
“I came back alive, and that woman is still mine. So what’s the point of saying such words?”
“Ugh, let go of me…”
“No matter how hard you resist, that woman belongs to me.”
Despite Diego’s struggling, Caius’s arm remained as firm as a rock.
The pain intensified.
Caius watched Diego, who let out a faint groan.
Then, without warning, he released his shoulder abruptly, and Diego staggered back, bumping into the railing.
Diego let out a shallow groan, holding his throbbing shoulder.
“You’d better behave. Think of the Empress, who has her eyes on you.”
Caius, who had watched Diego’s pitiful state for a while, suddenly lost interest.
He left as if nothing happened.
“Damn it…”
Diego cursed under his breath, glaring intensely at Caius’s departing figure.
* * *
In the Crown Prince’s office.
Victor had his back turned, anxiously watching Caius, who stood in the room. Caius was in the office just like any other day, but something was different in the air. Victor wondered if something had happened.
As Victor contemplated whether or not to start a conversation as he tried to read the situation, he was given a short order.
“Examine the Second Prince’s condition.”
It was a concise sentence, but it carried a chill that reached even Victor. He swallowed hard, quickly lowering his head.
“Yes, of course.”
“And bring that woman.”
“When you mean ‘that woman’…”
Victor didn’t immediately grasp whom Caius was referring to, so Caius clarified.
“Leah Ainel.”
“Ah…”
“Right now.”
Victor hesitated in response to the command given. Caius’s facial expression remained stoic. Victor instinctively moistened his lips and lowered his head again.
“Yes, I will bring Princess Leah to you immediately.”
Victor left the office without further delay. Caius’s face, faintly reflected in the window, sent shivers down his spine.
It was the first time Caius had explicitly asked for her. Victor couldn’t help but wonder what could be going on.
Since the evening of the reception, both Leah Ainel and Diego Hercasia had weighed heavily on Caius, leaving him in an uncomfortable state of mind.
“Diego, please have some self-control for the time being,” the Empress looked at her son with raised eyebrows. It was the day after the award ceremony.
She had an unusually sharp tone when she addressed Diego, who stood opposite her.
“You can’t afford to make an unfavourable first impression on the young lady who will become your fiancée.”
“Yes, Mother.”
Diego replied with an unenthusiastic smile.
“I will do my best within my abilities. Although, I am not sure if it will satisfy you.”
In response to the unconvincing answer, the Empress sighed deeply, touching her forehead.
The engagement kept being postponed due to Diego’s disorderly behaviour.
After much effort, the Empress finalised a marriage proposal with a young lady from a prestigious family who just made her debut.
It was an esteemed family whose support would be of great importance to Diego in the future. To achieve this goal, there had to be zero mistakes during the wedding planning process and no breaking off the engagement.
Even though he was a prince, assigning blame was out of the question.
“Ah, must I leave now? As you can see, I had too much to drink yesterday.”
Diego retorted casually. Unaware of his mother’s feelings.
He had swollen eyes and a wrinkled shirt from a night of tossing and turning until the sun rose.
“Well, I might make a mistake in front of the guests. Mother will have to work hard to cover it up.”
It was a light-hearted jest, but the Empress’s expression darkened. She sighed deeply, eventually relenting.
“……You may go now. Just don’t forget your mother’s advice.”
“Of course.”
Diego, who offered a nonchalant farewell, exited the reception room.
The Empress had a troubled expression, but her demeanour remained composed.
He was a prince who had lived without caring about anyone’s opinions.
His face, still bearing traces of last night’s revelry, appeared quite fresh. That was until he encountered someone.
“……”
Diego gazed at a man passing through the lobby, a wry smile forming on his lips.
As always, Caius looked put together, unlike him, who looked dishevelled.
“Brother.”
Diego greeted Caius as he approached.
“Good to see you here.”
Caius, standing still, looked downwards with a blank expression.
Caius, not maintaining his composure, muttered as if facing something insignificant.
“Oh, you were also summoned by Mother.”
Diego’s immaculate demeanour crumpled at that moment.
Although he didn’t react strongly to any words, Caius’s haughty comment always had a way of crushing him completely.
With a look that seemed to say he was pitiful, worthless, and not worth his attention, Caius stared, just as he always did.
“Yes, unfortunately. It’s a pleasure to see you, Brother.”
Diego continued confidently, unfazed by Caius’s unchanging gaze.
“It’s been quite a while since we had a chance to talk like this. It seems you’ve been quite busy, Brother.”
Diego subtly taunted Caius.
“Your fiancée seems quite lonely recently.”
Caius’s eyes narrowed momentarily. Diego noticed this subtle change and chuckled.
“While my dear brother was away, I grew close to the princess. For some reason, she still seems lonely, even though my dear brother has returned…”
Despite the blatant provocation, Caius showed no reaction but his cold gaze.
However, his presence at this moment felt more intimidating than usual. It was either due to the physical difference or his unique expressions.
At this point, Diego swallowed his saliva, feeling somewhat suppressed.
Caius finally spoke, maintaining his calm demeanour.
“It would be wise to avoid making unwarranted assumptions.”
It was a clear warning.
Diego knew he should stop at this point, but he wanted to provoke Caius a little more. He had a feeling that witnessing his arrogant demeanour crumble would be the only way to ease his frustration.
“I’d like to do that too, but I can’t help but feel sorry for the princess, who still looks lonely even when my dear brother has returned…”
The remnants of alcohol in Diego’s system fueled his impulsiveness.
“If my dear brother is too busy, I can comfort her in his absence.”
Caius said nothing, but he looked at Diego as he always did, with a disdainful gaze that asserted his superiority.
“Diego Hercesia.”
Caius tilted his head as if to loosen his stiff neck.
His face remained unchanged without a trace of anger.
“Do you covet what’s mine?”
His relaxed attitude was unexpected, causing Diego’s determination to waver.
With the substantial difference in stature, his self-esteem was trampled upon.
He wanted to strike Caius’s haughty face with his fist at any moment. However, Diego remained patient and managed to restrain his anger.
He forced a smile onto his lips.
“Well, how can you be so sure, Brother?”
Diego started to speak without regard for the truth.
“It’s arrogant to think there’s been nothing between the princess and I.”
Caius couldn’t hide the smirk on his face. Diego continued, feeling triumphant.
“I don’t understand why you think that way. Why would she wait for a fiancée who was not returning anytime soon… That’s your arrogance, Brother.”
Intoxicated, Diego leaned against the railing, chuckling.
Caius stepped forward, his smile disappearing.
He grabbed Diego’s shoulder with his large hands. It looked like he was about to crush his shoulder blades.
“Really?”
Caius’s voice was as relentless as his grip.
His threatening eyes made even the confident Diego falter.
“I came back alive, and that woman is still mine. So what’s the point of saying such words?”
“Ugh, let go of me…”
“No matter how hard you resist, that woman belongs to me.”
Despite Diego’s struggling, Caius’s arm remained as firm as a rock.
The pain intensified.
Caius watched Diego, who let out a faint groan.
Then, without warning, he released his shoulder abruptly, and Diego staggered back, bumping into the railing.
Diego let out a shallow groan, holding his throbbing shoulder.
“You’d better behave. Think of the Empress, who has her eyes on you.”
Caius, who had watched Diego’s pitiful state for a while, suddenly lost interest.
He left as if nothing happened.
“Damn it…”
Diego cursed under his breath, glaring intensely at Caius’s departing figure.
* * *
In the Crown Prince’s office.
Victor had his back turned, anxiously watching Caius, who stood in the room. Caius was in the office just like any other day, but something was different in the air. Victor wondered if something had happened.
As Victor contemplated whether or not to start a conversation as he tried to read the situation, he was given a short order.
“Examine the Second Prince’s condition.”
It was a concise sentence, but it carried a chill that reached even Victor. He swallowed hard, quickly lowering his head.
“Yes, of course.”
“And bring that woman.”
“When you mean ‘that woman’…”
Victor didn’t immediately grasp whom Caius was referring to, so Caius clarified.
“Leah Ainel.”
“Ah…”
“Right now.”
Victor hesitated in response to the command given. Caius’s facial expression remained stoic. Victor instinctively moistened his lips and lowered his head again.
“Yes, I will bring Princess Leah to you immediately.”
Victor left the office without further delay. Caius’s face, faintly reflected in the window, sent shivers down his spine.
It was the first time Caius had explicitly asked for her. Victor couldn’t help but wonder what could be going on.
Since the evening of the reception, both Leah Ainel and Diego Hercasia had weighed heavily on Caius, leaving him in an uncomfortable state of mind.
