Chapter 39

At Cayden’s next words, Adeline’s expression instantly turned cold.

“…Pardon? What do you mean by that?”

It was clear from his deliberately subdued tone alone that this time he wasn’t jesting. As her face stiffened, Cayden let out a short sigh.

“I suppose I’ll have to be direct. Don’t marry Milleinberg, Adeline Zeller.”

“What… is your reason? I find it difficult to understand.”

“I don’t want you to end up like my father. That’s all.”

By father, he meant Emperor Albert, the man who had married for love alone, only to reap a lifetime of regret.

Hearing this only made Adeline’s confusion deepen. What reason could there possibly be for her to follow in Emperor Albert’s footsteps? Had it been anyone else, she would’ve dismissed the words outright. However, because it was Cayden, she couldn’t.

‘His Highness Cayden… he above all others has always been on my side.’

From her past life, she knew it well. He had been her only true ally. So naturally, her trust in him only deepened her confusion.

When Adeline couldn’t bring herself to give any reply, Cayden tilted his head slightly and whispered.

“You seem troubled, so let me tell you something. Though perhaps you already know…”

The words that brushed her ear were, as she expected, something she was already aware of: the next Marquis of Belov wasn’t to be Milleinberg, but Huberg.

What mattered was the question that followed.

“Adeline Zeller, do you know the reason why?”

The reason Milleinberg hadn’t inherited the Marquisate of Belov.

Coincidentally, it was the very mystery that had long weighed on Adeline’s mind. When her eyes wavered, Cayden gave a short laugh, as though he had expected nothing less.

But their conversation went no further.

Cayden straightened, turning his head to gesture toward the crowd.

“Look there. Your partner is returning.”

Hearing it from him directly might not be such a bad thing.

Adeline followed his gaze and saw Millein approaching, apparently having finished his talk with Sophia.

The moment his eyes met hers, a bright smile immediately spread across his face.

Cayden gave a short, wry laugh at the sight before he lightly tapped Adeline’s shoulder.

“Then think carefully, Adeline Zeller.”

Whether marrying Milleinberg is truly the right choice.

︵‿୨ ₊‧꒰ა ཐི༏ཋྀ ໒꒱ ˚₊ ୧‿︵

What could Prince Cayden have meant by that? How much did he know, and why had he chosen to say them to her?

‘Does he know that Millein proposed to me as well?’

If she could, she would’ve seized the moment to press Cayden for more, but he hadn’t offered any further explanation.

Perhaps even he couldn’t carelessly discuss another family’s secrets.

Because of this, until the very moment she left the banquet hall, Adeline’s thoughts remained consumed by his words. As she grew uncharacteristically quiet, Millein, who was walking beside her through the imperial gardens, finally spoke.

“I’ve finished speaking with Sophia. It seems she somehow got the wrong idea about Mireille Leroux and me…”

His words trailed off, and he gave a faint, awkward smile.

“I’m sorry you had to witness such an unpleasant scene. But you needn’t concern yourself, it’s settled now.”

“….”

Instead of answering, Adeline silently gazed at the handsome young man who sought to reassure her.

Millein seemed to think the reason she had gone quiet was because of what had happened with Sophia. And in truth, Adeline had always been unsettled whenever rumors of scandal clung to him. If Millein really had a lover, then spending too much time with him or showing him undue closeness would hardly be proper.

‘I always thought it was better to keep some distance.’

She had always insisted that House Zeller had no need for scandal, and that principle applied just as firmly to her relationship with Millein. Of course, if she chose to distance herself from Millein now, the reason would hardly be something as trivial as a potential scandal.

Breaking her silence, she spoke abruptly.

“Millein, just now His Highness Cayden told me…”

That you wouldn’t be inheriting the title of Marquis Belov.