Chapter 61

Bianca stepped out of the dining room and made her way down the hallway. The walk from the Empress’s private residence to the Crown Prince’s quarters felt unusually long today. Right before she reached the Crown Prince’s palace, as she passed by the fountain, she ran into someone she was hoping to avoid.

“…Marquis Aron.”

“Lady Astri. We meet again.”

“Yes, we meet again.”

An awkward silence settled between them. The unpleasant memory from last time flashed through her mind, making her want to leave quickly. It seemed like the Marquis was a frequent visitor at the palace.

Bianca took a step back, putting more distance between them. No matter why he was here, being alone together like this made her uncomfortable.

“I shall take my leave, so there’s no need for you to be wary. I just wanted to apologize for what happened last time.”

Marquis Aron had no reason to apologize to her. The one who’d done wrong was Young Lord Kavert.

“It’s not something you need to apologize to me for, Marquis, so I’ll pretend I didn’t hear your apology today.”

“But if I had gone with him that day, none of that would have happened to you, Lady Astri… Ah.”

Bianca’s brow furrowed. The memory of that day resurfaced, and her face flushed with shame. She tried to compose herself and shook her head.

“It’s alright. In the end, nothing actually happened.”

“Even so, it’s not like it didn’t happen at all. Please be careful around Young Lord Kavert. He’s pretty tenacious, and I think he’s still holding onto this.”

“It’s strange that the person at fault is the one others have to be careful around. But I doubt I’ll have any reason to see the young lord again, so there’s no need to worry. I’ll take my leave now.”

Bianca gave a polite nod and turned to go. Since she was of lower rank, it felt easier to just leave first.

“Lady Astri!”

She heard him call out from behind her. Her heart pounded with anxiety, and her steps grew quicker.

“….!”

Just then, a hand landed firmly on her shoulder.

Bianca caught her breath and froze on the spot. She could feel the Marquis catching his breath behind her. Her heart was racing wildly, her mind going blank. But at the same time, she felt strangely calm. The certainty that nothing would happen helped her settle down quickly.

“Tonight, I’m going to cover every inch of your body in my pheromones. So, I want you to cooperate, okay?”

Since that day, he had made sure to leave his mark several times, so it wouldn’t have worn off so quickly. Maybe the Marquis felt it when he grabbed her shoulder. Maybe that was why he hesitated, caught off guard.

“…I didn’t mean to startle you. You’re heading to the Crown Prince’s residence, right?”

It’s fine. Nothing’s going to happen.

Besides, it was broad daylight. Marquis Aron was currently in marriage talks with the Ethel family, the Empress’s younger brother’s family, so he wasn’t likely to do anything rash.

“Yes, the Crown Prince’s palace is where I’m staying.”

Bianca suppressed her trembling and answered. Then, she turned to face the Marquis, frowning at the hand he had placed on her shoulder.

“First, I’d like you to remove your hand from my shoulder. If you truly didn’t mean to startle me, shouldn’t you have simply let me leave?”

“…I felt troubled thinking you were leaving because of me.”

That was the problem. He tried to play the gentleman, offering unwanted kindness, and then acting as if he couldn’t understand when it wasn’t accepted.

“So in the end, Marquis, you were just doing what was comfortable for you under the guise of kindness. I’m actually more comfortable like this. So please, continue on your way. That would be the considerate thing to do for me.”

His scent brushed past the tip of her nose on the breeze. He was certainly not of low class. When he grabbed her shoulder, she could feel a strength that held her in place. It was a different kind of tension from what she had felt with Young Lord Kavert.

The fact that he was standing closer than before made her uneasy. She worried he might react to the scent she had accidentally released in her anxiety.

‘What if the marquis loses control because of my scent too?’

Perhaps the Crown Prince’s scent had already worn off her. Worried, she snuck a quick glance at the Marquis’s face.

Thankfully, unlike Young Lord Kavert, who had looked desperate and wild, the Marquis’s expression was calm. He didn’t seem to have lost his composure, which made her feel relieved.