Chapter 10.1

Rosaline walked through the palace corridor lit with floating lanterns. The lanterns, encased in intricately carved glass, scattered their warm glow across the quiet halls of the Crown Prince’s palace.

That the Crown Prince’s wing was quiet. On any other day, such a thing would’ve been impossible, but tonight was different. The master of this wing was inside the banquet hall.

“Shall we return to the ballroom together?”

Alec had asked before heading back, but Rosaline had shaken her head.

It wasn’t as though her absence would shift the mood of the ballroom.

She was a little worried about Aria, unfamiliar with the ways of the social world, but the Countess would never let her eldest daughter flounder. There was no need to be concerned.

“I’m a bit tired, that’s all.”

…And truly, she was exhausted.

Rosaline forced her weary steps forward. Lately, she’d been so strained from countless worries that her body felt heavier than it should. Even the fan in her hand felt burdensome.

Eventually, she turned a corner and stopped in a section of the corridor where no one was around. She gently rubbed her chest. She’d been struggling to breathe for a while now.

The ominous sensation in her body chilled her stomach.

“No… it can’t be.”

Surely not.

Her vision was still intact, for now. The aftereffects of her kidnapping had begun with her eyesight.

If she could just rest at home, she’d feel better. Rosaline sighed and turned on her heel.
She had planned to rest in the lounge assigned to House Rensier, but at this rate, it would be better to return home altogether.

To do so, though, she’d have to inform her family still inside the ballroom. How far had she walked when—

“Miss Rensier.”

“Good evening, my lord.”

Synox was approaching from the opposite direction.

Rosaline offered a polite greeting, avoiding his gaze. She didn’t want to talk to him right now. Her body was tired, and their relationship… awkward.

But Synox came to a halt in front of her.

“Where are you going?”

“Back to the banquet hall.”

“The Imperial Mage is currently speaking with his patron. He won’t be leaving anytime soon.”

“I’m not going back because of Sir Alec.”

His brow furrowed. And yet, even in the dim palace corridor, Rosaline could read his mood. Perhaps because of the intimacy they’d shared. His refined features carried a clear trace of displeasure.

…But that wasn’t something she could fix right now.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me—”

Just as Rosaline stepped forward to pass him—

“Why did you look away?”

Rosaline froze in place.

Synox was referring to the moment they had locked eyes across the banquet hall.

She hadn’t expected him to bring it up so directly.

After a brief silence, Rosaline replied.

“There was no reason to keep looking.”

He would’ve been surrounded by people soon enough. After exchanging a few words with them, he probably would have made his way to Aria.

Maybe they even danced together for a while. Rosaline had seen her sister practicing with the family knight under their mother’s supervision before the ball. The Countess hoped her newly healthy daughter would inherit the same glory she once basked in during her youth.

In any case, what mattered was that there wouldn’t have been any room at Synox’s side for her. No matter how closely they entwined in private. He was the kind of man who wouldn’t even bother writing her a letter if others were watching.

She knew what kind of relationship this was from the beginning. And yet, the bitterness kept growing. Maybe it was just fatigue. She’d been through a lot recently, and even now, things hadn’t slowed down…

Rosaline squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them again. She was sick of trying to see Synox in a better light.

Just as she tried to move past him, Synox blocked her path.

“Don’t go. You’re in need of urgent care, Miss Rensier.”

“…I just want to be alone right now.”

“You’re being needlessly stubborn.”

Needlessly?

Those words hit a nerve. Rosaline, already exhausted, felt a wave of emotion rise up as she lifted her tired gaze to look up at Synox.

“Then why did you needlessly leave your marks all over me?”

How humiliated she’d been when Alec pointed out the traces Synox had left behind. On her face, no less.

And it wasn’t even necessary. Synox could’ve avoided it, if he had wanted to. She had figured that out from Alec’s words.

“You could erase them if you tried, but… in this case, it seems you didn’t.”

“Sir Alec told me that you left your marks all over my face.”

Synox stared at her for a moment before asking quietly.

“Did you hate it?”

Rosaline’s hand clenched tightly around her fan.

“What, you think I enjoyed it?”

Synox said nothing. His face, half-shadowed as he looked down at her, had gone utterly still.

…And what was with that expression now? Like he was the one who got hurt?

Unsettled, Rosaline lowered her gaze to avoid those piercing blue eyes.

“Don’t suddenly start to do things you’ve never bothered to do before.”

The more Synox treated her like she was special, the more painful it became.
Because she knew, no matter how it looked, the only one on his mind was Aria.

She had been the only one when it came to physical intimacy. That was it. But now that Aria was healthy enough to attend a banquet… even that might change.