•?••? ? ?••?•

“What?”

“Haha, when you make that stern face, it makes me want to be with you even longer.”

Iva quickly forced a smile, pulling up the corners of her mouth.

“Every expression of yours is so transparent. It’s amusing.”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, it’s cute. Just watching you is enjoyable.”

“Do you see me as some playful puppy?” Iva was at a loss with this unfamiliar side of Claude.

She was more used to him being prickly.

“We’re here.”

Contrary to his words about arriving, they were at a crossroads, not the western entrance. And there stood Chase.

“Your Highness, you’ve arrived.”

“Chase, could you take Lady Iva to the western entrance for me?”

“Yes, understood. Have a productive meeting with Prince Kyle.”

“Alright. Iva, I can’t delay any longer. We must part ways now.”

“Thank you for everything.”

“Since I didn’t fully escort you today, we’ll have to set another date to meet.”

“Pardon?”

“Take care on your way.”

Claude set another date so naturally, then walked away without waiting for an answer, heading in the other direction.

As soon as he was out of sight, Iva pinched Chase hard on the side.

“Ouch! What was that for? That hurts.”

“Does it? Then it’s not a dream.”

“Are you using my body to distinguish between dreams and reality?”

“Hey. Does His Highness ever call you cute when he’s in a good mood?”

Chase’s forehead wrinkled a reaction to the sudden pain.

“What are you talking about? Who would call a grown man cute?”

“True, you don’t have a single cute bone in your body.”

“Are you picking a fight now? I’m the adorable youngest in my family, you know?”

“Does His Highness ever call others cute?”

“Hey, don’t throw around comments like that.”

Chase looked genuinely taken aback by the question.

“His prince is always careful about displaying his emotions. He doesn’t want any rumors, you know. He’s even reserved with me.”

“Really?”

“He’s always so cautious. Don’t spread such talk.”

Right, the only woman Claude ever truly showed his feelings to was the main character, Julian.

With her, he was always straightforward, revealing his honest emotions.

Memories of Claude’s past behaviors flashed through her mind. Those moments when he was gentle and smiled warmly at her surfaced.

“Oh, there’s only one answer to this. I need to escape. Leaving is the solution! Right, Chase?”

“You’re speaking nonsense again.”

Chase, familiar with Iva’s antics, took a few steps away.

“Wait, isn’t today the dessert tribute day?”

Iva, who had been lost in thought, suddenly perked up.

“Gosh, you remember Lady Rosie?”

“You know Lady Rosie?”

“She invited me to a tea party this time.”

“Oh? I know her too. I saw her every time she came to the palace to deliver desserts.”

Even with her head full of turmoil, gossip about others was always fun.

“Isn’t Lady Rosie kind of cute?”

“All of a sudden?”

Chase looked at Iva as if she was making some off-the-wall comment.

“Just think about it. She has a face like a small puppy, so adorable, and her calm demeanor… I think she’d be perfect for you.”

“Here we go again. You’re always trying to play matchmaker. Let’s just get to the western entrance. I’ll escort you.”

Chase turned with a sigh of exasperation.

“I’ll go on alone from here. You should go to Lady Rosie. She seems lost, doesn’t she?”

“Why should I go to her just because she’s lost? I follow His Highness’s orders.”

“Come on. Stop being so rigid. You know the palace layout so well. Just guide her.”

“There are plenty of others who could show her around.”

Chase didn’t want to engage further and started walking at a brisk pace. Iva hurried to keep up with him.

“Out of everyone, if you guide her, at least you could chat a bit more.”

“I’m not interested in small talk.”

His face contorted in annoyance.

“You always say, ‘Whatever concerns the palace is my concern.’ Why are you acting so cold now?”

“Forget it. Just watch where you’re going.”

Iva desperately wanted Chase and Rosie to meet. She was so busy glancing back at the retreating figure of Rosie.

“So, do you want to go to Lady Rosie together?”

“Seriously, Iva! Why do you always…”

“Ugh!”

Unable to hold back any longer, Chase suddenly stopped. This caused Iva, who had been looking behind her, to collide nose-first into his shoulder, wobbling dangerously.

“Whoa!”

Her high heels betrayed her, making her lean backward.

“Iva, are you okay?!”

Thankfully, Chase reacted quickly, grabbing her waist and pulling her into an embrace to prevent a fall.

“That was close. Thought I was going to smack the back of my head.”

“I got scared too! I told you to watch where you’re going.”

“You suddenly stopped, that’s why!”

“What? You should be thanking me for catching you!”

“Not in the slightes…!”

“Isn’t that Lady Iva and Aide Chase?”

The familiar voice from behind made both Chase and the now steady Iva, turn around.

“What brings you here? More than that, I didn’t know the two of you were so… close.”

Julian stood there.

But she wasn’t alone. There was a man beside her whom she was clinging tightly to, that man was Ray.

Seeing them together, Iva stared back and forth between the two, a touch dumbfounded.

Reading the surprise on Iva’s face, Julian, with added pressure on Ray’s arm, introduced him.

“Oh, don’t you know? Ray’s now my personal guard.”

•?••? ? ?••?•