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“Ray.” 

At the sound of Julian’s voice, Ray’s body jolted.

He had been staring in one direction for so long that his neck was stiff.

His gaze had been fixed on Iva. Just a moment ago, he had only thought of running toward her, forgetting his duty to protect the royal family.

His nerves were focused on Iva, who was conversing with Botri.

Ray had heard rumors about him. That he was a rude and insidious person who liked to poke and prod young and innocent girls.

Even Ray, who had little interaction with others, knew how much trouble Botri had caused.

Just the sight of Botri approaching Iva made Ray seethe with anger. He wanted to break every one of Botri’s fingers if he dared to touch her.

Just as he was about to take a step forward to strike him, Bridget stepped in and helped Iva before anyone else.

Watching from afar, Ray felt his stomach churn.

He had been looking at Iva longer and more attentively, but in the end, he was unable to help her. It was a useless endeavor.

He felt stifled as he watched Iva move further away from him.

Yet Ray couldn’t take his eyes off Iva as she laughed and talked with Bridget. He wanted to steal even just a glimpse of her smile that she had never shown him before.

The two clinked their champagne glasses as they gazed affectionately into each other’s eyes.

Bridget was effortlessly doing things that Ray couldn’t even bring himself to ask for. 

And that was something that Ray, who had been looking at Iva with various emotions, couldn’t bear any longer.

“Darn it.”

Bridget was smiling softly and lowering himself to Iva’s eye level to chat with her. He moved even closer to her face, but Iva didn’t push him away and stayed still.

It was like the moment before two lovers kiss. Ray’s heart was painfully tense, and he couldn’t think of anything else,

His only instinct was to run towards her.

“Ray.”

As he took a half step forward, Julian’s hand grabbed him urgently, preventing him from going any further.

“Where are you going?”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“No, I don’t want you to go.”

“Princess.”

“No, stay by my side. It’s an order.”

Julian spoke with a mix of coquetry and sadness, but used the word “order.”

The orders of the imperial family were a rule and a mission that Ray could never disobey.

“…”

He placed his foot back down and turned his head towards Julian, away from Iva.

Julian was looking at Ray with affection, like a small puppy. Her smile quickly widened when she realized that Ray wasn’t going to leave her side.

“Ray, if you’re uncomfortable with all these people, do you want to go somewhere else just the two of us?”

“…”

“Or how about we go back to Brother Claude’s mansion just the two of us? I prefer being with you more than being at the party.”

She grabbed Ray’s arm and whispered quickly, even locking arms with him. Ray looked down at Julian’s hand and replied firmly.

“Let go of me.”

“Just the two of us for dinner… What did you say?”

“I’m not the knight commander right now. I don’t have to follow orders. Let go of me.”

Ray was seething in anger, with only Iva on his mind to the point where he was willing to violate his own mission.

Julian’s expression, which had been smiling, wavered at Ray’s sharp tone and the anger in his eyes. 

And then, the grip on Ray’s hand also loosened. Ray took advantage of the opportunity to break free from Julian and headed straight toward Iva.

Julian watched Ray’s back with a stern expression.

‘What have you done to me?’

‘I-I just wanted to help you.’

‘Don’t touch my body! I can’t trust anything you say now.’

The harsh words that had been hidden deep in her heart were too painful.

“Ugh.”

Julian felt like her whole body was going to shatter like thin glass, and she collapsed weakly under the excruciating pain of trying to endure it.

It was a moment when Ray didn’t even take a few steps forward.

“Princess! Are you okay?! Oh my, what do we do!”

“Wake up! Princess!”

“What’s going on? What happened!”

People rushed around Julian, who had collapsed.

Iva and Bridget, who were outside the crowd, also ran over to see what was happening.

“What happened? Why did the Princess suddenly collapse?”

“I don’t know either. She just suddenly collapsed.”

Julian needed to be moved inside immediately.

Claude was the host who couldn’t leave right now, and Chase had to stay by his side as his aide.

There was only one person who was best suited to carry Princess Julian out while holding her.

“Ray.”

Claude, who had come over in surprise, lifted Julian up and called out to Ray.

“Immediately move Julian to my palace, call a doctor, and stay by her side until she wakes up.”

Ray, who should have already started moving before Claude finished speaking, was hesitating now.

“Ray, what are you doing?”

His mind was filled with imaginations he usually didn’t indulge in. The image of Iva and Bridget affectionately locking eyes and kissing each other after he leaves the party.

Even though he tried to erase the thoughts, they stubbornly remained in his mind.

“Ray Castello.”

When Ray didn’t move as if his legs were glued to the ground, Claude’s voice changed from request to command.

Although it sounded just as soft to others, it sounded clear to Ray’s ears.

It was Claude’s power to corner Ray without shouting in a place where there were many people.

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