TYWN Ch 11

Olivia gently stepped on the king’s foot under the veiled tablecloth and raised her wine glass.

“Now, let us raise our glasses.”

Yuris’s face was reflected in the shimmering golden surface of the wine. The king, who had been looking at the queen with a hesitant expression, also raised his glass and solemnly declared,

“To the eternal glory of this land.”

After the meal, Yuris strolled leisurely through the royal gardens. Well-tended chrysanthemums, pansies, and cockscombs bloomed profusely throughout. A subtle fragrance wafted through the air as he walked among the round, manicured shrubs. The sound of birds chirping could be heard in the distance.

The sunset was spreading from afar.

Despite the beautiful scenery, Yuris’s furrowed brow remained. Glaring at Julian’s back as he walked ahead, he pondered how he had ended up in this situation.

He had politely declined Julian’s invitation for a stroll through the garden, catching up after a long time. However, the King and Queen had chimed in, effectively trapping him. Ordinarily, he would have ignored them and left, but in such a public setting, repeated refusals would appear to be a blatant disregard for their authority.

Of course, that man would have calculated all of this before speaking.

“You look rather bored.”

“…There’s a lot on my mind, being in the presence of such esteemed company.”

You wouldn’t be comfortable here either.

Despite the politely sarcastic remark, Julian replied nonchalantly.

“Is that so? Such as?”

“I believe Your Highness knows better than I.”

So I’d appreciate it if we could leave now.

Though his tone was seemingly soft, it carried a subtle edge. Julian, who had been watching him like a cat eyeing a mouse, smiled, his eyes curving.

“Now that you mention it…”

The words slowly flowing from Julian’s lips took shape.

“How is Radia doing?”

The sudden topic sent a chill down Yuris’s spine.

Blink, blink. His mind raced faster than his eyelids.

It wasn’t strange that Julian knew Radia. After dating for nine years, everyone who should know would know, no matter how much he tried to hide it. But asking after her well-being was certainly odd. He and Julian weren’t close enough to care about each other’s romantic partners.

Was the intention behind those words mockery, or…?

Claude’s words immediately after he’d discovered his memory loss flashed through his mind.

[Wow… You acting like this is really strange. I’m already dreading how Julian will react when he finds out.]

The fact that Claude specifically mentioned Julian meant there was something to be wary of.

That day, immediately after parting ways with Claude, Yuris had summoned his secretary to confirm the facts. Even though Claude had said he would understand upon meeting Julian, Yuris had no intention of facing this variable completely unprepared.

[Regarding your question, it’s a matter Mr. Hiangk is reluctant to discuss, so I cannot disclose any information.]

Eleanor had said that, but then she pulled out a newspaper clipping from a prepared file and handed it to him.

The article described a commotion that had occurred three years prior at a royal banquet. It was a rather sensational piece detailing an altercation between himself and Julian, attributing the cause to a love triangle. Radia’s name itself wasn’t mentioned.

A love triangle? He had thought that arrogant man wouldn’t show interest in a commoner, especially a Hiangk woman. Hadn’t he despised him and his mother so much?

“…Of course, she’s doing very well.”

Some things could be understood without being explicitly stated.

Yuris almost burst out laughing in disbelief. As expected of the man who, since childhood, had been obsessed with what he possessed. It was one of the reasons he couldn’t like him.

Aside from the fact that she was his lover, the idea of the Crown Prince of Plet showing interest in a commoner woman was absurd.

“I don’t understand why you’re curious. Are you really giving up on the throne entirely?”

According to the laws of succession, royals who married commoners were disqualified from inheriting the throne. Although the rights of nobles had diminished to the point of being practically obsolete, there were no exceptions to the law. While it was a meaningless qualification for him, it would hold a different significance for a direct royal descendant like Julian.

“Yuris. Aren’t you still young?”

At the unexpected words, he stared intently at Julian, who continued slowly,

“My apologies. Your memory doesn’t seem to be very good. I thought you said it didn’t matter?”

His humorless eyes contrasted sharply with his incredibly smooth voice. The moment he heard his name being spoken, the sense of unease he had felt since meeting Julian solidified.

The form of address.

The man often called him “Mongrel,” a derogatory term for a dog of mixed breed. It was likely intended to mock his mother’s heritage, being a black-haired foreigner. However, he had always been careful about the time and place.

That’s why it was strange. Even in this private setting, he wasn’t using the derogatory term. He was even referring to Radia by her first name, not her last. A growing sense of foreboding gnawed at him.

“How time flies. Your Highness is calling me over for something like this.”

Calling him all the way to the garden just for such trivial talk. He curled his lip in amusement, and Julian’s eyebrows rose slightly.

“And you’re being far too compliant. Has there been a change of heart?”

Julian’s gaze sharpened, as if trying to extract something.

Instead of answering, Yuris put his hand in his coat pocket and slightly lifted his chin. Despite his openly arrogant behavior, Julian maintained his smile.

“This side still aches from the cane you wielded.”

“…Wasn’t that years ago?”

Yuris replied curtly, racking his memory. It wasn’t like there hadn’t been times he was furious, and they had even gotten into physical fights, but that was during their childhood. He had never hit him with a cane.

‘Is he talking about the incident at the Baralen Palace three years ago?’

He had originally intended to ask Radia for details when they met today, but the strangely awkward atmosphere after leaving the restaurant had prevented him from doing so.

“You’re the only one who’s still alive after doing that to me.”

“I’m truly grateful.”

Yuris replied indifferently, boredom beginning to show on his face. As the sun began to set, a chill settled between the two standing in the desolate garden.

“I don’t understand why someone as noble as you is so attached to that woman.”

The situation was quite ironic. Where had the Crown Prince who had so looked down on and despised him gone? Emotions truly make people petty, he thought.

“Aha.”

The moment he heard the sarcastic remark, Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly, reminiscent of a predator spotting its prey. He met Julian’s ambiguous smile with an impassive look, as if he’d realized something.

Damn it.

Yuris sensed something was wrong but tried to maintain his composure. If he showed any weakness, Julian would surely seize the opportunity to attack. He quickly rearranged his expression, his nerves on high alert to avoid any mistakes.

Fortunately, only trivial conversation followed. Yuris’s footsteps, following Julian as he turned to leave, were out of sync, reflecting his unease.

Dark clouds gathered, obscuring the half-swallowed sun on the horizon. It looked like it was going to rain.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

— A month of vacation all of a sudden? What are you talking about?!

A booming voice resounded from the receiver against her ear. Suppressing the urge to cover her ear, Radia calmly replied into the candlestick-shaped mouthpiece,

“I’m sorry, Ellen. Of course, I’ll come down once a week to take care of business. I believe the cases I’m in charge of still have quite a bit of time left on their schedules.”

Beyond the small window beside Radia, beige streets and antique buildings lined up in a row. Perhaps due to being far from the center of Meltist, the capital, and past rush hour, there were few people around.

A few people strolled past the bright blue public telephone box. A woman with her eyes closed could be seen passing by, holding the leash of a large dog.

She had already sent a telegram to the office requesting an extension of her vacation, but she had called during her walk, worried that it was too abrupt a notification. She had anticipated a scolding, but the response was quite unexpected.

— No, it’s not that. I’m just worried, wondering what could require such a long vacation.

Radia blinked at the unexpected words. While persistently asking about the reason for a vacation was considered rude, it was a different story with Ellen.

Ellen, with her boisterous personality, was also perceptive and drew clear lines. The surprise at Radia’s sudden announcement was evident in her voice. Radia smiled wryly.

“It’s a personal matter, so it’s difficult to discuss.”

A long silence followed from the receiver.

‘Did she hang up?’

Just as she was seriously wondering, Ellen spoke.

— Alright, I understand. It’s not a big problem, is it?

“…Probably not.”

— Finish your business and come back soon. Everyone’s waiting for a competent lawyer.

The call ended with a very boss-like statement, implying that Ellen would handle any arising issues herself. With a click, Radia hung up the receiver and sighed.

Stepping out of the telephone box, she was greeted by the stretching road and roadside trees. The blowing wind gently ruffled her hair.

Although there weren’t many passersby, crushed leaves littered the street, trampled underfoot. Traces of last night’s brief shower remained on the ground. A few cars passed by her, leaving the lingering sound in their wake.

Perhaps because she was accustomed to bustling streets, she found the current scenery desolate.

A boy wearing a newsboy cap approached Radia. Seeing the newspaper in his hand, Radia held out her hand with coins, and the boy quickly placed the newspaper in her palm.

Entering the cafe with a few newspapers exchanged for coins, the barista greeted her warmly. After ordering a cup of coffee and a light brunch, Radia sat at an outdoor table set up outside the building. Under the clear sunlight, unlike the gloomy day before yesterday, she unfolded the newspaper.

As Radia focused on reading the black letters, a brunch of toast with lingonberry jam, roasted potatoes, and meatballs, along with a cup of coffee, was placed on her table. As her white hand reached for the mug, filled with the subtle aroma of coffee, a long, black sedan stopped on the road.

After taking a sip of coffee and setting the mug down, she lowered her head slightly to read the article at the bottom of the newspaper, and a polished shoe tip appeared in Radia’s field of vision. Unfazed, Radia kept her eyes on the newspaper as a playful voice came from across from her.

“Here you are.”

Slowly raising her head, she saw the face of a gentleman wearing a top hat. Red hair and eyes, neatly swept back. With the sunlight behind him, it was as if a halo was cast upon his elegant face. The man slightly lifted one corner of his mouth.

“It’s been a while, Radia.”

Unlike the cheerful man before her, Radia faced him with a stark, expressionless face. A monotonous voice flowed out.

“Hello, Your Highness.”

It was an unwelcome encounter.