Episode 46: Raeliana Rozino #2
Her straightforward words momentarily made Yohan pause. He hadn’t expected her to be so direct.
“…I see. I’m honored that I’ve caught your attention, Your Highness.”
Yohan, however, only responded in a calm tone. His expression was close to impassive, and the bewilderment he felt was buried deep within his blue eyes.
“It doesn’t seem like you’re particularly interested. Do you know how rare it is for someone to catch my eye like this?”
It was the first time Yohan had met Raeliana, and he had no prior information about her. Yet, he could tell right away:
She was quite capricious.
And, befitting a royal, incredibly arrogant.
“I don’t expect too much from the start. For now, I’m content with just getting to know each other better, wouldn’t you agree? Hehe.”
Setting her teacup down, Raeliana continued speaking nonchalantly, as if the matter had already been decided.
“So, what do you think? Would you like to become my man?”
She spoke with an elegant smile.
“Becoming the princess’s man—it’s truly a glorious opportunity to bask in the radiance of the Imperial family, isn’t it? Surely, it’s an offer worth considering.”
As she said, this was an opportunity Yohan might never encounter again. How often would the third son of a viscount house have a chance to connect with a princess?
“To be honest, I would prefer to decline.”
But Yohan had Francia. Even if she weren’t of the Fervache Ducal House or didn’t possess her own brilliance, he would never betray her.
“Oh, now that’s an interesting answer. I didn’t expect you to reject me outright.”
Raeliana’s eyebrow lifted slightly.
“What’s the reason?”
“I already have a lover.”
“You don’t want to betray her?”
“That’s correct.”
The unwavering depth of Yohan’s dark blue eyes sparked even greater interest in Raeliana.
“Hmm, fair enough. Honestly, I was only half-serious. After all, we’ve only just met—it wouldn’t make sense to immediately pursue a relationship, would it?”
Raeliana winked playfully at Yohan, her mischievous expression breathtakingly beautiful and almost unsettling.
“This is something time will solve, so I won’t dwell on it. You must be unsettled after meeting me for the first time. As we continue to meet, you’ll naturally open your heart to me.”
Her words carried a sense of certainty, as though she was predicting that Yohan would inevitably fall for her in time.
Yohan didn’t appreciate her confidence, but he couldn’t exactly confront her about it.
“Have I been too forward?”
Raeliana tilted her head slightly, sensing his discomfort. Her golden hair cascaded gracefully.
“It’s not so much that you’ve been forward. It’s just a little overwhelming to hear such words from Your Highness right after meeting for the first time. I’m simply unprepared.”
Raeliana’s lips curved into a subtle smile.
“So, in other words, you don’t understand why I’m acting this way?”
“That’s correct.”
“Hmm… How should I explain this?”
She lightly tapped her lips with her index finger before flashing a bright smile. It was a refreshing grin that matched her casual demeanor.
“You see, His Majesty is beginning to look for a suitable marriage prospect for me. Most likely, I’ll be married off to a foreign prince or a high-ranking noble. But I don’t want to marry like that. I want to choose the man I’ll spend my life with.”
Raeliana had just turned twenty, and even as an imperial princess, her stubbornness was the reason she was still unmarried at this age.
“And so, you’ve chosen me?”
Yohan’s expression hardened as he asked.
Raeliana slowly leaned forward, closing the distance between them.
“Yes. It would be mutually beneficial, wouldn’t it?”
For her, it meant marrying a man of her choice. For Yohan, it meant immense wealth and power from the Imperial family’s brilliance.
An ordinary man would have accepted her proposal without hesitation.
However, a relationship should not be built like this. A dynamic where one side clearly holds power over the other is bound to collapse quickly.
Not that Yohan ever entertained the thought of betraying Francia.
“Your Highness’s choice is an honor far beyond my worth. However, my heart has already been decided.”
Yohan’s voice carried not the slightest hint of hesitation.
“There can never be a day when I betray my bond with Lady Francia of House Fervache.”
Though his expression hardened as he firmly rejected her, she showed no intention of backing down.
“Well, well, no need to make a decision right away. I never intended to demand an immediate answer, after all.”
For now, the feelings Raeliana held toward Yohan were nothing more than curiosity and intrigue. Yet even acknowledging such emotions meant Yohan had become a special existence to her.
“I doubt I will ever be able to give Your Highness the answer you desire, but… understood.”
As Yohan nodded with a stern expression, Raeliana smiled as though she was satisfied. After all, the first step in any conquest was to find a way to wedge oneself into the other person’s life.
“Good. Now, shall we enjoy our tea time?”
When Raeliana lightly rang a small bell with her fingertips, its clear tone echoed through the garden. Soon, servants arrived to break the stillness of the garden, carrying intricately designed teacups on silver trays.
Steam rose from the tea, carrying an exotic fragrance that wafted through the air. The subtle scent of flowers and herbs teased the nose.
“An exotic aroma, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is.”
Raeliana grinned.
“I brought it especially for today. After all, first meetings should always be memorable.”
As the servants poured tea into their cups, Raeliana closed her eyes and savored the aroma.
“We’ve already discussed the serious topics, so let’s just have some lighthearted conversation now.”
“…Understood.”
From then on, Yohan had to endure a series of trivial conversations, all while listening to the endless chatter of Raeliana.
His meeting with the Third Princess Raeliana Rozino, as implied by the mission itself, was far from pleasant.
Not only did she exhibit the peculiar arrogance that came with being at the pinnacle of power, but her intent toward him was also blatantly obvious.
What a tiresome development this is.
Just after dealing with Cassis, who had been clinging to Francia, now the Third Princess was latching onto him. Even as he conversed with her, Yohan sighed inwardly.
He had known from the start that being tied to the story’s heroine wouldn’t lead to a smooth journey, but wasn’t this a bit too rough?
Still, abandoning everything at this point wasn’t an option. After all, he had genuinely come to care for Francia.
Despite his reluctance, Yohan forced a smile to match Raeliana’s mood.
“See? I knew it. You really do look amazing when you smile.”
Distracted, Raeliana clumsily set her teacup down. Watching her movements closely, Yohan quickly pulled out a handkerchief and placed it on the table.
“Hot tea can splash easily, so please be careful.”
Though his tone was calm, his actions carried a subtle yet considerate warmth.
“Ah… thank you.”
As Raeliana accepted Yohan’s handkerchief and dabbed at the small splash of tea, she found herself oddly pleased by the small gesture of kindness.
“…Sorry for being so distracted. But honestly, it’s your fault, being so handsome. Don’t you know? It’s impossible to look away.”
Her words were strikingly similar to those of Francia. Recalling the moment Francia had flushed bright red in embarrassment, Yohan couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Unlike his usual forced smirk, which only raised the corners of his lips, this time his smile was genuine, soft enough to crease his sharp eyes.
“Ah… you’re really smiling.”
For a brief moment, Raeliana felt as though her breath had stopped. That radiant smile, so fitting in this garden blooming with swaying petals, seemed to freeze time itself around him.
She was captivated.
That was the only way to describe it.
“…Am I not allowed to smile?”
Yohan tilted his head, puzzled, as he looked at Raeliana, who had frozen in place like a statue.
He had no idea what he had just done. No idea at all.
“Hmm… It’s not that you shouldn’t smile, but I think you should be cautious. You can’t go around enchanting women left and right, can you?”
Raeliana awkwardly cleared her throat and lightly smiled, shrugging her shoulders.
“If that’s the case, I suppose I should always remain expressionless.”
“When you talk to me, you mostly maintain a blank face or force an awkward smile. I think you could keep doing that, no?”
Raeliana squinted one eye.
Her playful attitude was her way of masking the fluttering in her chest. It was a determination not to let the other person gain the upper hand.
“Heh…”
Letting out a small laugh, Raeliana carefully shifted her gaze back to the teacup. Honestly, things had been dangerous just now.
There’s something about someone doing something they don’t normally do—it becomes much more captivating.
After only seeing his forced smiles, witnessing an honest one made her feel like she was falling under his spell.
…Maybe I should take this a bit seriously?
A longing to get to know him slowly, spending time like this, began to sprout in her chest.
What had started as a playful interest was transforming into something genuine.
“Hmph.”
As she stared at the teacup, Raeliana carefully raised her eyes. There he was, Yohan Harsen, blankly looking back at her.
Seeing him again made her heart flutter uncontrollably. It hadn’t been like this at first, but once she started noticing, she couldn’t stop.
“…Alright. Let’s end today’s meeting here. You must be tired from traveling so far, Sir Harsen.”
Feeling like she couldn’t hold herself together any longer, Raeliana awkwardly smiled and rose from her seat.
If this continued, she feared she might genuinely fall for him.
“Understood. It was an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
Yohan stood up, smiling as if he had been waiting for those words.
Raeliana found something about his demeanor strangely unsatisfying, but his cheerful smile had already melted her heart, leaving her unable to say anything.
“…I’ll summon you again.”
“Of course. Please feel free to call on me anytime.”
She smiled lightly but avoided looking at him directly. That fresh, radiant smile of his was still on his face.
The more she thought about it, the more her face heated up. Her heart wouldn’t stop racing. If this continued, her cheeks would surely turn bright red.
“……”
Yohan noticed Raeliana’s sudden change in demeanor, but he didn’t press further.
“Then, I will take my leave.”
Straightening his attire, he bowed politely to her.
As Yohan’s figure disappeared from view, Raeliana gently ran her fingers over the cold surface of the teacup.
…I’ve never been this shaken before.
Resting her chin on her hand, she pouted her lips. To think her heart would be moved by just a single smile—it was enough to make her question if she had always been this easily swayed.
Sure, his smile carried a delicate kindness and an undeniable sense of elegance…
But still, she couldn’t forgive herself for being so easily charmed by just one smile.
He’s a more dangerous man than I thought.
A man who could stir a woman’s heart with just his gaze and smile—how many tears of women must have flowed in his shadow?
Raeliana suddenly found herself wondering about that.
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