CH 59

I stepped skillfully while looking around the Crown Prince’s Palace, which I am now familiar with. The servant seems to have given up on staring at me now. Seeing them gently guide me.

Callian allowed me to visit.

This alone made me think that our relationship has made great progress. If it were him, he would have cursed rather than allowed me to visit. 

‘I need to get money from Sylvester with this.’

Hohoho. 

I entered the drawing-room smiling. 

As expected, Callian did not come. He always makes me wait. I thought he was doing this on purpose. To take the upper hand in a relationship. But this doesn’t mean that I’m going to be discouraged. 

I could wait as long as he wanted. If it’s to meet Callian.

Some may say I don’t have any pride, but pride is something that can only be expressed with a little bit of feeling in the first place.

I don’t even have a little feeling for Callian. This is the truth. That’s why I can wait for him endlessly like this. I sat myself down on the sofa and swept my hair away.

And so I waited for Callian to arrive. 

Looking around the drawing-room, there was no change from before. Still a simple and modest drawing-room. I know it’s Fleur’s taste, but it wasn’t really suitable for the Crown Prince Palace. 

Shall we talk about this? 

As I thought about it, I opened my mouth to face Callian who had just come in. 

“Why don’t you bring some flowers?”

“What?”

At my random remark, Callian frowned and asked back. Frowning, I answered casually.

“I think it would be nice to put it in a colorful vase and decorate it. I can give it to you as a gift.”

“What do you mean? Did you just say that out of nowhere? What are you up to?”

“What do you mean? There’s nothing like that.”

I shrugged and said.

“It’s just that the drawing-room is too dark overall. This doesn’t go well with the Crown Prince Palace.”

I continued before Callian said anything more.

“This is the first room for people who come to the palace for the first time, right? But if it’s so simple like this—what should I say? It doesn’t look like it.”

“Are you pointing out my taste in beauty?” 

“Ah, I know that the room is not in the slightest aesthetic taste of Your Highness.” 

I squinted my eyes. 

“It’s what the Countess did.”

Callian did not answer. Instead, he just stares at me.

Oh, it’s going to get pierced.

I looked around, avoiding his gaze. 

“It’s nice to be modest, but it’s not enough. Your Highness’ dignity will fall.” 

“I know.” Callian ruffled his bangs and clicked his tongue. “So don’t point it out anymore.” 

Apparently, he was also thinking the same thing about the drawing-room. But he can’t ignore Fleur’s will, so he’ll keep it as it is. 

Hmm. I nodded. 

“Then can I bring the vase as a gift later?” 

Callian’s hardened expression softened slightly.

“If it suits me well, I’ll accept it.” 

“I can bring you the other way around.” I laughed and said. 

Callian’s forehead narrowed further, but he didn’t talk more. It was the meaning of permission.

‘Should I bring a vase made of gold?’

I thought I could just steal it moderately from home. 

There are many things like that in the mansion, so I thought he wouldn’t know even if one disappeared. I hummed to a satisfactory plan. Callian opened his mouth with an even more impressed smile. 

“Did you come here to say this?” 

“No way. Of course not.”

I leaned forward.

“I brought you good information.”

Callian’s eyebrows furrowed. He meant to tell him what it is. I proudly raised my chin.

“The Marquis of Richel.” 

Angela Richel, who dared to screw me yesterday. In fact, her father, Marquis Richel, is acting as a spy. 

I originally didn’t mean to tell Callian this, but yesterday, that thought disappeared. I couldn’t screw her properly, so I have to pay you back like this.

It is my belief that I have to pay back more than I have suffered. 

I smiled. 

“You were watching the Marquis, weren’t you?”

“How did you know?”

Callian asked with a really surprising look. How do I know this? I know this since it appeared in the original.  However, I couldn’t say this, so I had no choice but to look elsewhere.

“That’s not important.”

I said with my index finger flick.

“I have very good information about Marquis Richel.” 

“What is this?”

“Good enough to confiscate Marquis Richel’s property?”

“Give it to me.” 

Callian stretched out his palm and held it out to me. I covered my mouth with a fan and smiled. 

“Oh, my. Do you believe me this much?” 

Callian now withdrew his hand as if he had made a mistake. 

Hmm, he coughs and crosses his legs and arms intentionally. 

“Tell me when you get the evidence. Then I’ll take it.” 

Any evidence can be found. So I went out with a more dignified attitude. 

“If you look at the evidence, you won’t be able to say that. You’ll say thank you to me.”

“I’ve never met a person who was so proud of herself and told me to say thank you to her.” 

“Not this time. I’m confident.”

“So, bring evidence. I’ll check it out then.”

“Okay.”

I answered without hesitation.

Then Callian narrowed his eyes. It seems suspicious that I come out so innocently. Well it’s natural. Because I’m not the kind of person to say goodbye to only such good things. 

I rested my chin on the palm of my hand like a calyx and looked at Callian. 

“Then what can you do for me?”

“What?”

“If I give you good information, what can you do for me?” 

“….”

Callian closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. 

“What do you want?” 

I tilted my head to one side and blinked. 

“Please escort me to the Imperial Ball in a few days.” 

“Are you crazy?”

Callian replied straight away. I wasn’t even flustered because it was such an expected answer. So I lifted my body that had leaned forward and shrugged my shoulders. 

“It’s okay if you hate it. I can talk directly to His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Ophelia! You—!”

“Yes. Why?”

I glanced at Callian, blinking my eyes deliberately. Callian trembled with his clenched fists. But he won’t be able to insist any more. 

As I said, if I go to the Emperor with evidence and information about Marquis Richel, he will lose the credit he will build. Callian took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly and clicked his tongue.

“Not an escort but something else.” 

I answered as if I had been waiting.

“Then please have a first dance with me.”

“Hoo—”

Callian touched his forehead. His crumpled face seemed to be very annoyed. But I have no intention of withdrawing the transaction. This way, I can screw up Fleur properly. As I said. You should pay back more than I have suffered. 

As I smiled, Callian raised his eyes slightly and asked me. 

“Why don’t you give up on me?”

“Because I like you.” 

This, too, answered immediately. It was also a word that could come out because there was no emotion.

Ha! Callian laughed out loud. 

“Do you think I’ll believe you if you tell me you like me with that expressionless face?” 

“What should I do when I look like this? Can you not point out how I look?” 

Callian looked at my face. Then he immediately pulled his chin as if he agreed with me. 

Because I know that my face looks scary.

“Okay.”

Callian replied slowly. 

“I’ll give you the first dance. Is that good?”

“Yes.”

I smiled and reached out to him. It meant shaking hands. 

“What’s with this hand?” 

The outstretched hand was embarrassed. So I clasped my hands and opened them and said. 

“A token of friendship—?”

Callian laughed in vain. 

“You’re crazy.”

“I know.”

It doesn’t matter because I’ve heard it so many times. 

No, I wonder if it would hurt if Callian said the same thing in a country where I was told that I was crazy to even from my husband. I nodded and winked at Callian.

“I also know Your Highness prefers crazy women.”

“I’m not.”

“Ey.”

“I said I’m not!”

“A strong dishonesty is a strong affirmation.” 

“Get out!”

Callian shouted, and so I was kicked out. But I felt good because I achieved everything I wanted.

Until I met Fleur entering the Crown Prince Palace.