The words came out without much thought from Violet, but they caused more of a stir than expected.

“…Someone else? Who?”

The voice carried a hint of anger.

Violet’s gaze remained on the sunlit surface of the water, so she didn’t see Rajaden’s distorted expression.

“I don’t think I need to report that to Your Highness.”

“…You mean you won’t tell me?”

He was severely misunderstanding this. Even if he was the empire’s crown prince, there was no need for her to report her every move to him.

Annoyed, Violet turned to look at Rajaden.

The man who had been smiling brightly all day now wore a sunken expression, the smile completely gone.

“I’ll ask again. Who are you going with?”

“……”

The voice asking the question carried a chilling tone.

It was a side of Rajaden that Violet hadn’t seen before. She swallowed the words of royal insult that rose to her throat.

“Why do you ask?”

“……”

Rajaden remained silent to her counter-question, then ran his palm over his face.

“So, we’re still at just this stage…”

He then pretended to be lost in distant thoughts, causing Violet’s expression to turn odd.

Truthfully, there was no reason she couldn’t tell him.

If being the subject of gossip was the issue, she should have declined the invitation from the Crown Prince from the start.

Yet, something bothered her.

Violet sighed. She had realized quickly that Rajaden was quite guarded against Aldin, though she didn’t know exactly why.

“Your Highness, if I may ask, has something happened recently?”

Violet’s question complicated Rajaden’s expression.

He was pleased, thinking she was concerned about him, yet his face also showed a mix of feelings, knowing she wouldn’t worry about him so easily.

“There are always many things happening. But more importantly, I’m curious why Your Ladyship would ask me that.”

“I’ve heard that you haven’t been in good condition lately. I was wondering if something had happened.”

“…Who told you such a thing?”

“Just here and there. That you haven’t been sleeping well, bumping into things, suddenly smiling, or often doing things you wouldn’t normally do.”

“……”

Rajaden fell silent, having guessed the informant.

Indeed, he had heard the same from Roen a few days ago.

Did I really act that strangely? he thought, without much self-reflection.

Unable to confess that it’s ‘because of my feelings for you,’ Rajaden smiled without hiding anything.

Violet thought that his smile alone proved that he had become strange.

“…It’s nothing serious. Rather, I’d like to hear about you instead.”

“I’ve been well too. Her Highness’s portrait will soon be completed, and it’s about time to schedule the exhibition. I’ll be busier soon.”

“Ah, I’ve heard about that. It’s already famous. Count Larsen has been spreading the word.”

“Is that so?”

Rajaden quickly changed the subject, and Violet accepted it calmly.

Although the conversation proceeded smoothly, Rajaden’s emotions fluctuated. He barely swallowed the words, ‘And, I heard you attended an art society gathering with that guy, Aldin.’

Instead, he made a slightly spiteful comment.

“—Do you have time to paint my portrait?”

“I do.”

Violet answered promptly.

Their eyes did not meet, making Rajaden even more uneasy.

“You seem displeased.”

“When you were around while I was painting Her Highness’s portrait, you talked endlessly. I’m worried about how much you’ll talk during your own portrait.”

In other words, it meant she expected him to be a nuisance.

Rajaden, who had hoped to use the time to win over Violet, wore a baffled expression. He then laughed out loud.

Ordinary nobles would do their best to flatter him, the crown prince, to not offend him.

However, Violet had never shown such a demeanor towards him, from the first time they met to now, despite the changes in character she had gone through.

Perhaps he liked that more. Stopping his laughter and squinting his eyes with a smile, Rajaden looked at Violet with a fond expression.

For the first time, Violet faced Rajaden’s affection-filled gaze directly.

Faced with an expression she never thought he would make, she stiffened in surprise.

“—Your Highness?”

“What if, hypothetically.”

Just as Violet was about to ask if he was really in his right mind, Rajaden spoke first. Startled, she quietly closed her mouth.

“What if I truly do love you.”

“……”

“Would you still reject my proposal?”

His golden eyes asked the question tenderly, yet they also harbored something dark and murky.

A feeling too stifling to be love, yet too sweet to be called obsession.