Seated at the garden table prepared specially for lunch with Princess Lindsay and her husband, Kamiel, Ail was still in a foul mood. Not just foul—he was livid. His pride was deeply wounded by the realization that Ruth had once again taken it upon himself to make decisions and prepare for things without consulting him.

Ruth had slyly, almost brazenly, planned everything so meticulously that no one else had even noticed. Thoroughly and perfectly, he was slipping through Ail’s grasp. It felt as though sand, once firmly held in his hand, was now slowly scattering. What he had thought insignificant and ready to discard had suddenly tightened its grip on his heart.

No, it wasn’t that extreme. This was neurosis—an irrational resistance to the possibility of something familiar disappearing, a fixation. He was simply on edge. With numerous complicated issues piling up and the festival and coming-of-age ceremony approaching, this was the busiest, most chaotic time imaginable. On top of that, it was a dangerous period when being assassinated wouldn’t be entirely unexpected.

The only silver lining was that Nathan was still very young. Although the Emperor was gravely ill and Nathan’s youth made Ail somewhat secure in his position, he couldn’t let his guard down completely.

In other words, this was a crucial time, and he couldn’t afford to be distracted by trivial matters. Yet, Ruth’s actions continued to occupy his thoughts. Despite the countless pressing issues requiring calculation and strategy, Ruth lingered in his mind, hindering his focus.

This wasn’t right. If this continued, nothing would get resolved. Perhaps it would be better to deal with Ruth sooner rather than later. If Ruth were out of sight, there would be nothing to irritate him. But no, it was too soon for that.

Above all, handling Ruth was Ail’s responsibility. Ruth wasn’t supposed to make decisions independently or act on his own. When the time came, Ail would take care of everything personally. Until then, he couldn’t allow Ruth to do anything on his own. That was absolutely unacceptable.

“Your Majesty, Princess Lindsay, Lord Kamiel, and Lord Jessie have arrived.”

If not for his older sister Lindsay insisting that she had something important to discuss, Ail would have canceled the lunch appointment without a second thought. Forcing a smile, Ail rose leisurely from his seat and turned to greet the three approaching figures. Lindsay had been the one to invite their cousin Jessie, as she was particularly fond of him—perhaps even more so than she cared for Ail.

“Welcome, Sister. Kamiel, it’s been a while.”

Donning his polite mask once more, Ail embraced Lindsay lightly and greeted Kamiel with a warm smile. Kamiel bowed deeply in response.

“It has been a long time, Your Majesty.”
“Yes, indeed.”

“Your Majesty, I’m here too.”

Jessie, annoyed that Ail didn’t extend a greeting to him, spoke tersely. Ail merely shrugged and sat down first.

“Take a seat, then.”

Following Ail’s lead, the others also took their seats. Waiting attendants brought out tea and cups. When Ail asked Lindsay if they should proceed with the meal, she replied that she preferred to wait a little longer. Relaxedly, Ail instructed the attendants to delay the meal preparation and turned to speak to his sister again.

“What brings you here today, Sister? It’s rare for you to arrange such a gathering.”

“There’s something I wanted to tell you,” Lindsay replied.

“And what might that be?” Ail asked, tilting his head playfully. Lindsay glanced briefly at Kamiel, then responded softly, her cheeks tinged with a shy smile.

“I’m going to be a mother soon.”

Ail feigned surprise, his expression shifting into a bright smile. “That’s truly wonderful news. Congratulations, Sister! And congratulations to you as well, Kamiel.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Kamiel replied politely.

“What a joyful occasion. So this is why you called me today?”
“Yes. I’ve already informed Mother, but I wanted to tell you personally. Oh, I wish Commander Kaizel were here, too. I assumed he’d be with you.”

At Lindsay’s mention of Ruth, Ail barely managed to maintain his polite expression, suppressing the irritation bubbling up inside him. Lindsay was exceedingly fond of Ruth. So much so that, for the past four years, she had treated Ruth with the utmost respect as if he were already Ail’s consort. As Kamiel’s close friend and someone credited with significantly changing Ail’s demeanor, Lindsay overestimated Ruth’s importance. While Ail hadn’t bothered to dissuade her, he found her search for Ruth particularly unpleasant today.

“Ruth and I had a bit of an argument. He’s sulking and won’t even show his face.”
“What happened?”
“Just a small misunderstanding.”
“Was it about the young lord from the Lindmay family being brought to your chambers?”
“Well, that’s part of it.”

Ail smiled sheepishly, averting his gaze, but Lindsay began scolding him immediately.
“I told you not to do things like that! Even if Commander Kaizel is known for being composed, it would still hurt his feelings. How could you behave like this when you have someone you love?”

“Isn’t that just how men are? When they fancy someone, their bodies react first—it’s beyond their control.”

Ail wore the mask of a shameless libertine effortlessly. Lindsay, exasperated, shook her head at his nonchalant reply.
“Be kind to him. Soon you’ll be married, and things will only get harder. By then, he’ll probably have to resign from his position, which will complicate his feelings even more.”

“Resign? How do you know about that?”

Ail’s expression turned cold in an instant, his voice sharp and demanding. Lindsay seemed taken aback, her eyes widening.
“Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? Once you complete your coming-of-age ceremony, Father will abdicate and pass the throne to you. Then Commander Kaizel will have to leave the knights and join the palace as a consort. With the Empress also entering the palace, it wouldn’t look good for him to continue as a knight.”

“Ah…”

Ail finally acknowledged the point, remembering it was indeed an issue he hadn’t given much thought. He had already planned to deal with Ruth in some way once he ascended the throne. On second thought, perhaps confining Ruth to the palace as a consort would suffice. Even if Ruth was the son of a disgraced noble, keeping him as a figurative hostage could prove advantageous.

“I see. I thought you might have heard something else.”

Ail’s face softened again, and he responded smoothly, prompting Lindsay to click her tongue.
“That’s why I’m saying you need to treat him well. For someone who’s spent his life as a knight to suddenly be confined to the palace—it would torment him. From what my husband says, Commander Kaizel often lamented seeing his glamorous mother confined to her room. If the same fate befalls him, he’ll be devastated.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Ail said with a reassuring smile.

At that moment, Kamiel, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
“Your Majesty.”
“Go on.”
“Why not release Ruth to live in a private residence?”
“What?”

Ail frowned at Kamiel’s unexpected suggestion, but Kamiel continued.
“As you know, Ruth has a deep bond with that place. He’s never forgotten Vera, where he lived as a child, and he longs for freedom. Honestly, when I first heard the rumors about Ruth being Your Majesty’s lover, I didn’t believe them. He’s always been rebellious and vowed never to have a relationship within Karileum. He’s always been ready to leave. Forcing someone like that into the palace as a consort would be cruel. He wouldn’t survive it.”

Ail wanted to retort, That’s not my concern, but bit back the words, responding instead in a measured tone.
“Letting him leave the palace makes me uneasy… Let’s discuss it later.”

“Please consider it carefully. Ruth is a pitiable person. He hides his pain, bearing his wounds alone until they fester. Even then, he quietly tends to them himself. If he ever gets so hurt that he can’t bear it, he’d rather die than burden anyone. He needs someone he can trust. Don’t let him be isolated.”

Kamiel had known Ruth for 13 years, ever since they joined the knights together. While he didn’t outwardly seem to intervene in Ruth’s affairs, Kamiel cared deeply for him. Despite the sincerity in Kamiel’s words, Ail made no effort to mask his displeasure.

“That’s not for you to worry about. Don’t you think Ruth has enough with just me? I cherish him so much, after all.”

At this, Jessie, who had been waiting for an opportunity to speak, interjected.
“Isn’t that exactly why we’re worried? Even my fiancée, Leia, is concerned. Commander Kaizel isn’t the type to love multiple people or tolerate infidelity. Don’t you think it’s time to drop the title Prince of Scandals?”

Jessie’s tone was teasing, but his intent was probing. He had always doubted the legitimacy of Ail and Ruth’s relationship. To him, Ail lacked the emotional depth to love someone simply because they saved his life. Besides, Ruth’s demeanor toward Ail was stiff and cautious, devoid of affection.

Moreover, Jessie was unsettled by the look in Ail’s eyes. No matter how much he smiled, those cold, lifeless eyes never changed—a gaze like a beautiful yet soulless gemstone. Occasionally, however, those eyes would flicker with something when they landed on Ruth, leaving Jessie uncertain about Ail’s true feelings.

Seeing through Jessie’s intent, Ail replied with exaggerated nonchalance.
“Everyone seems so interested in my love life. Fine, I admit I may have gone overboard, but what can I do? Ruth is always busy and rarely gives me any attention. And he gets upset so easily—look at him today, sulking and refusing to come near me.”

“You should treat him better. What will you do if he runs away?” Jessie quipped, grinning mischievously.

Expecting Ail to play along with a flippant joke, Jessie leaned back, sipping his tea. But Ail’s response chilled the room.

“If he runs, I’ll catch him, bind him… and lock him away.”

His voice was soft and calm, yet the words sent a shiver through the air. The others froze momentarily, shocked, while Ail casually lifted his teacup and smiled.

“…But of course, that wouldn’t be right. Let’s not think about that. Now, shall we start our meal?”

Effortlessly steering the conversation away, Ail summoned the servants to prepare lunch, resuming his usual composed demeanor. With the charming mask of the Prince of Scandals firmly in place, he continued chatting about trivial matters. While Lindsay and Kamiel went along with the flow, Jessie watched Ail closely, unconvinced.

Something was off—there was no doubt in his mind.

His curiosity sparked, Jessie couldn’t help but feel excited. Something interesting was bound to happen.