As far as Eve and the others were concerned, Antonio Belteor was an unwelcome visitor. Or not, Julia whispered to Anais in a low voice.
“Who can stop someone who has the power of the Third Princess behind him? The Young master who came in because he was told to let him in is even more amazing.”
Eve looked at Antonio with a blank face and asked.
“What’s going on, Young Master?”
“Sorry to interrupt your good time. I just stopped by to get some flowers.”
“Flowers? Young master himself?”
"Yes."
The flowers were meant for Brigitte, but there was still something off about them. Most of all, it was romantic and chaste, unbecoming of a tyrant's mate.
“I will leave as soon as I finish my business. Please don’t worry about me.”
“Please do so.”
Antonio bowed his head and went towards the container where the flowers were harvested.
Among the many cut flowers, he chose Apple Rosa, an improved imperial rose variety. It was a beautiful and unique rose with petals that faded from ivory to chartreuse toward the edges.
'Ah, now that I look at it, it wasn't a request to buy flowers to put in a vase but to get ingredients to cut off the neck and dry it to make potpourri.'
Standing in front of Eve and picking it out again as if to show off is probably a tactic to provoke her.
That's what Eve decided, and it was time for a more elegant and leisurely tea.
Eve heard footsteps approaching. She put down her teacup and looked to the side, and Antonio was already within arm's reach.
“Your Highness, will you please accept it?”
A single apple rose blossom was thrust out in front of her eyes, causing confusion. While Eve was flustered, the people around her glared.
'What! What are you trying to do to our Highness!'
Antonio, of course, was oblivious to the murderous stares around him; he was busy playing up his romantic and innocent side in front of Eve.
"Sure?"
“Even in a fierce battlefield, flowers bloom.”
At the sound of his superior mauve eyes meeting hers, Eve barely managed to keep a 'what are you talking about' expression off her face for a moment.
“It is unfortunate that you two, both of whom are of such high caliber, are at odds for political reasons, but I trust that one day, when all is said and done, you will understand and join hands.”
There was no way that day would come. He seemed to have a knack for saying beautiful things in a slightly different way than Brigitte.
“I sincerely hope that by that time, Your Highnesses' hearts will not be in ruins. In that spirit, I offer these flowers, so please accept them.”
Eve quickly accepted the flower, thinking that it would be the only way to drive him away.
“It is an honor. Then I will step aside.”
As soon as Antonio was sent out, everyone sitting around the table said something.
“Ah, that’s the true nature of the ultimate in sensual pleasure. Hmm, not really my style.”
“Me too... By the way, I don’t know why the 3rd Princess’s fiancé is acting like that. Hmm..."
“I don’t think it was the Third Princess who ordered it.”
Julia, Anais, and Calix seemed to know, but they didn't want to jump to conclusions, so they left it at that. Rosenite didn't say anything, but she snatched the apple rose out of Eve's hand and flung it to the floor.
'Antonio Belteor.'
The frost on the window began to fog up again, obscuring the man from sight.
But Michael's eyes were piercing and sharp, staring straight at the target. They were the eyes of a bug that needed to be exterminated.
Antonio's travels continued, and whenever he could, he would accompany his father, the Marquis Belteor, in and out of the palace, and he would follow Eve wherever she went with great skill.
“Your Highness, I never expected to see you here! You must have come out to see the knights in training. I am not familiar with the geography of the Imperial Palace, but may I ask to accompany you on your way?”
“Oh, Your Highness! Please step back. I will take the book from the top shelf and give it to you.”
It was an unlikely meeting. There was no reason for Antonio, an outsider, a mere nobleman, to be at the palace so early in the morning.
He didn't have to stand around in front of the Colossus arena if he was lost; he could have grabbed a servant or guard and asked for directions.
Eve was no longer as oblivious as she had been in her past lives, so she quickly figured out the situation.
'That's the fly Alben was talking about. And it's a fly that can straddle both sides.'
It was unbelievable. Of course, some men were jealous of Eve even though she had a liver or a fiancé. Eve's conditions were in line with the coveted sense of dominance.
But no matter what, she didn't know that even Bridgette's fiancé would do something like that.
'Marquis Belteor is really... I wonder who wouldn't call him a businessman.'
To hedge against the risk of Brigitte's fall from power, he offered to diversify Eve's investments as well.
The situation was so absurd that Eve decided to leave open the possibility of another possibility.
It seemed persuasive.
So Eve nodded to herself after coming to a conclusion based on her firm ideal type. Michael, who was watching from the side, asked.
'No. Maybe there's a deeper, more sinister plan at work. A trap she's laid for me, like she did with Elijah Halsten, to frame me for coveting what belongs to my sister?'
‘Yes, that’s clear. Now, for the two-timing plan to succeed, it has to be a prerequisite for Lord Belteor to win my favor even a little. But do you think Lord Belteor would have tried to use a beauty trap? Hey, that’s something Michael would do. Right.’
“Eve, what are you thinking about?”
“Thoughts of Antonio Belteor.”
Michael's eyes shook at the unfiltered answer. Eve belatedly came to her senses with a start at the ominous atmosphere.
“Ah, gasp! Mi, Michael...!”
But there was no turning back. Michael looked away with his wet eyes cast down sadly.
“Isn’t that too much? Thinking about another man when we’re alone together.”
“No, that’s not it.”
“You said you couldn’t share love, you’re a liar.”
"Omg!"
“Yeah, who can I blame? It’s my lack of charm."
Michael’s wounded face squeezed Eve’s heart. Eve fidgeted and regretted it inwardly.
'Ahh! I should have said I was thinking of having a baby!'
If that had happened, a difficult situation would have unfolded in its own way, but for humans, the path not taken seemed better.
“Hey, Michael..."
There was no answer even though she called desperately. The amber eyes moved around in anxiety and nervousness.
Then she realized that there was no one else around. The pavilion they were in happened to be blocked by a tall stilt.
If that had happened, a difficult situation would have unfolded in its own way, but for humans, the path not taken seemed better.
“Hey, Michael..."
There was no answer even though she called desperately. The amber eyes moved around in anxiety and nervousness.
Then she realized that there was no one else around. The pavilion they were in happened to be blocked by a tall stilt.
Eve decided to make a bold move. She immediately turned to face Michael.
Michael's eyes widened slightly. It was because Eve had surprised him with a kiss.
The feeling of soft lips pressing against his didn't last long. It was a bird kiss.
Michael pretended to bounce off the expression that was on the verge of collapse.
“It’s cowardly to solve problems this way... um... !”
In an instant, Eve kissed him again, her tongue sliding between his nicely curved lips.
As their breaths, filled with the scent of afternoon tea, mingled, Michael was helplessly captured. He wrapped his arms around Eve and hugged her, pulling her close to him. And through their lips that met, he yearned for her.
"Ha..."
“Uh... Yeah..."
After tasting each other's lips for a long time, when they parted, Michael smiled and said.
“...This kind of problem-solving method seems good.”
“Now... are you angry?”
"Yes."
Eve sighed in relief and opened her mouth to clear up the misunderstanding.
“That’s because Lord Balteor has been bothering me lately, so I thought about his intentions for a moment..."
“Eve.”
"Yes?"
“I already know everything, so you don’t have to explain. I’d rather you talk about things related to us when we’re alone.”
“Oh, yeah!”
Because Eve had become so busy, every minute and second they spent together was precious. She had no time to devote to anything other than the two of them, let alone to a small bug. If possible, she wanted to create a world just for the two of them and stay in it.
Eve and Michael sat on a bench inside the pavilion.
As winter approached, the homunculus wore black cloaks over their wine-colored uniforms. Michael raised one arm and opened the cloak to create space. Despite the warming magic, Eve did not hesitate and dug in. Michael wrapped her around him.
“It’s warm.”
Eve tilted her head and rested it on Michael's shoulder.
Michael smiled and carefully smoothed her bangs with his hands. The lovers' rest was peaceful.
But there was an obstacle.
Michael's ears detected a movement.
“Eve.”
Eve immediately understood the meaning of the soft call. She fell away from Michael. Michael also rose from his seat.
Rustle.
At that very moment, a man appeared. It was a familiar face.
“Ah, Your Highness. What a coincidence to meet you here.”
“... Lord Antonio Belteor.”
At this point, Eve couldn't help but look at him with a look that said, 'It's you again.'
“What were you doing alone in such a remote place?”
"Alone?"
Homunculus is not considered human, so only Eve is counted.
Michael clenched his fists next to him, and Eve's expression hardened.
Eve was in a bad mood because her time alone with Michael had been interrupted. She felt that today was the day she had to say something.
“Young Master.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Young Master has a fiancée. If you meet me privately, it could lead to misunderstandings, so I would like you to avoid each other as much as possible.”
Antonio looked quite flustered at Eve's speed. But it was only for a moment, and he quickly responded.
A pretentiously sad expression came over Antonio's face.
“I see... Because of my political position, I am deprived of the opportunity to even get to know Your Highness the Seventh Princess... I am truly sorry. Your Majesty, I wish you had come a little earlier. It is truly regrettable. If Your Highness had come to my attention a little earlier, Your Highness and I might have been more attracted to each other than the other way around."
As Eve listened to what he had to say, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread at the sight of Michael's purple eyes.
'This kid.'
Eve seemed to know Michael’s condition without having to look back. She stood in front of him protectively, blocking his view, and secretly reached out one hand behind him. Her soft hand gently wrapped around Michael’s clenched fist.
'This kid.'
Eve seemed to know Michael’s condition without having to look back. She stood in front of him protectively, blocking his view, and secretly reached out one hand behind him. Her soft hand gently wrapped around Michael’s clenched fist.
While trying to appease her lover, Eve spoke coldly to Antonio.
“You are making some dangerous remarks. I will pretend I did not hear them.”
"Your Highness..."
“And I’m not interested in Young Master. Okay, that’s enough.”
He tried to get away first, cutting off the spot with a knife.
It was then that Antonio's voice pierced through Eve, who had turned around.
“Even if you’re not interested in me, you should be interested in Belteor.”
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