Must Be a Dream... But My Fiancé Is Way Too Handsome
Kane, arriving at the Luniel Mansion where Lea was staying, once again faced off against the old butler.
The butler's face, which he'd seen for the third day in a row, was filled with guilt.
Looking at him, Kane realized he was on the verge of being turned away at the door yet again today.
"The young miss hasn't woken up yet."
"You know today's the third day, right? And you won't even tell me why."
"Yes. We're truly sorry. For Your Highness the Third Prince to come all this way in person..."
"This won't do. Today, I at least need to see her sleeping face. Show me in."
"But..."
"Is a mere count's family refusing the imperial family?"
"No, that's not..."
On the third day of nearly being stonewalled at the gate, Kane could no longer hold back and stepped inside the mansion.
Borrowing the name and authority of the imperial family was something he excelled at while playing the role of a wastrel playboy.
Even for him, it was unavoidable this time.
He'd planned to go out somewhere together every single day without fail, but after sending her home three days ago, she suddenly collapsed the next day.
And she still hadn't woken up.
He couldn't even imagine what might have happened after he'd seen her off.
It made him think he shouldn't have sent her home at all.
"This is Lea's room, then."
"Yes..."
"I see. I'll go in alone, so don't let anyone else inside."
Until now, he'd turned back obediently without forcing his way in, fulfilling his duty as a decent human being.
That's why he could now gaze at Lea, sleeping so peacefully.
"The fact that she looks completely fine... that's the problem."
Kane racked his brains, staring at Lea sleeping without a single sign of distress and at the impeccably spotless room without a speck of dust.
The lack of any trace was the issue.
No matter how well you managed things, the body should show some signs, even faintly.
The room should be the same.
A lived-in feel was only natural.
Yet this room and Lea showed none of those expected traces.
The room was like a display case made just for show, and Lea seemed like she was being constantly remade anew with daily potions just for appearances.
"No way they'd go that far..."
That went beyond abuse into serious crime territory.
Imperial law already banned excessive potion use.
Continuous use built up resistance, and the body adapted so even minor wounds wouldn't heal naturally.
Especially for women, this adaptation posed a massive risk during childbirth.
That was why the temple still existed even after potions—a cure-all—were invented.
Temple healing had no side effects.
"Not yet."
Kane decided to hold back for now, since Lea herself didn't want intervention.
Someone might say he was overreacting after barely a week, but to Kane, meeting Lea felt like fate.
Anyone with ears among the high nobility knew he was faking the wastrel act.
But the ladies he met for blind dates never caught on.
Lea had seen right through it in an instant.
Of course, that alone hadn't won her heart.
It was just intriguing.
"That's why I thought I couldn't leave her alone."
Her unladylike sharp tongue, doll-like beauty, and fragile aura that seemed like she'd shatter if gripped too tightly—they all drew Kane in.
He couldn't just let slide that overwhelming urge to keep her by his side.
And now, the moment he'd left her briefly, this happened.
"She won't tell me even when she wakes up."
Lea was obsessively attached to this twisted household.
She clung to it with her own warped fixation, and for some reason, the family reciprocated with their own twisted obsession toward her.
Whether it was lingering attachment or affection, it didn't matter.
Until she spoke up first, her unknown feelings kept her from asking for help, making things this painful for her—and for Kane.
"And her pride is sky-high. She bends her words and actions but never her pride—it's obvious."
She kept putting herself up as collateral, offering herself as payment, folding her attitude completely—how could that square with high pride? But for Lea, it did.
She staked herself because she knew her identity was the most valuable thing she had.
It was a wild mix of self-assurance, self-love, and the necessity of the moment.
If Lea had been born an imperial princess, she'd surely be the epitome of arrogance, knowing she was the fairest and lording it over the world.
"I'd love to see that side of her too."
Kane thought he'd like to see Lea strutting around, demanding "Admire my beauty!"
Even he admitted he was smitten, but what could he do?
He was already this deep.
"Not love yet, but it won't take long."
He'd never been in love, so he didn't know exactly how it started.
But it wouldn't drag on.
The problem wasn't him, though.
"Whether she'll love me back."
Her words sounded like affection at first glance, enough to mistake for love, but not yet.
There was goodwill, sure—but to Lea, Kane was just a temporary escape from her family's torment, a breath of fresh air.
At least, that's how Kane saw their engagement.
Otherwise, she couldn't say those things with such a straight face.
Separately, when she'd seemed vulnerable, he'd almost been fooled.
But he'd quickly realized it was just dependency, leaving him a bit disappointed.
"If I play my cards right before she leaves, it'll work out somehow."
It was a race against time.
Lea talked of going far away, passing herself around until she could, but Kane knew she hadn't chosen the extreme option yet.
So, before she departed this world, he had to make her look back at him.
He might not win her love, but at least make her think life was worth sticking around for with him.
With her heart already closed off, waiting for the right moment to go, the difficulty was hellish—but saving his future wife meant he had to try.
"You're the only one who could push an imperial scion this far."
Kane steeled his resolve and stood from his seat.
He'd watch her a while longer, but there was work to do.
To make her turn back to him, they needed time together.
So, he'd have a little chat with the head of this house.
...
"We'll arrange for her to enroll in the Imperial Academy alongside Your Highness."
"See that you follow through faithfully."
The talk had gone better than expected.
Of course, it was more like a notification—or threat—so it worked, but to Kane, it was a conversation.
Returning not to Lea's room, but Lea's room, Kane reflected on the family head he'd just met.
The previous generation of Lea's family had been known for integrity, cleanliness, and kindness—but poverty.
About ten years ago, though, the current head's business savvy exploded: mines, spirit herb groves, massive ventures turning them into one of the empire's richest houses.
But the man he'd just seen didn't seem like someone with business talent or drive to seek new mines and groves.
Rumors even said their businesses were failing left and right lately.
"It was you, wasn't it."
Kane knew instantly.
Lea had made all this happen.
It was inference, but it fit.
Investigations skirting her personal life showed the young master at rock bottom in evaluations, the head incompetent as seen, the wives just pretty faces he'd collected.
Lea's half-sister was extravagant, sadistic, the typical nouveau riche daughter.
However it happened, Lea was the only one left who fit.
Digging deeper would disrespect her, so Kane decided to just stroke her hair until she woke.
As he ran his fingers through her glossy locks and poked her cheek to pass the time, a sound slipped from the unresponsive Lea's lips.
Her tightly shut eyes fluttered open slightly, looking up at Kane.
"Ahhh..."
"Awake? How's your body feeling?"
Kane smiled gently, trying not to startle her.
Lea, still drowsy, grinned hazily and murmured,
"Must be a dream... But my fiancé is super handsome."
"Not a dream. Thanks for the compliment—I'll remember it forever."
"Not a dream, you say? Not a dream? Not?"
Repeating it several times, she finally realized it was real and widened her eyes.
Then, embarrassed, she yanked the blanket up over her face and hid.
"I must've gone crazy for a sec, so just deliciously devour me and make it go away, okay?!"
"What does embarrassment have to do with that?!"
"If we're doing it, at least I won't be thinking about it!"
"If we're doing it, you'll have to keep staring at this handsome face the whole time?"
"Don't mention it!!"
Kane watched his fiancée wriggling under the covers now that she was up, thinking to himself.
He'd absolutely keep her tethered to this world.
Always smiling brightly, from the heart.
"Am I really that handsome?"
For now, though—he'd tease her a bit.
He hadn't in three days, and who knew when she'd counterattack.