Chapter 16
Chapter 16
After the three of them gathered in the same room, a peculiar silence settled in.
To be precise, it was a situation where speaking was almost impossible.
The Goldrun family’s servants had swarmed in, constantly bringing in tea, snacks, fruits, and desserts.
With the clinking of teacups, the sound of plates being placed down, and the rustle of curtains, the room felt both quiet and chaotic at the same time.
It was understandable.
This was the first time a member of the royal family had personally set foot in the Goldrun mansion.
Even when the late emperor had praised the Goldruns, it had been high-ranking nobles who came in his stead, not the royal family itself.
But today was different.
Luang was the first royal to ever visit this mansion.
So the servants were ten times more frantic than usual.
Yet the one who ended the commotion was a single word from Luang.
“Could you step out for a while? I have something to discuss with the three of you.”
The servants froze mid-motion.
For a moment, the air in the room felt strangely solid.
Leaving the young nobleman alone with the young lady was usually a clear sign. Good or bad, something intense could happen.
But the three of them together?
That was ambiguous.
The servants exchanged glances.
And all of them noticed the same thing.
Luang was casually draping his arm around Bianca, not Angela.
Rumors had already circulated that Luang had overstepped with Bianca. But Bianca wasn’t a member of this household. Moreover, she had been on the receiving end when she tried to interfere with their lady.
For the Goldrun servants, there was no reason to be particularly careful with Bianca.
Bianca raised her hand halfway, her face showing her embarrassment.
“Um, wait—”
But it was already too late.
“In that case, we’ll take our leave.”
The servants rushed out.
The door closed, and the room fell silent.
Only then did Angela speak cautiously.
“Um… Your Highness Luang?”
“What is it?”
“I think Bianca can’t breathe right now. Could you let go of her?”
Luang looked at Angela with mild curiosity.
Not only had she forgiven Bianca, but she already addressed her by name.
A noble young lady wouldn’t break the formal boundaries so quickly. Even if they formed political alliances, making friends was not so easy. If tied by obligations, they would address others by family name first.
But Angela naturally said, “Bianca.”
This was not a noble way of thinking.
It was closer to the mindset of someone possessed—or so it seemed.
“Hmm…”
Luang let out a short sound and slowly removed his hand from Bianca’s shoulder.
Only then could Bianca breathe.
“Phew… phew…”
Her shoulder still felt hot to the touch.
The spot where his hand had been burned strangely with heat. Her heart raced, and her legs felt weak.
She was simply startled.
Yet, despite being startled, every sensation felt unusually sharp.
“You okay?”
Angela asked with concern.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Bianca forced herself to answer nonchalantly.
Then Angela’s eyes brightened as if recalling something.
“Then, can you tell me what you wanted to thank me for earlier?”
“…Huh?”
Bianca looked at Angela for a moment.
No way.
She had remembered yesterday’s incident and was trying to embarrass her further here?
But Angela’s expression held no trace of vengeful pleasure. It was pure curiosity.
‘They say a child kills a cat out of curiosity… too much innocence can be dangerous,’ Bianca muttered quietly.
She turned her head slightly and looked at the side.
Luang was lounging comfortably right next to her.
Like a full lion.
Not sharp enough to attack immediately, yet with the sense that he could do it anytime if he chose.
At that sight, Bianca made up her mind.
Better to speak now than stay silent.
A full lion doesn’t hunt for no reason.
“I… wanted to thank you for helping me when I was in a difficult situation at the banquet.”
“Oh, that!”
Angela reacted brightly.
“It’s nothing. Hehe.”
Her gratitude felt far too innocent.
Bianca grew uneasy.
With someone like this accepting thanks so purely, she had no idea what Luang might think.
But Luang showed no particular reaction.
That calm was scarier.
So Bianca quickly changed the topic.
“Then, Your Highness Luang, what brings you here?”
“Me?”
Luang smiled lazily.
“To inform you about what I did today.”
“Uh? That could have been sent by letter…”
“The story seems to be moving too fast,” Luang continued casually.
“I’ve heard rumors that you and I… shared a moment on the balcony.”
“…What?!!!”
Angela leaped in shock.
Bianca, however, was not too surprised. She had already suspected it.
Angela looked at Bianca, shocked herself.
“Bianca, you knew?!”
“…You didn’t think I did?”
Bianca genuinely questioned whether this person was naive or just incredibly foolish.
At that moment, Luang interjected.
“You are a bit foolish, yes?”
“Ah, yes…”
Bianca answered reflexively, then paused.
Luang laughed.
“Being foolish gives you a cute side.”
“…Yes.”
Her answer came a little late this time.
The foolishness was apparent. The cute side, as seen when she pushed to become friends earlier, made sense.
But being too clueless diluted her cuteness. Even a dog is only cute if it runs around in moderation. Too hyperactive, and it becomes tiring.
“What do you mean by that!!!”
Angela shouted, blushing.
Luang propped his chin on his hand, amused.
“Bianca. It’s better if you explain.”
“Understood.”
Bianca adjusted her posture.
“Lady Angela, do you know what has been the hottest topic among nobles recently?”
“Hmm… what could it be?”
“Your cosmetics story.”
“Really?”
Angela was genuinely surprised.
Bianca looked at her silently for a moment.
She really had no idea.
Angela’s cosmetics had already caused a stir in noble society. The products used modern knowledge, were divided between commoners and nobles, and the noble versions were sold at a premium.
And it worked.
Huge profits meant noble interest had been strong.
But there was something even more important.
“Lately, there has been no more interesting topic in high society than cosmetics.”
“Really?”
“From now on, you will attend social gatherings with me.”
Bianca’s voice was firm.
“How could you live without hearing a single story?”
“Ah, sorry… I was busy making cosmetics.”
Angela flinched slightly.
For a noble to be unaware of gossip could be fatal. Like a student excluded for missing school trends, society could be even crueler.
Especially nobles had to always read the center of stories. That’s how they knew who was rising, falling, or in danger.
Angela was the type to dedicate herself to what she loved, day or night. She had even worked at night and slept during the day when absorbed in cosmetics. Her father had once hit her with a cane to fix her schedule.
“My story also spread a bit,” Luang said leisurely.
“But few have seen me directly, so it remains just an intriguing legend.”
It was true.
Nobles liked certain types of stories: who rose, who fell, and how flashy someone was.
It was like enjoying nationalistic pride in someone’s success or collectively gossiping about a rumored celebrity.
Luang was a rare prince, secluded inside the royal palace. Few had seen him, so imagination ran wild.
Angela was a noble of commoner origin, the kind nobles couldn’t openly praise.
Two such people colliding in reality, tangled together—it was a feast for gossip.
“I also imagined what kind of person Angela might be while buying cosmetics.”
Bianca said.
“I didn’t expect someone like this.”
“Embarrassing…”
“You’ll have more reasons to be embarrassed in the future.”
Bianca stated matter-of-factly.
“Eventually, everyone will ask you directly how you got involved with Luang.”
“Ah… ugh…”
Angela’s ears turned red.
She had barely ever held a man’s hand, let alone… just one touch on the abs, yet the imaginations were already running wild.
Luang chuckled at Angela’s reaction.
“Then it’s better we coordinate what to say.”
“Huh?”
“First, I did nothing that night, and you only confessed that you liked me.”
“Huh? You said that?”
“Yes.”
“By… whose authority!”
Angela was shocked.
Even with her life in danger, Luang had deliberately added fuel to the fire.
“How did you put it?”
Bianca asked, hiding her curiosity.
“I didn’t say we shared a moment on the balcony, just that you whispered a confession about liking me.”
Luang was very composed.
“Since everyone is talking about us in odd ways anyway, this is the better approach.”
“That’s a good direction.”
Bianca nodded.
“To avoid a flood, you don’t block the river—you make a new channel.”
“Bianca, you too!”
Angela almost screamed.
Bianca continued coolly.
“Lady Angela, nobles are already talking about you two. To stop it, a bigger, more convincing rumor is needed. Do you have another story to use?”
Angela fell silent.
She quickly ran through the original events in her mind. Most of them involved conflicts between villainesses and saintly figures. She had nothing ready to pull out right now, and even if she did, the consequences were unpredictable.
Luang observed Angela quietly.
The way her eyes darted around showed she was no fool. She knew a lot; she just hadn’t fully organized it yet.
“There’s no choice,” Luang concluded.
“For now, we’ll let it go.”
And naturally added:
“I’ve encouraged the knights to act for love, so soon romantic stories will spread like a trend. Your story will be mixed in, diluted in the flood.”
“You encouraged the knights?”
Bianca’s expression changed.
“What will they do?”
“Give courage to confess to the one they like.”
“Oh, really?”
Angela’s eyes sparkled.
“Then many couples will form!”
Angela thought simply.
For the Goldrun family, the most important thing wasn’t noble lineage, but keeping the family united. Their power was money, and divided, it weakened.
So marriages formed by love were preferable. Forced matches led to fights, children separated from parents, and the family fractured.
For new nobles with short histories, that could be fatal.
Angela’s reaction was natural.
But Bianca perceived it differently.
A chill ran down her spine.
The royal guard knights who trained Luang had been set up to stir a romantic scandal to cover Bianca’s own rumor.
It was noble in approach.
Extremely noble.
Yet stranger was that it was orchestrated by Luang, usually considered insane.
The gap between his usual madness and this calculated act seemed to hide another side.
Placed beside Angela, clueless and sparkling-eyed, it felt even more sinister.
Bianca unconsciously tried to shift away.
At that moment.
Her wrist was grabbed under the desk.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, it’s nothing…”
Bianca froze.
The contact triggered memories of yesterday.
Her heart sank. Breath shortened. Her mind went blank.
Fear.
Yet the fear was so vivid, she felt even the touch with startling clarity.
Luang watched her silently.
Bianca sensed it.
He had read her.
He knew she had intended to retreat.
She wanted to run.
Yet her body wouldn’t move.