Chapter 92: A Misdelivered Gift and Unspoken Longings

As Karlahee sat down, he noticed two gift boxes side by side not far from his seat. One was wrapped in silver paper with a silver ribbon, while the other was wrapped in red with a bright red ribbon.

“Who sent those?”

“They only have the recipient’s name on them, so I set them aside separately.”

In response to the Imperial Attendant’s answer, Karlahee tilted his head slightly and nudged his finger.

“Open them.”

The Imperial Attendant first opened the shimmering silver gift box. Inside was a handkerchief adorned with embroidery, clearly stitched with painstaking but clumsy care. He narrowed his eyes and examined it slowly.

“I can’t tell which middle schooler did this, but it seems they mistakenly sent it in as part of their home economics assignment.”

“That’s a huge problem. Spread the word—announce nationwide that the palace will track down any student who loses a handkerchief meant for their home-economics portfolio.”

“Yes, understood.”

Next, the red gift box was opened to reveal a scarf completed with awkward, clumsy knitting. The Imperial Palace Attendant carefully inspected the scarf before slowly offering his thoughts.

“I don’t know which middle schooler this is, but it appears they’ve again misdirected an item for a home economics assessment. It looks like the assignment was meant for a different school.”

“Not one, but two mistakes! What happens if a student misses the submission deadline for their home economics portfolio?”

“That will likely result in the lowest score… once combined with the finals, it will definitely affect their overall grade.”

“Well, that’s a disaster. Make it known across the nation: the palace will seek out the two students who lost their handkerchief and scarf for their home economics projects.”

“Yes, understood.”

From afar, Rozally observed the attendant carrying away both boxes. She bit her lower lip, seemingly having ordered that the gifts she favored be moved to her private room. Seeing the silver box being shifted along with her own made her bite her lip even harder.

‘A stalemate… quite the possessive woman, isn’t she?’

Rozally curved her bright red lips, but the Male Lead was more than just the Emperor’s companion.

“So, when I looked up at the sky and barked, a creature tumbled from a nearby tree. It turned out to be a squirrel. The little fellow was so small and nimble that the chase was anything but dull. Ah, pardon me—I hope Youngae didn’t find the story too tedious.”

“Not at all! Creon really is a fascinating guy.”

What nonsense. Though Rozally had thought that just a moment ago, she smoothly shifted her expression. With her bright red eyes sparkling, she played the role of the ‘kind-hearted villainess’ genuinely enthralled by the tale.

“I’d love to hear more! Won’t you come to our mansion tonight? Of course, if it’s inconvenient, you can decline.”

“Agreed.”

The man, so outstanding in his youth that he served as the Emperor’s closest aide, was impressive in more ways than one. As one of the Male Leads, it made sense to win him over early—especially if it meant having free access to the Imperial City.

As the atmosphere in the ballroom heated up, Karlahee quietly rose from his seat while no one was watching. He slipped his hand into his jacket and fiddled with his figurine. It was warm, almost as if it possessed a living glow.

How small and precious a figurine could be. Glancing around to ensure he was alone, Karlahee pulled it out and gently pressed his lips to its forehead.

‘Something’s missing…’

Part of him longed to plant a kiss on the forehead of the woman who had given him such a treasured gift. But that would surely embarrass Lara. With a tender smile, Karlahee tucked the figurine away and hurried toward the balcony. He was eager to see Lara, to talk with her—he missed her dearly.

“Lara?”

Yet when he arrived, the balcony was empty. Instead, he discovered a note affixed to the table—Lara’s handwriting.

[To Rahi: I’m not feeling well, so I’m heading home for now. And happy birthday today. Enjoy yourself! ―Lara]

Karlahee couldn’t even bring himself to read the line after her signature. Suddenly unwell—could it be serious? Had she eaten something spoiled? That would be disastrous. Had she already seen a doctor? What if sleeping only makes it worse by tomorrow? Every worrisome thought revolved around her.

He stopped overthinking and quickly left the balcony, deciding that it was best to check on her just once to ease his mind.

Sneaking out of the ballroom, he changed into casual, geeky attire and hopped into a carriage. Through thick glasses, the passing scenery appeared to drift by more slowly than usual. Oblivious to his rising anxiety, Karlahee simply bit his lip in silent apprehension.

Eventually, he arrived before Shumorud’s mansion and made his way to the back door. The darkened mansion was quiet. Following its outer wall by moonlight, Karlahee entered a small garden, where even the sound of his footsteps on the grass was loud.

Then, from not far away, a familiar voice reached his ears. Karlahee involuntarily stopped in his tracks.

“…I missed you. Why didn’t you appear until now?”

Following Lara’s voice, he saw her on the second-floor balcony. Dressed in a simple dress, Lara blushed shyly—a look he had never seen before—while a man stood beside her.

A black cloak billowed in the night breeze. It wasn’t just any cloak; it was an exact recreation of Lord Robes’ own.

“I searched far and wide, even checking news from Suko,” he said.

“…”

“You still keep quiet, don’t you? Hah, isn’t that right? You must be careful not to reveal your true identity. I was so moved when you left a bouquet of white roses on my balcony last time…”

‘It’s not him…’

Watching Lara express her gratitude with delicate, twisting gestures from afar, Karlahee felt utterly exasperated. He wanted to run away immediately, yet he couldn’t bring himself to move.

Even if he left, how could he prove he was the real deal? Doing so would force him to disclose all his secrets to her. It was crucial to uncover the true purpose behind the author’s decision to follow Lord Robes’ path and approach Lara. Moving now meant that…

“Thank you, handsome Lord Robes.”

Lara beamed, revealing a bright, white smile. At that moment, the impostor’s hand moved gracefully to caress her cheek. As the gap between them narrowed, Karlahee snatched an acorn lying nearby and hurled it with all his might.

With a soft thud, the acorn struck Lord Robes’ back. Lara crouched down to pick it up.

“Ah, looks like a squirrel dropped by. How cute.”

“…”

“Don’t tell me you don’t like squirrels?”

In response to Lara’s query, Lord Robes remained silent. Instead, he turned away and fixed a determined gaze on a spot in the first-floor garden.

* * *

At dawn, the nobles filling the ballroom began disappearing one by one—most couples whose eyes met. Among them were Rozally and Creon.

With a muscular build, towering presence, and soft golden hair, the man looked every bit the majestic, large dog-like Male Lead. His actions and demeanor were just as imposing.

Even while riding in the carriage, he could hardly sit still—constantly moving as if on an endless walk. He scratched at the leather sofa with his claws and bellowed out whenever someone passed by the window, ‘It’s a person! Look!’ creating utter chaos.

The moment the carriage stopped, Creon was the first to burst out. To catch up with him as he dashed toward the mansion, Rozally had no choice but to sprint after him. It felt as exhausting as taking a dog for a walk.

As Rozally entered the mansion, Creon, who had been nuzzling a wall pillar, looked up.

“I’m thirsty. Youngae, please bring me some water.”

“Creon seems so full of energy… Hehe, shall we head to my room first?”

“Agreed.”

Though she managed to lead him to a room, it felt as if she had adopted a pet. Glancing at the trailing blonde man, Rozally muttered a string of curses under her breath.

Once in the room, she turned to Creon with a look of pure innocence and offered a gentle smile.

“I’ll get you some water. Please have a seat.”

“Yes.”

“No, not on the floor.”

“Yes.”

Creon sat on the edge of the bed. Soon, the sound of him rustling the bedding filled the air, but Rozally chose to ignore it for the sake of her sanity. Instead, she picked up a watering can, poured water into a cup, and approached him.

“Thank you.”

Accepting the cup with polite grace, he took a sip. Then he flicked his tongue to swirl the water in his mouth in a way that left Rozally utterly perplexed. What should she do? Nearby, she spotted a small knife typically used for buttering breakfast.

Just as she was about to grab it, Creon’s voice stopped her.

“Where’s the restroom?”

“Over there, inside the bedroom.”

Struggling to suppress her impulse, Rozally beamed brightly in response while Creon returned her smile and rose.

“I’ll be right back to mark my territory.”

“Ah, go ahead. And, um, Creon!”