Chapter 39 Chance For Redemption
Even though he felt he was at fault, Werner had a slightly annoyed expression as he was forced to apologize.
Rhiannon laughed.
"I'm so sorry. Did I go too far with my teasing?"
Werner stared at Rhiannon, who was giggling innocently, with a gaze that mixed warmth and intensity.
Suddenly, he turned serious and lowered his voice.
"Hey, I have to warn you about something. Sarah Belts is after your life. That glass I took from you had poison in it."
Rhiannon gasped.
"Poison!? So, Sarah was really trying to bring me down that much...?"
"You might find it hard to believe, but this is proof."
Werner unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt, revealing a red, swollen area just below his collarbone, right where Rhiannon had spilled her drink.
Rhiannon covered her mouth in shock.
"What a thing!"
"Don't make that face. It's not that bad."
"Shouldn't you see a doctor quickly?"
"No way. I can't trust anyone in the palace. Who knows who's connected to Sarah?"
"...Why do you think Sarah did this?"
"It has to be Sarah Belts. I saw her acting suspiciously in the evening, so I decided to follow her. Sure enough, she was threatening a servant in the kitchen to poison your drink."
"That's just terrible..."
Rhiannon's mind flashed to the frightened face of the servant.
That young man had been coerced by Sarah to hand her the poisoned fruit water.
Werner muttered regretfully.
"...But even if I wanted to publicly accuse that woman of poisoning your drink, I currently have no solid evidence. My brothers are infatuated with Sarah and have the power to easily cover this up. Plus, if I act carelessly, that blonde servant could end up taking all the blame and getting executed. I have to avoid that at all costs."
"...So, we're completely cornered?"
"Well, that's how it is. Anyway, from now on, don't touch any drinks that are carelessly left out."
"I understand."
Rhiannon trembled but nodded firmly.
"Sir Werner brought me to this room to give me this warning, didn't he?"
"Yeah. You never know who might be listening. Like I said earlier, you can't trust anyone in the palace. ...Well, the fact that you and I snuck out of the party together might stir up some rumors."
"...That would be a problem."
"Why's that?"
There was a brief pause.
After hesitating, Rhiannon spoke up.
"...Because I have someone I like."
"Even if my father encourages you to get engaged to me?"
Rhiannon answered decisively.
Werner's face stiffened, gradually shifting to an expression of despair.
Seeing that expression, Rhiannon was taken aback.
"...Um, I apologize for the rude question, but could it be that Sir Werner genuinely likes me?"
"Are you really saying that to me, someone who just got dumped?!"
Despite the accusatory tone, Werner wore a bitter smile.
Rhiannon was at a loss for words and could only remain silent.
Although Rhiannon had been called a "manipulative femme fatale" and a "beauty who deceives men," she had never had any real experience with romance.
She had no idea how to respond in situations like this.
Feeling dejected, Rhiannon said, "I'm sorry," and Werner scratched his cheek.
"Hey, don't apologize; it makes things awkward. I've done plenty of things to be disliked myself. I was prepared to be rejected."
"...You're not going to ask who it is, then?"
"You really have to rub salt in the wound, huh?"
"Oh, I'm sorry..."
"Come on, it's your butler, isn't it? No matter how much I insulted you in the library, you didn't change your expression, but when it comes to that butler, you got furious. That's when I figured it out."
"Oh no, was I that obvious?"
Rhiannon placed her hand on her cheek, a shy smile appearing on her face.
Seeing this, Werner put his hand to his forehead and let out a big sigh.
"Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to widen my wound...?"
"I-I didn't mean to..."
"Well, if you change your mind, just let me know anytime. I'll accept you as a concubine. I don't know what number you'd be, though."
As Werner smirked sarcastically, Rhiannon shrugged her shoulders in disbelief.
"I don't think many women would want to marry someone with a personality like Sir Werner's."
"You really are rude, aren't you!? At least tone it down a bit! I'm the prince of this country!"
"Oh, finally, you're getting into the swing of things. That's more like you, Sir Werner."
Suddenly, Rhiannon flashed a mischievous smile.
Her deep indigo eyes sparkled.
Seeing this, Werner suddenly clutched his chest and turned away, as if to escape.
"Oh, I'm going to change my clothes."
"Oh, you're in a hurry again."
"Shut up. Just relax."
With that, Werner headed toward a separate room with a closet, his footsteps heavy.
Alone in the empty room, with his cheeks flushed, Werner couldn't shake the image of Rhiannon's indigo eyes from his mind.
His heart raced like a drum.
He knew well that the sparkle in those eyes wouldn't be easily obtained.
(Sigh, the fish I let go was a big one...)
Trying to suppress a sigh, Werner quickly took off his shirt in front of the closet.
It seemed that the poison prepared by Sarah Belts was quite strong, as the area below his collarbone was still painfully swollen.
However, he felt no strange regret for having put himself in danger to help Rhiannon.
(Despite being such a cheeky girl, I still can't bring myself to dislike her...)
Werner rubbed his chest, still feeling a strange exhilaration lingering.
After breaking off the engagement, Werner admitted that he was initially drawn to the wealth of the Clahsen family and tried to approach Rhiannon again.
However, over time, his interest shifted more towards Rhiannon than the Clahsen family's riches.
Rhiannon was unique to Werner.
While everyone around him was cautious of the third prince, Rhiannon, with her natural pride and somewhat oblivious nature, faced him directly.
Because of this, every time they met, he tried to catch her attention, always adopting a somewhat overbearing attitude.
He had written letters in hopes of seeing her, but he never received a reply.
It frustrated him to be ignored despite writing so many letters, but looking back, he realized that Rhiannon would never respond to such rude content.
(No matter how much he regretted his actions, it was too late now.)
Suppressing yet another sigh, Werner quickly changed into a loose shirt he took from the closet.
Then, he carefully examined himself in the mirror.
He had a sharp, refined face that many young ladies admired.
His large, captivating light-colored eyes resembled those of his mother, who was praised as an unparalleled beauty.
His face was slightly flushed, but well, Rhiannon was that oblivious.
She probably wouldn't notice.
After hesitating about whether to take a shower, Werner shook his head lightly and hurried back to the room where he was waiting for Rhiannon.
Rhiannon was always with Halesia or that annoying butler.
Opportunities for them to be alone like this were rare.
(There's so much I want to talk about right now.)
This was one of the few chances he had to redeem himself.
However, as soon as he entered his room, his hopes were crushed.
Rhiannon was leaning back on the sofa, peacefully asleep, completely unaware.
He timidly tried to wake her by shaking her shoulder, but Rhiannon didn't respond.
At this rate, she wouldn't wake up for a while.
"She's way too defenseless...!"
He thought he had conveyed his feelings of love earlier.
No, he admitted that his words hadn't been completely honest.
However, how could she be so defenseless in front of a man who had just been told that she liked him?.
(Does she trust that I wouldn't take advantage of her while she sleeps? ...No, this girl definitely isn't thinking that far.)
"Damn it," Werner muttered to himself, looking up at the sky. Meanwhile, Rhiannon was peacefully dreaming with an innocent sleeping face.
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