"Miss Miranda, you don't need to be so formal," Zachary lightly gestured for her to rise, his smile becoming even softer.Miranda responded with a faint, polite smile, her expression carefully controlled. If she was frustrated by Reginald's unpredictable temper and fondness for teasing her, she found Zachary’s commanding demeanor—disguised under a veneer of elegance—downright repulsive. His polite demeanor often felt forced, and there was something about the way he looked at her that she deeply disliked. However, as much as she disliked his attitude, there was little she could do. After all, Zachary was still a prince. No matter how much she might loathe his behavior, she had to maintain her composure and mask her true feelings behind a facade of polite detachment. She could not afford to let her disdain show.Zachary, however, remained oblivious. With a trace of concern, he said, "Earlier, I saw Duke Reginald storming away from your quarters. He wasn't causing you trouble, was he?"Mi
Zachary’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Miranda had feelings for Reginald? The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Although Reginald’s status was slightly lower than his, he was still a duke, and his striking looks made him easily appealing to women. Moreover, he had just played the hero by saving Miranda from a terrifying chase. It wouldn’t be surprising if she developed feelings for him because of that.At this thought, a wave of irritation surged in his chest—not just toward Miranda, but toward Reginald as well.After a moment of reflection, Zachary didn’t express his anger. Instead, he softened his expression and smiled slightly, saying, “Miss Miranda, there are some things I ordinarily wouldn’t mention, especially since Duke Reginald is your savior. However, I’m truly concerned that you might not know his true nature and could be deceived by him, so I must speak up. Duke Reginald is widely known for his erratic and frivolous behavior. Beyond that, he’s a
“Your Highness Zachary, isn't it unbecoming of a gentleman to speak ill of others behind their backs?” Reginald gracefully leapt down from the large windowsill above the corridor, his black coat tracing an elegant arc through the air. As he landed, moonlight bathed his striking features, giving him an almost sinister allure. “Young Master Brandon and Miss Martha are already seated in the main hall, discussing tonight's attack. It seems they've made some headway. Aren't you going to listen in?”Zachary froze for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden interruption. But quickly recovering his composure, he turned to Miranda, offering her a respectful bow, his hands clasped in a formal gesture. “In that case, we shall meet in the hall shortly.”With that, he turned on his heel and hurried away without another word, leaving Miranda and Reginald alone in the dimly lit corridor.“Miranda, I had no idea you were so intrigued by my private matters. Since you're curious, why not ask me direct
In the grand and spacious hall, thick candles, as wide as an arm, were lit, illuminating the entire room in bright light. Occasionally, someone would enter, bringing with them the night breeze from outside, causing the candle flames to flicker and dance. The hall alternated between brightness and shadows, casting an unreadable expression on the faces of those inside.When Reginald entered, the flames flickered even more violently.A stunningly beautiful smile graced Reginald's face as he glanced around, his captivating eyes shimmering. Yet, seeing this dangerously charming smile, the hidden guard, Hendrik, subtly stepped back, concealing himself. Those familiar with Duke Reginald knew well: the more beautifully and wickedly he smiled, the more intense his anger was. It also meant that someone would soon pay the price as a release for his fury.He had no desire to be the one to stand out.But who had managed to provoke Duke Reginald to this degree?Just as he pondered this, light foots
"Ah, I haven't properly introduced Miss Miranda and Brandon, have I?" Zachar chuckled, "Actually, the two of you might have already met. I believe Brandon recognized Miss Miranda, but Miss Miranda might not have recognized Brandon, am I right? Haha, Miss Miranda, Brandon here is the head of the chess club. He's been undefeated for years, but it seems he finally met his match with you. Brandon, are you willing to admit defeat?"Brandon bowed slightly and said calmly, "I admit it."Miranda was momentarily taken aback. Brandon is the head of the chess club?"It was just because the head of the club was kind enough to go easy on me," Miranda quickly added, genuinely.Brandon shook his head and replied, "I never go easy on anyone."Reginald, who clearly knew of Brandon’s position as head of the chess club, wasn't surprised at all. He smiled as he looked around at the group and then suddenly spoke, "Since Prince Zachar is introducing Miss Miranda to everyone, why stop halfway? Let me fill i
"Your Highness Zachary, your tactic of playing the thief to catch the thief is quite clever. You must have predicted that, with my unruly nature, if I were questioned by a mere merchant, I’d be irritated and refuse to respond. That way, your scheme would fall perfectly into place. I imagine that's why you pushed Mr. Brandon so hard to confront me. Your Highness, have I got it right?"As Reginald exposed the plot, Zachary’s face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger.Brandon, meanwhile, furrowed his brows, deep in thought, his expression heavy with doubt.“Judging by your expression, Your Highness, I’d say I hit the mark. But you’ve gone about this all wrong.” Reginald shook his head, his displeasure obvious. Just when the crowd expected him to accuse Zachary of framing him, he surprised them by saying, “If you wanted to frame me, you should have let me know in advance. That way, I could’ve played along. After all, with my reputation, what’s one more murder? We’ve known each ot
As Miranda was called upon, she had no choice but to turn her head, pretending she hadn't heard their previous conversation. Feigning confusion, she said, "Sorry, I was talking to Miss Martha and didn’t quite catch what you were saying. Something about dealing with someone? A villain, perhaps? I remember my mother always said, ‘One should never be petty or overly calculating, or else it would be quite unbecoming!’" She nodded vigorously, as if to add weight to her words.It would be quite unbecoming? Reginald's eyes slowly narrowed, gleaming with a sharp light. Mi-ran-da!"Well then, Your Highness Zachary, Mr. Brandon, I’ve said all I need to say. Whether you believe it or not is up to you," Reginald added.Brandon lowered his gaze, lost in thought. Although the Duke of Reginald had acted frivolously before, but a person's trustworthiness wasn’t only about their attitude."Oh, that reminds me, I'm quite curious about something," Reginald said, tapping his forehead. "His Highness Zacha
Zachary was inwardly anxious but maintained a calm façade as he said, "Lord Reginald, you misunderstand. I have always despised traitors, so when you mentioned a spy among my people, I couldn't help but react. But I assure you, this assassination attempt has nothing to do with me."This time, Reginald merely smiled slightly without further argument, turning his gaze toward Brandon with an amused look.Brandon was deep in thought, his expression shifting subtly. After a long pause, he finally composed himself, cupped his hands, and said, "Duke Reginald, you must be joking. His Highness Zachary is known for his generosity and noble character. I have long shared a close relationship with him, and I trust that he would never act in such a way."Hearing this, Zachary let out a quiet sigh of relief."Oh?" Reginald looked at him with a faint smile. "Perhaps in the past, no. After all, he has benefited greatly from your support each year. But things are different now. Lord Ivan has been dispa