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
The two nobles were using Martha as a pawn in their power struggle, clearly aware that she was Brandon's weak spot. If he upset either one of them, Martha would be in grave danger.His Highness Zachary’s request for money was urgent, and Brandon couldn’t refuse it; otherwise, Zachary wouldn’t spare Martha.As for Duke Reginald’s request for funds, Brandon absolutely couldn’t agree to it in front of Zachary. Doing so would be like playing both sides, making each party push him harder. Neither would protect him; instead, they’d both exploit him. Therefore, he had to refuse Reginald outright. However, Reginald was unpredictable—though his words might seem casual, there was no telling whether he would truly threaten Martha. Brandon needed to find a way to smooth things over privately. The problem was that Reginald's unpredictable nature even made him difficult for the king to handle. Who could possibly persuade him not to cause trouble for Martha?Brandon pondered nervously and suddenly r
Reginald’s expression remained calm and composed, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “Miss Quintina, don’t celebrate too soon. I may have won the race, but your cousin lost. Aren’t you worried this might upset him?” Though he knew full well that Zachary would be irritated by the loss, feeling bested, Reginald couldn’t resist repeatedly emphasizing the defeat.Standing nearby, Zachary ground his teeth in frustration but restrained himself from reacting in such a public setting.“My cousin isn’t that petty!” Quintina’s cheeks flushed slightly, her excitement undiminished as she cheerfully said, “Reginald, I knew you would win. Look! To celebrate your victory, I’ve specially embroidered this snow wolf cloak for you. It took me months of hard work to make it by hand. Do you like it?”With that, she opened a box she had been holding, taking out the cloak and unfurling it before them.Zachary, already aware of the cloak’s origins, feigned ignorance and nodded. “Impressive embroidery!”Marj
At that moment, faint but thunderous cheers and the pounding of drums echoed from below—it seemed the first horse race had begun. As time passed, the drumbeats and cheers grew louder and closer, heading swiftly toward the finish line. The riverbanks were packed with onlookers, a sea of people cheering wildly for the horses they had bet on. The deafening noise was so intense it seemed to shake the very ground.The lively atmosphere below appeared to affect even the dignitaries and nobles in the high pavilions. They, too, began shouting enthusiastically, casting aside their usual decorum.Even though Miranda wasn’t particularly interested in the outcome of the race, she couldn’t help but be swept up in the excitement. Clutching the window frame tightly, she peered downriver. On the wide track below, a group of horses gradually came into view, racing toward the finish line at breakneck speed. The competition was fierce, each horse vying for the lead.
Miranda vaguely sensed that, at the very moment she approached the window, Reginald had glanced at her briefly. However, that fleeting gaze was filled with unmistakable displeasure and irritation, and his eyes quickly dropped again, as though he couldn't bear to look at her any longer.It was clear that someone had managed to anger this guy yet again.Miranda couldn’t help but feel sympathy for whoever had incurred his wrath. This Lord Reginald was petty, vengeful, and notoriously temperamental. Whenever he was in a foul mood, everyone around him had to suffer the consequences. She wondered who the unlucky fool was this time. Whoever had crossed him to the extent that his anger lingered even now was surely doomed.“Marjorie, look across the way. The young lady in the blue dress by the window—that’s Miranda.”In the private room to the left, Zachary addressed the elderly, kind-looking woman standing behind him. “Marjorie, you’ve long served in the palace and have a sharp eye for people
As the new owner in this area, it was evident that such matters were well within their grasp. However, with the new owner’s background still unclear and the court's political situation remaining murky, Earl Croyso had no intention of taking sides. Thus, choosing to support either Prince Zachary or Lord Reginald would not be appropriate. The Blackwell and Linton families clearly held the same stance, while the Montforts, having been in decline for some time, were uninvolved with either faction. Being a military man who admired Lord Montfort, it was perfectly natural for Earl Croyso to bet on his success.For someone as young as Fulton to understand these intricacies was already quite remarkable.What was even more commendable was that, despite his youthful impetuosity, he had no intention of aligning himself with Prince Zachary or Lord Reginald in pursuit of personal gain. Such composure was rare among young men, and this thought made Lady Langley all the more satisfied. She had never e
At that moment, the sound of a servant catering to the nobility could be heard from outside the door. After a polite knock, the servant entered, carrying an oversized tray. On the tray lay nine gilded red sticks, each marked with a number and labeled with either a name or an estate. The servant explained with a smile, “This is a tradition for the Easter horse race. Before the race begins, we place bets on which horse might win. It’s just a bit of fun for the ladies. Would you like to try your luck?”“This sounds quite entertaining,” Lady Langley said with a smile. “Bring it over; let me have a look.”The nine gilded sticks were inscribed with the surnames of the corresponding families. Lady Langley recognized only about half of them, as some estates were unfamiliar to her. However, two stood out—one marked "His Highness Zachary" and another "Lord Reginald." Horses representing these two names, alongside those of such prominent families, clearly indicated that all participants hailed fr
Lady Fitzroy's eyes held a peculiar glint as she looked at Miranda with a meaningful smile and said, "Perhaps it’s the Croyso family’s good fortune, or maybe it’s just the luck of you sisters."Hearing her strange words, Miranda cast a questioning glance toward Lady Langley and Earl Croyso.They both seemed equally puzzled. Lady Langley replied, "I’m not entirely sure myself. When we reached our original seats, there was a commotion. Just as we were about to leave, the steward came over and mentioned that there was still a room available here at The Heavenly Lodge. Oddly enough, the guests who originally reserved this place sent word at the last minute that they couldn’t come, leaving it open for us to take."Miranda’s fine brows knit together. Such a coincidence?She always approached overly convenient situations with a degree of caution."How could it be such a coincidence?" Selena chimed in, curious yet delighted."Indeed, it’s rather strange," Lady Fitzroy laughed. "I was seated i
During the Easter celebrations, the lakeside chapel was bustling with crowds, and carriages could barely pass through. Eventually, the city's magistrate had to request a squad of royal guards to maintain order, finally clearing a path. However, when Miranda and Selena arrived at the chapel’s Pavilion, they were told by the manager and servants that their parents and sisters were not there."What did you say? Croyso family are not at the Pavilion beside chapel?" Selena asked softly, though there was a hint of anxiety in her tone. This was a prime opportunity, as high-ranking officials, nobles, and even royal family members would be attending the Easter festivities. Missing any chance to make a good impression was out of the question.The manager puzzled, "And you are?""We are the young ladies of the Croyso family. We were delayed by some matters but had planned to meet our parents here at the chapel’s Pavilion," Selena explained politely. "If you know where they have gone, we would be
The Easter celebration was being held at the lakeside plaza, drawing a vast, bustling crowd."Young Master, please slow down! Wait for me!" A servant in a simple blue tunic and cap was panting heavily, pushing his way through the throng to catch up with his young master. "Please, take it easy. The chapel isn’t going anywhere; it won’t grow legs and run off! Are you afraid it might vanish? There’s still some time before the Easter Mass begins; it won’t delay your business!""Stop dawdling and hurry up! It’s disrespectful to keep the elders waiting, don’t you think?" Fulton, dressed in a fine blue robe, looked visibly anxious, his usually calm and gentle face filled with concern. "This is all your fault—taking your time and not waking me earlier! Now I’m late, and if I leave a bad impression on the Croyso elders and Lady Langley, I’ll have your hide when we return!"The servant chuckled, completely unafraid, and replied cheekily, "Oh, Young Master, don’t blame me! You’re the one who cha
In the elegantly comfortable carriage, Miranda and Selena removed their veils and locked eyes, sparks nearly flying between them. After a long silence, Miranda arched an eyebrow, a cold glint flashing in her eyes as she sneered, "So this is it. You, suddenly so kind, only wanted to lure me out so those despicable people could ruin me. Selena, your schemes are truly impressive!""If you'd just gone along with me, none of this would have happened. You brought this on yourself," Selena replied coldly, without pretense."Selena, how bold of you. Have you even considered that if anything happened to me today, you were with me the whole time? Do you think you could distance yourself from it? You know how much Father dotes on me. All it would take is a shred of suspicion, and your little act as Miss Selena would be over! I thought you at least had some sense, but it turns out you’re as foolish as can be." Miranda feigned ignorance of Selena's schemes, pretending she thought Selena only aimed