Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

As soon as Richard finished his private audience with the Emperor, he headed straight to the gift storage room in the Banquet Hall. He examined the Empress's coffin.

The coffin is perfectly intact...

No one had stolen it. Just in case, he checked inside, but the body was still there.

What on earth is the Duke...

Richard kept biting his lower lip.

What is he thinking?

No matter how he looked at it, that man didn't seem like the type to die quietly...

His heart uneasy, Richard repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist. He had just returned to the center of the Banquet Hall when—

"Richard!"

A translucent, leaf-like pale green dress fluttered. Daphne, her hair half braided and tied back, ran toward him with a smile as bright as sunshine, holding up the hem of her dress.

"D-Daphne?!"

Richard froze like a stone.

An... angel?

She approached and clasped both of his hands tightly.

"It's nice to see you again. Are you enjoying the banquet?"

"An... An..."

"Huh? An?"

"An..."

Richard, who had been stammering like an idiot, belatedly came to his senses and slapped his own cheek.

Smack!

"Ri-Richard? What are you doing?"

"My apologies. I thought I had died and was seeing an angel."

"H-Huh?"

Daphne's pale green eyes wavered in bewilderment.

"Please forget what I just said..."

Richard answered, struggling to calm his pounding heart.

Daphne...

You're just too beautiful today...

"Come to think of it, we didn't get to talk properly last time. How have you been?"

"Ah. I've been... I took a brief trip up north... and did various things."

"Huh? Why did you go north?"

"Well, I had some business there..."

Richard's eyes darted around. His face and cheeks were burning hot.

Ah.

This is a disaster. I like Daphne so much...

Who cares about the Emperor, the Duke, or any of that?

Daphne is this beautiful!

"It's nothing."

Just as Richard was smiling happily—

"Hmm?"

Daphne suddenly looked past him.

"...?"

Richard turned to look behind him, following her gaze.

What is she suddenly looking at...? Huh?

Among the nobles gathered in small groups and chatting, one woman was glaring fiercely in their direction.

The villainess, Princess Cesica.

Is she glaring at Daphne?

Richard furrowed his brow uncertainly.

"Princess Cesica... Why is she glaring at you, Richard?"

Daphne looked at Richard with concern.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Not at you, Daphne, but at me?"

Richard blinked rapidly.

"Mhmm... She's looking at you."

At her words, he looked again and found an even more piercing glare directed at him than before.

So she is?

Daphne was right.

Princess Cesica was glaring directly at Richard.

And her eyes looked as though she wanted to kill him.

What's this?

Richard narrowed his eyes.

Not Daphne, but me?

The villainess originally disliked Daphne...

"Richard, perhaps..."

Daphne cautiously tugged at Richard's collar.

"Yes, Daphne."

"Princess Cesica..."

She stood on tiptoe and whispered into Richard's ear.

"Could she be... jealous?"

"...?"

Richard's eyes widened.

"Jealous?"

Daphne and Richard were standing close together.

The villainess was glaring at him as though she wanted to kill him.

Then perhaps...

"Has the villainess finally {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} been captivated by Daphne's charms—"

"N-No! That's not what I meant!"

Daphne gently covered Richard's mouth.

"You... seemed close to His Highness the Crown Prince at the last ball... Couldn't that be the reason?"

"Ah."

Richard's shoulders slumped.

"How disappointing..."

I thought the villainess had finally realized the truth of this world...

Just as he clicked his tongue in disappointment, he sensed someone approaching.

"Oh, behind you, Richard..."

At Daphne's words, he turned around.

"It's a pleasure to see you, Young Master Friedrich."

A man holding a wineglass approached with a sly smile. His golden hair shone dazzlingly beneath the chandelier.

Ah.

Richard belatedly bowed in greeting.

"Richard Friedrich, second son of the Friedrich Marquisate, greets Your Highness the Prince."

Daphne also lifted the hem of her dress slightly and curtsied.

"Daphne Beatus, daughter of the Beatus Marquisate, greets Your Highness the Prince."

Prince Talinus le Regnantia.

Richard glanced up at him without raising his head.

His golden hair shone brilliantly.

He's the Empress's nephew.

Talinus was not the Emperor's biological son, but his nephew on the Empress's side.

However, the reason he was a Prince despite that...

Because he resembles the Empress...

The Emperor had made him a Prince.

His dazzling golden hair closely resembled the Empress's.

Feeling strangely unsettled, Richard lowered his gaze, then raised it slightly to look at the Prince.

"There's no need for such formality. I merely approached because I wished to become closer to you."

Talinus extended his hand with a grin.

"The honor is mine, Your Highness."

Richard answered as he took the offered hand in both of his.

But...

His watery blue eyes secretly turned cold.

What's his game?

Why was he suddenly approaching Richard out of nowhere?

"I heard you had a private audience with His Majesty the Emperor."

"Ah, yes. That is correct."

"Did your conversation end well?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Hmm."

Talinus looked Richard up and down.

"...?"

He clearly seemed to have something to say.

Richard raised his guard.

"Young Master Friedrich."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Could... I perhaps ask a favor of you?"

Talinus smiled awkwardly and stroked his cheek.

A favor?

Richard narrowed his eyes.

This was clearly suspicious. Why would Talinus ask a favor of someone he barely knew?

However, since he was royalty, Richard couldn't refuse outright.

"Please command me, Your Highness."

Even as he answered, Richard did not lower his guard.

Then—

"Thank you!"

His eyes sparkling, Talinus tightly gripped Richard's shoulders.

"...!"

Richard's brow furrowed deeply.

"Then...!"

Talinus's golden eyes were filled with anticipation.

"Would you become my confidant?"

"What?"

Richard's watery blue eyes widened.

A confidant?

Did I hear him wrong?

"What do you mean...?"

"Exactly what I said! I wish to be friends with you."

He looked up at the sky with expectant eyes.

"We could go hunting together... take walks and share meals..."

What?

Was he serious?

Richard struggled to keep from making a face. The corners of his mouth twitched.

Why would I do any of that with you...?

Just as he barely suppressed the words threatening to spill out—

"His Highness the Crown Prince, the Small Sun of the Empire!"

A soldier guarding the entrance to the Banquet Hall announced in a booming voice.

"...!"

Richard immediately turned toward the entrance.

Cailus?

The grand doors slowly opened.

And then—

Drip.

Drip?

A drop of red blood fell.

Covered in blood, Cailus stepped into the Banquet Hall, his northern cloak fluttering behind him. With each step, crimson blood dripped onto the floor.

"..."

"..."

The nobles held their breath.

But it was not Cailus who truly took their breath away. It was what they saw behind him.

Two Guard Knights were dragging a gigantic monster covered in scales and bound in iron chains. It had a sleek head, a majestic shell, and wings as sharp as blades.

It was a dragon.

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