Rolling in Bed with the Male Lead

Before the coronation, eliminate them... one by one.

One month remained until the coronation.

And the task he had been given was to assassinate the leading figures of the Crown Prince's faction.

Time is short... but it shouldn't be difficult.

He had killed countless times before.

Would a carpenter find it difficult to cut down a tree?

Would a swordsman hesitate to wield his blade?

There was no reason for it to pose a problem.

"......"

His gaze turning cold, Richard recalled his final conversation with Talinos.

May I ask what you ultimately intend to accomplish by assassinating the leaders of the Crown Prince's faction one by one?

I...

Talinos had answered with a smile of rapture.

I intend to commit treason.

It was a joyous yet chilling smile.

I will introduce you to the leaders of the rebel army soon.

He had extended his hand as though delighted that they were now in the same boat.

"......"

Richard walked silently through the garden, lost in thought.

He doesn't seem remotely sane...

That much was certain.

But he will still be useful.

At least in the present situation.

If Richard wanted to stop Cailus from breaking off their engagement and make him his own—

Joining forces with the prince is my best option.

He walked slowly through the violet shadows of the garden.

The sun was setting, and a chill had begun to settle over the grounds.

Then he abruptly stopped.

"......"

His gaze slipped between the pillars of the colonnade.

Not far away, before a fountain, stood two figures facing each other.

One of them had—

Dark black hair, bloodred eyes, and broad, solid shoulders.

...Cailus le Regnantia.

The other stood with her brown hair illuminated by the setting sun....

Daphne.

They stood in the middle of the garden.

As though they were the center of the world.

Even the fountain's streams seemed to have fallen silent.

Yet the air had turned cold.

Neither moved a single step. Two pairs of eyes stared at each other as though attempting to pierce straight through the other.

The motionless silence rang more sharply in Richard's ears than any sound.

Cailus's red eyes were cold and utterly unwavering.

Daphne's pale green eyes gleamed just as coolly.

A cold wind swept across the garden, sending her hair streaming behind her.

The tension was so intense that even that seemed as sharp as a blade.

Concealed in the shadow of a pillar, Richard silently watched them.

...What is this? This atmosphere...

It felt as though the slightest opening would cause everything to shatter into razor-sharp fragments.

Even their breathing had fallen silent.

"Oh...? Richard!"

Daphne's pale green eyes widened.

Cailus slowly turned his head as well.

"...Daphne."

Richard emerged from the pillar's shadow at an unhurried pace.

"What a coincidence."

Daphne glanced back at Cailus before cautiously walking toward Richard.

"...This is perfect timing. Would you walk with me for a moment?"

Richard blinked.

"......"

"There is something I need to tell you."

Her softly whispered voice was low but clear.

She glanced at Cailus, then cautiously took a step back.

At that moment, the hem of her dress fluttered in the wind.

Her pale green eyes gleamed tentatively.

"It will only take a moment."

"......"

Richard nodded quietly.

Then he looked at Cailus once more.

"...I would be glad to, but weren't you speaking with His Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Oh. Don't worry. We had just finished."

Daphne took a light breath and turned toward the colonnade.

"...Let's go."

Their softly echoing footsteps carefully cut through the atmosphere of the garden.

Richard followed her in silence.

Daphne led Richard to the end of a narrow path running along the western wall of the Imperial Palace.

When they passed through a small gate, a delicate fragrance spread through the cool breeze.

It was a lavender field.

Violet blossoms swayed gently in the wind.

Row after row stretched beyond sight, rippling like purple waves beneath the low light of the setting sun.

Richard stopped without a word.

"...It hasn't changed."

His quiet voice was low.

"Has it?"

Daphne smiled.

"We... used to come here often together."

Richard gave a faint chuckle and nodded.

"...We did."

When he had suffered as a child from the torment inflicted by his father and brother, Daphne had always brought him here and comforted him.

"I like this place."

Daphne smiled faintly and brushed her fingertips over the end of a lavender sprig.

The violet petals rustled softly against her fingers.

"I have so many memories of you here."

Her pale green eyes, filled with the sunset as she recalled those memories, were impossibly lovely.

His heart gave a strange throb.

Daphne...

A bitter smile touched Richard's lips.

...Yes. He had to protect her.

No matter what it took.

"...By the way, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh."

A brief exclamation escaped her.

"I'm sorry...."

"...?"

"The truth is, I lied about having something to tell you."

Daphne smiled awkwardly and touched her cheek.

Brilliant sunset spilled over her brown hair.

"You looked troubled earlier."

"......"

"So I only wanted to get you away from there."

"......"

For a moment, Richard could think of no reply.

Her observation that he had looked troubled made his heart ache as though something had pressed sharply into it.

Without waiting for his response, Daphne gently twisted a lavender stem between her fingers and smiled.

"Have you... been getting along well with His Highness the Crown Prince lately?"

"......"

Her words were gentle, but the concern within them was unmistakable.

"These days...."

Daphne tapped a lavender blossom.

A tiny petal fell and scattered on the wind.

"The two of you seem... so uncomfortable around each other."

"......"

Richard was briefly at a loss for words.

She had seen straight through him.

Lately, there had been scarcely anything that could be called a conversation between Cailus and him.

Even when their eyes met, neither looked at the other for long.

"...There have been many unfortunate developments recently, and we have both been busy. I believe we naturally grew distant as a result."

His quiet voice was perfectly even.

"I see...."

Daphne gave a faint smile, but concern soon passed over her face again.

"Still, it feels rather nice to return to a place filled with memories after so long, doesn't it?"

"......"

Richard lowered his eyes for a moment.

A place filled with memories.

Just as Daphne had said, countless memories lingered here.

But there was one thing she did not know.

During the many lives he had lived through—

This was also the place where he had confessed his love to her over and over, only to be rejected every time.

...That's right.

Like a fool, this lavender field had always been the one place where he managed to summon his courage.

He had told her that he loved her, that she was the only one for him.

He had begged her to look at him just once.

But each time, she had smiled gently.

I'm sorry, Richard.

Those words had ended everything.

The memories had faded into a hazy fog, but the pounding of his heart and the despair he had felt in those moments remained vivid.

Even so, strangely enough, he could never bring himself to hate this place.

Because here... she had always been beside him.

"...Yes. I think it does."

His quiet answer was composed, but his fingertips trembled faintly without his realizing it.

Completely unaware of his thoughts, Daphne smiled warmly.

"Richard."

Caressing the lavender stem, she continued lightly.

"You don't need to worry so much."

"......"

"Sometimes things simply don't work out the way we want them to."

Concern filled Daphne's pale green eyes.

"Richard, you can do it. Just as you wish, I know things can work out between you and His Highness the Crown Prince."

"......"

Richard silently gazed at her.

Daphne's expression was gentle, like someone concerned for a precious friend.

At that moment, a strange ache spread through his chest.

A familiar arrangement.

A familiar situation.

"......"

The sunset settled softly over Daphne's brown hair.

The fragrance of lavender scattered on the wind.

Richard slowly opened his eyes.

...How could anyone be this kind?

Daphne may believe that I love Cailus, but...

Daphne, as she was now—

Was so unbearably lovely

that he felt as though he could not breathe.

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