The afternoon breeze drifted softly through the palace garden. Rose leaves, now beginning to yellow, swayed gently, while the westward sun cast a golden glow across the small lake at the garden's center.
Josselyn walked slowly along the stone path.
"That's strange," she murmured.
Her head had felt slightly heavy since midday. At first, she thought it was only a lingering effect from her encounter with her uncle. But the warmth spreading through her body was only growing stronger.
"Why does my body feel… hot?"
She exhaled and tried to ignore it.
As she rounded a bend in the garden, footsteps approached from the opposite direction.
"Lady Josselyn."
She lifted her head.
A tall man with broad shoulders stood before her. His black hair was cut short in the style of a knight, emphasizing a firm jaw that gave his face a hardened look.
"Sir Darius."
He stopped in front of her, dressed neatly in his royal military uniform. His gaze immediately fell on her temple.
"What happened to your temple?"
"Ah, this?" Josselyn touched it lightly. "Just a small injury."
"A small injury left exposed like that?"
"I already applied ointment. I might need to treat it again later."
Darius did not respond right away. He frowned slightly, studying her carefully.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
Josselyn gave a short laugh. "Everyone seems concerned about this small wound today."
"No." Darius's eyes examined her again. "Your face is flushed. Have you been drinking in the middle of the day?"
Josselyn looked at him in confusion and touched her cheek, checking.
"No. Maybe it's the sun. My skin is a bit sensitive." Even she sounded uncertain of her own explanation.
Then she shifted the topic.
"Shouldn't you be with the Crown Prince right now? I saw him in the corridor earlier."
"I have something I need to take care of."
Josselyn did not dare ask further. She tilted her head slightly.
"Then let me ask you something."
"Go ahead."
"Why is the Crown Prince already allowed out of his room when it's only the second day of his punishment?"
Darius paused for a moment before answering.
"Because the King summoned him."
"That's all?"
"That's all."
A faint smile appeared on Josselyn's lips. So I don't have to be trapped with him for seven full days.
But curiosity quickly returned. Without realizing it, she leaned slightly toward Darius, her posture almost conspiratorial.
"Why did the King summon him?"
Darius raised a brow. "You're very curious, Miss."
Josselyn immediately straightened her back. "N-no. I just…"
Her eyes darted left and right, searching for a reasonable excuse, but she found none.
Seeing her reaction, Darius smirked slightly, amused.
"The matchmaking banquet some time ago," he said.
Josselyn looked at him at once.
Darius turned away and sat by the edge of the lake. Josselyn followed, her expression bright with curiosity.
"Is it because the banquet ended early?" she asked eagerly.
She was only guessing, based on what Edmund and Arabella had said earlier in the corridor.
"You catch on quickly, Josselyn."
A strange sensation twisted in her stomach. The deep tone of Darius's voice when he said her name unsettled her.
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, without knowing why she did it.
"I-I was just guessing."
"The nobles are angry that the banquet was canceled that night. They spent time and wealth to attend. It feels unfair for their daughters," Darius explained.
"Ah, they're that eager to become part of the palace," Josselyn remarked.
Darius glanced at her. "Aren't you?"
Of course I am, she thought. But not to share in its glory. To tear it down.
Josselyn met his gaze.
"I don't think I'm in a position to answer that. I'm no one in this palace," she said lightly.
"No. You are special, Josselyn. You just don't realize it."
Josselyn blinked in surprise. She did not expect Darius, the Commander of Knights who had conquered countless battles, to say something like that to her.
She quickly looked away.
"Now they are demanding something," Darius continued, his gaze lifting to the orange-tinted sky.
"What?"
"They want the Crown Prince to meet every noble lady in Valenroth, one by one."
Josselyn frowned.
"That's insane." She shook her head. "There aren't just one or two of them."
"Correct."
"There are dozens."
"More."
"That's basically forcing Killian to apologize in another way."
Darius did not confirm it. He simply remained silent for a moment.
"The people are angry as well."
"Angry?"
"Because the southern trade route has been blocked."
"Ah." Now Josselyn understood. "So they're taking it out on the kingdom."
"Especially on the Crown Prince."
Josselyn let out a long breath.
It wasn't that simple. The kingdom often harmed its people, whether intentionally or not. And the people were reaching their limit.
Just like her. The only difference was that she had been given the chance to destroy the kingdom from within.
Her fingers tightened unconsciously around her dress.
A fragment of her past surfaced.
"Is it starting to sting?" Darius asked suddenly.
Josselyn looked at him, confused.
He reached into a small pouch at his belt and pulled out a neatly folded piece of linen.
"What is that?" she asked.
"A small bandage. For your wound." Darius glanced at her clenched hand.
Josselyn quickly relaxed her fingers. He must have thought she was clenching them because of pain.
She hesitated for a moment.
"I'm supposed to be the one tending to others."
"For once, let someone else do it."
Darius extended the cloth toward her.
"Use this. A wound on your face could leave a scar."
Josselyn accepted it.
"You seem to know a lot about wounds."
Darius shrugged.
"I live on the battlefield."
"That's admirable."
He gave a faint smile. "No one has ever said that to me before."
"You survived all of it."
"For now."
Josselyn studied him.
Without realizing it.
Her gaze drifted from his face to his broad shoulders, then to his chest beneath the uniform.
Questions surfaced in her mind.
'How many wounds are hidden beneath those clothes?'
'Is his body covered in scars from blades?'
'Or arrows? I want to see.'
She stared a moment too long.
An improper thought slipped into her mind, sudden and unwelcome. Josselyn straightened her back at once.
'What was I just thinking?'
She bit her lip, annoyed with herself.
Her breathing grew heavier. She quickly turned her face away, her hand lifting slightly before she caught herself and stopped.
"Ahem." Darius cleared his throat softly.
Josselyn flinched.
"Ah—"
"Lady Josselyn."
"Yes?"
"I think I should leave now."
"Why so suddenly?"
"Because someone is looking at me as if she wants to dissect my body."
Josselyn's face flushed red.
"I wasn't—"
"Good afternoon."
Darius stood, gave a brief bow, then walked away.
Josselyn remained frozen for a few seconds. Then she covered her face with both hands.
"Oh God…"
She groaned softly.
"What did I just do?"
In the distance, someone stood behind a garden tree.
Howarth crossed his arms over his chest. He watched Josselyn, who still stood awkwardly on the stone path.
"That girl really doesn't know how to hide her thoughts."
He shook his head.
"So she looks at a man's body like that."
Howarth exhaled. "What a shameless girl."
His gaze shifted toward the palace corridor.
"Ah," he murmured. "So this is how it is."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"Let's see how deeply Killian is trapped by your charm."
On the other side, Josselyn finally left the garden. But her steps felt strange.
"What's wrong with me today?"
The world around her seemed to spin.