The sun had begun it's slow descent toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the courtyard as Cassian and Sylas prepared to return to the Imperial Mansion. Cassian, still nursing the embarrassment of his earlier encounter with the girl he had bumped into, sat in the carriage, eyes half-closed and cheeks flushed a deep red. He fidgeted with one foot, trying desperately not to replay the incident in his mind. Across from him, Sylas watched curiously, a faint frown creasing his brow. Something about Cassian's behavior seemed… off.
"Cassian, what on earth happened to you after you went to the comfort room?" Sylas asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity, arms folded across his chest.
"I don't want to talk about it," Cassian replied irritably, his words clipped, bristling slightly at Sylas reopening the topic of what had happened on the way to the Duke Valcourt Mansion.
"Seriously? I know you, Cassian. You'll act like this if something embarrasses you," Sylas said, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. From their childhood days until now, Sylas had learned to read every flicker of emotion across Cassian's features.
"Really now? And here I thought a frontline captain wouldn't be able to read emotions," Cassian retorted, jesting, though his heart raced. He knew Sylas would tease him mercilessly as a clumsy crown prince, which, to be fair, he truly was.
"Promise, it's nothing serious," Cassian added, hoping to end the conversation before Sylas could prod further.
"Good… At least you didn't cause any trouble today," Sylas said, his voice calm, unaware of the real cause of Cassian's blush—the incident with the girl with beige hair, whose dress had been drenched in wine meant for her, thanks to Cassian's clumsiness.
Cassian stayed silent, staring out of the window, determined to hide the secret of the comfort room mishap from Sylas.
The carriage rolled on in quiet, finally stopping at the gates of the Imperial Mansion. As Sylas prepared to disembark, his eyes widened in surprise when Cassian suddenly lunged forward.
"I'll go first, you old hag," Cassian called, his tone jesting but hurried. Without a word to the servants, he practically bolted from the carriage, racing to his chamber like a rat escaping a cat's grasp. Sylas blinked twice, caught off guard. He's such an idiot, Sylas thought, shaking his head.
Sylas stepped out and entered the mansion, making his way toward his chamber. A few steps down the corridor, he caught sight of a familiar figure—a brown-haired woman in a maid's uniform, duster in hand, chatting cheerfully with another maid as they passed by.
Sylas' brow furrowed, his curiosity piqued. Could it be.. "Is that… Elira?" he wondered silently. 'But what would she be doing here?' His mind raced, torn between disbelief and hope. Perhaps it was merely a coincidence; perhaps the maid simply resembled her.
"No… it can't be," Sylas murmured, pressing a hand to his lips. A faint blush crept across his cheeks as his thoughts betrayed him. Was he… missing Elira? Or was it simply the exhaustion from the evening, and the ridiculous antics of his friend Cassian, that left him flustered?
With a small sigh, Sylas continued toward his chamber, but his mind refused to focus entirely on the mundane. Images of Elira—her laugh, the way her hair caught the candlelight—flitted through his thoughts unbidden. Thoughts he knew he ought not to entertain, yet could not quite chase away.
*****
In the early morning, Elira and the other maids had already completed their training for the day's duties. Each maid quickly went to her assigned area, ready to clean every corner of the mansion. Elira swept across the polished floor, her movements swift yet careful. Sweat gathered along her brow, trickling down until she wiped it away with the back of her hand before lowering herself again to continue sweeping. She was not alone; the hall was full of maids working side by side, their soft footsteps and gentle brushes filling the quiet space.
"After you finish the floor, proceed to the library. I heard the prince will be heading there," the leader of their group called out. At that, every maid—including Elira—quickened her pace. None of them wished to keep the royal family or the nobles waiting, especially inside the imperial library. It had only been a few days since Elira began working in the royal mansion, yet not once did she dare seek out Cassian or even Sylas. She did not want to disturb them or appear as though she was stepping beyond her place.
Once they completed the sweeping, the maids immediately moved towards the library. As they walked, Elira recalled hearing that the crown prince of Highthorne often visited the library whenever he felt bored or restless. I wonder if he's a book lover? she wondered quietly, her thoughts drifting with curiosity.
They entered the grand Imperial Library—a towering hall filled with books stretching far beyond what the eye could follow. Enormous bookshelves lined the walls, reaching all the way to the second floor, with ladders placed beside them so one could climb to the highest shelves. The scent of old paper and polished wood hung in the air. Elira's eyes widened, sparkling with admiration. She loved books, and the sight of countless volumes surrounding her made her chest tighten with excitement. She wished she could read even just a few, but the leader reminded them not to touch anything unless they were dusting it. Many books held important records, while others were rare and expensive.
"Alright, girls. Let's begin. We must finish before the crown prince arrives," the leader instructed, clapping her hands lightly.Elira and the others immediately scattered—some dusting, some arranging books, and others sweeping the floors with focused determination.
"Is it always like this?" Elira asked Mariel, one of the senior maids who had worked in the mansion for years. As Elira swept the floor, she glanced sideways with a curious expression. "Does the prince dislike dust?"
Mariel let out a soft laugh while sliding a book neatly into the shelf. "Silly," she said gently, still smiling. "It's simply our duty to keep the library tidy and spotless." She moved gracefully to another table stacked with books waiting to be returned to their proper places. "But it doesn't mean the crown prince is strict about dust," she added with a light shrug.
Elira nodded slowly, following Mariel's movements while sweeping."Is he kind?" she murmured, pretending she had no idea about Cassian at all.
Mariel's smile widened as she gave Elira a knowing look. "He's far kinder than you think, Elira." Her words warmed Elira's chest, matching perfectly with the Cassian she had met before.
"It's not just that he's kind—he's tall and handsome too, kyaaa!" one of the younger maids squealed softly. That began a wave of excitement among the group.
"Kyaaa! The prince!""He's so handsome!"
Mariel immediately placed her finger gently against her lips. "Shhh… quiet, before someone hears you," she whispered sternly, though her eyes still held amusement. The maids all bit back their giggles, lowering their heads while their cheeks remained flushed with admiration. Elira couldn't help feeling surprised; the Cassian they described—the kind, graceful, noble prince—was exactly the man she had witnessed outside the mansion as well.
Once they settled down, the room fell quiet again except for the soft swish of brooms and the faint thud of books being arranged. Elira took a steady breath, then continued sweeping the floor, her movements calm and precise as the others carried on with their duties.|
Meanwhile, in the Emperor's study chamber, the adored crown prince Cassian sat slumped at the desk, temporarily assigned to handle a pile of state affairs while his father tended to his beloved, ill wife. Every time the Empress fell sick, the Emperor stuck to her side like a worried shadow—leaving Cassian to wrestle with paperwork he never asked for.
"Your Highness, you need to sign all of these," Devito said, the prince's ever-loyal servant. He carried a thick bundle of documents from the finance minister, shaking them slightly as if to emphasize the misery.
Cassian's face twisted. "Good heavens, Devito" he groaned, sounding utterly betrayed. "Go on, add more. I absolutely love signing this rubbish…" His tone dripped with irritation and sarcasm, and he tossed his quill onto the desk with exaggerated drama.
Devito only offered a calm smile, the kind that said he had survived Cassian's tantrums more times than he could count. "My apologies, Your Highness, but these still require your attention."
Cassian let out a long, tragic "Ugh!" and rolled his eyes so hard it looked like he might faint from annoyance. Still, he grabbed the quill again and continued signing document after document, muttering under his breath. All he wanted was to roam freely, cause trouble, and—most importantly—annoy Sylas, as he always did.
As he neared the end of the stack, Cassian let out one last exhausted sigh and leaned back heavily in his chair, lowering his head as if the paperwork had wounded him personally. With a slow push from his foot, he spun around to face the window behind him. The sunlight spilled gently across the floorboards, warm and golden, and the leaves outside drifted lazily on the morning breeze.
And just like that—without warning—his chest tightened.
The peaceful scene brought only one person to mind… Elira.
Her shy smile.The softness in her voice.The way she looked at him as if he were just Cassian, not the crown prince.
His brows lowered, not in irritation this time, but in a quiet longing he couldn't quite hide. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips, tender and unguarded. He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair, lightly touching his fingertips to his mouth as though her memory had somehow brushed against him.
If only I could live at Nanny Joana's house instead… he thought, the idea warming him more than the sunlight ever could. At least there, she's close… and everything feels simple.
For a brief moment, Cassian forgot the paperwork, the crown, the palace—everything.All that remained was the gentle ache in his heart… and the girl who caused it.
Devito noticed the prince staring dreamily out the window and cleared his throat. "Ahem… my prince, you—"
"Oh no, don't you start," Cassian snapped, jolting upright. "It's time for my break. Honestly, Devito!" Before Devito could react, Cassian shot to his feet and marched toward the door with loud, dramatic steps.
"But Your Highness, you still have—" Devito tried, voice rising in desperation.
Cassian cut him off with a quick wave."You handle the rest, Devito. Bye!~" he sang, wiggling his fingers in a silly, carefree wave before slipping out the door like a mischievous cat escaping a bath.
Devito stood frozen in disbelief, jaw slightly open. "Your Highness…" he whispered helplessly, watching the prince vanish down the hall. Once again, Cassian's stubbornness had triumphed.
Outside the office, Cassian placed his hands behind his back and puffed out his lips like a sulky child. "Hmm… where shall I go?" he murmured, eyes darting around with exaggerated suspicion.
"Maybe I should go to the library and have a nap there. Eheheh." A wicked little grin crept across his face, proud that he had escaped his responsibilities yet again.
The only reason Cassian ever visited the library was not to read—never that—but to sleep. He already knew no one went there, not even the maids, making it the perfect hiding spot. Only Sylas ever managed to find him when he disappeared. Earlier, he even warned Mariel, the household maid, to clean the entire library so it looked "presentable"—not for reading, but for his royal nap.
With everything prepared, Cassian strode confidently toward the library, ready to curl up and sleep as if he didn't just abandon a mountain of paperwork behind him.