chapter 8

Once I’d fully recovered, it happened to coincide with the Crown Prince coming to visit. The Marquis of Dingguo had gone out to drill troops, so I kept the Crown Prince company as we sat in the study and waited.

“Hanyu, there’s something I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time,” the Crown Prince said. “Your skill in painting is so exceptional-why have you never shown it?”

I smiled lightly. “Before, I only thought Your Highness was the son of a wealthy household. After I learned Your Highness’s true identity, I heard that Your Highness and the young lady of the Zhen Family at the Count’s Mansion are in love with each other. Naturally, I should keep my distance-I can’t steal the spotlight from her.”

The moment he heard the words “in love with each other,” his expression visibly darkened.

I continued, “Those were my honest thoughts. I’m grateful that Your Highness once gifted me earrings and treated me as a confidante-that’s why I dared to say them. I’m not someone who doesn’t know her place. Even if I resemble the young lady to the tune of eighty percent, everything in this world follows an order. Even if I, too, have feelings, I can’t rely on a similar face to take what someone else loves. I hope Your Highness will understand.”

The Crown Prince was a clever man. Of course he understood that what I “had feelings” for wasn’t only that painting.

After hearing me out, the Crown Prince asked, “Hanyu, if you had two sisters alike in looks, age, and learning-one who avoids you, proud and aloof, keeping herself pure and untouchable, and the other who is free and easy and willing to be close to you-who would you choose?”

I laughed. “Naturally the latter. I’m not an idiot. I wouldn’t go looking for suffering.”

The Crown Prince threw back his head and laughed. “Neither am I.”