After finishing the meal, both rode on the carriage Duke Kyar had used to get to the cabin.
They stopped by at the medicine store.
As Marc had told her, the shop had quite a few fascinating herbs.
The husband of the medicine shop owner dug these medicinal herbs himself before his wife sold them.
After purchasing all the herbs in the medicine store, Isabella returned to Rubella Castle excitedly.
Isabella got off the carriage with Duke Kyar while carrying the herbs she had just bought, but then, she saw another carriage passing through the gate.
“I guess Kyle is here.”
Duke Kyar nodded at what she said.
The two stopped there and waited for Kyle to get off his carriage.
After a while, Kyle’s carriage stopped before them, and he exited the vehicle.
However, Kyle was not alone.
Isabella’s eyes widened when she saw a pink-haired woman alongside Kyle.
Her face might be unfamiliar, but Isabella could tell who she was.
Her hair was as pink as cotton candy, and her eyes were as blue as the sky.
Princess Leila was the third successor of the Emperor’s position in the Archion Empire.
Her appearance slightly impressed Isabella because she perfectly fitted the novel’s description of her.
The Princess wasn’t a heavyweight, but she was a supporting character with a particular role.
Come to think of it.
She appeared in the original novel around this time, too.
The Emperor of the Archion Empire wanted to marry Princess Leila and Duke Kyar.
That was why he forced Princess Leila to take a vacation at Rubella Castle once a year.
Three years had already passed by, but there’s been no progress between the two.
Duke Kyar did not seek Princess Leila at all, and so did she.
She already had someone she loved.
The only problem was that she was in love with a commoner—the warm-hearted imperial patisserie in charge of her dessert.
The difference between their status was so huge.
Still, their secret love developed without them telling anyone.
Princess Leila was only following the Emperor’s order to go and take a vacation at Rubella Castle.
She was grateful at the Archduke for not taking an interest in her.
When Duke Kyar came in between her and the patisserie, he unintentionally became the shield of Princess Leila’s love.
If the emperor had not targeted Duke Kyar to be Princess Leila’s mate, she might have already married another nobleman.
In the original novel, the female protagonist, Seria, felt jealous and became aware of her feelings after watching Duke Kyar with Princess Leila.
That’s how Seria’s crush on Archduke Kyar began.
Isabella grimaced when she realized that the reality was too far gone from the original novel.
“Hey, I’m here.”
Kyle said as he ran straight to Isabella and held her arms.
Duke Kyar gave Kyle a look of dissatisfaction.
Princess Leila took a step toward Duke Kyar.
“Long time no see, Duke Kyar.” Princess Leila smiled and greeted him while Duke Kyar stared at her indifferently.
“Long time no see, Princess Leila.”
Isabella felt strange.
Maybe, because it was her first time seeing Duke Kyar speak to someone with respect.
“It’s still cold out here.”
“You say it’s cold, but you come here every year.”
“Well, it was unintentional.”
The dry and detached conversation between the two ensued.
Just by listening to their conversation, it was evident that both were not interested in each other.
At that moment, Princess Leila’s eyes turned to her while she was holding Kyle.
She looked at her with curiosity.
“But this person….”
The two men spoke simultaneously before Princess Leila could finish asking Kyle about her.
“I…”
“I…”
Princess Leila looked puzzled when the two men spoke at the same time.
Isabella felt embarrassed.
“My name is Isabella.”
She quickly introduced herself to Princess Leila before the two men could blurt out something awkward.
“Oh, Isabella. Nice to meet you.”
Isabella smiled at Princess Leila’s elegance.
The princess knew that she was a commoner, but she was kind enough not to point it out.
“It’s an honor for me to meet you like this, your Highness.”
Isabella ended her conversation with Princess Leila on a good note before she regarded Kyle.
“Young master Kyle, should we go in first?”
Isabella asked, and Kyle nodded with a smile.
Still holding Kyle’s hand, Isabella bowed down at Duke Kyar and Princess Leila once again before entering Rubella Castle.
Yet, the back of her head felt a little sore somehow.
She looked over her shoulder and saw Duke Kyar scowling at her.
Why did he look so angry?
He was a mysterious man.
**
Luches and Marc looked at Duke Kyar and read some documents with furrowed brows.
They thought he would be in a good mood after traveling with Isabella, but the chill permeating from the Duke’s body was brutally colder than usual.
