To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 18

“Why did His Highness ask me?”

Aisha held her expression and swallowed her question.
She had never interacted with Jared Caesar, the Second Prince. Why had he asked her for a dance?

If she had to find a connection, it would be through her eldest brother, Edward, who was known to be a close aide to the Crown Prince and had a strong friendship with the Second Prince. According to Edward, Jared always served his older brother with deep loyalty and humility. Because of this, the Caesar Empire had little to no conflict over the throne among royal brothers, unlike other nations.

“Maybe it’s because of Edward…”

Since Edward was close to the Crown Prince, it was possible that he also had interactions with the Second Prince. But seeing the surprise on her brother’s face in the distance, even that guess seemed to be wrong.

Unable to figure out the reason, Aisha quietly studied Jared’s face. The prince, who wasn’t known for dancing, wasn’t as perfect as Ian on the dance floor, but he led with precise, disciplined movements like a soldier. His slightly raised chin and tightly closed lips could have made him seem cold, but the elegant lines of his face and the small beauty mark under his left eye made even his blank expression look charming.

“I didn’t notice from far away, but he really is beautiful. No wonder the ladies follow him.”

Aisha silently admired his face. But she didn’t say her thoughts out loud. She had once heard from Edward that Jared didn’t enjoy compliments about his appearance.

Besides, Aisha had grown up surrounded by good-looking brothers, including Ian. Jared’s appearance impressed her refined sense of beauty, but it didn’t stir anything beyond that.
Rather, his dance request reminded her of Ian someone she had briefly forgotten and her expression darkened.

“It felt like he was coming toward me… Was he going to ask me to dance?”

Ian’s sudden kind behavior and his quiet suggestion to follow him had made Aisha nervous but also hopeful. Even if her brothers found it frustrating, she couldn’t help it. When Ian looked at her with those blue eyes the moment her face reflected in them, Aisha felt helpless.

“Come to think of it, where is he now…”

“Are you uncomfortable?”

Just as Aisha was looking around for Ian, Jared suddenly spoke. He hadn’t said a word since inviting her to dance. Surprised, Aisha looked up at him, and Jared stiffened, slightly turning his eyes away from her.

“You look pale. If you’re feeling unwell, then we can stop—”

“N-No, I’m fine.”

“I apologize if I looked that way, Your Highness.”

Aisha quickly lowered her eyes. Looking directly at a royal’s face without close relations could seem disrespectful.

Even in the awkward silence, the dance continued. Jared looked at Aisha’s lowered gaze and moved his lips several times. Not noticing, Aisha wondered if she should speak first, and if so, what to talk about. Her eyes landed on the ornament on the prince’s chest.

“This banquet is really…”

“I…”

Just as Aisha tried to say something polite about the banquet, Jared also opened his mouth.
They both paused at the same time and looked at each other.

Aisha’s wide eyes reflected Jared’s face, which looked slightly flushed. He avoided her gaze again and adjusted his hand on her waist as if making up his mind.

“Did I startle you by asking you to dance so suddenly?”

His voice sounded almost gloomy. Jared’s awkward behavior made Aisha tilt her head without realizing it.

“Her Majesty the Empress and my brother no, the Crown Prince kept urging me to dance at least once.”

“And then I happened to see you”

As Jared trailed off, his face stiffened. Saying it out loud made it sound like he’d forced her.
He looked at Aisha nervously.

“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not like I asked you without any thought. I’ve been watching not exactly watching, but I… um…”

“Whatever the reason may be, it’s an honor to dance with Your Highness.”

Aisha smiled softly at his stumbling words. Her smile, with her eyes crinkling slightly, was different from the polite ones she had been giving before. Seeing it, Jared momentarily forgot to blink. He only came to his senses when a lock of Aisha’s hair brushed him as they moved.

“I didn’t make you uncomfortable, did I? It must’ve been sudden.”

“To be honest, I was a little surprised. But now, I’m just thankful to Your Highness for giving me a pleasant moment.”

“My mother also pushed me to dance. She even set a number of times I have to dance, so in a way, Your Highness helped me. Of course, I didn’t accept your invitation just to meet the quota, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“You speak very clearly and calmly. More than I expected.”

Her voice now carried a relaxed tone, and her words flowed more easily. As Jared watched her chat like a little bird, he murmured in surprise, then looked flustered.

“I didn’t mean that as a tease. I meant it in a good way. Your voice is lovely, and your smile now is much more”

“beautiful than when you looked sad.”

His unexpectedly direct compliment left Aisha speechless. She had heard many compliments before, but this one felt different. Not a polite, polished line it felt honest, like something a child might say. That made it feel even more embarrassing.

“Thank you for the compliment, Your Highness.”

Aisha replied simply, though her ears turned red. Jared blinked tightly, as if embarrassed himself. His face revealed more than he likely intended.

“If anyone hears this, it’ll be trouble but His Highness is actually kind of cute, unlike the rumors.”

The Second Prince  known for being cold, obsessed with the sword, and uninterested in the throne even the Empress was said to sigh at his blunt personality. But the Jared standing before her was nothing like the rumors.

“Maybe he’s shy and just comes off as cold?”

Aisha, too, was shy around strangers. Some people misunderstood her stiff attitude and called her cold or arrogant.

Seeing someone with a similar temperament gave her a sense of connection. But her gentle smile didn’t last long. A sharp gaze pierced her from somewhere, making her heart skip a beat.

“Ah…”

She didn’t have to look to know who it was. Far away, Ian’s gaze was locked onto her and Jared.
Aisha’s face quickly turned worried.

They looked good together. Both the man and the woman facing each other were so attractive that no one could deny it.

But Ian still found fault. He thought the prince’s gentle face and rosy-red hair stood out too much next to Aisha’s pale colors. He studied them slowly, and then his expression hardened.

Aisha, dancing closely with the prince, had her head slightly bowed. Her cheeks were flushed — maybe from dancing too much, or from being so close to another man.

When Jared spoke, Aisha hesitated before lifting her eyes and parting her lips. The expression, with her red cheeks and innocent beauty, gave her a pure charm. Even Jared, usually cold, couldn’t hide his smile.

Ian’s eyes followed Jared’s hand on Aisha’s waist. When Aisha smiled, Ian’s eyebrows twitched.

“Did you bring the watch? I think I’ve already won.”

As Aisha and Jared turned in a circle while dancing, someone came up to Ian and whispered.
It was Albert. He had arrived at some point and looked proud, like he was sure of his win.

“You’re joking.”

“Ian! Stop pretending to be calm. Lady Aisha and the Second Prince anyone can see they’re drawn to each other. They’re a perfect match.”

Instead of answering, Ian grabbed a glass from a passing servant. The clear liquid was sweet but strong. He drank while staring at Aisha’s face. Unlike before, his gaze was now full of disapproval.

Aisha noticed and was clearly flustered.

She looked away quickly, her eyes trembling. Ian caught a glimpse of guilt in them and curled his lips bitterly before finishing his drink.

“Yeah. You should feel guilty. You said you liked me and kept bothering me…
Now look at that face you’re making for someone else. Don’t you have any shame?”

He handed the empty glass to a servant and turned his head. Albert was still beside him, looking overly confident. Annoyed, Ian waved him off.

“Go to the spot we agreed on. I’ll settle this in 30 minutes.”

The dance music was almost over. It would take about ten minutes on foot to get from the ballroom to their chosen spot. To finish the bet in 30 minutes meant time was tight.

“Thirty minutes? That’s cutting it close. Let’s make it an hour. But if it takes longer, you lose.”

“Fine.”

Ian nodded, and Albert checked the time and began to leave. But Ian reached out and stopped him. Albert looked confused, and Ian hesitated before speaking.

“Let’s keep this bet just between us. Don’t go around bragging if you win it’ll be annoying.”

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