To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 26

“Sir Parden. Is your sister alright?”

Jared briefly avoided Daniel’s gaze and glanced sideways at Aisha, who was standing behind him. Realizing he was looking at her, Aisha hurriedly stepped out from behind her brother. She bent her knees and waist, bowing politely to finish the thanks she hadn’t yet given.

“Thank you for saving me, Your Highness.”

“There’s no need to thank me . You must have been scared. I’m sorry.”

Jared, unusual for a man, fidgeted with his long hair as he apologized. Seeing his awkward behavior, Daniel narrowed his eyes. His instincts were warning him. That curt prince? The one they sometimes call a mute behind his back? He’s saying things like that—with that look on his face?

“Your Highness, please don’t say that. Just receiving our thanks is more than enough for someone like you.”

“No, it happened inside the palace. As a royal, I bear responsibility too.”

At Aisha’s reply, Jared bowed his head slightly. Though the surroundings were dark and shadowed, Daniel clearly saw Jared’s face flush red. Daniel screamed internally, full of disbelief.

‘Are you kidding me?!’

Any fondness Daniel had for Jared instantly vanished. His guard shot back up, and he took a step back with Aisha.

“Brother?”

“Ahem… hmm! Sir Parden. Take your sister home. It’s more comforting to be with family than with criminals.”

While Aisha looked confused by Daniel’s sudden suspicion, Jared, who seemed guilty, nodded and told the siblings to go. Daniel started to respond but paused as he glanced at Vincent and his men lying on the ground. If the prince weren’t here, he’d have beaten them to death and buried them somewhere.

“They’ll be imprisoned immediately under my testimony. So don’t worry. The noble lady’s honor won’t be stained, not even slightly. I’ll make sure of it.”

Jared’s solemn tone as he looked at Vincent’s group made Daniel’s expression soften slightly, though still unsatisfied. But Aisha tugged on his clothes, and Daniel gave a small nod. If they were imprisoned, he could always pay them a visit later and beat them senseless. He silently vowed to request a post in the palace dungeons.

“Your Highness, I’ll give my formal thanks tomorrow. Let’s go, Aisha.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Jared returned Aisha’s bow with a deep one of his own. He had only gestured at Daniel earlier—what kind of double standard was this? Daniel sighed in disbelief and turned away with Aisha.

But they couldn’t take another step.

Not far away, someone caught their eye. His hair was messy, sweat ran down his forehead, and his cravat was undone. He looked completely disheveled. The moment Daniel saw him, he bared his teeth.

“You… you bastard!”

Thud.

Without hesitation, Daniel lunged forward. Aisha, frozen by her brother’s side, screamed at the sound and called his name.

“Daniel!”

“If you lured my sister out, the least you could do was escort her properly! Damn it! You left her alone in a place like this? Bastard!”

“If Aisha even has the tiniest scratch, it’s your fault, Ian. There’s a limit to how much I can forgive. What do you take someone else’s sister for?!”

Dragged to the ground and now held by the collar, Ian looked awful. But even as he was shaken violently by Daniel, he kept his eyes on Aisha. Aisha, shocked by her brother’s violence, bit her lip and sharply turned her head away when Ian looked at her. She reached for Daniel and clung to his arm.

“Daniel, stop. Please? Let it go.”

“Sir Parden. Your sister is anxious. Let him go. What do you think you’re doing in front of me?”

Jared, who had been standing behind, managed to separate the two. While Daniel, held back by Aisha, kept glaring at Ian with rage, Ian remained calm.

He turned his head, spat out blood, took a handkerchief from his coat, and wiped his lips. He hardly looked like someone who had just been punched.

Even after cleaning his face, Ian kept looking directly at Aisha, unfazed by Daniel’s fierce glare. This provoked Daniel again, and he tried to charge.

But Aisha’s tearful voice stopped him.

“Please, Daniel. Let’s just go. I don’t want to be here anymore. Please…”

“Sir Parden. Take her back. I won’t tolerate anything further.”

“You… You’re lucky today, bastard. Don’t show up in front of me again. If I even see a hair of yours, I’ll beat you to death. Got it?!”

“I said, got it, you unlucky bastard?!”

Once Jared clearly sided with Aisha, Daniel finally backed off, spitting curses. He walked away with Aisha, who was pulling him, but he kept turning back to hurl insults at Ian. Aisha, however, never once looked back.

And just like that, the Parden siblings disappeared. Ian didn’t lift his head until Aisha was completely out of sight. Jared also turned away from the direction she had gone.

“Marquis Lloyd. It’s been a while since we spoke one-on-one like this.”

“It has, Your Highness.”

Jared and Ian finally greeted each other. Though they occasionally crossed paths in the palace, they weren’t particularly close but were aware of each other’s presence.

“You know, I’ve always thought you were a decent man, Marquis.”

After a short pause, Jared said something unexpected. Ian slightly raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out his intentions. Their sharp blue and green eyes clashed midair.

“You achieved a lot in difficult circumstances. Around the same age as me, yet you earned recognition from His Majesty purely through skill.”

“That’s why I stayed quiet. Even when the woman I liked showed interest in you, I didn’t say a word. Because even I had to admit you were worthy.”

At the words “the woman I like,” Ian’s eyes sharpened. He raised his chin to meet Jared’s gaze. Despite the bold action, which could be seen as rude to royalty, Jared didn’t react.

“But these past few years, no just today I realized I was wrong.”

“Your Highness, if you have something to say, please speak plainly. I’m listening.”

Though Ian’s tone was respectful, the meaning was clear: Don’t beat around the bush. Jared smirked. Most nobles his age would shrink in front of royalty. But not Ian.

“Good. I don’t like vague words either.”

“Marquis, I really like Miss Aisha. Not many people know, but it’s been a long time.”

At Jared’s direct confession, Ian frowned. He was deeply displeased.

The irritation he had felt while watching Aisha dance with the prince earlier now exploded inside him. But Jared, unaware or uncaring continued confidently.

“I held myself back because I knew she liked you. And as I said, I thought you were a good man.”

“But not anymore. You’re not worthy of her heart. You don’t deserve it.”

At that, Ian made no effort to hide his disbelief. Who does he think he is to judge me like that? He gave a short, humorless laugh, his voice low and cold.

“Your Highness, you don’t have the right to say who deserves someone else’s heart. You’re not part of it.”

“I do have that right.”

“Ask anyone on the street. Would they approve of a man who abandoned the woman he loves and left her in danger? At least every knight under my command would shake their heads.”

“So what exactly are you trying to say?”

Even though Ian’s tone clearly showed he was done with this, Jared raised his chin higher, displaying that royal arrogance.

“Her Majesty the Empress is eager to see me marry. Since I must marry anyway I’d like it to be Aisha, the woman I love if she agrees, of course.”

At the mention of marriage, Ian’s demeanor changed completely. His mouth formed a firm line, and his eyes darkened.

Jared, a warrior himself, quickly sensed the sharp killing intent from Ian. But as a knight, it didn’t frighten him. If anything, it awakened a fighting spirit, and he even smiled.

“To win her heart, I must first turn it toward me. So I’m declaring this now: I, Jared Caesar, will do everything I can to win Aisha’s heart starting today.”

“Do as you please.”

Ian responded the moment Jared finished speaking. He was already back to his usual composed self. Jared raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“I mean it, Your Highness. I can’t stop what you choose to do.”

Ian even gave a faint smile. It felt like he was mocking Jared, which annoyed him. No matter what he said, right now, the man Aisha liked was the one standing before him.

Jared clenched his fists tightly, determined not to show any sign of defeat.

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