To the One Who's Only Cold to Me - Chapter 93

The gaze from across the table, staring straight at me, felt overwhelmingly uncomfortable. Aisha was thankful she had worn a dress that covered her neck and let out a deliberate cough, loud enough to be heard.

“Are you cold? The Empire’s weather is colder than I expected. I heard it gets even worse the farther north you go. Is that true?”

But her cough was casually ignored. Aisha looked at Iskan, who smiled while blaming the weather, and nodded slightly with a look of disbelief.

“Yes. It’s probably already snowing in the North.”

“Oh, I see. No wonder the clothing of Imperial women looks so uncomfortable. If they don’t wrap up tightly, delicate ladies must get sick often.”

“My kingdom is different. It’s warm all year round under the sun god’s blessing. How about it? Don’t you want to come to the Kingdom of Astar? If you do, I’ll gift you lots of clothes that show your beauty better than that stiff fabric you’re wearing.”

Though his tone was playful, Aisha’s face hardened with discomfort. Compared to the Empire, the Kingdom of Astar was hotter, and their clothing was thin and revealing. Moreover, ever since they had left the Parden estate, Iskan had been openly flirtatious. Aisha felt that he was toying with her.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable?”

“I didn’t mean anything strange. I truly thought those clothes would suit you. The women’s clothes in Astar flow beautifully with folds. They have a natural elegance. And above all, they’re comfortable no need to wrap yourself in so many layers.”

As Aisha’s expression grew colder, Iskan quickly apologized and spoke more seriously. He seemed so sincere that Aisha blushed, thinking she may have misunderstood him.

“I must’ve made Your Highness uncomfortable. I apologize.”

“No, it’s alright. Thinking about it, it’s understandable. Clothing in the Empire and Kingdom is very different. I was inconsiderate.”

Once Aisha’s expression softened, Iskan smiled widely again, as if the serious moment had never happened. The smile suited his bold features so well, it left Aisha feeling like she’d been tricked.

‘Where is Edward? Why isn’t he coming back?’

Feeling uneasy, she looked around for her brother. He had stepped out briefly after they arrived at the restaurant Iskan wanted to visit, but for some reason, he hadn’t returned even after quite a while.

‘Imir must be doing a good job keeping him busy.’

Watching Aisha fidget from across the table, Iskan licked his lips. As much as he was interested in her, he understood the need for a chaperone and had allowed her brother to accompany them. But if they never had a moment alone, what fun would that be? Iskan wasn’t at all worried about the servant keeping Edward occupied. He turned to Aisha with a warm tone.

“I must be nervous from this being my first time here I’m very hungry. Looks like Lord Edward is running late Shall we order first? I’ve been looking forward to trying Imperial food.”

“Ah, then”

“No, I’d like you to make a recommendation.”

As Aisha reached out to call a server, Iskan gently stopped her and handed her the menu instead. Then, pretending to read the menu, he leaned his upper body close to her.

Feeling the man’s breath so near, Aisha tensed and watched him cautiously. But Iskan only kept his eyes on the menu, wearing an innocent look.

“This dish is made with eggs of red quail that live deep in the eastern forests. They’re rare and hard to cook, so even with money, it’s not easy to try. Also, this one is steamed three-horned carp from the Diran River. It’s good too…”

Though the closeness was uncomfortable, she had no way to avoid it, so Aisha continued explaining. Iskan smiled at her, then noticed her white fingers and his eyes sparkled.

Smooch.

The man kissed the tip of her pretty fingernail loudly. Startled by the unexpected touch, Aisha stopped talking and pulled her hand away. Iskan straightened up like nothing happened and shrugged, like a snake slipping out of a vine.

“Great. Let’s order everything you suggested. I’m sure anything you recommend will be delicious.”

At his shameless attitude, Aisha glared at him and tried to stand. She needed to find her brother. Being alone with this man was becoming dangerous.

“Your Highness. I don’t think I’m much help in choosing food. I’ll go find my brother, please wait just a moment.”

“You came here to help your father, didn’t you?”

When Aisha stood up, Iskan’s red eyes flashed for a moment. He tapped the table with his fingers, his expression completely different from before.

“A wise decision. Honestly, if you had refused to come with me, I was going to leave Parden and head elsewhere.”

“But now you’re making a poor choice. You’d better look for your brother later. Otherwise, I might get very upset.”

Though he was still smiling, the usual playfulness was gone. What filled the space instead was the arrogance and pressure of a powerful man. At his veiled threat, Aisha slowly sat back down. Then, like flipping a switch, Iskan’s mood changed again.

“Kidding. Did that sound like a threat?”

Aisha said nothing. Though he laughed lightheartedly, he was clearly someone used to manipulating others. Speaking more with him would only put her at a disadvantage.

“Even your silence is charming. My eyes weren’t wrong.”

His red eyes stared at Aisha, who was frozen in tension. His intense gaze was like a five-year-old eyeing a toy he wanted. Feeling overwhelmed, Aisha turned her head away.

When she didn’t respond, Iskan leaned in and reached out to touch her light brown hair. As he gently kissed it, he spoke in a quiet voice.

“Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“Your Highness, I have a fiancé.”

After some hesitation, Aisha finally said the word “fiancé.” Her frown deepened slightly, and in her eyes, there was clearly someone else not Iskan.

“So what? You’re not married yet.”

Iskan didn’t even flinch at the mention of a fiancé. He was the kind of man who had always taken what he wanted even other men’s wives had become his before.

“Choosing a worthy man is a woman’s right. And I assure you I’m a far better man than your fiancé.”

Such confidence. Aisha was so stunned, she forgot her tension and just stared at him. As soon as her eyes met his, Iskan stopped breathing and looked dazed.

“I can’t hold back anymore.”

Blushing, he suddenly grabbed her hand. The unexpected move left Aisha speechless. She tried to pull her hand back, but he held on firmly and leaned toward her with a passionate voice.

“Aisha Parden. I truly like you. Please, be my wife.”

Aisha’s face turned pale. It wasn’t just the sudden proposal but the fact that she knew how many wives he already had. He had six official wives. She blinked in disbelief.

‘If I accept, I’ll be the seventh My goodness.’

Though such proposals weren’t strange in the polygamous Kingdom of Astar, Aisha was a citizen of the Empire. To her, being the seventh wife felt no different from being a mistress.

Feeling insulted, she yanked her hand away with all her strength and stood up. Just then, Edward finally appeared, his face exhausted from shaking off Imir.

“Your Highness, I will leave first. Brother, I’ll see you later.”

Aisha gave Iskan a cold goodbye and left without hesitation. Edward was surprised by her rudeness for a moment, but quickly guessed something had happened and turned to the crown prince.

Meanwhile, Aisha walked through the empty hall, ignoring the men talking behind her. A staff member waiting inside saw her sudden exit and rushed over, but she waved him off without a word.

Ding.

With a soft chime, the restaurant door opened. A short distance away, the Parden family carriage came into view. Aisha headed straight for it, not looking anywhere else.

She had only taken a few steps when a large hand shot out from the alley beside the restaurant and grabbed her.

“Aisha.”

Startled, she was about to scream, but before she could even open her mouth, a deep voice filled with suppressed emotion called her name.

Recognizing the voice immediately, Aisha looked up. In the shadowy alley, golden hair shimmered like silk. But the blue eyes below were darker than the alley itself.

Aisha’s eyes met Ian’s in midair. The moment their gazes locked, his face twisted with a mix of dark emotions, and he gripped her wrist tightly as he spoke in a low voice.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

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