After I Died, He Died After Me Too - Chapter 32

Chapter 16.2

“Elris Fair. I think your gratitude should be directed not at me, but at Lady Astri.”

At his words, her pale hands clenched the grass tightly, and her already ghostly complexion seemed to drain even further of color.

“…Thank you, Lady Bianca.”

Her voice was soft and trembling.

Bianca gave her a slight nod and turned to the Crown Prince. She couldn’t let Elris stay kneeling forever.

“Your Highness, if I may, I’ll take Lady Elris…”

Bianca felt uneasy. She hadn’t expected him to show up. Elris’s remarks had crossed the line, and she had only stepped in because she couldn’t let it go any further.

There was no other intention.

“What’s going on here? A commotion in the Crown Prince’s palace already?”

But luck wasn’t on her side today, as yet another person intervened. Worse still, it was someone she least wanted to encounter, especially in such an unfavorable situation.

“Mother.”

Hearing Dexter’s voice, Bianca immediately turned. She quickly spread the sides of her skirt and bowed her head in greeting. Elris, still kneeling on the floor, also lowered her head. However, the Empress’s gaze was fixed solely on Dexter.

She spoke to her son as though Bianca and Elris were invisible.

“I came to share a cup of tea with my son after such a long time, but it seems I’ve arrived at a bad moment.”

“It’s nothing serious.”

“Is that so? Then I suppose there’s no problem if we have tea together with your mother. Oh, is this the first time we’re meeting like this?”

At the Empress’s comment, the woman standing beside her stepped forward, her face shyly tinged with a blush.

Her pink hair, reminiscent of flower petals, swayed gently in the breeze. Her golden eyes, as if filled with honey, were fixed on Dexter, and her rosy cheeks, resembling a ripe peach, naturally drew attention.

“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress.”

She stole a quick glance at him, her gaze lingering briefly. However, when their eyes met, the startled lady quickly looked away. Her face, now flushed even deeper, made her feelings for him unmistakably clear.

‘So, this is Lady Eliaden.’

She seemed to exude a sweet fragrance. Her fine, silky hair glimmered in the sunlight, almost as if it might melt away. She was likely an A-rank Guide. It seemed like a rather troublesome situation.

It was obvious that anyone would want her as their Guide.

While Bianca, also a Guide, couldn’t sense the pheromones she emitted, Dexter, standing directly before her, certainly could. Maybe that was why she found herself curious about his reaction. How would he respond when meeting another high-ranking Guide?

Seeing Lady Eliaden in person, Bianca was certain: she would undoubtedly surpass an 80% compatibility rate. On top of that, she seemed to have a good rapport with the Empress, further solidifying her chances.

‘It would be nice if His Highness the Crown Prince showed interest in her.’

Then perhaps she could finally put an end to this absurd relationship, especially if someone like Lady Eliaden achieved an even higher matching rate than hers.

“You’ve likely heard plenty about her already, so there’s no need for a formal introduction. I’ve arranged a spot in the garden for tea. As for Lady Bianca…”

Bianca had no intention of getting involved. She took a step back and bowed her head.

“It’s been a great honor to meet Your Majesty the Empress.”

“It looks like you were out for a walk, so feel free to carry on.”

The Empress seemed to have the same thoughts. Bianca smiled politely and turned toward the garden.

However, she didn’t continue her walk. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say she couldn’t. She was unable to move because Dexter had grabbed her arm.

“…Your Highness?”

“Mother, my apologies, but I was in the middle of a walk with Lady Bianca. I’m afraid having tea would be a bit inconvenient right now.”

Bianca’s eyes widened. She stared at him, startled by his sudden actions. Even though he must have felt her gaze, he paid no attention and only tightened his grip on her arm.

“There is something we need to discuss privately between the two of us.”

The subtle pheromones emanating from him made Bianca’s brow furrow. It seemed Lady Eliaden had also caught the scent.

‘This is turning into a problem.’

He had either finally lost his mind or had always been like this. It had to be one or the other. No matter how much she thought about whether she had done something wrong, nothing came to mind. If that was the case, maybe the Crown Prince’s personality was flawed from the very beginning.