TOPWL 33

“I should have listened to you, Selena. I’m sorry. Because of me, we couldn’t even have our lesson.”

At Yudit’s words, Selena’s eyes immediately sharpened.

“Is this really the time to be talking about lessons? You need to see a physician and get proper rest.”

“But—”

“No!”

Selena was adamant, and Yasin was no different.

“The budget plan is perfect, and the banquet preparations are going smoothly. The food supply is stable, and we’ve secured all the chefs. I understand that you want everything to be flawless because this banquet is important, but if you collapse on the day of the event, what will all of this be worth?”

There wasn’t a single thing she said that was wrong. Yudit felt like a child being scolded and could only nod.

“Y-yes! And your conversation skills for the banquet are already flawless—there’s nothing awkward about them at all. So you really should rest today.”

Realizing there was no way to argue against them, Yudit reluctantly got up.

“Alright. I’ll do as you both say and go rest today.”

“And no reading books, either!”

“Yes, I promise.”

Only then did Selena’s expression soften. Knowing her nagging came from concern, Yudit felt oddly comforted. As he stood up, Yasin, who had been lost in thought, suddenly spoke.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes, Yasin?”

“Do you think… my tapestry could help you?”

Yudit turned to look at him. They had grown closer recently, but Yasin still found it difficult to approach Yudit as a prince. What had made him finally come forward must have been the shock of witnessing Hiore’s abuse a few days ago.

Yudit nodded. “Yes, it would be a great help.”

At his firm response, Yasin took three deep breaths before speaking.

“Then… I’ll lend you my tapestry.”

”…Are you serious? You don’t have to push yourself.”

“No, I’ve already made up my mind. I’m just sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

Yudit understood how much courage it must have taken for Yasin to bring this up. With a bright smile, he said,

“Thank you, Yasin.”

Although he had agreed to rest, spending the entire afternoon lying in bed with nothing to do felt wrong. Even after washing up and putting on his robe, he tossed and turned for nearly an hour before finally giving up and getting out of bed.

His eyes kept drifting toward the stack of books on his bedside table.

“I promised Selena I wouldn’t read them… but I never said I wouldn’t return them.”

Using that excuse, Yudit stood up.

The fresh air outside instantly lifted his mood. The once-deafening sounds of construction had disappeared, replaced by a peaceful silence—the proof that the banquet hall’s renovations were complete.

He was dying to see how the others had designed their banquet halls, but until the day of the banquet, the princes were prohibited from entering one another’s halls. It was meant to ensure fairness and prevent sabotage. Though frustrating, the rule ultimately worked in Yudit’s favor. If it weren’t in place, Reginald or Hiore would have surely found a way to sabotage his hall.

When he arrived at the library, Yudit returned the books to the librarian. The same librarian who had once encouraged him simply processed the returns without a word, as if nothing had happened.

Just as he was about to leave, Yudit’s gaze fell on a book sitting at the return desk.

The New Discoveries of Banquets.

It was a book he had wanted to borrow for ages, but it had always been checked out. It must have been returned just now—likely by one of the princes.

Yudit swallowed hard.

But I promised Selena…

He turned away, intending to leave. But in the end, he found himself reaching for the book.

He hadn’t even taken it to a table—he was just standing at the return shelf reading it. The librarian began throwing him pointed looks. Eventually, Yudit sighed and carried the book over to a desk.

As he flipped through the pages, his initial excitement faded.

The book wasn’t as interesting as he had hoped. It repeated much of what he had already read in previous books. Still, since he had waited so long to get his hands on it, he forced himself to keep reading.

But before he knew it, his eyelids began to droop.

I can’t fall asleep here.

He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself awake, but his strength was failing. His grip weakened, and his hand stilled over the pages.

As his breathing evened out, Yudit drifted into sleep.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, wake up!”

Someone was shaking him urgently.

When Yudit opened his eyes, he saw Selena staring at him, her face pale as a sheet.

“W-what’s wrong?”

“The banquet hall is on fire!”

Yudit shot to his feet.

As he sprinted down the corridor with all his strength, a mocking voice echoed in his ears.

“I told you not to bring this upon yourself.”

“If you’re an Omega, act like one. A worthless insect dreaming above its station will only get crushed.”

No. No, I… I just wanted to survive.

When Yudit reached the banquet hall, he flung the doors open.

Flames surged out, licking at the air like flickering tongues.

The hall was burning—just like that day.

“No!”

Yudit desperately tried to put out the fire, but it was no use.

Everything he had spent so long building was crumbling into ashes before his eyes.

He sank to his knees, staring blankly at the flames consuming the banquet hall.

A cold voice spoke from behind him.

“Well… with things like this, I suppose you won’t be able to keep your promise, will you?”

”……Your Grace, the Duke.”

“What a shame.”

Khalid drew his sword and stepped toward Yudit.

Yudit gazed at Khalid, then closed his eyes. A breeze brushed against his neck—

“Hah!”

Yudit jolted awake as if breaking through the surface of water.

His breath was ragged, and his heart pounded wildly. The sensation of cold steel pressing against his throat had been so vivid that it didn’t feel like a mere dream. For a brief moment, he even wondered if another version of himself had truly died in that dream.

“Not only did you fall asleep in the library, but you even screamed.”

A quiet voice spoke beside him.

Startled, Yudit shot upright, instinctively raising his book as a shield. Then, cautiously peeking over it, he saw Khalid resting his chin on his hand, watching him.

“Your Grace?”

A chill ran down his neck—the very same neck that had been cut in his dream.

“You were talking about me in your sleep.”

“Was I?”

“What kind of dream was it?”

“I forgot.”

“You said you liked me.”

Yudit almost blurted out, “That’s a lie”, but caught himself just in time.

After all, he had just claimed he didn’t remember the dream.

“I lied.”

Khalid said the very words Yudit had been about to say.

“You were begging for your life.”

”……”

“Try your best to survive, will you? I rather enjoy our time together.”

He said it with an air of sincerity.

But if Yudit ever failed to prove his worth, Khalid would be the very one coming to take his life.

“What brings you here?”

“I wanted to see you.”

”……What?”

“Hasn’t it been too long since we last met?”

Since the fire, they indeed hadn’t seen each other. But it wasn’t as though they had any particular reason to.

Yudit hesitated before replying awkwardly, ”…I suppose so.”

“While I was at it, I had an audience with His Majesty and came to return a book I borrowed.”

That was probably the real reason he was here. Since Yudit practically lived in the imperial library, it wasn’t strange that Khalid, who occasionally borrowed books, would run into him here.

“What book was it?”

“The History of Executioners.”

Yudit gave him a skeptical look.

He couldn’t tell whether the title referred to reckless scoundrels or actual executioners.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he was still trapped in his dream.

To test it, he pinched his thigh.

It hurt.

“Your face looks rough.”

Khalid lifted Yudit’s chin. His nape bent backward, the front of his throat tightening.

The discomfort made Yudit instinctively try to pull away, but Khalid showed no intention of letting go.

“Your hand…”

Yudit tried to remove Khalid’s hand, but instead, Khalid interlaced their fingers and pulled his hand toward himself.

Yudit’s palm brushed against Khalid’s nose and lips.

The soft sensation of lips against his palm sent a shiver down his spine.

“Why don’t you have a scent?”

“Because I’m recessive.”

“Even so, at this proximity, I should be able to smell something.”

Khalid pressed Yudit’s palm against his face, inhaling deeply.