* * *20 minutes passed after being captured by the Empress.The Empress began to urge the attendants to ask why Oscar didn’t come. Claire sighed in relief.’It seems to be late because of work.’Now is your chance.Claire jumped up.”My Majesty, the Empress, I have to leave today. Today, Cybill’s sister decided to come visit us in the evening. We decided to choose a dress together.””I see…. Hmm, then there is nothing I can do about it.”The Empress returned Clair with a lot of regretful tea.As soon as Claire left the Crystal Palace, she breathed a sigh of relief.At that moment, a murmur was heard in the distance.’Hey, it’s Oscar.’When she found a group of people believed to be coming with the Crown Prince, Claire hurriedly hid behind the pillar.”… Lady, what are you doing now?””Shh.”When the attendant who had decided to guide Rafine to the carriage asked, Rafine emphasized by waving her finger to her lips.Suddenly, the servant also had to squat down and hide.’By the way, why am I hiding?’Claire was puzzled, but once she hid behind a pillar and glanced at Oscar passing by.’Wow….’Claire opened her mouth involuntarily.I saw it from a distance, but Oscar is really… She boasted great beauty.I wondered what a person looked like.’Wow… Is this what it feels like to see celebrities from afar?’Why is the face so small and the proportions so good? Look at the radiance of your skin….’Wow. What’s the chin line?’Claire, who had admired her for a long time, finally came to her senses and hurriedly returned to the carriage.And that moment.Oscar stopped walking and turned around.It was because he could feel the infamous chuck hiding behind the pillar disappearing one after another.”Who is that?”At Oscar’s question, the courtier looked at it.I could see Clair’s back as she headed towards the carriage with gunfire. The courtier answered immediately.”Ah, this is the daughter of the Duke of Aston. It seems you have come to visit your Majesty the Empress.”who? The Duke of Aston, Claire?Oscar blinked and frowned.for a moment. So you’re saying Clair hid behind the pillar and watched me?But do you have any urgent business? Why are you running away like that? ….for a moment.Oscar stood there momentarily, as if in shock, and stiffened.’now… Maybe you avoided me.’He thought for a moment, then shook his head.’No way.’ Claire had no reason to avoid herself.Oscar thought nothing of it and entered the Crystal Palace.* * *About 3 weeks after that.It wasn’t an illusion.Oscar pounded the desk in the office with her fingernails, thinking.Ever since the day I first doubted that Claire was avoiding her.Oscar made several attempts to meet Claire.There were times when I was close in my own way, and there were times when I received help…. Besides, isn’t he the younger brother of the most precious friend?I was trying to say hello by giving excuses like that….’You are sure to avoid me.’After five or six attempts, he never met Claire.I couldn’t guess the reason, so I was just bewildered.So a few days ago, when Oscar met Cybill and Elliot, he had brought up the story.I didn’t ask openly…. turned around and saidWhen he returned to the capital, he said he had never met Claire yet.What was the reaction of Cybill and Elliot when they heard the story…Elliot blinked as if he could possibly do that.Cybill also muttered tremblingly.Soon after, Cybill and Elliot made eye contact with Oscar in the middle.About 5 seconds of silence passed….‘Awkward…. Ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!>The two started laughing like crazy. Cybill was lying on the couch, about to faint, and Elliot giggled enough to cry.It is unknown why they burst into laughter, but Oscar felt very bad.So strange things started to happen.* * *On the other hand, Claire struggled as she looked at the list Orphana had picked.”But this young-ae has a spirit to meet, right? Rumors are spreading in the capital, so why did you put this young girl in?””Didn’t you hear that rumor? that spirit… I had an affair with a common woman and ran away.””What?””So that young-ae is grinding her teeth to get revenge.””Wow… I didn’t know.”Claire looked at Orfana, who was more socialized than herself, with blurred eyes, and then turned her gaze back to List.”Hmm….”There were about 15 people on the face-to-face list.A survey disguised as a psychological test confirmed even the young children’s intentions.And a few days ago, through Elliot, I also talked about Oscar’s situation.”Brother, maybe the Crown Prince.” “Like an older brother and Cybill older sister who went through a difficult time with each other and fell in love… Didn’t the Crown Prince have such a person too?> Elliot’s pupils shook wildly when he asked that question.<... Why are you asking that?>Elliot had a confused expression as if he had just heard the secret of his birth. Claire immediately added more words as if making an excuse.”It’s not that, Her Majesty the Empress was very worried…. Every time I visit him these days, he tells me about it, so I said he would ask my brother instead.””Oh, was that so?”Elliot sighed in relief and smiled. Then he said softly.“Yeah, not at all.”<... like that.> Elliot was relieved once more when Claire couldn’t hide her disappointment.As such, Claire let out a deep sigh as she recalled all the conversations she had had a few days ago.’If there was someone else, there would be no need for such trouble….’It was sad in many ways.At that time, Orphana asked as if she was not reluctant.”But, sir, do you really have to do this?””Huh?””Whoever the Crown Prince marries, what does it have to do with the master? You can just ignore it.””It is, but….”Orpana is right, but… Claire felt a little sorry for Oscar.With Cybill and Elliot getting married through his ruse, Oscar must find the person he needs for a contract marriage again…Still, there is the loyalty of childhood and a conscience, and I thought that it would be polite to do this to this extent.”Chi. I don’t know when the coordinates will appear….”Orphana grumbled as she looked down at Claire. It was as if he had the mind to be concerned about such things.Claire glared at her, and Orfana just shut her mouth.’By the way, these days, strangely, I keep running into Oscar.’I used my quickness to avoid it every time it happened, but I wondered if I ran into it too often.’Somehow, I kept avoiding it….’When he looked at Oscar, his conscience seemed to be stabbed.And honestly, if you think you’re so good-looking and have a conversation… I was out of breath. Obviously, your mind will go blank.’I don’t know, let’s keep avoiding it anyway.’But the very next day I decided to do so.Claire faced Oscar in the face. There was no place to escape.”Clair?”It was when he received a letter from the Empress saying he had something to say and went to the Hwangseong Fortress.In the entrance garden of the Crystal Palace, Claire ran into Oscar.Oscar was approaching me with a welcome expression in front of me. Claire was restless and bowed her knees slightly to show respect.”The Crown Prince.””long time no see.”Oscar, who came one step closer, smiled slightly.Claire couldn’t answer and stared blankly at Oscar before lowering her head again.As expected, my brain became as white as a blank sheet of paper.’Wow… He’s really handsome.’Up close, he looked more handsome and his skin was no joke.Besides, it seemed that Oscar somehow smelled of freesia flowers. He couldn’t tell if it was a buff from his appearance or the smell of perfume.At that time, Oscar bit the secretaries and servants around him as if he had only waited for this moment.When they were alone, Claire tensed up and clenched her fists.”Shall we walk for a moment?”As Oscar suggested, Claire creaked and nodded.’OMG. What do we do.’All sorts of thoughts came to mind, but I couldn’t express them on the outside.”Did you hear about Cybill and Elliot getting married?””Yes, yes… I heard.””The Duke and Duchess of Aston must be delighted.””Yeah….”All of Claire’s answers were short-answered.The atmosphere was so gloomy that the servants who stood and watched from afar started moving their feet.Every conversation that came and went was overflowing with an awkward airflow that seemed to suffocate.