Naturally, when she was on the verge of falling earlier, he had been unable to reach out toward her, freezing on the spot instead.
It was an ingrained bodily reaction, born of refusing all physical contact with women for far too long.
Even so, carrying on an extended conversation with her like this was nothing short of bizarre.
Not that he had any intention of granting her request.
Fixing his gaze on her violet eyes, Gray declared firmly,
“Miss, didn’t I tell you back then? It’s only natural for you to have feelings for me, but marriage is entirely out of the question.”
“Wh-what?”
“Do you honestly think dating me will change my mind?”
“Whaaaat?!”
The eyes of the Lady of the Pink Flower Field flew wide, and her hands flailed frantically.
“Dating? How could you say something so terrible?!”
"…"
Gray’s eyebrows twitched involuntarily.
It was a word no one had ever leveled at him before, striking him temporarily speechless.
‘Terrible?’
Before he could unravel how dating him equated to something “terrible,” he had to deal with the audience.
“Step back.”
“Understood.”
“Aw, but I wanted to hear more—mph!”
The muffled sound of Ethan clamping a hand over Orion’s mouth and dragging him backward echoed through the garden.
Narrowing his eyes, Gray looked down at the woman who barely reached his chest.
“Terrible? Is dating me really that terrible?”
“No, why do you keep making such hurtful remarks…?”
Though she looked somewhat dejected, her boldness in finishing every word remained remarkable.
“Hurtful remarks?”
He choked on pure disbelief.
“I never had any intention of dating Your Majesty in the first place.”
Unable to leave it unconfirmed, Gray pressed,
“So this wasn’t a request for a date? Truly?”
“Yes.”
‘Truth.’
It was the first time he found himself doubting his own lie detection, yet her words held no falsehood.
“If you have no intention of dating, why ask to meet three times?”
“Because your premise is entirely mistaken. I never asked to date you.”
She spoke slowly and deliberately, as though lecturing a stubborn child.
“And what do you call a man and a woman meeting privately three times, if not dating?”
“Building rapport!”
The Lady of the Pink Flower Field answered with wide-eyed innocence.
“Hah! And why on earth should I build rapport with you?”
“Th-that’s because…”
Dalia’s eyes darted about, frantically grasping for an excuse.
“So you want to meet without dating, yet you have no reason whatsoever.”
“I have my own tastes too, Your Majesty!”
Dalia declared resolutely, staring right back into his eyes.
She could hardly confess the real motive behind her demand to see him, but she had to make it unmistakably clear that it was not a date.
“Your own tastes…”
The Emperor lifted his chin as if to say, ‘Take a good look at this magnificent face,’ but Dalia merely observed him without the faintest sign of fluster.
She acknowledged he was far more handsome than any man she had ever encountered, yet her preferences ran toward novel protagonists.
She favored the warm, gentle men of romantic tales—a standard the Emperor failed utterly to meet.
“Very well, Miss Discriminating Tastes. Would you care to explain why you wish to build rapport with me?”
Her true objective was clear: uncovering his ideal type of woman.
Saying that aloud, however, would only spark another grotesque misunderstanding.
“Um… isn’t it completely natural for a diplomat to seek a rapport with Your Majesty to better understand the Empire?”
“Suddenly you’re a diplomat?”
His brow arched, and Dalia shifted her gaze away in embarrassment.
“Regardless… I am a diplomat…”
“Diplomats from other nations would never dare dream of approaching me so casually.”
“That’s because they don’t share a promise with Your Majesty. Had they the opportunity to strike a bargain with you, they would rush to build rapport as well.”
Dalia spoke with astonishing cheek.
When his eyes narrowed sharply at her, she did not look away this time, standing her ground instead.
“Fine. Since I gave my word to grant your request, I shall honor it. Shall we count this as our first meeting, then?”
“No! This was merely a coincidence!”
“You were the one who called out to me and held a conversation. That makes it no coincidence.”
Dalia muttered under her breath before she could stop herself,
“Stingy…”
“You really are quite skilled at crossing lines.”
“Gasp!”
Dalia clapped both hands over her mouth and scrambled a step backward.
With that, the Emperor raised a hand, signaling his distant retainers.
“Then let us conclude our first meeting here.”
“Already?!”
Dalia’s jaw dropped in shock.
She had not gathered a single scrap of information yet.
“Yes, our first meeting ends here.”
“So fast?”
Dalia asked, her face completely stunned.
She truly had learned nothing.
“Unlike an idle diplomat, I happen to be a very busy man.”
Having brought that label on herself, Dalia could only open and close her mouth wordlessly.
The Emperor walked past her, flashing a smile as picture-perfect as a painting.
The moment he began to move, the two men fell into step behind him.
Yet the red-haired man, passing close beside her, eased his pace just enough to offer a hurried greeting.
“An honor to meet you, Miss. I am Orion Cookdan, His Majesty’s secretary.”
“Ah, plea—”
“Orion.”
The Emperor’s icy voice cut in.
“Yes, Your Majesty! Orion is following right along with great vigor!”
Orion pumped his arms energetically, feigning a brisk march, shot her a cheeky wink, and scurried off behind the Emperor.
So caught up in the confrontation with the Emperor, Dalia had completely forgotten to ask for directions to her quarters, only managing to find her room after happening upon a passing servant.
‘Exhausting…’
Weariness clung to Dalia as she stepped inside, but seeing Annie’s rigid expression made her instantly wary.
“You’re back?”
Dalia blinked at Annie.
Was Annie speaking to her so informally?
“Annie, what’s with you all of a sud—”
In a flash, Annie closed the distance, reached out as if to brush Dalia’s face, and slapped a hand over her mouth.
Dalia’s eyes widened in sheer astonishment as their gazes locked.
Annie wiggled her eyebrows up and down, then pulled her lips tight in an exaggerated grimace.
Assuming it was some sort of facial exercise, Dalia unthinkingly mirrored her face.
“Haaah…”
Sighing, Annie gently picked a stray leaf from Dalia’s hair and stepped back, gesturing toward the woman standing behind her.
“Dalia, a maid has been assigned to our room. She will be looking after us from now on.”
“It is an honor to meet you, My Lady. My name is Hart, and I will be serving both of you starting today.”
The petite maid curtsied politely, then lifted her head.
Her brown hair and brown eyes were plain enough, but the sprinkle of golden freckles across her cheeks lent her a bright, endearing charm.
“Ah… hello.”
Only then grasping the situation, Dalia gave Hart an awkward wave.
“Oh my, you must be dreadfully startled! Miss Annie was terribly surprised just a moment ago as well.”
“No, not at all.”
Dalia shook her head stiffly, her expression completely wooden.
Annie let out a quiet, inward sigh.
The princess truly was hopeless at lying.
“To tell the truth, I was the one most astonished. I was told two ladies of noble birth were sharing a single room, and without even a maid to tend to them! Shall I go speak with the head maid at once to have your room changed?”
Hart poured out words in a rapid flutter, her tone radiating pity rather than anger.
Annie took a step forward, her face entirely impassive.
“There is no need for that. We have already grown accustomed to this room.”
“Oh, but the young ladies from the other noble families are so very particular! Why, just yesterday, I met the daughter of a count from the Kingdom of Sego—”
“Hart, could you please lower your voice a bit?”
Annie cut in, quiet yet commanding.
“Oh dear, have I been too noisy? People tell me that all the time, but I know countless delightful tales, so my ladies are never bored—”
“Shh.”
Annie pressed an index finger to her lips, prompting Hart to giggle softly and mimic the gesture against her own mouth.
“Right. Shh.”
Dalia watched their exchange, then asked carefully,
“By the way, Hart… who assigned you here?”
