Ingrid wanted to run and help the woman. But they were currently standing at the top of a tall building. She looked at Aleric with pleading eyes.

Aleric raised his brow in amusement. She wanted him to use his power again to save the woman, completely forgetting how scared she was when he previously used it.

Aleric shook his head. However, Ingrid misunderstood it and thought he was unwilling to help. She glared at Aleric.

Seeing the judgmental look on her face, Aleric helplessly explained, “My lady, I’m sure you’re quite aware of what kind of face you own. They may not have seen your real face, but I bet they've seen at least one of your portraits. Are you sure you still want to go down there?”

Ingrid pursed her lips. If they found out who she was, they'd surely create a commotion. If that happens, it won't be a matter of time before her father finds out that she sneaked out of her palace with the person that he hated. The chaos that may happen afterwards is unimaginable.

“Don’t worry, Vernon is there,” Alerix coaxed when he saw her pouting like a cute little kitten. It took a lot of willpower not to poke her pinkish cheek.

As if he heard his name being mentioned, Vernon appeared before the crowd. He was wearing a commoner’s clothing, just like when he first met him in their home. On his head was a hat typically worn by farmers, probably meant to hide his noble face that would never pass as a commoner.

Even during their unexpected visit to the duke’s palace, Ingrid noticed how he looked like a mismatched puzzle in those clothes. No matter how he looks at him, his delicately handsome face makes him stand out, even if he wears a rag.

Everyone watched in confusion as Vernon walked towards the woman lying unconscious on the ground. He gracefully picked up the woman in his arms. Then he left with her without saying a word.

Vernon was already gone before the fat man and his bodyguard could make sense of what happened.

“Happy? Now, can you focus your gaze on our guy?” The crown prince said sarcastically.

Ingrid rolled her eyes, but she still did as he commanded.

The fat man waltzes on the crowded street like a king, waving the other passersby’s with his giant body. Those people could only glare at him in silence, in fear of the giant man beside him.

From where they were, Ingrid could easily see the fat man, no matter which street he went.

Most of the time, the fat man would check out some goods displayed by the vendor, intimidate them into lowering the price, and then leave happily after almost robbing the poor vendor with his goods. She was infuriated by it.

Ingrid wished she could wrangle the man by the neck, though he seemed to be lacking one.

Bored of watching the annoying fat man, Ingrid looked at Aleric. They have been observing the fat man for over an hour, yet there is no hint of impatience on his face. Meanwhile, she was about to burst into anger.

He was as still as a lake, without any ripple. Like a predator stalking his prey, his eyes were completely fixated on the fat man, and with such intense concentration, you’d think he wouldn’t notice anything else.

“My lady, I know I’m quite handsome, but let’s not get distracted,” he said, his gaze still on the fat man.

Ingrid quickly looked away, her cheeks flushing as heat rushed to her pretty face.

“Who’s looking at you?” She grumbled.

She once again focused her eyes on the fat man, determined not to get distracted again.

Meanwhile, a faint smile appeared on Aleric’s lips.

Then a familiar scene unfolded. Another woman bumped into the fat man, causing him to lose his balance. However, from where they were, Ingrid could see that this time it wasn’t an accident. The woman deliberately bumped the fat man.

Ingrid frowned.

The woman was wearing a red dress with a high neckline, accentuating her beautiful neck and sharp jawline. Her face was way prettier than that of the first woman who accidentally bumped into the fat man. However, Ingrid, who was used to seeing her own face in the mirror, thought that the woman’s face was nothing but normal.

“By the way, by human standards, she’s quite attractive,” Crown Prince Aleric remarked.

Ingrid raised her eyebrow, obviously confused by his words. She couldn’t see which part of her was attractive, nor did she understand what human standard he was talking about when she was also human.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Aleric stifled a laugh. “If we use your face as the standard of this world, then those who can be deemed above average can be counted with one finger. A few may fall on the average scale, but the rest can only be considered ugly.”

Ingrid wasn’t happy with his compliment. For some reason, she felt annoyed instead. She didn’t like how she was being treated like a species, different from a human. Though the people around her often made her feel that way most of her life, that doesn’t mean she is used to it.

“Wait, is she robbing him?” Ingrid asked in surprise when she saw the woman swiftly take off the ring from the fat man’s finger while helping him up. She acted pitiful while apologizing.

The fat man, on the other hand, waved his hand. He seemed to be telling her that it was fine, his grin almost reaching his ears. He didn’t even notice that another piece of jewelry on his wrist had been taken. Even his bodyguard, who was also enthralled by the woman’s face, did not notice.

“Are they blind?!” She exclaimed in disbelief.

“It’s more accurate to say that they were blinded.”

Ingrid turned toward Aleric. She was taken aback when she found him looking at her.

Ingrid had noticed it before, but his eyes are really beautiful. It’s like she was staring at a pool of amethyst—a mesmerizing pair of orbs that commands attention and admiration.

“They were blinded by what?” She asked breathlessly, and her gaze remained on his eyes as though she were enchanted.

It's quite an ironic twist, if someone would say so. The beauty who is supposed to be the one charming people is the one being charmed.

“Her beauty,” Aleric answered, staring directly at her eyes, making her heart skip a beat.

As though the magic was dispelled, Ingrid shifted her gaze to the woman who was happily leaving, blending herself into the crowd of people. No matter how she looked at her, she couldn’t see the beauty he was talking about.

The fat man must have been deprived of a woman for so long for him to be easily beguiled by such a face.

Ingrid stiffened when she felt Aleric’s presence behind her. He placed his hand on her shoulders and whispered with his deep voice, “If a woman like her can blind a man, imagine what the woman deemed the most beautiful in the world can do."

His words, coupled with the hotness of his breath on her soft skin, made her instantly shiver.

////\

Ingrid let out the breath she was holding when she felt the familiar scent of her room. Though her experience of being engulfed by the darkness while being teleported this time was better than the first, the fear was still there. It’s like she could still feel the ominous darkness crawling on her skin.

Slowly, she freed herself from the crown prince’s embrace. She was about to utter something when a terrifyingly familiar voice suddenly spoke.

“So where have you been at this time of the night?”

Ingrid froze. Like a cranky old metal who had not been oiled in a long time, her head turned to look at the owner of the voice.

Ingrid instinctively pushed the crown prince behind her and protectively stood in front of him to face her father. She was kind of surprised that she did that. But it was already too late to regret her action.

Aleric's lips slightly tugged in amusement. Meanwhile, the scowl on Grand Duke Rasmus’ face grew deeper as he watched what her daughter did.

“P-Papa… what are you doing here?” Ingrid nervously asked. She swept her eyes across the room and found that he wasn’t the only person there.

On his left was Elias, whose eyes were filled with a mixture of worry and relief. Lily was on his other side, whose tear-filled face was full of question and surprise. And beside her was Iris, with a hunched shoulder and head bowed like a soldier who had failed her mission.

“The servants said you were already asleep, but I saw from the garden window that the lights in your room were still on. I thought you were really tired and forgot to turn it off, so I silently went inside to turn off the lamps. But then, I saw that your bed was empty. I panicked and woke all the servants to search for you, but we couldn’t find you, so I sounded the alarm,” Lily narrated, tears once again forming at the corner of her eyes.

Ingrid squeezed her eyes shut in frustration. She never expected that her father would find out this way. Her mind was in clamor as she searched for an excuse that would satisfy her father.

“Papa, I can explain…”

“Your highness,” the grand duke cut her off. “If I am correct, you are leaving for Aradhya tomorrow.”

Aleric nodded. “Yes.”

“And I assume that you plan on coming back?”

Ingrid wanted to speak, but the grand duke glared at her, causing her to swallow back her words.

“In three months time, yes.”

“Then we shall speak when you return,” Grand Duke Rasmus said dismissively and waved his hand. “You may leave, crown prince. And I thank you for taking my daughter home...safe.”

Ingrid looked back and forth between Aleric and the grand duke, completely confused about the situation.

“Then I shall take my leave, grand duke,” Aleric said, bowing. He took a step back, but Ingrid grabbed his hand, her fearful eyes begging him not to leave her alone with her father.

“Ingrid.” The grand duke's deep and low growl made her jump. She helplessly let go of Aleric’s hand.

Tendrils of darkness appeared from within the crown prince's shadow. It wrapped around his body, slowly moving up as though eating him bit by bit until there was nothing left.

Aleric gave Ingrid a comforting smile before the darkness fully engulfed him.

The remnants of the darkness also vanished, along with the crown prince. What was left was the lingering fear that the people in the room felt after what they had just witnessed.

“Ingrid.”

Ingrid flinched at the sound of her father's voice. With her head bowed, she turned to look at her father. Dozens of thoughts are running through her mind as she fidgets with her hands.

She lifted her eyes to see his father’s reaction but quickly looked away when she found him staring at her with a grim expression. Cold sweats started running down her back.

“Ingrid.”

She swallowed and meekly answered. “Yes.”

“Are you in love with the crown prince?”

Ingrid was taken aback. Her brows furrowed, confused by her father’s question. She did expect him to ask what her relationship with the crown prince was, but not outright. She thought he’d ask her about where she went first, when he started meeting the crown prince, and whatnot. Then he’d drop the nuclear question at the end.

She wasn’t prepared to be questioned like that at the very beginning!

Ingrid sighed. With a clenched fist, she lifted her head and met her father’s eyes. Then she answered, “Yes.”