Episode 2 “The Villain Won’t Stop Looking at Me

Eli did not remember leaving the banquet hall.

Honestly, his soul had probably exited his body after the accidental kiss.

One moment he was standing in front of the most dangerous man in the empire…

And the next—

He was speed-walking through palace corridors like a criminal escaping a murder scene.

“Nope. Nope. Absolutely not.”

His face burned with embarrassment.

“I kissed the male lead.”

Not only that—

He kissed the villain prince.

In public.

In front of nobles.

Servants.

Military officers.

Probably someone’s grandmother too.

Eli covered his face dramatically.

“This is worse than death.”

A servant passing nearby looked deeply concerned.

—

Meanwhile…

Inside the royal banquet hall—

Silence still lingered.

The nobles whispered frantically among themselves.

“Did you see that?!”

“The third prince kissed His Highness!”

“No, His Highness pulled him closer!”

“Wait… did Crown Prince Kael SMILE?”

Everyone immediately denied hearing that last sentence.

Because the idea itself was terrifying.

At the center of the hall, Kael calmly lifted his wine glass.

But his golden eyes remained fixed on the palace entrance Eli had escaped through.

Beside him, his aide Cedric looked horrified.

“…Your Highness.”

Kael took a sip.

“Yes?”

Cedric hesitated carefully.

“You usually kill people who touch you.”

Kael lowered his glass slightly.

The memory replayed in his mind.

Soft lips.

Warm body falling into his arms.

And then—

That strange voice.

WHY IS HE EVEN HOTTER UP CLOSE?!

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Because Prince Eli’s lips never moved.

Yet Kael heard that sentence clearly.

Cedric looked nervous.

“…Should I arrest the third prince?”

Kael immediately answered.

“No.”

Cedric blinked.

“…No?”

Kael calmly placed his glass down.

“Send him flowers.”

The entire room froze.

Cedric looked moments away from tears.

“…Flowers?”

Kael’s expression remained perfectly calm.

“Yes.”

“…What kind?”

Kael thought for a moment.

“The expensive ones.”

Cedric silently questioned reality.

—

At the same time—

Eli was hiding behind a bookshelf in the royal library.

Because apparently trauma made him dramatic.

“This is bad,” he whispered.

“Really bad.”

In the original novel, Kael hated physical contact.

One duke accidentally grabbed his arm once…

…and disappeared three days later.

Eli grabbed his own shoulders anxiously.

“So why didn’t he kill me?!”

That was the scariest part.

Kael had looked…

Interested.

Which was WORSE.

A soft creaking sound interrupted his thoughts.

Eli froze.

Slowly—

The library doors opened.

Heavy footsteps echoed across the floor.

Eli panicked instantly.

No way.

No way no way no way—

Black boots appeared between the shelves.

Eli almost cried.

Because only one person in this palace dressed like he was attending a funeral and a war simultaneously.

Kael Veridian.

Eli immediately crouched lower behind the bookshelf.

Maybe if I stay still, he won’t notice me.

The footsteps stopped.

Silence.

Then—

“Prince Eli.”

Eli nearly screamed.

Slowly, he peeked around the shelf.

Kael stood there calmly, holding a bouquet of dark blue roses.

…Wait.

Flowers?

Eli’s brain stopped working again.

Kael walked closer.

Eli walked backward.

Kael stepped forward again.

Eli continued retreating nervously until—

THUD.

His back hit the bookshelf.

Trapped.

Wonderful.

Kael stopped directly in front of him.

Too close.

Way too close.

Eli could smell his faint cedar perfume.

Which was honestly unfair.

“How are you feeling?” Kael asked calmly.

Eli stared at him suspiciously.

“…Alive?”

Kael’s lips twitched slightly.

It happened so quickly Eli almost missed it.

OH NO.

THE VILLAIN WAS DEVELOPING EXPRESSIONS.

This was how horror movies started.

Kael lifted the flowers slightly.

“For you.”

Eli looked around carefully.

“…Who?”

“You.”

“…Why?”

Kael’s golden eyes remained fixed on him.

“You kissed me.”

Eli malfunctioned instantly.

“It was an accident!”

Silence.

Then Kael leaned slightly closer.

“So you admit there will be a next time?”

Eli’s face exploded red.

“THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID!”

For one horrifying moment—

Kael actually looked amused.

Then suddenly—

A sharp female voice interrupted them.

“Your Highness!”

A beautiful noblewoman stormed into the library.

Lady Seraphine.

The woman secretly in love with Kael in the original novel.

She froze after seeing them.

Specifically—

Seeing Kael cornering Eli against a bookshelf while holding flowers.

The atmosphere immediately became dangerous.

Eli internally screamed.

Oh, this looks bad.

Kael’s eyes flickered slightly again.

Like he heard something.

And somehow…

That terrified Eli even more.

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