Chapter 4

Thump.

For a moment, everything was silent, and Roxanne froze. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, and there right in front of her stood the man.

Killian Lunnart.

He looked exactly as she remembered. Tall, well-built, with a handsome yet cold face, as if untouched by emotion. His gaze was sharp, yet empty revealing nothing. Beside him stood Eden, his loyal aide, equally familiar to Roxanne.

Memories from the past surged forward without warning. But Roxanne did not let them show.

She lowered her head at once, offering a graceful bow despite the way her heart was beating faster than usual.

“My apologies, Your Grace.” Her voice was calm. Controlled.

Killian glanced at her briefly.

“It’s nothing.” The reply was short. Flat. Emotionless.

Roxanne felt her fingers slowly curl within the folds of her gown. Still the same, not a single thing had changed.

“Duke, this is my sister Princess Roxanne,” Rion said cheerfully, as though there were no awkwardness between them at all.

Roxanne lifted her face slightly, looking at Killian. For a brief moment, their eyes met, but there was nothing there.

Killian let out a short breath.

“Oh.” Just one word, no greeting, no interest and not even the slightest effort to know her.

As if Roxanne… was no one. Her jaw tightened faintly, but she lowered her gaze again, keeping her expression composed.

Just like before, nothing had changed.

Killian then turned his attention to Rion.

“If there’s nothing else, let us go see His Majesty the Emperor. I still have many matters to attend to.” His tone was firm, devoid of pleasantries.

“Alright,” Rion replied casually, even offering a small smile. “You really are impatient.”

Roxanne bowed slightly once more.

“My apologies for delaying your affairs.”

Killian cast her a brief glance.

“It’s no great matter.” That was all.

After that, he gave a short nod out of courtesy, then turned away without waiting. His steps were steady and swift, as though even a single wasted second was unacceptable to him.

Eden followed silently behind.

Roxanne remained where she stood. Her gaze lingered on Killian’s retreating back as he disappeared down the corridor.

Cold, distant and untouchable. Exactly as she remembered.

Nothing had changed.

“The Duke has always been like that, Sister,” Rion’s voice came from beside her, breaking the silence. “I hope you can be patient when you marry him.”

Roxanne turned her head slowly. Her expression had already returned to calm. She was even… smiling. A soft, graceful smile, just as expected of a princess.

“I hope my patience is as vast as this empire,” she replied lightly.

Rion chuckled, taking it as nothing more than a joke. But he did not know behind that smile, there was no patience left.

Roxanne looked once more toward the corridor where Killian had vanished.

Her eyes were calm. If in her previous life she had been the woman who waited… who hoped… who endured then in this life, she would do none of those things again.

Killian Lunnart might not have changed. But Roxanne was no longer the same.

Rion was gone. His footsteps faded at the end of the corridor, leaving Roxanne alone in the long, cold silence of the palace.

She remained where she stood, her gaze fixed on the direction Killian had taken, as if his shadow still lingered there.

She did not move.

Instead, her mind returned to the same question.

What exactly could make that man feel drawn to someone?

In her previous life, she had tried everything. She had been gentle, obedient, never demanding. She restrained herself, hoping that one day Killian would look at her even just a little.

But it never happened.

Slowly, Roxanne raised her hand and placed it over her chest.

Back then, whenever she was near Killian, her heart would race. Just seeing him was enough to make her nervous… and hopeful.

But now there was only calm.

The feeling was still there she knew that much. But the pounding heartbeat that once overwhelmed her had simply… disappeared.

Roxanne lowered her hand.

“Killian…” she murmured softly. She fell silent for a moment, staring blankly ahead, before finally whispering.

“Could you… ever fall in love with me?”