Chapter 468: The Awkward Invitation

Outside in the corridor, Valen and Karson stood side by side against the wall.

Valen shifted his weight and rested one hand at his side, glancing up at the high ceiling above them.

"The little visit to the orphanage went well, by the way," Valen said, striking up a casual tone to break the ice. "We delivered the extra supplies and some money. The staff and the kids were extremely happy to see us."

Karson kept his hands folded neatly behind his lower back, his posture as rigid and upright as a statue. He gave a polite nod. "That is good to hear, Sir Valen. Lord Philia always seems at peace when he spends time down at the orpahange. It is perhaps the only place where he can breathe without the weight of the court pressing down on him."

"He does," Valen agreed softly. He turned his head slightly toward Karson, watching the aide’s sharp profile. "How have things been around the palace while we were out there? Any trouble?"

"It has been quiet," Karson replied smoothly. He paused for a second, letting his eyes shift toward the far end of the corridor before adding, "...at least for now."

Valen let out a low, dry chuckle, shaking his head as he adjusted his posture against the wall. "Why do you say it like that, Sir Karson? As if something terrible is about to drop from the sky at any second?"

Karson turned his head to look at Valen, his eyes calm, and entirely cold. "It is the palace, Sir Valen. Things are always happening beneath the surface, whether we choose to look at them or not. From the mundane daily squabbles of court nobles to far more... unpleasant matters."

Karson lowered his voice just a fraction, stepping slightly closer so his words wouldn’t carry toward the patrolling guards at the end of the hall. "Like Princess Iryna’s sudden poisoning, for instance. It certainly caused quite a panic."

Valen met Karson’s gaze directly, his jaw tightening as his expression became carefully blank. He gave nothing away, but his attention sharpened at once.

"Indeed," Valen murmured. "A truly terrible, unfortunate event. But everything is fine now, isn’t it? The princess survived, the guard patrols have doubled, and security has been tightened."

"Of course," Karson said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Everything is under control."

Valen watched him for a moment, letting the silence stretch out between them. He drummed his fingers lightly against his thigh before softening his expression, allowing a flicker of casual warmth back into his eyes.

"Sir Karson," Valen called out softly.

Karson tilted his head slightly, his expression perfectly rigid once more. "Is there something else you need, Sir Valen?"

"On our way back into the city this morning, I noticed a new restaurant had opened," Valen said, a small, relaxed grin appearing on his face as he leaned back against the stone wall. "It looks pretty nice, honestly. The food smelled good, too. How about we go there sometime when we’re off duty?"

Karson didn’t even hesitate. "I will have to decline, Sir Valen. My schedule with His Highness is quite demanding. I rarely have time for personal outings."

Valen let out a soft groan, chuckling under his breath as he shook his head in exaggerated disappointment. "I didn’t even give you a date or a time yet, and I already got flat-out rejected? That’s cold, Sir Karson."

"I am simply saving you the trouble of waiting on an empty offer," Karson replied smoothly. "My duties require me to be within call of the Crown Prince at all hours. You might want to ask someone else to accompany you."

"That’s the problem," Valen said, taking half a step closer to Karson, leaning his shoulder slightly against the stone wall between them to narrow the space. "I only wanted to go with you. What am I supposed to do now?"

Karson kept his gaze fixed straight ahead toward the end of the empty corridor, completely ignoring the sudden close proximity. "I am sure you can find far better company among the other guards. Or perhaps one of the knights from the outer perimeter."

"They don’t make for very interesting conversation," Valen countered lightly, though his eyes never left Karson’s face. "They talk about horses, swords, and tavern tabs. You, on the other hand... you always seem to know far more than you let on."

"Knowledge in this palace is a burden, Sir Valen. Not a topic for casual dining," Karson said flatly.

Valen watched him closely, his easy grin slowly fading into something much sharper, much more perceptive. The relaxed expression Valen had been wearing faded away. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Karson, his attention suddenly much sharper than before. He leaned in just an inch closer, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous whisper that barely carried across the quiet hallway.

"Still hanging onto that Sir Flio, huh?"

Karson’s posture stiffened at once

The polite mask didn’t slip completely, but the sudden, rigid tension that ran through Karson’s shoulders was impossible to miss. The subtle rise and fall of his chest hitched, and his fingers twitched behind his back before clenching tightly into white-knuckled fists against his belt.

Valen took one more step forward, crowding Karson’s space just enough to cut off any easy escape route. He looked at Karson with a gaze that held zero humor.

"You know the two of you can never be together, Sir Karson," Valen whispered. "Why keep forcing it? Why keep hurting yourself for someone who will never belong to you?"

Karson slowly turned his head. The polite composure was completely gone. Anger flashed in Karson’s eyes as he glared at Valen, his breathing slow and steady despite the tension that had suddenly filled the space between them.

"I don’t think that’s your business, Sir Valen," Karson whispered back.

The silence between them stretched on, growing more uncomfortable with every passing moment. The doors to the Crown Prince’s study remained firmly shut behind them, keeping whatever was happening inside out of sight.

"Perhaps you’re right," he murmured. "It’s none of my business."

He paused, his eyes lingering on Karson’s face.

"But I suppose I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t care about you."