(Evelyn Pov)
Life in the imperial palace draining in its own way. Every smile was loaded with meaning, every word laced with hidden intent. Even the noble children she met had already mastered the art of weighing the worth behind polite expressions. I loathe it all.
Then there was Amos E. Kyros.
She remembered him from last year very clearly.
A strangely bold boy sat perched on a tree branch in the royal garden, stealing imperial fruit while locking eyes with her without blinking for nearly three minutes. At the time, Evelyn had truly wondered what he was thinking about in his minds. Then, without hesitation, he threatened the knights with arson.
It was an unforgettable first meeting—something no ordinary noble child would dare. Perhaps his courage came from his family stands.
“He is kept glancing at me,” Evelyn thought quietly while watching him speak with her father.
But every single time their gazes were to meet, he immediately looked away.
Which only made her more curious and conscious about it.
Especially because Amos did not seem like the type to fear anyone.
Even now, while speaking to the emperor himself, he remained strangely composed despite speaking to the most powerful man in the empire.
“He really is interesting.”
Then her father mentioned the royal garden incident.
Evelyn failed to suppress her laughter when Amos weakly defended himself with a simple reason of:
“In my defense, your majesty. The fruit was very sweet.”
Ridiculous, one ridiculous boy.
And yet somehow very endearing.
The surrounding nobles were shocked to hear him address the emperor so casually, but Father looked nothing but amused—and that said a lot. Few could genuinely entertain her father the emperor, yet nearly everyone with the blue blood of Kyros seemed to pique his interest. The House of Kyros had been tied to her family since its very founding.
“You have been avoiding looking at me all evening,” Evelyn pointed out calmly.
Amos answered politely enough.
She caught it right away—the subtle stiffness in his shoulders, the brief pause before he answered, the careful way he avoided meeting her gaze.
He is nervous.
Amos was nervous around her.
That realization alone almost made her smile again.
Then he brought out the birthday gift.
The moment the black case bearing the Kyros crest appeared, Evelyn already understood it would be excessive. House Kyros never did things halfway.
She was taken aback when she saw the bracelet—beautiful ancient silver, a pure mana crystal, and intricate rune craftsmanship. It wasn’t just expensive; it was carefully chosen, personal enough to feel thoughtful without overstepping proper boundaries.
Evelyn gently stared at the bracelet while nearby nobles nearly lost composure over its value.
“A very thoughtful gift,” she said honestly.
Then, Lord Aros casually destroyed his son’s peace.
“It was Amos who selected it.”
Silence spread briefly.
Evelyn looked up immediately.
And there it was.
For the first time tonight—
Amos looked genuinely flustered.
“Ah.”
Something warm fluttered faintly inside her chest.
Because suddenly, it all made sense—the lingering stares, the awkward avoidance, the nervous fidgeting, the thoughtful gifts, and the way he could hardly meet her eyes.
“No way.”
Evelyn lowered her gaze toward the bracelet again.
Then slowly looked back toward him.
“For someone who keep avoiding me your gift is very thoughtful.”
He closed his eyes briefly afterward like someone accepting death.
Cute.
And when he answered.
“It's only fitting for the princess.”
—his voice sounded calm, but Evelyn noticed the faint tension beneath it immediately.
Which made her misunderstanding worsen completely.
He’s probably liked me at least a little, maybe even since last year.
The thought appeared naturally now.
Evelyn suddenly found herself unable to stop smiling slightly.
So before accepting the bracelet fully, she leaned just a little closer and spoke softly enough that only nearby people could hear.
“Especially since you chose it personally.”
The reaction was immediate.
Amos looked internally devastated.
Evelyn nearly laughed again.
How amusing.
Tonight’s banquet had finally become interesting.
Evelyn felt like she was beginning to understand why her father always found the Kyros family so entertaining.
...
As the orchestra eased into a new melody, the banquet hall’s mood shifted. The earlier hum of greetings and political chatter gave way to something lighter—the dancing had begun. Nobles paired off and drifted toward the center of the grand hall under the glittering chandeliers, while servants quietly made room. Evelyn stayed seated beside the imperial family, poised and graceful, her calm demeanor unbroken.
Still thinking about one particular boy.
Her gaze drifted almost instinctively toward Amos again.
He looked like a man preparing to run away to a faraway land.
“Why does he look so tense?” Evelyn wondered to herself
Many young ladies continued glancing toward him from afar.
Which was understandable.
Amos truly stood out whether his status or his faces even with his terrible reputation.
The emperor noticed her expression instantly.
“Found something fun?” he asked leisurely.
“A little fun.”
“A little?”
Evelyn calmly sipped her tea.
“The Kyros is truly entertaining.”
That earned a soft laugh from her father.
“Yes. That family has always been troublesome.”
Troublesome.
That was certainly one way to describe them.
The music shifted once more, this time to a slower, more formal melody. One usually reserved for nobles of high rank. The change brought a subtle shift in the atmosphere, and nearby young nobles began to steel their nerves. Everyone knew what was coming: the princess’s first dance invitation of the night.
Evelyn quietly suppressed a sigh from coming out.
The first son of a marquis approached.
Then another.
Then a duke’s heir.
How boring.
She rejected each gracefully with proper imperial etiquette while the emperor watched with obvious amusement.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Amos slowly making his way toward the edge of the hall.
“….”
Where is he going?
Evelyn stared at him in disbelief.
The moment attention shifted away from him; Amos was genuinely trying to flee the ballroom with his sister and maid.
Her lips twitched.
How fun.
Before she fully realized what she was doing.
“Amos.”
The hall quieted slightly.
Amos stopped his escape.
He turned around.
“Your Highness?”
Evelyn rose gracefully from her seat.
Then, with perfect composure, extended her hand slightly toward him.
“Would you honor me with a dance?”
Several nearby noble's child looks devastated.
Meanwhile Amos himself looked like his soul had temporarily left his body.