The Third Prince Of Darkness

♦ (Roxanne's POV) ♦

After a relaxing bath session, I quickly brushed through my raven-colored hair and straightened it. I drew a thin line around my light green eyes and refreshed the rest of my daily care routine. After selecting a beautiful dress with my maid from the wardrobe, I laid it out on the bed without putting it on and headed out of the room towards the kitchen.

I decided to wait to wear the dress until I reached the palace to avoid getting it dirty.

Today, I planned to make a beautiful cake for him. As I entered the kitchen, I ordered everyone else get out and donned my apron before heading to the counter. Humming a beautiful melody, I tried to make the most beautiful cake I've ever made, testing all my culinary skills.

While making the cake, I thought about how Ethan would react to it and whether he would like it, which brought a smile to my face.

Finally, after baking the cake, I immediately put the cake in a crate and used the ice magic to cool them. Leaving the kitchen, I headed back to my room and continued to think about him while dressing. Unfortunately, despite all my efforts, the percentage of his love for me had only increased slightly, but Pipkin told me not to rush.

It was also very difficult to talk to Pipkin for years because she was so tired, and it was normal that creating such an opportunity for me was exhausting even for a being like her. But still, I was worried because I couldn't seem to capture Ethan's interest. When I first met him, his interest percentage was negative, but fortunately, it had now reached fifteen percent.

Although it was growing, it was still very, very slow.

Anyway, no need to let it affect my morale!

Sooner or later, the day will come when I will win my beloved, and while thinking about all the things I want to do with him, I couldn't help but chuckle.

"I will do everything this time to win you over and bear your children in my womb, my love...! But I wish you were only mine, or I could imprison you in a distant dungeon just to make you see only me... Ah, but a perfect man like you will have many wives and concubines... How painful! But at least this time, I will aim to be your favorite consort... My dear love...!"

*A few hours later*

I arrived at the palace in a carriage with the cake box in my hand, but I couldn't find Ethan in the training area where he usually spends most of his time. The palace was so large that finding him would be very difficult, so I decided to ask the servants.

After hours of searching for him, I still couldn't find him, and finally, sweating profusely, I asked the servants to prepare a room and bath for me. After all, I couldn't appear in front of Ethan dirty and sweaty, despite having very little physical contact with him.

Since becoming friends with him at the palace, I have taken care of my cleanliness and tried to look good, And even though I've always tried to look good... I still haven't gotten any praise from him. But now that I think about it, how excited I was on the first day I came to the palace!

Honestly, I still get very excited when facing him, but in the last few years, at least I have managed to temper this bad habit a bit.

After a quick bath, I quickly dressed and left the room to continue searching for Ethan. Even, I asked Queen Luciana and Queen Isabella where Ethan was, but neither of them knew exactly where he was. Finally, with tears in my eyes, I looked at the cake I had made with my own hands.

"But I wanted him to eat my cake..."

"Respected madam! I heard you were looking for Prince Ethan" said a high-pitched voice of a servant.

I turned to the servant and rushed towards her without realizing that my eyes were shining like a child entering a candy store.

"Do you know where Prince Ethan is?" I asked, grabbing her arm out of excitement.

"Y-Yes, madam. I saw him heading towards the eastern lands of the concubine palace" she said.

"Thank you!" I said and tightly hugged the servant out of excitement, but when I noticed the surrounding gazes, I let go of her and ran towards the place she described.

---

---

(Ethan's POV)

The girl whose fall I prevented with my hand was of noble birth, chosen as my palace companion, but initially, I didn't fully trust her. After all, she was betrothed to Fiona's second son, and I suspected she might be a spy for Fiona or her son. However, I doubted this sweet and beautiful girl could be a spy. Besides, Fiona's second son was currently at the Dragon Academy, and they had never met.

So, I didn't want to torment Roxanne and tried to get along with her.

Roxanne's beautiful green eyes and straight black hair are the type that would make any man react. And now, seeing her blushing face would make me doubt my masculinity if my teenage body didn't react. Quickly, before my thoughts could change, I looked at the tray I caught before it fell from Roxanne's hand.

There was some kind of cake on it, and I was quite hungry from the exhausting day, so I quickly distracted myself.

"What's this cake? Is it my birthday today?" I asked, looking at Emilia.

"No, Your Excellency. Your birthday is still far away" Emilia said.

"Then what's this cake for?" I asked, causing Roxanne to startle as she brushed her body against my arm.

"Um... Th-this cake is a cake I made for you, Your Excellency! I made it just for you! With my own hands!" she said excitedly.

When I saw one of the sweetest faces I had ever seen in my life, my head began to ache.

"Ah, I see. Then, with your permission" I said and let go of Roxanne to tear off a piece of the cake and eat it. Feeling the taste melting in my mouth, I finally felt butterflies in my stomach, reminiscent of my old world.

Seeing Roxanne look at me with eyes like a puppy, I petted her head. "It was the most delicious cake I've ever eaten. Thank you."

When I saw blood coming from Roxanne's nose and her entering a trance-like state, I quickly grabbed her in my arms. This girl's biggest problem was that she overreacted excessively at the slightest word of praise from me. When she calmed down a bit, I let go of her arm and stepped back. I didn't want to see her faint or start bleeding from her nose again.

"Well then, I'll go wash up. Emilia, please help Althea settle in for me," I said, and quickly left. As I left, I couldn't help but worry a bit about Roxanne, who still seemed unable to snap out of her trance. Later, I would need to check on whether she was alright.

I quickly entered my room, undressed, and entered the bath prepared for me. I dipped my feet into the bathtub made of beautiful stones and waited for my body to adjust to the cold water. Honestly, if I had wanted, the servants could have boiled water for me, but even in my previous life, I hadn't particularly liked hot baths.

I had always preferred the pleasure that ice-cold water gave me, and it seemed this habit continued in this life as well.

I immersed myself in the ice-cold water and enjoyed the sensation it gave through every pore. Using my habit of spending a long time in the bath, I began to review my thoughts and plans. Now was the time to put one of the most important steps in my plans into action...