Competition

"I-I didn't mean to do it, your highness! I-I was just forced by Hale!" Rohesia immediately put the blame on her companion once she was interrogated by Rowan.

Who looked at her with cold gaze and crossed arms, "He said otherwise."

The ginger-haired girl looked panicked, she didn't know what to do. Technically, Jerome is still Rowan's fiance and she knew that if the crown prince were to order for her head, it will roll without a trial.

Much more since she was evidently at the scene of the crime.

"Tell me... why did you took Jerome? Answer me honestly or being banished from the kingdom will be the less of your worries." The crown prince threatened and she knew it's not empty.

It was out of character for the red-haired man to threaten someone's life, that is why it was more frightening since they won't know what might happen. This also shows the weight of Jerome's existence to the prince.

"I-I was jealous... your highness... I-I wanted your attention... and... and Hale... He would do anything for me... so I took advantage of it... please... please spare me." She begged with her head down.

The crown prince was quiet and it was killing Rohesia, her sweat was cold and she felt like she was going to pass out.

"I don't want to see you around me nor Jerome again. You and Hale. Or else, I'll be the one to judge your lives instead." Rowan said and stood up, leaving the dungeon.

"How's Jerome?" The red-haired man asked his knight as soon as he left, making long strides to the carriage that awaits, on the way to the mentioned lord's manor.

"Complaining since you told the knights to tighten the security on him, your highness." Wystan answered.

"Then he's well."

'Was he really?' The knight thought to himself.

At the said manor, Jerome was having a fit since the knights won't let him out. Even his staff and friends are stopping him.

"How can I even work like this?!" He was fuming, it was a rare sight that Liao couldn't help but giggle.

"A house arrest... even when you're the captive, my lord."

The younger glared at him and the Eastern man hid behind Henry, "My lord, it's best if you rest... I assure you that Sir Liao is doing his best to stand as your temporary replacement." The butler assured.

"Huh?! So, what is he doing here?!" Jerome pointed at Liao.

The two old men kept quiet, their lips were shut in a thin line.

"At this point, he's like a dragon." Dynila, who was in the manor to help with the staff, was also there.

"What he is is a workaholic..." Henry sighed.

"I created a monster." Liao exaggerated.

Soon, a maid approached them, "Sir, his highness, Prince Rowan has arrived with Sir Wystan."

The old Eastern man smiled, "Our saviour is here."

Back at the palace, Empress Liana was at the throne room, facing King Roysce with her twin servants behind her, "I apologize, your majesty... Even I cannot convince Prince Rowan. You know that his conviction is far stronger than any of us." She said with her head down.

The king clenched his fists and took a deep breath, "Yes, I understand... I know that I initially hoped for the two of you to get married; however, there are circumstances in which we cannot control."

The Empress of Ivrecoven looked up at the old man, "Lord Jerome is a great partner for Prince Rowan... I can tell that they're feelings, especially Prince Rowan's feelings would make him a better ruler. You can see how he manage the Lord's abduction himself, correct?"

King Roysce remained silent and the golden haired woman knew that the old man is beyond convincing, she bowed in polite, "Thank you for your hospitality, your majesty... We'll be on our way."

"Be careful on your journey back home."

As the king sighed and stared at nothing with a fierce look on his face, Wyeth, his advisor was just observing quietly by his side.

A few days later, after Jerome was finally freed from his friends', staff's and Rowan's exaggerating concerns by confining him in his manor in fear that he'll be once again abducted or worse, assassinated, he was finally free.

The black haired noble was touched with how concerned they were but it was also quite annoying since he can't move freely.

Thankfully, the crown prince gave in and only let his knights look out for him.

It was all going smoothly the past few days since his abduction and since Empress Liana's visit, which was quite unnerving for Jerome.

He wanted a change of pace, hence why he roamed around the Kingdom Markets, of course with a knight following him.

As he was roaming around, he stumbled upon Duke Marshal.

"My lord." Jerome greeted and the taller smiled.

"Its been a while, my lord. I heard you got engaged?" The white haired man asked making the shorter blush in embarrassment, "Yes..."

Marshal chuckled, "Why are you embarrassed? Don't you like Prince Rowan? If that's the case, then I might help you get away and be my fiance instead?"

The black haired man's eyes widened in shock which made the young duke chuckle again, "It's merely a suggestion."

Jerome sighed and looked away, flustered, "I knew you were flirting since the first time we danced at the fesitval."

"It's an honor that you remembered such precious memory... yes, I was. Initially because Prince Rowan has his eyes on you a lot... So, I wanted to at least defeat him."

The new information made the shorter shocked again making the white haired man chuckle once again, "That expression on you is adorable."

"You're quite shameless."

"I am, now that we're out and about, won't you like some coffee with me?"

Jerome thought about it for a moment before eventually agreeing.

Once they arrived at a cafe, settled and ordered, the young noble eyed Marshal. He noticed that he was his composed self as usual and was thinking if the duke was only teasing him earlier.

"Are you changing your mind about marrying Prince Rowan?"

The black haired man was flabbergasted, "What?! No!" He blushed.

The young duke chuckled once again, making Jerome pout, "Are you merely teasing me?"

"No." The white haired man immediately answered before continuing.

"It would be petty of me but yes, I want to marry you only for the sake of competing against Prince Rowan but also to protect you."

The noble man was confused, "Protect me? From what?"

"From Prince Rowan and King Roysce." The white haired man simply answered since their coffee have arrived.

Marshal first sipped his coffee before continuing, "You do know what happened to the Bertros Family, correct? Since you have their butler as your own."

Jerome nodded, giving the sign for the duke to continue, "It is not true that the family was banished because they stole a precious gem from Prince Rowan's room but it was because, Sir Reid Bertros — Prince Rowan's mentor — was in love with another man and the King thought of it as forbidden, disgusting and shouldn't be tolerated like it was some kind of a disease." The young duke looked annoyed as he told the shorter.

"Sir Reid was also the one who influenced Prince Rowan to see the kingdom for himself and see how everyone was deprived of their needs unlike what his father was saying."

The noble man decided to speak, "So, you mean to say that being around Prince Rowan might make the King move?"

Marshal nodded.

"And how are you certain about it? How did you even know any of this?"

"Sir Reid and his family were at the Northern Frostvale since he was banished, I took him into my region in Prince Rowan's request." The white haired man answered, "And as for if I am certain about it... Did you think that the king only aimed to banish the Bertros Family? They were ambushed as soon as they left Rosaria Kingdom, it was lucky that I was on my way in."

Jerome fell silent, he could tell that his doom might come soon if he stayed around Rowan for long, yet somehow, it was getting more diffucult to do so.

"To be honest, I can understand why Prince Rowan would often eyed you whenever you move. Whenever I was with him in the kingdom when we were younger, he would stare at your young self, running around and about, working so hard to achieve your goals. Then at the festival, I decided that I want to somehow be better than him and danced with you."

The black haired man just listened, "...But I never knew destiny was tying you both together already without my knowledge... Even fate was against me and let Rowan win once again."

Silence between them fell for a moment with only the sound of vendors, people outside and the cafe's silent ambiance were the only ones heard.

That was until the noble man spoke, "Maybe it was never a competition... like me, you were just drowned in envy at what Rowan had but in fact... there are some things that he can't have as long he's a prince and that is freedom..."

Jerome looked down, thinking about it.

In the novel, Rowan still became the king in the end and his face couldn't be seen at all, just some naration and how the people cheered for him, who was at the top of the palace. The readers couldn't tell if he was happy at all or if he had no choice but to take the crown. It was just assumed that he's happy since he was the king.

It was never even said if the crown prince wanted to be the king, it was never mentioned at all.

"He had the most freedom of all." The duke corrected.

The black haired man shook his head, "That may seem so... but can he truly do anything as a crown prince?"

He remembered their moments back in the flower field, how Rowan opened up to him.

The way Jerome defended the prince made Marshal silent and stare at him, he merely smiled at the realization, "With you, I think he could... No one could truly understand him... But it seems like you do."

The noble man blushed a little, "Not really..."

"What are you two doing?"