Chapter 115: CAUGHT RED-HANDED

After dinner, Daliah pretended to leave, but instead, she quietly hid nearby—determined to see what Rowan and Logan were really up to.

She had a hunch that her brother was involved in something… suspicious. Or at the very least, interesting.

When she saw the two of them heading toward the underground cellar, her suspicions only grew stronger.

So she waited. Right outside the stairway door, wearing her fancy teddy bear slippers.

Waiting wasn’t exactly her favorite thing to do, but she really wanted to catch her brother red-handed.

She could have gone all the way down to the cellar herself… but truth be told, she didn’t like that shady place at all.

Time slowly passed.

Thirty minutes slipped by, and she was starting to wonder if she should just give up and go back.

But her patience didn’t go to waste.

From the dim stairwell, she finally saw Rowan and Logan coming back up—faces rising from the shadows as they climbed.

At last, they stepped out into the corridor.

At first, they didn’t notice her standing there.

Daliah was right in front of them, arms crossed, wearing the smug expression of someone who had just caught a pair of outlaws red-handed—like a proud little warden.

They only realized she was there when they were already face-to-face with her.

Seeing Daliah standing there, Rowan gave a sheepish smile—like a caught-out outlaw trying to play innocent.

But Daliah just stared at him with wide, unblinking eyes.

Then, without saying a word, she started walking toward him—her teddy bear slippers making a light clack-clack sound with each step, somehow both funny and threatening.

She stopped right in front of him and raised an eyebrow, silently asking with her eyes—

“Well?”

But Rowan stayed quiet not understanding what she meant.

Then finally Daliah asked. “What exactly were you two doing down there?”

“What was I doing? Nothing. I was just showing Logan around the royal palace. He’s leaving tomorrow, after all. He won’t get another chance. Who knows if he’ll ever come back here again.”

“Logan’s leaving tomorrow?” Rowan’s words made Daliah pause.

She suddenly remembered—Logan really was leaving tomorrow. With everything that had happened over the past two days, she had completely forgotten that he was only here as a guest. Not a permanent member of the palace. She completely forgot that she had been waiting here to find out what Rowan was secretly up to.

And out of nowhere, a strange sadness crept into her chest.

She didn’t understand why.

Logan was Rowan’s friend, not hers. He came here for a short visit. So why did it suddenly feel like something important was slipping away?

“It’s not like he is my friend… right?” She thought.

Daliah blinked slowly, still staring at her brother and Logan. Then, as if deciding something on the spot, she clapped her hands together with an excited smile and announced,

“Well then, I guess I’ll join too!”

Rowan groaned internally.

“Why? Weren’t you the one who said you wanted to go back to your room? And weren’t you really excited about tomorrow morning’s training? Shouldn’t you be getting some rest tonight?”

Daliah shrugged casually, already walking past them.

“Yeah, but now I want to show Logan around too—what’s where, what’s interesting. It’s okay if I get a little less rest. That won’t be a problem.”

Rowan rubbed his temple.

He didn’t say it out loud, but a part of him did regret suggesting the tour in the first place. It had been a long day. Especially after that brutal sparring match with Logan. His arms were still sore, and his legs felt like they were made of pudding.

But now that the arrow had left the bow, there was no turning back.

Logan, meanwhile, just smiled politely. “I don’t mind,” he said.

“Of course you don’t,” Daliah said with a grin, looping her arm through his without warning. “Come on, I’ll show you the best spots. Not the boring official ones.”

Before Rowan could protest, Daliah had already started dragging Logan down the hallway like an eager tour guide.

The next hour was… chaotic.

They visited the indoor garden first, where magical lights mimicked real sunlight, and rare flowers bloomed all year round. Daliah twirled around like she was in a fairy tale.

“Look! That one only opens its petals if you whistle at it!” she chirped.

Logan tried whistling too, but missed the note, and startled a squirrel instead. He was a more of a warrior and less nature lover. But Daliah burst into laughter while Logan scratched his head sheepishly.

Next came a balcony that overlooked the entire western courtyard. Daliah insisted they climb through a narrow side corridor to reach it.

Rowan followed behind, yawning every ten steps.

“I’ve seen this balcony a hundred times,” he muttered.

“Then don’t look,” Daliah replied without even glancing back.

Logan, though clearly tired, still took in every detail—the carved railings, the glimmering rooftops below, the soft breeze that carried the scent of jasmine.

For someone who had only come as a guest, it was hard to tell whether he was impressed or just too polite to show otherwise. But he wasn’t complaining—and Daliah definitely was enjoying herself enough for both of them.

They passed by the training yard, the royal library, and even the kitchen hall.

Rowan was following behind.

At one point, Daliah pointed to a wall and said, “That spot over there? I once punched Rowan into it during a duel.”

“You didn’t! I just slipped due to a stone beneath my foot.” Rowan protested.

“Yeah! Yeah! No one ever lose because they couldn’t. They always have a reason,” Daliah smirked.

Logan chuckled, and even that made Daliah feel weirdly proud.

As the palace halls started to dim and the sky outside turned golden, the group finally slowed down near the central hall.

“Did you enjoy it?” Daliah asked genuinely. She wanted to know if she was a successful tour guide.

He nodded. “A lot.”

Rowan slumped onto a nearby bench like a lifeless doll. “There is nothing more left to visit. Can we break off now?”

Daliah rolled her eyes. “You’re the one who offered to show him around in the first place! Why are you looking so tired now?”

Rowan raised one hand weakly. “Yes… but I deeply regret it now.”

She laughed and turned to Logan again. “But you had fun, right?”

He smiled, tired but sincere. “Yeah. I did.”

And for some reason, that made Daliah feel… content.

Even though he was leaving tomorrow.

Even though he probably wouldn’t remember all the silly little corners of the palace she showed him.

But for now, it was enough.

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