You want to make a deal with me?

Carlos laughed again, amused by the genuine shock Avian displayed upon his question, "Oh, pardon me. I'm not doubting; I know you are a woman."

Seeing Avian looking at him like a little scared kitten made him even more entertained. He poked her cheek. 

"Did you really believe I was drunk enough to not notice whether I was kissing a man or a woman? Do you think of me as lowly as the others?"

'Honestly, yes, but I don't think I should say that.' Although she did not mean to disrespect him, she knew saying yes to that question was the same as admitting her disrespect. 

In reality, Avian always played it safely. She had a special drug made specifically by her cousin to confuse people's senses whenever they accompanied her for a sensual night. 

Her secret was never discovered due to that. 

The young woman coughed to hide her embarrassment before trying to move away from the Crown Prince's grip. This unintentionally gave him a clear view of her figure.

Her long white flowy hair was tied in a loose ponytail; her soft features were highlighted by her pale skin and complemented together with her pinkish lips and her rosy irises. 

"You don't look like a man at all; anyone else believing you are a man should be blind."

His voice was slightly deeper than before, making Avian freeze. Her heartbeat quickened as she slowly got off his lap before clenching her fists. 

She frowned before grumbling, "Nobody was able to notice; I suppose I'm just that good."

It was not like she wanted to be a man after all. Or else she could have disguised herself way better. She would not have made the mistake of mingling with men, especially not the Crown Prince. 

Avian wanted to be both. To satisfy her father while not abandoning her real self as well. 

The moonlight seeped through the carriage's window, casting a silver hue on her pale skin. "I never wished to look like one. However, I'm officially a man. You should know better."

"Of course," Carlos nodded without a droplet of shame as he confirmed her last statement, "Since that night we spent together, I kept my eyes on you."

"Of course, that includes doing a whole background check on you. Then keeping you under my gaze."

Stoically, Avian mumbled , "...That sounds a little creepy, don't you agree?"

With a bright smile, Carlos did not back down. "The end justifies the means."

Wiping her face, Avian felt utterly exhausted. Despite her interaction with Carlos being short, the effect was insane. She sat down across from the Crown Prince and unbuttoned her shirt. 

The Crown Prince was staring intensely at her, his gaze darkening at how her chest looked more and more 'feminine'.

Staring at her 'feminine features' that perked up easily with the simple act of unbuttoning her shirt and loosening her suit, the Crown Prince gulped thickly.

It had been a while since Carlos felt the need to adjust his posture to avoid embarrassment.

"Ah, finally some freedom."

"Isn't it suffocating to hide this all behind a suit?"

"Just a little bit," she groaned while massaging her head. Her headache was finally coming back after everything seemed to have ended. 

The Crown Prince's heart ached a bit; he could not help but get up and sit next to her. Hugging her shoulder gently, he tried to soothe her, "It will be fine. I will make sure no one knows about your secret, and I will be your patron too."

"..."

But to his confusion, his proposal was met with silence. Which made him ask again, a little worried. 

"What's wrong? Do you not like my proposal?"

Shaking her head helplessly, Avian struggled to get her next words out.

"Carlos, there is nothing for free in this world. What happened between us was nice—probably enough to make you help me once or twice. But to be my patron? There are limits for kindness."

What an answer. Giving her a weary grin, the Crown Prince was silent for a while. 

He did not calculate this much. In a boring afternoon, he received the news that the person who he almost had a one-night stand with was about to be thrown out of her house, and so he thought it was going to be interesting. 

Thus, he did not hesitate to come and pick her up. But now that he thought about it again, he could never tell her this. Avian was not a random pet he would pick up on a whim; she was a human being. 

What started as a whim was most likely going to end on a whim, too. 

Such a thing would never make Avian feel comfortable; living in fear daily would never be the lifestyle he wanted for her. 

In the end, he was able to rack his brain to come up with a different story. Fortunately, he was not absolutely helpless in that regard as the Crown Prince. 

"We should make a deal."

"Ah? You want to make a deal with me?"

Carlos nodded while carefully patting her shoulder. 

"Just a simple one. I will be your patron, and you will establish a faction for me in the Royal Academy."

"Huh?" Avian asked in confusion, "It's the Royal Academy. Practically, your place. And above all, you and your siblings aren't even fighting to need your own—"

With a swift peck on her cheek, the Crown Prince cut her off, "Nuh uh, little Avi, calm down and stop the assumption. You don't need to know everything now since you have a headache."

"That…"

Despite wanting to protest, Avian was coaxed into silence by the Crown Prince: "Rest on me for now, would you?"

As reluctant as she was, Avian agreed with the Crown Prince on that one. She closed her eyes, leaning on his broad shoulders while seeking safety and comfort. 

"Okay, Carlos. I will be in your care then."

'After all, I have nothing left for me to do for now.'