Please get me out of this BL novel...I'm straight! novel Chapter 533

"He said that?" Florian whispered, eyes widening as though the words themselves carried a sting.

'Seriously?' His thoughts spun as he cradled Azure closer against his chest.

He hadn't even been looking for this conversation—he'd only set out to find Heinz, but instead bumped into Cashew, who had promptly shoved Azure into his arms and scurried off to look for Heinz himself.

And now here he was—pinned between Scarlett and Athena, both clinging to him like conspirators as they vented about their families.

"I told you he was scary!" Scarlett whispered harshly, her lips pressed into a frown.

"He meant well but… you know…" Her shoulders tensed, fingers fidgeting with her skirts. "He doesn't know what to do with two daughters, not when the first one's already the heir."

Athena leaned closer, her voice softer but just as cutting. "When I first heard it, I was surprised. But then he looked at me and—" She narrowed her eyes sharply, her expression twisting into something cold and stern.

Florian blinked, suppressing a shiver. That mimicry alone was enough to unsettle him. "Like… that?"

Athena nodded, her lips a thin line.

"So he really does look down on anyone who isn't from your kingdom or Concordia," Florian whispered back. The weight of it sat uncomfortably in his stomach. Scarlett gave a sharp nod, her expression almost bitter.

"My mother is… better," Scarlett muttered, lowering her gaze. "But she's so madly in love with Father that she copies him. Everything he does, she mirrors just to impress him."

She crossed her arms over her chest, her voice trembling faintly. "But Amber's even worse. She sneered at me. She sneered."

Scarlett's voice cracked with frustration, pitched just low enough to avoid drawing attention. Her jaw tightened, her fists clenched at her sides.

Florian's brows knit together. He had heard of Amber—Scarlett's older sister, the crown princess of Prospera Dominion.

As far as he knew, the two weren't outright enemies, but there was no warmth between them either. Amber, with her title and pride, had always carried herself like she stood leagues above Scarlett.

"What did she say?" Florian asked gently, stroking a hand along Azure's smooth scales. The little dragon purred happily against his chest, a stark contrast to the storm swirling in Scarlett's tone.

Scarlett's face burned with a mix of anger and shame as she spat, "She said it was shameful that I couldn't even have my own birthday ball. That I was basically below you."

She huffed, chest rising and falling sharply, as though saying it aloud only deepened the wound.

Florian's grip on Azure tightened ever so slightly.

"And you know that's not true, right? You're way above me," Florian said gently, his voice carrying a warmth that made Scarlett's lips twitch.

She flicked her curls with mock pride. "Duh." But then she let out a laugh, soft and genuine.

Florian laughed with her, and Athena's quiet chuckle followed soon after. For a moment, the three of them shared an easy, almost familial kind of joy.

"I don't really care what she says," Scarlett continued, her smile tinged with something bittersweet. "Well, I might've before—back when I thought I had to compete with her. That if I was better, maybe I'd be chosen as crown princess. But now…"

Her voice trailed as she glanced sideways at Athena. The movement was mirrored almost perfectly, Athena sneaking a look at Scarlett at the same time.

"...I don't think I mind, really," Scarlett finished in a softer tone.

Athena's cheeks flushed instantly, a soft pink blooming across her face. She coughed into her hand, trying to look anywhere else.

Florian didn't miss it. His gaze flicked between them, his lips curving slightly. 'Now, there's been some development.' He raised an eyebrow, amused, but his smile turned tender. 'That's good. They deserve this.'

Shifting his focus, he turned to Athena. "What about you, Athena? How was seeing your father again?"

"It's… uhm… great," she said too quickly.

Florian's frown deepened. He caught it instantly—the hesitation in her voice, the stiffness in her shoulders. 'That's not the face of someone happy to see their father.'

"You don't have to lie about your concerns, Athena," Scarlett whispered, leaning over to poke her side with uncharacteristic gentleness.

The fact that he hadn't run into Hendrix even once tonight gnawed at him, a quiet warning at the back of his mind.

He tried to shove it aside—he already had enough on his plate, especially with the supposed letters the original Florian had "received"… or should have received from Floramatria.

The thought lingered like a stone in his stomach.

'I can try to look for Hendrix later, to ask what he's planning… but first, I need to find Heinz—'

"Florian."

His breath caught. The sound of his name froze him in place, sharp and commanding, and yet… oddly warm.

Athena and Scarlett stiffened beside him, their gazes snapping past his shoulder. Their eyes widened almost in unison before they both dipped into graceful curtsies. Around them, the nearby nobles followed suit, the shift in atmosphere immediate and heavy.

"Your Majesty," Athena and Scarlett greeted together, their voices steady despite the sudden rush of reverence in the air.

Florian blinked, heart thudding in his chest, before slowly—almost reluctantly—turning around. And there he was.

Heinz.

Towering, composed, the gold of his attire gleaming under the lights. His presence swallowed the space between them, sharp red eyes locking onto him as if no one else existed.

Florian had to tilt his head up just to meet his gaze, while Heinz looked down, his expression unreadable yet suffocating in its intensity.

"Your Majes—" Florian began, his voice faltering—

But Heinz's hand was already there, sliding to cup his cheek. The gesture silenced him instantly, a faint spark shooting through his chest. His breath hitched.

"It's time for our dance, Florian," Heinz said, his voice low and steady.