Chapter 12
“Judging by the way you look, you probably came here without knowing anyone and ended up staying at an inn all by yourself. How pathetic.”
Even though I already looked utterly pitiful, he had to twist the knife with his words. That was just the kind of person he was.
“Th-then what, I shouldn’t be staying alone? Who else am I supposed to stay with?”
“A noble lady staying at an inn without even a servant? If nothing happened to you, that’s the strange part. The fact that someone let a noble girl like you stay alone probably means they were planning to rob you from the beginning.”
So that’s why that damned innkeeper was stalling and told me to go to the town hall. He must’ve figured out I’d run away from home.
“Anyway, help me out.”
“I already paid you back yesterday for the favor you did me. So even if I don’t help you now, there’s no moral obligation on my part.”
If that’s how he wanted to play it, I had another card up my sleeve.
I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want their identity revealed, so I gave him a sly, bitter smile.
In short—I blackmailed Karzan.
“If you don’t help me, I’ll have no choice but to go to the town hall and tell them you snuck into my carriage to get here. I get the feeling I’m not the only noble runaway in this town.”
But he gave an answer I hadn’t expected.
“Then go ahead.”
“W-What?”
“Do as you please.”
“I’m really going to report you, you know?”
“Suit yourself. Just take a good look at yourself in the mirror first. How many people do you think would believe you in that state? But if you want to try, go ahead.”
He was incredibly bold. So I changed my tactic from blackmail to persuasion.
“I know someone’s looking for you.”
This time, there was a slight change in Karzan’s usually indifferent expression. He looked like he was genuinely listening now.
“I saw some people earlier—wearing navy blue uniforms with the imperial crest. Looked like guards. They were searching for a blond boy with blue eyes. That’s you, isn’t it?”
I almost said they were in search gear, but stopped myself just in time. If Karzan knew I recognized search division uniforms, he might start getting suspicious about my identity.
“A blond boy with blue eyes—that sounds a lot like you. They said they were heading this way. So I came looking for you, just in case you were around. To save you—and myself.”
I thought it was the perfect persuasion.
Karzan stayed silent for a moment. After staring at me with a disapproving look, he finally spoke.
“How far are you going?”
“I need to get to Kubaran, but if you could just spare me the money to rent a carriage, you wouldn’t need to take me all the way there.”
In other words—I was asking him for carriage fare.
“Unbelievable.”
Was he shocked because I was asking for money, or because I wasn’t even asking to borrow it—but wanted it as a gift? Either way, that wasn’t the issue.
“My destination is also Kubaran. Unfortunately, we’re heading to the same place.”
Why… why is Karzan going to Kubaran? For what? I stared at him, dumbfounded. I wasn’t exactly thrilled that our destinations overlapped all the way to the end.
“Fine. Let’s travel together to Kubaran. And make sure you pay me back for this favor. I hate owing people, but I hate getting stiffed even more.”
“No, wait—hold on. We don’t have to go together all the way to Kubaran. You can just give me some money.”
I could’ve asked to borrow the money, but I was too afraid we’d have to meet again when I returned it. I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“After giving you that gold coin earlier, I’m broke too. Just come with me to Kubaran.”
I should’ve figured it out when he so casually handed out gold coins.
The old saying came to mind: bad ties are hard to break.
Karzan had wanted to eat at Baba’s Tavern, but after hearing someone was looking for him, he gave up immediately. In his past life, he had a hearty lunch there before being caught by the search team—and said he regretted it. So I guess I helped him avoid that regret.
In any case, we managed to avoid the search party and stopped by a shabby little eatery to grab sandwiches and other food before boarding a rented carriage.
I had assumed that, having grown up in the imperial palace and being only seventeen, he’d be naive about the ways of the world—but I was completely wrong. He looked like someone who’d grown up alone, with a strong sense of independence. Whether bargaining for the carriage or buying sandwiches, he was skilled at haggling.
Of course, I knew he was good at haggling with merchants—but that was when he was twenty. Even at seventeen, he was already smart and capable.
“Tonight, we’re sleeping outdoors. I need to buy a few things—blankets, utensils, cups, that kind of stuff. You stay here in the carriage. I’ll be back.”
Watching a royal buying supplies from a general store while I sat comfortably in a carriage felt strange. Even more so, sitting back and eating a sandwich while he was out shopping.
But I decided to forget that he was royalty. I didn’t want to upset my stomach before he even returned. Gotta eat well if I want to stay healthy, after all.
While I sat in the carriage, clenching my fists in silent determination, Karzan returned. I could hear the coachman loading supplies into the back.
“After riding through the forest for half a day, we’ll reach a valley. It’s a campsite often used by merchants and travelers, so even though it’s outdoors, it’s safe. You don’t need to worry.”
I know. I read about it in a geography book.
Still, I was a little surprised. The way he reassured me like that… It wasn’t like the Karzan I used to know. He was never the type to talk to people so easily.
“Since we’ll be on a forest road, the carriage might be even bumpier than yesterday. Hold on tight.”
I nodded instead of replying and decided to ask him something I was curious about.
“Why are you going to Kubaran?”
“Why did you run away from home?”
“I didn’t run away. It’s a retreat. I’ll be going back in a few days.”
Once the engagement with you gets canceled, that is.
“And I asked first. Why are you going to Kubaran?”
What I really wanted to ask was—why the crown prince, of all people, was heading there at this time.
“To escape an engagement. Let’s leave it at that.”
I was stunned by his answer.
I ran away because I didn’t want to get engaged to him—but why didn’t he want to be engaged?
“Why? What’s so bad about the engagement?”
“Because I don’t know who the bride will be.”
Well, that’s what happens when you’re the crown prince. Just like I had no choice but to get engaged to him because I was a noble lady. The crown prince’s future is already chosen for him by the imperial family.
“That’s not the only reason, though.”
“It’s not?”
“Anyway, why should I be telling you this?”
“Because I didn’t ask. You brought it up. And it’s not like I’m going to go around gossiping—so no need to get so defensive.”
I grumbled out of habit.
It was a bit of rebellious defiance left over from my past life.
“No more awkward questions, alright?”
If this were the palace, with that temper of his, he wouldn’t have let me off the hook so easily.
I figured it’d be best for my safety to avoid seeing him again after we reached Kubaran.
Clatter, clatter.
The carriage rumbled nonstop. Maybe because we had already spent so much time together yesterday, but I didn’t find him as uncomfortable anymore. I stared out the window, and he read a book filled with more symbols than letters—probably a magic text.
All royals could use at least a little magic. It was in their blood. And Karzan, in particular, was said to have been born with the greatest magical power of any crown prince in history.
The Karzan I knew used that impressive magic for changing his eye color or hairstyle—or tormenting me in cold-hearted ways. Of course, he was also always focused on his studies and never far from a book, just like now.
Though people gossiped about his temper and constant disappearances, my father once said that Karzan had the makings of a once-in-a-millennium ruler because of his character.
So… who would want to get rid of a crown prince like that? Did they try to kill him just to destroy my family? Or was he the real target all along?
“Stop staring.”
Even though I had my head down, it was like he had eyes on top of his head—he suddenly looked up and caught me.
“You’re not going to understand this even if you keep staring.”
I’d worried he might think I was watching him, but he assumed I was looking at the book. Thank goodness.
“I wasn’t trying to read it. I just thought it looked interesting.”
“Let’s eat a light dinner. The horses need to eat too, and we should rest a bit.”
We stopped the carriage by the forest road, pulled out the sandwiches, and gave one to the coachman as well.
“This will tide us over until morning. Tomorrow, we’ll make a simple breakfast—pancakes and soup—and set off early.”
“Yes, young master.”
The coachman took a bite of the sandwich and bowed politely.
Even among nobles, those under the age of adulthood are often ignored by commoners. But this coachman was surprisingly respectful.
Or maybe he had once tried to talk down to Karzan and paid dearly for it.
Having seen Karzan use magic to torment people, I knew all too well how terrifying he could be when he turned cold. His red eyes would glow an even deeper red when he used magic.
