KMPEG CH 41

Episode 41

Charlier walked up the stairs of the Salon de Chat like she was the main character. People openly stared at her, and she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she liked it. She saw their attention as something she deserved—as a privilege.

‘Now this is fun. Back at the Imperial Palace, I felt like a shadow.’

Her face lit up. In the palace, there were too many people more talented than her. Her looks were considered average there.

But not in Shairo.

Wherever she went in Shairo, people looked at her with admiration. And she lived her life as if that admiration was just normal.

‘Yeah. This feels right. This is how it should be.’

Escorted by the manager, Charlier entered the Salon de Chat.

Leo was already there.

He glanced up and slightly raised an eyebrow when he saw her.

‘Seriously? Not even a wave?’

Charlier felt a little annoyed, but she didn’t show it as she walked over.

“Leo! How have you been? It’s been forever! I think I saw you briefly at Delphine’s birthday banquet, but I was so busy I couldn’t say hi then.”

She purposely raised her voice cheerfully as she spoke. But Leo didn’t even look up from the menu.

When Charlier got a good look at his face, she was shocked. His eyes were dark and sunken, and his skin looked sickly and pale.

‘Tsk, tsk. Even pretty-boy Leo ends up like this.’

She tried to ignore how bad he looked and kept her tone bright.

“Hey, you’re not even looking at me. Are you super hungry or something? What are you going to order?”

“Crème brûlée.”

‘Seriously? Why are all the guys today ordering crème brûlée? It’s weirdly irritating.’

Holding back her irritation, Charlier smiled and asked,

“Why? Don’t you like éclairs? I’m going to order an éclair. You sure you still want crème brûlée?”

“Yeah.”

“……”

There was a strange coldness to Leo’s tone. Charlier bit her lip and tried to read the mood. This wasn’t going the way she had imagined.

‘What’s going on? This isn’t how I pictured this. I’m the only noble lady left in the city now. Delphine’s out. So why’s he acting like this?’

Leo ordered with an annoyed tone. Then he leaned on the table with his elbows and rubbed his face with both hands.

“I’m tired.”

“Did… did something happen, Leo? You don’t look well.”

Leo peeked through his fingers and asked in a sharp voice.

“Charlier. You don’t have any friends in Shairo anymore?”

“Huh…? W-what?”

Charlier stammered, caught off guard.

“If you had friends, you would’ve heard the gossip. My proposal got rejected. You think I’d look fine after that?”

Charlier lowered her hands under the table and tightly grabbed the edge of her dress.

“……”

Leo kept pressing her.

“Then again, maybe you’re different. You were abandoned by the Empire and still act like everything’s fine here in Shairo.”

“Leo… why are you being like this? Why are you saying such harsh things?”

“……”

Leo dropped his elbows and crossed his arms, staring off into the distance.

“My father says he’s going to remove me from being heir. Just because I got rejected by someone from the collapsing Flerin family. Says it’s disgraceful to the family.”

“……!”

Charlier couldn’t say anything. She knew since childhood how important the heir position was to Leo.

But as Leo kept lashing out, even Charlier was losing patience.

“Leo……”

She reached out, pretending to comfort him.

“Don’t.”

Leo coldly slapped her hand away and spoke in a voice full of annoyance.

“Charlier. You were in the Empire, right? Then you must know. The cursed orb. Do you have it?”

At that question, Charlier’s expression stiffened. She leaned back in her chair.

“What are you talking about?”

“The. Cursed. Orb.”

Leo said each word slowly and clearly, watching her face closely. A tense battle of wills unfolded between them.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Charlier crossed her arms and sharply turned her head away.

“Really? A friend of mine in the Empire said you’re really good at using cursed orbs.”

Still not moving her head, she glared at Leo. He chuckled.

“Rumors spread fast. Fast enough to reach Shairo from Brunic in no time. If the rumor is true, it spreads even faster. Or maybe it’s not a rumor at all?”

Leo’s lips curled into a sly smile. Charlier stared at him like she could kill him.

“If you’ve got one, give it to me. Who knows? If you listen to me nicely, I might even propose to you. In a year. Heh.”

Charlier took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. But her racing heart wouldn’t settle.

‘How much does Leo know? Could he know everything?’

Her eyes trembled slightly with worry. She uncrossed her arms and clenched her dress under the table.

‘No, this won’t do. I can’t let Leo push me around like this.’

Charlier quickly thought of a way to turn things around—and then it hit her. A secret she learned back at the Imperial Palace about Leo’s family.

‘Ah! How could I forget something this fun? I wonder if Leo even knows this. Judging by the way he asked about the cursed orb, probably not.’

Her gaze suddenly changed.

She loosened her hands, crossed her legs, and leaned back comfortably.

Then she looked at Leo slowly, like a predator who had just flipped the game.

“Leo.”

“……?”

“You’re always so greedy. Never satisfied with what you have, always reaching for something higher. Trying to get more.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Leo scoffed, but she continued, unbothered.

“I liked that about you. Your ambition. It reminded me of myself. That ambition is what will help you rise higher.”

“……”

“But Leo, you know… the higher you climb, the harder you fall.”

She placed her hands on the table and leaned in a little.

“…What?”

“What? I can’t hear you. Speak up.”

Still annoyed, Leo grumbled. Charlier spoke firmly.

“Leo, come closer.”

“What?”

He was surprised, but despite his words, he leaned in.

Charlier lowered her eyes and fired off questions one after another.

“Which family do you think is behind the cursed orbs? Who do you think I met at the palace? Who’s supplying the palace with such rare items?”

“How would I know—”

Leo’s raised voice gradually trailed off.

“……!”

He suddenly remembered the boxes he always picked up from the port. The mysterious smuggled goods. No one ever said what was inside.

But Leo knew. Those smuggled goods were the reason the Marbo family lived in such luxury. And he knew they weren’t exactly legal.

“Heh.”

Charlier smiled like she had read his thoughts. She stretched out her slender fingers and playfully touched her fingertips together, then pulled them apart.

Leo spoke in a shaking voice.

“No way…”

“Yep.”

His eyes widened. He opened his mouth, then shut it again. He couldn’t say a word.

“……”

“Leo. Let’s change the question. What happens to families involved in cursed orbs—in black magic—here in Shairo? Or in the Pinyon Empire?”

“……”

Leo stared at her. His eyes were bloodshot and had a sickly yellow tint.

The tables had completely turned. Now Charlier was the one watching calmly.

She leaned in and whispered so only Leo could hear.

“The cursed orbs you want so badly? Ask your dad. I bet he’s got mountains of them stored away.”

Leo clenched his jaw and stayed silent. It took effort to even open his mouth.

“Cha… Charlier… don’t tell anyone about this. Ever.”

She gave him a smug little smile.

“Leo, you’ve got it wrong. If you hadn’t tried to provoke me today, I wouldn’t have said anything. I really, really like you. If we get along and end up getting married, that’d be perfect. As long as you don’t annoy me, I won’t bring it up again.”

“……”

“So be careful.”

Leo ground his teeth and glared at her.

Charlier hummed happily, as if he looked ridiculous to her.

“Hmph, this is so fun. Leo, you only know half the story. If you knew everything I went through at the palace, you’d realize I’m not the same person I used to be.”

“You’ve changed a lot.”

“Exactly. So think carefully about which side you’re going to pick. Let’s try to get along. We’d make a great couple.”

“……”

Charlier clapped her hands lightly, like she was truly enjoying herself.

Then suddenly, as if she remembered something, her eyes widened and she asked innocently,

“By the way, Leo. Who were you planning to use the cursed orb on? Tell me. If I like your answer, maybe I’ll give you one.”

“……”

Leo was quiet for a moment. Then a determined expression came over his face.

His lips slowly parted.

Knock knock.

I knocked on Frederic’s study door. As usual, there was no reply.

“I’m coming in!”