Chapter 19
“Because I need it.”
“So, for what exactly….”
“Come to the Grand Duke’s castle later. I’ll tell you then.”
Theo quickly turned away, as if pressed for time.
Strangely enough, Rynix, who was perched on Theo’s arm, showed no sign of moving at all.
It was to the point where she wondered who on earth the creature truly belonged to.
“Are you leaving right away?”
Theo’s steps halted at Liriope’s reflexive question as she followed after him.
Naturally, Liriope’s feet also stopped.
In that instant, Liriope thought, Oh no.
Then, over her head, a low, pleasant voice scattered like music.
“Even if you’re disappointed, hold it in for today. I’m very… busy.”
There was an awkward pause between “very” and “busy,” but since she was absolutely not disappointed, Liriope shook her head wildly and shouted.
“Di–disappointed? Me? Absolutely not! I’m not disappointed at all!”
Her face flushed scarlet as she barked back, and Theo looked at her with the kindest smile in the world.
Liriope felt her already burning face grow unbearably hot, to the point it felt as if she might combust, and she quickly averted her eyes.
“N-no, really. Who would ever be disappointed…”
But Theo still wore that gentle smile.
His voice came out sweeter and warmer than ever, deep and rich.
“Well, actually, I’m the one who’s disappointed.”
At Theo’s words, Liriope fanned her blazing face with her hands, staring at his departing back as he exited the audience room.
And then, suddenly remembering his infuriating way of ending calls, she quickly yelled after him.
“But hey! Next time, when you hang up the communicator, at least say you’re hanging up!”
Theo turned around at her shout.
He looked puzzled, so she raised her voice again.
“Don’t just cut it off!”
“…Then what should I say?”
Apparently, Theo—and everyone else here—thought it completely natural to just end calls without a word.
Liriope, bewildered, explained.
“Something like, ‘I’ll hang up now,’ or, ‘Ending the call.’ I’d really like it if you said a closing line first.”
Theo stared at her for a moment, then smiled faintly and gave a small nod.
“Alright. I’ll do that.”
As he turned away, the fleeting glimpse of his white teeth made it clear that he was grinning brightly at her words.
Even after Theo disappeared from the audience room, Liriope stood frozen for a long while.
She didn’t know whether he had laughed out of amusement or because he was genuinely entertained, but what was certain was that such a radiant smile—teeth and all—was an extremely rare sight.
I want to see it head-on.
Clicking her tongue softly, Liriope thought she would very much like to see that dazzling smile again, straight from the front.
A few hours after Theo had taken Rynix away—
An uninvited guest arrived at the duke’s residence.
Liriope, who had just finished an obligatory tea party and was finally resting, frowned in irritation.
“His Highness the Crown Prince is here, Lady Liri!”
At Gemma’s flustered cry, Liriope, who had been lazily propping her chin in her study, let out a short sigh and sat up straight.
“What now.”
Her voice was tinged with annoyance, making Gemma glance nervously around.
“Of course he must have business if he came.”
At that moment, a platinum-blond crown prince appeared right behind Gemma, speaking directly to Liriope.
Ugh…
Suppressing a long sigh, Liriope rose to her feet and inclined her head politely.
“Good day, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
But Cadin did not look particularly pleased with the greeting.
His beautiful, sculpted brows twitched before he said something utterly baffling.
“Why didn’t you ask me, ‘What brings you here?’”
“…Pardon?”
“You asked that bastard what brought him here, didn’t you? Why do I only get a plain greeting and not the same?”
What the…
“From now on, you’d better ask me the same thing.”
With that, Cadin turned sharply, following Gemma—who hurried to escort him to the audience chamber.
“Good grief…”
Only after Cadin had disappeared from view did Liriope let out a dry laugh.
Why does that brat keep barging into other people’s houses without notice, just to spew nonsense?
Pouting, she stepped out of her room, only to stop when Gemma came rushing toward her in a panic.
“Lady Liri, your appearance! We need to fix your appearance!”
Seeing Liriope heading toward Cadin as she was, Gemma looked scandalized. But Liriope only shook her head and kept walking.
“At least some makeup—”
“What for? Anyway, why does he keep coming without warning?”
“Goodness! Please watch your words, Lady Liri!”
Gemma nearly choked on her own whisper.
Liriope clicked her tongue and entered the audience room.
There was Cadin, sitting as if he owned the place, legs crossed, sipping tea.
“What brings Your Highness here without notice?”
As she asked, Liriope’s eyes fell on his fingers.
She very nearly complained outright—why not use one of the countless communicators in the palace instead of showing up unannounced?—but restrained herself, turning her gaze instead toward Gemma, who had just set a teacup in front of her.
Gemma looked like she was on the verge of tears, biting her lip hard. Clearly, she was begging Liriope to soften her tone.
“I thought you’d be happier if I came without warning.”
But with Cadin spouting nonsense like that, how could her words come out gentle?
“Not at all. Please send word ahead next time, Your Highness.”
Liriope lifted her cup, flower petals floating atop, and spoke coolly before taking a sip.
“I had no idea you were waiting so eagerly for my message. Very well, next time I’ll be sure to notify you first.”
What is with him now…
Liriope stared at him, dumbfounded.
“In any case, today I came with something very important to tell you, Lady… no, Liriope.”
“And that is?”
She set her cup back down on the table, unimpressed.
Anything he called “important” was unlikely to be truly so.
“That bastard.”
But the moment Cadin mentioned Theo, Liriope’s eyes flicked toward him.
Cadin continued.
“Today he took your graduation piece, didn’t he?”
And how would he know that already?
It had happened only hours ago, yet Cadin knew. Clearly, there was a spy in the household feeding him information.
Narrowing her eyes, Liriope wondered which servant was the culprit.
“See? That guy is only using you. He’s not marrying you out of affection at all.”
“It’s not my graduation piece—it’s Rynix. And I asked Lord Theo to look after him for the time being.”
“Do you even know what that bastard plans to do with it?”
“It’s not ‘it,’ it’s Rynix.”
“What you call it doesn’t matter.”
“It matters. He’s a living being I created with my fire attribute, and he has a name.”
“….”
Cadin grimaced but waved his hand dismissively.
“Anyway, aren’t you curious why he took it?”
“Not really.”
Her shrug made Cadin’s eyes go wide.
“Not really? You’re not curious? Why not?”
“Why not? Am I supposed to be curious?”
“Of course you should be! That guy took your—Lady, no, Liriope’s graduation piece—no, Renix—and he’s going to—”
“It’s Rynix, not Renix.”
Liriope cut in sharply, correcting his mistake.
Cadin’s brows furrowed deeply. Clearly, to him, the creature’s proper name was irrelevant.
But Liriope looked straight at him with a firm expression.
“Wouldn’t Your Highness be offended if I called you ‘Caden’ or ‘Cadeng’ instead of Cadin? My child deserves the same respect for his name.”
At the words “Caden” and “Cadeng,” Cadin’s eyebrows twitched.
“…Anyway, do you know why that bastard took ‘Ri’nix?”
“I don’t.”
“Right now, the northern border is suffering from a sudden cold wave. A magical storm. Every flame attached to the Tower’s outer walls has gone out.”
“…Oh dear.”
Liriope quickly recalled the original storyline, checking whether such a phenomenon had occurred.
Since the main plot hadn’t even begun, and the empress hadn’t yet allied with a dark mage, this surely wasn’t anyone’s deliberate scheme.
Still, the North had always endured misfortunes, even without the empress’s meddling.
“That’s why he needs Rynix’s unquenchable flame.”
Unquenchable flame?
Though her possessed body carried fire attributes, she herself had never once used elemental magic since transmigrating.
She had no theoretical knowledge and had never practiced it, so of course she didn’t know.
This was her first time hearing that Rynix’s fire was eternal.
“That guy has always been interested in your fire attribute, Liriope. Because his North is freezing over. Do you know what will happen if you marry him?”
“…”
“You’ll be nothing more than firewood for the North. Your life will burn away pitifully until you die. Yes—you, Liriope.”
Cadin jerked his chin toward her as he spoke.
