Chapter 61……………….
Why are you all staring at me like that?
If you didn’t want to hear it, then don’t shout it right in front of me. I heard everything—so what now? I don’t have that kind of “courtly courtesy” where I pretend not to hear someone speaking right before my eyes.
“Hey, I have ears too.”
I glared at him with both eyes wide open.
“You just said that an important figure is coming to the imperial palace, right? Someone so important that you rushed to inform the prince personally. Whether that person is male or not is very important to me. So can’t you answer me immediately?”
Faced with the terrifying villainess pressing him as if she were going to devour him, the official began sweating profusely.
“W-well… he is, um, a young man, but…”
“Really a man? I knew it! So, who is he?”
“I’m sorry, Your Grace! I can’t say anything more! Since it concerns national security, if I reveal more, I’ll have to write a formal report…”
“Ah.”
I immediately backed off. No matter how uncultured I am, writing a formal report was absolutely off-limits.
“Then you should’ve said so from the start. Fine, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear anything.”
“Thank you!”
Finally freed from my pressure, the official ran off with a face that looked like he had aged ten years, leaving only Zikren standing there.
He looked at me with a very reluctant expression.
“Aristina, you…”
“Sorry, something urgent came up all of a sudden.”
I smiled gently and stepped back.
“See you next time, Zikren.”
Anyway, my business here was done. Since Luelian had gathered the information, I had to hurry and go to him.
Leaving Zikren blinking in place, I exited the imperial palace and immediately hailed a carriage.
“To Belmare Harbor.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The carriage turned and started moving quickly.
Back alleys of the harbor
Even though I pulled my robe tight around me and buttoned up my collar, people immediately recognized me and looked away.
-That’s the one who holds the key.
-What? Really?
Such murmurs might have been expected, yet remarkably, not a single stray word escaped. Not even if the emperor appeared, could it be this quiet.
She really has a tight grip on these people.
I thought this as I entered the chapel.
Taking the elevator down, I arrived at the same space as before.
Luelian was standing in front of the stained glass, going through several documents. When I approached, he glanced at me.
“You’re quick. I just sent the note not long ago.”
“It flew here. I already checked the desk thoroughly.”
There’s probably no one as diligent for survival as I am.
Feeling that sense of pride, I relayed everything I had discovered from Eunice’s desk.
The white ashes on the plate. The portrait with the duchess’s face carved out to replace her position. The paper used for practicing signatures.
And the family codebook.
Luelian listened carefully to all of this and then asked,
“What’s on pages 12 and 13 of the codebook?”
“I knew you’d ask that…”
I pulled out the codebook I had rolled up in my bag.
“I even brought a whole copy with me.”
“Well-prepared, indeed.”
He took it and opened to page 12. After reading, he nodded.
“I can roughly see what they’re planning.”
“What is it?” I asked.
“What did you find? It says to be cautious of men. What does that mean? Aren’t you a woman too?”
“It means to be wary of men who approach with ill intentions.”
Luelian pulled one of the documents from the desk and placed it in front of me.
“Tomorrow, there will probably be a big article. About a certain person arriving in the empire.”
“Arriving?”
I tilted my head.
“From another country to our empire?”
“Yes. Since he’s a foreigner. And he’s even a prince.”
“Ah…”
I recalled the conversation between Zikren and the official earlier.
So that’s it. A foreign prince had applied to enter, and the official rushed to inform us.
“But which country?”
“The maritime kingdom of Neaplisia.”
A name I didn’t recognize.
“If you’re interested in trade, you might’ve heard of it. It’s made up of several islands, small but wealthy. This time, the king’s third son, Prince Istahn, will briefly stay in our empire…”
Luelian continued.
“Eunice’s group seems to have approached him and secretly recruited him.”
“Huh? Even though it’s a small country, the prince?”
“Yes. Even as the chief aide of a duke’s household, he’s still an ordinary person. A very difficult feat. That’s why I said there must be someone issuing orders from behind the scenes.”
Luelian spoke with a cold smile.
“Their plan is to use Prince Istahn to trap the princess. Reading the codebook gives me a rough idea. Here, look at this.”
I read the passage he pointed out:
“The three heirlooms passed down by the first head of the family (the necklace, sword, and mirror) are treasures that must be preserved at all costs. If any family member loses one or gives it into another’s hands, they will be permanently expelled from the family.”
Ah.
I finally understood.
“The key to the operation was the necklace. While everyone focused on the ship, they plan to use the first head’s necklace, necessary for successor verification, to manipulate things.”
“Exactly.”
Luelian nodded.
“You are the carefree only daughter of a wealthy duke, with no experience in love. Only unrequited crushes, and you were pitifully rejected even then.”
“I rejected the crown prince!”
“While you are in that state of denial and despair, you meet the foreign prince.”
He continued without acknowledging me.
“Love at first sight, marry me. You’d fall for those sweet words and do anything the prince says. ‘Since we’re going to be one family anyway, let me see the heirloom necklace.’ Then, the prince loses the necklace.”
He spoke as if it were an obvious tactic, without hesitation.
How much scandal this incident could cause. Then, how the prince would be reported to be embroiled in various bad rumors in his own country.
The unfortunate princess, seduced by a vile man and losing both her heart and the heirloom.
“The duchess’ daughter’s reputation will hit rock bottom, and according to family rules, she’ll be permanently expelled.”
“Hmph!”
After hearing it all, I scoffed.
“Sure, it’s a vicious plan, but do you really think I’d fall for it? Dream on.”
This operation had no chance from the start.
There was one thing Eunice and the others didn’t know. I am in no situation to be swayed by a man’s seduction. Right now, survival comes first.
“Hmm?”
Seeing my reaction, Luelian raised his eyebrows slightly.
“You shouldn’t be so confident.”
“Why?”
“This prince… even in the empire, his portraits were famous. A once-in-a-century handsome man, eloquent, with a charm that captivates anyone who meets him. There has never been a woman who didn’t fall for him.”
“Ah, really?”
A face so enchanting that even eye contact could overwhelm someone?
A supernatural beauty impossible to resist. Then I should be cautious—but I am still human, after all.
“Let’s see, the portrait… Ah, here it is.”
Luelian pulled the prince’s portrait from the documents and placed it in front of me.
“Look.”
I looked down at it tensely.
“……”
Silence.
Hmm…
Uh…
I blinked slowly.
In the portrait was a young man with reddish-brown hair and deep green eyes. Definitely attractive. But…
“Is this what he really looks like?”
“Have you already fallen for him?”
Luelian frowned.
“Get a grip. If anything happens to the princess before our contract is properly concluded, my life is at risk. That’s why I said, a girl like you, with no experience in love, would immediately fall for a handsome man’s sweet words.”
I looked at Luelian, who said that.
This man, with perfect eyebrows slightly furrowed.
His violet eyes sometimes charismatic, sometimes playful.
Wearing simple black clothes, yet exuding natural dignity and authority as if in royal robes.
“……”
Do you really live without looking in a mirror?
Anyone could see that your face is far more dangerous.
Even just around here, Aldensis and Zikren are far more dangerous than this prince.
It was ironic.
Well, facing the faces of past suspects every morning, noon, and night turned out to be unexpected training.
Compared to the three, this “dangerous” Prince Istahn was just a ‘handsome man with charm.’ It had no effect on me at all.
Should I even be thankful for this?
I stared sullenly at the distant mountains.
