Ludwig paced restlessly in his office, visibly agitated.
“Hmph, how long has it been since I sent that golden leaf to Ian? I had it magically shielded, and yet you sent some insignificant fools? Elias, do you really think this makes sense?”
“It does make sense, but…”
“Really? You think this is reasonable?”
“Even for a Crown Prince, summoning the head of the magic tower on a whim is overstepping. And I’ve heard he’s been up all night dealing with monsters that frequently appear across the continent.”
“What about unofficially? Ian is my cousin, isn’t he?”
Ludwig turned to face Elias, hoping to get his approval, but Elias’s demeanor did not waver.
Unable to gain Elias’s approval, Ludwig turned to Leo, the chief steward standing nearby with an awkward expression, his face freckled and puppy-like that day.
“You’re right, Your Highness.”
“Ha, see? I’m right. And you’re the new chief steward, Leo, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I like you. Everyone else around me keeps telling me I’m wrong… Anyway, you’ve heard the rumors, right?”
“What would that be?”
“That I’ve been stuck in the palace without proper attendance. I need that resolved as soon as possible.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
As Leo hurried out, Ludwig turned to Elias.
“He’s the youngest son of Duke Dominic, right?”
“So I’ve heard.”
Ludwig moved from his desk chair to a comfortable sofa, signaling a shift to a more personal conversation.
“I’m not sure what Duke Dominic was thinking sending his youngest son to be a chief steward, but keep an eye on him.”
Ludwig’s expression suddenly turned cold.
“Did you find the one who stole the bracelet?”
“It’s not easy. The bracelet disappeared without a trace. All we know is that it was someone familiar with the palace layout and close enough to the Crown Prince to know where the treasury is.”
“How many people could that be? There are countless who come to spy on the palace daily under the guise of seeking an audience.”
“That’s true. Who knows the location of the treasury?”
Ludwig furrowed his brows in thought.
The only ones who knew were Ian, Alfred, Elias, and Robert, who had played hide and seek there in their childhood.
“…”
“…”
When Ludwig and Elias’s eyes met, the culprit was clear.
“…Alfred. When I find that bastard, I’ll make sure he can’t run. Find out where Alfred is.”
***
The day he arrived at the inn, an enigmatic young man appeared and rescued Gale from a predicament, causing Gale to strut around him as if he were the Crown Prince himself.
After indulging in fine meat and wine, his mood lifted, and he declared he would pay for everyone’s meal in the hall.
It all happened before Ariel could even attempt to intervene.
“Haha, I felt like I’ve seen you at the Imperial Elton Academy. It’s truly a pleasure to meet you.”
Gale was incredibly grateful to the young man who recognized his status and preserved his dignity. He clung to the hand he was holding, rubbing his cheek against it in a display of affection.
“Haha, I’m the one who’s more delighted. Imagine running into the prince I admire so much in this place?”
As Ian played along, Gale hoped fervently that he would get drunk quickly, as he was starting to get annoyed and bored.
It seemed as though Ariel had read Ian’s mind, as she leaned her chin on her hand and stared intently at him.
Feeling awkward, Ian got up to avoid Gale’s clinginess and approached Ariel.
“The air’s quite stuffy, shall we go out for some fresh air?”
Ian asked with a smile, extending his hand. Ariel hesitated briefly before declining his hand but stood up nonetheless.
Outside the inn, the surroundings were forested, and a river was not far away. The river, swallowed by darkness, churned black waves. Ian and Ariel sat on a bench.
“It’s quite dark, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I can’t see anything.”
“How about this?”
Ian lit up the leaves with magic, making them shimmer in various colors.
“Wow! It’s so beautiful. Are you a mage?”
“Um, let’s just say I’m an apprentice mage.”
“Unbelievable! An apprentice mage? The empire’s mages must be incredibly skilled then. If an apprentice can do this, the Archmage must be… Wow, just thinking about it is amazing.”
Ariel suddenly became very talkative, her excitement showing. Her beautiful violet eyes sparkled as she smiled brightly. Ian was momentarily lost, just watching her.
“That’s really impressive.”
Ian gazed into her eyes and smiled tenderly. However, Ariel, avoiding his gaze, cautiously said, “It’s quite troubling, seeing you so kind and charming can be very problematic.”
“Is there a problem?”
“It’s a big problem. I don’t want to become rivals with Gale.”
“Rivals?”
At Ian’s question, Ariel blushed and lowered her head.
“…You’re especially close to him, aren’t you?”
“What?”
Ariel asked gently, sensing his confusion. Normally, this might have made her burst into laughter, but feeling Ariel’s concerned heart, Ian asked seriously.
“Why would you think that?”
“Aren’t you his lover?”
“That’s not the case.”
“I thought you were his lover…”
“Thought?”
Ian echoed her, gently looking at Ariel, whose gaze remained on the ground.
“I was relieved, thinking if you were his lover, you might also cover the food bill.”
Ariel seemed genuinely disappointed.
“We’re not in that kind of relationship, but I’ll pay for the food since I invited you.”
“An invitation?”
“Today’s my birthday. So feel free to eat all you want.”
“Oh, I see. But I didn’t bring a gift…”
Ian was inwardly pleased with the lie he had thought up on the spot, but seeing Ariel accept everything at face value made him feel uneasy.
“You can give me the gift the next time we meet. Just grant me one wish.”
“Okay, I will do that.”
Ariel smiled innocently, and Ian smiled back, but with a different intent. She seemed unaware of how dangerous it could be to promise to fulfill someone else’s wish.
‘To agree without even knowing what I might ask for…’
It was time to leave.
“I should be going now. I’ll see you again.”
Now, shall we help Rossini capture Alfred?
***
Alfred’s appearance was a sight to behold. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was awkwardly clinging to his pants as he fell to the ground with Rosini, the Assistant Archmage.
“Damn it, Rossini! Who uses teleportation magic so recklessly? What if we had died from the fall?”
“You were meant to die anyway.”
Ludwig approached with a menacing look, his face filled with murderous intent.
Alfred flinched and bowed his head as Ludwig bent down to meet his eye level and lifted his face by the chin.
“My dear cousin, where did you pawn my bracelet?”
“Well, that… I was in a hurry and just left it with someone. I was actually going to put it back in its place as soon as possible.”
“Oh, is that so?”
Ludwig suddenly stood up, eyes blazing with fury. Just his glare seemed enough to kill Alfred.
“Who’s your accomplice?”
“…”
“Trying to keep your honor, are you?”
“No, no, it’s not that. It’s just that I happened to be with a woman named Gailis…”
“Where is she now?”
“Well, she said she took a ship to earn the money for the bracelet… She’s keeping my younger brother as a collateral until she can pay back. You could use a servant anyway, couldn’t you?”
“Ha, a servant in place of my bracelet… Some excuse.”
Ludwig raised his foot as if to stomp on Alfred, but Elias intervened.
“Your Highness, it might be wise to meet the younger brother. Don’t you need a servant?”
“Is that the best we can do right now? It can’t be helped.”
Ludwig glared coldly at Alfred sitting on the ground one last time, then turned and left.
“Elias, bring the teleportation scroll Ian gave me.”
“Where are you going?”
“My stomach is churning; I’m going to the hot springs.”
“That doesn’t make any sense…”
Elias touched his forehead, looking troubled.
“Anyway, prepare to go to the Laurelaine Forest hot springs.”
***
Gale, suffering from a hangover from the night before, had breakfast at the inn and then disappeared after mentioning he would stay for a few more days.
Having returned to her room, Ariel opened the window, and a breeze swept through, tousling her hair. She gazed out at the clear sky and felt a sudden urge to go somewhere.
“Anna, shall we go to the river next to the inn?”
“That sounds wonderful, Princess!” Anna responded with excitement.
The river they had seen during the day was clear and transparent; the riverbed was visible and shimmered under the sunlight.
Carefully descending the path to the river, Anna stepped into the shallow water, “Come in quickly, Princess!”
Anna waved cheerfully, beckoning Ariel who responded with a slight smile and joined her in the river. The two splashed water at each other, laughing heartily without a care as to who started it.
Ludwig, who had just arrived at the entrance of Laurelaine Forest, turned his head towards the boisterous noise. He saw two women in the river, joyously splashing water at each other and laughing.
“Elias, what are those women doing?”
“They’re playing in the water.”
“…Hmm.”
Ludwig looked puzzled by Elias’s explanation, then smiled and remarked, “Aha, a hot spring for the commoners, I suppose.”
As he was about to turn away nonchalantly, droplets of water suspended in the sunlit air sparkled like jewels, illuminating the carefree laughter of a young girl, giving the scene the appearance of a picturesque landscape.
Especially striking was the pinkish hue in her silver hair, dazzling as the wind blew it about. Ariel’s hair fluttered, revealing her pale nape adorned with a tiny red spot shaped like a flower petal.
“Such a pretty mark is quite enviable.”
Ludwig smirked slightly and found himself unable to look away from the girl with the unique mark for a long while.
🍉🍉🍉
