It was the day we were drilling for a mine in the wasteland. Seraphie realized that someone from the imperial palace was watching her and Orkis. Wherever they went, there was always the blatant feeling of being observed, as if glued to them.
“I feel a bit wronged,” Seraphie’s blue eyes narrowed as she glared at Orkis.
Orkis, who had been handling that gaze with ease, gave a light nod with a loose smile. It was an invitation to speak her mind.
“The imperial family is keeping an eye on Felicia, not me.”
“You’re half right and half wrong.”
It was true that the imperial family was wary of Felicia. But they were also keeping an eye on Seraphie.
Orkis raised two fingers. “The heir to a prestigious family in the empire. And the head of the family, who would become the most famous in the empire. Both of us were unmarried, no less. It’s almost a miracle there haven’t been any rumors of a love affair until now.”
“Come to think of it, you’re right,” Seraphie agreed enthusiastically. “With my looks and Lord’s looks being no joke, how is it that there haven’t been any rumors about us dating or anything like that?”
“Is that so?” Orkis’s smile widened slightly. It was the first time he’d heard such a fresh compliment about his appearance, and he liked it. “You have more self-love than I expected, Countess.”
“I’m nothing compared to your father.”
“Fair point.”
Duke Felicia might have looked down on the world, but he cherished and loved himself second only to the duchess.
“And if I may add one more thing.” Orkis also revealed the identity of the one who was watching them. “It was probably from the crown prince.”
“As expected.”
Despite the mention of such a prominent figure, Seraphie remained calm, as if she’d already known. This reaction surprised Orkis more.
“Did you already know?”
Seraphie shook her head. “Not really… just a guess.”
Seraphie’s indifference stemmed from her low expectations of the crown prince. His rudeness toward Peonia was one thing.
“I heard a light magician is staying at the palace.”
“The light magician is the crown prince’s guest…”
The words of Lady Tipeon from the tea party lingered in her mind. Except for Peonia, who had tested Lillie herself, the others, including Lunie, seemed unaware. In other words, Lady Tipeon was likely acquainted with the crown prince or someone close to him.
Knowing Peonia is the crown prince’s fiancée and still spouting such nonsense…
It was clear how little the crown prince cared for Peonia.
What a piece of trash. Not fit to be the male lead. Lacking as a human being too.
“I guess I dislike the crown prince more than I thought.”
At Seraphie’s scathing assessment that her expectations of the crown prince were lower than bird droppings, Orkis couldn’t help but let out a laugh. His laughter prompted Seraphie to laugh along as well.
“You seem unusually cheerful today, Lord.”
“That’s because Countess’s words are too eloquent.”
“Such generous praise.” Seraphie smiled as she stood up from her seat. “So,” she asked the question again, one that hadn’t been answered earlier. “How long do we have to pretend not to get along?”
“Now that we know the crown prince is the one watching us.” Orkis stood up as well and held out his hand. “We should get along even better.”
“Why?”
Seraphie’s hand hesitated just before reaching Orkis. Orkis gently took hold of her hand hanging in the air.
“To keep ourselves safe.”
* * *
They hadn’t planned to meet today. Orkis had simply come on his own, and Seraphie had decided to go out with him on the spur of the moment.
“The crown prince didn’t attend the forced succession trial.”
On their way to the plaza in the carriage, Orkis explained why the crown prince was watching Seraphie.
“Hmm…”
Seraphie thought back to the trial. The emperor’s presence on the balcony had been so overwhelming that the other imperials hadn’t left much of an impression. She could barely recall the prince consort standing next to the emperor.
“Was the third prince there as well?”
“That guy, I mean, His Highness was indeed present.”
From what Orkis had heard from Eks after the trial, the crown prince hadn’t been at the trial for some reason. However, what was certain was that the crown prince had learned of the Land Abandoned by God, which had reappeared after several centuries, much later than anyone else.
“He must’ve been quite anxious.”
The carriage stopped, and they entered a restaurant popular among nobles. Assigned to a private room, they continued their conversation.
“I don’t quite understand.” Seraphie took a bite of her sandwich. “The crown prince is already first in the line for the throne, isn’t he?”
By the time Seraphie had eaten half of her sandwich, Orkis had already finished one and started on another.
“Could it be the third prince aiming for the thro—?”
“No.”
Before Seraphie could even finish her thought, Orkis quickly and firmly denied it. His decisive answer made Seraphie blink slowly. Orkis seemed equally surprised by his sharp reaction. But Seraphie decided to let it go, feeling there was no need to press him further right now.
“…Is it just a personality issue, then?”
Orkis continued the conversation. “He’s a ruler. Nothing should stand in the way of his path, and everything had to be under his control.”
“…”
Seraphie swallowed hard. Ooh, I see…
The perfect example of a capable yet dangerous man. His description felt like the bad-boy protagonist from a novel. However, Seraphie, who had previously been enjoying her sandwich, quietly set it aside. Her appetite suddenly disappeared.
In the novel, the crown prince had seemed impressive and attractive. But now, experiencing it firsthand, she found him only chilling and terrifying. It’s best to keep my distance.
Orkis was right. She needed to show the crown prince a close bond between herself and Orkis. That way, the crown prince wouldn’t be able to touch her so easily.
Orkis was Peonia’s older brother, after all. Even the crown prince wouldn’t mess with his fiancée’s family. Nor could he easily provoke the protection of the Felicia family.
“By the way,” Seraphie suddenly asked, a thought crossing her mind. “Is the third prince pretending to be a slacker because…?”
“If Eks didn’t act like that.” Clatter. Orkis set down his teacup. “He’d be dead too.”
* * *
After leaving the restaurant, the two wandered aimlessly around the square. The atmosphere was slightly heavy due to the conversation they had just had. However, there wasn’t much awkwardness. They walked in silence, yet in sync.
He’d be dead too.
Seraphie pondered over what Orkis had said.
He’d be dead too.
Too.
Orkis wasn’t foolish enough to confuse such a particle. So the crown prince has killed someone.
It was strange. Back in the world she originally lived in, when she read about this world in a book, she thought the crown prince who achieved his goals through killing was cool. But now that she had actually entered the world of the original story, her thoughts had completely changed.
They say from a distance, it’s a comedy; up close, it’s a tragedy. That’s exactly what Seraphie felt now.
The crown prince was a dangerous figure.
I kind of understand now. The reason why the Felicia family and the third prince plotted rebellion in the original story. Perhaps it was due to the crown prince’s dangerous nature.
Of course, Seraphie had never met the crown prince herself, so she couldn’t jump to conclusions. But Orkis wasn’t someone who would lie to her.
…Wait.
Suddenly, a chilling thought crossed her mind. If, as Orkis said, the crown prince truly did kill someone who stood in his way… And if the third prince, by openly playing the part of a hedonist, had removed himself from the list of threats… Then what about the second prince?
He was a character who had never appeared. In the original story, the only person who threatened the Crown Prince’s succession was the third prince.
No way…!
Seraphie hastily covered her mouth with her hand. Her steps came to a halt, and her complexion turned pale in an instant. Just as her uncertain suspicion was about to evolve into a horrifying theory—
“Countess,” Orkis called out to her. “Are you all right?”
Seraphie blankly stared at Orkis, who had come right up to her face. Fear trembled in her round eyes.
“…You don’t need to worry too much.” Orkis awkwardly tried to reassure her. He regretted what he had said earlier at the restaurant.
It seemed that Seraphie was shocked by the idea that the crown prince had his eyes on her.
“The chances of the crown prince actually doing something to you are extremely low.”
Seraphie was someone who had drawn the emperor’s interest. She had shown her loyalty to the imperial family by offering a god’s treasure newly discovered in the world. For a crown prince who cared deeply about face and reputation, harming Seraphie outright was far too risky. It was more realistic that he’d try to win her over instead.
“…Okay.” Seraphie nodded. “You too, Lord.” Then she looked up at Orkis. “You should be careful as well.”
“I always am.”
“The crown…” Realizing they were still outside, Seraphie quickly changed her wording. “…That man — it’s probably best to avoid seeing him, right?”
Orkis nodded.
“Whew, all right then.”
“Feeling better now?”
“Life is never really okay in the first place. Because it’s not okay, we try to make it better.” Seraphie joked, using a strangely philosophical expression.
Right, just don’t see him. How likely was it that she would actually face the crown prince? No matter how she thought about it—the chances were slim. So she just needed to stay away from the imperial palace and offer the god’s treasure from time to time.
As for Peonia, I just have to persuade her.
If the Felicia family was to avoid rebellion, Peonia needed to lose interest in the crown prince and support breaking off the engagement. Judging from the last tea party, it seemed Peonia had already started thinking in that direction. The ending of the original story could very well change.
By turning her thoughts in a more positive direction, her anxiety gradually disappeared.
As for the second prince… forget it. There was no need for her to get involved with the imperial family’s dark past. For once, Seraphie decided to believe in the wisdom of ‘ignorance is bliss.’ In this day and age, it is considered good manners to maintain respectful distance between people. That was Seraphie’s conclusion.
“Lord Felicia.”
Orkis carefully observed Seraphie, who had regained her normal complexion. A sigh of relief escaped him.
“If things ever get hard for you, tell me.”
At her sudden concern, Orkis let out a small chuckle. Smiling like that, he really was handsome—Seraphie thought as she made a bold declaration to the one who was too kind and gentle to be a villain.
“I’ll help you.”
“That’s a very reassuring promise.”
“Oh? You don’t sound convinced, though?” Seraphie was slightly offended, feeling as if he was treating her like a child.
Just then, a jewelry store caught her eye.
“Let’s go in there.” She grabbed Orkis’s hand without hesitation.
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