Chapter 28
｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Sienna ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Luciel’s voice as he spoke was remarkably gentle. So much that Roderick didn’t even notice the obvious mockery in his tone for a moment.
His surprised expression pleased him.
Luciel chuckled happily and turned away, then quietly followed behind Daphne.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
I quickly left the alley, searching for a place where I could comfortably talk with Luciel away from prying eyes.
Entering a deserted, dead-end alley, I turned around.
Luciel, who had been quietly following me, gazed at me with wide eyes, as if questioning why I stopped here.
There’s much I want to say, but first, I should express my gratitude.
“Thank you, Your Highness. Without your help, we’d still be wrestling with meaningless words.”
Luciel’s face instantly brightened at my words. However, I continued without giving him a chance to speak.
“I’m very grateful, but… it would have been better for your highness if you hadn’t gotten involved with me.”
“Why?”
Luciel asked, his eyes filled with genuine curiosity.
Does he really not know? I looked at Luciel with a puzzled expression, but his clear eyes blinked innocently.
With a light sigh, I spoke.
“Because I am Daphne Peregrine.”
That was the whole reason. Getting involved with Daphne is not something desirable. This was a truth known to anyone familiar with her. However, Luciel’s face remained unchanged. If anything…
“Does that serve as a reason?” he asked, as if he really didn’t understand.
Now I was the one who was speechless.
Despite revealing the well-known fact that getting involved with me is undesirable, he didn’t seem to mind.
Unable to say anything, I just stared at him, then Luciel slowly opened his mouth.
“…Did I do something wrong?”
His shoulders slumped, and his once smiling face quickly turned sullen.
“This seemed like the best way. You, milady, seemed truly distressed.”
“While that may be true…”
As I was about to continue my sentence, I hesitated momentarily.
Upon reflection, we never discussed exactly what we were going to do. I asked Luciel to help, and he dutifully obliged. Moreover, the results were quite positive.
If it weren’t for him, I would have become a lady who hired slaves to indulge in a dissolute life due to trauma from being rejected by my fiancé.
So it was understandable that Luciel might not understand why I’m saying this.
Having concluded my thoughts, I shook my head.
“No, because I was the one who asked for help in the first place. If it weren’t for Your Highness, my reputation would have worsened.”
Given that my reputation was already tarnished, it wouldn’t have mattered much.
‘After all, it’s Daphne.’
Her name alone solves all my problems. I might as well live with it.
I nodded to myself, and Luciel smiled. His finely folded eyes were extraordinarily pretty.
It’s amazing how a simple word can make his face light up like that. He’s like a puppy being praised by its owner.
I couldn’t help but smile because it was both a little strange and cute.
“…”
Then Luciel, who was smiling along with me, stopped. His smile faded for a moment.
‘Ah, I was the villain, wasn’t I? Truly, I must have worn a wicked expression.’
Quickly returning to a composed expression, Luciel blinked. It was a face that seemed to ask if he had seen something wrong.
Thank goodness. I breathed a sigh of relief.
‘…… Anyway, I suppose the only thing left to do now is to file the cancellation of engagement with the imperial palace.’
Roderick’s side had stamped and sent it over several times, but Daphne had insisted on not recognizing it.
Once Peregrine’s seal is affixed, the link between Roderick and me will be completely severed.
Alright. I need to resolve this quickly.
“…However.”
Suddenly, a shadow fell over my head. I looked up reflexively and saw Luciel, who had come closer.
He was looking down at me from a distance where I could see his face in more detail than before.
I flinched at the sudden beauty in front of me.
With his eyes half-lowered, Luciel murmured,
“You smell sweet, Milady.”
“My… scent?”
“Yes.”
He nodded, half-lowering his gaze, and slowly took a breath.
“It’s like…”
He mumbled languidly and tilted his head lazily. A strand of silver hair cascaded down his face.
I silently observed his movements.
“Somewhere, it feels like I’ve smelled it before…”
His eyes deepened, and his voice was languid, as if mesmerized by something. Then he slowly inhaled and exhaled.
He’d seemed so shy just a moment ago, but was it the deepened gaze and his relaxed demeanor?
He looked dangerous, yet that made it even more captivating.
Like a story from an ancient myth, wanting to touch something you know you shouldn’t…
‘…What am I thinking?’
I snapped out of it. I couldn’t believe I was holding onto a normal person and having weird thoughts.
Before my mind could wander into odd fantasies, I quickly regained my composure.
There must be a reason he mentioned a sweet scent, but there is no apparent cause.
‘Something sweet. Something sweet.’
I thought, and then I looked up.
“Are you perhaps referring to this?”
I took something out of my pocket.
It was a candy I had made myself, emitting a sweet and delicious fragrance—Portifor jelly.
Luciel blinked at the portifor in my hand.
“This is…?”
“It’s a candy I made. It’s sweet and delicious. Would you like one?”
“…”
“Just so you know, it’s not poisonous.”
For proof, I peeled open a candy and popped it into my mouth. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was good enough to eat.
Looking at me, Luciel’s mouth twitched once.
Then he let out a faint sigh, looking somewhat forlorn and disappointed.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before…”
He muttered to himself, words with unclear meaning.
“Your Highness?” I called out to him again, and he flinched, then turned back to me with a wry smile.
“…It’s nothing. The candy seems tasty.”
Adjusting his posture, he reached for the Portifor in my hand.
The distance between us was greater than before.
‘Facing a beauty’s face up close really isn’t good for the heart.’
Just as I was relieved to have found some distance, I noticed the sky turning reddish with the setting sun.
Even if I had tacit permission to go out, I would be in trouble if I stayed late.
“Well, I guess I better get going.”
I said to Luciel, who was still staring at the candy. Suddenly, he looked up.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yes. I have to stop by the bakery before all the desserts are sold out.”
“Desserts…”
Luciel mumbled absentmindedly. I bowed politely.
“I appreciate your help. You said it’s fine, but if anything ever happens, don’t worry. I’ll absolutely deny any connection between us.”
“…”
I nodded, looking at him with clear eyes, trying to give him credibility.
“To even deny it…”
Luciel mumbled something with a slightly puzzled expression.
“Well then, I’ll excuse myself.”
Before it got any later, I left with a polite farewell.
“Wait!”
However, Luciel grabbed my arm. Did he have something left unsaid?
As I looked at him with a puzzled expression, he hesitated for a moment. Seemingly taken aback by his own action of grabbing me.
Nevertheless, he quickly formed a gentle smile and spoke to me.
“You mentioned looking for a bakery, right?”
“Uh…… yes.”
“There’s one in front, next to the fountain. I heard their skills are outstanding.”
I guess he was trying to recommend a bakery. There’s nothing better than a recommendation from a local.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll be sure to check it out. Now if you’ll excuse me.”
I bowed and hurried out of the alley.
Luciel was still smiling softly as I turned away. Thinking he was genuinely kind, I walked ahead.
*ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚
“…”
As Daphne completely disappeared from view, Luciel, who had been maintaining a smile, instantly returned to an expressionless face.
It was a rare sight to see him with a smile on his face, but it happened every time he met with Daphne.
At that moment, Luciel shifted his gaze sideways, and soon after, he snapped his fingers.
Someone who had been hiding in the alley was revealed as if forcibly drawn by an external force.
It was Gael, the apparent owner of the dark alley’s apothecary store, and Luciel’s subordinate.
“Mas… Master. Cough.”
Gael quickly composed himself. But he couldn’t stop laughing.
In all the years he’d worked for him, he’d never met anyone who didn’t fall for his master’s beauty.
His bewildered face was so amusing.
It was both hilarious and ridiculous, that Gael couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re laughing too hard, Gael.”
Luciel smirked at Gael.
“…It hurt my ears.”
But upon hearing the subsequent muttering, Gael quickly snapped his mouth shut.
Only then did the surroundings fall silent. Luciel let out a sigh mixed with frustration.
He only pretended to be friendly in front of her fiancé, Roderick, so he could have an excuse to see her.
Besides, hadn’t Daphne made it clear that she no longer loved him?
‘But then why?’
Why doesn’t she fall for him? Wasn’t his beauty enough?
No, that couldn’t be. Luciel was confident in his appearance.
Of course…… When Daphne smiled, for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
In any case, Luciel took ample pride in his appearance. The countless compliments proved it.
“I really don’t understand.”
Luciel muttered quietly, then turned to Gael, who was still cowering in fear.
“Gael, do I lack something I don’t know about?”
“Uh, no.”
“Tell me at least one thing. Be honest.”
Can I really say this? Gael, who cautiously glanced around, spoke.
“Social skills…?”
“Besides that.”
“Empathy…”
“Compassion…”
“And the way you’re acting right now…”
His words carried many implied meanings.
