｡･:*:･ﾟ★ Translated by Gon ｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Carver had always been a difficult person to read since childhood. Perhaps growing up in the royal palace had made him exceptionally skilled at hiding his emotions.
Riley recalled that Carver often wore a subtle expression. Although he had frequently smiled after she had seen him often, but it wasn’t particularly bright.
‘I didn’t know why he smiled like that back then.’
While she couldn’t remember much about her childhood, one thing that stood out was probably Carver’s confession.
Even if it wasn’t genuine, Carver had been quite serious at that time.
“You’ve used an approach that’s unlike you, Your Highness.”
Riley handed Carver the documents. While the necessary content was written there, the details were unclear.
Carver seemed accustomed to Riley’s habit of getting straight to the point as he accepted the documents.
“I think what you’re curious about isn’t in those papers.”
If she had read the documents, she must have seen Carver’s last words as well. The reason Riley had no choice but to respond directly to him was because of those words.
“I would like you to excuse yourself for a moment.”
Carver addressed Ren, who was hiding. Riley nodded slightly, turning her head to the side.
Surprisingly, Carver could sense mana. Confirming that his excuse was not a lie made Riley’s gaze waver.
‘If that’s the case…’
This could be the opportunity to change her fate.
Hadn’t she always dreamed of this? Riley hid her trembling hands and met Carver’s gaze with a composed expression.
“I’ll be nearby, so don’t do anything reckless.”
Ren emerged with a disgruntled expression and soon disappeared from the room.
Riley struggled to find the right words to start. Carver also seemed similarly at a loss, and an awkward silence fell between them.
“…Since when?”
She had never heard of a child inheriting the royal blood being able to handle mana on their own. This was not something that could be easily overlooked.
Had he been deceiving her from the start?
“Maybe around the time you got married.”
Carver replied, closing his eyes as guilt washed over him. On that day in the past, when he couldn’t hold onto her—he blamed himself.
He remembered the countless efforts he had made for her in the past, but what did it matter now?
Riley’s heart sank. If she had known then, wouldn’t she have married in desperation?
‘I wouldn’t have believed it.’
She never thought she could easily escape from her fate. It was as if her father had brainwashed her; the moment her abilities manifested, she believed she had to become a sword.
“You’re welcome to resent me. After all, I was the one who failed to hold onto you.”
Carver said, feeling the weight of his own regret. If wishing for her happiness and freedom was greed, then that, too, was his fault.
Carver found himself powerless against her smile.
“I don’t blame you. The choice was mine. It’s true that I hated you as well as the royal family.”
Riley admitted that she still held a lot of resentment towards both the royal family and the Traila family. Their contract had destroyed her life, leaving her with nothing but anger.
Yet, the truth Carver had hidden from her, the one she had tried to ignore, came as a shock, who believed that escaping from her fate was the only way forward.
“…Why would you go that far?”
Riley started to speak but then fell silent. She faintly sensed Carver’s true feelings that she had been avoiding. His gaze held raw emotion.
‘He never showed his feelings so clearly before, why does it seem so evident now?’
Perhaps she had been closing her eyes to the reality. She had been exhausted by the circumstances and struggling to escape from her fate.
“Are you feeling unwell?” Carver asked, concern evident in his eyes. He knew her mana was unstable and that her health wasn’t in great condition, but Riley wasn’t aware of it herself.
“Leta is…”
Carver nodded reassuringly, indicating that there was no need to worry. Leta was in a safe place. It was better for her to remain under Carver’s protection until everything was over.
“The count has been quietly dealt with, so there’s nothing to worry about.”
With confirmation of Leta’s safety, Riley let out a sigh of relief. She suppressed the urge to find Leta immediately.
“How did you find out about Theo?”
“Riley, there’s nothing I can’t do. I’m not the same helpless prince I was in my childhood when I let you go.”
Back then, he had been just a young crown prince, but now he was the heir to the throne, having gained power on his own. Although the nobles were discussing Carver’s qualifications, knowing he couldn’t make a contract with a sword, but he didn’t care.
He had reached a level of mana control that made a sword contract unnecessary.
“I couldn’t talk sooner due to political reasons.”
“…So you knew I was hiding my abilities?”
Riley hoped it wasn’t the case. Fortunately, Carver hadn’t known from the beginning.He had only realized it after observing her post-marriage.
“Not from the beginning.”
Carver handed Riley the documents he had prepared. With little time left, he couldn’t stay here much longer.
“Even so, it doesn’t change anything. Riley, this will be useful in the trial, so use it as evidence.”
Riley slowly opened the documents that Carver had handed her. The things he had secretly done were enough to make one frown.
“So, that’s how he managed to survive on reputation alone, even as a duke.”
Despite his good reputation in social circles, Theo had been cleaning his image while secretly engaging in all sorts of illegal activities with informants, amassing wealth, and using it for bribes.
‘With this, I can definitely win.’
The only remaining issue was Anna, but Riley already held her weakness. Anna would have no choice but to watch as the Prince’s family fell.
“You came to see me in person because you had something to discuss, right?”
Riley set the documents down and slowly lifted her gaze to Carver. If it were just a message, he could have sent someone.
Yet, Carver wanted to meet her directly.
Even though it may have been to tell her about his mana, but Riley suspected there was another reason.
“If I said there was another reason, would you accept it?”
Carver met Riley’s eyes with a faint smile. His silver hair and green-tinted eyes were still as beautiful as ever.
“…I can’t promise you that,” Riley replied, her tone uncertain. Carver’s eyes narrowed slightly in disappointment, but he still found comfort in her unchanged demeanor.
“There’s something you should know,” he continued.
While he appreciated her slightly relieved expression, there was still something he had to tell her.
“What do you plan to do about the sword contract?”
It was something she had long hated and delayed, yet it was a task that had to be done.
If Riley continued to refuse to form the sword contract, both she and Ren would likely not be safe. Carver had tried to find a way to break the contract, but nothing work out.
“If I go through with the contract, can you guarantee that the royal family won’t want me?”
Riley’s eyes flickered with uncertainty. Her hostility was clear, and Carver’s lips curled into a bitter smile. Did she still see him only as a member of the royal family so that she needed to guard against him?
“As long as I’m around, they won’t,” he assured her.
He would never let her be used by the royal family. No matter what, Carver was determined to free her from this fate.
But he had one selfish desire.
“But what if it’s not the royal family that wants you—what if it’s me?”
He was still in love with her. He still wanted to walk beside her.
“Would you consider coming with me?”
He no longer wanted to see her in pain, no longer wanted to watch her hide the deep wounds in her heart and pretend everything was fine.
Doing nothing was the worst of all.
And if even that wasn’t possible…
“It would be nice if you could give me even the slightest chance.”
He wasn’t asking for much. Just a shoulder to lean on, just to be by her side.
For over ten years, his life had revolved around her. His decision to become emperor, his pursuit of power—it had all been for Riley.
Riley was momentarily stunned by Carver’s words. She replayed his statement in her mind, trying to grasp what she had just heard.
‘This is practically a confession.’
But back then, she had rejected Carver without hesitation. She was sick of everything related to the royal family, and Carver had been part of that.
She never imagined that he would still have feelings for her after more than ten years.
Come to think of it, wasn’t he already past the typical age for marriage?
“…Could it be, from back then until now?”
“I didn’t realize it either, but it turns out I’m more of a romantic than I thought,” Carver admitted.
Carver had postponed and delayed every marriage prospect because he couldn’t forget Riley. No one else mattered if it wasn’t her.
It had to be Riley. That’s why Carver couldn’t allow anyone else by his side.
He had always, and would always, keep his eyes on her alone.
