“I heard it from Viscount Bellos’s young master.”
“The young master confessed everything to you?”
His transparent ash-gray eyes that seemed to absorb all colors were tainted with suspicion.
At this rate, I might have to reveal the fact that Patrick was a beastman. Of course, I had positioned Leon and Silang in consideration of the situation possibly going that far, but that was only a last resort.
If Eldon used that as leverage to threaten the Bellos family or charged them with crimes and exterminated them, the result would be worse than standing by and doing nothing.
“Yes. Perhaps because the execution date was set, he seemed very anxious.”
“Why you of all people? Did you have any interactions with young master Bellos?”
He gazed at me with cold eyes as if gauging the truth. Anyway, he’s rational except when it comes to Seha.
“No. It was our first meeting.”
“But he suddenly confessed about the secret ledger?”
“Of course I persuaded him.”
“Young master Bellos fell for your persuasion?”
The suspicion contained in his ash-gray eyes amplified further. It didn’t seem like I made any verbal mistake, the problem was that this bastard had a suspicious nature.
I gathered the sensuality inherent within me and swept up my silk-like soft golden hair.
“Do you think there’s anyone I couldn’t persuade?”
Beauty is plausibility, you know.
As I cast a sensual gaze that was more persuasive than a hundred words, Eldon’s eyes sank down coldly. Even though I’m this pretty, it doesn’t work on the main gong…
Eldon, who had been looking at me with his lips pressed together, slowly opened his mouth.
“…Do you know how old young master Bellos is this year?”
“Nine years old.”
“…So you do know.”
What, what are you thinking? Why are you suddenly looking at me like I’m a criminal?
“Don’t misunderstand! I persuaded him with words!”
“Crown Princess, I hope you’ll touch people who are at least in the double digits age-wise.”
“I said it’s not like that!”
“Fine. Where’s the ledger?”
He seemed to have some strange misunderstanding, but at any rate, he seemed to believe my words. Damn, but now I don’t want to tell you anymore? What do you take people for, seriously.
“First, there’s a condition.”
“So that’s how you’re going to be after all.”
The corner of Eldon’s mouth rose cynically. As if I had finally revealed my true colors. At the same time, the remaining light of suspicion also faded.
Very cold-hearted. Whether it was because we hadn’t seen each other for over two weeks, or because he had entered love-love mode with Seha, I couldn’t tell, but even the slight affection we had built up traveling together because of the chastity belt seemed to have already disappeared from within him. I still remember though. What a bad bastard…
“After finding the evidence, please release Viscount Bellos.”
“Release? You’re making an unexpected demand. But why should I?”
“He made a false confession because he couldn’t overcome Grand Duke Curtis’s status and intimidation. He’s wrongly accused, so it’s only right to release him.”
“I fell into crisis because of that man’s false confession. Not only would I have lost my life being deposed from the position of Crown Prince, but countless people who followed me were also nearly endangered. Viscount Bellos must have predicted this situation when he made his false confession. He voluntarily took on the crime knowing that I and all my vassals would fall. So do I have to consider such a person’s circumstances?”
As expected, it was an extremely rational and cold-hearted response.
“Your words are absolutely right. But you should only say such things when you’ve found the evidence with your own power.”
Eldon shot me a look that perfectly embodied the ‘glare’ that only appears in comics. He’s going to kill someone with his eyes.
It’s okay, it’s okay. Rosenthal AKA Lee Minchan. You’re just going to hand over the evidence and leave. There’s nothing to be cautious about anymore.
“I came here on behalf of young master Patrick. So if you refuse the condition, I’ll be leaving now.”
As I turned around, Eldon shot back icily.
“That brat must have caught your fancy quite a bit.”
“Whaaat?”
I was so dumbfounded that my voice twisted and an unidentifiable word burst out.
“Did I hit a nerve?”
This is really, after putting up with so much! Does being the main gong mean you can do anything?
“Your Highness the Crown Prince, I have no interest in political fights or struggles for imperial power. I simply wish that no wrongly accused people exist under the land where the Empire’s light reaches. I also wish that there are no children who grieve over losing their parents due to unjust matters.”
“What kind of threat did Grand Duke Curtis make to Viscount Bellos?”
I swallowed dry saliva at the sharp question that suddenly flew in. Did I say something like that? I only gave off a nuance that he was crushed by rank and title, but did he deduce that far?
“…I cannot tell you that.”
“Why?”
“His Highness the Crown Prince might threaten him for the same reason. I came to help Viscount Bellos, not to make him get threatened by various people all around.”
Derision was added to the mouth of Eldon, who had been quietly looking down at me.
“That’s a lie.”
“What?”
“Rosenthal Chendewden isn’t someone who would move based on such altruistic feelings, is he?”
“……”
He rose from his seat and walked slowly toward me.
“Coveting the imperial treasures, or demanding that I expel the attendant rumored to be favored by me—if it’s the notorious Rosenthal Chendewden, you should be making that level of shameless demands. Isn’t that right?”
Eldon lifted my chin with deep derision. At that cool touch, anger and fear surged simultaneously.
The power of the original work was tremendous, so even though I hadn’t caused any harm to Seha, Eldon was concocting persecution scenarios with his delusions.
Of course, if it were the Rosenthal of the original work, he would have done that and more, but I’m not like that.
Since this relationship would end within today or tomorrow anyway, I was about to unleash everything when I saw Eldon’s sword emitting a red light like blood and exercised superhuman patience.
I politely removed his hand.
“I would expel the attendant favored by Your Highness? How could you imagine such cruel and brutal things? I pray that Your Highness the Crown Prince finds your true connection.”
“Is that so?”
His voice is dripping with sarcasm.
“Yes. Of course, if Your Highness would grant it, I would like to express a personal wish.”
Eldon looked down at me with crossed arms as if he knew it would come to this.
“What is it?”
“Please give me Fortis.”
“Fortis? That beastman?”
His eyes narrowed thinly.
“Yes. Not just to remain by my side as a guard, but please issue him complete freedom and the Empire’s identification certificate.”
“You quite cherish that beastman.”
“Yes. Fortis and Raki are my family.”
“A benevolent master.”
Unlike the content, the tone was full of sarcasm, but I smiled as if I didn’t understand.
“Thank you for the compliment. And may I tell you one more wish, relying on Your Highness’s magnanimity?”
“Speak.”
Finally you’re revealing your true colors, you really dragged it out for a long time—receiving that look, I spoke firmly.
“Please erase my slave brand.”
A fine crack appeared in the ash-gray eyes that had only been filled with negative emotions.
“…Alright. If we find the secret ledger, I won’t question Viscount Bellos’s crimes. I’ll also prepare that beastman’s identification certificate.”
I waited for the next words, but Eldon closed his mouth. Just as I was about to ask ‘What about my brand?’, he spoke in an intimidating voice as if blocking my mouth.
“I’ll judge other matters after finding the ledger.”
He meant he’d give a definite answer after confirming the ledger, right? At any rate, I achieved the basic goal of saving Viscount Bellos. I nodded and stared at Eldon.
“I’ll tell you now. Please bring a map of the territory.”
***
Viscount Bellos, in order to protect his son from Grand Duke Curtis, had smuggled out the secret ledger and hidden it in a small village at the edge of his territory.
It wasn’t only Eldon searching for the secret ledger. Grand Duke Curtis’s subordinates also came into this small village looking for clues. They moved before the Crown Prince’s faction and even found Viscount Bellos’s secret underground warehouse in the forest. However, even after finding where the ledger was hidden, they couldn’t find the key and fell into a deadlock.
And Seha, who was buying groceries, happened to encounter them and succeeded in tailing them using his nimble body honed from pickpocket life.
Seha immediately reported this fact to Eldon, and the Crown Prince’s faction headed to the underground warehouse. However, in front of unexpectedly large forces, the Crown Prince’s faction fell into crisis. Seha and Eldon escaped and entered a cave, where they discovered a large tree. Seha, who spotted something sparkling at the top of the tree, couldn’t abandon his pickpocket habits and climbed right up, where he found the warehouse key.
‘Don’t let your guard down thinking it’s just a warehouse, the interior is as spacious as a mansion and it’s full of Grand Duke Curtis’s soldiers, they say there are two people who use ice-based magic…’
I carefully stated everything I had read in the novel one by one. Even in the original work, they were briefly in a pinch early on due to letting their guard down, but no one got hurt, but still, just in case.
Eldon surprisingly listened to my words attentively, then immediately gave orders to his subordinates.
And while the Crown Prince’s faction raided the underground warehouse, Eldon and I decided to go get the key from the cave.
“I’m going too?”
When I asked in confusion, Eldon answered in a flat tone.
“Since you could be leading us into a trap, you’ll have to come along.”
“Why the cave? If you’re that suspicious, take me to the warehouse and have a confrontation to see if we’re on the same side.”
“That place is dangerous.”
“…Wouldn’t it be better for Your Highness the Crown Prince to go to the warehouse? You should be commanding.”
“I can’t send my fiancée with another man, can I?”
I couldn’t tell if he was being considerate or suspicious, but at any rate, I headed to the cave with Eldon.
Even if a painter like me went to the warehouse, I wouldn’t be able to take down enemies and would only be a burden, so between the two, the cave was right. However, thinking that this was originally a path Eldon and Seha should have taken together felt strangely uncomfortable.
