Don’t Ask, It’ll Hurt If You Know - Chapter 57

Knock, knock. The sound of knocking broke the silence flowing through the room. It was the waiter. He placed a hand over his chest and spoke politely.

“Is there perhaps anything you need?”

It was a polite way of urging them to order. Realizing only then that she was being a nuisance, Chloe hurriedly picked up the menu. Ian, on the other hand, continued to look out the window.

“What would you like to drink?”

When Chloe held out the menu and asked, Ian finally turned his head. His golden eyes, revealed under the sunlight, were somewhat fierce. He looked quite displeased, but she asked regardless.

“It seems they don’t have hot chocolate with marshmallows here. Would you like just regular hot chocolate?”

Unlike his cold appearance, Ian MacMilden liked sweets. He liked them so much that he would not only steal and eat chocolate whenever Chloe was eating it, but he also put plenty of marshmallows in his hot chocolate.

Seeming quite dissatisfied that his favorite drink wasn’t available, his expression stiffened a bit more rigidly. Seeing this, the waiter also spoke urgently.

“If the customer desires, I will tell the kitchen to make it.”

“……It’s fine.”

Ian answered with a slightly cracked voice and took the menu. Flip, flip. The sound of turning pages was eerie. After checking until the very end, he handed the menu back to the waiter and said,

“Hot lemon tea and black coffee.”

As Ian decided the menu on his own accord, Chloe looked at him, dumbfounded. The waiter, who wanted to leave quickly, promptly took the menu and left.

“Why…….”

“The culprit is Marquis Kentro.”

Chloe tried to question his rudeness, but she couldn’t because the main topic had begun.

“The Chief of the Police Station is Marquis Kentro’s nephew, and it is said he instructed to cover up the matter of the Viscount Lloyd’s maid. Marquis Kentro is behind it.”

Marquis Kentro. Chloe recalled a middle-aged man with a mustache whom she had seen briefly a long time ago. He was a person with no particular characteristics other than his mustache. Naturally, there were no notable issues between him and Chloe or Count Elena.

Ah, I have to think from Bianca Lloyd’s perspective, not mine.

Realizing this only after seeing the pink-haired woman reflected blurrily in the window, Chloe clicked her tongue briefly.

“Unless tremendous evidence comes out that would be printed on the front page of the newspaper, the maid’s death will be concluded as a suicide.”

It meant there was no way to continue investigating the case. That was regrettable, but just as Chloe was about to nod, satisfied with finding out who was behind it, Ian added,

“However, if the Young Lady wishes, I can make it so the case continues to be investigated.”

“Is that possible?”

“I can do it.”

It was an extremely arrogant answer, but since the Young Duke MacMilden said so, she found herself nodding without realizing it.

“What would you like to do?”

Chloe stared blankly down at the delicate lace of the tablecloth, pondering for a moment, then shook her head.

“It’s fine.”

The desire to tenaciously dig into the case and drag out the mastermind hiding behind the shadows was strong. However, the risk was too great, and there was no guarantee of success. No matter how much she thought about it, the possibility of failure was greater, so Chloe decided to back off here, though regretfully.

Perhaps it was an unexpected decision, as his thick eyebrows raised slightly askew. Just then, the waiter returned with the drinks they ordered. The lemon tea was placed in front of Chloe, and the black coffee in front of Ian.

“Sugar is here.”

She had never once seen Ian drink black coffee before. Chloe, thinking he wouldn’t drink bitter black coffee straight since he liked sweets so much, held out the glass jar containing sugar cubes to him. However, Ian drank the coffee without adding sugar.

“Is it okay?”

Black coffee must be very bitter. When Chloe asked worriedly, Ian smirked and put down the coffee cup.

“Did you hear from Chloe that I like sweets?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes.”

Even if she hadn’t heard it from someone, Bianca Lloyd, who had stalked Ian enough to steal his belongings, likely knew his tastes well, so Chloe answered readily. At that, his face hardened coldly enough to give goosebumps.

Chloe was more curious than scared of him acting like that. What had he been so dissatisfied with since earlier? It would be understandable if she had made a slip of the tongue, but since that wasn’t the case, it was even more puzzling.

Knock, knock—

So she was about to ask, but a knock was heard. The drinks they ordered had come out, and there was no one else expected to come. Wondering if it was Ian’s guest, she looked at him, but he also frowned and glared at the door, seemingly having no idea either.

“Shall we check who it is first?”

Before Ian could answer anything, the door opened. Confirming the identity of the rude intruder who entered without permission, Chloe was startled and jumped up from her seat.

“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

Why is the Crown Prince, who should be in the Imperial Palace, here?

Flustered by the appearance of a completely unexpected figure, Chloe froze while standing. Ian also had a face of considerable surprise, and beneath it, displeasure and anxiety were faintly laid.

“Long time no see, Ian.”

On the other hand, the Crown Prince smiled amiably and greeted him. Only then did Ian bow his stiff neck, showing courtesy to the royalty.

Antonio, leaving a request that he was very disappointed Ian hadn’t attended the last hunting competition and that he must attend the next one, shifted his gaze to Chloe.

The moment she met his deep golden eyes, goosebumps broke out all over her body. Her heart beat faster than when she had run away from Ian, and her mouth went completely dry. A fear assaulted her as if the ground beneath her feet had collapsed and she was falling into a pitch-black pit where she couldn’t see an inch ahead. Chloe involuntarily lowered her gaze for a long time.

Why am I like this?

Although she was somewhat reluctant to face the Crown Prince because he showed excessive interest every time he saw her, she had never been scared or afraid.

But now, she was so afraid and scared that she dared not even meet the Crown Prince’s eyes. Her legs hidden under her skirt trembled so much she felt like she would collapse right there.

“Lady?”

When Chloe remained still with her head bowed low, the Crown Prince called out. It was a melodious voice that matched well with the gently flowing music, but to her ears, it sounded eerie, like fingernails scratching a blackboard. Ironically, thanks to that, Chloe snapped back to her senses, let out a big breath, and clutched her skirt with her numb hands.

“Bianca Lloyd of the Viscount Lloyd family greets His Highness the Crown Prince, the Little Sun of the Empire.”

She was worried that fearful emotions would seep into her voice, but fortunately, they didn’t. Chloe felt deeply relieved and raised her head. Perhaps the deep breath helped; looking straight into the Crown Prince’s eyes wasn’t as scary as before.

“Bianca Lloyd…….”

A meaningful smile formed on the lips that recited her name. The golden eyes facing her seemed to ask if that was all.

Are Bianca Lloyd and the Crown Prince close acquaintances?

At the sudden thought, Chloe immediately concluded that couldn’t be the case. Bianca hardly ever participated in social gatherings. She didn’t have the guts or ability to build a friendship with the Crown Prince.

Then she wondered why he was looking at her with eyes like that, but she couldn’t ask. Asking questions carelessly to royalty was against etiquette. If she had something she was curious about, she first had to get permission to ask, and then ask the question.

Even if not for that, asking why he was looking at her like that was itself a very rude thing to do. All she could do now was meet his gaze, hoping the Crown Prince would stop staring.

“What brings you here, Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

Her wish came true as Ian called out to the Crown Prince. Antonio smiled sociably and turned back to his cousin.

“What brings me here, you ask. I saw you through the window as I was passing by, so I stopped by briefly to say hello.”

“Passing by?”

“Yes. I was on my way to the Mage’s Tower.”

Come to think of it, the Crown Prince was a mage. Recalling the fact that he was also a quite skilled mage, Chloe finally understood why he was in the capital and not the Imperial Palace.

Ian also answered briefly, ‘Is that so.’

“I actually had something I wanted to say to you separately tomorrow, so this turned out well. Since I’ve seen your face, it would be better to talk now.”

Antonio smiled clearly and handed over a brown envelope.

“Check it.”

Ian looked down at the brown envelope he received for a moment, then tore open the entrance sealed with red wax. Chloe, curious about what was inside, stretched her neck out like a deer to watch, and her eyes widened upon seeing the large letters written at the top of the document.

Application for the Imperial Knights. Furthermore, the blanks on the document were densely filled with Ian’s information. Only the signature line was blank.