Chapter 101
The fact that I have someone on my side in this world
Sia had grown increasingly sensitive because the Crown Prince kept sending people to her room. She had refused the invitations with all kinds of excuses, but her reasons were gradually running out, and her mouth was going dry.
After quickly finishing a glass of water, she shuddered at the sound of knocking again. The Crown Prince, who sent someone several times a day, was starting to feel like a complete lunatic.
“…Did I provoke him too much?”
You’re supposed to avoid lunatics, but instead of avoiding him, it seemed she had confronted him head-on. And now that provocation was making the lunatic cause this kind of chaos.
“Madam, what should we do?”
Even though Sia didn’t respond, the knocking continued, steady and rhythmic. Marie asked anxiously, unable to sit still.
“Haah, wait a moment.”
“Yes…”
Sia hurried into the bedroom, pulled out her belongings from under the bed, and took out a handkerchief. Then she poured some catnip onto it.
“I hope his pointless curiosity shifts to the catnip instead…”
So far, there hadn’t been a single member of the cat tribe who could resist catnip. Since the Crown Prince was also catfolk, he might become more interested in the catnip than in her, the unknown woman.
“If he asks for more, I’ll just lie and say this is the last of it.”
She had already told a bold lie, but the Crown Prince hadn’t been able to distinguish the truth anyway. She had no idea how serious a crime it was to lie to royalty.
And besides, she had a very reliable backing, a god.
“God up there, if you can hear me, please make the Crown Prince go back.”
Since God had brought her here, it should take some responsibility too. That was how society worked, wasn’t it!
Just as quickly as when she had gone inside earlier, Sia came back out and went to open the door herself instead of Marie. Knock, knock, knock knock… The man who looked like the Crown Prince’s secretary, knocking without pause, was impressive in his own way.
“If you work under a crazy boss, your work style starts to resemble his without you realizing it…”
Having seen employees like that before, Sia shook her head and opened the door. Dylan, who had been just about to knock again, withdrew his hand and gave a polished smile.
“You have come out personally today. If you have the time, how about joining His Highness for tea. The Imperial Crown Prince wishes to enjoy a pleasant conversation with you.”
“Cough, cough! Ah, dear… I’m feeling veeeery unwell again today.”
“…Are you usually that frail?”
“Cough! I wouldn’t say that’s entirely untrue…”
Acting with all her might, Sia held out what she had been carrying.
“I felt bad about repeatedly refusing His Highness’s invitations, so this is a gift.”
“…What is this?”
Dylan reflexively accepted the handkerchief Sia offered.
“It’s nothing special… you can use it in various ways, but I heard it’s especially nice brewed as tea. Please tell His Highness it’s my gift in place of joining him for tea.”
After scrutinizing Sia’s face, Dylan tucked the handkerchief away for the moment.
“That is unfortunate. His Highness had been looking forward to it.”
Surely this isn’t that cliché, ‘You’re the first woman who’s ever been this insolent to me!’ kind of thing?
Sia narrowed her eyes at Dylan, then deliberately coughed again.
“Cough… then, please take care on your way back…”
With that weakly forced line as her last words, Sia slammed the door shut. As the wind from the closing door ruffled his bangs, Dylan smoothed them and looked down at the handkerchief in his hand.
A strange scent had been coming from it since earlier, and it smelled unbelievably good, enough to make his mouth water. Thinking it was odd, Dylan began walking, but he stopped several times on his way back to the Crown Prince.
The faint, unknown fragrance that kept stimulating his nose was unbearable.
At last, he reached the guest room where the Crown Prince was staying. After a light knock, he entered. The moment he stepped inside, the Crown Prince’s voice sounded.
“Well, did she say she’s sick again today?”
“She claimed her condition was poor, despite not breaking a single drop of sweat.”
“Huu…”
Louis was learning patience here. As Crown Prince, he had never waited for anyone except the Emperor. If it were up to him, he wanted to march in immediately and demand that she tell the truth.
However, since he had already concluded from the circumstances that she was likely human, he had decided to treat Sia with as much respect as possible. After all, she was a human personally brought by God Initium. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to regard her as being on the same level as the High Priest.
Today as well, just as Louis was feeling deflated at the thought that it might be another fruitless attempt, something Dylan was holding in his hand caught his eye.
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