Chapter 53
‘I pity her, but there’s nothing I can do for her. After all, I too met a Guide named Fleur and took her for myself, no different from spiriting her away. She seems to believe she chose me because she loved me, but that, too, is a misunderstanding.’
A choice made after all other options have been erased cannot truly be called a choice.
‘It’s better if Fleur never knows.’
Even if she did know, since she had already come to love him, he believed she would eventually forgive him. After all, he was confident that he could devote himself to her completely.
“Anyway, if His Highness pushes too forcefully, I’ll step in and stop him myself.”
“Hmm… would it really be necessary to go that far?”
Hylian asked carefully, but Fleur only gave him a reproachful look as if asking whether he was serious. Of course, he did have a conscience. It was just that the nation and Fleur came first for him. And between those two, Fleur came first by a considerable margin.
“Alright. If things become too strained with the Baroness, it will be troublesome for His Highness as well, so I’ll try to restrain him appropriately. So you won’t need to step in yourself.”
If they pushed too hard and Baroness Linier ended up running away, that would be a serious problem. For now, House Lanas was protecting her and preventing meetings with other Transcendents, but others would surely try to approach her somehow.
That was also why Count Aphis had recently been unable to check on Ephinia’s condition.
Even knowing she would become the Crown Prince’s Guide, they were still acting like this, which made the shortage of Guides feel all the more real.
“I wish the Baroness had another option. Then His Highness would be more careful in how he treats her.”
“Wouldn’t that be a bit dangerous? If her heart really leans in that direction, things could become complicated.”
Seeing Fleur’s gaze suddenly turn toward a certain place, Hylian felt uneasy. Her eyes were shining with mischief.
At the end of her gaze stood Marquis Raysel Orleans, an S-Class Transcendent.
* * *
“The Duke and Duchess haven’t returned yet. I’ll stay with you.”
“I don’t need that.”
“Ooh, my Guide is so cold. I think I might die of heartbreak.”
Where was the dignity of the Crown Prince?
He definitely had it before.
‘Your face is way too thick!!’
If she told him not to act cute, he would probably say he really was cute. That was how shameless he was. But Kasselard had a face beautiful enough that such shamelessness actually worked.
Even when an angry Ephinia pinched his cheek, he only looked pleased. It seemed he liked it as long as she touched him in any way.
She couldn’t dare use real force against the Crown Prince anyway, and even if she tried to hit him, his body looked so solid and tough that her hand would probably hurt instead.
Even when Kasselard said he would stay for dinner, everyone around Ephinia reacted with delight. First, the steward began listing dinner menu options, saying the chef would be thrilled, and even though he hadn’t said he would stay the night, the head maid seemed to have prepared a bed already.
Ephinia felt like grabbing his hair and pulling it out again.
‘Leave! Go back to your own palace!!’
This ducal residence was only a place where she was temporarily staying, not her real home, which made the humiliation feel worse.
‘Though it can’t really be considered humiliation…’
Despite his noble status as the Crown Prince, Kasselard skillfully used his attractive face to its full advantage, freely displaying his charm even to the ducal household staff.
“You’re not really staying the night, are you?”
“I’m staying.”
When her expression turned cold, Kasselard subtly avoided her gaze. Then, perhaps feeling wronged, he turned his head sharply and raised his voice.
“My cousin lives here too. Can’t I stay over at my cousin’s house?”
“The imperial palace is right across the yard. Why are you staying here?”
“Because it’s dangerous. I’m the Crown Prince.”
“You’re an SS-Class Transcendent.”
“Ah, but I’m still a Transcendent whose waves haven’t stabilized yet, so it’s difficult to use my abilities. I want to stay in the same house as my Guide and receive a little more help.”
As he spoke so casually and tried to lean closer, Ephinia instinctively pushed his face away. The maids and attendants nearby seemed to gasp, but Kasselard only grinned.
“Your Highness, Your Ladyship, dinner is ready.”
At the steward’s call, Kasselard naturally held out his hand. Though Ephinia glared at him with a displeased expression, she eventually placed her hand on his palm.
Kasselard smiled brightly, as if this moment alone made him unbearably happy. For a brief second, Ephinia hesitated.
Why are you smiling like that?
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