Chapter 72
Kasselard was a violent and self-willed man. Even if he seemed devoted to her now, if she ever fell out of his favor, he could return to how he had been before at any time.
That was what Ephinia feared. To her, he wasn’t someone so attractive that she should hold on to him while taking that kind of risk.
“Her Majesty the Empress said she has no intention of pairing Your Highness with the Imperial Princess of the Nabel Empire.”
“You believe that?”
No, you don’t. You don’t believe it.
Kasselard knew that while the Empress felt that way, his father held different thoughts. Not long ago, the Emperor had summoned him and warned him not to give his heart too much to Ephinia.
There was no option for him to hold on to both Ephinia and the Imperial Princess of the Nabel Empire. There were far too few Guides in this country to indulge in such greed.
There were four remaining S-Class Transcendents and nearly twenty A-Class Transcendents without matched Guides. They would never stay silent.
Kasselard also had no intention whatsoever of keeping Ephinia as a mistress. In his life, there would be only one woman.
Ephinia would become his Empress.
Because he loves her.
“What choice do I have even if I don’t believe it.”
After a brief silence, she answered like that, and Kasselard felt a sharp ache in his chest. It felt as if the answer was contained in those words.
Becoming his Guide had not been Ephinia’s choice. Even if she were pushed away from his side, there was nothing she could choose.
Because she had no power. He was the Crown Prince, a man who possessed everything, and so he spoke easily of love and swayed her as he pleased.
Because he knew that, in the end, things would turn out as he wanted. There was nothing he needed to fear. He only had to take what was given to him.
But what about you? Couldn’t you love me?
Even though at any moment… He could be removed from her side for the sake of power or some other selfish reason.
There was nothing more painful than giving love and then having it taken away. Even Kasselard, who had never lost anything, understood that.
She had always been the one who lost. Telling her to be brave was the arrogance of someone who had everything. Was he even someone worth that kind of risk?
“Your Highness? Why…”
Tears ran down his cheeks. Even though he knew his own arrogance and selfishness, the fact that he couldn’t help but want something from her made his chest feel crushed.
And yet he liked her… he liked her so much that he couldn’t let her go.
Love me, please.
“Ephinia… I like you, truly. I love you.”
As he clung to her, crying, Ephinia remained silent. She knew his tears were soaking into the fabric of her dress, but she couldn’t give any kind of answer.
* * *
“What would you like me to do for you? There is only one thing in this world I can’t give you. Other than that, I can grant you anything you want.”
Hunched across her lap and speaking in a coaxing tone, Kasselard asked. Ephinia allowed the hand he had reached out to touch her cheek and hair.
She didn’t know exactly why he started crying, or what his tears meant, or what kind of storm was raging inside his heart. She also thought she didn’t need to know that much.
“Let’s do guiding. Something different from before… I want to do deep contact guiding.”
“Aren’t we already doing that all the time?”
The effect wasn’t great, but his numbers had been decreasing little by little. Of course, Kasselard knew that this level of improvement could be reversed at any time. If he used his abilities as a Transcendent, his waves would quickly worsen again.
Ephinia avoided his gaze and turned her head slightly, her cheeks flushing. Since his hand was already touching her face, the movement had little meaning.
Could it be.
“You mean penetrative guiding? Are you really alright with that?”
Thinking it was fortunate that the Crown Prince was quick to understand, Ephinia nodded. She didn’t have to say the embarrassing words herself. Meanwhile, Kasselard’s feelings were complicated. He suddenly pushed himself upright.
“I’m happy, but… to bring the level down to zero, we would have to do it quite a lot.”
He had once lowered his waves to the 700 range at most, but recently they had risen again to the 900s. That was because Kasselard had used his abilities to observe situations beyond the Empire.
He knew that the amount her guiding could reduce was limited, but the fact that he had a compatible Guide made him far bolder.
“I’m alright. Doing that with Your Highness… I was actually curious about it.”
At her quiet addition, Kasselard felt as if his heart might burst.
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