Chapter 106 · Jealousy (2)

It wasn’t just Leo—both Freesia and Mila flinched and tensed up in surprise.

“Betrothed?”

“You two are getting betrothed?”

Melvian wasn’t the type to bring up a betrothal so openly in front of others. So why on earth?

Sure enough, it seemed to have been an impulsive utterance, because his face was burning bright red.

“Asha.”

Leo called me, who was at a loss for words, in a voice as sharp as frost. It was a reproachful tone demanding an answer right away.

“Uh… well…”

As I hesitated awkwardly, Melvian hurriedly apologized.

“I-I’m sorry. I should have told you separately…”

“It’s all wight.”

I forced myself to act calm.

“Let’s talk about that watew.”

“Yes…”

We glossed over it for now, but Freesia and Mila looked intensely curious. And Leo glared at me until the meal was over.

What’s wrong with him now? Is it because it’s something he didn’t know about?

But why should I have to tell him something like this? Knowing full well it’s meaningless because I’m leaving Santra anyway.

Thinking about it, Leo currently has no friends besides me. And he spent four whole years alone without friends. Betrothal is a pretty important matter, so it’s understandable he’d feel slighted if there was something he didn’t know about his only friend.

‘I’ll explain later.’

I thought it was no big deal, but Leo grabbed me as I was about to head to the next class.

“Let’s talk.”

He looked extremely urgent.

“About what? Is it important?”

“Not here.”

Leo looked around uneasily.

“Class is about to start…”

The area was full of students, so it would be hard to go somewhere other than the classroom.

“Hmm, I’ll try to make an opportunity today.”

But amid the endless schedule, that opportunity never came.

The only places I could be with him were crowded ones like the academy or the training grounds. Whenever we moved, there were always Paeon or the knights watching, so there was never a moment for just the two of us.

I asked if we could talk through letters via Nine, but he insisted on speaking face to face.

‘What on earth does he need to say face to face?’

I was curious, but I couldn’t create time alone with him, and ten days passed.

◇ ◆ ◇

As expected, a formal letter requesting betrothal arrived from Marquis Laselles. He emphasized that he wanted the honor of being assigned a seat befitting the position of the First Princess’s prospective grandfather-in-law at the Foundation Day Festival.

It wasn’t a demand. But I couldn’t bring myself to say I would delay it a little longer. If I postponed the betrothal, the front seat would obviously go to Hildebert Alter, the prospective father-in-law of the Second Princess, and I had no excuse to delay it at the cost of giving Marquis Laselles such humiliation.

In the end, I wrote back that we would exchange vows about a week before the Foundation Day Festival.

As I sighed and sealed the letter, there was a knock. It was Cyrus, pretending to come for my southern continent language lesson. Judging by his bright expression, he seemed to have brought good news.

「A message came from Brilia, Princess.」

Cyrus whispered to me in the southern continent’s language.

「They say they’ll buy that rare magical tool right now! And if we promise continuous trade going forward, they said they’d pay twice what you mentioned!」

「Weally?」

As expected, my excellent business acumen. I smiled broadly at the welcome news I hadn’t heard in a long time.

‘Wow, but how much is double? This is a real windfall.’

Actually, the expenses for making the magical tools had been considerable. It required the finest magic stones and expensive metals. Having Cyrus secretly procure them had multiplied the cost several times.

If it hadn’t been for the money I received as a reward for the formula review, it would have been hard to put into action.

Still, I had earned an enormous sum in a short time, so I felt proud.

「Cyrus, how much was youw debt again?」

「Uh… i-it’s three thousand arum. If it weren’t for my father, I’d be living well and eating well by now…」

He suddenly clenched his fists as if angry.

「All wight, then once we weceive payment, pay off Cyrus’s debt fiwst.」

「R-really?」

His eyes went wide.

「I said I’d buy you an island too, wemembew? Befowe buying the island, we should get you out of being chased.」

「Aaaah! Thank you! Thank you, Princess!」

「Hehe, pwaise me mowe!」

Cyrus hopped around, opening and closing his mouth silently so the sound wouldn’t leak outside the door.

The processing of all payments was to be handled by his younger sister, who was a year younger than him.

He always pitied his younger sister left back home. He said she was clever and could have become someone great, but because of their father, she was being chased by debt collectors and living a hard life in the slums of Eldina. His father wasn’t incompetent either—he had worked as an interpreter in several countries—but his gambling addiction was the problem.

Cyrus hated his father but worked whatever jobs he could find for his sister’s sake. That was how he was hired as an interpreter for the Brilian delegation and ended up coming to Santra. At first I hadn’t liked him much because he’d been under Aquila’s thumb, but after hearing his story, he was a pretty decent guy.

After dancing alone for a while, he calmed down a little and whispered,

「But Princess, how will you leave? You’ll have to sneak onto a ship, but I don’t see how that’s possible.」

「I’ve thought of that too.」

At my confident answer, he didn’t ask further. He must trust that I’ll handle it well.

‘So all I have to do is leave.’

Everything was going smoothly, yet I felt strange.

Escaping this wretched country was something I had always dreamed of. I had desperately wished to live the peaceful life I dreamed of, just once, in a place where no one knew me. Then, even if my life ended and I regressed back to that horrible cabin, I felt I could endure it with the memories of having been happy.

That wish was now close enough to grasp, so why was I hesitating to open my hand?

◇ ◆ ◇

The next day, at the academy.

The students buzzed at the unconventional scene they witnessed upon arriving at school. The moment Melvian saw me, he strode over and kissed the back of my hand.

“Thank you, Princess!”

He smiled very sweetly.

My chest churned with guilt, but all I could do was smile back.

With his cheeks flushed, Melvian whispered that he was preparing betrothal rings. We’re still young, so we can’t wear them on our fingers until we’re older, but let’s share a pair of rings for the meaning of it.

Honestly, I was puzzled why he was so happy. A ten-year-old couldn’t possibly have feelings for me. Was he overly brainwashed by his grandfather? That he must marry me? But could brainwashing make someone purely happy like that?

Just then, I felt a chill and turned to see Leo watching me with a terribly sunken face.

‘Oops.’

Come to think of it, I’d said I’d make time to talk, and over ten days had passed. I had so much to prepare that I had nearly forgotten about it.

That day, Leo was lost in thought and silent the whole time. It was a stark contrast to Melvian, who was twice as elated as usual, and it bothered me more.

But Leo’s melancholy air made him stand out much more than usual.

Normally he looked arrogant, with his eyes glaring and his head held high. But today, his long eyelashes cast shadows beneath his lowered eyes, making him look pure and delicate, and his lips, red from frequent biting, drew the eye.

Sure enough, the younger female students at the academy were sneakily stealing glances at him.

‘If Leo were a little older, there’d be chaos.’

This boy would surely grow into an incredible beauty. Judging by how fiercely he’d grown over the past few months, he’d shoot up in height too.

And it wasn’t just his looks. Leo was exceptionally capable. If he continued to hone himself, he would become the greatest king in the history of the continent of Tranquillum.

‘Though for that, he’d have to return to Kalisa.’

I still hadn’t figured out a way to safely send him back to his homeland. When I got the chance to talk with Leo alone, I should first ask about his deal with the king. What kind of solution there might be.

The opportunity that had seemed so elusive came that very day.

I arrived at the training grounds with Leo in the carriage, but Paeon wasn’t there to greet us. Veritas and Dinitas were in group training, so Rizen and Ark were far away as well.

‘This is the first time Paeon hasn’t been waiting.’

He was thorough in everything, leaving no gaps, but lately he’d been strange. Even during training, he’d sometimes say he was going to his office and disappear for about ten minutes before returning. He said it was just work, but I felt there must be some other reason.

As I wondered whether I should go look for him in his office, Leo grabbed me.

“!”

He gripped my hand tightly and ran toward the area full of great trees. The training grounds were connected to the forest behind the royal palace, and Leo headed that way.

“Weo! The commanda will be here soon…”

I spoke worriedly, but he went deeper without answering.

“If not now, there won’t be a chance.”

He said, catching his breath once we were in the dense forest where the training grounds were almost out of sight.

It was the first time in this life I’d come this far without a single knight or attendant. I couldn’t help but recall my seventh life, and I shuddered without meaning to. I had fled the palace at eight then, and was assassinated in this very forest.

“Asha?”

At the sound of Leo calling me, I snapped to my senses and tore my eyes away from the forest that felt like it might devour me.

“What’s wrong? Are you all right?”

“I-I’m… fine. But Weo, you said you had something to say?”

I looked at him with wide eyes, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak easily. Only after a long while did he let out a big breath and stammer.

“First… your betrothal… what’s the situation?”

I had been expecting something big, so I was a little let down, but I answered honestly.

“Ah, that’s something that came up when I was four. I made a deal with that family regarding my betrothal. I don’t think I can put it off any longer.”

Leo looked shocked for some reason.

“But you said you were leaving in a few years.”

“Well… I did.”

“Then either way, that guy is going to play the betrothed by your side for years.”

Leo’s eyes were blazing. Cowed by his intensity, I just mumbled like a parrot.

“Th-that’s right.”

Was he criticizing me now? For making a betrothed despite planning to leave? For being irresponsible?

Leo seemed to have a strong sense of responsibility, so it was understandable he’d be bothered. I had no excuse to offer on this matter. As I drooped a little, Leo spoke in a somewhat softened voice.

“Asha, you must not get betrothed to anyone.”

“…Huh? Why?”

His face slowly flushed from the tips of his ears. He looked like he was struggling to say it, but his eyes were very resolute. I felt like I could be sucked into those deep violet eyes.

“Because I have to take responsibility for you for the rest of my life.”

“What?!”

I cried out loudly in genuine shock.

“I was going to wait to tell you because you’re still too young, but…”

I was about to ask if he’d forgotten how many times I’d regressed, but the rest of his sentence was so shocking that I swallowed it.

“We spent a night together, after all.”

…What is this prince saying?