Chapter 32
As I chattered on about how fateful our meeting was, his movements suddenly froze. It was as if he’d been struck right in the heart.
Finding it strange that no response came, I turned my head to look at Axel.
“…Wh-What’s wrong?”
He was pretending otherwise, but he looked unusually flustered. Seeing that, I tilted my head. What could possibly fluster Axel like this?
Come to think of it, his attire was a bit different from usual. Similar to how I’d worn a robe to hide my identity, Axel was also dressed in his uniform with a black robe over it.
I narrowed my eyes as I gazed at him.
The reason I hadn’t encountered him even once today,
Could it be…!
Just as Axel, seeing the realization dawn on my face, hurriedly opened his mouth.
“Actually, my lady. The truth is.”
“I get it! You were secretly moving alone to crack down on crimes happening covertly within the festival, just like earlier? Your Highness!”
“…What?”
Without seeing his dumbfounded expression, I nodded vigorously and continued.
“No wonder I couldn’t spot Your Highness at the festival—that’s why. I’m right, aren’t I? Your Highness?”
“…I didn’t expect the lady to catch on to this.”
Whether being discovered by me was such a shock, Axel rubbed his face with both hands as if washing it dry.
Proud for a moment at having deduced it perfectly, I quietly spoke to him as I looked his way.
“But don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
“…Heh, right. Thanks.”
A cool breeze brushed past my cheeks. Could my pathos strategy have worked? I couldn’t shake the thought that Axel seemed especially kind to me today.
The atmosphere felt pretty good too—like he might even indulge my sly intentions right now.
‘If not now, when else would I seize the chance!’
Opportunities like this don’t come often. Encouraging myself, I immediately put it into action.
Sitting on the edge of the fountain, I leaned slightly to the side and rested my head against him. With some expert-level acting thrown in.
“Ahh, Your Highness. The shock from earlier must be wearing off now—my body feels a bit weak…”
As I said that, I secretly lifted my closed eyes to sneak a peek at Axel. From above my head came a faint, deflating sound.
“Rather than that, you didn’t look scared at all earlier, and you talked so well. My lady. You finally seemed like the lady I know.”
“…Ah, you heard that?”
“Why, was I not supposed to?”
“No, it’s not that. But then I lose my excuse to act like this.”
“Did you even plan to hide it from the start?”
“Nope.”
I smiled brightly at Axel, who was looking at me with incredulous eyes.
Answering innocently, I beamed at him. Axel glanced at me with a look of disbelief. When our eyes met, he spoke again.
“Still, it would be best if you didn’t step in like that next time. I’m saying this now, but your actions earlier were incredibly reckless. Do you realize? Provoking the other party without an escort knight is not a good idea—please keep that in mind.”
At Axel’s long-winded words, I blinked blankly. Looking down at me, Axel’s eyebrow arched crookedly.
“…My lady, are you listening?”
“Are you worrying about me right now?”
His words sounded just like concern for me. Axel furrowed his brow as if exasperated.
“Then what did you think I was saying all this time?”
“No… It just doesn’t feel real. For Your Highness to worry about me…!”
“I didn’t know you saw me as some cold-blooded person incapable of worry.”
“Ah, that’s not what I meant!”
“Then what?”
After a brief pause, I gazed at Axel with a giggle.
“I was just saying I’m happy that you’re worrying about me.”
“…What trivial things make you happy.”
“But thanks for the concern—though what Your Highness is worried about wouldn’t have happened anyway.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“I prepared something just for times like this!”
With that, I confidently showed him the ring on my right index finger. He frowned slightly.
“This is…”
“A ring engraved with magic. They said to use it if strange people approach. I don’t really know what magic is on it, though…”
“…They said to use it? Is this from that strange mage friend of yours, my lady?”
“Gasp, how did you know?”
At my startled response, Axel’s expression grew darker, but since his default was always impassive, I didn’t pay it much mind and chattered on.
“We were supposed to come to the festival together today, but he had urgent business and gave me this ring instead, saying sorry. I hoped I wouldn’t need it, and luckily I didn’t!”
“He gave you a ring.”
I answered brightly. After a moment of silence, Axel asked me in a voice lower than usual.
“They say mages from the magic tower are full of eccentrics—do you know that?”
“Eccentrics… Hmm, yes. They did seem not quite normal, as the rumors say.”
“And yet, my lady, knowing that, you accepted and even wore an item without knowing what magic is engraved on it? Who knows what that guy you’ve barely known could do to you?”
His tone was like scolding a childish person. When I turned my head, Axel was looking down at me with a very stiff, hardened face.
Flustered, as I hurriedly tried to offer an excuse, a voice as cold as frost pierced my ear.
“It would be best not to meet with someone you can’t trust anymore.”
That was like a bolt from the blue to me.
Don’t meet him anymore…! Th-Then what about my photocards and 8K ultra-high-definition video orb? Who’s going to take responsibility for those from now on…?
I somewhat agreed with Axel’s words that he couldn’t be trusted, but that didn’t mean I could give up on Xenon. I was extremely satisfied with the magical items he provided right now.
Finding another talent like him seemed impossible at this point. Plus, it was so efficient since it didn’t require money—just meeting occasionally.
At first, I too found him a bit off-putting, but now I was quite content.
The thought of not getting photocards and video orbs from him anymore felt like the sky was falling. The full-HD screen of Axel…! Ah, no…!
With that in mind, I unconsciously hardened my face—a rare occurrence—and firmly declared.
“Ah. That’s absolutely not happening!”
In my excitement, I failed to notice Axel’s expression freezing at that outburst.
“…Did you just say absolutely? What’s the reason?”
“I need him for the photocards and video orb!”
“Photocards—you mean those scraps of paper?”
“No, not scraps of paper, Your Highness! H-How can you say that…! They’re my life’s vitality, my light, my hope itself! They’re all necessary to capture Your Highness—how can you say such things to me!”
Now with a completely tearful face, I grabbed Axel’s arm and vented my frustration. Instead, Axel looked flustered.
“Without those, how am I supposed to live from now on? I can only keep capturing Your Highness if I have them! No. No way. I won’t budge on this. Your Highness. You’re not going to be with me every day, so taking this away too is just too cruel!”
Like a child throwing a tantrum, I shook my head vigorously and shouted. At that moment, a small sound came from Axel.
“…All to capture me?”
