Chapter 10
Carl’s face, which had hardened at the phrase written in calligraphy rivaling that of a royal scribe, showed no signs of relaxing.
“Is there a problem?”
Sian asked with a calm face. As if there couldn’t possibly be any issue. But of course, there was no way there wouldn’t be an issue. Carl moved his creaking facial muscles to form a strange expression resembling a smile.
“In general, this is what people call a poison pill clause.”
“My, a poison pill clause? That’s quite an exaggeration. It’s a clause that won’t be an issue at all if our contract is properly established and executed. How about we call it a contingency plan for unforeseen circumstances?”
“Who sets up a contingency… no, who sets it up on this scale?”
For a moment, Carl was about to throw the unsigned contract away, saying “this kind of…”, but he caught himself. No matter how dire the situation, a prince who lived and died by decorum couldn’t just lash out.
Suppressing the roar that almost erupted with the narrowest of margins, Carl maintained an elegant posture with the utmost patience. But even so, he couldn’t hide the anger-filled look in his eyes. Reading Carl’s unyielding gaze, Sian pulled at the corners of her mouth with an subtle emotion.
And Carl heard Sian mutter, very softly, so softly that he wouldn’t have heard it if he hadn’t been on high alert, “Tch, not falling for it.” His molars clenched involuntarily. This woman was enough to fleece him blind and then some.
“The agreed contract will be exactly 6 to 4, no more, no less. Lady Sian.”
‘I can’t back down any further.’ As Carl added, gritting his teeth, Sian shrugged with a bright smile.
“Alright, alright. It’s just that you never know what might happen, so I threw in that special clause just in case. If we can’t agree on it, then there’s nothing we can do.”
And with that cool response, Sian took out the pen she had prepared and drew a line through the sentence ‘In the event of non-compliance—’, striking it out.
“Ah, I put so much effort into writing this contract, and now it’s all messy…”
Carl’s expression only relaxed a bit after the special clause was damaged to the point where the original sentence could no longer be read properly. But Sian pouted her lips in disappointment, regretting that she couldn’t save the trump card clause.
Although she seemed extremely displeased, Carl knew well. Her dissatisfaction was more about not being able to sneak in the poison pill clause rather than the contract becoming messy.
As Carl silently glared at Sian, she cleared her throat, having shed her last bit of regret.
“I’ve deleted it, so it’s fine now. Sign it properly now.”
Sian held out the pen and contract again. Worried that he might have missed something, or that there might be ambiguous expressions that could lead to legal disputes, Carl carefully savored each word, reading the contract he had already reviewed once before three more times, holding it right up to his nose, before finally picking up the pen to sign. Sian was watching Carl with an indecipherable smile.
‘Even his anger is cute…’
Is this severe enough? When did it become like this? Sian’s feelings were very complex.
It was a thousand blessings that she hadn’t spoken honestly to Dr. Zivago. If the men who were thirsty for scandals found out, it was already dizzying just thinking about how much they would tease her.
While Sian was deep in thought looking at Carl, he finished his elegant signature with the familiar movement of a lord.
The last chance to return to a daily life that was peaceful to the point of being dull was now over. Come to think of it, there wasn’t even time to consider it more seriously. Sian inwardly muttered bitterly as she received the contract that Carl had completed.
“Now we’re on the same side, with no way out.”
As Sian spoke, trying to gather her emotions that were unclear whether they were relieved or uneasy, Carl leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow.
Even though it didn’t seem particularly groomed, that man’s eyebrows looked like they had been drawn on. Sian, with a calm expression, now habitually suppressed an exclamation of admiration.
At this point, she wasn’t sure if she had fallen for that face or for the person.
“Normally, one wouldn’t hastily judge someone who’s planning to take a piece of their territory as being on the same side… But let’s overlook the small things.”
“My, you’re quite petty for someone with such a face.”
Sian laughed heartily.
“Well then, employer. Now that there’s nowhere left to retreat, shall we properly introduce ourselves?”
As Sian carefully tucked away the contract, Carl tilted his head.
“Do I need an introduction?”
Carl’s expression as he added, “At this point?” was nothing but composed. It was an attitude bordering on arrogance, with the underlying assumption that there couldn’t possibly be anyone in the world who didn’t know him, but Sian laughed it off lightly.
“Carlston Klaus, the third prince of the Dragon Empire Igrion, direct descendant of the founding dragon Yggdrasil and master of the silver Idelin, lord of Ivarid, who was to be appointed as a duke at the coronation ceremony of Crown Prince Hendrick Klaus, but the ceremony was postponed due to the Emperor’s illness, so he remains a prince for now. A saint among saints who, while in hiding, was slapped on the right cheek by a beggar but offered the left cheek to be struck as well.”
“You know quite well.”
As Sian began to recite information about Carl’s background, his stiff expression melted away. He seemed quite pleased with the fame that anyone associated with the empire couldn’t help but know.
“But what I know is just the personal information that everyone in the world knows, isn’t it? To really be on the same side, I need to know more details.”
“More details?”
“How tall are you? What are your views on marriage, and what’s your ideal type?”
“…?”
For a moment, Carl blinked blankly, becoming a fool.
“…What does that have to do with the contract?”
“No, it’s just that you’re taller than I thought…”
Sian trailed off, seemingly embarrassed. The confusion on Carl’s face deepened.
“I don’t know my height because I haven’t measured it, and as for views on marriage, someone who can manage the territory well…”
Despite everything, Carl was diligently answering when he suddenly closed his mouth and furrowed his brow. The question ‘Why am I answering this?’ was very clear.
“Rather than talking about such things, shouldn’t we be pondering how to enter the castle?”
Looking at Sian, who was watching him with sparkling eyes, Carl let out a deep sigh. Sian, carefully holding the contract to her chest, dropped her shoulders with a disappointed face.
“Why? I think it’s important to know each other well.”
“Of course, there’s some truth to that, but.”
Carl threw a look that clearly meant ‘Isn’t the direction way off?’ It was quite fascinating how another person’s thoughts could be read so clearly just through expression and eyes. Sian lightly smacked her lips at the complaint that was more intense and clear than if she had heard it with her ears.
“There’s no such thing as useless information in this world. Everything has its use at some point if you know it in advance. That’s why I asked, so don’t take it in such a negative way. Come on, do you think I would ask such things out of personal interest in Your Highness, the master of Idelin? I’m asking because it’s all necessary.”
Sian spoke fluently and let out a hollow laugh, saying “Really now.” Even she thought her feigned ignorance was quite impressive, but Carl’s narrowed eyes showed no signs of relaxing.
Despite Sian’s masterful acting, he seemed to grow even more suspicious. After briefly gauging Carl’s reaction, Sian cleared her throat, eventually letting out a forced cough. She belatedly realized that her words intended to persuade Carl had somehow ended up sounding like a confession: “I have a lot of personal interest in Your Highness.” She needed to find a more plausible excuse.
“So… the reason I need information like Your Highness’s height and ideal type is related to our strategy for entering Ivarid…”
She opened her mouth to say whatever came to mind, but somehow it felt like she was sinking deeper into a maze. Why did it feel like she was digging her own grave with such sincerity? Sian wondered as she moistened her dry lips.
“It’s, well… Right. If you’re too tall, we might need an excuse when you’re in disguise as a woman.”
Still, there was no law saying a person had to die. Her brain and mouth working separately, they managed to come up with an implausible excuse.
“Disguise as a woman?”
Carl frowned openly at the unexpected words.
Sian nodded hastily. The single word uttered by her lips, which seemed to have a mind of their own, suddenly sounded quite plausible.
