Chapter 46
The Crown Prince, who immediately understood the meaning, had shown a meaningful reaction towards Sian because of this.
“Ahem… Sian may not look it, but she’s an extremely shy woman, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t show any signs in front of her.”
Carl finally let out the cough he had been trying to swallow.
If she found out that he had lied about her being his fiancée on his own, it might not just be a punch to the side this time, but his neck might be on the line.
Michael tilted his head, recalling Sian’s confident attitude even in front of the Crown Prince’s Nathan.
“She seemed like a very bold woman to me.”
“In truth, she has many delicate aspects.”
Carl said. It was fortunate that their relationship had progressed a step. But it wasn’t to the point of promising engagement.
“She’ll be very embarrassed if she knows that you and my brother know. So absolutely, absolutely! Don’t show any signs in front of her. Understand?”
“…? I understand…”
Michael seemed quite puzzled by Carl’s reaction, which was almost resolute, but soon agreed to do so.
“Then in any case, I will escort you on the way to the imperial capital.”
“No, we’ll go quietly by ourselves as much as possible. You go back to my brother first.”
“But I received orders from His Highness to bring Your Highness back safely.”
Michael looked troubled at Carl’s refusal. Carl shook his head.
“With Sian and her companions, plus Idelin, there’s no need to worry about safety. Rather, if you, a member of the imperial knights, accompany us when we enter the city, it will be known that I’ve cleared up the misunderstanding with my brother. Then those who tried to drive a wedge between my brother and me will become even more wary.”
Michael let out a low “Ah” at Carl’s words.
“Clearing my name is urgent, but finding out who killed Dragon King Elena and investigating that is even more urgent and important.”
If they learn that the relationship between the Crown Prince and himself has been restored, they will plan other ways to drive them apart again.
“For a while, my brother and I need to appear completely separated on the surface.”
“But, if Your Highness receives evidence of innocence from the temple anyway, His Highness the Crown Prince will have no reason to consider Your Highness as an enemy, right?”
“No. Whether it was my brother’s will or not, my domain has already been attacked, hasn’t it? I hold a grudge against my brother who attacked my domain without the temple’s warrant and almost killed me, and my brother doesn’t trust me. Even if I receive recognition of innocence from the temple.”
Carl calmly summarized the situation.
“The fact that you and I met at the temple must be kept absolutely secret.”
“You mean to pretend to be at odds with each other, make the other side lower their guard, and then dig up evidence of the Dragon King’s assassination?”
“That’s exactly it.”
Carl smiled at Michael’s words.
“It’s been quite a while since our relationship became so estranged that I doubted my brother’s true intentions for a moment, so even if I resent my brother indefinitely and my brother is wary of me, no one will suspect anything.”
“That makes sense. I’ll explain it to His Highness that way.”
Michael easily agreed with Carl’s opinion. The idea of calling Carl to the imperial capital to make the enemies, who still had no evidence, lower their guard was the Crown Prince’s from the beginning. There seemed to be no reason for the Crown Prince to refuse Carl’s further developed strategy.
“The problem is where to start investigating their background.”
Carl continued, scratching his temple as if he had a headache. He had managed to convince Michael, but there were still mountains of problems to solve.
“Idelin’s scales and bones cut from a living dragon…”
Perfect evidence forcing the acknowledgment of Idelin’s guilt and the cause of Elena’s death. As Carl muttered softly, Michael’s face hardened.
“Shouldn’t we first track why and how Idelin’s scales were there?”
“That’s right. Where on earth did they get Idelin’s scales? Idelin hasn’t left her nest for quite a while.”
Carl muttered, stroking his chin.
“Wouldn’t a dragon drop scales? Even by chance while gliding…”
“That could happen. No matter how superior dragons are to humans, they can’t control every single scale. But as I said, Idelin hasn’t shown herself much since leaving the capital. Only Idelin and I know the location of the nest.”
Michael’s expression sank seriously at Carl’s question.
“Even if we concede a hundred times that someone found Idelin’s nest and obtained a scale, Idelin wouldn’t be unaware if someone had approached.”
“…That’s true. Moreover, even if someone happened to get their hands on a fallen scale of Idelin’s, it wouldn’t be common for someone to recognize it as a dragon’s scale.”
“That’s also true.”
When Carl answered easily, Michael let out a small groan.
“…It’s difficult.”
Carl nodded, suppressing a sigh at Michael’s words.
“That’s why we need to move even more carefully.”
…And the bone of a living dragon.
Whether it was certainly Elena’s bone as Sian thought was also a problem that needed to be confirmed. Having thought that far, Carl narrowed his eyes.
“By any chance, could you do me a favor?”
“Of course. What is it?”
Michael answered willingly.
“This is something only you should know, and investigate as discreetly as possible. Don’t tell His Highness or Sian… my fiancée. Can you do that?”
Carl leaned forward towards Michael and lowered his voice. Michael widened his eyes questioningly.
* * *
“Sis. Are you here?”
It was when Sian had just completed the second contract in elegant handwriting. The timing couldn’t have been better as Carl arrived.
The mercenaries, who were lounging around after finishing their meal, casually greeted him without being surprised by the prince’s sudden appearance.
“Welcome, boss.”
“You’re late, boss.”
Those who looked at least ten years older than Carl called him “boss” without hesitation. They all seemed to have completely forgotten the fact that he was a prince they wouldn’t normally be able to even address.
Rather, it was Sian who jumped up in surprise at Carl’s appearance.
“Carl.”
At Sian’s reaction of leaping to her feet, it wasn’t the warmly welcomed Carl who widened his eyes. The mercenaries, who had been casually greeting the prince while half-lying down, all looked at Sian in surprise.
Sian belatedly realized the attention on her.
Because the events in the garden had been so vividly etched in her mind, she was greatly startled just seeing Carl’s face. Her face flushed as she realized anew how acutely aware of him she was.
Everyone, including Dr. Zivago who was handling his precious medical equipment, Max who was oiling his sword, and Skull who was half-dozing on the bed, stopped what they were doing and stared in disbelief at Sian, who was blushing at the sight of Carl.
“Could you spare some time? I have something to talk about.”
The terrifying thing, more frightening than a prophecy of world destruction, wasn’t over yet. Carl, standing at the doorway without entering the room, spoke in a smooth voice they had never heard before. Then Sian readily answered, “Yes, that’s fine,” with her cheeks still flushed.
“…What is this…?!”
Dr. Zivago, who had never been romantically involved with a woman in his life, trembled with anger, clutching his tweezers.
Sian’s image of mercilessly laughing off Carl’s confession and flatly rejecting him was nowhere to be seen. Anyone with even a little sensitivity couldn’t help but notice that something special had begun to swirl between Carl and Sian.
“It’s just to discuss the new contract!”
Sian, feeling guilty, snapped sharply at Dr. Zivago’s outburst.
“Why are you blushing unnecessarily for a new contract! Act like you usually do, like usual…! Mmph!”
“Have a good time, Lady Sian.”
Max covered Dr. Zivago’s mouth. Sian glared briefly at Dr. Zivago, who was still protesting with gestures even with his mouth covered. Then she approached Carl, who was waiting for her at the doorway, holding the newly written contract.
“No, that person…!”
Dr. Zivago and Max could clearly see. As Sian glared at Zivago and went to Carl, Carl first let Sian out the door as if escorting her, and then briefly stuck his tongue out at Zivago.
Dr. Zivago burst out in anger at this childish and petty behavior, unimaginable for a prince’s conduct.
“What is it, what is it, Brother Max? That, that, it’s definitely starting to work out between them, right?”
After Carl closed the door and left with Sian, Zivago, overcome with emotion, widened his eyes at Max.
“…It seems so, though I hate to admit it.”
Max finally became honest.
“Wow, sis. I didn’t know you’d betray us like this. What new contract? To hell with the new contract.”
“The new contract isn’t a lie. She’s been writing a new contract since earlier.”
“No, that’s not the point. People should be consistent. How can someone who was so adamant about not making a new contract suddenly change their mind… You saw it, didn’t you, Brother Max? ‘Yes, that’s fine.’ Is that the voice of the leader of the Dragon’s Claw mercenary group?”
Dr. Zivago burst out in frustration, imitating Sian’s voice that had already disappeared. Max laughed quietly.
“Just leave them be. They look good together. Why are you so against them getting along?”
“Because it’s irritating. I’ve known sis for over 5 years now, and it feels like I’m losing her to someone who just appeared out of nowhere, even if he is a prince.”
