Chapter 8 Part 8

The Crown Prince, Varlan, put his glass down decisively at his words.

“A hunt for monsters, you say? Perfect timing. I’ll join you.”

“Pardon? But…” The Duke trailed off, surprised by the unexpected offer.

“I encountered monsters several times on my way here. There’s no reason I can’t help with the hunt.”

It wasn’t strange considering the recent increase in monster activity in the North. It was impossible to dissuade the Crown Prince from volunteering for the hunt, so the Duke had no choice but to agree.

“Understood.”

The dinner was nearly over. Elia wiped her mouth, expecting the meal to end soon. That was until Crown Prince Varlan suddenly addressed her.

“Is the Princess not participating in the hunt?”

“Oh, I plan to stay in the castle. There’s not much I can do to help.”

On the surface, that was the case. Elia hid the truth behind a polite smile.

It was Jacob who voiced an objection.

“That’s not true. I heard it was the young lady who suggested the idea of the plains hunt.”

Elia’s eyes widened at his words.

“Thank you for saying that, Sir Jacob. But it was the knights who did the hard work.”

“Strategy is important too.”

She responded with a gentle smile.

The Duke, listening to their conversation, then addressed Elia and Varlan.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a long time since the Crown Prince and the Princess have seen each other. I hope you both catch up.”

Elia expected Varlan not to respond, but he did.

“I plan to. It’s been so long that I almost didn’t recognize you.”

The same purple eyes as Elia’s were now looking at her.

The dinner ended with a light drink. As the Crown Prince rose, Elia and Aksion also prepared to leave the dining hall. However, they didn’t get far. In the quiet hallway, Varlan was leaning against the wall.

Elia and Varlan’s gazes met. As if he had been waiting, he straightened up.

“You both came out together.”

“…We’re a married couple. Shouldn’t we be going the same way?”

His cold purple eyes scrutinized the two of them, as if trying to uncover the truth.

‘Cold eyes.’

Elia was strangely comforted by the familiarity of that gaze. She clung to Aksion’s arm and smiled.

“I’m sorry, brother. I’ve been too indifferent, haven’t I?”

“What?”

Varlan narrowed his eyes at her words, but Elia continued unperturbed, her eyes twinkling.

“It’s been so long since I greeted you… Please forgive me if I treated you like a stranger. I didn’t mean to. Seeing your face after such a long time must have made you feel neglected.”

Her words were true. Until now, their meeting at the dinner didn’t quite feel like a sibling reunion. It made Varlan’s wait seem more like he wanted to clarify their relationship.

“…Alright.”

Varlan reluctantly nodded. Elia gave a short bow of thanks.

“I was very happy to see you, even though I didn’t show it. This is the first time I’ve seen you grown up.”

In her memory, the last time she saw the Crown Prince was the night she was offered as a sacrifice. But even then, it had been over ten years since they last saw each other, and if not for his purple eyes, she might have mistaken him for someone else.

Varlan responded to her cheerful demeanor.

“You seem a bit different.”

“It must be because I’m married. I’m enjoying a happy honeymoon.”

Elia looked up at Aksion. He planted a light kiss on her cheek. Elia leaned her head on his shoulder.

“I’m hoping the monster hunt ends soon.”

“It will be over quickly.”

Varlan watched the affectionate couple.

Elia then turned her head and smiled gently.

“I hope you have a restful month. We’ll be going up now.”

The Crown Prince didn’t respond. As they were about to pass him, he called out.

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

Elia turned her head.

Did he want to have a conversation like siblings?

The purple eyes that met hers reflected indifference. After a brief pause, the Crown Prince shook his head.

“…Nothing. Pardon me.”

Varlan passed them first. Elia had to watch his unfamiliar back until he was completely out of sight.

That night, back in her bedroom, Elia stepped into the bathtub with Risha’s help. The warm water caressed her skin, and Elia created ripples with her hands, lost in thought about the encounter in the hallway.

‘Why does he seem suspicious of us?’

There was no reason for it. Varlan had no reason to take such a keen interest in her.

‘I don’t remember him visiting the North.’

Wherever the Crown Prince went, it was reported to the Emperor. Elia remembered hearing about his whereabouts during her conversations with the Emperor.

‘So why is he here?’

There was only one reason he might come to the North.

‘Could it be because of me?’

But she quickly dismissed the thought.

‘No, that’s impossible.’

It made sense because Varlan had also been present the night she was offered as a sacrifice. An old memory resurfaced from the distant past, not long after Elia came to the royal castle from the Count’s household.

In those early days, the luxurious and clean environment felt unfamiliar. Elia walked cautiously, wearing her pretty shoes.

‘I mustn’t get them dirty.’

The shoes were so beautiful that she thought they shouldn’t get any stains. She walked awkwardly and eventually tripped in the royal corridor.

Her knee hurt, and she felt like crying. As she tried to hold back her tears, a hand reached out.

“Get up.”

Elia looked up to see her stepbrother, who always seemed scary, offering his hand. She carefully took his hand and stood up. Varlan, who briefly looked down at the young Elia, turned and left.

His entourage followed him out of the corridor. Elia stayed there for a long time until the maids came.

The memory of that moment kept overlapping with recent events, like him saving a commoner spirit mage.

‘…Don’t worry about unnecessary things.’

It was just a coincidence.

Even a villain could perform a single act of kindness in their life.

There were more important matters to focus on than Varlan.

Today’s hunting matter would be discussed in tomorrow’s meeting.

Elia got up from the bath, feeling lighter after changing into comfortable sleepwear.

Her bedroom had a small sitting room attached, where Aksion was waiting for her. He seemed to have just finished his shower, his black hair still damp. He rose when he saw her.

“There’s a scratch here.”

“Oh, I didn’t notice.”

Aksion took her arm. Below her elbow was a scratch from a tree branch. It had been hidden by her dress sleeve earlier but was more noticeable now in her sleeveless attire. The blood had dried, making it look like a minor wound. Aksion gently kissed the small scar.

“You didn’t tell me everything earlier, did you?”

His calm eyes met Elia’s.

He was referring to the details of the hunt they had discussed earlier today.

“Well…”

Elia hesitated. It was a peculiar enough event to arouse suspicion if she told him.

If she were to explain, where would she start?

She decided to leave out the black aura that had formed around Aksion.

“Suddenly, black fog appeared in the forest. It felt like someone was controlling it.”

“…Fog.”

There were many mages and spirit mages who could control natural elements. But black fog was an ominous sign that no one would create intentionally.

‘Unless it’s a black magician.’

Black magic, long persecuted and eradicated, was not accepted anywhere. It involved sacrificing living beings to obtain what the practitioner desired, ultimately leading to ruin as they consumed their surroundings in endless greed.

“Elia, promise me. If there’s any danger, you won’t hide it.”

His words made her mouth dry. She was already hiding many things from him.