Chapter 45

Chapter 45

 

I think I could wear it on all ten fingers.

 

Anyway, our party returned to the mansion. Milliard showed off the scars of glory as he walked around exposing his scar on his forearm. He was injured while protecting the Prince, so he deserved it.

 

“Can you be considerate of other people’s eyes too?”

 

I may not pay it heed when he was only showing off his arms only, but why does he had to show his upper body too? I’m dying of his shamelessness.

 

The maids covered their eyes with surprise whenever they saw Milliard. But seeing them blushed as they do so, they don’t seem to be hating it. Though I hate it.

 

“I think other people like it other than you, noona.” Milliard said proudly with his chin raised.

 

Well, Count Ellifritz was good at swordsmanship, but they were even more famous for their beauty, so it’s understandable he came out like that.

 

“Isn’t it a problem that I don’t like it?”

 

So stop terrorizing my eyes. I pulled out Milliard’s shirt that he tucked around his waist.

 

“Gosh, get dressed quickly. I don’t want to see your body.”

 

“What is worse than me, looking at His Majesty’s thin face every day?”

 

Milliard grumbled and grabbed the shirt in my hand. I turned around only after I checked that he had his shirt on.

 

“I will be a little late today. Sir Helix and I….”

 

“You’re going to the racetrack again, right? Don’t you know you’re wasting all of our family’s wealth?”

 

“Oh, stop nagging! I have a good feeling today.”

 

You’ve probably heard that hundreds of times. I looked at Milliard with cold eyes.

 

“I-It’s true.”

 

“Who told you that?”

 

“B-because you’re cursing me with your eyes….”

 

Milliard said innocently as he fiddled with his shirt. I knew it would be no use trying to stop him anyway.

 

“Alright. Don’t be late, and I will tell Abbysion about it.”

 

“No, but honestly, has there ever been a time you didn’t tell him?”

 

Of course, nothing.

 

Milliard ruffled his hair irritably and then went out on the front door. Seeing him go outside of the mansion in a carriage, I went straight up the office – to tell Abbysion right away.

 

As I was walking in the hallway, I saw Siegfried walking from the opposite side. His black hair was settled down on his head, apparently he had only just washed after swordsmanship training.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“…Ariel. Was there something that made you feel good? You look excited.”

 

“I am on my way to put trouble over Milliard.”

 

“Oh, I see.”

 

Siegfried nodded his head in understanding. He approached me and the smell of cool soap wafted from him. I wouldn’t have felt anything in the past, but I held my breath now without realizing. I wish I couldn’t be conscious of it. I patted myself to pull myself together.

 

Siegfried looked at me, confused.

 

“… What are you doing? Why are you slapping your cheek?”

 

“It’s my hobby and my specialty.”

 

“It seemed like it was.”

 

Why aren’t you denying it? Was your experience of being slapped by me very impressive? I lowered my hand because I felt like I was doing something stupid.

 

Siegfried lightly chuckled.

 

“Weren’t you going to the office? It would be good to go together.”

 

“Don’t say that!”

 

“… Why? That’s unnecessary.” Siegfried tilted his head in wonder.

 

What he said wasn’t wrong. Siegfried flirted with me whenever he could, but the problem was that I could no longer build an iron wall against his flirting.

 

“It’s nothing. Then, I-I’ll be on my way.”

 

“Alright, g-go.”

 

“Don’t follow me.”

 

“You followed me before too.”

 

You also have a good memory. I couldn’t find any more words to answer him, so I shut my lips.

 

“You said you’re going?”

 

“I’m on my way, I am. But why are you following me?”

 

“I also have something to say to Sir Abbysion.” Siegfried said as he approached me walking down the hall.

 

You’re lying. You’re walking away in front of the office. 

 

“Actually, are you just doing this out of boredom?”

 

“How did you know? Since you had no time to play with me, I have to follow you.”

 

I guess I’ve been pushing Siegfried too much. He didn’t have any expectations from me at all. I felt a little awkward and scratched my cheek.

 

Meanwhile, I arrived in front of the office. Siegfried turned the knob and stepped aside so I could enter first.

 

“Oh, thank you.”

 

“You don’t have to.”

 

Siegfried shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. I also went inside trying my best to ignore the smell of soap from him.

 

“… Ariel? Your Highness also came.”

 

Abbysion was sitting in front of the mahogany table and raised his head from looking at his documents. He signaled with his hand, and his aides rushed out.

 

“Brother, Milliard…”

 

“He went to the racetrack again? This punk is just something.”

 

“How did you know?”

 

“I knew right away when I saw you coming to me at this time.”

 

As Abbysion spoke as if he knew it beforehand, Siegfried laughed. I shook my head.

 

“This is because Abbysion kept giving Milliard money. He went outside to play now because he got a little energetic. Last time, he even tried to get me and Sir Helix to meet in order to reduce his debt.”

 

“Though his intentions were impure, isn’t Sir Helix pretty decent? Even if they only had one carriage left, his family… ahem.”

 

Abbysion suddenly coughed and lowered his eyes. I was wondering why, then I felt a murderous aura as I watched him. The source of the murderous aura was of course Siegfried sitting next to me. His eyes were vicious though he wouldn’t really kill Abbysion.

 

“I heard that Ariel doesn’t like younger guys.”

 

Don’t you know that statement applies to you as well? I flinched as I looked at Siegfried.

 

“Your Highness is also young. Younger than that Sir Helix.”

 

“Age is just a number.”

 

“…?”

 

Abbysion’s face was tinged with doubt. Even without looking at the mirror, I’m sure I had the same expression.

 

“I’ve been curious about it for a long time, but does Your Highness like Ariel….”

 

Knock, knock. A knock echoed before Abbysion was able to finish his words. The door swung open as soon as he responded with, ‘Come in’.

 

“We-we’re in trouble! The former farm owner of the Corte grape farm lost his life when it caught fire!”

 

The butler was catching his breath from how he was quickly running.

 

I sprang to my feet as soon as I heard the butler’s report.

 

“What do you mean…? Why is there a fire there? They’ve never had an accident like that before.”

 

“It was not an accident. Some suspicious people went to the farm and set fire….”

 

“… It was Eisa.”

 

Siegfried hardened his face to a cold expression as if he knew what the butler was talking about even without listening to it. I didn’t expect it was Eisa who did that until I heard Siegfried say it.

 

“What is he doing that for? Corte grapes are also delivered to the Imperial Family.”

 

“Eisa would surely do enough of that. He must have heard that I bought the farm.” Siegfried said as he hardly bit on his lips.

 

It has been quite some time since the subjugation ended, so the rumor could have reached Eisa’s ears. He couldn’t even tolerate this. I somehow felt a chill on my spine.

 

“But that farm was given to me by Your Highness. It no longer belonged to you.”

 

“That’s why this is more of a problem. It’s no different than the Crown Prince sending a warning to the House of Ellifritz.”

 

Abbysion crumpled his face as if he was washing his face dry.

 

I thought it was too much of a jump when I first heard of it, but thinking about it now, I think Eisa could have done that. I never imagined like this. So that’s why Siegfried said that there were no people around him, because Eisa will be putting pressure on him using different ways. 

 

“Then what should we do? Can we arrange a funeral for the former farmer owner?”

 

I asked the butler.

 

“Unfortunately, he was said to have died in the fire so there was no body. The former farm owner already expressed their intention to hold the funeral quietly.”

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The situation was over and only the report was delivered. There was a heavy silence in the office.