Chapter 33
It seemed like a casual remark, but the reality was different.
Thump, thump, thump.
I didn’t even know what he was going to say yet, but my heart was already pounding fiercely.
I moistened my parched lips with my tongue and waited for Arte’s words.
Ding.
[Arte makes a fuss about Envy calling.]
[Arte hurriedly leaves, saying she needs to get ready to meet Pride.]
“……?”
Huh, right at this moment?
‘This is that situation, right? You’re avoiding me, right?’
If that were the case, then Tete’s identity became even more suspicious.
‘Just ask if Tete is a divine beast, if he’s hinting at it indirectly.’
But… it was possible that Envy had really contacted him at that exact moment, so it was hard to be sure.
‘Tch, next time, I’ll definitely get a clear answer.’
It was a matter I absolutely had to confirm.
‘By the way, Arte. You and Envy communicate quite well, don’t you?’
Quickly shaking off my disappointment, I recalled Arte’s status window from a moment ago.
For someone who had left home out of anger at Arte, they seemed to be on very good terms.
‘And seeing how excited she is to meet Pride, they seem to be on good terms too.’
The heads of the four major religions would also be attending the Emperor’s birthday banquet.
Especially since the Envy and Pride churches have their main orders in the Simona Imperial Capital, those two gods would definitely attend.
‘Raven will be there too, so Pride will definitely come.’
After all, Raven had been showered with Pride’s love since birth.
The fact that the Pride Church treated Raven like a saint said it all.
‘I wonder what Pride is like.’
Judging by Arte’s and Envy’s personalities, I didn’t have high hopes, but I still wished he had a decent personality.
However, about four hours later.
Seeing the Crown Prince who came to escort me, that wish…….
Ding!
[The God of Light and Knowledge, Pride, has donated 3,000 Florins!]
[I gave a proper amount. Take that and stay away from our Raven!]
‘Th-three thousand?!’
Although the wish seemed a bit off the mark…
‘Isn’t this even better?’
The religion the royal family believed in was on a different level when it came to donations. This kind of demand to stay away was always welcome.
I couldn’t help but break into a wide smile. I couldn’t suddenly shout “Thank you!” into the air, so I just nodded.
‘This Cierra Eisens. I will separate from the Crown Prince without a single ounce of regret. Just leave it to me!’
I was determined to distance myself more earnestly and cleanly than anyone else.
But due to some misunderstanding on his part…
*Squeeze.*
He reached out his hand to me, then suddenly scrunched up his face and roughly grabbed my hand.
“……Ugh.”
Whether he failed to control his strength or had no intention of doing so…
To make matters worse, the Crown Prince was a warrior who wielded a sword.
A pain, as if my hand would shatter into pieces rather than just bruise, swept over me.
“Stop exaggerating.”
The Crown Prince, Raven, looked at me and sneered. His eyes were filled with displeasure and contempt.
‘Ugh.’
That look hurt more than the pain in my hand.
My breath caught in my throat. I thought I had completely sorted out my feelings, but it seemed a part of me still held some emotion for Raven.
In the end, I couldn’t say a word and was practically dragged by him into the carriage.
The inside of the carriage, with just the two of us, was beyond quiet, it was desolate.
‘It would have been nice if Tete were here.’
I naturally thought of Tete.
Since companions couldn’t be brought to the banquet, Tete was resting in my room.
‘Well, even if I could bring him, I would have left him behind.’
But the fact that I thought of him unconsciously showed that I must have been relying on him more than I realized.
I turned my head to the window to hide the bitter smile that formed on my lips involuntarily.
Actually, that wasn’t the only reason.
‘Why is he staring at me so intently like that?’
I was worried he might bore a hole through my face with how intensely Raven was glaring at me.
If our eyes met now, I didn’t know what strange things he might say, so I tried hard to ignore his gaze.
*Clip-clop, clip-clop.*
Using the faint sound of hooves as background noise, I spent a few minutes looking outside.
“Cierra Eisens.”
Raven, who seemed like he wouldn’t speak until we arrived at the banquet hall, abruptly opened his mouth.
‘I hoped it would end quietly like this…’
Swallowing a sigh, I turned my head to look at Raven.
In that time, my unsettled heart had calmed down like a still lake.
“What kind of scheme is it this time?”
I wondered what he meant, but it seemed he was referring to the misunderstanding he alone had yesterday.
But that line, it sounds familiar?
“Ugh, stop being annoying. No matter what desperate acts you pull, you won’t get my attention.”
This line too.
Come to think of it, I had heard these lines from Lucien and High Priest Shine before.
‘As expected of the sub-male leads of Izel. Their lines are all similar.’
“I heard you joined a religious order, trying to become a Saintess? Ah… So yesterday was that kind of thing too? Pretending to be good? Do you think—”
“You’re going to say ‘Do you think you can be like Izel? Don’t get the wrong idea,’ right?”
I’ve heard the insults you’re going to hurl at me so many times since I was a kid that I know them by heart.
We’ve been close childhood friends for a full 15 years, you think I can’t guess that much?
‘Well, we’re not friends or anything anymore.’
I thought about using formal speech with him to emphasize that we’re ‘strangers’ now, but then I gave up.
‘Hmph, he uses informal speech, so why should I?’
In the first place, even the delinquent ‘Cierra’ never used formal speech with Raven.
That played a big part in boosting my notoriety, but so what?
‘Aren’t you angry when someone stabs at you like that?’
Just for this moment, I decided to treat him like the old ‘Cierra’ did.
“Don’t you get the wrong idea. I have absolutely no need for your attention or anything.”
I’m too busy trying to survive to care about getting anyone’s attention.
I didn’t want to hear the same thing I’d heard from High Priest Shine again.
Too bothered to retort further, I vaguely waved one hand back and forth.
Raven looked at me and scowled menacingly.
In the past, that expression would have made me tremble, but now, whatever.
‘What are you going to do by scowling?’
It’s your furrowed brow that’ll hurt, I don’t care one bit.
“Tch. Stop trying to get attention by deliberately provoking people. I heard you’re using that elf as a slave too—”
“I saved Mr. Hazel, who had been captured. Could you please listen properly to what the Grid Church priest says?”
Just thinking about all the running around I did because of that makes me break out in a cold sweat.
‘It’s like a gift set of troubles.’
I found myself wondering why I ever liked a human like that.
At the very least, he could put on a dignified front like High Priest Shine. But he had no intention of doing so.
His face and words were filled with venom, mercilessly clawing at people’s hearts.
Moreover, unlike Lucien or Shine, it’s not like I did anything wrong to warrant his words.
‘What did I do besides like you and follow you around?’
And on top of that, you have more venom than both of them combined.
“Cierra Eisens, you—”
“Crown Prince Raven, Your Highness. I really don’t like you.”
Cutting off Raven’s words again, I spoke first.
Based on experience, in conversations like this, if you let the other person take the lead, you end up stuttering and unable to say what you want before it ends.
‘Only for misunderstandings to pile up again later.’
I absolutely detest that kind of situation now. Lucien alone was more than enough, overwhelming even.
“There was a rumor going around that I went to District 3 yesterday, right? I hope you didn’t misunderstand. How could I have known you were going there and followed you?”
“…….”
“If you suspect every coincidence is some kind of scheme, you’ll just get tired too. I have no interest in whether you meet Izel or start a new love now.”
“Then why were you smiling at me earlier?”
“No, that was!”
Who wouldn’t smile if a god suddenly gives you 3,000 florins?
While I was momentarily speechless, Raven smirked with a ‘I knew it’ expression.
“It’s really tiresome. Are you so desperate for attention that you’re using such methods now?”
Oh no. It looks like I’m about to lose the initiative. No choice then.
‘Let’s just go for it blindly!’
What’s the point of making rational rebuttals to someone who doesn’t even listen with one ear?
“Methods, what methods? It’s because the god, I mean Pride, spoke to me first, okay?”
Even I thought it was an absurd thing to say.
As expected, Raven also looked utterly incredulous.
“You, who never had a speck of divine power your whole life? Say something that makes sense.”
“Then try pretending to believe it. I told you the truth, so think whatever you want.”
I didn’t want to exchange any more words with Raven, so I waved my hands dismissively.
To make matters worse, my body, which had been fine until now, started to ache.
‘Damn it.’
The rebound was worse than usual.
