CHAPTER 09……………………………………………………
“Shall we?”
“Then please wait a moment. I’ll be right back.”
I watched his empty spot as he disappeared in an instant and let out a small chuckle. Smiling so brightly—it was like watching a well-behaved puppy.
Men were supposed to remain childish even when grown up… Was it really that delightful? Stretching my drowsy body slightly, I sat back down and waited. Soon, he returned and handed me a small glass.
“It’s the same drink as before, but milder. You’ll probably feel it more like a sweet beverage.”
“Thank you.”
Smiling, I lifted the glass, and he sat beside me, quietly sipping as well. Conversation naturally paused, and awkwardly, I brought the glass to my lips.
Indeed, it felt less strong than before. It was like drinking sweet fruit juice. I liked the taste and reached for another sip.
“Can you believe there are people still doing this nowadays?”
As I tilted the glass, a quiet voice came from behind. Who was it? I turned and saw a man wearing a red mask.
He was staring at me—or more precisely, at the glass in my hand.
“…?”
Did he want it? But… what exactly was this about? Was there a rule against drinking in the garden?
Just as I stood to say something out of embarrassment, my legs gave way, and my body began to tilt forward.
“……Ah?!”
As I lost balance and started falling, I suddenly felt strong arms wrap around my waist. My body was gently pulled back upright.
Looking up, I saw the man in front of me, wearing a mask. He glanced at the drink in my hand.
“Um… this is—”
I opened my mouth to explain, but he spoke first.
“I ask your understanding. Even if it seems unpleasant, please bear with me.”
“Understanding…?”
His hand slowly reached out, grabbed my glass, and flung it to the ground. The shattering sound rang out, and the drink soaked the garden floor.
Yet I found myself staring at the scene blankly. Normally, seeing a glass break would shock someone, but I merely thought, “Ah… it broke.”
But why did he break it?
The man still had his firm arm around my waist. Following his gaze, I noticed Demior Brincis standing awkwardly nearby, with a guilty expression, frozen in place.
“I thought all the weak poisons had been confiscated and disposed of two years ago. And yet, I hear rumors that such crimes among the nobles continue openly…”
The man holding me spoke slowly, then offered a faint, relaxed smile.
“Seems it wasn’t a lie after all.”
“Th-That’s…”
“Do not forget the Emperor’s decree: anyone using weak poisons or similar substances to render a woman physically or mentally incapacitated shall be severely punished.”
Weak poison? Drugs? I blinked, confused.
“Demior, second son of the Brincis family. I’ll give you a chance.”
The titled heir, Demior, trembled silently, unable to speak. Who was this man?
“If you bring me the person who supplied the poison, your family will not be punished. But if you attempt to deceive me, I will punish the entire Brincis family in a manner they will regret for a hundred years.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
“Do not call me with that tongue if your intention was to assault a defenseless woman. You have two days. Bring me that person. There will be no compromise.”
With that, Demior hurried away, and I watched him leave, bewildered. My drowsy body felt strangely heated.
“Are you alright?”
“You are…?”
Right. He said “Your Highness.” I must have heard correctly. Only the crown prince would be addressed that way. So this man was the crown prince?
The mask was red, and in the night, his eyes seemed just black. But his hair was clearly deep black.
Lowering my gaze, I noticed a sharp jawline and prominent Adam’s apple—utterly striking.
“I believe we met before, though I’m not sure if you remember.”
He smoothly pulled off his mask, revealing a face so striking it seemed unreal.
Yes, he was the crown prince. Handsome indeed.
“Apologies for my awkward stance. I couldn’t properly greet you.”
His gaze left me flustered, and he spoke again.
“I am Bertasylin Derban Vatenberg. Those who know me call me Van—it’s a long name.”
“…Vatenberg.”
“You are Ludia of the Mertens family.”
He smiled gently.
“I’ve heard praise from your mentor repeatedly. I wanted to converse, so it’s fortunate we meet like this. Please forgive my stance; I was afraid you might collapse if left as you were.”
“Yes…”
While answering weakly, a thought crossed my mind: If I persuaded this man, what might happen?
If I tried to explain that a strange woman was stalking him and to ignore her for now… would he understand? No, probably not. He was the crown prince.
I smiled inwardly and slowly spoke.
“…May I ask a favor?”
I needed to prevent Elian from clinging to him at the party. But would he believe me if I warned that Elian might go overboard? I smiled slightly at the thought.
“Tonight… be prepared.”
I saw his face flush instantly, and my strength left me—I fainted.
‘Be careful, Elian… she’s insane.’
He must have understood.
When I woke, the ceiling above me was unfamiliar. What should I say first in such a situation? Staring blankly, I turned my head. The bed and room were larger than I remembered. The layout was entirely different. A painting I had never seen hung on the wall.
Who was the man in the portrait, staring at me? Ah, apparently he was Ludia’s biological father.
“…Wait. Where am I?”
As I tried to sit up, my stomach twisted painfully.
“Ah…”
A natural groan escaped. Struggling in pain, the door opened, and a voice called out.
“Are you awake?”
“…?”
I looked up to see a young man with ash-colored hair smiling. Was it acceptable for him to enter a lady’s room?
He seemed to read my thoughts and stepped back, disappearing. I watched his retreat, then the door opened again, and a maid entered.
The cute maid asked questions, helped me prepare for washing, then vanished as quickly as she came. What was happening?
After washing roughly with her help, drinking some water, and calming my stomach, I saw the ash-haired man again. He entered the room and stood before me, smiling.
His smile felt oddly familiar—I realized who he was.
“…Asirun?”
“Call me Kabes, my lady. Ah, you are Ludia, correct?”
He already knew my name. I nodded, and he glanced at a chair across from me. Did he mean to ask if he could sit?
I nodded, and he quietly seated himself. Why was I meeting Asirun from the morning?
He was the man from yesterday’s engagement ceremony. If anyone saw us together, there could be misunderstandings. I didn’t want unnecessary trouble.
“Do not worry. No one will know we are meeting.”
“Ah… yes.”
His voice was reassuring, as if he could read my thoughts. Did he have mind-reading abilities?
I took a sip of tea from the maid and observed him. Did he have something to say? No—first, I needed to think:
‘Why am I here?’
My memory of yesterday was hazy. I felt like I’d forgotten something important…
“It seems you do not remember. Understandable—the effects of the drug can temporarily paralyze the nervous system, so some memory loss is possible. Do not worry; there are no serious side effects.”
A drug? Paralysis? I blinked, confused. What had I done yesterday? Aside from a sip of alcohol, I remembered nothing… Alcohol… alcohol?
I lifted my slightly bowed head, and Kabes smiled.
“Do you remember now?”
“…Yesterday, a man gave me a drink.”
“Precisely—it was alcohol laced with a drug. Though less common now, it used to happen often to young women from rural areas. Two years ago, the crown prince’s decree ensured all such substances were disposed of and banned, yet it seems distribution still occurs secretly.”
Terrifying. I hadn’t imagined this world had such things. Before coming here, I’d heard such events occurred occasionally… People were the same everywhere.
“Fortunately, I found you in time. Otherwise, you would have been in grave danger. I sincerely apologize.”
Kabes bowed slightly, eyes wide. Why did people here apologize so easily?
I waved my hand, but he continued, his face filled with genuine remorse.
“This happened during my engagement party. I should have been more careful, but I was careless. As a result, you could have been seriously harmed. Please accept my apology.”
