Chapter 39
“Why…?”
Leonar stared at Elysia with trembling eyes, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Why don’t you want to be my partner?”
He genuinely seemed unable to understand. It was the tone of someone who had assumed she would naturally want to accept his offer. Watching his expression, it wasn’t hard to imagine how desperate Elysia must have been for his attention in the past.
Leonar pressed again, clearly not satisfied.
“It doesn’t make sense. Then why did you even come to the banquet? What was so important that you ran here late, even after getting scolded by the Duke?”
“That’s a good question. Of course, I had a very important reason.”
Ahem.
Elysia replied with a serious tone.
“First of all, I wanted to eat the palace desserts.”
They’re not poisoned here, after all!
She meant it. Thinking of her now-loaded inventory, Elysia smirked inwardly. With the food she’d gathered today, she could easily last a week.
But Leonar clearly didn’t believe her.
“What? That’s your excuse…?”
“Nope. I’m being honest. I take food very seriously.”
And you didn’t even serve me snacks last time! I was so hurt!
Seriously, Your Highness. It’s just cruel to withhold food from someone.
The memory made Elysia’s eyes narrow sharply as she added,
“Oh, and I need to hear the temple’s prophecy. When are they going to announce it? I’m leaving as soon as that’s over.”
“Wait.”
Leonar called out as Elysia turned to leave. His previous gentle and concerned demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp, biting tone.
“You still haven’t answered my first question. Why don’t you want to be my partner?”
He clearly wasn’t going to let this go until he got an answer. Elysia threw the question right back at him.
“I don’t get it either. Why did you ask me in the first place?”
She looked at him with an incredulous expression.
“You’re not even interested in me, are you?”
“…Is that so?”
Leonar raised an eyebrow. Even though she had struck a nerve, his face remained annoyingly composed. He lowered his gaze as if pondering something, then asked in a calm voice,
“…Then what if I were interested?”
“…Huh?”
Elysia tilted her head at the unexpected question. Interest doesn’t just pop up out of nowhere. What was the point of such a hypothetical?
He must be trying to pretend to care from now on, thinking I’ll fall for it.
Whatever the crown prince was trying to get out of her, no amount of fake concern was going to win her over.
Just as Elysia was about to scoff—
Ding!
Crown Prince Leonar’s affection has increased.
Affection: 30% → 50%!
Congratulations! You’ve completed a Main Quest!
“…Huh?”
Elysia rubbed her eyes, startled by the sudden notification window in front of her.
Why did it go up all of a sudden? Is this a glitch?
Was he really interested?
In her? But why?
Before she could collect her thoughts, Leonar’s voice reached her again.
“What if I really am interested in you?”
“…”
Elysia fell silent. If the stats she just saw were real, then maybe… just maybe… he meant it. As she hesitated, Leonar stepped closer.
“If I said I was interested in you, would you agree to be my partner at the next banquet?”
There was a strange persistence in his gaze, as if he wouldn’t give up without an answer. Elysia quietly looked up into his deep green eyes that were waiting for her response.
After a tense moment, she finally spoke.
“Oh, but I… already have a partner for the next banquet.”
“What?”
Elysia shrugged casually.
I already promised Mr. Finn the mage in exchange for that invitation!
That’s right. She hadn’t forgotten the deal they made in the library. The charming mage who had helped her—Finn. Her next partner had been decided long ago.
Even if the crown prince tried to threaten her, she wasn’t changing her mind!
“…Ely, come on, don’t lie. Who is it?”
“I’m not lying. Someone really did ask me to be their partner.”
“Then who is it?”
Persistent, isn’t he?
What was he going to do with that information anyway? The heroine, Prillian, would show up soon, and he’d surely be her partner instead.
She couldn’t exactly reveal the future. It was frustrating. Just as Elysia was about to pound her chest in exasperation—
“L-Lady Sempérion! There you are!”
A voice came to her rescue.
“Jerome! Where have you been? I’ve been looking all over for you!”
Delighted, Elysia waved at the man who had appeared in the garden.
Jerome—who had promised to help her with any problem!
He’d never looked more dependable.
“Come help me explain, please!”
“…Pardon?”
“I told His Highness that I already have a partner for the next banquet, but he doesn’t believe me!”
“…Pardon?”
Jerome repeated the word several times, clearly confused, but he still walked over to stand beside her. As he approached, Leonar’s expression grew darker and darker, but loyal Jerome didn’t back down despite sensing the tension.
“Where have you been? You promised to help me.”
Elysia whispered so only Jerome could hear. She’d been harassed by both the Duke and the Crown Prince, and Jerome had been nowhere in sight! She had nearly been disappointed in him.
But it seemed Jerome had his own struggles.
“I was very busy just trying to keep the Duke in check, you know? Do you have any idea how hard he was looking for you from the moment you entered?”
Apparently, despite her efforts to keep her entrance discreet, her father had somehow sniffed her out.
“He was going to search the entire ballroom and every lounge. I had to hold him back the whole time. And when you ran off to the garden with His Highness, I had to stop him from chasing you…!”
So that’s why she hadn’t seen the Duke halfway through—Jerome had been holding him off. As Elysia saw his exhausted, almost indignant expression, she nodded belatedly.
“Can you two save the small talk for later?”
Leonar, now completely sidelined, scowled. He looked even more displeased than before.
“You two seem quite close.”
This time, he turned to Jerome instead of Elysia.
“Why exactly is the heir of a vassal family explaining who Elysia’s next partner is?”
His voice was even sharper than when questioning Elysia. Still, she looked reassured.
Jerome saw me make the promise with Finn. He can back me up.
Elysia smiled smugly.
Not sure why no one believes me when I say it myself.
Still, Jerome would be more convincing. She was glad to have a witness. Just as she thought that—
Leonar asked in a dangerously low voice,
“Don’t tell me… her next partner is Sir Plumen?”
“Huh? No!”
“Absolutely not.”
Both Elysia and Jerome answered immediately, shaking their heads in firm denial. Seeing their swift and unified response, Leonar’s expression softened a little. He asked with a knowing look,
“Then… it’s the Duke or his son, Howell, isn’t it? I suppose that would make sense if you wanted to smooth things over with your father.”
It wasn’t unusual for people to attend banquets with a family member as their partner. If she hadn’t been grounded today, Elysia might have entered holding the Duke’s or Howell’s arm.
“No… it’s not them either.”
Jerome looked troubled and uneasy, as if he knew he couldn’t avoid the answer any longer.
“You’re probably familiar with him, Your Highness…”
Jerome glanced nervously at Leonar and sighed.
“Lady Elysia’s next partner is… Sir Finn Ende, the mage.”
“…!”
At those words, Leonar’s expression twisted.
