Chapter 70
The beloved youngest daughter.
That phrase now seemed to suit Adel better than the title “the prophecy’s child.”
Watching Adel run straight toward him the moment she saw him, Kasmahan suddenly thought of the Duke.
‘I think I understand a little how His Grace must feel.’
Kasmahan was still young, but he often empathized easily with powerful people—
just as he so easily empathized with them.
The Duke, too, must once have been nothing more than a young heir, like Blake.
The Crown Prince was no different; in ten years, he would rise to a similar position.
Which meant—
“Are you okay from last time, when you got hurt?”
“…Everyone, leave.”
At Adel asking about his injuries from sword training, the prince gave a short command.
The guards, maids, and attendants all withdrew.
Kasmahan nodded.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“It looked like you got hurt really badly…”
“…It’s all healed. As you can see.”
Because Blake hadn’t held back even a little with his sword, Kasmahan had been in unbearable pain the entire day.
Even though he had wanted to test himself, he regretted it a bit afterward.
But for some reason, he didn’t want to show that.
“That’s a relief. Oppa said he’s fine too.”
“I see.”
“He asked me to blow on it, so I did, and then he said it didn’t hurt anymore.”
…Annoying.
“Khan, did you make up with Oppa?”
“…Huh?”
Did he ask that with that clueless expression?
Adel tilted her head.
Kasmahan quickly pieced together what must have happened between Adel and Blake.
“Ah… I haven’t run into him since that day.”
“I see.”
The prince recalled their duel.
Even though it ended in a draw—
‘The young lord made a strange face, almost like he’d won.’
Behind Adel, piles of gifts were stacked high.
Even the money pouch Log had called a “bottomless gold pump” was tossed on the floor, Adel having already lost interest.
Kasmahan had once told her his family was wealthy, but Adel still seemed to have no grasp of the power of capital.
Ssshhh—
Kasmahan gently patted Adel’s head.
Why?
He was usually very self-aware, but even he didn’t know the reason this time.
His hand just moved on its own.
Her hair was soft and fluffy like the cotton candy she liked.
The pink strands were thin and pleasant to the touch.
Kasmahan spoke.
“Let’s go out. With me.”
“Ah! Khan, I have a good idea.”
“Okay.”
“My archery got a lot better. Can I show off?”
“…Of course.”
Cute.
Yes, she was cute.
Shockingly, he kept finding her cute.
‘I don’t know why…’
Adel grabbed the prince’s hand just as he finished patting her head.
“I wanted to play with my friend anyway,” she said, pulling him out of the room.
Thinking of all the Duke’s gifts—over three billion worth—now pushed aside, the prince felt a strange sense of triumph.
‘Maybe this is why friends are nice, even when you have family.’
Even though the way Adel saw him and the way she saw Madeleine was probably the same.
‘Even knowing that…’
For now… he was satisfied.
* * *
‘I like pink.’
Purple would be better, but—
Adel thought.
Maybe everything was pink to match her pink hair.
‘Dad made the money pouch pink, and the bow and arrows are pink too.’
She held the pink arrow she’d already grown used to.
A wide field stretched out before them.
The wind blew gently.
Since the prince had told everyone to stand back, they were alone.
“…”
Adel recalled how her brother shot arrows and pulled the bowstring.
She held her breath.
She’d said herself that she wanted to show off to her friend, so she didn’t want to mess up.
She was a little nervous under his gaze.
Her hand tingled, and she was hypersensitive to the breeze.
It was nothing like practicing alone inside the room.
The sunlight was bright.
The harsh glare stung her eyes, and at that moment Adel released the arrow.
Whoosh—
Thock!
The target was far.
But she hit it.
Not the dead center, but still—
‘Isn’t that pretty good?’
Seeing where the arrow had landed, Adel beamed.
Kasmahan, who had been quietly staring at her profile, reflexively returned her smile when their eyes met.
“Not bad.”
“Hehe.”
In truth, Kasmahan didn’t care whether she hit the target or not.
She seemed to want praise, so he praised her.
And Adel, thinking she hadn’t made any mistakes, grew excited.
“I want to enter a hunting tournament someday.”
“…That would be dangerous.”
The prince looked at her.
When news broke that Adel would be attending the academy, assassination plans had leaked immediately.
If the young lady attended a hunting tournament, assassins would undoubtedly be waiting.
Hunting tournaments were far more dangerous.
Too many nobles attended, making it impossible to tell who the traitors were.
But he couldn’t outright forbid her either.
He didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
Adel thought for a moment, then asked:
“Is it really dangerous?”
“Well, if you want to go… I would recommend not attending.”
The prince avoided answering.
“But I promised Oppa I’d beat him in next year’s hunting tournament…”
“Then you have to go. If it’s Blake, crush him. No mercy.”
Kasmahan cut her off.
It was a very sudden change in attitude for someone who’d just said it was dangerous.
“…?”
“Ah.”
‘Maybe I agreed too enthusiastically.’
Seeing Adel’s surprised face, Kasmahan flinched, but then shrugged.
Whatever the young lord had told her, he’d probably boasted that he’d make up with her and win.
“…It just means you’re a genius.”
“Ah… hehe, thank you, Khan.”
“…Definitely go and crush him.”
“Okay!”
Adel was simple-minded and quickly won over.
“Khan, look! I’ll show you again.”
Adel cheerfully drew the bowstring again—
Snap!
“Ah!”
“Adel, are you okay!?”
The bowstring suddenly snapped.
It hurt.
The whip-like rebound, tense with pressure, struck Adel with considerable force.
She dropped the bow and grabbed her right hand with her left.
The injury wasn’t severe, but a bead of blood appeared.
Blood.
She was startled.
But she was even more startled by what Khan did next.
“You’re bleeding, young lady!”
“Ah…”
‘When he was covered in injuries during sword training, he looked completely calm…’
Yet now, with just a small cut, he acted like the world was ending.
“I’m fine, it barely hu—”
“There’s no way it doesn’t hurt!”
Adel widened her eyes.
Still holding her hand, Khan hurriedly took something out from inside his uniform.
He pulled out a paper with a mysterious symbol drawn on it.
In his rush, he tore the paper with his teeth.
Flash!
‘Is that like the scroll he used to grow the tree before?’
Light gently brushed over her wound.
A warm heat spread from Khan’s hand.
A mysterious glow.
Along with strange sounds she’d never heard—
the small wound began to close before her eyes.
“What if the prophecy’s child gets hurt?”
It sounded like he was scolding her, so she hurried to explain.
“Oppa gave me the arrows. Maybe they wore out because I practiced so much.”
“….”
Kasmahan froze for a moment, furrowed his brows, and raised an eyebrow.
But he continued checking her hand carefully, scanning for any additional injuries.
‘His face is way too close…’
“…This is a bad omen.”
“Huh? What is?”
A broken bowstring was considered an especially bad omen on a battlefield.
But the prince didn’t tell Adel that.
‘I understand now why everyone keeps secrets from her.’
They simply didn’t want her to worry.
They didn’t want to hurt a child with such pure, bright eyes.
They wanted her to remain the only hope.
Even though countless tragedies awaited her, they wanted her to have peace for now.
“…You must never get hurt.”
“…Okay. And you don’t get hurt either, Khan.”
He laughed softly.
“All right.”
Adel watched as Khan finally let go of her hand.
“Adel, I have to go.”
“So soon?”
“I’ll come play again.”
“You’re busy…”
Adel accepted it, but she still felt strangely sad.
Yet Khan looked like he didn’t understand her feelings at all.
“…?”
“Okay, you have to come again.”
Adel nodded, swallowing her disappointment.
The prince nodded slowly too.
‘An omen is just an omen.’
Maybe nothing would happen.
‘No… nothing must happen.’
Adel followed him, waving until he disappeared from sight.
After that, no one ever told her what a snapped bowstring meant.
* * *
A few days later.
As Adel was taking a walk, she suddenly stopped.
A woman I’ve never seen before…
Who was she?
Adel instinctively stared.
Her dazzling red hair curled as it fell through the air.
Her dress emphasized her chest, and her outfit exposed her thighs boldly.
Very different from a maid’s clothing.
Ah—she made eye contact.
Was she a guest?
The moment the woman saw Adel, she halted.
Then she curved her eyes into a smile.
Without hesitation, she walked toward Adel with sharp, confident steps.
Adel felt a strange sense of discomfort and took a small step back, but didn’t run.
Behind her were two attendants not from the Imperial Lion Corps, as well as Fabian and Chopin.
“I finally get to meet the young lady I’ve only heard rumors about.”
“Hello.”
Adel politely bowed to the woman who approached first.
But the woman’s smile faltered faintly for a moment, as if something bothered her.
But perhaps Adel imagined it—
for when she looked up again, the woman was smiling sweetly.
“But it seems the young lady doesn’t know who I am?”
The woman fanned herself gently.
A strong scent wafted from her—
not floral, but thick and heavy, a blend of cosmetics and perfume.
Adel panicked and apologized.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t recognize you.”
“…No one mentioned me at all, it seems?”
Adel glanced behind her without thinking.
One attendant blushed bright red and lowered his head quickly.
Fabian swallowed, lips tightening.
He looked like someone hiding something.
Chopin looked troubled and hesitant.
When Adel looked forward again, the woman wore an odd expression.
“You don’t know me…?”
Her voice was soft, lilting, almost seductive.
The young woman bent slightly to match Adel’s gaze.
She was young and beautiful.
Adel felt a heavy pressure on her chest, as if something was pushing her back.
She wanted to step away but forced herself not to.
“Young lady, I’m someone who shared love with the Duke.”
She sang it almost like a melody, her voice like a songbird.
…Love?
Dad?
