Chapter 23……………………………………….
“Hmm, I see. Is that so? I had some business today, so I came out for a bit. It’s not bad to have some leisure, right? How about Ban? That place isn’t too complicated or busy, is it?”
“Well… in a way, it’s simple enough that it’s not particularly complicated or busy.”
Is that so? From where I’m standing, it seems like a place that would overwhelm me with checks and pressures, making it hard to even breathe—but apparently, that’s not the case.
“When you’re in this position, you can see things clearly.”
“See what?”
“People who are hostile to me, people who want to use me, people trying to get something from me. This kind of people becomes clearly distinguishable, making it easier to deal with them.”
Hostile people, people who try to use you… Keeping someone who likes me close is hard enough, but personally, having someone who blatantly tries to use me nearby is even harder. Even when I can see exactly what Elian is thinking just by looking at him, pushing him away isn’t exactly easy.
Perhaps it’s because human relationships don’t end simply with drawing a line. Ban, standing at the center of the empire, probably has it even harder than I do. Everyone he deals with is at the pinnacle of power. Being forced to oppose them without being able to turn them into allies is never easy. And he has to endure all of that silently.
“Considering that, I think Lydia is a bit different.”
“Me?”
Am I different? Of the three types of people Ban mentioned, where would I fall? I paused to think and felt I was closest to the second type. Or maybe the third? Hard to tell.
“What makes you think that?”
Ban smiled faintly. His eyes quietly scanned the garden. When I stared at his red eyes reflecting the bright light, his gaze returned to me.
“At the very least, you treat me as a person.”
Not really, I see him as an angel. Hmph.
“A person?”
“Yes. A person.”
He looked relaxed. There was no particular emotion in his words—he spoke in a calm, almost detached tone, like stating a fact.
“In that sense, Lydia feels a bit like Kabes or Lady Liana. Ah, for reference, that’s meant positively, so don’t misunderstand.”
He waved his hand awkwardly and smiled, then quickly wiped the expression away and quietly looked up at the sky. A cool breeze lifted his bangs slightly off his forehead.
“Summer is almost here.”
“Ban, don’t you like the heat?”
“It’s not that I dislike it—I just have many events I’m not fond of, so it’s a bit annoying.”
“For example?”
“Hunting tournaments, festivals, things like that. If I stay still, they try to drag me everywhere.”
“Who dares drag the Crown Prince of the Empire?”
“My sister.”
I laughed at his nonchalant shrug. Liana really is something.
“Last year during the festival, I even went south to see the sea. The court was in uproar because people who were supposed to attend the celebration were missing… but well, it didn’t matter. There are plenty of capable people here who can substitute for me.”
Is he talking about his brothers? Come to think of it, Ban mentioned he’s not the eldest. He’s not the empress’s child, not even the crown princess’s. He’s the son of a concubine. Did he secure the crown prince position purely through his abilities?
I heard that the first and second princes still keep Ban in check.
“They told me to step aside if possible… but ironically, I’ve stayed in this position for ten years without leaving.”
“Is that supposed to be a boast? Like, ‘Look how capable I am’?”
“Is that what it sounds like?”
“Yes.”
Ban glanced at me and laughed heartily.
“That’s right. It’s a boast. Isn’t it okay to boast a little, after all?”
I liked his straightforwardness. He didn’t hesitate, and he was honest. Hiding oneself too much can create distance even in private meetings, so his open answers were refreshing.
Yet when the conversation paused, an awkward silence settled. I’m not particularly chatty, and Ban doesn’t seem like the type to talk excessively either. We were left waiting for someone to break the silence. Slowly, I looked up at him and spoke.
“Ban, aren’t you curious about me? It feels like I’ve been the only one asking questions so far.”
“Curious about what?”
His red eyes briefly glanced sideways before returning to me. His lips hesitated, then slowly opened.
“…What’s your ideal type?”
“My ideal type?”
The confident demeanor he had earlier was gone. I noticed him nervously gauging my reaction. It wasn’t a big deal, so why is he so self-conscious? I lifted my chin slightly.
Ideal type… do I even have one? I’ve never really thought about men…
I never liked celebrities, never had fantasies about men. Hanging out with friends was more fun.
I glanced at Ban… ideal type.
“A handsome man?”
“A handsome man…?”
I nodded. Honestly, I didn’t even realize it before. I used to think that whether male or female, you should look for someone good-natured and kind if they have a good face. My mother always said that if someone’s moderately good-looking, then afterwards you should consider their personality, wealth, and abilities. I believed that.
But the moment I saw Ban, everything flipped. “A handsome person is the best!” That thought completely took over my mind. Some say you get tired of looks in three years, or that it doesn’t matter since you can’t live off looks—but I think someone like Ban could literally live off his face. If he stopped someone on the street for alms, he could probably collect enough money to buy a house in a day.
Didn’t I just see it? He just sat and placed an order, and the toast came as a bonus. Truly remarkable looks.
“If you marry someone handsome, you can last three years; if not, you can’t even make it three. So first of all, being handsome is the best.”
“…You don’t need anything else?”
“Anything else?”
What else would I need?
“I have money. So even if a man has no money, it’s fine—he just has to show up. Personality? It’s nice if it matches mine, but even if it doesn’t, we can adjust while living together, right? Just don’t be too difficult. Ability… doesn’t matter. I’m capable enough myself.”
I have everything already; what’s there to miss? Wow, thinking about it, I’m basically a perfect bride. The only flaw is cooking a bit poorly. But money? Check. Looks? Check. Personality? Check. Family? Check. Age? Check. Surely anyone would want me.
Elian’s household accumulates invitations for parties to invite her, yet I rarely receive any. Of course, I can console myself that I rarely socialize… but still, that’s unfair. I want to be invited too.
Why do men cling to Elian like that? Is their taste that bad… tsk.
But I can somewhat understand. Just as I’m enchanted by Ban’s looks, they are enchanted by Elian’s. Even I admit, her appearance is dazzling… except for her awful personality. She’s quite decent when she keeps her mouth shut.
I smirked, savoring the thought.
“Who taught you such things?”
“My personal opinion.”
He chuckled softly. Ban’s smile suited him; it was natural, not forced. He brushed back the bangs on his forehead as if they bothered him.
His gaze, which had been quietly on the sky, softened as it came down. I felt him close, and his low voice gently reached me.
“I thought about it.”
He’s a little closer now…
I swallowed. I wanted to move back, but his other hand rested on the chair behind me, making it feel like I was trapped in his embrace. His eyes briefly looked down before meeting mine.
“I think my ideal type overlaps with Lydia a little.”
“You like handsome people?”
I tilted my head, seeing his flustered expression. Ban’s slight smile returned as he spoke.
“Me too.”
“Me too?”
I mumbled it after him. His lips parted lazily.
“I think my ideal type is someone pretty too.”
“Is that so?”
So… this is a confession, right?
Ban’s daily life was very simple; even a little observation made it easy to understand. At dawn, he would appear at the training ground, stretch lightly, then meditate. After an hour of quiet reflection, he would recall the tasks for the day and lightly practice with a sword to sharpen his senses.
He would then move to where the knights trained, spar with them, and eat breakfast when morning came. After dressing, he would handle work in his office, eat lunch, meet visitors, and have free time. His routine was very monotonous.
Many people assumed the Crown Prince’s life was grueling and busy, but that wasn’t true for Ban. Capable aides were always nearby. For example, Kabes, a longtime friend and assistant, efficiently filtered the reports so that only the essential reached Ban.
Even if he received a hundred reports, only ten—or less—reached him. Thanks to Kabes’ skillful management, Ban could handle work comfortably, though some complained that Kabes overstepped. But what could they do? It’s the Crown Prince’s orders.
Ordinarily, Ban’s days flowed simply, but today was different.
He was supposed to handle office work in the morning but had a meeting with someone.
“…So?”
“I tried, but it didn’t work, sister.”
The young-looking Liana crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows. Lately, her expressions had been quite grim. And the cousin responsible for aging her looked rather wronged.
“I think your method might be flawed, sister.”
“What? How is my method flawed?”
The Liana who used to smile gently at Lydia was now harshly pressuring her younger cousin. Ban, who had flinched at her every move before, finally spoke up.
“Your advice was certainly helpful, but some parts were wrong as well. That’s also true.”
“In what way?”
“For example, the words you said to Lydia yesterday.”
“What words?”
“Regarding her ideal type.”
Ah, ideal type… Liana muttered and nodded.
“You told her to ask, right? And?”
