Chapter 93
“What is it that you would want to do if you became queen?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, Chanellica blinked and then put down the fork she was holding. Half a slice of cake remained on her plate, but she didn’t care.
Eleusis quietly watched Chanellica, who was deep in thought. The way her mint-colored eyes rolled about was rather adorable. Today, her long, pink-tinged eyelashes seemed even more prominent, and each blink added to her charm.
It was a tense moment, wondering what answer she would give. Even so, Eleusis thought that the woman before him was incredibly beautiful and lovable.
This question had originated from the assumption that Chanellica might deceive him and seize the throne. He was trying to gauge what she might desire if she did become queen.
Today, Eleusis had been unusually cautious with his words around her. Two days ago, he had brought Ferdinand to the Chamber of Silence and discovered that Chanellica could indeed be a dragon. Now was the point where he truly had to decide how to act moving forward.
So he had been careful all day, barely saying a word. He wanted to converse and laugh with her, but he restrained himself.
He had never realized how difficult it would be to suppress one’s feelings for someone they adored. Gathering all his strength, Eleusis forced himself to set aside his unconditional affection for Chanellica and managed to ask the question.
“Hmm… do I have to want to do something in particular?”
After much thought, Chanellica responded not with an answer but with a question of her own.
“It’s not that, but… since you’ve accepted the king’s proposal, surely there must be something you wish for?”
“Something I wish for… hmm… to live happily?”
“I mean, as queen, what could you do?”
“Hmm…”
She looked more serious now, her delicate forehead furrowing slightly.
“If it’s something I could do as queen, I guess it would mostly be spending a lot of money, right? Then I’d want to study all the world’s cuisines. I’d want to learn, taste, and even develop new dishes…”
Her words faltered slightly at the end. She recalled having said similar things to someone else—a person who no longer existed.
“I’d also like to support artists! I used to see talented artists struggling on the Atelier Street just because they didn’t have money.”
Her voice weakened further. She remembered who she had walked those streets of artists with.
All her memories of humans and their beautiful art were with Derwin. On holidays, she had visited many ateliers, discussing art—those days remained unforgettable, happy memories for Chanellica.
What am I even thinking? I need to focus on things unrelated to human Derwin!
Yet nothing else came to mind. What could she do that only a queen could do?
“…I’ll tell you the rest if I remember later.”
With a somewhat sheepish smile, she admitted she couldn’t think of anything else.
“But can you really spend money on all these things? Just as you please?”
An unexpected question followed. Eleusis stared deeply into Chanellica’s eyes.
Beautiful.
As always. As he had always thought, Chanellica’s eyes reflected honesty and a clear purity.
Could he trust those eyes?
For a moment, Eleusis hesitated, then realized his foolishness. Anyone harboring ill intentions would never reveal all their plans so obediently. His question had been utterly naïve.
And yet, a strange thought occurred to him.
Even if she planned to drain the royal treasury to conquer this continent, he would probably think, “What’s wrong with that?” As long as she was by his side, he would want to do anything for her.
But Eleusis was in a position where the kingdom and its people had to come first.
He didn’t want to doubt her.
He wanted to believe the woman before him was genuine. Chanellica could very well be a dragon, but regardless, she did not seem like someone who would harm him, seize everything, and hand it over to Derwin.
“Perhaps my dreams are too big? I do want money… but I’ll only spend as much as my position as queen allows! If it’s not enough, I’ll continue translating. Earning money myself could be enjoyable too.”
When Eleusis stayed silent, staring, Chanellica glanced at him, sensing his reaction. Watching her like that, a small twitch appeared at the corner of his lips—and soon, he laughed.
“Hahaha.”
Chanellica blinked in surprise, unsure why he was laughing.
“If my queen lacks funds, then I will do whatever I can to strengthen the kingdom so you can earn more.”
His laughter had stopped, but the corners of his eyes still held a smile.
I’ve completely fallen for her, haven’t I?
Eleusis felt an overwhelming sense that everything would be fine. As long as he could stay beside this radiant woman, he felt capable of anything.
His eyes shone a pure blue, like a sky without a cloud, a color free from all worries and anxieties.
“I will do everything I can so that Miss Chanel can live happily.”
Chanellica smiled softly at his vow.
“Yes. What I wish for is a happy life.”
She thought the atmosphere had returned to when Eleusis had confessed and proposed before. It was a relief.
But strangely, Chanellica could not smile as freely as Eleusis. Saying “a happy life” made her chest feel tight.
Can I really be happy?
Even now, the person closest to the word “happiness” in her heart was not Eleusis, but someone else.
After their meal, Eleusis accompanied Chanellica to the palace annex for a walk. Lately, they had been too busy to walk together, so this was a special moment for them.
“You worked hard today.”
“I just helped pick things out. I’m looking forward to the completed offerings.”
Eleusis glanced at Chanellica walking calmly beside him. At that moment, her necklace briefly caught the light—it reflected the moonlight.
“I didn’t expect you to choose such elaborate designs.”
“Eh? Why?”
“Your usual necklaces are simple in design. I thought you liked that style.”
Chanellica touched the thin necklace around her neck. It was a simple platinum chain, so light it was barely noticeable, without any ornamentation.
Why would he comment on a necklace I didn’t even give him? As if it had nothing to do with me…
Chanellica found it strange. Something felt off, like stepping on misaligned wooden floorboards at an inn. It was a feeling she had been noticing lately, as if something was going wrong.
“This necklace… don’t you recognize it?”
A flicker of surprise appeared in Eleusis’s eyes at her question.
Should I know?
For a while, neither of them spoke. After a while, Eleusis asked,
“I don’t understand your question… isn’t this the necklace you’ve been wearing recently?”
Hearing him speak, she felt certain. Eleusis seemed unrelated to the necklace she always wore.
I thought His Majesty had given it to me…
Since Chanellica entered the annex, Eleusis had often given her gifts—sometimes directly, sometimes via a maid, and sometimes leaving them in her room.
She had assumed this necklace was another such gift, placed on the dresser shortly after he had proposed.
“What about the platinum bracelet I used to wear? You said it suited me well.”
“That one, I did give you…”
“This necklace was together with that bracelet.”
Eleusis was not the type to make a big deal about gifts. When Chanellica had worn both the bracelet and necklace, he had simply said it looked good. So she had assumed that comment applied to both pieces.
But this necklace wasn’t from him.
A chill ran down her spine.
Then who gave it? Who put it with the bracelet, in a way that didn’t raise suspicion, with a similar design?
Eleusis’s expression also stiffened noticeably.
“Wouldn’t it be better to remove the necklace?”
The person who immediately came to Eleusis’s mind was Stern.
The one who had sneaked into the palace and even sent a letter. Though Eleusis had been skeptical about Stern’s intentions, he had not yet acted against Chanellica. So if Stern had decided to harm her regardless of Eleusis’s wishes, anything could happen—poisoning the necklace and leaving it in her room, for example.
“I’ve been wearing it for months already.”
“Still, it’s better to remove it.”
Reading the fleeting fear from Eleusis, Chanellica nodded and immediately tied her hair up, exposing her neck.
“Please take it off.”
Chanellica, too, thought of Stern. She remembered the unknown powder in the cave and the suffering it caused. Even though she had worn it for a long time without problem, it was best to eliminate any possible risk.
Eleusis quickly removed the shining necklace from her fair skin.
“This is my fault. When did the guards let this slip through…?”
“No, Your Highness. Nothing happened,” Chanellica said, seeing how anxious he seemed. She forced a smile.
“We should examine this necklace to see if it contains anything harmful. Would it be alright if we returned it afterward?”
“You don’t need to return it.”
She had no desire to wear a gift from someone unknown.
Chanellica was still wary of Stern, who might be roaming free. If he wanted, who knew what he could do?
What good is Lord being the guard knight? When something happens in his absence, there’s nothing you can do. If the necklace contains something harmful to dragons…
A heavy silence fell. Waves of fear toward the unknown washed over them both.
