CHAPTER 48:
That’s Why I Hate Quick-Witted Guys
In a large sealed room with no windows, various rare taxidermy specimens filled the space.
The neck of a rare silver deer dangled against the black wallpaper, and inside glass jars on a white table were tiny elemental spirits caught from the fairy forest, sorted by color.
“Hmm, hmm, hmm~”
Arthur, the owner of the sealed room, hummed cheerfully as he worked in his private workshop tucked in a corner.
His platinum hair shimmered in the light of a lantern hanging on the wall.
A wave-patterned blue butterfly emitting a faint glow fluttered desperately around his hand, struggling to survive.
“I’ll at least let you live inside this taxidermy frame. I’m generous, after all.”
Arthur smiled as he placed the living butterfly inside a square taxidermy frame.
The butterfly flapped its wings vigorously inside, but as if realizing it was trapped, it soon drooped weakly.
“Already giving up? Come on, try harder!”
Arthur tapped the frame impatiently.
The butterfly flapped its wings feebly a few more times, then finally refused to emit any light.
Arthur clicked his tongue and threw the frame into the trash can.
“Why can’t beautiful things ever last? Is there really no way to preserve living things fresh forever?”
Muttering to himself, Arthur was silently watched from a corner by a middle-aged butler wearing a monocle, who then informed him of the time.
“Master, the current time is 12:32 PM, past noon. You have been holed up in this sealed room researching for two years and 264 days, and it has been exactly the same amount of time since I’ve handled all your other affairs…”
“……”
“Master? Are you listening?”
Arthur was lost in his own thoughts.
The butler sighed deeply, adjusting his monocle.
“I don’t understand why the master, once known as a genius wizard, insists on trying to taxidermy living beings. Creatures naturally resist when in danger, so preserving them fresh is impossible.”
“……”
Damn, today’s no good for persuasion either.
The butler closed his eyes in frustration.
“Even these tiny creatures can’t stand being trapped in a narrow frame for more than a few minutes. Living humans would be impossible.”
Arthur muttered. His swampy, thick voice sent chills down the butler’s spine.
“Master, who exactly are you trying to taxidermy?”
“No, I actually saw them once, but if they don’t live up to my expectations, I’d be too heartbroken to get up… Maybe I should just keep hoping quietly? And never see them again.”
“So, who are you talking about now?”
Arthur’s golden eyes glowed snake-like yellow.
His pale skin looked like he had never seen sunlight, and if not for his bright, vivid gaze, he could have been mistaken for a corpse.
“The Angel of Brillion. Do you know who that is, butler?”
“…Yes, I’ve heard of them.”
“There are rumors that they’re truly, truly beautiful, but if the real thing doesn’t live up to those rumors, I think my heart will break. It’s cruel to pretend to be beautiful when you’re not. I can’t forgive such cruelty.”
What a pervert, the butler swallowed a curse.
Still, it was good to see Arthur interested in someone.
At least it meant he had some will to leave this sealed room.
“By the way, Duke Gredric sent a letter recently.”
As soon as the butler mentioned Duke Gredric, Arthur furrowed his brows tightly.
“That sly bastard? We’re not even close.”
“…Anyway, he brought it straight here to show you first.”
The butler pulled out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Arthur.
Arthur read the letter with a bored face at first, but by the time he finished, he was so excited he blushed and let out a delighted sigh.
“Ah! I have to go to the palace immediately.”
“So, to others, we’re officially a couple, right?”
At Celya’s words, Dietrich stopped slicing his steak.
He quietly looked at Celya.
When he stopped what he was doing and stared at her, Celya pressed his brow.
“Your brow is wrinkled.”
Dietrich smoothed out his brow without a hint of annoyance.
Seeing this, Celya let out a soft laugh.
“Why aren’t you even mad?”
“Why would I be mad at you? We’re lovers, after all.”
Dietrich’s words, which could easily be misunderstood, made Celya furrow her brow in return.
Why does he speak as if their fake relationship is real?
“Your brow’s wrinkled.”
Dietrich echoed her words.
But since his hand was holding a fork, he didn’t press her brow like she did his.
Instead, he fed a bite-sized piece of steak into her mouth.
Her soft lips parted, and she happily accepted the steak.
Celya’s eyes widened as she chewed the steak with pleasure.
Watching her enjoy the food, Dietrich’s expression softened.
He kept feeding her piece after piece.
Not eating any himself, he devoted himself to feeding only Celya.
Feeling selfish for eating alone, Celya offered Dietrich a piece of steak.
“Eat some too.”
“……”
“Come on.”
When she urged him again, Dietrich reluctantly ate a piece.
He ate the steak with a solemn expression.
Seeing this, Celya smiled, eyes closed.
“I think it tastes so much better eating with you.”
At her words, Dietrich felt a tickling sensation in his chest.
‘…Tickling?’
Dietrich felt this strange sensation for the first time in his life.
Because of that, he couldn’t figure out exactly where it came from.
When Dietrich suddenly made a serious face, Celya tilted her head.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.”
Dietrich fed her more food.
After finishing the mashed potato soup and steak, vanilla ice cream and sweet macarons were served for dessert.
“But didn’t this mansion originally have no chef?”
“…Actually, my assistant Anderson is good at cooking. I asked him to manage the kitchen for a while.”
“Ah…”
Celya held back tears and felt deep respect for Anderson, who must have cooked the meal.
The vanilla ice cream and macarons Anderson made were absolutely delicious.
“Hey, Ileon. You knew everything from the start, didn’t you?”
Balt, having come directly to Ileon’s palace, said this first.
Ileon, who was reading a thick holy book, raised one eyebrow.
“What do you mean I knew everything?”
“That the Crown Prince would be confined to the tower and effectively deposed, that his face would be ruined, and…”
Balt’s dark gray eyes flashed sharply.
“You’re not planning to break the pact that’s lasted hundreds of years, are you? To seize the throne?”
I hate quick-witted guys for this very reason.
Ileon hid his thoughts and pretended ignorance.
“What pact? Balt, do you think I planned all this to grab the throne?”
“Don’t play innocent. Planning all this. You’re a snake-like cunning bastard…”
The smile on Ileon’s face vanished like a lie.
“You can insult me, but don’t insult the god I serve by calling him cunning. Even you can’t be forgiven for that.”
“…You still believe that absurd prophecy?”
Balt looked utterly horrified.
“Do you know how many people have died because of that damn ‘prophecy’? Whenever I think about it… I want to cut off the wrist that signed, believing your words without doubt.”
“……”
“Don’t joke around. If you really want to sit on the throne, do it properly. Don’t use dirty tricks like back then, you damn fanatic.”
With those words, Balt left the room.
Bang!
The door slammed hard.
Ileon’s usually calm face twisted into a terrible grimace.
He had thought Balt, who seemed like a fool with only big muscles, was useless—but Balt was also the head of the Portman duke family.
“I thought he would be useful, but he’s become a poison instead.”
Ileon prayed to the god he served and steadied his mind. After finishing his prayer, he opened the holy book from the first page.
Though some things displeased him along the way, everything would proceed as it should.
God was always on his side, and he was the unique being connected to God.
But why…
The image of Dietrich and Celya he saw earlier kept lingering in his mind.
Ileon immediately saw through their act of prearranged publically announcing their dramatic lover status.
No matter what conspiracy they hatched, to others they would look like a loving couple.
Not a bad move.
But…
‘It’s hard to see them as just fake lovers…’
Though fake, they genuinely looked happy.
‘Really strange.’
Even with Ileon’s sharp insight, he couldn’t tell if they were truly lovers or just acting so well.
‘…I guess I’ll have to wait and see.’
He had many cards in hand. No reason to rush.
