Chapter 62……………………..
Well, given my situation right now, this actually worked out, right? Life really does benefit from the strangest things.
I pushed the portrait across the desk and said,
“Hmm. I suppose he’s attractive, but honestly, not my type.”
“Type, huh…”
Luelian tilted his head.
“Type is important. Who in this empire doesn’t know the princess’s type is a classical, proper handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes? Even Eunice, the chief aide of the duke’s household, knows that. But still, they deliberately approached Prince Istahn because he has one more secret weapon.”
“And what’s that?”
“All members of the royal family of Neaplisia possess one divine treasure recovered from the depths of the sea. Prince Istahn’s treasure is called the ‘Arrowhead of Enchantment.’”
“And what’s that?”
“Literally, it’s the heart-shaped tip that fell from the arrow the god of love shot to connect humans. If the arrowhead is secretly attached to someone, they fall into a powerful state of enchantment, compelled to obey the arrowhead’s owner. For example, ‘Immediately declare your love for me and give me the heirloom necklace.’”
“…!”
The calm smile I had been wearing, thinking ‘He can’t seduce me with looks,’ instantly froze.
I could vividly picture the scene Luelian had just described.
The naive princess, whose only experience in love is ten years of unrequited crushes, completely falls for a foreign playboy prince, offering the heirloom necklace as a token of love…
It’s not an impossible story, at least for people to believe. Especially for someone as stubbornly foolish as Aristina.
Goosebumps ran down my arms.
“If I hadn’t known, that would’ve been disastrous! Using such a fraudulent tactic! Should I wear full-body armor under my dress?”
“That could work, but…”
Luelian folded his arms and looked at me.
“Not the best countermeasure.”
“What’s the best countermeasure then?”
“To strike them from behind and utterly destroy them.”
He answered calmly.
“What if the princess cleverly foils this scheme? They’ll realize this won’t work, and Eunice will devise an even more intricate plot. Could the princess’s situation then be the same as now?”
…Exactly.
Simply avoiding the crisis isn’t enough.
Right now, in my position trading information with the Master Guild’s owner, this is a rare opportunity.
I must use this advantageous position to strike Eunice and crush her—before she brings an upgraded scheme.
“Right.”
I slowly nodded.
“We’ll strike while Eunice is still complacent and underestimating me.”
She was by no means an easy opponent. With the strong trust of Duke Kanel, she completely controlled the household. If I missed this chance, things could get very difficult.
‘The chief aide who was trusted threw the duke’s only daughter to a vile playboy and stole the heirloom.’ That would be enough to crush them in one blow.
I fell into thought.
“How should I use their scheme to my advantage?”
Luelian watched me. A slight smile appeared at the corner of his lips—it seemed he had already considered the method. I asked urgently,
“What is it? What method?”
“You’re quick-witted,” he said casually.
“I’d like to kindly tell you, since your situation is unfortunate. But my own situation isn’t ideal either.”
His gaze shifted to the scale on the desk.
“I’d appreciate it if you could give me a bit more information—just the type of curse lurking in your body.”
Well, nothing’s free. The reason Luelian had investigated so thoroughly was clear: it’s the same old trade etiquette since ancient times—something is given, something is received.
I had planned to hint the dangerous curse to him anyway. If there’s a price, I’m happy to pay.
“Fine.”
I spoke.
“Even if you scoured the Information Guild, you wouldn’t find a clue—and naturally so. The curse in your body is something humans can never discern. Its name is ‘Dragon Language Magic.’”
At that moment, the plate holding my cards tilted sharply downward.
“‘Dragon Language Magic’?”
Luelian repeated the words. Evidently, it was a concept he had never encountered.
Thank goodness for the scale. Otherwise, he might have thought I was making it up.
Thinking that, I stared at Luelian intently.
“You’ll tell me now, right?”
My pleading gaze brought him out of his thoughts immediately.
“Ah, here.”
He pushed a small box on the desk toward me.
“Open it.”
I lifted the lid.
Inside was an unexpected object: a small heart-shaped magical metal.
“Isn’t this the arrowhead?”
“Yes.”
“Could this be the ‘Arrowhead of Enchantment’?”
I looked at Luelian in surprise.
It certainly looked like it, but why was the arrowhead that Prince Istahn supposedly possessed here?
“Was there another one?”
“No. As far as records show, there is only one.”
“Then…”
His other profession suddenly made a lot of sense.
This person is the famous phantom thief.
My eyes widened as I asked,
“Did you steal it from the prince?”
Luelian responded with casual ease.
“Well… simply stealing seems like something amateurs would do.”
“Then?”
“I swapped it. I put a fake in the prince’s possession.”
“….”
I was momentarily speechless.
The scenario replayed in my mind.
Prince Istahn, who deliberately approached the naive princess, secretly attaches the arrowhead to her as planned.
But it’s a fake, and the real one is already in the foolish princess’s hands. By the time the prince realizes it, the real arrowhead is attached to his own body. The princess then commands him.
For example:
‘Right now, in front of my father, confess loudly, showing all the evidence of who ordered you and what plot you devised!’
Goosebumps ran through me again, in a different sense.
This is incredible!
Imagining Prince Istahn confessing Eunice’s scheme in front of his father already made me feel euphoric.
Coming to Luelian to trade was definitely the right choice.
Praising myself for that, I closed the lid of the box.
“But isn’t this arrowhead a divine treasure meant for royalty? Can I just use it?”
“Good question. I was going to explain that anyway.”
Luelian stood and said,
“I checked. With divine power, there’s no problem handling this treasure. So I’ll share a little of my divine power with the princess.”
The head of the church giving me divine power?
Sharing top-tier divine power? I had no reason to refuse. I stood immediately.
“If you grant it, I will use it gratefully, Your Excellency.”
Luelian circled the desk and strode toward me, raising a hand.
‘What is this? A blessing?’
He lowered his hand toward my head, as if to place it on my forehead.
‘So that’s how it’s transmitted.’
I closed my eyes in reverence, ready to receive the empire’s strongest divine power.
But…
Even after waiting a moment, nothing happened.
What?
Feeling uneasy, I slightly opened my eyes.
“….”
Luelian’s hand hovered in the air, fixed on my face.
His previously cold, composed expression now seemed slightly embarrassed.
What? Is his divine power not coming out? That can’t be…
I suddenly remembered.
The leader of the holy order must not casually touch anyone besides their companion. A sort of purity rule.
Does that apply even when transmitting divine power?
I knew he was strict, but this is quite a rigid rule.
Due to that rule, he seemed to be transmitting the divine power at a distance…
Even he isn’t quite used to it yet.
The next moment, I saw a faint reddish glow spreading around his temples, like marble being slightly warmed.
I thought I was imagining it, but his ears were also tinged pink.
No…
The unexpected sight even unsettled me.
Wasn’t he fine back then?
During the trap in the exhibition hall, he had embraced me without hesitation to protect me.
“…!”
Luelian’s expression flickered. It seemed he also recalled that moment along the same line of thought.
“….”
I pretended not to remember anything.
“….”
He did the same.
After somehow regaining composure, a stream of white divine light began pouring in.
But the reddish hue on part of his face didn’t disappear.
So you’re human too.
The black-haired, blue-eyed face that usually looked arrogant and fearless appeared different at this moment.
And that made me feel strangely unsettled too.
Even though there was an alibi, he was still a dangerous person.
Especially that face… flawless skin, perfect nose, supreme confidence… thoughts like these automatically sprang to mind.
I shook my head vigorously, chasing those thoughts away.
Too dangerous to deal with up close.
