#33
‘Blood mixed only halfway. And a cursed bloodline at that…’
But why is he being so affectionate?
The Crown Prince looking at his younger brother with a comfortable face he’d never shown to anyone, not even those two friends of his…
“Hyung-nim, hyung-nim. Can I eat something first?”
“How ill-mannered. Didn’t you learn basic etiquette? The protagonist’s blessing speech has to end first.”
“But you said we have to dance after the blessing speech ends… I haven’t eaten anything since dawn because I was getting dressed up.”
The 2nd Prince pretended to sulk half-jokingly.
The Crown Prince’s face as he chuckled at him looked purely delighted.
It was such a huge change that no one could deny he cherished that younger brother.
“No. Be quiet and follow me.”
“That’s mean…”
The 2nd Prince, who had been dragged along by the Crown Prince holding his hand, brightened when he saw where they stopped.
Because the Crown Prince stood in a spot that didn’t stand out but wasn’t too far from the protagonist, shielding the 2nd Prince.
“Hyung-nim is the best.”
Though that sound couldn’t be heard, they could see the 2nd Prince’s lip movements and his endearing smile.
And the Crown Prince’s appearance as he smiled fondly at such a 2nd Prince…
Isabella unconsciously ground her teeth.
Since they were brothers, he clearly wasn’t someone she needed to be wary of, but even so…
‘I want to kill him.’
Faster than anyone else in the ballroom, Isabella had sensed it.
That the Crown Prince’s comfortable appearance wasn’t an act but genuine.
Though it was tacitly forbidden now, going back about ten generations, there had been cases of marriages between royal siblings.
Though they were supposedly exceptional nominal cases…
The important thing was that it had been possible even once. At least to Isabella, it was a problem she couldn’t overlook.
‘Even if that’s not the case.’
Isabella didn’t regard the 2nd Prince as royalty.
Setting aside that he was the son of an evil spirit, he was a child the Emperor didn’t want, had no abilities worthy of respect as royalty, and was clearly someone who would be abandoned eventually.
She had no intention of sharing the Crown Prince’s smile with such a person.
And Isabella had never endured anything that bothered her, of any kind.
She took a deep breath and waited only for the moment when the two would separate.
Since the Crown Prince was busy, such a moment came quickly.
“You made all that fuss earlier just to eat that?”
“J-just that, hyung-nim! My stomach is sticking out this much just from desserts.”
“Good grief.”
The Crown Prince, who had been shaking his head and chuckling, put on a diplomatic smile to greet those approaching him.
The 2nd Prince was examining the desserts with sparkling eyes like a puppy seeing snow for the first time, and in doing so, didn’t notice he’d separated from his brother.
Isabella confirmed the various gazes looking at the 2nd Prince.
Curiosity, contempt, amusement—there wasn’t a single positive gaze, but there was one common point.
Everyone somehow couldn’t take their eyes off him.
An entranced reaction.
For Isabella to approach and stand next to him would mean losing more even if she was more beautiful.
But since she didn’t want to endure it, Isabella decided to use magic she usually restrained herself from using.
Fear magic.
It was magic that was clumsier to handle than a charm aura, and could accidentally kill weak-hearted people if done wrong.
But it had one advantage.
It could focus on only one target.
Unless someone directly observed that target, they couldn’t tell the magic was being used, and by the end of the ball, it wouldn’t remain.
The moment she used the magic, the prince’s slender body stiffened with a start.
The prince’s long eyelashes trembled anxiously as he staggered and endured for a moment.
When their eyes met, the prince’s eyes widened, perhaps startled by Isabella’s murderous gaze.
That cunning fellow hesitated, then wiped away cold sweat. And soon hid his body behind some curtains.
‘Useless.’
Isabella felt a strangely sadistic pleasure rising and slightly raised the corners of her mouth.
And as she slowly turned to head toward the Crown Prince, she cast fear magic more intensively on the 2nd Prince.
Thud, the faint sound of something colliding came from that direction.
It would be better if he died from being weak-hearted.
That’s when it happened.
The person she couldn’t touch most, Skyle Rodias, brushed past her side.
Isabella’s eyes rolled.
With an eerie gaze, she stared intently at the scene of the Archduke heading beyond the curtains where the 2nd Prince was.
Shortly after, her brow contorted uglily for a moment.
* * *
“What’s His Excellency the Archduke doing here alone?”
A little before Skyle headed beyond the curtains following Ersen.
Marcus approached him, put his arm around his shoulder, and asked cheekily.
“Don’t you feel sorry for the nobles waiting over there?”
Skyle only smiled silently.
His ceremonial smile clearly drew a line, so the nobles who had been glancing this way turned their heads with disappointed faces.
Marcus chuckled seeing that sight.
It was rare for his friend to show such open rejection at events like this.
‘Since no one treats him carelessly even without doing this.’
But what’s different today that he’s acting like this?
Of course, he knew.
Even if he hadn’t known, he would have figured it out quickly.
Just by following the direction of Skyle’s gaze.
“More natural than expected, isn’t it?”
Marcus asked while observing where Skyle’s gaze lingered.
“More than expected.”
“Doesn’t seem like his first time at a ball.”
Skyle’s blue eyes slightly closed.
It was a mysterious expression that seemed both satisfied and as if hiding a cold gaze.
“I have something to ask.”
Breaking the silence that had continued since 2nd Prince Ersen appeared with the Crown Prince, Marcus spoke again.
“Have you ever taught anyone?”
“…?”
Since it was a serious tone, he couldn’t ignore it, but the content was somewhat absurd.
Skyle glanced at Marcus.
“What are you talking about?”
“Hmm.”
There was no way Skyle had taught Ersen.
‘That’s true, but.’
“No, maybe it’s just my imagination.”
“Speak properly.”
“…The way he moves seems somehow familiar.”
Skyle blinked a couple times, then looked at Ersen again.
A relaxed attitude as if not nervous at all.
Yet an atmosphere that made it difficult for anyone to readily approach…
The impression the surrounding nobles received might be different due to different positions, but looking only at the atmosphere he carried, it certainly was like that.
Atmosphere isn’t something created automatically without special effort.
Eye movements? No. Even the speed at which his pupils move all contributes to the atmosphere.
And unless someone taught him, to be like that…
“He resembles someone, right? I’m not mistaken, am I?”
Right, there’s no way he could resemble a specific person.
“…Hmm.”
“What is it, really?”
Marcus muttered with a briefly eerie smile.
Skyle didn’t show any particular reaction, but Marcus felt his friend’s aura change and released his arm from around his shoulder.
Now Skyle would handle it himself, so he didn’t need to observe further.
‘No wait. Still, shouldn’t I check once too?’
Though he didn’t want to admit it, there was a small desire to see the prince up close, who was properly dressed differently from usual.
He should also see up close those eyes that were subtly showing affection toward Skyle…
The moment Marcus tilted his head and fell into thought.
“Hm?”
He stopped.
Because Ersen, who had been sparkling his eyes like a child while looking at desserts—whether acting or sincere—suddenly turned pale and staggered.
What’s this?
Marcus frowned at this anomaly.
And he turned his head to tell Skyle what he saw, but.
“…?”
The figure of his friend who had been standing next to him until just before was nowhere to be seen.
Marcus turned his head and blankly stared at Skyle’s retreating figure.
‘What’s that?’
Had he discovered something he failed to notice?
It was a reaction speed as if he’d been waiting for an anomaly to occur.
Skyle disappeared following Ersen, who had vanished beyond the curtains.
Marcus blinked with a strange expression, then went “Hmm” and slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
Then he met eyes with the Crown Prince, who seemed to belatedly realize Ersen had disappeared.
‘Where did that guy go?’
At the gaze that seemed to ask that, Marcus shrugged.
And as he leisurely approached that direction to explain the situation, he thought.
‘As expected, those two. Seems like I’ll need to watch them for a while?’
To figure out what his own feelings were—neither entirely interesting nor unpleasant.
* * *
If the terrace was the nobles’ private space, beyond the curtains was the servants’ space.
‘People…’
Should I call it fortunate?
I met eyes with several servants waiting there, but upon seeing me, they quickly fled with expressions as if avoiding something dirty, looking startled.
As soon as I was alone, I collapsed onto the makeshift chair they had been sitting on.
“Ha, haa.”
Strange.
Was this the extent of… this magic?
Previously, I wasn’t someone Lady Isabella would use this magic on.
‘So this is what Sercil experienced.’
I recalled how before my regression, Sercil couldn’t move at all after being hit by this magic.
‘So that’s why.’
Self-reproach rushed in, but it was soon swept away by the fear magic I was experiencing for the first time.
Again and again, memories I had stored away in the back of my mind kept popping up and clouding my vision.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
