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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Request
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“We seem to be headed in the same direction. Might we have a word? I won't keep you long, given my condition.”
He was different from the dogmatic Arabelle.
But he was still a member of the royal family.
Lumina, not letting her guard down, nodded.
Leaning on his cane, Eliot slowly emerged from the shade of the tree with a limp.
His pale skin, rarely exposed to the sun, shone white in the sunlight.
Without so much as a frown, the prince moved more slowly than others.
Lumina matched his pace.
“You must be on your way from the tea party with Arabelle. She likely called for you because of something unnecessary I said.”
“Something unnecessary?”
“When she said she disliked you, I mentioned that you might feel that way because you don't know each other well yet.”
“…”
“And I suggested that you two try spending some time together. Arabelle was only following my suggestion, so I apologize.”
“You don't have to apologize.”
Eliot looked at Lumina.
She must have been tormented by Arabelle throughout the tea party, yet she seemed perfectly fine. It was a rare case indeed.
“I'm not one for beating around the bush, and I imagine speaking with a cripple like me for long is an ordeal, so I'll get straight to the point.”
“…”
“Would you be Arabelle's companion?”
“Pardon?”
“She's a lonelier child than she appears. Born a precious imperial grandchild and becoming a Legion, she's had to bear the weight of a crown far too large for her since she was young.”
Had Arabelle heard this, she would have likely said, ‘Lonely? The world doesn't make me lonely. I'm the one shunning the world.’
“The princess has already made a similar offer. However, due to my personal circumstances, I was unable to accept.”
Lumina politely refused.
But Eliot shook his head.
“What I mean to say is, I want you to be Arabelle's friend. A friend she can be comfortable with, regardless of titles or political interests.”
“Is this something Princess Arabelle wishes for? But you just said she told you she disliked me.”
“A first impression is just that. If you see each other often enough, you can certainly become friends. And this is my opinion, regardless of Arabelle's wishes.”
Lumina, who had intended to refuse, was caught off guard when Eliot suddenly took her hand.
At that moment, Ash, who was following them, flinched.
Ash's role was to be Lumina's escort.
Fending off any man who made a pass at Lumina was naturally part of his duty.
But his opponent was a prince, so he couldn't interfere.
“I'm asking you this as a personal favor.”
It was an awkward situation.
Just as Lumina tried to gently pull her hand away.
“Why don't you let go of that hand?”
The voice belonged to someone who shouldn't have been there.
Startled, Lumina turned around.
“…Lord Karayan?”
Lumina blinked rapidly, wondering if she was seeing things.
But it was no illusion.
Thick, dark eyebrows and sharp eyes that looked all the more fierce when he scowled.
A build much taller and more agile than others his age, reminiscent of a feline predator.
Even the row of piercings in his ear.
Dressed in formal attire for once, it was indeed Karayan.
Perhaps because he was properly dressed, he gave off a refreshingly different impression.
But regardless of how others saw him, Karayan's gaze was fixed solely on Lumina's hand, held by Eliot, his face filled with an indescribable displeasure.
His eyes had been locked on it from the very beginning.
With a long stride.
Karayan closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye with his long legs.
And the first thing he did was pry Eliot's hand off Lumina.
*Is it okay to treat a royal like this?*
His touch was quite rough, and Lumina couldn't help but worry.
He spoke informally to Arabelle, but she'd never seen him lay a hand on her.
Lumina, who valued restraint, integrity, and a simple life, did not want to be thrown in jail for insulting royalty at the tender age of twelve.
Especially since she had just narrowly avoided being arrested for that very crime against the princess.
“It's the Young Duke of Heart.”
Fortunately, Eliot was a magnanimous royal.
He overlooked Karayan's abrasive attitude with a good-natured smile.
Judging by Eliot's reaction, it seemed this was their first meeting as well.
“He's the Second Prince.”
Lumina whispered, gently poking Karayan in the side.
She was worried that the thoroughly irritated Karayan would make a mistake without recognizing who he was dealing with.
But Lumina's concern didn't seem to reach him.
“Don't go hitting on another man's wife.”
*He's a prince!*
Karayan glared at Eliot, full of wariness.
Eliot gazed down at his own palm, which had just been touching Lumina's.
He was clearly taken aback.
No matter how kind and gentle Eliot seemed, he was still Arabelle's older brother.
Lumina was frantically racking her brain, trying to figure out how to handle Karayan's outburst.
“I thought it was an early marriage due to adult circumstances, but it seems the Young Duke truly cherishes his young wife.”
Karayan gave Eliot a look that seemed to ask if he was insane.
Fortunately, Eliot continued before he could use any harsh words.
“It seems I was too hasty, having a personal favor to ask of the Young Duchess. I apologize for my rudeness.”
“A favor?”
“It was a request for her to become friends with Arabelle. I have yet to hear her answer…”
Eliot paused for a moment, then looked at Lumina with a serious gaze.
In that moment, Lumina had to control her expression.
*Is it a trait of the imperial family not to take no for an answer?*
“It must be difficult to decide right away, so I hope you'll take your time to think about it.”
“That's bullshit.”
Karayan said flatly.
Having been tormented by Arabelle for years, he knew exactly what being her ‘friend’ entailed.
A doll to be played with at her whim, then discarded when its use was over.
That was all it amounted to.
So, it was impossible for anything nice to come out of his mouth.
“Still, you're in front of the prince. Perhaps you could express that more formally?”
“Woof woof. Happy now?”
In the language of dogs, it was certainly formal.
“Is the tea party over?”
“Huh? Yes…”
Karayan seemed to have decided not to listen to Eliot any longer.
He completely ignored him and focused only on Lumina.
In truth, when Karayan had first arrived at the palace, he'd been fully intent on checking if Lumina had been crushed somewhere.
But the moment he saw her holding hands with some strange man, he saw red and couldn't think of anything else.
He'd been irritated by an indescribable displeasure, but seeing Lumina completely unharmed, his anger melted away.
If Karayan had been able to think rationally, he would have seriously suspected himself of having a split personality.
*‘Looks like Arabelle didn't throw a huge fit for once.’*
But there was another problem.
*‘Why is she so pretty?’*
It was as if she went around sprinkling glitter on herself.
Her face looked the same as always, but his eyes kept being drawn to it.
No wonder that prince fellow lost his senses and grabbed her hand.
The prince was one thing, but somehow Lumina's pretty face was starting to annoy him.
Karayan gently cupped her doughy cheeks.
As his large hands covered her cheeks, Lumina looked up at him with wavering eyes.
And…
He squeezed her soft cheeks.
Lumina's lips puckered out like a goldfish.
“I recall your only schedule was the tea party with the princess. Is there something else you have to do here?”
“Pwease wet me go…”
How was she supposed to answer if he didn't let go?
Mumbling, Lumina gestured with her eyes toward the prince.
She meant for him to let go quickly, since they had an audience.
Karayan obediently let go.
However, the reason for his compliance wasn't that he had correctly interpreted Lumina's gesture.
He couldn't let this prince he'd just met see such an adorable face.
Somehow, she was cute even with her cheeks squished.
“I just came out to see the garden for a moment. The princess mentioned that the Emerald Palace garden was beautiful.”
“What about the tea party? Was it as enjoyable as you'd hoped?”
Lumina looked at Karayan with unfamiliar eyes.
Was Karayan the type of person to ask such a kind and thoughtful question?
He wasn't.
In fact, Karayan was acting awkward. It was obvious he'd never asked such a question in his life.
But Lumina pretended not to notice his unnatural behavior.
“Yes! The princess was very kind, and the other young ladies who attended were very welcoming, so I had a wonderful time.”
*Arabelle, kind?*
A sentence that should not exist in this world came out of Lumina's mouth.
For a moment, Karayan wondered what on earth Arabelle had done, but this wasn't the place to hear about it.
“Then let's go back.”
As if he didn't want to stay in the palace a moment longer, Karayan hastily tried to take Lumina with him.
But Lumina shook her head.
“Just a moment.”
Pushing Karayan away, Lumina turned to face Eliot.
“Your Highness.”
“I was the one who held you against your will, so don't worry about it. Besides, I've learned that the Young Duke of Heart, whom I'd only heard of through rumors, is actually quite the devoted husband.”
Having been treated like he was invisible while being spoken to in the formal language of dogs, it was understandable that he would have a huge misunderstanding.
Lumina, not bothering to correct the truth, chose her words carefully.
“I believe I can give you a clear answer to your proposal now, so I wished to speak.”
“You can take your time to think.”
“It wouldn't be polite to keep Your Highness waiting.”
Lumina continued in a firm tone.
“Thank you very much for your generous offer. I don't know what you saw in me, but I fully understand your heartfelt affection for your sister.”
Hearing only the beginning, Eliot's expression relaxed, as if he thought Lumina was about to accept.
In moments like this, the siblings were remarkably alike.
“However, I believe that friends are made naturally when hearts align. I will pretend I never heard Your Highness's request.”
One should always listen until the very end.
It was an adamant refusal.
A look of difficulty appeared on the prince's face.
Lumina soon let her lips relax into a gentle smile.
“If I were to act with your request in mind, I would end up trying too hard to flatter the princess to get closer to her.”
Her tone was much softer and friendlier now, as if she'd never been so formal.
“Princess Arabelle wouldn't want that, I'm sure. And it's not something a true friend would do.”
*‘He should understand now.’*
Lumina drove the point home, considering Eliot might pester her about it again later.
“The Young Duchess is very thoughtful. If that is your wish, then I must withdraw. I won't mention today's events to Arabelle, so you won't find yourself in another difficult situation.”
“Like receiving an invitation?”
“Yes.”
Lumina tilted her head as if she had just heard something strange.
