-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Invitation
-----------------------------------------------------------------
What on earth was he planning? I frowned and continued reading the letter.
I thought I might be able to figure out Ryan’s true intentions if I read it.
But the more I read, the more I felt like I was getting lost in a maze.
…Did he really write this himself? The handwriting was clearly Ryan’s, but the content was completely different.
[I would like to meet you there and speak with you alone.]
The letter was sweet, as if he’d been brainwashed. What in the world happened to the man who usually growled like he wanted to eat me alive whenever he saw me?
Ah, was this his noble way of being indirect?
…Did he want to meet me just to slit my throat?
[I know this may be burdensome, but I’m afraid I cannot accept a refusal. There is something I must say to you in person.]
A refusal will be refused. It was like his brain was filled with udon noodles. Who would want to meet a man who, until recently, was constantly threatening me and even had people tailing me?
How could a guy like this have been the male lead?
I shook my head and narrowed my eyes.
No, there’s that saying—one person's piece of junk is another's luxury car.
Maybe that saying was right.
‘It is a shame, since balls hosted by the imperial family aren’t held often…’
Since it was an event hosted by the imperial family, all the people I needed to meet would be gathered in one place, which would be convenient.
But Ryan’s presence was so overwhelming that it made me want to reject all that convenience.
“It’s not like this is the only ball that will ever be held.”
I decided to cleanly ignore Ryan’s nonsense. Of course, since the letter came from the imperial palace, I phrased my reply delicately, but to summarize, it said:
[Why should I?]
My calculation was that if I replied with a somewhat snarky tone, Ryan would be too pissed off to respond. But I was mistaken.
Ryan was more of a lunatic than I thought.
The next day, a second invitation arrived, as if it had been waiting for my refusal.
I doubted the ink on the refusal letter I’d sent the day before had even dried.
[Ah, I neglected to write the reason for this ball. It is to celebrate the second prince, who has been causing quite a stir lately.]
He belatedly stated the purpose of the ball.
The letter, stating that they hoped we would attend to celebrate the new prince, seemed to have seen through the fact that Darcy and I were closer than people thought.
…It must be the fallout from us going to the play together.
‘It’s been too short a time for Darcy to get close to anyone.’
From what I heard, that was the first time he had openly shown himself in a public setting.
…Truthfully, I was happy to have been a part of his first time.
In any case, this meant I could no longer avoid the ball.
Since it was a celebration for the prince, all nobles had to attend, whatever the underlying scheme might be, and I was no exception.
Besides, it was a party to celebrate Darcy, wasn't it?
Just like me, Darcy was beginning to spread his wings, and I wanted to congratulate him in a public setting.
In the end, I decided to attend the ball.
The date of the ball was just a week away, as if to announce how hastily it had been arranged.
***
After meeting Marso, Darcy returned and shut himself in his room. Though he was now a prince, his residence remained the same.
The palace was a place he loathed, but it was also a part of his life. There was no space in the imperial palace he knew better, nor one where he had spent as much time.
His decision to stay in the palace stemmed from a sort of love-hate relationship. Amidst the complex emotions that permeated the place, there was a sense of comfort that this was still ‘his’ space.
And he needed that comfort to sort through his chaotic feelings.
Meanwhile, after carrying out Darcy’s orders, Kaysen headed to his office to report. But the office was empty.
Three days had passed since Darcy, who was supposed to come see him, had disappeared. After searching around, Kaysen went to his palace as a last resort.
“I’m coming in.”
After a brief announcement, Kaysen entered the room. Thankfully, Darcy was there.
But he wasn’t just *in* the room.
“…What are you doing?”
Kaysen was at a loss for words seeing Darcy’s state.
Darcy was languidly sprawled in a chair. He ran a hand through his hair and lifted his head.
Spotting Kaysen, he half-closed his eyes. A long silence followed, and only after thick smoke began to rise from a lit incense stick did he reply.
“Thinking.”
Kaysen looked at the prince before him with pity and muttered.
“You must be worried about your future as a prince.”
*He must be thinking about the upcoming party. Well, even if he doesn't seem to care about what others think, he can’t completely shake it off…*
“No? Of course not.”
“Pardon? Then what…”
“I don’t think I need to tell you that.”
“…”
He was right, but it was strangely upsetting. Watching him speak normally, one would doubt if they were really comrades who had fought in battle together.
His face was more beautiful than anyone he had ever seen, but setting that aside, his manner of speaking, sarcastic attitude, and flippant tone were hard to believe for someone of imperial blood.
He was a man who stood at the opposite pole of Ryan in every way.
And yet, the reason Kaysen had decided to support him was…
“The fact that you came all the way here must mean you have something to report.”
…because of the way his eyes changed completely when it came to business.
His mismatched eyes, which he had recently stopped hiding on purpose, brilliantly showed off their different colors.
The man sat up, transforming from a libertine into a noble prince.
Darcy slowly lifted his head, his fingers tapping as if to hurry Kaysen’s report.
“It went well. Emperor Kies and Prince Ryan met. I couldn’t hear their exact conversation, but their scheme seems clear.”
Darcy had intentionally loosened the guard on Emperor Kies. To give him a chance to meet with Ryan.
And he’d assigned someone to watch them. That someone was Kaysen.
Magic is precise. What he had said was that he ‘could not be killed’; it didn’t include his ruin or suffering.
He had no intention of going down easily.
He and Kaysen had worked together many times.
One of the reasons Kaysen had decided to become the Captain of the Knights was his reverence for the Emperor.
When he learned that his comrade-in-arms was Darcy, it was only natural for Kaysen to seek him out.
Kaysen, who hated the current Emperor as much as he did and held animosity toward Prince Ryan, was the perfect man to be his confidant.
It wasn’t just about surveillance.
Darcy was also prepared to crush the struggling Kies’s hopes.
Even if Kies didn't realize there was a loophole in his words, he would try to do something.
‘And then he will despair.’
Darcy was ready to brutally and completely crush any attempt. It was nothing new.
It was what the Emperor had always done.
Giving him just enough breathing room, and when he tasted a fleeting moment of hope, burying him alive.
The fact that he had to stay here until Marso was happy was already a given.
In that case, wasn't it fair to play with Kies until then?
“Keep an eye on everyone Ryan meets from now on. Report everything.”
As a bonus, it was a chance to make Ryan, who had relentlessly tormented Marso using his title as prince, suffer.
Darcy sincerely hoped they would cling to hope and nurture the dream of defeating him.
That way, it would be more fun to crush them.
Darcy narrowed his eyes and let out a soft laugh.
‘I don’t think I’ve completely lost my mind yet.’
His perfectly functional mind for planning turned into a complete mess whenever he thought of Marso. When he pictured her face, he couldn't think of anything else.
‘…I have to keep my distance.’
He wanted Marso to be happy, but he knew well that it wouldn't be by his side. The emotion he had learned as love was not something that could make another person happy.
…Unless it was a matter of devouring Marso whole.
Realizing where his thoughts were heading, Darcy sighed and pressed a hand to his temple. The headache that had seemed to fade was returning.
He turned his head to look at Kaysen.
“Secretly contact all the mages connected to the imperial family. Arrange for them to meet me.”
Darcy remembered Kies’s eyes as he looked at his magic stone invention. His fear-filled pupils also held greed.
‘Because it’s a weapon he’s never seen before.’
Darcy had moved as Kies’s pawn for a long time. He’d had many opportunities to understand him.
Kies would surely try to replicate the magic tool he had created. He would try to mass-produce it and strike from behind.
This was an intuition born from long experience.
“Just keep tailing Ryan.”
Of course, since he was confined, the prince would have to handle everything.
This wasn't something he knew through brainwashing. It was simply a future he had read with his insight.
Darcy opened a drawer and threw something to Kaysen. Kaysen caught the cloak that came flying at high speed.
“It’s a cloak embedded with magic tools. It will help you erase your presence when you’re following the prince.”
Kaysen’s eyes widened as he examined the cloak.
“Thank you.”
Darcy’s words were no exaggeration; the hem of the cloak was covered in magic stones.
Kaysen bowed his head in thanks.
“Then I will take my leave.”
“I think we’ll have something to talk about later, too…”
Kaysen’s spine chilled as he recalled the incident where Ryan had been beaten to a pulp by him.
‘No way.’
*We were comrades who had each other's backs. Would he really beat me that badly? And all because of Marso Etoile?*
“We’ll have to keep working together anyway, so maybe now is better…”
Seeing Darcy muttering incomprehensibly, Kaysen hurriedly changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, I heard there’s a party next week to celebrate you, Your Highness. Are the preparations going well?”
“…A party?”
“Yes, I heard all the nobles will be in attendance.”
“I just found out.”
Darcy realized how distracted he had been and laughed hollowly.
‘I’ve really been out of my mind.’
“All the nobles are attending…”
“Yes.”
*Then I’ll have to prepare thoroughly.*
Darcy whispered to himself and rose from his seat.
Regardless of his complicated worries, he had to look more beautiful than anyone else in front of Marso.
