Chapter: 05
“What do you mean?”
Although Henrik pointed out that I had misunderstood him, he still maintained his relaxed demeanor.
In truth, what I had said was meant to turn the intentions of someone who had come bearing the flag of peace completely on their head.
I boldly said the words I had prepared.
“Because the royal family abandoned me.”
The reason I dared to say this was because Henrik had not immediately thrown me out and was actually listening to me. He had not even questioned the rudeness of my sudden visit.
For whatever reason, it was clear that I had piqued his interest.
“All the more reason for me to gain nothing from this.”
At that moment, I caught a certain emotion in Henrik’s amethyst-like eyes.
Judging by his expression, I simply wasn’t his type. Under these circumstances, there could hardly have been anything more welcome to me.
“You don’t have to go out of your way to tell me that I’m not to your liking.”
I let a faint smile show without trying to hide it. Only then did Henrik straighten from where he had been sinking into the sofa and cross one leg over the other.
“There is definitely something for Your Highness to gain.”
I did not stop, even though I knew a blade might come flying at me next.
“You intend to conquer this entire land, don’t you, Your Highness?”
“Ha-ha-ha.”
Henrik burst out laughing, looking amused, but I felt an atmosphere that made it difficult to breathe. His laughter carried such a cold and ruthless air.
Yet no blade came.
In that moment, I realized my prediction had been wrong. I didn’t know why, but I wasn’t particularly flustered.
Perhaps because the atmosphere was familiar from my experiences on the battlefield, my heart did not pound excessively either.
I politely folded my hands.
“You must have a great deal to prepare for a war of conquest.”
“That isn’t a field you know anything about.”
At least with my eyes, I looked straight at him.
“I know that war is ultimately a matter of people, and that understanding the hearts of people is what matters most.”
“Something no one can do easily.”
“Prince, I inherited the blood of a witch.”
“A witch.”
The smile disappeared from Henrik’s face, and a faint glimmer of interest appeared in his violet eyes.
“You are known as a descendant of the Black Dragon, Prince. I believe you possess a power that could rival that legendary being. A power different from mine.”
“You have an ability as well?”
“Yes. I can read people’s hearts and see the future.”
“Will I become king?”
Henrik asked the question with remarkable composure, and I answered without changing my expression.
“Your Highness. To confess honestly, I devoted everything to this country, yet now I have become someone who is no longer even invited to banquets. If I were to tell Your Highness everything about the future right now, I fear I might never be allowed to go to Bwendovska.”
“That is not an unreasonable concern.”
Without hesitation, Henrik pointed at the knight standing beside him.
“Read him.”
I immediately made a quick assessment.
Naturally, I had no idea who that knight was, but it was clear that there was something I could read from him.
Probably something troublesome. Something the knight had not shared with his master, yet something Henrik was perceptive enough to have already suspected.
In other words, it was not something overly complicated.
That was what made Henrik’s test meaningful. If this was nothing more than an attempt to deceive and ridicule me, then I could simply look for someone other than this prince.
I was gambling without anything to lose.
“If there is no objection to including that gentleman, I will tell you.”
“Gentlemen, leave us.”
At Henrik’s casual gesture, the knights withdrew without another word.
It was obvious at a glance that they had a relationship built on deep trust. Suddenly, I felt like biting my lip.
I had never come here to propose this deal because I trusted Henrik. But seeing them like this still made my heart ache a little.
I had never had such a relationship, and I never would.
Atilenta, focus only on the situation at hand.
I did not want to unnecessarily reveal my unpleasant feelings, so I gently lowered my head.
When I took out the mirror I had hidden inside my clothes, I could feel Henrik staring intently at me.
I carefully stroked and wiped the mirror, the only remaining trace of my mother. Deliberately, I wanted him to see it.
Come on, help me, mirror.
I have to pass this man’s test. Only then can I achieve the future I desire.
Soon, a green light spread across the mirror like gentle ripples over water. Henrik, sitting across from me, must have recognized the strange light as well.
“I have no reason to doubt that knight’s loyalty, but it seems he has a slight problem.”
“Explain.”
I leaned toward Henrik and whispered everything to him slowly. Telling him about someone else’s private affairs behind their back made me feel rather uncomfortable.
But such manners no longer mattered.
I repeatedly reminded myself of my goal, and it worked surprisingly well.
After hearing everything I had to say, Henrik immediately rose from his seat and entered the inner room. It seemed he intended to speak with the knights.
Left alone, I let out a small sigh.
“Phew…”
Strangely, I felt as though this place was familiar.
“Ah, this is where Selena and I used to play hide-and-seek.”
I suddenly realized it.
This annex was a place filled with memories from my childhood. Back then, I had wondered why the king had allowed us to play such games here.
Yes, now I knew the answer.
It must have been entirely for Selena and the Duke.
Selena was the daughter of a count, so she could not officially make her debut in high society until she came of age. The Duke, meanwhile, had been visiting the royal palace from a young age alongside the former Duke.
“…Could it have been arranged so that the two of them could meet here at the royal palace by chance?”
Even when I dwelled on the vicious emotions I had never felt in my entire life, determined to take revenge, my memories did not disappear.
If anything, the more those memories resurfaced, the better.
They were necessary to temper my heart.
I closed my eyes, sinking into the damp and gloomy past.
“You were right.”
Henrik’s cold, low voice echoed through the darkness of my closed eyes.
His voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I cleared my throat.
“Your Highness, I would like to emphasize once again that I can be of use to you.”
“Hmm. You intend to make a deal using your ability. And the purpose of your proposal seems clear enough.”
“That is correct.”
I could already guess how this conversation would end.
From the very beginning, Henrik had never denied that he intended to conquer this land.
“I don’t know whether you can actually be of use on the battlefield. Even if I believe for now that you possess an ability…”
Henrik let his words trail off with a hint of amusement.
It seemed that correctly reading the thoughts of one knight was not enough for him to immediately place a high value on my ability.
In truth, his caution was only natural.
If he had trusted me based on a single act, I would have doubted his judgment instead.
Since I had expected this, I was not particularly nervous.
Instead, I revealed another card I had prepared.
“Last year, there was a rebellion during the Battle of Genoa in the south. They were remnants of Syracuse, but three days later, the rebel commander took his own life.”
“I thought it was quite strange. Syracuse knows the honor of soldiers, so for a man of his standing to take his own life…”
“I led him to it, Your Highness.”
For a moment, Henrik’s eyebrow rose crookedly.
The amusement had completely disappeared from his face. Crossing his arms, he asked me,
“How did you do that?”
Of course, the credit technically belonged to Anthony, but I continued explaining in a way that emphasized my own ability.
“He was acting as a spy between Syracuse and the Mezina army. He had secretly hidden the evidence, but I found it and delivered it to the Duke. If the knights had handled it, it would have taken much longer.”
“…Thus, Syracuse lost its general, while Mezina gained the information it needed and was subdued with ease.”
Anthony’s successful conquest of the regions of Syracuse and Mezina had been reported in the newspapers.
Henrik could doubt this as well, but it would be difficult for him to immediately prove that I was lying.
“Yes, that is correct, Your Highness.”
Moreover, he remained silent.
Apparently, he had understood what I meant.
Do not leave this dangerous ability, which can even uncover your secrets, here. Take it with you instead.
If he was truly a man with ambitions that great.
In a sense, I had provoked him as well.
As though I had no concern for my own life.
Henrik let out a breath, “Hoo…” his meaning impossible to discern.
“You would volunteer to become a spy in order to destroy your own homeland.”
“I have done something similar before.”
Back then, I had been happy because the Duke wanted my ability so desperately.
In truth, the very fact that the Duchess had gone to the battlefield was unusual, something strange compared to everyone else.
A small, bitter smile escaped me before I could stop it.
Seeing that, Henrik seemed to misunderstand.
“You seem accustomed to it.”
I simply nodded vaguely and decided to let it pass.
There was no need to bring up my past when it had nothing to do with him.
