A different deal?
Yes, Your Highness. Just as I said.
I looked up at the Crown Prince, who was looking down at with a smug expression, and nodded.
Explain to the complete details.
Bathed in the noonday sunlight, his golden eyes were sparkling with considerable interest.
Rumors are circulating that the culprit who attempted to harm Your Highness is Grand Duke Damian. Furthermore, I heard he is currently being held in the imperial prison.
And so?
Can you guide to where he is being held?
In response to my request, the Crown Prince scoffed as if what he just heard was absurd.
You want to guide you to where the Duke is?
Yes.
What will I gain from doing that?
I will show you my healing ability. Right here, at this mont.
I gave him a confident smile as I spoke.
Didnt you turn down my request last ti because there had been no one with a fatal injury?
When did I say that my healing abilities are limited to only living people?
My answer caused the Crown Princes eyes to narrow as he frowned.
What do you an?
I can make the flower Your Highness is currently trampling on bloom like a brand new blossom.
Then I pointed down at the flowers that the Crown Prince was carelessly stepping on. The withered forget--nots that had been trampled rcilessly by the mans shoe ca into clear vision.
It seems that Your Highness doesnt care about plants.
!
The Crown Prince kicked the trampled flowers away out of irritation at my comnt. And that revealed the pitiful state of the forget--nots, which had now lost most of their vitality.
What once would have been lush foliage couldnt withstand the weight of his boots and crumpled, and the sky-blue flowers that must have blossod beautifully lost so of their petals and lay helplessly on the floor.
I stood up from the chair, approached the poor forget--nots, and knelt down.
What are you doing?
The Crown Princes annoyed voice lood over .
Im trying to heal this poor thing.
I completely bent my knees and looked around. Fortunately, the imperial knights were standing far enough away that they couldnt see what I was about to do.
In that position, I closed my eyes and gently placed my hand on a forget--not. Since it was a plant, it didnt consu my ntal energy. Which also ant that there would be no radiant glow like when I healed the Crown Princes or Cassadins scars.
It was only for a mont that my hand ca in contact with the forget--not, but the wilting plant quickly regained its vitality.
The frail and droopy leaves transford into their original, pristine form, seeming to have absorbed the fresh morning dew, and the forget--not that had lost its petals and was left in a pitiful form regained its vibrance as if nothing had happened.
I cant believe it
Then I heard the Crown Princes exclamation from above my head, his angry tone now gone. I straightened my legs to stand up, then dusted off the dirt from my dress. In front of was the Crown Prince, suddenly closing in the gap between our faces with a twinkling gaze.
Are you a mage? How did you do that?
Im nothing of the sort. Youre Highness, Im rely a healer.
A healer?
The Crown Prince crouched down and picked up the forget--not, then looked at with a partially childish expression.
It may get trampled on by another if it stays here, so Ill keep this flower in my room.
He must have suddenly realized the beauty of the blooming flowers in a field, as his attitude beca a little different from how it had been earlier. Then with a cheery smile, he gently put the forget--not into the pocket of his upper uniform.
Sigh, it isnt much different from trampling it if you pick up the flower like that.
Seeing the Crown Prince puff up with pride as if he just did sothing incredibly righteous, I once again realized that common sense wouldnt work on this man.
By the way, I have one question.
The Prince tilted his head and asked .
Please go ahead.
Why are you trying to et the Grand Duke imprisoned in the imperial prison?
I was just wondering why you, of all people, would need to go see the Grand Duke even in prison.
I did expect him to ask about the reason, but how should I respond?
Do you believe in love at first sight?
I was also once a disbeliever of such things, but Ive fallen in love with Grand Duke Damian at first sight. I just wanted to see his handso face before I leave.
No, not that. It would be strange to confess your love to soone whos locked up in prison. Especially if Im telling this not to the person involved, but to the Crown Prince. And it is weird for to be telling that to the person who proposed to for the Crown Princess position.
Why arent you answering?
I wondered if the Crown Princes patience was longer than three seconds, since he was urging to give him an answer imdiately after he asked the question.
I hesitated, acting as if I were conflicted about bringing up a serious topic.
Your Highness Are you positive that the imprisoned Duke is the real culprit?
The Crown Princes expression hardened instantly.
No.
It was a firm and definite answer.
Why would soone like the Grand Duke commit such an act? Its surely the doing of soone else who harbors resentnt against the empire.
In contrast with his strange behavior, the Crown Prince was smart.
I dont know who it is, but the culprit is surely brave. To dare think of causing such an incident on my birthday.
It was true that the culprit was a bold man. But there wasnt a single occasion where I would confess that Cassadin was the culprit, no matter what.
The poison that Your Highness consud was made from a type of poisonous herb found only in the northern region.
What?
The Crown Prince looked at in surprise. It seed like he had never heard about this before.
I found out about this while treating Your Highness. Taking into account the poisonous herb found only in the north and that the Duke arrived late to the banquet, the Grand Duke was accused of being the culprit.
I see. That makes sense. But there is no concrete evidence.
The Prince nodded firmly, seeming to understand it now.
Yes. I felt as if it was my fault that the Duke was imprisoned in the absence of any concrete evidence, which is why I wanted to go check if he was faring well in prison
Why is it your fault that the Duke was accused the culprit?
I believe that the innocent Grand Duke was imprisoned because I told His Majesty that the type of poisonous plant used grew only in the northern region. So I do indeed hold a large portion of the responsibility.
Then I hung my head to act as if I truly felt guilty. And I knew that my act convinced the Crown Prince after I saw his reaction.
How is that your fault? Wouldnt it be a bigger problem if you were considered guilty for speaking the truth?
But the truth can be interpreted as a lie by soone else
A large hand extended into my lowered vision. When I just wordlessly stared at the hand, the owner of the hand waved it up and down as he spoke.
Alright. I have understood what you said, so I will personally guide you to the prison.
It was a success.
I smiled faintly as I lifted my head. At the sa ti, I felt soone staring intently at .
So I focused my vision on where I felt the gaze was coming from. Then my eyes t the eyes of a knight who was standing far behind the Crown Prince.
Is it just my imagination?
But why was he wearing a helt in this hot weather? Wasnt he hot?
After a while, a gloomy tower, completely out of place with the golden palace, ca into view.
It felt as if we had walked quite a distance when a gloomy tower, which looked completely out of place within the golden palace, ca into view.
It was a huge cylindrical black tower. Then the Crown Prince suddenly stopped in front of the ominous tower.
Were here.
Is this tower the imperial prison?
The infamous tower known as a prison was eerie enough to make one shiver just by looking at it.
The sound of crows cawing ca from sowhere nearby. This place felt like it imprisoned witches or other prisoners with more severe cris.
Yes. You must not have seen it before since the imperial prison is located far away from the main palace.
As he said that, the Crown Prince was about to step into the tower, but I hastily stopped the Prince, who looked like he intended to follow into the prison.
Your Highness, your guidance so far has already been more than enough.
Wait, are you planning to enter this dreary dungeon alone?
It would be ignorant of to bother Your Highness any further.
Hah.
When I drew a clear line between us, the Crown Prince looked at with annoyance. However, his constant arrogant attitude seems to have lessened after I showed him my healing abilities.
The Prince shrugged as he let out a soft sigh, then signaled at the imperial knight, who had been tailing us for so ti now.
You there.
The knight with the iron helt approached us at the Crown Princes call. The only thing I could see through the helt that covered his entire face were his glowing purple eyes.
Wait a minute. Purple eyes?
Just as I realized sothing strange and tilted my head, the Crown Prince started speaking to the knight.
Why have you been following us?
I could feel myself getting nervous after hearing his question. Why was it that I couldnt shake off the feeling that this unidentified knight was Cassadin? Maybe it was because Id only seen one person with such an expression in his eyes.
I was about to speak up first, but the Crown Prince started to speak before .
Was it the Emperors orders? To monitor and report my every move?
The knight in the helt stood still for a mont, then nodded slightly.
Following here even with a helt on in this weather. Thats quite the dedication.
The Crown Princes eyes narrowed as if he were tired of this. He seed uncomfortable with the Emperors attempt to monitor him wherever he went.
Im fine, so take responsibility and guide the lady next to through the prison.
The knight quietly ca to my side, then nodded to acknowledge he understood.
If anything happens to her, its all your responsibility. Do you understand?
What is your na?
Are you mute? You seem suspicious.
No! I quickly changed the subject before the Crown Prince suspected the knight any further.
Your Highness, I think thats being a little too harsh to the knight who ca all the way here out of concern.
Im being too harsh?
Yes, this knight only obeyed the Emperors command. I just thought your words might be too harsh.
The Crown Prince seed a little upset when I sided with the knight. Though I didnt understand exactly why that would make him upset, the stranger thing at the mont was that Cassadin, who should be at the mansion right now, was wandering around the palace pretending to be an imperial knight.
Do you know why I asked you to co to the palace alone?
Suddenly, the Crown Prince asked a strange question. And I answered him honestly.
Im not sure.
Its because your younger brothers gaze felt peculiar.
Of course, his gaze felt peculiar, since the person he tried to kill at the risk of his own life was well and alive in front of him. So I smiled and defended Cassadin.
My younger brother is a bit shy. He must have felt uncomfortable after eting Your Highness for the first ti.
Its not his gaze toward .
I dont understand. Then
Its the way he looks at you.
Wait a mont.
That couldnt have been the gaze one has towards his sister. It was sothing more primitive. Even if you two are unrelated, from a third-partys perspective, it looked a bit
I couldnt bear to listen to this any longer when the involved person was right in front of us, so I bowed my head and responded.
Your Highness, Cassadin is my precious family mber. Speaking of my younger brother in such a way will put in a difficult position.
Your affection for your brother is remarkable.
Hes my one and only precious younger brother, after all.
Then I bowed my head once again to the Crown Prince. When I deflected the topic, the Crown Prince then smirked and said to ,
Did you know? Since I didnt have a proper banquet for my birthday, I plan to hold another big banquet in the near future.
I beg your pardon?
Until then, I will take good care of this forget--not that you have given . I will send an invitation, so lets et again soon. Just so you know, there is no option for you to refuse.
As the Crown Prince looked down at the light blue forget--not tucked in his pocket, he added,
If you refuse, I will take that as your agreent with the proposal I made earlier.
I was left speechless in disbelief, but then quickly changed my mindset.
It was a shocking proposition to beco the Crown Princess, but judging from all of his actions so far, rashly accepting this offer would only make him lose interest in .
There would be definite limitations to my actions even if I did obtain such power, and if that happened, then it would beco completely impossible to approach Damian.
If I attempted to approach Damian as the Crown Princes wife, he would definitely be guarded around , causing my plans to bring Damian to his downfall to have a higher chance of failure.
It would instead be a better option to maintain a friendly relationship with the Crown Prince while occasionally displaying my healing abilities to keep him interested.
So that the Crown Prince wouldnt lose interest in , and I could utilize my relationship with him to my advantage.
Having organized my thoughts, I was about to say that I would accept the invitation, but with his three-second patience, the Crown Prince had already vanished after telling what he wanted.
As I stared blankly at the spot where the Crown Prince had been, a low and quiet voice pierced the silent air.
Sister.
I turned my head towards the voice. A far too familiar voice was coming from the knight with the iron helt.
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