Chapter 13
Do you think I'm scared? Or is she trying to assess me after observing my reaction?
"Curiosity kills the cat. Tell me, how far is the line that Valentina knows?"
For a few brief yet intense seconds, Valentina's sharp gaze locked my eyes. It was like the look of a cat about to pounce on its prey.
"… To be honest, I still don't know. What I do know is that Sasha is somehow involved in all of it. Knowing that I accepted such a request, I must be crazy."
"You don't need to worry, Valentina. I'm just as good at taking care of my friends as Benya."
“… friend?”
“Friend, indeed.”
When I smiled brightly, the sharp rigidity in her eyes loosened, and she looked confused.
"D-didn't you know exactly what kind of person I am?"
"I know you well, my Queen of the Underworld. That's why it's better."
Valentina said nothing more, instead, she began eating macaroons at random from her table, with a pensive look on her face. I also picked up one of the macarons, put it in my mouth, and turned around.
"Where are you going?"
"… My head hurts. I want to get some fresh air."
So, I left the banquet hall alone and headed for the stairs to the second floor. As I moved, I could feel gazes from here and there, but no one hurriedly approached me to talk.
I then noticed the statue that had helped me hide and observe the banquet hall as a child, still standing firmly in place. Memories of the night I had sneaked out to save sick Estelle naturally resurfaced.
I recalled the feelings I experienced while hiding under this statue and observing the banquet hall in search of Jerome.
I tried to recreate those old moments for fun, but now I'm too grown up to hide here like I used to.
I passed the statue of entwined vipers and stepped out onto the balcony at the end of the hallway. The warm summer night breeze caressed my cheeks and gently blew my hair.
I realized that it was similar to that summer night.
At that time, the flower pots I had hidden were no longer visible. Instead, there was a small and pretty fountain with rippling water and white animal statues.
As I approached the railing and looked down, I was greeted with a panoramic view bathed in moonlight. It was just as I remembered.
A beautiful backyard with summer roses in full bloom, a golden fountain, and a huge glass greenhouse that the first duke had built for his wife.
And above all, the bell tower of the chapel towering high toward the sky, visible in the distance on the right.
It was still there. The bell tower where we had been imprisoned still stood. I thought it might be gone when I came back, but it would have been even stranger if they had removed it.
Are there still traces of that time? Well, Benya told me that he had burned all of Estelle's belongings, except for Mr. Wendy.
Even if the items in the confinement room were still there, I didn't want to go up there again. The same would be the same for Benya and Lethias.
If I could, I'd just like to burn it all to the ground…
“We meet again.”
Huh?
I reflexively turned around. Then, I froze on the spot.
“… Your Highness?"
"Oh, my God, you recognize me right away."
How could I not recognize him?
It was Prince Assad. The person whom I eagerly peeked at (?) here eight years ago, our savior, and the male lead of the novel.
Rapunzel's prince... Even though that Rapunzel is already dead.
In any case, that flower-like boy who had captivated me at that time was now a fully mature young man.
He had grown taller, and his deep purple eyes were even more profound. His blonde hair, as if melted gold, was still the same. His graceful features had matured into a gorgeous yet noble beauty.
No, but...
When did you come? If the crown prince had arrived here, the banquet hall would have been in an uproar.
Perhaps he had read the question on my face, and the crown prince, who was an incomparable beauty, explained to me what I still hadn't even asked.
“I came here to watch quietly. I asked the Prince to let me sneak in secretly.”
"Ah… I'm sorry. How rude of me, Your Highness…"
“Didn’t I just tell you that I sneaked in? I wish you hadn't behaved like that."
I raised my head awkwardly, which I had lowered, and hurriedly adjusted my clothes. Meanwhile, Assad was watching me with a strange smile in his eyes.
“I almost didn’t recognize you.”
"Your Highness?"
“I'm glad you grew up safely, too.”
Really? Facing the unknown purple gaze looking down at my face, I felt the strangest sensation. It was awkward, uncomfortable, and welcoming all at once, a mix of emotions.
Assad was one of the few people who knew the whole truth about us, and he was the one who played a crucial role in our freedom from that tower and our return to our original place.
Perhaps that's why I felt so at a loss. It's like he knows everything I'm going to do in the future…
"From what I've heard, you've been a great help with the new hotel project."
“I’m just making use of my limited skills. It's impolite to compare me to real professionals.”
“Everyone has to start somewhere. It's great that Vibrato is teaching you. Have you learned anything like horseback riding?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Not only practical lessons but also all the ways to imitate the upper class."
When I answered in a humble tone, he let out a faint laugh. It was quite pleasant to see that smile, which seemed to light up the surroundings.
A smile that made those who see it feel equally cheerful and positive.
“Then it would be no problem for you to attend the hunting festival.”
“The hunting festival?”
“Ah, there will be a large-scale hunting competition hosted by the imperial family every early fall. It will be fun to attend along with those brothers. The hotel will be open by then, so it would be much more relaxing for you."
If it was that hunting festival, I had heard of it.
A large number of talented people in each field, including representatives of the Imperial family, would attend this fall game to promote familiarity and publicity.
Before the war, attending this event was restricted to the aristocracy or the imperial family, but now many others could participate.
Of course, even the greatest capitalist needed an aristocratic guarantor to attend such an event.
“Of course, I think they’ll bring you along even if I don't mention it."
It could have been seen as just a greeting, but there was really no reason for Assad to say something like that to me just to say hello.
Even though I held a somewhat unique position in Serpente, I was neither an aristocrat nor born of exceptional parents. It wasn't like he was trying to use me to get closer to the Serpentes.
The investment Assad made seven years ago was already paying off.
The reason why the royal family of Avalonia completely reduced its debt to the Python Bank and the fact that the imperial authority, which once fell to the ground, regained its status after the war, were all because Serpente was a reliable watchdog.
There was no way he was unaware of Serpente's relationship with the Dallas Myer Club.
Did he have some other purpose in mind? Well, it was hard to guess because he was a difficult person, and I had no clue. In the original novel, the Crown Prince treated Sasha as just a nobody.
Of course, Sasha's really nasty personality played a big part in that.
She was such a bitch that even the second prince trembled because of her. Damn, it gave me quite a bit of fun in every scene where the second prince and Juan combination confronted Sasha...
"I’ll take it as an honor."
When I answered politely and smiled slightly, a strange light appeared in his purple eyes. It was very brief.
“Then see you again soon.”
"Are… you already leaving?”
“I have to go because I made an appointment with the Imperial father. I was going to see the main character's face today, but I don't think I'm in that kind of situation."
“He got drunk a little early today…”
“The duke is always good at drawing attention. I, on the other hand, must go back now.”
Right. Had he met Princess Parke long ago?
Assad had not yet been betrothed, but no one disputed the rumor that he would soon marry Princess Parke.
There was no clear evidence that the two were dating, but everyone naturally believed it.
Their late mothers were friends with each other, and since they were young, marriage talks had come and gone. Since she was currently the only Princess in the empire, she deserved that position.
I wished they could get married sooner rather than later, to keep Lethias from taking a hard look at her.
So, our savior left the viper's lair. I remained alone again, stayed there, and then moved out to the balcony.
Looking down, the banquet was proceeding well even without the main character. Apparently, everyone was very used to this situation.
Instead of going back to the banquet hall, I headed to the third floor. After a brief stop at my room, I proceeded toward Lethias' room.
As soon as I appeared, Mr. Pavel, who was standing by the door of the study with a really sullen expression, as expected, immediately expressed his displeasure.
“Miss Sasha?”
“… are they inside?”
"Yes. Both of them... Haha, I don't know what the hell this is all about. In order to extend my mental health and life expectancy, I have to resign sooner or later. … .”
If he had tried to resign because of that, he would have done it sooner. Maybe it was at that event last year. I gave the faithful aide a hearty smile of consolation and entered the study.
“… Sasha?”
Oh my, the smell of alcohol hits me. How many bottles did you drink while hiding here without trying to appease your fiancée? You deserve to be scolded!
Lethias was sitting on the couch, with his tailcoat jacket off, and his face all disheveled. The way he hiccups and blinks with his wet eyes is both pitiful and funny at the same time.
“What the hell is this… No, I mean, Oppa, are you crying right now?”
“… I'm sorry, Sasha. I don't know why this is happening. Man, I screwed it up. It's all messed up!”
He was the main character of the day, yet he was wailing and clinging to me with his huge body.
Benya, who was smoking a cigarette in silence as if to let go of his anger while leaning against the window, became dumbfounded and claimed to be astonished.
“Look at what have you done today… You should have just put on a show, putting up an act.”
“Hey, I know, I'm trash. I’m an irredeemable trash!”
“Such self-deprecation doesn’t suit Oppa. Stop crying. Crying on your birthday makes you ugly. Rather, I brought Oppa a present."
At the sound of the gift, Lethias stopped wetting my expensive dress with tears and raised his head with a sob. He’s like a big baby bear.
Benya, who approached us after putting out the cigarette, clicked his tongue in disapproval.
“You’re giving him presents to make him pretty? Even if he has to take all that you have, it won’t be enough**.”
(**Benya is outright calling Lethias ugly, like, “no matter how many presents he’ll receive just to make himself pretty, it won’t work because he’s that ugly” kind of thing)
"Oh, here's yours, too."
“… You have one for me as well?”
"Yes. It's nothing special, but it's like a souvenir.”
I handed over the gifts I bought from Vibrato one by one.
The alpaca gloves were for Benya, and the water crystal ball containing Vibrato's tropical forest and coconut water bottles studded with nacre were for Lethias.
They weren't grand gifts, but I had put thought into choosing them.
“Hic. It's a bottle of alcohol, isn't it? If I drink it in here…”
" No. I brought it for you to put cold water in and drink from it.”
“… To drink cold water from it and sober up?”
"That's right."
Lethias pouted his mouth as if he was remorseful for some reason, but he only pouted a little, probably because he is conscious of his brother.
“Is this the famous Kazaf Forest? Have you ever been there yourself?”
“Only nearby. It also has an air freshener function. It's papaya flower-scented.”
“Hic…. Really?"
Even if he held it now and sniffed it, there was no way he could smell the scent because of the alcohol.
While Lethias was fiddling with the water crystal ball and rolling it around, Benya took off his silk glove and slipped my present into his hand. I'm glad I chose black.
"I'm glad it looks like a good match. I was wondering what would happen if the size was small…”
“… … How big did you imagine my hands got?”
“You always grew limbs first. Do you like it?"
When I asked with impatience, a mischievous smile flickered in the corners of his eyes.
"I'm sure I won't get my hands cold in the winter."
Yes, it will never happen again in the future.
As soon as I smiled, Lethias, who had just finished appreciating the gifts, clung to me again.
Then again, what was he so sad about, sobbing, choosing only sounds that I couldn't understand at all?
“You think of me like this, but I! I always ruin things, I'm a real trash, even the air I breathe is such a waste!”
At this point, I wondered what Benya would usually say to his Hyung. I had no choice but to pat Lethias on his shoulder and cast a questioning glance at Benya. Benya had a very notional expression.
“It's like I'm the only bad guy.”
“No, hic! I'm the bad guy, it's all my fault! I don't even deserve to see your faces!”
“I told you not to cry. Aren’t you embarrassed that Sasha sees you like this... Are you even aware of how many people got injured today because of you, Hyung?”
No answer. It seems that he is aware of it. I held Benya's wrist tightly with one hand and messed with Lethias's hair with the other. The same watery curly hair as Estelle.
“Stop crying, Oppa. No one thinks that you're trash. You're perfect as long as you don't drink this liquor. Right, Benya?
Benya still had a disapproving look in his eyes, but he responded in a more relaxed tone.
“Well, let’s say that for now.”
“… hehehe! You guys!”
“You have gone crazy!”
In the end, Lethias wailed loudly for a long time, and finally fell asleep from exhaustion all by himself by the time the midnight bell rang. Then I didn't open my eyes until noon the next day.
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