Chapter 31

‘What kind of situation is this?!’

Lillia grabbed Rubette’s hand and stood up, her body trembling.

Rubette, who soon released Lillia’s hand, passed by her and greeted everyone with a hand in Lark’s hand.

“I have an appointment with the crown prince. I’ll be back soon, Brother and Grandmother.”

Rubette, who smiled broadly, left the duke’s residence with Lark.

And, the residents of the duke’s house who were left behind… were still in shock for a very long time.

Occasionally, there was only the sound of Lillia’s shrill breath, filled with anger.

***

The heart of the city, Deccan Street.

Even in the early hours, the bustling city was visible from the transparent window.

This was a table by the window on the 3rd floor of the restaurant with a great view.

‘Yes, as planned so far.’

Thanks to Lark, who had rented the whole fine dining restaurant early in the morning, we could have a conversation without being disturbed by anyone.

Lark’s expression as we sat facing each other was relaxed. He put a couple of sugar cubes in his teacup and stirred.

“I didn’t even know that the princess was getting ready. I didn’t mind waiting a long time. Oh, how many would you like, Princess?”

“Don’t add sugar to mine.”

After speaking with a smile, I rested my chin and looked at Lark with a relaxed expression.

“I’ve only met Your Highness twice today, but I feel like we are quite similar. I mean the type of person who doesn’t like to waste time.”

In fact, I was extremely nervous right now, but I had to be more relaxed than anyone else.

Because the worst thing at the negotiating table is to show you were scared.

“So it was easy to predict that Your Highness would come running to our house in a hurry in the early morning.”

“Haha…”

Lark smiled and raised his eyes. Contrary to the smiling expression, the eyes cast over the tilted teacup were as sharp as a wild beast’s.

“That’s right. I was in a hurry. I was quite surprised to receive a note full of love from you yesterday. A mysterious lady who peeks through a man’s secrets…”

“Other than that, I know quite a few secrets.”

The expression disappeared from Lark’s face as he put down the teacup at my words.

“Princess.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“From now on, you’ll have to be careful about every word you say. I find you suspicious right now.”

“…”

“I have political enemies. And I must be suspicious of how are you, in some way, related to my political enemies.”

Lark, who had quickly released his fierce expression, added with a smile.

“Nevertheless, I want to talk to you like this because, no matter how much I think about it, my doubts feel like a leap.”

“That’s right. If you do your research, you’ll find out. As a young lady of the Diollus, who rarely sees people, rarely leaves the house, and is sympathetic to the imperial family, for what reason would I pursue your political enemies and suspicious affairs?”

I took a sip of the tea and added.

“And if you were such a fool who couldn’t even think of that, I wouldn’t have given you that note only to be suspected. Well, I’m sure you’ve thought of all this, too, haven’t you?”

“That’s true. And I’m not the type to judge people easily after seeing them only once or twice, but for some reason, I hope that the feeling I got from the first time I saw the princess is right… I’m looking forward to it.”

“Mm? What kind of feeling did you get?”

“To put it bluntly.”

Lark put his hands on his chin and drew his face closer.

“I liked your first impression. I agree you are quite like me. So I hope you’re not my enemy.”

“Me, too.”

Putting my face in the same pose as Lark, I smiled. Lark, who paused a little in the distance, soon followed me with a smile.

“I judged you to be a good person, Your Highness. I’m not saying you’re a good guy for me, but you’re a good guy for this empire. I hope you, not your political enemies, will rise to the one and only throne without noise.”

“Well, that sounds pretty good to hear.”

“So I decided to help you at the expense of the great loss. It’s kind of an investment.”

“Oho.”

“The secrets I know will certainly help you. I bet on it.”

“Well, we’ll have to hear about it first, right? How did you know the secrets you had, how did you know about my aide—”

“Before that, I want you to give me some confidence as an investor. When I tell you the secrets, promise me you won’t drag me out and kill me.”

Lark’s eyes sharpened.

“I guess it’s some dangerous secrets.”

“Not really. However, I am a helpful person from your point of view as an individual, but from the point of view of the crown prince, the empire’s successor, I am a little problematic.”

I intended to inform Lark that I had succeeded in signing a ‘risk group’ spirit.

The empire was sealing the summoners that had been contracted with the spirits classified as dangerous. The duration was a lifetime. It was no different than a death sentence.

“I don’t quite understand what you mean. So you want me to decide whether to act for my personal gain or for a cause as a crown prince?”

“That’s right.”

“For now, I must choose the former so that I can hear the princess’ secrets. But even if I change my words after hearing your secrets, there’s nothing you can do anything about it, but I will promise you one thing.”

Lark added with a smile.

“Whatever your secrets may be, I will guarantee your life as long as you do not conspire against me with my political enemies and plan treason.”

“Haha, I was going to say it even if you don’t make such a promise. I have already agreed to take the loss.”

After I said it, I added right away.

“First of all, the first secret I know. I know that the spirits classified as dangerous by the imperial family and the summoner that have contracted them are secretly sealed.”

Lark hardened as it was.

What do you think? The first secret is already shocking, right?

The existence of the ‘sealing stone’ would not be known unless it was a member of the Altar of Spirits or a high-ranking member of the imperial family. It was because it concerned the unethical side of the imperial family.

Lark raised his trembling eyes and looked directly at me.

“… How did you know that?”

Next, I showed the back of my right hand to Lark.

“As you may have already known, I am an unprecedented non-summoner in the Diollus family.”

Summoners had a mark symbolized by each spirit on the back of their hand.

Naturally, I was known for not having signed a contract with a spirit.

“My second secret. I successfully signed a contract with a spirit half a year ago.”

“What?”

“You can’t believe it, can you? There’s no mark on the back of my hand. Then, let me tell you something you can believe.”

“…”

“Right now, you’re troubled by the Robben Kingdom, aren’t you? You’re about to double the toll on the channel, right?”

“… That’s right.”

So far, anyone interested in the diplomatic situation could tell this by hearsay.

However.

“You are trying to stop the increase in tolls for the sake of traders somehow. So you’re going to take the Pharma Crystal, the national treasure, to the negotiating table with the Robben Kingdom next month.”

Lark’s, who had been trying to keep his composure, expression finally collapsed.

This was a fact that no one would know until next month’s negotiation with Robben Kingdom.

Even Lark hadn’t finished thinking about whether to negotiate with Pharma, the national treasure.

“Pharma Crystal. The country that owns the treasure rules the sea. Well, there’s that superstition, right? That’s why everyone’s staring at it, and Robben Kingdom wants them too.”

“…”

Lark had eventually given away this Pharma Crystal and stabilized the toll, later praised by the imperial people as a great deal.

Around that time, there had been articles praising the crown prince every day in the newspaper, so Rubette couldn’t help but notice.

“Don’t worry about it anymore. Bring it and pay it off and negotiate the toll. Your negotiation will be successful, and your approval rating will rise. What is sea control compared to that…”

I shook my head and added.

“Pharma Crystal is just a pretty stone. If that superstition is true, Robben Kingdom will not be defeated by Carta Kingdom in a naval battle that will take place 12 years from now.”

“…”

I smiled broadly as I looked at Lark, who had stiffened.

At this point, unless he were an idiot, Lark would have understood what secrets I had. What else needed to be said?

Lark, who had been staring at me for a long time, said.

“… Surely, you’re a summoner.”

“Yes.”

“A summoner who has contracted a dangerous spirit.”

“Yes.”

“… Vista.”

From Lark’s mouth came the name of the expected spirit.

‘It’s done.’

I answered in relief.

“That’s right.”

Vista.

Vista was classified as dangerous among the types of spirits that governed time.

This spirit, capable of showing the “future” to its contractors, had appeared four times so far, and each time, in some way, had brought chaos to the empire.

The contractors had sold information with a bad mind, and there had been bloody fights to take over the spirit.

So the empire decided to classify it as a risk group from the next Vista.

“I signed a contract with Vista.”

Everything went according to my plan.

“I’m going to lie a little bit. I must never say that what I have is the spirit of wishes.”

I must unconditionally hide the fact that what I had was the spirit of wishes because that would only be a threat to Lark.

However.

If I were a contractor for Vista, which is also called the ‘spirit of prophecy’…

“Princess.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

… it is a different story.

Lark would have no choice but to covet me.

“I promise to never let your secret leak anywhere. Also, even if the day comes when this secret is revealed unexpectedly…”

“…”

“Lark van Rashmagh Descarde. I will somehow protect your life in the name of this imperial heir, even if it’s against the empire. Therefore.”

Lark, who had a rather excited smile, suddenly put his face close to me and said.

“Help me.”

I looked at him and replied with a smile.

“But of course.”