CH 257

Suppressing my anger, I spoke as calmly as possible. “It’s a small town, but it is still a place with locals who pay taxes to us. The lord or the lady of a territory is responsible for protecting the people—and such is why we have our rights.”

“Still, I would say it’s a waste of time to capture some criminals for the safety of—”

“I’ve heard that you—Lord Elios—are a scholarly nobleman who also possesses great skill in swordsmanship—such that you are already considered to become the next prime minister. It is quite surprising that you have yet to devise a plan to subdue 10 measly criminals and protect the mostly helpless civilians with a squad consisting of skilled soldiers and knights.”

Provoked, he glared at me for a moment in disgust, then he muttered under his breath, “Interesting.” Unlike his usual gentle tone, his voice was cold. Nonetheless, I was far from afraid—it was nothing compared to when my dad got angry. Suddenly smiling, he gave in. “Fine. I will accept your suggestion.”

With a nod, I ordered, “Derrick, we will need some paper, a pen, and a seal, as I will write the letter of cooperation in absence of my father.” Once the butler left the room, Lord Elios suddenly covered his mouth and snickered. “What’s so funny?” I demanded.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he stopped laughing. “It’s just… that I’m more intrigued than I thought I would be.”

“Intrigued?”

Meeting my eyes, he asked a strange question instead of answering mine. “What will I be rewarded with if I follow your orders and manage to take care of the criminals without harming any civilians?”

‘A reward… huh. As expected from the calculative prime minister’s son, he seems to want to profit from anything.’ I frowned, thinking of an answer.

That was when he added, “Well, I don’t seek anything big.”

“What is it, then?”

He gazed at me in silence for a moment before opening his mouth. “A handkerchief.”

Dumbstruck, I asked back, “I’m sorry?”

Grinning, he clarified, “The hunting competition—it is just around the corner. I want you to cheer me on.”

Only then did I understand what he was rambling about. Was he asking me for an embroidered handkerchief? Giving one was similar to giving a good luck charm to a man going to war—it meant I wished Lord Elios a safe return. Usually, such a request was made to a family member, acquaintance, or someone you wished to get close to. It was like a confession in a way. In any case, his intention behind this request didn’t sound pure. Moreover, it didn’t make any sense to say that someone who was just arguing with me had suddenly developed favorable feelings toward me. I tried to guess what he was thinking, then I smiled. “It’s an absurd request.”

“What makes you say so?” he asked back, unstirred. I decided to attack back with an answer he couldn’t deny instead of an abstract one like saying there was no way he could like me.

“The fact that the criminals are on our land is clearly your family’s fault. You cannot ask for a reward for the work you are responsible for.”

His eyes widened, then he began to laugh again, covering his mouth. Unable to understand why he was giggling again, I felt insulted. In any case, I remained silent as it was likely he couldn’t hear me anyway—he was almost dying from his own laughter, snorting and unable to keep himself still. Displeased, I frowned. When he finally managed to calm down, he gave a weak apology once again.

“I’m deeply sorry if I’ve offended you. I didn’t think the negotiation would be easy, but to be cornered like this… I am thoroughly entertained.”