CH 67

When she recalled the incident that happened when she used her ability, she felt sorry for herself.

She also recalled the words that he said.

“What are you thinking about?”

Verndia asked curiously at her suddenly worried face.

Psychke replied frankly.

“I was thinking about Duke Evergreen’s words.”

I thought it was over, but again, his useless worries. Berndia raised her eyebrows.

“The 80% words that he says is nonsense. I wonder if you understand me now that you’ve seen his appearance.”

“But I think it’s necessary to pay attention to the Duke’s life. So, the Duke…….”

She was speechless.

What should she do?

Keep her distance? Or kill herself before causing any harm?

Verndia let out a long sigh at the sight of her expression, which was hardly straightening.

“I didn’t want to say this, but there is something the Princess should know.”

He told a big story in a non-trivial tone.

“Even if with the Princess’s help, my flame will extinguish me someday.”

“Are you saying that everyone dies someday?”

“Not that. Controlling the flame with medicine means there are limits.”

“That is not what I mean. But even with the control of medicine, there’s limitations.”

It was because he has some resistance over his flame. It was a thought of matter of fact.

In an instant, a passage from Lestir’s literature that he had told her before appeared in Psychke’s mind.

‘Lestir, who failed to handle his power, was gradually consumed by the flames.’

‘If it wasn’t for his partner, Silkisia, he would have become one spark.’

… Currently, the position of the heir person in Silkisia is vacant.

Even thinking about it, Psychke’s complexion became pale.

Verndia nodded his head in agreement.

“I have to see the heir before I die.”

“Is that the time for you to say that?”

“Then? Should I keep you, the Princess, by my side?”

“….”

“You told me to keep my distance from you.”

“…”

Verndia said jokingly.

“It’s better to be extinguished than to die in a fire, so I’d like you to stay by my side.”

“I…”

“You do whatever you want. I won’t stop you from doing anything. Unless you’re dating another guy.”

Verndia handed over his decision.

She knew it. The reason he mentioned medicine resistance was to comfort Widnix’s heavy heart.

So it was sadder.

If I told you to stay for me, if you tried to tie me up by forcefully.

Then I would have felt at least comfortable saying that it was inevitable.

***

The date, which was short but left a lot of emotion, was over.

Psychke fell asleep on carriage as they were returning, as the brooch’s validity period of 12 hours was slightly exceeded. The brooch had been removed and she was back to becoming small.

And when she opened her eyes on Verndia’s lap near his house, she touched her strangely tingling cheek.

“What did you do while I was sleeping?”

“What’s wrong?”

He pretended to be innocent. He only wanted to touch her briefly but she was too soft…

No matter how many times he touched her, he could still feel it on her fingertips. It was her fault for being so soft. It was his own decision to think so.

From the next day, the two started working on their backlog.

He summoned Lia, who was busy without even opening her eyes due to the Doll Kingdom incident.

“Hey, how can I do this…”

Lia appeared before them.

Psychke could easily guess the reason.

‘It seems that the case in the Doll Kingdom is not over yet.’

The investigation of the case, which was expected to end soon, was sluggish.

This is because he denied that she was the one caught.

“There was an imperial servant who supposedly had contact with the cult, but he’s dead. Apparently a stabbing was disguised as a suicide. I don’t think there’s anything more to this case.”

Lia was begging him to remove her from the investigation using his authority.

She was a rare, high-ranking mage, and she was being singled out.

“Great. But I want you to investigate the people around Yzhar Silkisia.”

“What else is for that?”

She thought she would get some rest but then he was going to make her work. She waved her hand to him.

“You have crows.”

“It is difficult to enter a place protected by magic. The princess told me and it seemed that Yzhar Silkisia seemed to be in that cult.”

“What?”

Verndia told Lia what happened to Psychke during the incident.

“You’re saying Princess Psychke saw Yzhar with Shiona?”

“Yes. I saw them in the doll kingdom. At the swordsmanship competition, I tried to organize what I witnessed but I couldn’t.”

“The way I see it, that woman seemed to be in that cult, too.”

Psychke’s eyes became wide.

Lia grunted as she kicked the floor.

“As expected. Every time I see her, I sensed a bad feeling.”

“Anyway, Lia, let’s find out more. I wish we could more what we had and…”

He took out the emerald with a hollow in the middle, which Psychke had received as a deposit from the jeweler.

With one glance, she realized what it was, and Lia let out a gasp in her breath.

“This is crazy.”

“Please cast some magic.”

“What casting of magic are you talking about? Just smash it.”

Lia pulled up the bottom of her trousers as if to stomp on it.

Psychke quickly grabbed the emerald, and erndia stopped her with her words.

“The princess borrowed it.”

“Don’t borrow anything. Where is that? I’ll smash it.”

“Why don’t you stop trying to do something you can’t do and just cast some magic.”

“Seriously……. What magic.”

“You just have to let it break down on its own after a certain amount of time.”

“Uh, what is even that.”

Unable to remember, Lia walked around her parlor with a furrowed brow.

Then she stopped abruptly and snapped her fingers.

“Oh, I can use that. Give it to me, I’ll hang it up.”

“Great. And one more thing.”

“Stop pampering yourself.”

Verndia totally ignored Lia who was glaring at me.

“I need a lie detection artifact.”

“No. I’m busy.”

“Please, Miss Lia.”

Psychke opened her mouth, handing her the emerald.

“It’s related to Keitan’s necklace. I hope you’ll do it.”

“I was going to make it anyway.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Noisy.”

She fiercely glared at Verndia and left her seat. She will be ready soon, so she asked me to wait a few days.

While waiting for Lia, Psychke prepared her perfume.

It was because of the information Stella gave me last time.

‘Duke Evergreen said he liked perfume.’

Now that he knows Widnix’s secret, she realized that the information does not simply mean paying a bribe.

She haven’t figured the meaning behind yet but she thought there must be something under the surface.

‘It’s a problem that they’re hostile to me, but I need Duke Evergreen’s help to get my body back to normal.’

Verndia, who had been watching her quietly, said,

“I like perfume too.”

“Yes.”

“I am saying the truth.”

“Yes…”

“Give me too.”

“… Later.”

After so many days.

“Hey, it’s done.”

A pitifully stunned Lia brought an enchanted emerald and a lie detection artifact.

Psychke returned the emerald she received to the lathe.

Meanwhile, Verndia made an appointment with the man of the black moon.

* * *

Verndia decided to meet the man in the cafe.

It was a place that Isolet and Psychke had visited before, where Eavesdropping Magic Crystals were provided at each table.

The original man Verndia hoped to see.

It was because Verndia was afraid someone will eavesdrop if they met somewhere else.

But Verndia refused the offer of going to the enemy’s territory where there may be traps, so he suggested going to the café.

In fact, the café belonged to Lestir.

「 “Great. See you there.” 」

He thought the man would argue a few more times, but surprisingly, the man followed meekly.

Does that mean it’s urgent, or is there some other ulterior motive?

He would soon find out his true intentions.

* * *

“I guess you didn’t come with him.”

The knife-scarred man appeared just in time, smelling like cigarettes.

As soon as he arrived, he found Psychke with her appearance altered with her bracelet.

“I thought he would come out.”

“I heard you found me.”

Psychke was expressionless like the incompetent princess in the rumors, but she had a face that said she knew nothing.

“I heard what you said, but I would appreciate it if you could introduce yourself again.”

He had spoken to Verndia before coming out here.

First. When her appearance is altered by the bracelet, she is treated as a fictional character named “K”, a servant of Verndia.

Second. Only Verndia knows about K and the man’s negotiations.

With these two things in mind, today’s girl was a princess who came out at the request of her fiancé.

‘Just by looking at his clothes, he came out as a merchant. What is his intention?’

Psychke glanced at the man.

If she wanted to meet Verndia instead of her, he would have understood.

With this appearance, there is no contact with him at all, so what is it for?

Instead of opening his mouth, the man glanced up and down at Psychke. It was the appearance of a hawk just before hunting.

“Look away, will you?”

When Verndia arrived, he told his unpleasant feelings towards the man.