ETHTKE chapter 56

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“…What do you mean by that?”

A voice much calmer than expected softly returned.

His face was plain, showing neither surprise nor confusion.

Maybe that’s why it was even scarier.

If he had reacted in any noticeable way, I could have prepared for it, but there wasn’t even a flicker of emotion.

The emptiness made me feel more tense and unsettled.

“I mean exactly what I said. I need the Third Prince’s power to cure your illness. And for that, I’ll need to meet him several times.”

“Go ahead.”

…Huh?

I thought he’d reject the idea outright or at least show some reluctance, but Baek Yigang nodded far too easily.

And not only that…

“Philip.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Contact Ian and arrange a meeting with him. Cheong Dowoon will coordinate the details. Once I’ve placed my seal, they won’t be able to refuse.”

“Understood. Lord Cheong Dowoon, if you’ll follow me for a moment.”

“…Ah, yes!”

The phrase “everything going smoothly” seemed made for this moment.

Who would have thought Baek Yigang himself would go out of his way to arrange a meeting with Ian?

“If you can write down your desired dates here, we’ll try to accommodate them. As long as it’s not too early or late at night, it should be fine.”

“Hm.”

I scribbled down a few dates on the paper Philip handed me.

After a quick glance, he deemed the times acceptable and stamped the paper with the red seal, representing the Crown Prince.

He then promptly left, saying he would inform the Third Prince of the meeting.

It was lightning-fast.

Even though I was the one who requested the meeting, they were going to “inform” him about it.

Logically, it was quite rude.

But there’s no way Baek Yigang would care about that.

And Philip, carrying it out as if it were perfectly normal…

I, too, for accepting the arrangement without much protest, wasn’t exactly in my right mind either.

In the end, I benefited from the situation, but there was still a sense of discomfort lingering. Ian would probably be fine with it, but…

It’s likely Ian’s subordinates would be the ones to get angry.

They’ll probably get worked up, saying that even a royal wizard can’t act this way toward a prince.

Even if Ian welcomes me, it’s easy to predict that his followers will be glaring at me.

My meeting with him would be like walking on thin ice.

But it’s not something I can avoid, so I just have to get through it.

Philip returned quickly.

He not only confirmed everything had been arranged but also added that I could meet Ian at the designated time.

“Your first meeting is in two hours. I’ll inform Anna, so it might be best if you change clothes. Some decorum is required when meeting royalty.”

Philip looked me up and down with a cold gaze, eyeing my loose, comfortable clothes as though I was in pajamas.

He then shook his head with a slight frown.

Although I preferred being dressed like this, today was a formal meeting, and going in dressed casually wouldn’t be appropriate.

Moreover, since Baek Yigang had officially set this up using his Crown Prince status, I couldn’t just show up sloppily dressed.

I still didn’t know why Baek Yigang had helped me, but I wasn’t going to complain.

How convenient!

I didn’t even need to reach out to Ian myself, and the schedule was all set so quickly.

“Thanks, but… what’s your angle?”

When I softly asked, Baek Yigang’s previously calm eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“You’re questioning my motives after I’ve gone out of my way to help?”

“No, it’s not that… It’s just weird that you’re helping me so willingly. You didn’t even ask what I plan to do there.”

I awkwardly smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

Was I suspicious of him for no reason?

Well, given his past behavior, I think it’s reasonable to be wary.

It’s a rational suspicion based on past actions.

“I didn’t think our relationship lacked this much trust. Should I call it off, then?”

“Waaah! No way! The only trust I have left in this harsh world is what we’ve built together! I’m heading to my meeting now!”

Fearing that Baek Yigang might change his mind, I quickly cut the conversation short, flashed a bright smile, and rushed out of his office.

Phew, I almost ruined the opportunity I barely got by upsetting him…!

When I arrived at my room, following Philip’s suggestion, Anna was waiting for me.

“You’re back? First, wear this and that… Oh, and this too.”

Without a moment’s rest, Anna started pulling out various items.

Judging from the luxurious fabric and the subtle jewels embedded in the garments, it was clear they were from Lata’s hand.

They were all ridiculously extravagant, but I didn’t need to double-check to know.

Still, not wanting to say her name out loud, I silently accepted the clothes she handed me.

Although the outfit wasn’t as over-the-top as before, it was still undeniably high-class.

Thankfully, there were no terrifying floral decorations.

If there had been, I would have probably been overwhelmed by my trauma and started dry heaving.

“Anna, how much do you know about Ian?”

“The Third Prince? Hmm, well… I don’t know much since I used to be a shadow and only observed him from afar.”

That made sense.

As a shadow rather than a personal maid, Anna wouldn’t know much about Ian.

“But I do remember one thing. I don’t know if it’ll help, but he seems to really enjoy fruit wine. He’s probably been drinking it since childhood.”

“Oh, really?”

After hearing Anna’s words, I recalled scenes in the original story where Ian often drank fruit wine.

That’s right, I’d forgotten about that for a moment.

I should probably bring some along.

“Is there a place where I can get some fruit wine in the palace?”

“Hm, I wouldn’t recommend getting it here. The royal palace doesn’t keep stock for sale. But… I do know the palace’s top wine lover who might have some.”

“The top wine lover?”

Not just a wine lover, but the top one?

What kind of person are they?

As I looked at Anna curiously, she hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to say more, then fastened the last button on my jacket before continuing slowly.

“As you might know, there are many people in the palace who love alcohol. Among them, Lady Regi is one of the most notable wine enthusiasts. There was even a rumor that just being near her would make you feel drunk because of how often she lived in a state of intoxication.”

Huh? Isn’t that… just alcoholism? Is it really okay to call someone like that a wine lover?

“I see. So I should go find Lady Regi, then?”

“Actually, today happens to be a day off for the Magic Department. It’s perfect timing. Lady Regi tends to stay at her place on her days off, so you should visit her.”

With that, Anna flashed a gentle smile, signaling that I was all set.

“But isn’t it normal for you to be there when it’s not a holiday? It feels oddly reversed…”

I brushed off my curiosity, deciding to just go along with it.

I had already learned from our few encounters that giving up on understanding Reggie was faster.

Looking in the mirror, I saw a stark contrast from earlier.

My uniformed appearance now looked quite sharp.

A moment ago, it seemed like there was a wild man in the mirror, but suddenly, I had turned into a model student.

Ah, so this is why they say people need to dress up…!

“There’s still some time before the appointment, so a short break should be okay, right?”

“Dowoon, just a moment. Before you go, please remember this one thing.”

Just as I was about to head to the Imperial Magic Department, Anna grabbed my arm with a rather serious expression.

“Huh? What is it?”

What could she be so serious about?

“Never drink the alcohol Reggie offers. ‘A confined space,’ ‘Reggie,’ and ‘the alcohol he gives you’ — when these three things align, something bad always happens.”

I was about to laugh it off as a joke, but Anna’s solemn face kept me from doing so.

“Uh, right. I’ll be careful.”

“Take care and come back safely!”

With Anna’s farewell, I left the room, my face still slightly awkward.

Outside, Asel quietly followed behind me.

I thought he’d be in the office, but it seems he hadn’t forgotten to keep an eye on me.

Well, with all the places I had to go today, Baek Yigang wouldn’t let me wander alone.

“Asel, I’m genuinely curious. Do you report even the smallest details to Baek Yigang?”

“Yes.”

“…Including this conversation?”

“Yes.”

The way he answered without hesitation twisted something inside me.

Damn Baek Yigang.

He’s keeping me under constant surveillance!

Even if I shook Asel off, there’d still be shadows watching me everywhere.

Still, wouldn’t it be less intense with Reggie around? …Or maybe worse?

“Asel, don’t you think Baek Yigang is a bit obsessive with me?”

It was just an idle question, but Asel’s blue eyes shook noticeably.

‘Does he really not know?’

…Somehow, it felt like I could hear his answer through those firm eyes.

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