* * *
“J-just a moment!”
I quickly shook off the hands holding my wrists and slipped between the two men with my hands up in a surrendering gesture.
“Let’s do this. I’ll finish my walk with the third prince, then join the second prince for dinner.”
“Are you… really okay with that?”
Ian asked quietly, his eyes searching mine to confirm my sincerity.
But whether or not I was okay with it wouldn’t change anything.
I might get through it this time, but if Piel was determined to push like this, Ian couldn’t keep stepping in to help me forever.
“I’m fine.”
Actually, I’m not fine. Not fine at all!
But Baek Yigang told me not to go to Piel; he never said I had to turn away someone who came to me, right?
So, it’s not my fault.
This time, Piel came to me first, so I’m perfectly justified.
That’s what I’m saying.
“Very well. I’ll send someone to fetch you later.”
Piel, who seemed intent on dragging me off, surprisingly backed down with a casual “see you later.”
It was as if he was satisfied with simply having established time with me, even if it wasn’t right now.
Similarly, Ian, who had boldly stepped in a moment ago, was now looking rather calm.
“Hmm…”
But Ian continued to watch Piel as he walked away, his gaze lingering in an oddly fixed way.
“Your Highness, is something wrong?”
“Wizard, did you feel anything unusual from the second prince?”
I was about to ask him why he was asking that, but then slowly shut my mouth.
It felt like Ian was deliberately choosing his words, hiding the main issue.
“Um, not really?”
“Then is there any hobby the second prince has taken an interest in lately?”
The only hobby of Piel’s that I knew was his affinity for dark creatures.
But I couldn’t mention that, so I decided to feign ignorance.
“I’m not sure. I don’t really know.”
“I just felt something oddly out of place. But if you didn’t sense it, it must not be anything. Let’s continue our walk.”
Ugh, telling me not to worry only makes me more curious!
But the way he said it—could it be that he sensed dark magic from Piel?
It’s possible with Ian.
His holy powers are so pure that he’s sensitive to opposing forces.
In the original story, Ian could detect traces of dark magic or the aura of dark creatures much more sensitively than a typical Wizard.
It wasn’t always reliable, but it did prove useful at times.
Since I already knew about Piel’s dark magic dealings, I didn’t sense anything myself.
It seems like Piel is still dabbling with dark creatures.
The fact that Ian could faintly pick up on it means it must be true.
The silver lining here is that Baek Yigang hasn’t used dark magic recently.
Even Ian wouldn’t be able to detect a power that hasn’t been used, so it’s a relief.
I’ll have to remind him to keep being careful.
“The second prince seems quite interested in you, Wizard.”
“Well, yes. But I’m just an ordinary Wizard, so it’s a bit burdensome.”
I answered with an awkward laugh, and a small smile tugged at Ian’s lips.
“Wizard, you are anything but ordinary. Just being by the crown prince’s side makes you quite exceptional.”
“Hmm… does it, though?”
“It does.”
His steady tone had a reassuring warmth, making his words sound convincing.
Yes, if I think about it, that’s really the reason.
Piel’s obsession with me, Ian and me meeting—all of it stems from Baek Yigang.
“By the way, does Your Highness also have a childhood name?”
It felt like the right time to ask something I’d been curious about.
Not wanting to miss the chance, I asked quickly.
After all, it seemed odd that only Baek Yigang had a childhood name.
With the same parents, surely Piel and Ian would also have one.
“Neither my brother nor I have a childhood name. Only His Highness does.”
His answer surprised me.
In the original, there was no mention of other characters besides Baek Yigang having childhood names.
I had thought perhaps they might, but… does that mean only Baek Yigang’s name holds any special meaning?
The original story hinted that the childhood name “Baek Yigang” for “Hail Derzio” had special power.
But if Ian doesn’t have a childhood name, he wouldn’t have an answer… I might have to ask Baek Yigang directly.
In the past, I felt uncomfortable asking Baek Yigang about his mother, but I think it’s okay now.
“Wizard, we’ve been sent by the second prince to escort you.”
While we were talking and walking through the garden, I saw a few attendants bowing in greeting nearby.
It seems the time I agreed to meet with the second prince has come.
“I’ll see you again, Dowoon.”
Ian softly called my name as he bid me farewell, smiling gently as he always did.
Ah, should I have just stayed quiet?
I should’ve let Ian protect me…!
Not that staying quiet would have saved me anyway…
“Stand back.”
Just as I was regretting my choices, I heard a familiar voice.
Anna was blocking Piel’s attendants from approaching me.
Oh, right, I hadn’t mentioned to Anna that I was having dinner with Piel, had I?
“Anna, it’s fine. These are the second prince’s attendants. We’re having dinner together.”
“…That wasn’t on the schedule.”
Anna’s eyes widened, looking momentarily shocked, then she quickly masked her expression and spoke in a firm tone.
“Well, it wasn’t planned.”
I replied with an awkward smile, and she gave a troubled sigh.
Anna soon summoned shadows to guard me briefly, then quickly disappeared, probably going to report to Baek Yigang.
Ah… I feel sweat pricking at my eyes…
“We’ll escort you to the reception room.”
With attendants on either side, running away wasn’t an option.
Resigned, I followed them into the main building until we arrived at Piel’s room.
This was my first time in Piel’s chambers.
I never thought I’d have a reason to enter here, and yet, here I was…
The attendants simply opened the door and didn’t follow me inside, leaving me to enter alone.
The room, decorated in gloomy shades of purple and black, was striking.
Though it was evening, it felt more like the dead of night.
With dim red lights casting an eerie glow, the room had an oddly familiar atmosphere. It was almost like…
“It feels like Halloween.”
After seeing only bright rooms since coming to this world, this dimly lit room felt unsettling.
Halloween was familiar in a way, but it also seemed strangely foreign.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
I was curiously looking around when a voice came from behind.
Turning my stiff neck, I saw Piel smiling warmly at me.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you.”
At his welcoming expression, I involuntarily swallowed.
Thud! The door burst open abruptly, and Anna rushed in, without so much as a knock.
Philip tried to stop her, offended by her blatant lack of manners, but Yigang continued reviewing the documents, unfazed.
“Your Highness, I report that the Second Prince has taken Lord Dowoon.”
Anna’s usually immaculate glasses were askew—a rare sight, as she was known for maintaining her composure even in battle.
Seeing this, Philip instantly realized now wasn’t the time for formalities and closed his mouth.
“This wasn’t on the schedule, was it?”
“The Second Prince appeared while the Third Prince and Lord Dowoon were taking a walk. After exchanging a few words, it seems they arranged to meet.”
Only after Anna’s detailed explanation did Yigang finally lift his gaze from the documents.
Meeting her jet-black eyes, he narrowed his gaze ever so slightly.
“You’re telling me rather late.”
“…My apologies. I failed to notice they’d arranged a meeting.”
She’d held back, keeping her distance, hoping not to interfere, assuming the Second Prince would leave shortly after a brief exchange with Dowoon.
She had no idea they’d scheduled an evening meeting.
Anna bit her lower lip, acutely aware of her mistake.
She, as one of Yigang’s closest aides, knew better than anyone how much her liege disapproved of Piel.
In fact, Yigang had openly guarded against Piel’s advances toward Dowoon.
To think she’d stood by, watching them arrange a meeting right in front of her—she could only feel faintly nauseous.
“Where are they now?”
Though Yigang’s face remained calm, his tone clearly revealed his displeasure.
The clipped, abrupt way he was speaking without subject had become telling.
“They are in the Second Prince’s reception room.”
“I see. Stand by nearby.”
At his unexpectedly mild response, both Philip and Anna glanced at him in surprise.
Of course, Yigang wasn’t the type to rush off and make a scene by demanding Dowoon’s return, but still—how could he stay so composed?
Just this morning, he’d been visibly irritated at the mention of Dowoon’s prior engagement with Ian. So seeing him this calm was puzzling.
“Your Highness, are you not going to check on him?”
Perhaps sensing Anna’s hesitation to speak due to feeling responsible, Philip quietly voiced the question instead.
Yigang answered bluntly, as if the question was trivial.
“If I go to pull Dowoon away, Piel will become more obsessed. He’s always coveted what’s mine.”
It was a fittingly rational response, perfectly in line with Yigang’s usual temperament.
Recognizing that his liege was, in fact, in his usual state of mind, Philip nodded.
Watching this, Anna quickly spoke up to carry out Yigang’s orders.
“I will remain nearby Lord Dowoon. If anything unusual occurs—”
“Report through Nefron.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The instruction to use Nefron instead of a shadow conveyed just how closely Yigang was monitoring this matter.
Realizing this, Anna left the office with a resolute expression.
* * *
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