Chapter 26

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“Was it very strange?”

“Yes. Giving gifts to Thane and me, he said he would get well soon, and it’s not a big deal, so he told me not to tell you… .”

My brows frowned. I can’t be angry at all of this. I am the person above, and the people below me plan and execute many things without my knowledge. If I want them always to be honest with me, that’s an unreasonable request. My father taught me that way, so I tend to put my expectations aside from them.

But it smells a bit malicious. Giving gifts to appease them is a bit of a childish thing, so it’s funny to see it, and above all, there’s no way he can do this unless I’m aware that he’s doing something he’s reluctant to do. Orssen would go bankrupt if he gave gifts to every mansion he attended.

Thane’s expression of being strange was just right. Weird, but not expected.

How were things going while I was away for two years? As I rubbed my finger across the side of the teacup while my forehead narrowed, Sophie appeared in the study. She frowned as soon as she appeared.

“My lord, did you know that Orssen was gambling?”

“What?”

“Chris says he is a gambling addict. Have you known of it, my lord? Gambling addict… .” Sophie stopped and looked at me. I shrugged at her words instead.

“There is nothing to hide when it comes to gambling. Find out, right this instant.” Sophie bit her lip. She was always worried about Eden. He was a disciple who had not taught much, but he seemed very valuable. Perhaps it is because of Paul’s severe hardship that she may be gravitating to Eden at a young age.

Whatever Orssen did, I’ll have to think about Paul’s future.

Fifth page. Request

When I opened my eyes, I saw the moonlight.

Then I saw Cili sitting on a chair with her eyes closed in the pale moonlight. Seeing her after two years was unrealistic, like a fairy and a demon. I didn’t call her because she didn’t look like a living person. When I called, she seemed to disappear, leaving only her trailing light. Or it felt like waking up because this was my dream. I hated both. I wanted to see her a little more.

I’ve written a letter that I missed her. But I’ve never really said I missed her. I didn’t want to write off my yearning so that she won’t feel burdened. She can’t come back until Lachtatline, the king of northern monsters, won’t be killed. Her subjugating the demons was a big goal, and in this case, it was to eliminate Lichtatline.

People said that Lichtatline was a dragon. Some said it was a griffin that looked like a dragon. Everyone was talking about the Lichtatline being a giant monster and possessing unstoppable power. They also whispered that he had the size of a citadel that could blow up a house with a flap of his wings. While saying that a holy knight wasn’t the problem if Cili couldn’t win as long as she was a human: Yenson’s gamblers were betting on her defeat or death.

“You’re betting a lot with such a big deal?”

I didn’t say anything to Cili, but I bet a considerable sum of money on her total victory. Rizal, the accountant, hated it, but I threatened him. I’ll change accountants one day if I can’t even say a word to Cili about this. But instead, I repented and promised Rizal an emerald necklace from among the many jewels I had inherited if he kept the secret. Rizal wanted to make a lovely gift for his pregnant wife, so he did my favor. But he did not forget this.

“I am cooperating in this work because I am confident your highness will get it safely. If I thought there was a possibility of defeat, it would have been an emerald mine instead of an emerald necklace, your highness… .”

“Even if it was a mine?”

“… I don’t know if it was a mine. I wouldn’t have cooperated if you had offered me three emerald necklaces.”

He might have cooperated with the mine, but three emeralds would never have cooperated; Rizal wrinkled his nose.

“Then why did you stop me when I win a lot of money?”

“It is better not to do things that make a fortune through gambling. First of all, it’s disrespectful.”

“Dignity.”

What was I thinking then? Did I remember the many scars on my body? Or do I remember living in stables and barns? Remembering being whipped and crawling on the ground? I can’t remember what I thought, but I don’t think it was a good memory anyway.

“Secondly, gambling has a bad taste of fortune. I can’t recommend it because it buys a grudge. That’s why decent people don’t gamble more than just for fun.”

“Okay?”

“Yes. The higher you are, the more resentment you get. You should do your best to reduce resentment. The former Duke of Hastred… .”

Rizal shut his mouth with a face. But I had already heard the story and was staring at him. He was troubled, but he couldn’t pick up what he had said, so he eventually lowered his voice.

“He’s been cursed.”

I didn’t know.

I knew he was dead, but I didn’t know that a curse killed him. Did Cili lose her only family to a curse?

“Did you find the culprit?”

“Finding the curse of the original culprit is difficult. Well, the Hastred Knights are a bit better looking than others, but… Still, it is tough to find the man behind the curse. As far as I know, we haven’t figured out what the curse is.”

“Was he in pain…when he died?”

I actually wondered how my parents died. But I couldn’t ask anyone. I thought I might recognize it if I tried to, but I was scared. What if they said they’re in pain? What if they said they’re sick and struggling while I was away? I, the crown prince, was dead, but they didn’t find a body. The lake I was known to fall into was large but not so large that it could not be searched. Now I could see how weak the king was, my father, who had to admit that he had died without even finding the body of his child. For two years I had lived as grand duke, I naturally learned such things.

I would be so sad if my father were lonely and in pain when he passed away.

I couldn’t ask about it, so I was more curious about how Cili’s father died. Cili is an orphan like me. She had enemies like me. The difference between us was she knows her enemies.

Cili must have been very distressed by his father’s suffering. As I waited for an answer, Rizal shook his head.

“I heard he was comfortable as if he’s sleeping.”

“The Curse… Isn’t it mostly meant to inflict pain?”

“They must have been afraid of the duke because he’s a holy knight. The head position of the Knights of Hastred passed not long after becoming a holy knight, but he’s still the one. He must follow Hastred’s footsteps even if it means handling the pain while dying of a grudge.”

“They already killed him.”

“But your highness the Grand Duke also thought about it. He is merciful for a cursed man.”

“… … .”

“The other party is showing mercy. Of course, your highness will take the debt if you find out your enemy. But the other party expects to pay for this mercy.”

“For example?”

“Ruthlessness. Hastred is a group that can be cruel.”

It’s a group that can be cruel, Rizal said adamantly. But the Cili I see was just a beautiful, neat, and noble-looking woman, so it was hard to imagine her becoming a cruel person instead of a nice person.

It’s been two years since I last saw you. Cili didn’t show up well even in my dreams, so it’s only been two years since I’ve seen such a vivid picture. I put my chin on the back of my hand and looked at her. She looked a little tired, and her complexion was pale. She originally had a white face, but it’s a little whiter than usual. Her eyelashes were long and gracefully raised to the tips, and her lips were a dried rose color. And on the back of her neck, was that a wound?

I’ve never seen such a wound. At that moment, I unknowingly reached out my hand. Suddenly, she caught my hand in the air. My handly, which was gripped roughly, was instantly released.

“Your highness, are you awake?” Cili asked while opening her eyes a little wider than usual. Her eyes were also more golden, probably because I saw them from a dark place.

“Cili?”

“Yes, your highness. It’s been a long time.”

She was in front of me, and my wrist tingled a little as she grabbed me. Everything felt real. It was then that I realized that my room had an awful smell of herbs. When I asked, “What does this smell like?” with a slight frown on my brow, then she laughed.

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“Oh, Ingrid is a wizard that I know, and he is very famous, but he is one of the best herbalists in the country. He made you… .”

Me?

When I saw Cili, she lowered her eyes for a moment and then changed her words.

“He woke you up.”