CH 86

Who is the Fake Bride? (28)

Meanwhile, Kergel took notice of the wine on the table and opened his mouth.

“Shall we have a light drink? I have something to tell you.”

“Yes.”

Roelin shook off the troubles in her head at the words: ‘to tell you’, and sat down once again. Then, Kergel glanced at her before he took off his robe and draped it over her shoulder.

“As I said earlier, you might catch a cold.”

“Thank you, Kergel.”

She smiled slightly at his consideration that appeared to be as if he had read all her troubles. Kergel watched her being tucked in his clothes and somehow felt rather satisfied before he coughed in vain.

“……The Princess and the delegation will leave first thing tomorrow morning.”

He sat across from Roelin while pouring her a glass of wine and spoke in a low voice. Roelin grasped upon that glass of wine and took a sip before she paused for a moment and nodded with a calm look in return.

It was only natural since there was no reason to feel sorry or even longing. However, her face soon grew dim.

“Well, why are they leaving all of a sudden? Is there any problem between the two countries because of me…”

Roelin’s face became blurry because of her concern for Seroif. Kergel simply shook his head and smirked.

“That’s not the case at all. Besides, you don’t even have to worry if our relationship with Rakain is in trouble anyway.”

“But…”

“Seroif could barely be swayed by that, Roelin. Do you think your man is too incompetent?”

“That’s not true! What do you mean, incompetent?”

She shook her head as she denied it strongly. Then, Kergel smiled again and raised his glass.

“So, let’s just relax and have a drink.”

Roelin bumped against his glass and drank the rest of the wine. As soon as she frowned slightly at the bitter aftertaste, Kergel instantly burst into laughter.

“Why are you laughing?”

“Oh, it’s just… it reminds me of our first time.”

“……”

“Do you know how surprised I was when you drank it all at once without knowing that it had been so strong?”

“……It was so sweet that I didn’t even know it had been such a strong drink.”

Roelin replied in an apologetic tone while her face reddened with embarrassment. Kergel looked at her with a smile before putting down his glass and stood up.

“Then, I’m going to bed.”

“……Yes, you should.”

Roelin replied a beat late. It was just like any other day, but somehow, she felt like her whole body seemed rather fluffy. Nevertheless, she eventually made her way to the bed without showing any signs of struggle.

She could feel that he was already lying down right next to her. Roelin straight away moistened her lips that were dry for no apparent reason at all.

“You’ve worked hard for today, so sleep tight.”

“……Kergel, you too.”

She responded to his greeting and closed her eyes tightly. If she remained any longer, she thought that even he would be able to hear her heart pounding.

……how much time had already passed.

Roelin’s breathing gradually became relaxed. And a little longer after that, a small lament had leaked from Kergel, who seemingly appeared to be already asleep.

“Let’s just sleep? ……I can’t believe that I just talked nonsense like that.”

And perhaps, he would then be staying awake all night long.

* * *

Rakain’s Delegation had eventually left the Palace early in the morning as if they got driven out in an instant. And shortly after the Delegation had returned to Rakain, a statement was then issued to express immense regret in the name of the King of Rakain, Lenoff himself.

As a result, the existence of those twin Princesses had become known not only to the Rakain Kingdom, but towards the whole of the Cesan Continent. Thus, the Royal Family of Rakain had begun to be seen just like a joke as it was being spread all around.

However, there was little response from the Rakain Kingdom. In fact, that was what had been expected by everyone anyway. It was just like deceiving the proposal that was sent by the Emperor of the Seroif Empire himself. Therefore, it was now the time to lie low while avoiding the wrath of the Empire altogether.

……on the surface of it, it rather was.

Clink!

“I never expected that little girl would turn out to be such a pain in the neck.”

Lenoff hurled the glass away as he muttered while gnashing his teeth in the meantime. Eventually, a maid began to pick up the shards of glass that had scattered on the floor.

“Oh! I’m sorry, Your Highness!”

Was it due to the fact that she was in such a hurry? As she was picking up the broken pieces, the maid had cut her hand and groaned without her realizing before she bowed her head hastily. Lenoff just looked at the figure irritably for a second as he immediately waved at the knight.

“I apologize, Your Highness! Please forgive me…”

The maid was still repeatedly begging for forgiveness as she was dragged out by the knight. Nevertheless, Lenoff had only been muttering to himself without even sparing a single glance at her.

“I just can’t leave it like this. How could I let something that was nothing more than a mere shame bring such a disgrace to the Royal Family?”

“……Would you like to deal with it secretly then, Your Majesty?”

The Duke of Deberton, who was then sitting right across from him, slowly opened his mouth. He had also been the King’s maternal grandfather in private. Lenoff glanced at the Duke before asking rather curtly.

“Does grandfather even have a good way to do that?”

“A few years ago, an alchemist named Vanessa had successfully created a hybrid monster.”

“……What are you even trying to say? Out of nowhere, the story of a monster…… what—the Emperor of Seroif could actually be that monster itself?”

Lenoff smirked cynically. However, the white-haired Duke simply continued in a calm manner—absolutely unperturbed.

“It had been a monster that was created by the mad greed of an alchemist who tried to recreate the ancient Beast Race. But no one truly welcomed such an abhorrent hybrid monster and eventually, the results of that study were buried completely.”

“……”

Lenoff listened to the Duke and squinted at him as if he had already foreseen something brewing. Only after that did the Duke finally twist the corners of his mouth.

“First, you have to get the Emperor away from that side and you will need a monster to do that kind of thing. A monster for a monster.”

“Aha…”

Lenoff’s blue eyes gleamed for an instant. And thus, the conversation between the two of them proceeded to continue.

A shady scheme was slowly squirming underneath it all.