CH 16

One afternoon, a few days after the hunting competition.

Tak!

“This, please.”

A voice that was uncomfortably chilly, an expression that could send icy wind, and even eyes that looked like frost.

At Iris’ brutal aura, Ophelia answered calmly, not even asking how long she had to do it.

“Yes.”

Iris turned her back to the point where the cold wind that touched Ophelia’s cheek disappeared. Then, Ophelia sighed lightly as she looked through the documents Iris had just handed her.

For some reason, Iris became even more picky after the hunting competition.

She was obviously helping her that day, but what made her become a hedgehog with thorns up like that again?

Smoothing the end of the document, Ophelia agonized.

On the other hand, the documents Iris suddenly gave required a lot of troublesome simple calculations, but they were not things that Ophelia could not solve with the information she had.

The volume and content was just enough for Ophelia, who had gotten a little accustomed to the job of an aide, to handle.

“Judging by this, it doesn’t seem like I’m being hated anymore…”

“It’s unquestionably hate.”

Since when was he here? Cooper hit the truth in Ophelia’s hidden thoughts with a friendly smile.

“Iris never mixes her personal emotions in her work.”

Cooper shrugged his shoulders as Ophelia shriveled up.

“She’s someone who gives endlessly when she is close to a person. Even if her friend makes a mistake, she’ll try to solve it somehow. Still, if it gets tangled up with work, she cuts it off with a single stroke.”

“She has a clear distinction.”

As Cooper put down the papers at Ophelia’s despondent answer, he lowered his voice and asked,

“What happened on the day of the hunting competition?”

“No. Rather, she helped me. With that handkerchief.”

“Ah, seeing two handkerchiefs tied to the hilt of His Highness’ sword, I expected it to be so.”

Cooper added, glancing towards Iris.

“I’m asking just in case, but when you do what she asked for, someone’s request….”

“I didn’t get a request.”

Ophelia responded very quickly and firmly.

That part should be clear.

It was easy to get involved when something happened if you were like a big snake climbing over the wall in a joking manner.

(TL/N: like a big snake climbing over a wall – an expression used to describe the manner in which one furtively fudges a work and fails to finish it in a clear and complete manner.)

“I see.”

Cooper responded briefly, then added, as if he had just thought of it.

“Iris doesn’t have many friends. She looks picky and cold, and she also has the position of an aide to His Highness, so it’s hard to be close to others.”

‘I guess so.’

Ophelia also socialized in her own way until she was suddenly caught up in the bond of infinite regression.

Although she did not make very close friends and mostly attended small tea parties or exhibitions with the people who called her, to some extent, she was not lacking in information about the social circles.

Iris Fillite’s name didn’t come up as often as Raisa Neir’s did.

But since she was the only lady who the crown prince kept by his side, her name occasionally popped out like a snack.

“That pretentious look.”

“She seems to think it’s going to work if she acts stern.”

Ophelia couldn’t recall very good words.

‘Come to think of it, I think there was a young lady who protested every time that happened.’

The words in a voice that was too small were not particularly helpful to Iris, so they were buried… what?

‘That young lady, I think I remembered seeing her in the group of Lady Neir…’

The blurry scene faded away at Cooper’s voice.

“But once you’re friends, there’s no one else like her.”

On Cooper’s lips, not his usual businesslike smile, but a much more genuine smile spread for a moment and then disappeared.

“Let’s see, to put it bluntly, she will cover up for someone she likes even if that someone kills one or two people. Oh, of course, only when she’s told everything truthfully.”

“What?”

“It sounds like a joke, but I’m serious. Iris would have the ability and the readiness to do that. The story has become unnecessarily long. Sorry. Oh, by the way, this needs to be handled right now. Of course.”

Cooper left the documents and disappeared without a word of encouragement.

Ophelia didn’t expect Cooper to give her any clues or clues as to why Iris was doing this, but he only added more doubts before going away. This was making her lose energy again.

The words that he added afterwards should be helpful, but it’s so ambiguous that it couldn’t be figured out right now.

‘It will be better to act openly and pointedly like Iris… No way.’

‘It’s better to pretend to be friendly, even on the surface, like Cooper.’

‘They’re not friends, they’re just co-workers.’

From that point of view, Cooper seemed to be much better at social life than Iris.

It wouldn’t be a good choice to make enemies out of personal likes and dislikes.

—Skrisch.

For a while, only the sound of a pen running through the papers was heard in the aide’s office.

Ophelia picked up the papers and stretched her body.

Even if the hunting competition was over, the work didn’t diminish.

The empire couldn’t run without going through Crown Prince Richard.

In conclusion, Iris and Ophelia would have to work hard in one space anyway, even if we don’t meet face-to-face almost all day every day.

If left as it is, the atmosphere would not improve, but it would become more and more dreary and difficult to work, so it would be better to solve it early.

‘What should I say?’

First, among today’s documents, funny grammar mistakes…

No, let’s not beat around the bush.

In that case, there was a strong possibility that she would be kicked out before even bringing up the real point.

‘Besides, I don’t have time for that…’

Papers still piled up like mountains were pressing on Ophelia’s back.

Taking a step towards Iris, Ophelia regretted her past decisions, albeit only a little.

‘As Richard said, I should have become the crown princess.’

But she soon shook her head.

‘Even now, as a baby aide, I’m on the verge of dying from a lot of work. How much work will I have to do if I become the crown princess?’

Those who have a lot of things to enjoy would also have more burdens to carry.

‘It’s impossible for me to be a temporary crown princess.’

Ophelia turned her thoughts back to reality and stopped in front of Iris’ desk.

As she put the papers down, she tapped the desk instead of turning back right away.

Iris opened her mouth without raising her head and asked.

“Is there something?”

“A little time… No, let me know if you’re angry with me. Don’t tell me it’s not like that. I can see that you’re angry even if I’m doing a handstand.”

At the words of Ophelia, who took out the pleasantries and went straight to the point, Iris finally looked at her.

Putting down her pen, Iris frowned, but she did not ignore Ophelia.

Maybe it was the temperament itself.

No amount of hate could ignore a human as if he or she was completely crushed.

‘If I were her, I would have ignored whatever was said in front of her.’

Ophelia swallowed a bitter laugh, waiting for Iris’ answer.

‘If she says, ‘I just hate you,’ I will just walk away.’

Just as you don’t need a reason to like someone, the same goes for dislike.

How long has it been?

Iris was just about to part her lips.

—Tok tok.

The sound of an irritating knock echoed in the still aide’s room.

“Come in.”

Whether or not Cooper knew that Ophelia was waiting for Iris’ answer as if waiting for a verdict, an indifferent permission fell from his mouth.

“Aide Iris.”

The servant who opened the door was expressionless, but showed a sign of haste.

“What’s going on?”

Iris got up from her seat and approached the servant.

After hearing a few words, Iris’ expression hardened remarkably, and she left the aide’s office without saying that she would be away for a while.

Ophelia, looking at the door where Iris left in vain with the feeling of becoming a dog chasing a chicken in an instant, took a deep breath and headed back to her seat.

“It’s not like Iris is never returning, I’ll just ask her when she comes back.”

.

Four days passed like that.

Richard asked Ophelia, whose cheeks swelled up like the belly of a poisonous pufferfish.

“You look like you’re asking me to tell you what’s going on.”

“It’s not like that.”

It was an answer that came out without a moment to breathe, but there was a thorn in the voice as well.

Richard put the documents down and leaned back deeply into the chair.

Ophelia said upon the clear indication that he would not look at the documents at all.

“It’s not something I can tell you about. The instant you approve this, this work is done…”

“Tell me.”

“Is this an order?”

“I don’t want to do that, so I’ll make sure you won’t need the finishing touches.”

Richard smiled faintly and tapped the end of the document.

How dare she throw her concerns onto the crown prince, although to be exact he said she could.

In this empire, not even the emperor could do it.

However, Richard did so to simply and easily hear Ophelia’s story.

The goodwill was so natural that neither Richard himself nor Ophelia realized that it was special.

Without knowing that, the two were building up things for each other, one by one.

Ophelia rolled her eyes and parted her lips only after her eyes met with Richard’s, who was looking at her sullenly.

“You knew that Iris didn’t come to work, right?”

“Yes.”

“It’s…”

Ophelia licked her lips. Soon, she pulled out the words she had been holding down with a sigh.