Chapter 23: I’ve Become Interested In You

Chapter 23: I’ve Become Interested In You

Milady.

A low-pitched voice quietly resonated through the area.

Damians elegant fingers started to move. He reached out and tightly grasped the iron bars.

How are you so certain that I am not the culprit? And one more thing.

The eyes that held green irises narrowed like a snake.

May I ask why Milady came to visit me in this prison?

As he said that, Damian scanned me from head to toe. The way he stared at me with narrowed eyes seemed like he was assessing whether I would be of any use to him.

What do you think is the reason Ive come all the way here, Your Grace?

Returning Damians gaze back to him, I then questioned him in return. Seeing that, Damian tilted his head and opened his mouth.

I assume its not to play word games like such.

Damian took his hand off the iron bars and pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket. He wiped the hand that had touched the bars as if it had been dirtied, as he added.

Am I wrong?

A corner of his mouth curled up slightly as his gaze continued to stay fixed on me.

How wise you are. What you have said is all correct, Your Grace.

As I smiled at him, I stepped into an area within Damians reach. With every step I took closer to him, it seemed like the metallic scent of blood was becoming stronger.

When I reached the iron bars of the cell where Damian was confined, I gripped the cold bars just as he had done a moment ago.

For just this moment, Im a woman in love with Damian.

Since I had already fallen in love at first sight with the man in front of me in the past, it wasnt difficult to play the role of a foolish woman in love.

My dear, arrogant Damian. The devil with a beautiful shell, who killed the one that cured his heart disease.

Your Grace.

I folded my eyes into crescents as I opened my mouth.

Its no wonder I fell in love at first sight.

In response, Damian paused from wiping his hands and snickered. There was a mixture of mockery in his expression as he stared at me. His face said that he didnt believe me.

I see. Milady. Youve fallen in love with me at first sight, so why did you come to this prison?

Dont you believe what Im saying, Your Grace?

Wouldnt anyone in this situation think so?

I cant believe this. I came here despite the danger in order to get you out of prison. How could you

I trailed off and dropped my head so that Damian couldnt see my face.

Milady?

I heard Damians slightly bewildered voice come from above my head. I slowly raised my lowered head at the sound of his call.

The reflection of myself in Damians eyes was a sight to behold. How sorrowful I appeared, trembling as I bit down on my lower lip.

I looked like a person shivering pitifully in the pouring rain.

Maybe it was because I had actually been heartbroken in both a literal and figurative way that such a natural expression appeared on my face. It seemed as though Damian was also quite stunned by what he saw.

I then mustered up a strained smile towards him, not forgetting to also let my shoulders droop.

Ive barely made it here by talking to the Crown Prince.

If I knew this was what I would hear from Your Grace, then I would have never come here in the first place.

Damians lips slowly descended as he listened to me. His smile was completely gone, and Damian stared at me with narrowed eyes once more.

He never does anything that puts him at risk. Now or then, Damian had always been selfish to the bone.

Then how about this.

I shook my head from side to side towards Damian, who was leisurely turning the pages as he awaited my answer.

Due to the remarks you just made, all my good feelings towards Your Grace have completely vanished.

Damians hand froze mid-page turn.

What do you mean?

Your Grace, I hold an extreme dislike toward calculating people. I didnt know the person I fell in love with was such a person. Trying to manipulate my pure love in such a way.

I turned away without hesitation. As soon as I took a step, I heard Damians flustered voice come from behind.

Milady?

How dare you use my pure heart. Thank you. Thanks to this, I was able to know how Your Grace truly is.

Clicking my tongue, I continued to move my legs. I had only taken a couple more steps when I felt Damian get up from the bed and come to the iron bars.

When I stopped walking away for a moment, I heard Damians voice hastily reach out to me.

Ive been incredibly rude to Milady. I apologize for not considering Miladys perspective properly.

I will tell you why I was late, so I beg that you dont go, Milady. It would make me incredibly troubled if you left like this.

A small smile drew onto my face as I listened to the voice behind me. Who knew Damian would voluntarily say such things? It was clear that he judged that losing me, who had a close relationship with the Crown Prince, would be too big of a loss.

When I stopped walking away and turned my head, Damian interpreted it as a positive sign and continued.

Truthfully, I had been preparing a special gift for His Highness the Crown Prince.

Surely, there must have been enough time to prepare a gift before His Majestys birthday.

The gift was so hard to handle that it took quite a bit of time just to bring the gift to the duchy.

What exactly is the gift?

Instead of answering my question, Damian stared at Cassadin, who was standing next to me. Realizing the intention of his gaze, I turned to Cassadin with a smile and said to him.

Sir, would you mind stepping outside for a moment?

Sir?

Ignoring my request, Cassadin folded his arms and plopped down on the ground. Damian, who was watching everything from behind the bars, unconsciously frowned.

Such immature attitude coming from an Imperial Knight.

Ah, what to do? It seems that the knight is especially loyal, since His Highness personally assigned him to me.

Can he be trusted?

Instead of answering verbally, Cassadin simply nodded his head.

Well, it would be better for me if His Highness heard about this, so I will tell you, Milady.

His tone implied that it didnt matter if he listened. On the contrary, it seemed like Damian wanted the Crown Prince to be notified that he had prepared a gift for the Prince.

If it really had been that important, Damian wouldnt have said a word.

The gift I have prepared is.

Yes.

A slave with extraordinary physical abilities.

A slave?

Yes, its a slave that had been brought in from a distant foreign land.