Chapter 31: CH 31

It became dark before I knew it, and the store I entered, saying this was the last place, was wider than it seemed.

‘It’s illegal expansion magic.’

The magic of expanding the interior was illegal because it reduced the durability of the building.

Esadien looked around to see if there were any other violations, and a trembling voice peculiar to the old woman flowed into his ears.

“I think you were watching this.”

Esadien, who didn’t feel any presence, turned in surprise.

The person who spoke to Esadien was an old woman whose waist was bent and whose height was less than his chest.

She grinned and, with her slightly trembling hand, picked up one of the glass bottles from her shelf and handed it to Esadien.

This disease wasn’t the only thing he noticed. However, the old woman’s words had an unknown power, and Esadien, who received them at first glance, stared at it.

“What is this made of?”

As I just wiped, a glass bottle without a grain of dust contained a liquid as transparent as water.

The old woman burst out laughing.

“You don’t ask me what it is. It’s a love potion.”

“Love potion?”

“It’s a gift, so take it. If you drink one drop a day for 100 days, your love will come true. However.”

The old woman’s voice got deeper.

“If you drink more than a drop, there are side effects, so don’t forget.”

Esadien sighed.

Originally, I didn’t trust this kind of ‘elixir’, but I couldn’t believe it more when I heard such a warning.

How can you take out just one drop at a time when the entrance is so wide? It was obvious to add nonsense in case it didn’t work.

“Thank you.”

But Esadien tucked it into his arms without hesitation.

Seeing that she didn’t answer the question of what it was made of, it was clear that she had put something suspicious in it.

“It’s a waste here, too. We’d better go back now.”

As he turned around, Lafesch, who was waiting for Esadien, said with a dead face and left the store first.

However, contrary to her words, Esadien saw another thing in her clothes poket again this time.

The old woman greeted Esadien, who slowly followed him with a deeper suspicion.

“Goodbye, my youngest prince. You’d better think about the future instead of looking back now.”

“What….”

I purposely hid myself. How?

Surprised, Esadien turned around, but the old woman was nowhere to be seen.

The next day, Esadien led a group of knights and swept the magicians. It was to catch the shop owners one by one, who he had discovered the illegality while looking around the day before.

However, I had to give up and turn around only one place where I received the ‘love potion’.

“Prince, there is no building at the location you mentioned.”

“What? I’m sure this place…..”

Frowning, Esadien moved, but he was soon forced to shut his mouth.

There was no sign of a small store that seemed to be forced between the buildings.

There was only an empty lot overgrown with weeds, as if something had been lifted by overnight.

As soon as I arrived at the Imperial Palace, I left Ramande in the carriage and got off by myself.

But what is this? I was pushed back a long time from where I always got off.

‘Our coachman is always the master of parking without a single step difference…..’

What’s going on?

“What’s going on?”

“Huh?”

When the words I thought came to my ears, my feet, which were trying to step on the ground in panic, sprained for a moment.

‘Ah! I’m falling!’

As soon as I closed my eyes tightly in preparation for the shock to follow, a familiar scent came and hugged me as if I were buried in a solid arm.

“Minuelle.”

Oh, this scent. This warmth. This voice.

“Esadien……!”

It was really good enough that I thought it would be too much for myself. I was relieved as if what I had been upset and cried about was a lie.

‘That’s what the saying that if you like someone more, it’s a loss meant.’

I thought so, hugging him back tightly.

“I missed you so much.”

As soon as I finished speaking, the body that I touched heated up.

‘The human body is not a button-type hot pack, and no matter how late in summer, how can a person suddenly get a fever like this?’

I lifted my head, wondering if there was any pain.

But Esadien was standing with his back against the bright lights, so even his expression was blurred because of the shadows cast on him.

“The sun is setting. What’s wrong with you coming at this time?”

“I came because I was worried. Earlier….”

When I talked about what happened in front of the magic school, Esadien took me off and said in a slightly agitated voice.

“But you came here, not home? Why?”

“Why? Then can you just enter the house in the opposite situation?”

“That’s….”

“For your information, it’s not the answer. If there is an opposite situation, make sure to come to the grand residence. It’ll be better than facing each other alone at the Imperial Palace.”

“Minuelle.”

We looked into each other’s eyes for a moment.

“Promise me.”

“…..I will.”

I didn’t say much, but I felt that Esadien was grateful for my words. The atmosphere around him softened. It’s so sad that I have to break this up.

‘Should I just go back satisfied with this?’

I thought about it for a while, but if I did, I was sure to regret it again. I made up my mind and opened my lips again.

“By the way, all the servants of the imperial palace have changed.”

“The original employees are on probation at home.”

“What? What did they do wrong?”

They were kind people, and they never seemed to have a bad relationship with Esadien. But what do you mean by probation, suddenly?

Esadien hesitated, but could not stand my urge, and eventually confessed.

“In fact, there was a problem that poison was found in the food eaten by the guest.”

“Poison? Esadien, you didn’t eat either, did you?”

Esadien swept his face, grabbed my trembling hand, and smiled slightly.

“I’m fine. Even the attendants. Only the guest had a stomachache for a while.”

“That’s why the disposition was just given to be cautious.”

‘That’s why the punishment was given just to the extent of probation.’

If it were really poison, everyone would have been hanged for the crime of neglecting to take care of the Imperial Family.

But when a sigh of relief passed, another part was caught.

It’s either Theodore or me, but I haven’t met Esadien and Theodore has left Roquette.

So, that means she’s the guest.

“She’s Lady Celeste, right?”

“….yes.”

You don’t even have any intention of denying it.

“Have you been with Lady Celeste lately? What the hell is going on?”

“I can not say.”

“Is it because of the mission you received from the Crown Princess?”

“Yes.”

Ha. I was so amazed that I laughed.

“Her Highness says she doesn’t leave anything to you.”

“Did you confirm it with Her Highness yourself?”

Esadien let go of the hand he held and stepped back. He had a cold look that I had never seen before.

‘What? Are you mad? You didn’t believe me?’

The person who farts gets angry1! Don’t tell a lie!

“I just happened to hear it when I went to see her with my sister.”

I narrowed the distance again as Esadien moved away, but he backed down further.

When I took a step closer, the two steps away were repeated a couple of times, and the lid seemed to open.

Are you kidding me?

“What the hell? Even if you don’t have affection, you have to have trust. I don’t want you to go around with Lady Celeste!”

As soon as I shouted back, a soft and pretty voice continued as if she had waited.

“Prince, are you still there?”

Lafesch was sticking his head out of the window of Esadien’s carriage.

“…..”

There was a moment of silence.

Just a few steps away, Esadien’s outfit caught my eye.

He was dressed too modestly to belong to the prince. As if I’ve been walking around hiding my identity.

….Like the day we went to the lake.

The reason why our carriage couldn’t park in its original place was because of Esadien’s carriage, which was standing first.

“Uh, umm.”

Lafesch apologized in a slightly bewildered voice.

“I didn’t know that Minuelle was there. I’m sorry!”

Of course, I didn’t need Lafesch’s apology.

Neither Esadien nor I did not even look at Lafesch. Lafesch, who was looking around, tucked her head into the carriage as she did when she showed up.

It wasn’t polite, but I didn’t want to or have time to pick at her.

“Ugh.”

As the heat rose, my eyes fluttered open. It was as if there was a fishy smell on the tip of my nose.

‘This guy’s tantrum, really!’

“Hah.”

It was bitter, I suggested, touching my forehead.

“Our knights will accompany Lady Celeste home, so please don’t go with her, Prince.”

“You, are you ordering me now?”

Esadien’s voice sank even lower. As my fever went up, Esadien seemed to get colder and colder on the contrary.

“Is it only an order not to leave your fiancée behind and go out with another woman?”

While spitting out like that, my head rang and the urge to pick up and throw something came up.

At the same time, I feel desperate about what to do.

“You only show me how angry you are these days.”

It was worse than not saying it.

‘Did you give me a chance to show my smile?’

Just pushing me away and hiding. I couldn’t stop my eyes from being pointed.

“The Prince only shows me that he’s hiding something.”

Esadien, who was ashamed and anxious in front of me, seemed to have left for a faraway country across the sea.

“Do you have anything to hide from me?”

That question.

The inquisitive question seemed to set fire again in the already hot heart. As if the fire spread on the dry winter mountain, the fingertips and tears became hot.

Her voice went up to the temple.

“What do I have to hide? I show you everything! From the first time we met! All!”

I told you I liked you.

I love you, you told me to come.

I showed you everything, but why did this happen? Does Esadien suspect me?

Along with the question, the palm hidden under the thin gloves was burning. Esadien’s blue gaze also went down as I clenched my hand.

“It’s a glove I gave you as a gift.”

“…yes.”

It felt foolish not to want to take it away from my body because it was given by Esadien.

“Will you take it off?”

1To get angry at others even if one did something wrong; He blames his own mistakes on others.