My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 127
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 127
"...." When the Crown Prince heard my reply, he looked as if he had been hit in the back of the head. He could never have imagined that a mere princess of a duchy would give retort back at him.
What if he gets so angry that he throws me in prison? Well, it's too late to worry about that now. I can't believe I trusted my own tongue in the heat of the moment.
Shaken, I grab my other wrist with one hand and squeeze. The matching bracelet is cold to the touch.
My heart pounds. An eerie silence hangs in the deserted indoor garden. I find it hard to speak. I'm worried that the Crown Prince will snarl at me again.
The Crown Prince, on the other hand, is silent too. His face is as hard as a rock, like he's replaying my response in his head.
I wonder how much time has passed when he says, "....You're right."
"I was too flippant," he apologised. "I assumed that I could control you, even though we have no relationship."
I feel relieved by his apology. The fact that I said something so bitter to someone so much higher in status than me made me nervous.
But I don't bother to apologise or bow to the Crown Prince.
I did nothing wrong.
Not even the Crown Prince can intervene in my personal decisions and plans.
"There's something I've been overlooking." Sitting cross-legged, he twists to face me, one hand cupping my chin. "You've been telling me all this time, Kayla, that you have no feelings for Lancer. Perhaps that's why I've been so complacent."
His sharp impression terrifies me again.
"Kayla, let me ask you again, do you have feelings for Lancer?"
"...."
If I could, I want to say yes, right then and there. After all, that's the truth of my heart, the one I want everyone to know.
But I can't say it so easily.
Because I know what his thoughts are.
‘Seems like my plan to plant Lady Artberry into the Imperial Knights and have her elope with Lancer has been foiled.’
What is this? I almost shout at him at the absurdity of this unthinkable idea.
He continues.
‘I deliberately had Hubert tutor Artberry in order for her to befriend a member of Soli Duchy, but I never expected her to focus on swordsmanship. And now that Artberry isn't acting according to my plan, it's easier for Lancer to take Kayla.”’
Oh, my God.
My heart drops.
I don't know if I heard right. Never before had I wished that I hadn't been cursed this much.
It was all a ploy? Artberry was in the Imperial Knights just so he wanted her to be able to get close to Lancer?
So you're saying that it was because of me that Artberry, who doesn't even know how to wield a sword, ended up joining the Imperial Knights?
A chill runs down my spine as my thoughts reach that point. I swallow dryly and gaze at him.
The Crown Prince waits for my answer with his usual gentle smile. The way he smiles as if he's not thinking of anything… feels so foreign to me.
So, Ryan treats people as nothing more than tools to fulfil his own needs?
A wry smile spreads across my face. Why on earth would he ask me now if I liked Lancer?
No way. Is he going to dispose of Lancer because he thinks he's an unnecessary hindrance to me being his ideal fiancée?
I would be in disbelief that such an impressive Crown Prince would do such a thing. But not anymore. I've seen what he's been up to. I couldn't trust him anymore.
What if I answer wrongly here? What other tricks will he play on me? And what will he do with Lancer?
This was the Crown Prince. A man who was willing to deceive the Emperor and the entire nation to get what he wanted. Whether it was faking an engagement so he can inherit the empire or concocting a plan to replace Carberry….
Even though everything I've done so far has been for my benefit, if the Crown Prince were to become my enemy, things would be different.
"Why aren't you answering me?"
‘I thought you didn't like Lancer?’
The Crown Prince asks again.
My goal becomes clear. I don't have enough time to think about how to face this situation or even formulate a plan. Unable to organise my thoughts, I answer honestly.
"Yes, I like him."
I'll be completely honest.
If the Crown Prince has a crush on me, I don't want to lead him on. It's cruel enough to keep giving him hope when he already knew the answer.
"I see." He sighs, like he already expected it. He closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Kayla, I thought I remember you once telling me that there was no way you could ever fall in love with Lancer."
‘Does that make me sound like I'm being a bit of a prude?’
Yes, just a bit.
"Well, people can change their mind."
"I couldn't agree more." The Crown Prince places his hands still on his lap. "Kayla, although you say now that you like Lancer, you may change your mind in the future."
In a way, it looks like a provocation. But I don't recoil from his words. I merely nod in silence.
He sweeps a hand through his hair. "So from now on, I'm going to do my bit to make sure you like me."
‘All this time I thought there was no way I could lose Kayla to Lancer, but it seems I was mistaken.’
I can't help but snort inwardly at that thought.
What a delusion. I never belonged to the Crown Prince, and I never belonged to Lancer, either.
"Okay. I'm not going to stop you from doing whatever you want to do, Ryan, but I want you to know that right now, I'm in love with Lancer."
He shrugs. "Of course. You'll consult with Lancer. Then let me know as soon as you have a date for the trip. For your information, a week would be good, given my schedule."
"...?"
Why would I need to consider his schedule?
I blink in confusion, unable to understand.
He stares at me as if I'm asking the obvious question. "Technically speaking, the Lancer is still under the Emperor's gaze, and we don't want him to go to the North and do anything to harm the empire, so I will accompany him."
"That's… absurd." I want to be more polite and rounded, but I can't help but be blunt.
"I'm sorry if it came across that way, but as the Crown Prince of this country, I have a responsibility to control the empire's one and only archmage." He smiles for the first time since arriving at the Duchy.
"...." Unable to argue, I fall silent.
This is why I hate scheming men!
* * *
After that, the Crown Prince went straight back to the Imperial Palace.
“I hope to become closer to you on the trip.” With those sly words, he left.
"Sigh...." I let out a deep sigh as I flop down on the couch. All I wanted was to go travelling with Lancer, just the two of us, alone. Such a small, precious dream. Why did the Crown Prince have to ruin it?
"What a pain...." The words slip out of my mouth without a thought.
Bam!
The sound of something breaking comes from the room. I turn around in a panic, and there stands Phoebe, as still as a statue. A glass vase has shattered at her feet.
Oh no, she dropped the vase. I get up and approach her. "Phoebe, are you hurt?"
"My lady...." Tears form in the corners of her eyes as she calls out to me.
I'm shocked to see her crying, as she usually never shows her emotions outwardly.
"Phoebe, what's wrong?" I ask.
"Is it because you don't like me...?"
"Huh?" What the hell is she talking about? Dumbfounded, I stare at her.
Then she stammers back to me, still looking upset. "But, you just said that it was a pain. My lady is clearly annoyed with me...."
"Oh, that, no, I wasn't talking about you!" I hastily begin to soothe her.
But once Phoebe's heart was broken, she was not easily won back; she was dying, going back and forth to hell and back in real time.
"You don't need to make excuses, my lady. In fact, I'm sure you're upset because I deliberately tried to put you in a wedding dress this morning...."
So now you're confessing about that. No, that's not the point right now.
"No, I'm not! Why would I be annoyed with you? I care about you so much, Phoebe!"
"You do...?" Phoebe begins to revive. She's like a shriveled up plant caught in the rain. "Then why did you just say ‘what a pain’...."
"Well, it's just that Lancer and I were originally going to travel to the North, just the two of us, but then His Highness the Crown Prince said he'd be joining us."
"You're going to the North?" Phoebe's eyes widen. “Since when?”
Oh, right.
I haven't told her yet.
