My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 57
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 57
"I'd like to ask you a few questions." I cross my arms and lean to face the viscount.
He takes me lightly. "Ask me anything. I'll divulge everything, even state secrets, for your sake."
"Very well, then let me ask you this: is the imperial family's finances scarce?"
"What?" He's taken aback by my question. Seems like the viscount didn't expect that. "Well, Princess. When I said I'll divulge state secrets, I was joking. It was just a joke. So to speak…."
"It looks like the only mages in the imperial family are viscounts since I don't understand why I keep running into them every time."
"Aha."
"I find it curious how every time a mage is needed, I end up with the viscount."
"I see now." The viscount chuckles, understanding what my meaning is. "Actually, His Highness the Crown Prince thinks so highly of my abilities that he always puts me in charge whenever there's a big event or incident."
'Well, actually, it's only because I owe Dandelion something, but… I'll just say he's pampering me.'
What?
Hearing the viscount's thoughts, I can't help but frown.
It's strange. The crown prince is publicly known as Ryan. And last time, he revealed that his real name was Dandelion, and only his closest confidants knew it.
But how does Viscount Artisina know His Highness' real name? Is he one of his closest confidants?
Something's fishy. How could a mere subject like a viscount know the crown prince's secrets, even if he was an imperial mage?
Come to think of it, Viscount Artisina was a rising noble….
My intuition is telling me that he might not be who I thought he was.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, The viscount hums softly and flirts with me. "Princess, have you ever heard of the saying that if two people meet by chance three times, it's fate? Perhaps you and I are meant to be."
"I've never heard of that, but I've been advised that if you meet three times by coincidence, you should do some digging to make sure it's not a fabricated encounter. By the way," I ring the bell to call for someone. "Would you like something to eat? I'm sure you had enough tea in the parlour earlier, why don't you grab a snack?"
Before an interrogation, get them something to eat. People feel better when they have something in their stomach.
When I ask if he would like something to eat, he blinks like a fool. "Grab… a snack?"
"What, you don't like them?"
"No! No! I love them. It's just… I'm just a little surprised. I didn't expect the day to come so soon when the Princess would offer me a snack."
How the hell does he see me?
"So, would you like some cake?"
"Of course. I'll eat anything you give me, even if it's food waste. Haha!"
"Viscount," I call out in a calm voice. "I know our first meeting wasn't the best, but I am indebted to you in more ways than one. Also, I don't feed food waste to someone who has helped me."
He helped me when I wasn't able to attend the Imperial Ball when Aronia snatched my invitation. When he led me to a rampaged Lancer. When he went out of his way to help me for days when I passed out.
They were all thanks to Viscount Artisina.
"Do you like cake? Kaerun has a skilful pastry chef. Try some while you're here."
"Oh, thank you."
"What kind of cake do you like, chocolate cake? Cheesecake?"
"Uh…." He seems troubled for a moment. I stare at him, wondering what he's thinking so hard about when normally he would say the first thing that came to his mind without thinking it through.
Sensing my gaze, he blurts out. "Uh… ch-cheesecake would be nice!"
'I like chocolate cake, but… when I was a child, my mother used to scold me, saying that if I ate too many sweets, I would seem childish and people would look down on me.'
The office door opens to reveal Phoebe. As she enters, she glares at the Viscount before turning to me and bowing politely with her hands together.
"Do you need anything?"
"Bring me some chocolate cake and some black tea."
The moment she leaves, the viscount stares at me with a strange look in his eyes. "I asked for cheesecake."
"I know."
"Then why did you ask for chocolate cake…?"
"I like it, so you should eat it, too." I flatly say, quickly changing the topic. "By the way, Viscount Artisina, are you feeling well?"
"What?"
"I heard you used all of your magic power to use recovery spells on me. I don't have magic, so I don't know much about it, but doesn't your body suffer when your magic is depleted?"
"...."
His face hardens in shock. Stiff as a wax figure, he opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out of it. I stare, wondering what's wrong with him.
Suddenly, a stream of tears flowed from the Viscount's eyes.
What? Huh? Why is he crying all of a sudden?
I'm puzzled as to what to do when I see him crying out of nowhere. A grown man crying over a chocolate cake, what the hell is going on?
"I thought you'd like chocolate cake? If you don't, we can switch to cheesecake now-"
"No, that's not it." He interrupts me, opening his watering eyes. The redness of them is eerily familiar. "To think that the Princess is concerned for my well-being makes me emotional without realising it…."
'Princess, you showed interest in me for the first time!'
Um… so he's a grown man hungry for attention?
Feeling a bit dazed, I ask the viscount again. ''So, I heard that you used all your magic power for me. Are you feeling okay? Recovery magic must be particularly draining on your magic power….''
"Sigh, I'm fine. Please don't worry too much. Even if I look like this, my magic power is strong."
"You're strong in magic?" He whimpers and nods.
Hmm. As far as I know, magic in the Hebnia Kingdom ran in families. Those with magical powers became nobles. Especially those who were particularly powerful received high noble titles.
And as is the way of aristocratic society, high-ranking nobles married into royalty or with other high-ranking nobles. This ensured that their children would inherit strong magic powers like their parents.
So did the viscount come from a high-ranking noble family?
"Refreshments are ready." The door opens. Phoebe enters, pushing a tray inside.
Seeing the viscount in tears, she freezes for a few seconds, stunned. It's short-lived, as she deftly spreads a table mat over my desk and places the tea and cake on it.
'Why is this butter viscount crying in front of my lady? How filthy.'
She glares at him, who has tears streaming down his face like a man with a story to tell, before turning to me. Her thoughts suddenly get brighter the moment she locks eyes with mine.
'Is he crying because his eyes are sore from being exposed to the glorious beauty of the lady at such a close distance? Very well. For our lady, it's only natural.'
"He's crying because he's reminded of the family she left behind at home," I add such a lame excuse for the viscount. It's to prevent Phoebe from getting the wrong idea.
Then his tears flood even more.
'Ah, you're too sweet! Stop it, Princess, how perfect can you be?'
Uh… this isn't it.
"Have some cake." After Phoebe disappears, the viscount and I pick up the refreshments. "How is it?"
"Mmm, the chocolate cake is a little salty."
"Then don't season it with tears."
"You're so mean."
He cuts off a piece with his fork and inserts it into his mouth. Although he's eloquent, his thoughts are anything but that.
'The princess nagged me! She's taking an interest in me!'
It seems that he's becoming identical to Phoebe.
When our teacups were half empty,
"So, let's get back to where we were." Fiddling with the handle of my teacup, I look up at the viscount.
He grins. "You've bribed me with chocolate cake and now you're going to ask questions?"
"Obviously," I smirk. Yeah, did you think I fed you something yummy for nothing?
"The viscount is from the kingdom of Hebnia."
"Yes. That's where I'm from."
"Is your family there too?"
"Of course."
"Then how did you end up here in the Empire?"
He smiles bitterly at my continued probing. "Well, there's a lot on it but… long story short, my parents tried to arrange a marriage for me, so I ran away."
"Hmm."
An arranged marriage. An arranged marriage….
"I guess you didn't like your arranged partner, did you?"
"Well… let's just say…."
Right. At this point, I come to realise that he's lying about his identity.
I don't know what status Viscount Artisina once held in the Hebnia Kingdom, but I'm sure he wasn't as lowly noble as he is now.
He can use healing magic that's difficult for any other mages, and he knows the secrets of the crown prince of this country.
And most of all.
"Only my mother and those from her family have golden eyes."
The colour of his eyes.
All the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together.
I was so foolish, how could I have been so gullible?
Now, let's find out who this man really is.
"Viscount Artisina, what was your name again?"
"Hmm? Ketniff."
"No." I stare at the sly liar that is Viscount Artisina. "Not that, your real name."