My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 58
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 58
Clink!
The sound of the teacup clinking against a saucer is loud and clear. The viscount's hand that holds it freezes.
But only for a moment. "Real name? I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, Princess."
In the blink of an eye, he coolly grasps the handle of the teacup. The panic that briefly flashes on his face evaporates in an instant.
Yet I'm not fooled. Although he speaks in a calm voice, saying he couldn't understand me, I know he's shaking with anxiety.
'What the hell? Did I get caught? But how?'
It's times like this that I'm grateful for how useful the curse of being able to hear other people's thoughts is.
Obtaining confidence after eavesdropping on him, I narrowed my search on who he could possibly be.
It doesn't take me long.
"Viscount, since you're close enough to the Crown Prince to know his real name, I'm sure you're aware that Lancer's banishment has been cancelled this time."
"What does that-"
"And you told me that gold eyes were common in the Hebnia Kingdom when in reality they are not. Only the Viscount's family and a few other nobles have them." I go on without a pause.
"Now, wait a minute, Princess!"
"And Princess Bliss happens to have golden eyes."
It finally hit me, why the portrait of Princess Bliss looks familiar again after so many years: the face of the man in front of me overlaps with hers.
"Tell me, Viscount. What is your real name?"
"Princess Kaerun-"
"Also." I interrupt his immediate attempt at defence, "Isn't your real name Cade? The same one as Cade, the third prince of the Hebnia Kingdom?"
"...."
"But isn't there a law there that says you can't have the same name as royalty?" I cross my arms with a shallow sigh, looking at the man sitting in front of me.
Now that I think about it, he has always been very suspicious. He said himself that he was the descendant of a witch. And to prove it, he freely changed into an animal.
He had no qualms about changing into an animal, being skilled at it. Shifting between a human and an animal with ease. Aside from that, he's done it several times.
But how had he managed to stay undetected in a kingdom that rejects witches?
And most of all, I find this strange.
When Lancer was on a rampage… the viscount handled it as well as if he'd seen it before.
Perhaps because he had seen someone experiencing the same 'phenomenon' before? For example… Princess Bliss, who was born in the same country and lived at the same time as him.
So, to conclude, "Prince Cade, why did you trick me?"
'... I lost.'
Viscount Artisina- to be more precise, Cade, Third Prince of the Kingdom of Hebnia- inwardly admits defeat.
Lifting the white flag, he makes no further attempt to lie. "How did you know?"
"What?"
"That I am Prince Cade. How on earth did you find out?"
"Well." I can't think of an adequate response other than that brief retort.
Prince Cade stares at me in disbelief before bursting into laughter. This is the same man, who was crying just a moment ago, holding his stomach and guffawing.
"You never cease to amuse me, Princess." He says after a while, stopping his glee. His eyes are brimming with tears from it.
"Please keep your tone low, Prince. I am but a mere princess." I point it out, but he doesn't seem to mind.
"It's okay, no one is gonna hear us now, right?"
I understand at once what he's implying by that: He didn't want anyone to catch me calling him Prince.
"Of course, it's a secret that only the prince and I know."
At my response, he nods with a satisfied smile. "Thank you, Princess. If I ever return to the Hebnia Kingdom, I'll be sure to invite you to the palace."
"Do you intend to return to the kingdom someday?"
"Obviously. Even though I fled because I hate arranged marriages, I can't stay here forever, can I?"
"What made you come to the Empire?" I ask, unable to suppress my curiosity. "Besides, you're an imperial mage. Aren't you afraid that someone would recognise you and take you back?"
"No, not at all." Prince Cade smiles wryly and shrugs his shoulders lightly.
He then explains that relations between the Empire and the Hebnia Kingdom had deteriorated due to the war that took place a few decades ago. As a result, the Emperor blocked all information about the kingdom and has been holding no contact since.
"Then a decade ago, the Empire first sent an envoy to the Kingdom, 'It's not good for two neighbouring countries to live with a wall built between, let's make peace."
After that, the Empire and the Kingdom began to open up informally, with the Crown Prince in particular visiting the Hebnia Kingdom to meet its royalty. It was how Prince Cade became close to the Crown Prince.
"Then all of a sudden, the King arranged a marriage for me."
"Who in the world is your partner to make you flee to another country?" As Prince Cade reveals his story, questions tail after him.
"My arranged marriage? Oh, that's a secret…."
'Well, I've already been ripped off by the princess, so I've got nothing to lose anymore. Plus, she wouldn't stop until she gets what she wants. I'll just tell her.'
After a moment's hesitation, he makes up his mind and continues. "My arranged marriage is to Princess Emerald, the daughter of the devil."
"... Isn't the devil's daughter beautiful?"
I've never seen her in person. However, her beauty must be remarkable if rumours of it spread as far as the imperial capital. Even if it was an unwanted marriage, how could someone refuse such an attractive woman?
"Why didn't you accept the arranged marriage?" I'm really curious, so I'll find out why.
Prince Cade sighs as if he knows I'd be asking that. "Hmm, yes. Emerald is pretty… but she's twenty-five years older than me."
"Ah."
"I wasn't even born yet when she became a full-grown adult."
"...Understood." I'll stop probing.
"At that time, I was struggling alone since I didn't want to get married, but then Dandelion- I mean, the crown prince told me to come over to the empire. He said no one here in the Empire would recognise me anyway, so I would be able to hide well."
"I see."
"He was pretty good at first." A wistful look comes over Prince Cade's face. He's like an old man looking back on his old days when he was brilliant. "At first, Dandelion gave me a title so I wouldn't starve to death. Then when I kept trying to just play and eat, he started making me do labour to earn money for them."
Aha. So Prince Cade, or Viscount Artisina, was guarding the gates of the Imperial Palace himself, and later out there dealing with the broken walls incident.
As I recall each and every fact about him, he suddenly asks me, "So, what do you want in return for uncovering my identity?"
"What do you mean?."
I quickly deny it, but he smiles. "I know everything from that Dandelion bastard. I've heard that the Princess has rescinded the banishment of Lord Lancer so that you train him for a year. And she's probably wondering about my dead sister, Princess Bliss the Archmage."
I'm caught off guard. Not a word Prince Cade says is wrong. Ever since I'd seen him among the people the crown prince sent, I was thinking of asking him about Princess Bliss.
Though, I wasn't sure then that he was Prince Cade. But I planned to invite him to my office since he was at least from the Hebnia Kingdom and I thought I might be able to get some information about Princess Bliss from him.
"Let me get one thing straight before I answer the Princess's questions." He says, draping one arm over the back of his chair. "Since I'm the youngest of His Majesty's children, there's a large age gap between me and my sister. So I don't know much about her."
"That's fine." Even if he doesn't know much, he still knows more than those records.
"Well, then I'll tell you everything I know." Prince Cade extends a hand to me. "Ask me anything, Princess."
* * *
After that, we had a long, long conversation.
It didn't end in hours. The sun had set and the moon was about to rise, but the questions and answers back and forth between us never ceased. Eventually, it got so late that we both stopped talking and went to bed separately.
The next day, we continued where we left off. Until after two prolonged days…
"Thank you, Prince Cade." I let him know that our discussion has come to an end.
"You're welcome." Rising from his seat, he stretches his arms. If he had done this in front of me in the past, it would've been rude. But now that I know he's a prince, it's fine.
Status matters, after all.
"I hope I've been of help."
"You've helped me a lot. I've learned a few ways on how I can help Lancer better control his emotions and magic." I nod. "I'll do as you suggest and visit him to tell him my plan."
If you're alone, it doesn't matter how hard you try, it would be of no use unless the other party involved makes an effort too.
"Yes, that's a good idea." Prince Cade grins. "Good luck, Princess Kaerun."
'May Lord Lancer not meet a tragic end like my sister.'
"Don't worry, I'll work hard so that doesn't happen."
His eyes widen at my words before realising what I just did.
"...Princess, can you read my thoughts?"
"I can hear them, not read them," I confess. I don't think there's a need to hide it anymore from Prince Cade.
He's in complete shock.
"Wait. You can use magic too?"
"No. I was cursed by a mage I met while travelling once."
"What? What mage?"
"We'll talk about that later. I have to tell Lancer right now." With that brief statement, I open the office door. My mind is racing. I want to see him as soon as possible.
"Then, I'll go first… Viscount Artisina."
I correct his title the moment I see servants milling about in the corridor outside my office.
After standing dumbfounded for a while, Prince Cade waves at me. "I see. Have a safe trip, Princess Kaerun."
'I'll have to ask Princess Kaerun to show me her room when she gets back!'