My Childhood Friend Is An Archmage Chapter 73
Translated by d6y (ko-fi)
Chapter 73
I don't know what to make of the Viscount acting cute to try to comfort me.
"Viscount."
"Yes, my lady."
"Forgive me if I seem to be taking an interest in you only now, Viscount, but how old are you?"
"Twenty."
"Twenty what?"
"The other number is a secret." He winks at me ruefully, but his thoughts tell me the truth.
‘Twenty-seven!’
I let out a shallow sigh. "I don't want to see a twenty-seven-year-old man try to act cute."
"Pardon?"
‘Was it true that you could read thoughts?’
He falters, unsure if he's embarrassed that his thoughts have been heard.
"Princess, are you sure you can hear my thoughts?"
"Lower your voice."
I'm worried that a passerby might hear him. My parents are the only ones who know I can hear other people's thoughts.
But the Viscount persists. "Come to think of it, the other day you said that you had this ability because you were cursed. What exactly does that mean?"
"Just get inside."
Someone might hear him if we're outside, so I have no choice but to invite him into my room.
"Wow." His eyes light up as he enters my room. He stands still in the doorway, his eyes scanning the room like an adventurer exploring an unknown world.
"What's so interesting?"
I flop down on the sofa.
It just so happened that while I was eating dinner, Phoebe had left a candle burning in my room. The fragrant smell of melting candle wax tickles my nostrils, and the water in the candle holder, which has been placed there to prevent the candle from falling and catching fire, also gives off a nice scent.
My room is the best.
The afternoon's events have drained my energy. My body and mind are exhausted, and now that I'm back in my cosy room, sleep begins to creep in.
"Close the door and come in, the incense is leaking out." With that, the Viscount obediently closes my door and cautiously enters.
He darts his eyes everywhere, still admiring my room. "Princess, I have never been inside a girl's room before."
I flash him a smirk as he reverts to his princely manner. "Don't lie to me. You're popular, I'm sure you've been in the rooms of noble ladies often."
"No, I haven't." Prince Cade examines the jewellery box on my desk, and replies without turning around.
He seems greatly intrigued by the decorative patterns on the box, which were vastly different from those of the Hebnia Kingdom.
"Princess, what is this jewellery box made of?"
"It seems to be made of ivory."
"Ivory? My mother would love that. I'll have to give her one later." Prince Cade mutters to himself before beginning to explore every corner of my room.
I have nothing to hide, so I allow him to roam.
"People assume that because I'm a prince, I must have led a life of debauchery, but it was quite the opposite." Prince Cade says.
"I was taught more thoroughly that having children out of wedlock would break the royal code."
"Ah."
"All meetings with ladies were in public with at least five other people present, and any lady who approached me too intimately was thoroughly scrutinised. I wasn't even allowed to enter an enclosed space alone at balls."
Yikes. The way he describes it makes me gasp. It's like living under surveillance almost 24/7. Being born into royalty isn't all it's cracked up to be.
"So you've never been in a relationship before?"
"What? Of course not." Prince Cade answers, admiring the candle holder.
"Do women keep candles lit like this in their rooms?"
"By preference. I can't generalise to all women just because I do it."
"Okay. This is nice. I'll give it to my sisters as a gift later."
He walks over to the couch where I'm sitting, and plops down right next to me.
"I assume you plan to return to the Hebnia Kingdom sooner or later?" I ask, looking up at him.
The jewellery box earlier, and then the candle. If he's going to buy these things and give them to his family as gifts, doesn't that mean he's planning on going back home?
Prince Cade nods, not bothering to hide his plans. "I'll have to go back someday, I can't live on the backs of that Dandelion forever, and I'm tired of him trying to use my magic."
"When are you going back?"
He shrugs.
"Well, first of all, you ran away because you didn't want to be married off in an arranged marriage…. What if you have to marry her the moment you get back? Would you still return?"
"Then I'll have to renounce my title and become an imperial subject. I have no intention of marrying a woman I don't even like."
After answering that, Prince Cade compliments me. "Your room is beautiful, Princess."
"Not as pretty as the other ladies' rooms."
These are not merely remarks intended to shake off the modesty that comes with nobility. Once, when I was on the best of terms with Lady Aronia, she had shown me her room.
Unlike my room, which contained only the bare necessities, hers was filled with paintings, large jewelled ornaments, and tapestries of dozens of colours, all of which were highly prized in the capital. Moreover, strings of colourful beads hung from the ceiling in a brilliant display of light.
I thought to myself, this is what a Princess's room in an imperial palace must look like. Mine pales in comparison.
He shrugs. "It doesn't matter. To me, the Princess's room is the prettiest.”
"Why?"
"Because the most beautiful princess in the world is in this room."
"...I honestly don't believe you," I say in a small, shocked voice.
"What do you not believe?"
"That you've never been in a relationship, because, well, the Prince… seems experienced in handling women."
At my words, he lets out a small laugh. "Have you been living under a rock all these years, my dear princess?" He teases me. "I have three older sisters, two if you don't count Bliss, so naturally I've met a lot of young ladies."
Prince Cade smirks. "Princess, are you relieved that I'm not dating anyone right now?"
I straighten up. "I've known that since you told me you ran away because you didn't want to be married off."
"What did you mean by that?"
"I mean that if you had a lady in mind, you would've married her to escape it instead."
Hearing that, Prince Cade looks like he's been hit in the back of the head with a sledgehammer.
"What's wrong?"
"No, it's just that… I never knew I could've done that."
"Well, that's a reaction that lends credence to the Prince's claim that he's never been with a girl."
I glare at him. Sensing the meaning in my gaze, he recoils, trying to make excuses. "Don't look at me like that! My father didn't get to marry his first love either, and he's always been telling me that marriage isn't about who you want!"
"Your father…. So, why didn't His Majesty get to marry his first love?"
"Because she died."
Prince Cade drapes one arm over the back of the sofa. For a man who had never been in another person's room, much less a woman's, he showed no sign of nervousness.
"She died while he was away on business. By people sent by the former king."
"...."
"So I'm going to tell you right away if I see anyone I like."
With that declaration, he leaps from his seat.
He suddenly kneels in front of me, looks up at me, and asks, "Princess, would you like to make a love getaway with me?"
Huh?
I couldn't even be surprised, let alone panicked. I'm merely stunned by the confession that came without a warning.
Before any rational thought can circle my brain, my lips take over.
"Why would I do that?"
"You said it yourself, Princess, that if there is someone I have in mind, I'll run away with them." Prince Cade, still kneeling at my feet, says with his usual fox-like grin.
"You said you can read my thoughts anyway, and I like you, so I'm going to shoot my shot before Lord Lancer steals you, or before that Dandelion bastard catches a glimpse of you."
"..."
"It won't be so bad if you run away with me: the Hebnia Kingdom for your escape, my palace for your long-term accommodation, my wife for your occupation, and the princess for your public identity. In return, I will love you forever. By the way, it's a lifetime position, so I can guarantee my love until I die. How's that for a deal, Princess?"
He slowly extends his hand toward me, waiting for my answer.
"..."
Nothing flows from my lips.
Perhaps this confession of his is a spontaneous thought. Or maybe he's trying to get me to leave.
But the look in his eyes is too serious and overwhelming for a joke.
...What are you really thinking, Prince?
First, he comes into the room to ‘comfort me,’ and now he's proposing.
"...Prince, do you like me?"
And the natural, virtuous answer comes back.
"Yeah, do you understand now?”