🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 13
At that moment, a shadow like a towering mountain loomed over Diego’s back.
“Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I last submitted a memorial to His Majesty.”
“Duke Grimloir…?”
“I’ve been putting it off since I had nothing worth reporting. But if I write down today’s events, that will fill the contents nicely. Reminding His Majesty of a royal relative’s reckless conduct is also a minister’s duty, after all.”
Wilhelm’s overwhelming aura.
The fear that this might reach the emperor’s ears.
It froze Diego where he stood.
The arrogant tyrant was gone. In his place remained only a frightened boy, cowed into silence by the grand marshal’s threat.
“As one grows older, few things are as amusing as talking about one’s children. Please forgive an old man’s foolishness.”
“……”
Torn between anxiety and rage, Diego snapped his head around irritably.
Not long after he fled the office as if running away, the sound of a carriage departing could be heard outside.
Sebek rushed into the office and reported the situation.
“Your Excellency, all of the imperial carriages have departed.”
Selfish brat, only thinking of himself. If you took them all, how’s Rosinante supposed to get home?
“Quick to run, isn’t he?”
“Sir?”
“Nothing. Go tell the coachman to prepare a carriage. The destination is the imperial palace, so make sure there will be no trouble.”
“As you command.”
After sending Sebek off, Wilhelm approached us.
Rosinante flinched in fear, but Wilhelm’s face wasn’t as terrifying as when he’d confronted Diego. If anything, his gentle smile resembled that of a kindly old grandfather.
“Are you hurt anywhere, Your Highness?”
“I’m fine. Just a bit of a sting in my jaw, that’s all.”
“Good that no bones were broken. I’ll provide a carriage to take you to the palace. Please wait here and receive treatment until it’s ready.”
“Thank you, Duke Grimloir. Someday, when I manage to live properly as a person, I’ll be sure to repay the favor you’ve shown me.”
How much suffering must he have endured to say something like that?
Well, once we get to the Holy Kingdom, the heroine will comfort him, so it’s not really my place to worry…
Is this what they call a protective instinct? For some reason, whenever it’s Rosinante, my heart keeps going out to him.
But no—I can’t. I shook off the sympathy with effort and kept listening to their conversation.
“I only did what any vassal ought to do. If anything, I’m the one indebted.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Didn’t Your Highness protect Revieta?”
“Ah… that wasn’t because I was brave, but thanks to the spell she cast on me.”
Naive Rosinante still believed the excuse I’d thrown out earlier. Ugh, my conscience stings.
“Be that as it may, courage to protect is far nobler than courage to attack.”
Thankfully, Wilhelm’s seasoned reply tied the matter up neatly—or so I thought.
“Revieta.”
“Me?”
“Escort His Highness to the guest chamber and look after him. You’ll need the chance to repay a favor as well.”
Something just got tangled.
The sound of ice cubes clinking in a pouch felt unreasonably loud.
With no servants present, only the two of us, the air in the room grew unbearably awkward. Truly, it was just me and Rosinante here.
This is all Zerodines’ fault!
A healer is never around when you actually need one. I know comparing the archmage to something like that is blasphemous, but I couldn’t contain my exasperation.
Normally he won’t stop chattering beside me, but when it matters most, he disappears?
Wherever he’d gone, Zerodines was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he was sulking because I rejected Diego’s confession.
Fine, I’ll deal with that petty ghost later. First, I have to deal with this boy.
“I’ll press the ice on the injured spot. It’ll feel cold, but please bear with it until the swelling goes down.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Rosinante gave a small nod. I carefully placed the ice pouch against his cheek with my own hand.
Holding it there meant I couldn’t look away, which was… awkward.
His platinum hair shone as if it held the moonlight.
His eyes were deep and blue, like a clear sky.
His sharp nose and well-balanced features were striking, but what drew my gaze more were the faint scars etched all over his body.
They weren’t fresh—they were old wounds that had healed and scarred over. Which meant he hadn’t just been beaten once or twice, but had lived like that constantly.
He was hounded by abuse and assassination attempts until he finally chose exile.
Even knowing that from the book, seeing it in person hurt. But I couldn’t afford to help him out of pity.
What I needed was the fake Rosinante. So the least I could do was nurse him properly.
“Does it still throb? Any other symptoms?”
“Thanks to your care, the pain has eased.”
“That’s a relief. Seems your fists weren’t much compared to your mouth.”
“Hahaha!”
“…Ha.”
…
The laughter died, and with it, the atmosphere sagged into awkwardness again.
The cold pack treatment was done, but the carriage still hadn’t arrived. Even building one from chopped wood would’ve been faster.
“Um…”
“Uh…”
“Ah—you first.”
“No, the lady spoke first.”
“It’s nothing important. I just wanted to thank you for saving me earlier. And Your Highness?”
“Mine wasn’t important either. It’s just… I was offered asylum by an agent of the Holy Kingdom. I wondered if you thought I should accept.”
“Oh… asylum, you say.”
Why tell me, someone you just met today, something like that?!
My hands trembled and my heart thudded as if it might burst. I quickly raised my teacup to hide my face. Hopefully my voice wouldn’t shake too much.
“Has anyone else heard about this?”
“No, you’re the first… I had no one else to consult, so I spoke of it just now.”
“I see. So I’m the only one who knows.”
Terrible as it sounds, I’m glad he’s such a loner.
Stay calm. Even in a tiger’s den, you’ll survive if you keep your wits about you.
It was just us two in this room. As long as I kept his mouth shut, there’d be no problem.
I set down the teacup with a click and spoke cautiously.
“Your Highness doesn’t trust me, does he?”
“That’s not true. If I didn’t trust you, why would I confide in you?”
Did he really think me trustworthy? That’s nice, but the life of a heroine’s rival villainess isn’t worth the same as the protagonist’s.
“Then you were testing my loyalty.”
“No! That wasn’t my intent at all—”
“Intentions don’t matter. The fact is, it’s dangerous. And besides, Your Highness already knows the answer.”
“……”
He has to leave. There’s no choice.
In the imperial palace, which is nothing but a jungle, someone as unguarded as him has no other path. He must have been so cornered that he shared his secret with a girl he’d just met.
This is why kindness to the male lead is dangerous.
The root of most ruined lives is pity. A sympathetic word, and suddenly you’re caught in the net.
I’ve read it too many times—self-insert villains avoiding death flags by helping the male lead, only to end up being the target of his obsession instead of the heroine.
If I don’t want to get tangled up, I have to draw a firm line here.
As if winter had melted into spring overnight, I counted to three inwardly, smoothed my serious expression, and gave him a bright smile.
“Is this how it’s done?”
“…Excuse me?”
“You were telling a scary joke, weren’t you? I decided to play along. All of what you just said—you made it up, right?”
“…Yes. That’s right. I made it up.”
Thankfully, Rosinante caught on. Growing up on scraps of awareness must’ve made him quick on the uptake.
No pity! I can’t pity him! I barely avoided getting dragged into his asylum scheme.
“My apologies for troubling you. I’ll be careful never to bring up such things again.”
“Everyone slips up sometimes. Don’t take it too much to heart.”
Relieved, I tipped my cup and drank the last drop. Smacking my lips, I looked up to see Rosinante rise awkwardly from his chair.
“Shall I ask for more tea?”
“No need. The preparations should be finished soon—please, just sit.”
Rosinante sat back down. His glances toward the door were restless, as if he were anxiously waiting for the last carriage home.
Don’t worry. Enough time has passed while we were talking—the carriage must be ready, and soon we’ll return to the palace.
