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Chapter: 07
Crown Prince of Toulouse
“So you still haven’t found him?”
The man dressed in black hunched his head even lower. Vivienne’s blue eyes pierced him with a cold glare. Her usually moist, delicate eyes now dripped with chill, and her silver hair, said to resemble that of a legendary fairy, shone with a cold texture. No one in the room dared even to take a deep breath.
“Didn’t you say there’s no time? You wouldn’t be doing this on purpose just to frustrate me, would you?”
Sunlight broke over Vivienne’s head as she spoke slowly, drawing out her words. Compared to her older brother Yvon or her younger sister Inès, she might have been judged as lesser, but Vivienne was a beautiful woman. When her long, fine silver hair flowed and her pure blue eyes sparkled, there was even a sense of sanctity in her appearance.
“There’s no opportunity right now except while we’re far from the kingdom. Time isn’t infinite.”
“Your Highness, Princess, are there no other distinguishing features? Brown hair and blue eyes are common, so with just that, it’s difficult to find His Highness the Crown Prince. Don’t you even have a portrait?”
Finding a needle in a haystack would probably be easier. The man could almost hear his own dissatisfaction.
“There’s nothing like that. Leo is very meticulous. I can’t understand why someone raised so delicately as a crown prince turned out this way—so suspicious and cunning,” Vivienne said with obvious irritation.
“Then even the smallest detail will help.”
“He’s quite handsome. He likes books, so staking out places like bookstores might be a good idea.”
“Quite handsome… likes books.”
Not a single useful clue for a search. The man felt like giving back the money he had received. If his client hadn’t been Vivienne of Toulouse, he would have already returned the fee and suggested she look for him herself with such vague information. But the Kingdom of Toulouse was as powerful as the Valua Empire, and Vivienne was, after all, a princess of that country.
Vivienne, looking down at him with a dissatisfied expression, sighed and tossed a pouch. Judging by the sound it made when it hit the floor, it was filled with gold coins.
“Short on funds? I don’t care how much it costs. I asked you to find Leo, not to kill him or do anything else. Just find him, that’s all! Can’t you even do that? Is it that you don’t understand, or are you completely incapable?”
Vivienne walked toward the man, her tone full of irritation, then bent down and whispered into his ear.
“You do know who I am, don’t you?”
She smiled as she spoke. The man knew all too well that a smile like hers was the most dangerous. Loud voices or large bodies often intimidated only superficially; once you left, that was it. But those who smiled beautifully while talking about serious matters wielded hidden power far greater than one could see or guess—a terrifying authority, rendering others mere disposable tools.
Moreover, it was said that the royal family of Toulouse possessed special powers. They used these powers to avert crises in their kingdom and to gain leverage in negotiations. Though no one knew exactly what these powers were, it was known that the strongest would become king.
The next king of Toulouse would be Crown Prince Leonardo Toulouse. The man, as Vivienne described, possessed perfect beauty. Even Prince Karl of the Empire was beautiful, but everyone who met Leo agreed that his beauty surpassed Karl’s. Yet no one could accurately describe his face. There wasn’t a single portrait circulating in high society. Some joked that if someone drew Leo’s portrait and sold it to socialite young ladies, they could make a fortune.
Those who had seen his face could only repeat how handsome and stylish he was—they could not recall the exact features. Attempts to gather people to draw a portrait ended in disaster, as everyone argued over differing memories of his appearance.
Then one day, Crown Prince Leo suddenly disappeared. The royal family of Toulouse announced that Leo had gone abroad to study, but no academy confirmed his enrollment.
What on earth was happening?
Some nobles and gossip-hungry journalists demanded explanations, but the king’s attendants merely shrugged and left.
Years passed since Leo’s disappearance. Rumors spread even in the Valua Empire that Leo was being secretly sought, but nothing was confirmed. The man did know one thing: whoever found Crown Prince Leo would achieve a life-changing fortune.
And yet, the only clue was that he was handsome!
“I hope there’s some useful news next time,” Vivienne said with a bright smile as she turned and left the room.
‘Damn it!’
It was the first time he’d disliked gold coins. Fatigue washed over his face.
“What kind of work will I be doing?”
“Something similar to what you did before.”
Yvon was at a loss for words as he looked at Iana, whose face seemed somewhat pale. Even with makeup, she looked unhealthy after her recent illness.
“Are you still unwell?”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
Iana shook her head lightly, and Lu interjected.
“It’s because you sleep at home all day. You’ve practically become one with your bed.”
Lu wished there were a more elegant and refined way to describe her recent lifestyle. He furrowed his brow, struggling to find a better word. As her prospective aide, he wanted Iana to appear reliable as the lady of the house, but no suitable term came to mind. Lu sighed lightly, lamenting his limited vocabulary. Yet for some reason, Yvon seemed to know everything, nodding knowingly before speaking.
“With me around from now on, you won’t be able to stay that way.”
His low voice sounded eerie. Was it just the impression? Surely he wouldn’t dare harm Lady Iana. Still, Lu cautiously observed Yvon’s expression.
As soon as negotiations with Yvon ended, Iana dragged him into the carriage. She buried herself in the seat, kicking her shoes far away like a weary worker finishing the day, and promptly fell asleep. Lu smiled awkwardly.
“You must be tired from going out for the first time in a while.”
Yvon gave a subtle nod. His messy brown hair and thick glasses covered half his face, obscuring most of his features, yet he still did not look unattractive.
This implied that if he removed his hair and glasses, he would be strikingly handsome, but judging by his stubbornly closed lips and the way he spoke frankly even in front of a grand duchess he had just met, revealing his beauty was not going to be easy. Lu pushed aside his disappointment and smiled.
“You must have really wanted to bring your aide. Normally, she’d still be in bed at this time.”
“She seems even lazier now…”
Yvon squinted at Iana. Did he know her before? Lu’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Excuse me?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you know Lady Iana?”
Yvon shook his head. As far as Lu knew, she had no dealings with Marquis Alis Le Marché. Their ages and social circles were entirely different. Marquis Alis Le Marché was notorious for being reckless despite his title. Some young nobles secretly admired his boldness, but it was all clandestine.
The Marquis acted on whims, barely deserving the title of noble. His wealth alone maintained his status. Someone serving him wouldn’t have known Lady Iana. Before falling ill, she had been strict yet refined, a very noble lady. How she had changed so dramatically afterward was a mystery.
Lu swallowed tears as he watched Iana lying in the carriage, mouth slightly open, sleeping deeply.
“Lady, wake up.”
Even after arriving at the mansion, Iana remained asleep. Lu gently shook her. She slept as if on her own bed, completely oblivious.
“She wasn’t like this before. She’s much weaker after her illness,” Lu said with concern.
When Iana still didn’t wake, Yvon knelt before her. Carefully supporting her knees and back, he lifted her with a motion as light as picking up a small animal. Quietly, he stepped out of the carriage and gestured toward the mansion, indicating that she should be guided to her room. Lu quickly led the way, though keeping pace with Yvon’s long strides required almost running at times.
After gently laying Iana on her bed, Yvon looked around. The room was extravagantly ornate. Every corner seemed gilded, delicate lace and bedding soft enough to tear at a touch, and even the canopy over the bed—which Alis had found cumbersome—befitted the room of a princess of Marseille.
“I hate all this stuff,” Yvon muttered.
Lu chatted as he covered Iana with a blanket.
“Do you dislike it too, Aide? Lady Iana seems to have lost her fondness for these things since her illness. We’ll be changing them soon. She used to enjoy such things, but it seems her tastes changed quite a bit after falling ill.”
Lu continued, tilting his head.
“Even with clothes, she used to favor soft silks with elaborate designs, but now she can’t stand even a single lace trim. I’ve already placed new dress orders.”
But Yvon didn’t seem to be listening.
“What is all this?”
Lu turned to follow Yvon’s gesture. The table was piled with extravagant flowers and large gift boxes—things that hadn’t been there when they left in the morning.
“Not sure. They weren’t here in the morning.”
Yvon walked to the table and lifted the boxes. Some were as large as a person, others palm-sized. Each was wrapped in golden paper, clearly expensive.
