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Chapter 38
Karin waited quietly for his answer. She had already prepared what she would say to persuade him if he refused. Unexpectedly, however, he answered without resistance.
“Do as you wish.”
“Really?”
She had expected him to put up at least a little resistance. Arken glanced at the bewildered Karin and replied in a flat tone.
“You’ll do it anyway, even if I say no.”
How did he know?
It was a little embarrassing, as if he had seen straight through her thoughts. Since things had turned out this way, she decided to be shameless about it.
“Hmm, I’ve thought of someone. Go ahead and ask.”
It took him a moment before he finally asked his first question.
“Is this person alive?”
“Yes.”
“Can they speak?”
“Yes.”
“Then it must be a person. Does this person know you, Lady Karin?”
“Of course.”
“Are you close?”
“Hmm.”
Karin crossed her arms and considered how to answer.
Close, huh? Could she really say that she was close to that person? She sincerely wished they were. Sometimes it even felt like they were. But she wasn’t sure whether the other person felt the same way.
“Well. I’d like to be close to that person, and sometimes it feels like we’re fairly close. But I think they don’t see it that way. They’re so prickly that frost practically falls from every word they say. Sometimes I wonder if they’re holding some kind of grudge against me. It breaks my heart, you know.”
Right. Twenty Questions was supposed to be answered with only yes or no.
Karin realized her mistake but decided to be even more shameless and simply waited for his next question.
But he said nothing.
“No more questions? Did you already figure out who it is?”
“…”
He spread his fingers across his forehead and lowered his head with a deep sigh. An awkward expression appeared on his pale face.
Seeing that reaction, a thought came to her.
No way… right?
But judging from his response, she was right.
Absolutely right.
Karin couldn’t hold back her laughter.
“What exactly are you thinking? You don’t even know if it’s a man or a woman yet. This person is a woman, you know.”
To be precise, it was Marta.
“You didn’t think it was yourself, did you?”
“…”
His blue eyes widened like an inflated balloon. He looked at Karin once before hurriedly turning his gaze away.
Then he adjusted his glasses as though pretending he hadn’t heard her.
It was honestly rather adorable.
Look at him turning away because he’s embarrassed.
Karin seized the opportunity to tease him relentlessly.
“Well, I suppose it’s possible. Sure, why not? Though I do think that’s a bit overly self-conscious. But since it’s you, Arken, I’ll let it slide.”
He looked as though he wanted to say something, but eventually closed his mouth and wore an expression that said she was impossible.
Fortunately for Arken, the door suddenly swung open and a servant appeared.
“You may come in now.”
“Then I’ll be back shortly.”
Following the servant, he entered the room.
The door remained half-open, allowing Karin to catch a glimpse inside. It was less of a room and more of an office. Several desks were arranged throughout the spacious area, separated by partitions. Quite a few people were seated at them.
Arken walked directly to the man sitting at the most prominent desk.
The man cast him a cold glance before pushing a stack of document files toward him.
That alone was rude enough, but the way he pushed them…
Wasn’t that practically throwing them off the desk?
Karin’s suspicion proved correct.
Before Arken could catch them, the files tumbled to the floor. The folders sprang open, and dozens of papers scattered through the air.
The sheets fluttered down all around him.
Arken simply watched them fall.
“Oops. My mistake.”
The man glanced at the scattered pile of papers and snorted as though it were nothing.
Without a word, Arken crouched down and began gathering them.
The other people in the office completely ignored him and continued their work.
Not a single person offered help.
Those bastards…!
So they were doing it on purpose.
The subtle, deniable cruelty was even more vicious than the openly hostile mustached man from before.
Making him wait outside for so long had probably been deliberate as well.
What awful people.
Just as Karin was about to kick the door open and storm inside, Arken suddenly looked up from the papers and met her eyes.
Slowly, he shook his head.
Stay out of it.
How could she possibly stay out of it in a situation like this?
Karin bit her lip hard, but seeing the firm expression on his face, she reluctantly removed her hand from the doorknob.
Her insides boiled with anger, but with him watching her so closely, she found herself unable to move.
Never taking his eyes off her, Arken finished collecting every sheet of paper.
Then, just as he stood up, someone deliberately slammed into him while passing by.
A loud spit landed nearby.
“Looks like I’m going to have bad luck today.”
Ah.
That was the final straw.
The volcano that had been simmering inside Karin finally erupted.
Grinding her teeth, she threw the door wide open.
She had barely taken a step forward when a strong hand seized her wrist.
It was Arken.
He stood firmly in the doorway, blocking her path.
Karin struggled to shake him off.
“Let go. I’m going in there and teaching them a lesson.”
“My lady, I beg you.”
His voice sounded almost pleading.
Like someone desperately trying to stop a departing lover.
At that pitiful tone, Karin instinctively looked up at him.
What is that look…?
His deep sapphire eyes were filled with desperation and, somehow, sadness.
Faced with that unfathomable gaze, Karin could only step back.
The last thing she wanted was to make someone who already looked so miserable suffer even more.
When she finally gave up on entering the office, Arken quietly closed the door.
Releasing her wrist, he spoke in a calm but firm voice.
“Please do not make enemies over something so trivial.”
“…”
Karin couldn’t say a word.
She had just realized something important.
Their relationship was not so fragile that it could be damaged by a single foolish joke.
Arken genuinely cared about her.
And that meant their bond was far stronger than she had ever imagined.
She almost felt ashamed for having worried that things might become awkward between them.
How could she have doubted that?
Perhaps believing she had calmed down, he gently pulled up the corners of his lips into the same faint smile as before.
“I am fine. Truly.”
Who was comforting whom here?
She hated herself for being unable to do anything for him.
Soon, he started walking down the corridor, and Karin quickly fell into step beside him.
It was as though nothing had happened.
He had already returned to his usual neat and composed self.
Does this man have no pride at all?
Karin grumbled inwardly before finally voicing her complaint.
“Aren’t you angry?”
“I’ve gotten used to it by now. It used to be much worse.”
Without taking his eyes from the corridor ahead, he answered calmly.
“When you say before, when do you mean?”
“Back when I attended the Academy. The place I just came out of is the Office of Magical Administration. Quite a few of my Academy classmates work there.”
He spoke as casually as if discussing tonight’s dinner menu.
There wasn’t the slightest emotion in his voice.
How many unfair things must he have endured to become this indifferent?
Even though she hadn’t been the one to mistreat him, Karin found herself lowering her head solemnly.
When they reached a fork in the corridor, he stopped.
“I need to go to the library and organize some materials. You should return to the conference room, Lady Karin.”
“But…”
But I’m terribly worried about you.
The words circling inside her mouth dissolved like smoke before they could be spoken.
As if gently coaxing a child, Arken spoke kindly once more.
“By now the meeting should be over. Duke Tricia is likely waiting for you.”
That was true.
If she didn’t return when the meeting ended, there was no telling where that hopeless man might wander off to.
“Take care on your way.”
Seeing her hesitate, he gave a small bow.
Karin forgot all about returning to the conference room and simply stared at the place where he disappeared.
She was the princess of the Second Duchy.
Many people would think that gave her power beyond envy.
But she held no title of her own, nor was she someone with significant influence among the nobility.
She had enough power to cause chaos in high society, but not enough to overturn a social system that had sunk its roots deep into the world over countless years.
Reflecting carefully on her position, Karin clenched her fist with determination.
Perhaps for now she could only watch.
But someday, she would set everything right.
She would shake this filthy, unfair world however she could until Arken was no longer looked down upon.
She would make sure he never again wore that sorrowful look in his eyes.
She would make sure he never again had to pretend everything was fine.
It might be impossible now.
But someday, in the distant future—
she absolutely would.
