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Chapter 41
“I Got Him This Time”
His fingers brushing the edge of my lips made my face heat up. My wavering eyes met his, and the question he had asked me finally replayed in my mind.
“What is it that interests you?”
What did that even mean all of a sudden?
I honestly couldn’t understand what intention lay behind that question.
If I answered “Remstones”—one of the most valuable magical minerals—or “Esperos,” the land itself or him, it would sound too deliberate.
What if he had already begun to suspect who I really was? My words tangled in my throat.
“W-what do you mean…?”
My gaze darted everywhere as my brain worked frantically for an answer.
Carriaire’s lips curved slightly as he watched my flustered reaction.
The air between us grew heavy. Then his eyes shifted downward.
…What was he looking at?
His fingers, still by my mouth, wiped away a drop of tea on my lips. And then—just like that—the tea vanished into his own mouth.
“W-what… what did he just do…?!”
I froze, forgetting how to breathe, while he sat back down as if nothing had happened.
“Why?”
Why? Did he really not know why I was flustered?!
Seeing my beet-red face, he let out a quiet laugh. I stammered out a protest.
“Y-you could’ve told me… I would’ve wiped it myself!”
“I tend to act faster than I speak.”
His shameless answer made my temper flare.
“And if my action made you uncomfortable, I apologize,” he added.
“….”
“Though I can’t understand why it would.”
“Because obviously—!”
I stopped myself.
There were too many reasons why what he had done was uncomfortable and embarrassing, but…
“I’m… I’m the Crown Prince’s fiancée.”
It was the most convincing answer I could give as “Heidi Eliana.”
Carriaire’s tapping fingers stilled, and his red eyes turned back to me. He spoke slowly, almost teasing.
“That almost sounded as if my actions made your heart waver… away from Delphian.”
His gaze felt as though it could pierce straight through me.
I bit my lips hard, and he smiled mischievously.
“Well, if you really did waver, then—”
“I did waver.”
“…What?”
“So please don’t do that again.”
I met his eyes firmly.
For a moment, he said nothing. Then he tapped the desk lightly with his fingers and smirked.
“I’ll try.”
There was something unsettling about his reaction, but I chose to ignore it.
At least now I knew how he could make me flustered, and I could be careful in the future.
Carriaire reached for my teacup and asked,
“So… when will you give me your answer?”
“Answer?”
“I didn’t think my question was that hard.”
“…”
“Do you need more time?”
He poured fresh orange tea into the cup, letting his lips touch the same spot mine had just touched.
…So much for saying he’d “try.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head.
No, don’t overthink it.
I met his gaze again.
He was hard to deal with—no doubt about that.
But hey, I’d survived five years in a company where job postings never opened because no one ever quit.
Toxic bosses, sly coworkers, backstabbing juniors… compared to that, Carriaire was nothing.
Just thinking of those miserable work memories strangely helped me stay calm.
I took a deep breath, forced a bright smile, and said,
“I’m not sure what you meant by that question.
But since you asked again…”
I tilted my head and gave a sly reply.
“Maybe… I’m interested in Esperos because of its Remstones?”
Carriaire blinked, visibly taken aback by my answer.
For the first time, I felt like I’d gotten the upper hand.
This must be what veteran office workers call ‘experience.’
“Interested in Esperos because of the Remstones, huh?”
I nodded with the most nonchalant expression I could muster.
Carriaire chuckled softly.
…Wait, did he just laugh?
“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?”
“When I asked that question, I meant the territory of Esperos, not me.”
“…What?”
His playful tone left my mind blank.
“Oh, and when you said earlier that you’d ‘wavered’… did you mean you were interested in Esperos’ Remstones, and that’s why my actions also made you waver?”
“That’s… that’s not what I meant!”
“Money is attractive to everyone, regardless of gender or age.”
His teasing words made me jump to my feet.
“That’s not what I was saying! I just meant that people in general are interested in Remstones because they’re most abundant here in Esperos—!”
“I’m pretty sure I asked what you were interested in.”
…Damn it.
“You’re so eager to explain everyone else’s interests.
Zeros’ flower is very kind, isn’t she?”
I’d been completely outmaneuvered.
I sat down again in defeat, biting my lips to keep from saying anything else.
If I tried to salvage this any further, I’d only embarrass myself more.
But my mental state was hanging by a thread.
“…Can I… can I leave now?”
“…”
“If I stay here any longer, I might faint from shame.”
“No.”
I shut my eyes tight at his firm refusal.
Should I just run?
Then Carriaire spoke again, changing the subject.
**“I’ll change the question.
How did you think of using Remstones to infuse mana and treat Kocheer disease in those without mana?”**
“…What?”
His expression had turned serious.
I quickly replayed my morning conversation with May in my mind.
So this was why he had come to see me.
If I had known, I would have kept my mouth shut.
I glanced up at him.
There was no way he was going to let this go until I answered.
The truth was… I’d half-said it as a throwaway idea.
Back in Zeros, Laperre had told me I had no mana at all.
But in Esperos, I had survived Kocheer disease.
Why?
I thought back to my blonde hair—the hair that had changed thanks to Laperre.
Mana transforms into magical power.
And his magic still lingered in my hair.
That must be why I had survived.
If my theory was correct, then even those without mana could be saved…
But I couldn’t possibly say that out loud.
“From a book.”
“…What?”
“I read about Remstones and Kocheer disease, and I just… thought maybe it could work.”
“…”
“But honestly…”
He looked at me, waiting. I met his gaze and added with a teasing smile,
**“I figured you’d already thought of it, Your Grace.
Turns out I’m the first one, huh?”**
Carriaire let out a breathless laugh as though he couldn’t believe what I’d just said.
Seeing his reaction, I couldn’t help but smirk a little myself.
Finally… I got him this time.
