Chapter 81

"Right?"

The man smiled faintly.

"You are much more beautiful than in the photos."

"Thank you."

Aristine replied with a smile.

She had become accustomed to the flattery directed at those in power.

"Really."

The man reached out to Aristine.

"There's no way a camera could capture such a color."

He gently held her silver hair, which shone brilliantly in the summer sunlight.

The silver strands slipped through the man's fingertips and fell softly.

"Your eyes are different from the photos too. They have a very subtle color, like the dawn sky."

"Thank you. You're handsome too."

Aristine's compliment took the man by surprise, his bright blue eyes widening.

Then, in the next moment, he burst into laughter.

The warm afternoon sunlight settled lazily on his face, softening his features even more.

"Ah, thank you. It's a pleasure to please the Princess."

The man said with a voice full of amusement.

"That's a relief. I'll be going now. Watch out for bird droppings."

Aristine greeted the man.

She knew he wanted to continue the conversation.

But she had to visit the blacksmith later and wanted to enjoy some quiet time alone.

She only spoke to him to avoid getting hit by bird droppings.

As Aristine was about to leave, a hint of interest flashed across the man's face.

"Do you often come out for a walk at this time?"

At his words, Aristine turned to look at him.

"Why do you ask?"

The man smiled smoothly.

"I was wondering if I could meet the Princess."

Aristine tilted her head slightly.

"Aren't you lonely in a foreign land? I think it would be good to make some friends."

'Sure enough.'

Aristine nodded inwardly at the man's words.

If she had any doubts, they were now confirmed.

"Are you lonely, ma'am? Would you like to be friends?"

It was a line she had heard many times through the imperial eye.

'How cliché, really.'

The man in front of her was saying something similar.

Having made her judgment, Aristine asked without hesitation.

"Are you a gigolo?"

The man, Hamir, opened his lips slightly.

He was always composed and acted with ease, but in this situation, he couldn't maintain his composure.

He muttered unconsciously.

A gigolo is someone who intentionally approaches women to extort money, isn't he?

This was the first time he had been treated as a gigolo.

It was only natural.

He was the eldest son of the King of Ailugo and the first in line to the throne.

The person closest to the imperial throne.

And yet, a gigolo.

A word that had never been associated with him in his life.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested. I'm too busy making money."

The princess in front of him said with a tone of annoyance, unaware of his thoughts.

"Money...?"

That he was busy making money, of all things, with his husband being none other than Tarkan.

Aristine realized her mistake at Hamir's question.

'Gigolos approach for money, and I talked about money.'

This would only make him cling even more, not drive him away.

Gigolos would come running as soon as they smelled money after the success of the Mace business.

'Society is so scary and cold.'

She had to be careful not to get her nose broken.

With a firm resolve, Aristine said to Hamir.

"Besides, when I get home, I have a rabbit-like husband and fox-like concubines waiting for me."

"Rabbit..."

Hamir muttered involuntarily.

Was he really comparing his husband, Tarkan, to a rabbit?

Hamir thought of his half-brother.

A man who was more Ailugoan than anyone else.

Wild, rough, and exuding a raw, primal feeling.

'And a rabbit...'

In her imagination, rabbit ears sprouted on Tarkan's head.

'Princess... she's quite something.'

In many ways, she was quite something.

"You called me 'Princess,' didn't you? You know I'm married."

Regardless of what Hamir imagined, Aristine was determined to drive the gigolo away.

A person with a conscience wouldn't mess with a married man or woman.

'Ah, now that I think about it, did gigolos only target lonely ladies?'

She realized this belatedly.

Gigolos wouldn't have a conscience in the first place.

"Anyway, I'm not interested."

Aristine drew a clear line.

"I just wanted to be friends, purely out of curiosity about the Princess."

But gigolos were persistent.

"The more I talk to you, the more curious I become."

Hamir tilted his head and stretched his lips into a smile.

A few strands of platinum hair, tinged with a warm hue, fell across his face with the movement.

It was a face that could make anyone, man or woman, stare in a daze.

But it didn't work on Aristine.

"Yeah, that's what gigolos always say."

Aristine smiled firmly.

Despite being treated as a gigolo and not being believed, Hamir's eyes only grew more interested as he looked at Aristine.

"Well, how can I make you believe me?"

With a feigned tone of regret, Aristine shrugged indifferently.

"Well, how about we part ways and never meet again?"

Hamir's smile deepened.

'That's impossible.'

Now that he was back in the palace, he would inevitably meet Aristine again.

Not as a gigolo, but as Prince Hamir.

He was curious about Aristine's expression then.

"If I tell you a secret about Prince Hamir, will you believe me?"

"What?"

Aristine looked at Hamir, surprised by the unexpected words.

Her eyes, which had been annoyed, instantly turned serious.

"Don't you want to know? He's the rival of your rabbit-like husband."

Hamir's delicate and elegant eyes fluttered seductively.

After a moment, Aristine said firmly.

"Secrets and weaknesses are different things."

"But a secret means something you want to hide, doesn't it?"

"So, what would you do with a secret?"

Aristine chuckled.

"To blackmail?"

Hamir smiled deeply without answering.

"Why would I do such a thing?"

Aristine asked, tilting her head.

"I don't back down from a fight that comes to me. And if I want something, I fight for it."

Aristine was always ready to fight.

"But."

Her violet eyes turned back to Hamir.

"I don't plan to use underhanded tactics first."

Her straightforward and unwavering voice made Hamir smile.

A flawless, smooth smile, but its perfection was almost intimidating.

"Are you distinguishing between fair and unfair in political battles?"

How naive.

He swallowed the rest of his words and narrowed his eyes.

"I'm neither naive nor stupid."

Aristine accurately picked up on the words Hamir had swallowed.

"It's because I have enough confidence in myself that I don't need to use such tactics."

Hamir paused, looking at Aristine.

His gaze was more like a dissection than a simple look.

His blue eyes, under golden lashes, were strikingly bright.

Eyes like turquoise.

Beautiful, cold, and mineral-like.

"Of course, if Prince Hamir uses underhanded tactics to hold my weaknesses—"

Aristine clenched her fist.

"I'll show you what real dirty play is."

Her tone was quite firm.

Hamir's smile faltered for a moment before deepening.

To show him what real dirty play is.

Who else in this world would say such a thing with such confidence?

Laughter rose from deep within him.

'I look forward to it.'

Hamir smiled inwardly.

"And I can't trust information from someone I don't know."

"I really intended to tell you the truth."

Hamir looked at Aristine with amusement.

At first, he was just a little curious, but now it was different.

"Alright then. You said you'd believe me if we never met again."

It wasn't a shallow curiosity anymore.

"Today's meeting ends here, and I won't look for the Princess. Of course, I won't come here either."

She didn't want to end it like this.

"Instead, if we meet again somewhere by chance, we'll be friends."

Aristine frowned.

"Are you stalking me? Pretending it's a coincidence?"

Hamir laughed, seeing her suspicious and wary expression, like a cat with its fur on end.

"Ha ha, unfortunately, I'm a busy person and don't have time to follow the Princess around."

Aristine, who had been looking at Hamir with suspicion, nodded.

"Alright, if it's really a coincidence."

"It's a promise."

"Okay."

As Aristine nodded, Hamir said, "Alright," and walked away.

Compared to how clingy he had been, it was a refreshing departure.

He kept his word about ending the meeting there.

'Home... What a strange person.'

She had agreed to his proposal just to end it quickly.

'But.'

If he wasn't really a gigolo, it might not be bad to be friends.

'I only have one friend, Mukali.'

Thinking about it made her feel a bit depressed.

'Or do I really only have one friend?'

Aristine was flustered, recalling the people she had met.

She liked Ritren a lot, but he was an employee.

If a boss acted friendly and suggested going somewhere on the weekend, it would be considered a bossy move.

'Bossy is not good. I don't want to be bossy!'

Umiru and the Zodiac came to mind, but could they be considered friends?

'I wish they could be.'

She wasn't sure.

'What's the difference between an acquaintance and a friend?'

It was a very difficult question for someone who had learned human relationships from a mirror.

Aristine groaned and looked up at the sky.

The summer sky was a dazzling blue, piercing the eyes.

But it was beautiful.

A sky Aristine had never seen, unobstructed by high walls, stretching endlessly.

'I wish I had more friends.'

* * *

"Brother Hamir!"

Yenikarina called out loudly and ran to Hamir, hugging him and rubbing her face against his chest.

"You're still a spoiled brat."

"Ch, why can't I be?"

"It's not allowed."

Yenikarina giggled and linked her arm with Hamir's.

The two walked side by side through the lush forest.

"Do you know how many things happened while you were away?"

"Of course. Tarkan got married."

At his words, Yenikarina's face immediately twisted at the thought of Aristine.

"That fox!"

She shook her head.

"I thought she was just a rival, but she's a fox with a tail. She acts all high and mighty but does everything, you know?"

Yenikarina huffed and looked up at Hamir.

"Do you know how much she's been tormenting Yenikarina? Even in front of the King, she—"

Excitedly, she spilled out everything about how badly Aristine had behaved.

"And then she made some kind of Mace—"

Yenikarina suddenly looked up.

"Brother, you told me how to flatten that princess's nose, right?"

Hamir smiled without answering.

He had only talked to his mother yesterday, and the fact that Yenikarina already knew meant they had already taken action.

'Mother must have been quite anxious all this time.'

They were moving much faster than he had expected.

The image of Aristine, whom he had just met, came to mind.

"Of course, Brother!"

Yenikarina suddenly hugged Hamir.

This would put an end to that fox's arrogance.

"Considering how much effort she put into making the Mace, it will be hilarious to see it all fall apart in an instant, won't it?"

She couldn't help but giggle.

She could already picture the princess's despair.

"Why did she have to come crawling to Yenikarina—"

As she spoke, Yenikarina suddenly felt something was off.

Looking up at Hamir, she saw him walking with the same smile, looking ahead.

It was a normal sight, but Yenikarina's brow furrowed.

"Brother Hamir, what are you thinking so deeply about?"

Pulling on his arm, she asked, and only then did Hamir's gaze turn to her.

"It's been a while since we met, and you're daydreaming. You didn't even listen to Yenikarina. Yenikarina is very, very disappointed."

Yenikarina puffed out her cheeks.

"Sorry, sorry."

Hamir smiled and patted Yenikarina's head.

She accepted the gesture for a moment before huffing.

"This time only."

"Thank you."

Yenikarina, glancing at Hamir, suddenly asked.

"Seeing you smile like that, something good must have happened?"

Hamir's gaze turned to Yenikarina.

"Tell Yenikarina too."

Yenikarina pouted and clung to Hamir.

"Um..."

Hamir looked at a bird flying between the trees for a moment before speaking.

"I met someone interesting."

"Interesting?"

Yenikarina frowned.

Her brother always smiled and treated everyone kindly, but he was actually a person who had no interest in others.

'But he's interested in someone?'

"Yes, different from what I thought."

That's why the more they talked, the more curious he became.

Hamir's lips curved upward.

Yenikarina's eyes narrowed.

That meant he had thought about this person before they met.

Her intuition told her.

"A woman?"

"Yes, a woman."

And a married one at that.

Hamir smiled deeply.

"My husband is done, I just want to make money."