Chapter 81

As she pondered, a servant of the Kingdom of Clingate stepped forward and informed the king.

"Your Majesty, it is almost time for your official duties."

"Hmm, then let's go. ... Louis, make sure to entertain Princess Claudia well today."

"Yes, Father."

"Princess Claudia, please take it easy. Alright?"

After the king left the room, Louis smiled wryly and spoke to Claudia.

"I'm sorry, Claudia. Did I make you feel sad?"

"... No, Claudia is fine!"

"... Thank you for worrying about me."

Louis closed his eyes and spoke as if convincing himself.

"Father says that, but I still think that my brother's heart was wounded because of me. For my brother, who was only ten years old, my near-death experience and Mother's scolding must have been terrifying."

He then held the teacup with both hands, looking uneasy.

"I want to look my brother in the eye and say sorry. I wish he would come out of his room. I want him to teach me the magic he excels at. So, I go to his room every day and talk to the door..."

The smile on Louis's face was still sad and lonely.

"I think my brother still hates me. ... Or maybe he's just afraid of me."

"Lord Louis..."

Claudia made a similarly sad expression.

"Don't make that face, Claudia."

"But..."

"That's right. I prepared a lot of sweets for today? I hope you'll enjoy them."

Louis called out to the servant who was preparing more tea.

"Can you prepare them?"

"Yes, Prince Louis."

"Noah, if you don't mind, could you help them...?"

Noah bowed his head, looking apologetic.

"I understand. Then, Princess."

"Go ahead, Noah."

After Noah and the servants left, the dining room was left with only Claudia and Louis. Louis smiled in a troubled way and told Claudia.

"Sorry, Claudia. I might have used a bit of a sneaky method to be alone with you."

"Alone?"

"I wanted to tell you. ... There's still a long engagement period, but I've already made my decision."

Louis's eyes, which changed from lapis lazuli to ruby, looked at Claudia intently.

"Claudia, I want to be with you. I truly cherish you, who shows me a world I don't know and takes me to the future with unexpected words."

"... Lord Louis"

Claudia blinked.

"You are the only one who has undoubtedly changed my fate."

Saying this, Louis narrowed his eyes lovingly.

"... I just wanted to tell you now. You don't have to give me an answer, Claudia."

"But..."

"We still have six days left. I'll try to be at least as reliable as Noah, if not more."

After blushing slightly, Louis cleared his throat to hide his emotions.

"I feel bad for making Noah leave his seat to tell you this."

"Lord Louis. Claudia here."

"You stay here. I should help the servants sometimes to learn about the world."

Louis hurriedly stood up and rushed out of the dining room.

"......"

Left alone, Claudia drank her tea with a completely mature manner and pondered, looking down.

***

"Carlheinz, what do you think of Stuart?"

Claudia lounged in a chair in the guest room, eating the sweets Louis had given her, and asked. Carlheinz thought for a moment before answering.

"I get the impression that he is an introverted, self-deprecating prince with low self-esteem."

Carlheinz had already heard everything Claudia and the others had seen and heard, including the transfer to the tower, the battle with Stuart, and the final act of putting Stuart to sleep and taking him away.

After a long silence of over thirty seconds, Carlheinz responded, "I will stop thinking about this matter for now."

Now, in the room prepared for Claudia at Clingate Castle, he was participating in a strategy meeting.

"His self-esteem may have been damaged from being scolded for Prince Louis's high fever and the fear that he might be responsible for his younger brother's death."

"Even for an older brother, it's harsh for a ten-year-old child to be scolded for not taking good care of his younger brother. It's not unnatural for his relationship with his family and brother to become awkward after that."

"From what I've discreetly heard from the old servants, Prince Louis developed his magical talent after recovering from his high fever."

Carlheinz sipped the tea Noah had poured and answered calmly.

"While Prince Stuart was locked in his room out of fear, his younger brother was evaluated as more suitable to be the next king. As a result, Prince Louis became the first in line for the throne, which may have led Prince Stuart to further isolate himself..."

Carlheinz's ruby eyes looked at Claudia.

"The paintings of women in the ice garden... I think they are sufficient to suggest that Prince Stuart is the master of the curse."

"......"

Claudia stared at her reflection in the tea.

"What do you think, Noah?"

"That man is a pervert and an untrustworthy, dangerous person."

"Hehe. Harsh."

"But..."

Noah frowned and said,

"We need to separate the character I imagine from whether that man has committed a crime. ... I can't read what that man is thinking, but I can understand a little of what you're thinking, Princess."

His obsidian eyes seemed to see through everything about Claudia.

"Do you think Stuart is not the master of the curse?"

"......"

When asked, Claudia smiled instead of answering.