Chapter 31

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Translator: uly

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: My Dangerous Secret

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‘What the hell is going on here!'

Lillia trembled with rage but had no choice except to take Rubette's hand and stand.

Rubette promptly released Lillia's hand, then linked arms with Lark and passed by her with a greeting.

'I have a prior engagement with the Crown Prince. I'll be heading out, then. Oppa, and Grandmother.'

With a bright smile, Rubette left the duke's residence alongside Lark.

And the duke's residence, swept up in the whirlwind...

...remained in stunned silence for quite a long time.

The only sound was Lillia's occasional ragged breaths of fury.

* * *

Decarn Street, the heart of the capital.

Even at this early hour, the bustling cityscape was clearly visible through the transparent glass window.

This was the window-side table on the third floor of a restaurant with an excellent view.

'Yes, everything up to this point is going according to plan.'

Thanks to Lark renting out the upscale restaurant entirely from early morning, we could converse without any interruptions.

Lark sat across from me, looking utterly relaxed. He dropped a couple of sugar cubes into his teacup and stirred as he spoke.

'I didn't expect the Duchess to have prepared everything already. I was fine waiting as long as it took. Oh, how many for you, Duchess?'

'I don't use sugar.'

After replying with a smile, I propped my chin on my hand and stared directly at Lark with a picture of leisure.

'I've only met you twice now, Your Highness, but I feel like you're quite similar to me. The type who hates wasting time unnecessarily.'

In truth, I was incredibly tense right now, but I had to act more relaxed than anyone.

After all, showing fear at the negotiation table was the most foolish mistake.

'So it was easy to predict. That you'd come rushing to my house first thing in the morning?'

'Haha...'

Lark chuckled, narrowing his eyes. Despite his smiling expression, the gaze he shot over his tilted teacup was sharp as a beast's.

'You're right. I did rush over. I was pretty shocked by the love-filled note from you yesterday. A suspicious young lady who sees right through a man's intimate secrets...'

'That's not all. I know quite a few secrets.'

At my words, Lark set down his teacup, his face draining of expression.

'Duchess.'

'Yes, Your Highness.'

'From here on, you'll need to choose every word carefully. I'm suspicious of you right now.'

'......'

'I have enemies. And I'm wondering if you, in some way, have a connection to one of them. Something like that.'

Lark soon softened his stern expression and added with a sly smile.

'Even so, the reason I'm here to talk to you like this is because no matter how I think about it, my suspicions feel like a leap.'

'Exactly. A thorough investigation would reveal everything. I don't meet people, I hardly ever leave the house, I'm young, and I'm a lady from the Diorus family, which is favorable to the imperial family. What reason would I have to scheme anything shady with your enemies?'

I took a sip of my tea and continued.

'Besides, no one in their right mind would send a note like that to you knowing it would arouse suspicion. Well, I'm sure you've already considered all that, Your Highness.'

'Right. And while I'm not the type to judge people after just one ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠or two meetings, somehow with you, I hope my first impression holds true...'

'Hmm, what impression was that?'

'To put it bluntly.'

Lark propped his chin on both hands, leaning his face closer as he added.

'I liked your first impression. I agree we're quite similar. So, I hope as much as possible that you're not my enemy.'

'Me too.'

Mimicking his pose, I leaned in with a grin. Lark hesitated slightly at the proximity but soon smiled back at me.

'I've judged you to be a good person, Your Highness. Not just good to me, but good for this empire. I hope you ascend to the one and only throne without issue, not your enemies.'

'Hmm, that's quite the flattering thing to hear.'

'So, I've decided to help you at great personal risk. Call it an investment.'

'Oho.'

'The secrets I know will definitely be useful to you. I guarantee it.'

'We'll see once I hear them, right? What secrets do you have, and how do you know about my aide—'

'Before that, I need some assurance as your investor. Promise me that when I tell you my secrets, you won't drag it out and kill me.'

Lark's eyes sharpened.

'Sounds like a dangerous secret.'

'Not really. From your personal standpoint, I'm helpful, but from the crown prince and heir to the empire's perspective, I'm a bit problematic.'

I planned to tell Lark that I had successfully contracted a spirit classified as "dangerous."

To reiterate, the empire seals away spirit users who contract spirits deemed dangerous. For life. No different from death.

'I don't quite follow. Are you saying I have to choose between acting for my personal gain or for the greater good as crown prince?'

'Exactly.'

'I suppose choosing the former is the only way to hear your secret. But even if I change my mind after hearing it, you can't do much about it, so let me make one more promise.'

Lark smiled as he added.

'No matter what your secret is, as long as it doesn't involve plotting rebellion with my enemies, I guarantee your life.'

'Haha, honestly, I was going to tell you even without that promise. I've already accepted the risk.'

After saying that, I continued right away.

'First secret I know: The imperial family secretly seals away spirit users who contract spirits they've classified as dangerous.'

Lark froze solid.

How about that? The first secret is already a bombshell.

The existence of the "sealing stones" was known only to spirit altar officials or high-ranking imperial family members. It was the unethical underbelly of the imperial family.

Lark looked up at me with shaking eyes.

'...How?'

Next, I presented the back of my right hand to Lark.

'You probably know this already, Your Highness. That I'm unprecedentedly not a spirit user in the Diorus family.'

Spirit users have marks on the backs of their hands symbolizing their spirits.

Naturally, I had none, as it was known I failed to contract one.

'Second secret. Actually, half a year ago, I successfully contracted a spirit without issue.'

'What?'

'Unbelievable, right? Since there's no mark on my hand. Let me tell you something you'll believe.'

'......'

'Right now, you're tearing your hair out over the Roben Kingdom, aren't you? They're trying to nearly double the strait passage tolls.'

'...Yes.'

Up to here, it was something anyone interested in diplomacy might hear through rumors.

But.

'You're trying to block the toll increase for the merchants' sake. So, for next month's negotiations with the Roben Kingdom, you're planning to bring the national treasure, the Parma Crystal.'

Lark's face, which had been struggling to maintain composure, finally crumbled.

This was something no one knew until the Roben Kingdom negotiations next month.

Even Lark himself hadn't finalized whether to offer the Parma Crystal yet.

'Parma Crystal. The country that possesses that treasure dominates the seas—or so the superstition goes. That's why everyone's eyeing it, and the Roben Kingdom wants it badly enough to spit fire.'

'......'

In the end, Lark offers the Parma Crystal to stabilize the tolls, and later it's hailed as a great negotiation triumph by the empire's people until their ears ring.

I couldn't forget the newspapers full of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠praise for the crown prince around that time.

'Stop agonizing and take it, hand it over, and negotiate the tolls. The talks will go smoothly, your approval ratings will rise. Sea domination, my foot...'

I shook my head and added.

'The Parma Crystal is just a pretty rock. If the superstition were true, the Roben Kingdom ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wouldn't suffer a crushing defeat to the Carta Kingdom in the sea battle twelve years from now.'

'......'

I beamed at the rigidly frozen Lark.

By now, unless he was an idiot, Lark would have figured it out. What secret I held. And what I wanted to say.

After staring piercingly at me for a long while, Lark spoke.

'...You're definitely a spirit user.'

'Yes.'

'A dangerous-class spirit user.'

'Yes.'

'...Vista.'

As expected, the spirit's name came from Lark's lips.

'Got him.'

I answered inwardly relieved.

'That's right.'

Vista.

A time-manipulating spirit classified ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as dangerous.

This spirit, which can show its contractor the "future," had appeared four times before, each time bringing turmoil to the empire in some form.

Contractors had sold information out of malice, or bloody fights had erupted over possessing the contractor.

Thus, the empire decided to classify all future Vistas as dangerous.

'I contracted Vista.'

Everything was going according to my plan.

'I'll have to lie a little. I absolutely can't reveal that I have a Wish Spirit.'

I had to hide at all costs that I was a Wish Spirit User. It would only threaten Lark.

However.

If I was a contractor of Vista, also known as the "Prophecy Spirit"...

'Duchess.'

'Yes, Your Highness.'

...it was a different story.

Lark would have no choice but to desire me.

'I promise absolute secrecy so your secret never leaks anywhere. And even if, unexpectedly, this secret gets out someday.'

'......'

'Lark van Rashumah Decard. On the name of this empire's imperial heir, I will protect your life no matter what. Even if it goes against the empire. So.'

With an excited smile, Lark suddenly leaned in close and said.

'Help me.'

I grinned back at him and replied.

'Sure.'