Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The One and Only Birthday Gift in the World
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The one and only birthday gift in the world.
The one and only...
The moment he heard the rather touching congratulations, a small breeze slipped between them like a lie.
Unlike the chilly capital weather, the wind blowing through the slightly warmer Lubon was quite gentle.
“Happy birthday. Thank you for being born with national treasure-level beauty and benefiting the empire at large.”
Lark had been about to laugh along with Rubette, who chuckled with her playful greeting, but for some reason, his lips felt stiff, leaving him speechless.
“......?”
Rubette suddenly looked unfamiliar. Was it because she’d lost so much weight in the past month that she seemed half her size?
No, more than that...
It felt like his own heart, taking in Rubette’s face right now, had changed just a little somewhere deep down.
Her softly fluttering red hair, her sparkling golden eyes, the tear mole at the corner of her left eye...
If he was feeling like the unchanged Rubette had somehow changed,
“Ah, this is dangerous.”
Thinking that, Lark grinned and took a couple of steps back.
“Thanks. You’re gonna make me tear up.”
“Aww... But it is a pretty watch worthy of tears, right?”
“Yeah. It’s the best gift I’ve ever gotten since I was born.”
“That good?”
As Rubette’s eyes widened in surprise and she broke into a pleased smile, Lark quickly averted his gaze, avoiding her face.
“Hmm, really dangerous.”
It was ridiculous how his eyes groped at empty air, but oblivious to his inner turmoil, Rubette kept chattering away.
His ears even felt stuffy for some reason, so he could barely make out what she was saying.
“......Your Highness!”
Only after Rubette tilted her head for a long while and thrust her face close did he snap out of it.
“Uh, yeah...”
“Are you listening to me?”
“......What’d you say?”
“I said, wear the watch every time you come to Lubon. I’ll clean it for you at the workshop. It’s super expensive, so maintenance is key.”
“Haha... Right, got it.”
They were too close. Lark played it cool and took another couple of steps back.
“Anyway, I’m really late. Gotta go. I’ll make time next week and come again.”
“Huh? Already?”
Her pouty, disappointed expression was dangerous again. Lark’s retreating footsteps quickened as he turned away.
“Yeah, sorry. See you next time.”
“No, wait. Why’re you in such a rush? Didn’t you say you had something to give me too? That’s why you came, right?”
“Ahh.”
Lark, who’d been trying to flee, let out a groan and rubbed his forehead.
“Right.”
“What is it?”
“Well... Let’s go to the duchess’s villa. I have to give it to you there.”
“Ooh, great. The interior turned out so pretty. Why don’t you at least take a peek at the living room on your way.”
Rubette, brimming with excitement, naturally fell into step beside him and walked abreast.
Her familiar scent wafted to his nose on the breeze from this close distance—dangerous again.
Lark stopped abruptly, covering his eyes, then let out a sigh with a smile.
“What’s wrong?”
“......Nothing. Let’s go.”
* * *
Imperial Conference Hall.
The nobles’ meeting was in full swing.
“Ahem, hrrm.”
“Hmm...”
The nobles were all watching Lark’s every move.
“You seem... eager to show it off, don’t you?”
Marquis Rosel quietly murmured to Duke Raizer beside him.
“Hm, that’s what I think too. Guess we should say something.”
Duke Raizer nodded and looked toward Lark at the head of the table.
Flash. On his left wrist gleamed a lavish bracelet studded with dozens of diamonds.
Lark...
From the moment he’d entered the conference hall, he’d clearly been itching to show it off.
“Coming in?”
He’d lightly touch his forehead with his left hand in a somewhat frivolous greeting to everyone entering...
“Hmm... This agenda will require some thought.”
Throughout the meeting, he’d deliberately prop his chin with both hands, drawing all eyes to his sparkling left wrist.
Anyone but a fool could see what Lark was screaming with his whole body: “Look at my fancy bracelet!”
“Your Highness, that bracelet you’re wearing today is incredibly flashy and stylish.”
Lark’s face lit up at Duke Raizer’s praise, pretending surprise with wide eyes.
“Oh, you saw it?”
“......Ahem.”
As if they were blind and couldn’t see him blatantly showing it off...
The old nobles swallowed laughs at his cute reaction.
“It’s not a bracelet. It’s a watch.”
“A watch?”
Lark held out his wrist to Duke Raizer, who tilted his head. The duke’s eyes went wide.
Sure enough, what he’d mistaken for a men’s jeweled bracelet was a watch.
Far smaller than a pocket watch, it was designed to fit lightly on the wrist, and the twinkling diamonds served as ample ornamentation.
“No way... They can make watches this small?”
Marquis Rosel chimed in, intrigued.
“The craftsmanship is advancing. They’re about to release them in the capital soon, so you should all get one. They’re awfully convenient.”
“How did Your Highness get yours so quickly?”
“Eh, well...”
Lark’s shoulders rose as he chuckled softly and lightly rubbed his nose—with his left hand, of course.
“Looks like you received it as a birthday gift?”
Duke Raizer asked, eyeing Lark sharply.
What kind of person was the Crown Prince? Born with more power and wealth than he could spend, yet he was always self-restrained.
He never flaunted his riches on purpose, nor did his personality lean toward ostentation or luxury.
For such a man to show up at a meeting wearing expensive jewelry and flaunting it?
Obvious. Duke Raizer smiled warmly.
“Looks like you’ve met someone special.”
“Huh?”
Lark froze, clearing his throat awkwardly and turning his head. At the end of his shifty gaze sat Viego.
“No, it’s not like that...”
“I was just thinking it’s about time to bring this up again.”
Duke Raizer pulled his chair forward with a determined look.
“It’s time to take in Your Highness’s consorts. Please don’t delay this matter any longer—I urge you to proceed swiftly.”
“Indeed, Your Highness. If there were no prospects, that’d be one thing, but since you do have someone you’re seeing, it’s only proper to prepare for the national wedding without delay.”
Marquis Rosel quickly added.
“Yes, Your Highness. Not just the Crown Princess, but the concubines as well. It’s far too late. They need to enter the imperial family as soon as possible to learn and adjust...”
Duke Merlin, head of the Merlin Ducal House, spoke up too.
His eldest daughter, Duchess Merlin, was publicly considered a shoo-in for a position, whether as principal wife or concubine.
“Uh, yeah. I have been a bit late...”
Amid the nobles flashing hungry hyena eyes and piping up one by one, Lark gave an awkward smile.
“A bit?”
“Yes, quite...”
Duke Raizer and Marquis Rosel shot him sharp looks and piled on.
“Whew, alright... I actually have an agenda item regarding the national wedding to bring up at this meeting.”
Lark leaned forward.
The nobles seated around the conference table focused their piercing gazes on him, unwilling to yield.
If he spouted more nonsense and dragged his feet on this long-delayed issue, they looked ready to flip the table right then.
Amid the conference hall’s beasts, the somewhat tense Lark slowly parted his lips.
“What is it...”
* * *
After Lark left.
“Amazing.”
I was admiring his “gift” in the villa’s backyard.
He’d come to the villa saying he had something for me, then in the blink of an eye, grew a whole tree in the backyard.
It must’ve been the power of the earth spirit Randian...
“Diorus Duke seemed pretty worried, so he told me not to let your father kill me and to stay in touch every day. He planted one in the Diorus residence too.”
This tree, towering as high as my third-floor bedroom, wasn’t for show. Surprisingly, it was like a cell phone substitute.
“The blessing of the lower spirit ‘Florinus’ is on it. It lets you communicate through plants growing from the earth.”
Wishit, looking up at the tree beside me, explained.
“Florinus?”
“To the naked eye, it just looks like a decorative tree, but with Florinus’s blessing engraved, it’s no ordinary tree. Within the range permitted by the contractor, those allowed can hear and speak to each other.”
“Amazing... So there was a cell phone here too?”
Wishit stuck out his tongue at my surprise.
“Strictly speaking, you’re a criminal suspect right now, and he’s letting you contact outsiders with his own power... Crown Prince, is this really the guy I knew? Seeing him give you special treatment like this, he’d probably say yes even if you asked him to sell out the country.”
“Hmm.”
Something made my shoulders rise involuntarily, so I scratched my cheek a little and asked,
“But isn’t Lark’s spirit the earth spirit Randian? This is a different spirit’s power, right?”
“Lower spirits belong to the highest-grade ones. A higher-grade spirit of the same attribute can summon lower ones.”
“Aha!”
In short, the supreme earth spirit could command lower earth spirits.
I nodded and said casually,
“Then the Spirit King can command all of them.”
“Gah!”
Wishit, predictably bad at acting, overreacted to my offhand remark. Coughing awkwardly, he said,
“Well, yeah, probably.”
“Ooh, really.”
Pretending ignorance, I approached the tree and placed my hand on its thick trunk.
“Didn’t you say you missed Appa? Say something.”
“When did I?”
“Just do it.”
“Well, considering the Crown Prince’s sincerity...”
The unexpected gift left me a bit dazed.
It had been over a month since I’d seen Appa, and suddenly being able to talk to him felt disorienting...
“Um, ahem. I just talk and it works? Can you hear me, Appa?”
Silence.
No response came.
“What, defective...”
I pouted and turned to Wishit when suddenly, a breeze rustled the leaves, producing a familiar voice.
[...Rubette.]
I froze and whipped around.
“Uh...”
What was this? I hadn’t thought much before the reply came, but hearing Appa’s voice made my mood strange.
Unable to put the feeling into words, I just scratched my head and replied.
“Th-this actually works? Appa? Have you been... well? Um, meals... you’re eating properly every day, right?”