Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Silver Wolf (2)
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Dasha pulled a monocle from the pocket of her uniform.
She fitted it over one eye, striking a serious pose.
“How do you feel about Sir Veil, Your Highness?”
The 2nd Imperial Princess blinked her emerald eyes at the sudden question.
She fidgeted with her fingers, trying to deflect.
“Veil is a splendid knight...”
“Is that all?”
Dasha leaned in close to Irina’s face.
Her persistent violet eyes gleamed.
“Uh... well...”
Irina rummaged through her memories of Veil.
“He’s a responsible man who protects those he’s with until the end.”
She began listing off the image of Veil she held in her mind, bit by bit.
“Especially his broad back when he led the way—it was really cool.”
“A back, huh... So it ties directly to his appearance.”
True to her intelligence operative roots, Dasha analyzed it coolly.
Irina hurriedly waved her hands in denial.
“Dasha, don’t say it like that—it makes me sound so superficial!”
“It’s fine. People are naturally drawn to looks, after all. I’ve gotten confessions from seniors I’ve never even talked to.”
Irina gazed steadily at her subordinate.
They shared the same silver hair, but Dasha carried a far more mature and feminine air.
Feeling overshadowed, she muttered to herself.
“Well, Dasha is pretty, after all...”
“You’re far more beautiful than I am, Your Highness. You’ve just never paid attention to your looks until now.”
Irina toyed with her straight silver locks.
She brushed it regularly, but had never really styled it specially.
“Lady Lydia, whom we just met, put thought into her appearance to match Sir Veil’s tastes.”
“That getup?”
Irina pictured Lydia’s plain school uniform look in her mind.
No matter how she thought about it, it was just ordinary and fragile—different from her usual self.
To think that was her dolled up—Lydia must have no sense for this stuff.
“You can’t underestimate that outfit.”
Dasha shook her head firmly.
“Think about Lady Lydia’s usual look. Flashy and fierce, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Men don’t usually go for that perfect, intimidating style.”
Irina, clueless about romance, wore a puzzled expression.
“But the Lady Lydia we just saw looked cute and approachable, like a schoolgirl.”
Dasha wrapped her arms around herself.
She made a pitiful, girlish face.
“The kind of vibe that makes you want to protect her?”
At the operative’s words, Irina’s mouth fell open.
She finally understood Lydia’s intent.
“Oh...!”
“And Sir Veil picked out the clothes himself. Meaning...”
Dasha tapped her monocle.
She raised it like an instructor delivering the correct answer.
“Sir Veil prefers women who are ‘petite’ and in ‘approachable outfits’—the type that makes him want to protect them.”
Irina let out a deep sigh.
“What should I do then...? I can’t exactly go with twin tails and a school uniform.”
She thought twin tails would look ridiculous on her.
Dasha nodded in agreement.
“You’re right, Your Highness has her own unique charm.”
“My own...?”
Irina tilted her head.
Her lustrous silver hair cascaded to the side.
“Yes, a pure yet mature allure.”
Dasha smiled at the rippling waves.
“I’ll help make that charm stand out.”
The operative stepped out of the shade with the princess.
She pointed to a nearby tailor’s shop.
“Let’s head to the tailor first. We need to ditch that stuffy imperial attire.”
「―――.」
“Took longer than I expected.”
I sat alone in the café.
Bored, I picked up the mysterious longsword she’d left behind.
'Mithril, huh.'
Before the purges, it was a rare ore in short supply.
Weapons made from it inherently block magic.
Even in her past life, Irina had predicted this material would trend.
She’d said that if she built up capital for her knight order, she’d stockpile mithril in bulk.
And now, with ample funds, she’d made it happen.
“...”
Impressive—fitting for someone thinking of her own growth and the empire’s welfare.
So admirable, unlike girls her age.
I set the longsword back down.
While sipping water...
“Veil.”
Someone tapped my shoulder. I looked up.
My mind sharpened the instant I glanced toward the voice with bleary eyes.
“Sorry, did I keep you waiting long...?”
Black leggings hugging her waist perfectly.
They accentuated her hips.
Above them, a white knit top.
It clung to Irina’s body, unlike her usual loose fits.
And finally, a beautiful ponytail tied to one side.
The Irina before me now wasn’t a princess—she was a mature woman.
“Did you change clothes?”
She cleared her throat at my question.
Looking away, she feigned nonchalance.
“Yeah, my clothes got a bit dirty at the smithy...”
Maybe because of the ponytail.
Her profile came into sharp focus.
“This is the first time I’ve seen you in casual wear like this.”
“Really?”
“Yes, you look comfortable.”
Comfortable.
Irina quietly repeated the word to herself as she sat.
She looked a bit disappointed.
I wondered if I’d said something wrong.
“Shall we order something first?”
“Sure.”
I knew her tastes.
The 2nd Imperial Princess usually favored sweets.
She’d probably pick strawberry juice.
But...
My prediction missed the mark spectacularly.
Irina ordered a dark, black drink instead of juice.
“I’ll have black coffee.”
“Coffee?”
“Yeah, I’ve been into this taste lately.”
Irina put on an adult-like, nonchalant expression.
But I caught on quick.
Her emerald eyes kept flicking toward the strawberry juice.
“Got it.”
I raised a hand to call the waiter.
A man in a tuxedo uniform approached from afar.
He bowed politely to take our order.
“Black coffee and strawberry juice, please.”
Irina blinked in surprise at my unexpected order.
“Veil... you drink juice too?”
“Yes, I’ve been tired lately—craving fruit.”
The 2nd Imperial Princess scratched her head.
Then she faced the black drink before her.
“...”
Pitch black, like the abyss.
At the unappetizing sight, Irina swallowed hard.
“Not drinking?”
“Y-yeah, of course I will...”
The 2nd Imperial Princess held her breath and picked up the cup.
She slowly sipped the steaming coffee.
She forced an adult composure, eyes closed as she tilted the cup maturely.
But the moment the black liquid slid down her throat...
Her beautiful face twisted completely.
“Ugh...”
The bitterness surged, impossible to endure.
Her mature expression reverted to that of a girl her age.
“Are you alright...?”
“Y-yeah, fine...”
Irina pressed a hand to her chest.
She cleared her throat and said,
“The acidity is excellent. They must use good beans.”
I picked up my juice glass.
Took a light sip.
Sweet.
Like they poured honey in it—not my taste at all.
I prefer coffee over juice anyway.
“Irina.”
I gazed at her struggling with the coffee.
Pointing alternately at our drinks, I suggested,
“The juice is too sweet—want to switch with me?”
“Really...?”
Irina’s face brightened.
She maintained her adult facade with feigned calm.
“If that’s what you want, Veil, I suppose.”
“Yes, please.”
The princess received the barely touched juice.
Relieved at the familiar sight, she brought it straight to her lips.
“...”
Sweet juice filled her mouth.
A girlish smile bloomed on Irina’s face unbidden.
In good spirits, her bound hair swayed like a tail.
I rested my chin on my hand, watching her fondly.
Then our eyes met—juice on her lips.
“Ah...”
Far from mature.
Just a girl with juice on her mouth.
The princess wiped her lips hastily with the back of her hand, embarrassed.
“I-it’s been a while, so it tastes good—.”
“Has it really been that long?”
“Of course! Who drinks something this sweet every day!”
I chuckled and turned away.
Gazing out the window at the city street.
A familiar face perched on the fountain.
Dasha, spying on us with a newspaper, caught my eye.
Seeing maturely coordinated Irina fumbling, she clutched her forehead.
‘So it was Dasha’s doing after all.’
After nearly finishing our drinks.
I pulled the copied secret letter from my pocket.
“Now, let’s get to the main topic.”
The proposal from the Imperial Chancellor, Mosian.
I showed it straight to Irina.
“Chancellor Mosian proposed helping you princesses build a faction against the Crown Prince.”
“Uncle Mosian...?”
“Yes. He said the Crown Prince and the Northern Duke are plotting.”
Irina took the letter with a serious gaze.
She read it calmly, brow slightly furrowed.
She already knew Rozanna, the Crown Prince, and the Northern Duke were in cahoots.
I’d learned it from the secret letter hidden in her villa.
“Uncle said he’d find reliable backers...”
But she hadn’t known he’d dealt with me.
“That was you?”
“Yes. Meeting Lady Lydia was part of that too.”
The misunderstanding cleared.
Irina nodded, finally piecing it all together.
“I see...”
“Yes, it’s a big undertaking, so Her Highness the Consort only met her in person once.”
The 2nd Imperial Princess showed little interest in Lydia, eyes fixed on the letter.
Focused solely on the empire’s fate.
“If the other princesses help, it seems feasible. The timeline might...”
I watched her silently.
“This would buy more time for defense...”
When meeting me, she was just a girl pretending to be mature.
Now, she embodied a sovereign’s mature beauty, aiming to alter the empire’s destiny.
“Veil...?”
Lost in thought.
I met eyes with Irina, who had set down the letter and was staring at me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh...”
She’d drawn closer.
With her hair gathered to one side, her face stood out more.
“Just... you look good like this.”
“My look...?”
She’d changed clothes and vibe, stayed oblivious.
But reading the letter looked good too—Irina looked bashful.
“That a compliment?”
“Yes, it is.”
Irina’s lips curved in satisfaction.
She pressed her wriggling lips with bent fingers.
Eyes half-closed, she fell silent.
An awkward quiet stretched on.
To break it, I stood.
Noted her glass was nearly empty.
Only one streak of juice remained.
“Then, please consider the proposal at your leisure.”
“You have somewhere else to go?”
Irina stood hurriedly after me.
Stuck close in her refined outfit.
“Yes, I need to make the same offer to Her Highness Lea.”
I led the way alone.
Had to hurry to the road for a carriage.
But...
A soft tug on my collar.
I turned.
Irina avoided my gaze, muttering alone.
“Do we... have to go today?”
The white knit clung to her body.
A rosary necklace gleamed softly over her chest.