Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Interlude (3)
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After Ellie left, I spent about a day focusing purely on recovery.
Truth be told, there wasn't much to it. I just had to lie in bed and wait for my body to heal.
And that was ending today.
My body had returned to its normal condition—fully recovered.
No nobles had come to visit during that time.
They were all probably busy with their own duties.
It had been such a massive incident, after all. Taking care of the injured and handling the aftermath would be no small task.
Thanks to that, things felt pretty chaotic outside my room.
But my room remained peaceful, untouched by the bustle.
"Oppa."
"What?"
"Can I wear this around?"
Ariel held out the ring as she asked.
It seemed her day-long observation of the ring had finally wrapped up.
She clearly loved it, fiddling with it constantly and cherishing it.
Looks like I made a good purchase.
"Of course you can wear it. I bought it for you to wear."
"Okay."
Ariel nodded and slipped the ring onto her finger.
Her left ring finger.
"Whoa, hold on, little sis. Why'd you pick that spot of all places?"
"It looked like it fit best here."
"Wouldn't any other finger work?"
"No. This one's pretty."
Hmm.
Does she know what putting a ring on the left ring finger means?
Maybe she's read enough books lately to pick up on it?
...If so, is she doing this on purpose?
No. No way.
Not my little sister. She's definitely just innocently thought it suited her left ring finger best.
She's still too young. Pure enough not to know.
...Right?
"If someone else sees this, I wouldn't even know how to explain it."
"Explain?"
Ariel tilted her head.
Her face was the picture of innocent ignorance, yet she was subtly showing off her left ring finger.
This girl... is she playing innocent on purpose...?
Knock knock.
A knock came at the door right then.
"Who is it?"
"It's me. Adelheit."
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing a girl with pink hair.
First time seeing her since the battle with Bloodied, I think.
"What brings you here?"
"Just wanted to see you. What, can't I visit?"
"No, I didn't say that."
"Hmph. Right. ..."
Mid-sentence, Adelheit's gaze flicked elsewhere.
There was Ariel, glaring daggers at the Third Imperial Princess.
Ah.
I got it. Yesterday, Ellie had been too entranced by the ring to react.
Now that she was back to her senses, Ariel was on guard against Adelheit.
Not that it was a good attitude, of course.
'Acting out like that in front of a princess will just get me in more trouble.'
Ariel was so unpredictable, after all.
Better to step in before she said something weird.
"Ariel. This is Third Imperial Princess Adelheit von Baldrion. Say hi."
".........Hello."
A very long silence before the greeting.
But she still bowed her head properly.
That's my little sister. I've taught her well.
"Hmph. So this is your little sister?"
Adelheit unfolded her fan.
She murmured while covering her mouth and looking down at Ariel.
"...She gives off a strange vibe."
"Minor details. Anyway, if you have something to say, feel free."
"Fine. I wasn't planning to meddle in your family matters anyway."
She's pretty perceptive. Can she sense Ariel's inhumanity just by looking?
Good thing she's not prying, though.
To interfere between me and my sister, she'd at least need to be my wife... Huh?
"Your Highness."
"What."
"Why the sudden casual speech?"
"Hmph."
Adelheit snorted at my words and hid her mouth behind her fan.
"Obviously. You performed great feats, so I'm rewarding you accordingly."
"Hearing casual speech from a princess is the reward?"
"Isn't it? It means I don't care about formality with you. Feel honored. ...Unless you hate it?"
"No, I don't mind."
"Then it's fine."
I could see her cheeks flush slightly behind the fan.
Adelheit fidgeted shyly for a moment before speaking up.
"Hey, you."
"Yes?"
"I might even let you call me by a nickname. What do you think?"
"A nickname?"
"Yeah. I'm allowing you to shorten my name."
Her face was now red from cheeks to earlobes as she said it.
If it's that embarrassing, she doesn't have to say it.
She's always so bold at times like this.
"Hmm. How about Adel, then?"
"No! I didn't mean get that casual. Call me Your Highness."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Adel Highness. Something like that once in a while. Come on? I'll allow that much."
"You're so picky."
"Hmph."
Casual speech and nicknames.
Why the sudden change in attitude from Adelheit—no, Adel?
'Or maybe...?'
Thinking back, she even asked me to dance at the ball.
Considering that—this girl actually likes me...?
Hmm.
Don't get ahead of myself.
"Who said you could?"
Right then.
One intruder barged into our conversation.
Ariel's eyes narrowed at the corners.
"Who said you could talk casually to Oppa? You—"
"Haha. Looks like Ariel's pretty tired."
I placed my hand on her head to cut her off.
Her mouth shut immediately as I gently stroked her snowy hair.
She seemed to get that I meant for her to stop.
But her eyes were still glaring at Adel.
"......"
Adel's expression wasn't great either.
Until moments ago, she'd been hiding her embarrassment behind her fan.
Now it was down, and she stared coolly at Ariel.
Whoa.
That's scary as hell.
Daring to mouth off to imperial royalty like that.
My little sister really has no fear of the world.
......
Come to think of it, she has no reason to be scared.
"......Is your sister always like this?"
"Haha. She's still young, so her common sense is a bit lacking. I'd be grateful if Your Highness could overlook it. Hahaha."
I let out an awkward laugh, uncharacteristic for me.
I rarely lacked confidence like this.
Even I get nervous about her acting up in front of royalty—my head could roll.
"Whatever. I've heard the story already."
But Adel's response was oddly vague.
She brushed off Ariel right away, as if whatever she'd heard influenced her.
What did she hear?
"I came to fill you in on what happened after the incident. Lady Elysia probably explained some, but it's better straight from me, right?"
"Fair enough."
After that, Adel shared various updates.
That Ellie had treated me.
She'd saved me when I was on the brink of death and kept treating me until I woke up.
Considering how other healers were swamped with the injured and exclusive healers were hard to come by, Ellie had basically become my personal one.
The Red Mask Merchant Guild was completely under noble control now.
Since their guildmaster had orchestrated the terrorist attack.
The employees were innocent, but the nobles wouldn't let it slide.
As Ellie said, their futures would be rough. My condolences.
And what the Empire was most focused on right now?
"What the hell Bloodied really was."
That was it.
"Mages are still dissecting her corpse even now. But they say it's not a human body."
Yeah, that tracks.
You can't call a vampire human.
Plus, the Crimson Blood Cult hadn't clearly revealed itself to the world yet.
The very concept of vampires would be utterly alien to them.
"So they kept investigating and confirmed it's definitely not human. Devil was the easiest way to explain it."
"Makes sense."
"They're testing the blood since she used blood magic a lot, but I doubt it'll yield much."
I nodded silently.
At this point, preparing against the Crimson Blood Cult seemed tough.
"Sigh. So here's the thing."
But Adel's topic didn't stop there.
She furrowed her brow, as if it was hard to bring up herself.
This feels ominous.
Something's off.
"Is there a problem?"
"Obviously. We couldn't figure it out from the body alone. So who's next?"
"Ah."
I see.
"Right. You. The one who suspected Bloodied. The one who exposed her in front of all the nobles. The palace has been waiting for you to recover to interrogate you."
What a hassle.
I'm innocent, sure, but...
The issue is explaining how I figured out Bloodied's identity.
The prophet thing doesn't cover everything.
Especially why I suspected her in the first place.
"Hmm."
"Don't worry too much. It's not a real interrogation. Just a private meeting with Father."
"Meeting His Majesty alone isn't exactly easy."
Better than a public one with courtiers watching, but...
Still tense for a noble to go one-on-one with the emperor.
What can you do? If he calls, you go.
"Oh, and."
Adel turned her head.
Ariel was there, blankly watching our conversation.
"Father said to bring your sister too."
"Pardon?"
"He really wants to meet her at least once. ...Your sister must be something special?"
Figures.
Should've realized when she brushed it off earlier. Maybe she already knew and didn't care.
Adel's father.
The Emperor of the Empire wanted to meet my little sister—the girl called a "calamity."