Clashing Interests
"Um… is it really okay for me to be here?"
Maria Frendis asked the crown prince cautiously as he sipped his black tea.
There were Kael Lotus's words to her, and this gathering made her deeply uncomfortable.
Everyone present was a heavyweight in their own right.
Haidel Grace from the swordsmanship department, Lucas Deverlu from the politics department. And Maria Frendis from the magic department.
Honestly, Maria couldn't understand why she'd been invited as the magic department's representative to Crown Prince Lucas's tea party.
And the most uncomfortable presence of all was…
"This black tea is delicious. Oh, what about you, Maria? Do you appreciate its flavor?"
Alley Justina.
She'd shown up to the tea party entirely on her own initiative.
"Alley, didn't I tell you not to come?"
"What's wrong with a fiancée joining her fiancé at a social gathering?"
"You always have a way with words."
"…"
Alley Justina kept shooting Maria strange glances whenever she got the chance, tossing out remarks that seemed to dismiss her outright.
As if a baronet's daughter could possibly understand true noble culture.
Haidel grimaced at her words but couldn't bring himself to scold the crown prince's fiancée.
If anyone was going to discipline her, it would be her fiancé, Lucas, not him.
"Well, the reason I invited two people from the combat department is partly to hear about each department, but also to foster connections among the academy's most capable students—those who hold the future of the academy and the empire in their hands. However… Kael Lotus, whom I invited as the arts department representative, declined to attend."
Crown Prince Lucas Deverlu calmly explained the purpose of the gathering.
"So, I'd like to hear anything you know about Kael Lotus. Lady Maria? Do you know anything about him?"
The prince's eyes smiled, but his mouth did not.
A stone-cold expression. Maria swallowed hard under that impassive gaze.
The atmosphere felt like an interrogation. Even Alley's oblivious tea-sipping seemed helpful in lightening the mood by comparison…
"I… don't know much."
"Even the smallest detail is fine."
"Has Kael done something wrong, perhaps?"
"Of course not. I just want to get to know him."
"You've been talking back this whole time. Show some respect to His Highness. When the crown prince speaks…"
"Enough, Alley."
"…"
"My lady, I apologize. My fiancée was rude."
"Your Highness…!"
"Alley. Don't make me say it again."
"…"
Alley Justina fell silent.
Crown Prince Lucas finished his tea and shrugged.
"Truth be told, it's less about wanting to befriend him and more that something suspicious about Kael Lotus has piqued my personal interest. My lady, I hesitate to say this, but please don't get too close to him."
"Pardon? Why…?"
"The rumors say he's reckless. There are many stories like that. I wouldn't want you to get hurt. If you need help, just call on me or Haidel here. That should be more than enough."
With that warning to Maria, Lucas excused himself from the tea party, claiming urgent business.
Alley followed after him, leaving only Haidel and Maria behind.
"Both His Highness and his fiancée… the vibe feels so tense, doesn't it?"
"Haidel… you can't say that. It could be taken as lèse-majesté…"
"Shh, Maria. It's fine. The one who hates that uncomfortable engagement isn't Grand Duchess Alley—it's His Highness. No one will blame us for talking like this. And what Prince Lucas said to you? He meant it. If you need help, just say the word."
"Ah… okay…"
"Don't worry. I'll help no matter what. Just focus on enjoying academy life. That makes things easier for all of us. And thanks for listening to me…"
Haidel took both of Maria's hands firmly in his. She flinched in surprise.
"Eek?!"
On any other day, she'd have brushed it off, but Maria couldn't help feeling a strange suspicion and discomfort at Haidel's words.
'He told me to be wary of men approaching me…'
Of course, she didn't fully believe it. But the seed of doubt kept growing.
You can't realize true love by getting chummy with men. That was what Kael Lotus had seemed to say back then.
It still bothered her.
"Your Highness…! Why are you so kind only to that girl, and so cold to me?"
"Enough, Alley."
"Be honest!"
Even Alley Justina could see it now.
Crown Prince Lucas Deverlu was growing fond of Maria.
Having watched the whole process unfold from the sidelines, Alley couldn't help but seethe with frustration.
She huffed and confronted the prince.
"Put yourself in my shoes. How would you feel if I showed interest in another man? Huh? Do you think I'm clinging to you because I can't get another guy?"
"That wouldn't be so bad. Why not go to another man entirely?"
"You… you don't know my true feelings… my sincerity…"
Tears soon streamed down Alley's face.
Lucas watched her with utter indifference.
'Crocodile tears…'
He might have been flustered by them as a child, but now Lucas saw right through Alley's act.
Alley Justina was greedy. If she wanted something, she had to have it. And her go-to method was those very tears.
Now, they just made him sick. They felt utterly insincere.
"Sob… Fine. Fine! I'll go to other men then. Don't try to stop me, Your Highness."
"Do as you like."
Of course, Alley loved Crown Prince Lucas the most, but she also wanted to make him jealous and obsessed.
If tears wouldn't work, stealing away the things that caught his attention was another way.
'Kael Lotus…? Come to think of it, he's incredibly handsome.'
If it would provoke jealousy and obsession from the prince, flirting with a mangnani would be a breeze.
And besides…
'Maria Frendis. I won't let you off easy.'
She'd make sure the prince couldn't turn his eyes to that wench—by ruining Maria and tormenting her thoroughly.
That way, she'd confirm Lucas's love and secure her own.
What she didn't realize was that this mindset was exactly what Kael Lotus despised most—and that it relied on the false premise that Lucas still held any affection for her.
She had no idea.
"How about putting me down now?"
"My dear, fiancée of a genius. I'm a patient, you see. A mana exhaustion sufferer."
"Shall I carry you instead?"
"I prefer this broad back of Kael's."
"…"
Why on earth had these two suddenly soured on each other?
And why was Professor Rapel giving Elia that smug, victorious look over my back?
Why was Elia even rising to it?
I couldn't make sense of it.
"Hey, shorty. Hasn't your mana recovered by now? Can't you walk?"
"But riding like this is surprisingly comfy."
"So you've been milking the comfort this whole time?"
"Would you toss this delicate lady to the ground, then?"
"If I had to?"
"Ah, fine! Fine!"
She flailed behind my back.
With a sigh, I set her down. She wobbled once, then steadied herself on trembling legs.
"You look like a newborn fawn."
"D-don't tease me. If I hadn't put up that barrier back there, you'd all be dead. Isn't my mana exhaustion from saving your hides?"
"Who dragged us into the dungeon? Who suggested the special class? Who tempted us with extra credit?"
"Ugh…"
"Well, at least you'll recover by next week's class."
She didn't look that bad.
It wasn't severe mana exhaustion—just the early symptoms.
Forcing more magic without mana makes veins bulge, eyes bloodshot, and in bad cases, you cough blood and collapse.
She wasn't there yet, so it was fine.
"Need me to support you?"
"Sorry, but no thanks. Your fiancée scares me too much to get close."
"I keep telling you, we're not like that…"
"Kael. Don't say that to other people."
Elia tugged my arm.
She was stubborn about the weirdest things. Was she really into the act, or enjoying this situation…?
"Anyway, it was fun today. We had a blast!"
Professor Rapel Strahct waved as she departed.
Fun? A blast? That was just "play" to her?
I had enjoyed it somewhat, sure.
"You should head back too, Elia."
I figured we'd part ways here.
But Elia kept holding my arm.
"Kael… remember what I was going to say in the dungeon?"
"Yeah. You muttered something."
"You're a really good person, Kael. Despite appearances."
"Ah… uh-huh."
Her serious expression made it feel no joke.
When she got like that, it was hard to tell if she meant it or not.
"Remember the day we first met? What you said to me?"
"The fake engagement thing?"
"No. When I asked if you didn't like me… you said I was pretty."
What was she really getting at?
She stared at the ground for a long pause.
Orange sunset glowed behind her, signaling the day's end.
"Is that… still true?"
She asked carefully, but she knew the answer she wanted.
I chuckled and said,
"Still true. It's not been that long."
"That's enough."
"Why? What's this about?"
"Nothing."
Elia turned and headed to her dorm.
What the hell was that about…?