Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 38
Chapter Title: I'll Allow It Only Up to There
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With the Emperor's voice, the engagement—which had proceeded at a breakneck pace after just one month—finally drew to a close.
Helios glanced sideways at Esther. She too seemed far from pleased with the situation, her face shadowed as she stared blankly off into the distance.
Without realizing it, Helios found himself fixating on the spot she was gazing at, only to taste that familiar misery once more. At the end of her line of sight stood Noel.
Strength tightened in Esther's hand where it rested on Helios's arm. He could feel her fist clenched tight, trembling with fury. But right now, such things were trivial to Helios.
"Your Highness...?"
Whether that tremor had traveled up her own arm, her green eyes finally settled on him for the first time.
His heart leaped erratically with a joy he knew was pathetic—could it sink any lower?—when the Emperor approached them.
"Crown Prince, Countess Elpis. Follow the attendant to draft your engagement vows."
"Understood."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Once even the Emperor had departed, an awkward silence settled between the two. Seeing Esther's discomfort, Helios spoke without thinking.
"You..."
"Esther."
"Ah, Noel."
Helios frowned involuntarily at the sound of that voice.
"I pay my respects to the Empire's Little Sun, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Noel had drawn near unnoticed, grinning broadly at Esther.
Helios wanted nothing more than to shove him aside right then and there. But with her beaming so delightedly, he couldn't bring himself to act.
"Congratulations. Truly."
"Finally pretending to know me, huh?"
"Sorry."
"No, the Marquis disliked me. I'm just glad we can chat so casually now."
Helios ground his teeth, feeling utterly like an intruder.
It was plain as day. The look in Noel's eyes was nothing that belonged between mere friends.
"Nice to meet you. Seems you've been quite close with my fiancée."
As Helios drew Esther's hand—resting on his arm—closer to his side, Noel's gaze lingered there a moment before dropping away.
"Yes, we'd seek each other out whenever we had worries, lean on one another. Skipped out on duties together too."
"How can you say that!"
"But it's the truth."
It felt like watching a pair of lovers in the first flush of romance. Helios's insides burned pitch-black with envy.
Aware or not of his turmoil, Esther flushed pink at Noel's words—and she was utterly adorable for it.
"What is it, Esther? Embarrassed?"
Even that laughter grated on his nerves. It only confirmed what Helios already knew deep down: he still couldn't let go of Esther.
"Even if you're that close, perhaps hold back on calling each other by name so freely now."
Unable to contain his petty jealousy any longer, Helios let it spill out. The sweet air between them chilled in an instant.
"Ah, forgive me, Your Highness."
Watching Noel bow his head in apology, Esther's brows drooped sadly.
The sight stoked Helios's rising anger. He turned to her.
"You distinguish public from private clearly as well. Becoming a noble isn't just about gaining privileges. Don't forget the duty to uphold the decorum and etiquette that come with it."
"...I'm sorry, Your Highness."
Helios grew even more bitter watching her fidget and apologize.
Perhaps Esther grasped the line between duty and personal matters better than he did. After all, the way she treated Noel and him was worlds apart.
Maybe these were words he needed to hear himself.
"Then I'll take my leave."
"Ah, yes. Your Highness. Countess Elpis, I'll drop by the Elpis Merchant Group next time—mind clearing some time for me?"
"What kind of tone is that... Ah, of course."
Esther blushed, shooting Helios a quick glance before bowing her head.
"Then let's go."
The moment Esther placed her hand on Helios's arm, he quickened his steps.
"The engagement between the two of you is now officially sealed."
With that, the attendant left the room. Esther leaned back against the sofa and let out a breath.
Was she relieved to have forged a vital alliance with a powerful faction? Or distressed at the new barriers to seeing the Micarus heir?
Either way, it sat poorly with Helios. To him, this engagement involved no schemes or calculations whatsoever. Perhaps that's why his jealousy had slipped out.
"I had no idea you were on such close terms with the Micarus heir."
"Ah, it's just that Noel... no, the heir was kind to me. When I first entered noble society and struggled to adapt, he taught me all sorts of things."
"..."
"He's always kind to everyone—he treated me the same. Nothing special..."
"You don't need to explain it away like that."
Her defense of Noel, as if speaking for him, soured Helios's mood further. Catching on, Esther peeked at him warily. He sighed and asked,
"You mentioned hearing the true purpose of this engagement from His Majesty..."
"..."
"...Is it true?"
This was perhaps his last faint hope. If she claimed ignorance—or said it was forced and begged for aid—he'd help her in a heartbeat.
"Do you truly grasp what those words mean? Did you accept that contract of your own free will?"
No, it went beyond willingness.
He hoped she'd deny it. Hoped she'd cling to him for rescue, spark some hope.
That it wasn't her choice. That she was terrified, lost without a way out. He longed for her to plead for his help.
But the words from her lips crushed even that fragile hope.
"I know. What the Imperial Palace gains from this engagement. What I gain. And exactly what it all signifies."
"..."
"It was all my choice. I'll bear every rumor and whisper that follows."
Her swift rebuttal rang like a confession. An admission that she'd planned to use him.
"Is that so? Must've been quite the sweet deal for you."
Yet Esther had overlooked one crucial thing: his genuine feelings.
"You'd do well to remember this."
He'd clung to the belief that a private talk would change everything. No longer.
She had used him purely to infiltrate noble society. And that made Helios more wretched than ever.
"Pardon?"
"That sort of behavior makes your contractual fiancé look like a fool."
Her green eyes quaked at his icy tone. She clearly hadn't anticipated him naming Noel outright.
"If you know the bad blood between the palace and House Micarus, then rein it in. I won't overlook that heir's insolence next time."
"..."
"You said you'd bear it all, didn't you?"
Helios unleashed his pent-up fury at her.
"If it's a contract for your goals, at least it simplifies things. Means you saw our engagement as mere business."
"..."
His sharp barbs faltered as he fell silent.
He knew how laughable he looked—blinded by jealousy, lashing out at her.
"..."
As he realized he needed to stop before it grew even more absurd and averted his eyes—
"Your Highness, I think there's a misunderstanding."
"What?"
"The Micarus heir harbors no ill will toward the palace..."
"Ha."
Helios barked a hollow laugh at her earnest defense of Noel, right to his face. He was almost impressed now by how thoroughly she crushed his heart.
"If you knew what that house has done, you wouldn't dare say that in front of me."
"I'm not speaking of Marquis Micarus. I..."
Helios clenched his uncontrollably trembling fist, veins bulging as it paled bone-white. Pitiful, even.
"Countess Esther Elpis."
"Yes, Your Highness."
His grave tone made her recognize her blunder. She trailed off and met his gaze.
Their eyes locked in the air between them.
But both knew this held none of the warmth and affection from before.
"I won't speak further on your close friendship with the Micarus heir. It predates our engagement, so I have no more to say."
"Thank you, Your Highness. I'm sure if you two just talked..."
It stung that her first radiant smile of the day—aimed at him—was sparked by Noel. Swallowing his surging rage, Helios pressed on.
"But what I'm permitting stops right there."
"Your Highness?"
A flash of Noel and Esther chatting intimately crossed his mind.
It was time to let go. Helios had to face it: watching over her was no longer his place.
He met her eyes, then rose from his seat.
He'd abandoned any hope of confessing his heart long ago. Any dream that their feelings might align.
"Your Highness? Is something the matter...?"
But he had no intention of abandoning Esther to the Emperor's machinations. Somehow, he had to free her from this.
He hated the thought of her with that brat. Yet if happiness lay there, he'd accept it—for her sake.
A way to prove to the Emperor that Esther was no longer his weakness. To avoid obstructing her love. To avenge her using him.
And to safely extract her from here.
Helios knew exactly how.
"You should know well: the only thing your money can buy is that countess title."
Ignoring the ache in his own heart—knowing his words would wound—he hurled them at Esther anyway.