Chapter 159
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: It's Best to Eat It Quickly
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"I want to know if this outfit suits me."
"It suits you."
"What do you think of these shoes?"
"They suit you."
"This necklace is excellent. It'll snap your neck right off. The perfect torture device."
"It suits you."
"...Tata, I want to know if you have any complaints."
Seeming to realize it wasn't working, Tata responded to the blank-faced Aynsha as if asking what nonsense that was.
"Complaints? Me? Of course not."
"You're lying. There's no soul in your voice."
"That's because you've been picking outfits for over three hours, Princess."
"It's our first date. Three hours of deliberation is standard."
"That's a story for the ignorant masses who can't see the future. Doesn't the Princess already know which outfit suits her best?"
"Even knowing is no match for a girl's desire to confirm."
"I never imagined the day would come when you'd invoke a girl's heart, Princess."
"Naturally. I'm not like you, married to your work. I'm overflowing with love and passion."
"That's truly astonishing!"
No matter where or how you looked, Aynsha's blank face showed not a speck of love or passion.
Gazing at her in admiration, Tata calmly slipped a prepared bracelet onto her wrist.
"Keep up that momentum on your date, Princess. Tata will wait for good news with the heart of an Aby fox watching over her baby tiger cub."
"Tata, just trust and wait."
Aynsha stuck up her thumb.
Then, hands on her hips, she declared bluntly.
"Failure is not in my dictionary. This date will succeed, without a doubt."
"Living this long, I end up doing all sorts of crazy things..."
[What's with all the complaints, Team Leader? At your age, getting to go on a date with a flower-like young girl is pure luck.]
"And that date—they're dead set on wrecking it right now, aren't they?"
[No choice. Making the White Dragon Princess sick of you is the most moderate solution.]
"And you call stabbing the heart of a lovestruck princess 'moderate'?"
"If you don't like this method, we could try something else even now?"
"...No, forget it."
Rimon shook his head at the beaming Li Chingwei after his incredulous question.
Better to be a bastard than hand it over to her.
He'd already come to a visceral understanding of what might happen if he left alternatives to Li Chingwei, thanks to the pre-meeting.
[Now that you understand, hurry up and change into the rest of the clothes.]
"You remember the full date course, right?"
[Don't forget to glare at her the moment you meet. One of your killer stares, and most people would want to bolt.]
"I get all fluttery just from the Sword Duke's sharp gaze."
[That's tension, not flutters.]
"Is it? Then maybe act a bit rougher."
[Come on, your natural personality is rough enough. The guy they called PAB's top mad dog.]
"...What the hell has you two so excited?"
Whether Rimon was flabbergasted or not, Yuna Kyung and Li Chingwei clicked perfectly as they coordinated his look.
And so, moments later.
Looking at the fully date-ready Rimon, one girl and one bluebird nodded in satisfaction.
"Perfect."
[This should cool even a thousand years of love.]
"She might even run the moment she sees you."
[Hahaha. No way it'd be that easy. She'd at least exchange a few words before fleeing.]
"Then it's up to the Sword Duke from here."
"Got it."
Two pairs of eyes brimming with utter confidence that he would surely shatter the White Dragon Princess's favor.
Sighing at the thick trust from his former subordinate and prospective bride, Rimon spoke in a voice of resignation.
"Just watch. I'll make sure this date crashes and burns."
And so, Aynsha and Rimon's date prepared smoothly amid mutual cold expectations and hot resignation.
A street cafe.
At one of its outdoor tables sat a single girl.
A white cloth covering her head, revealing only her eyes, paired with an overall ethereal outfit.
Her strikingly blank face combined with the Fresh Alliance's distinctive religious attire created an otherworldly aura that naturally drew gazes—the white-haired girl.
Aynsha was waiting.
For her date to arrive.
The appointed time had passed by an hour already, but she wasn't particularly anxious.
She merely murmured to herself at the right moment.
"It's time."
It was right then.
Across from the empty seat opposite Aynsha.
A black-haired man strode up and plopped down heavily there.
"Yo, sorry I'm late. You been waiting long?"
Track pants with dragging slippers.
Messy hair and menacing eyes.
A military duffel bag slung over his back.
And an arrogant attitude, arms crossed the moment he sat.
No matter how you sliced it, he looked less like a date and more like a debt collector or thug.
Even seeing Rimon, Aynsha didn't flinch.
She just replied bluntly.
"It's fine. I've only been here five minutes myself."
"...The appointment was an hour ago. Why'd you come just five minutes early?"
"First date of my life—got all nervous preparing, so I was running late getting out."
"Ah, I see."
For a moment, Rimon furrowed his brow as the basic strategy of lateness—which Yuna Kyung had fervently endorsed—shattered in one go.
He cleared his throat falsely and opened his mouth.
"Anyway, nice to meet you. You probably heard from the Princess, but I'm Rida."
"I'm Aynsha. My full name is precisely..."
"Nah, skip that. Let's order something first. Throat not dry? Sitting there all alone like that—what's up with you?"
"Understood. I'll prepare."
Even though their introductions were cut short.
Aynsha nodded readily, without a hint of displeasure.
And Rimon lost his composure.
The moment she replied, an waiting staffer arrived with a tray, setting tea and juice on their table.
"Why's stuff coming without ordering?"
"I was thirsty too. Ordered ahead."
"Who said you could order for me? My preference isn't tea, it's..."
"Just in case, I got coffee, cola, and whiskey too. Coming right up."
"...This cafe sells booze?"
"Yes. Cafe by day, bar by night. Great spot for meetings anytime."
As if daring him to say whatever.
After a long silence under Aynsha's blank gaze.
Rimon scratched his cheek and blurted.
"You saw it all, huh?"
"Yes."
"Up to where?"
"Rida sleeping in the theater, chatting up another girl mid-date, shopping spree on my dime..."
"No, stop there."
Raimon raised a hand to cut off Aynsha, sighing.
He realized the elaborate plan by Li Chingwei and Yuna Kyung to smash her affections had already been seen through.
Not surprising, really.
Aynsha was the White Dragon Princess, after all.
'Thinking this crap would work on the White Dragon Clan? I'm the idiot.'
"So, what now?"
Having steeled himself for embarrassment to join the date-wrecking scheme.
With everything derailed before it even started, Rimon asked wearily.
If she'd foreseen dating him, she couldn't be unaware of his intent to sabotage it.
For Rimon, who desperately needed the White Dragon Clan's cooperation, it was a massive headache.
"To the theater."
That was why.
Rimon could only gape at Aynsha's calm reply.
"...Didn't you see me sleeping there?"
"Yes. I did."
"Then why go?"
"Doesn't matter. I'll sleep too. Shared bed on the first date. Ideal."
As if it were the perfect plan.
Aynsha nodded along.
Stunned for a moment by the blank-faced girl showing no sign of joking.
Rimon suddenly realized.
Why Li Chingwei—who surely knew of the White Dragon Princess's foresight—hadn't just blocked this obvious ploy but led it herself.
'Right, she's the White Dragon Princess.'
Head of the future-seeing White Dragon Clan.
But more fittingly, the king of fools among fool clans.
Rimon furrowed his brow at Aynsha.
He'd forgotten momentarily, since it had been ages since he'd fought them, but the White Dragon Clan was always like this.
That was why he'd hated them in the Seven Dragon Society—second only to, or even more than, the Black Dragon Clan.
Thus, the irony of dating the White Dragon Princess while engaged to the Black Dragon Princess.
'Do I really have to go through with this date?'
That was why Rimon fell into fresh contemplation.
Dating Aynsha.
Sabotaging the date on purpose.
Considering he needed the White Dragon Clan's help going forward, it hadn't been a great plan from the start.
The situation had just gotten so tangled, and it seemed better than leaving it to Li Chingwei, so he'd gone along.
But seeing this, he wondered if there was even reason to date.
'This fool's prepared to cover whatever stunt I pull on the date.'
No matter how he wrecked it.
Aynsha would follow, knowing full well.
And turn any wreck into a successful date, confident she could.
The recent farce proved it wasn't baseless bravado.
'So that's what you meant by "it's up to you," Princess?'
Rimon inwardly clicked his tongue.
With all plans blocked, the only way to make her abandon her proposal was to disgust her into outright revulsion—knowing it was deliberate.
Easy if she were a normal girl.
A harsh glare.
Or slicing a villain in front of her.
Simple stuff like that could shatter affection easily—Rimon knew it well.
But whether it'd work on Aynsha was doubtful.
Forget her status as White Dragon Princess; that blank face screamed immunity to cheap tricks.
What kind of bastard move would make her drop the proposal?
As he racked his brain.
Rimon spotted something odd.
Click.
Pour.
Clink, clink.
Aynsha pulled out a pitch-black vial and boldly emptied its contents into Rimon's teacup.
She even stirred it thoroughly with a teaspoon to mix well, then slid the cup toward him.
"Rida, you said you were thirsty. Better drink it quick before the tea cools."
If not for the blank face and flat tone, it might've sounded like sweet consideration.
But Rimon wasn't grateful.
He just asked dubiously.
"...What did you just put in my tea?"
"Poison. Eat it and you're done."
"..."
"No pain. Peaceful death. Drink up, worry-free."