Chapter 18: A Suspected Hint of Romance
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 18: A Suspected Hint of Romance
I was certain he would demand cooperation in ousting the Empress Dowager so he could take the throne in exchange for his help.
There could be no other reason for the Crown Prince, who was currently consolidating power in the West, to travel all the way to the North to make such an offer.
The Winston Ducal Family stood at the pinnacle of the neutral faction. While the Duke’s position had briefly become unstable due to Veronica’s marriage, he had stubbornly maintained his neutrality ever since.
Currently, the Empire’s nobility was split between those following the Empress Dowager and those supporting the Crown Prince. The remaining neutral nobles were "neutral" in name only, merely waiting to see which way the wind blew.
Gaining the support of House Winston would have been a highly profitable deal for the Crown Prince.
Yet, he claimed he wanted nothing in return. It was impossible to tell if he was hiding his true intentions or if he was being sincere.
“And he expressed a desire to see you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He intended to return to the West without even meeting Vincent.”
“……”
Veronica was just as bewildered as the Duke.
His intentions were already a mystery; what could he possibly want to say to her? It had been so long since she last saw the Crown Prince that even his face had grown hazy in her memory.
However, she had no reason to refuse. She desperately needed his help right now.
Veronica, who had been sitting with her lips pressed firmly together, finally spoke. She gave a resolute nod.
“Yes, I will meet him.”
“If His Highness makes any strange demands…”
“There is nothing I can decide on my own anyway.”
“Hmm.”
At Veronica’s calm remark, the Duke let out a small, worried groan.
Veronica already had a track record. Had she not insisted on marrying that Cedric fellow despite his fierce opposition?
Furthermore, the Crown Prince he had met at dawn was suspicious. It had been a very long time since the Duke had shared a private audience with him as well.
The Crown Prince, who had possessed a boyish, youthful face before leaving for the West, had returned as a fully grown man. The transformation was enough to leave the Duke inwardly shaken.
Come to think of it, hadn't there been rumors that the Crown Prince had reached the level of a Sword Master during the war?
There were only three Sword Masters in the Empire. The Duke had never felt particularly threatened by Cedric, despite him being a fellow Sword Master.
But the Crown Prince was different. Throughout their private meeting, the Duke had been unable to shake a strange sense of tension.
‘I hope nothing goes wrong.’
The Crown Prince, who had remained composed throughout their talk, only showed a flash of intensity in his eyes when Veronica was mentioned. For some reason, that look left the Duke feeling uneasy.
The Duke frowned, letting out an uncomfortable cough.
*
‘What is this?’
Eavesdropping on the conversation between the Duke and Veronica in real-time, I knitted my brows at this unexpected turn of events.
I was the one who had sent the letter to the Western camp where the Crown Prince, Dantalion, was stationed.
The contents weren't much, really. Just that Veronica would soon divorce Cedric, but that she was facing difficulties due to opposition from Cedric himself and the Empress Dowager. That was it.
I figured that the calculating Dantalion would see the advantages of helping Veronica with her divorce to gain leverage in the North.
And just as I expected, Dantalion had come to see the Duke. However, everything else was completely outside my predictions.
‘This guy… could it be?’
As I pondered the situation, the conclusion I reached made my face contort.
Clue 1.
In the original story, after Veronica died, Dantalion became a legendary tyrant who tormented the protagonists as if he wanted them dead.
I had even suspected that the author had rushed his character into a villainous role simply because there was no one left to play the antagonist once the villainess, Veronica, was gone.
After all, Dantalion had no real reason to hate the protagonists that much.
To say he persecuted Cedric simply because he was part of the Empress Dowager’s faction was a stretch. Dantalion had been quite lenient toward other nobles on the Empress Dowager’s side.
Clue 2.
Upon seeing the note about Veronica’s situation, he rushed to the North.
And instead of striking a deal with the North, he acted like a total pushover. Claiming he wanted nothing in return? Saying he’d leave after seeing Veronica just once?
‘Well, Veronica is distractingly beautiful.’
The most beautiful woman in the world, as certified by the author—that was my mother in this life, Veronica Winston.
‘No, that’s not the point.’
I shook my head vigorously.
Anyway, the conclusion drawn from these two clues was that Dantalion was in love with Veronica.
And the reason was sufficient. Her face was all the justification needed.
However, I had to approach this carefully. All of our lives were at stake.
‘For now, let’s listen to the conversation between Dantalion and Veronica and think some more.’
Having finally organized my thoughts, I nodded and focused on their dialogue.
Soon, I heard Veronica’s voice as she met Dantalion.
*
“It has been a long time, Your Highness.”
“Ah.”
Veronica offered a calm greeting and lifted her head.
The expected reciprocal greeting didn't come immediately, but Veronica didn't mind. She simply gazed silently at Dantalion, who had requested to see her.
“Ah, yes. It has been a long time.”
“……”
The first words Dantalion spoke were surprisingly familiar.
Because of that, Veronica couldn't help but recall old memories.
Tea times in the Imperial Palace gardens with herself, Vincent, and Dantalion. The time she got separated while exploring the vast grounds and burst into tears.
Veronica let out an involuntary chuckle.
“Fufu.”
“...?”
“You haven't changed at all, Brother.”
Calling Dantalion "Brother"—who was a Prince back then and the Crown Prince now—was an act of impudence, even for a Ducal Lady like Veronica.
But Dantalion had been so persistent in his request that the young Veronica hadn't been able to refuse.
In the end, the title became a secret shared only by the three of them. Veronica’s eyes grew a bit wistful.
“Actually, I didn't think you'd remember things from so long ago.”
“How could I forget?”
“Haha…”
Of course, it was true that she had forgotten for a while. It had been so long since she and Dantalion had lived far apart.
But human memory was a strange thing. Though they had grown up and barely any traces of their childhood selves remained, facing him like this brought back those old memories one by one, fresh as ever.
Short golden curls and deep blue eyes that looked like they held a lake within them. His face, wearing a gentle smile, was just as kind as it had been in the past.
Veronica felt foolish for having been so tense. To suspect a man like this of having an ulterior motive… it was unthinkable.
“I’m relieved. I was terrified that I’d have to call you ‘Lady Winston’ awkwardly.”
“I don't think that would be so bad. Would you like to try calling me that once?”
“Haha… What must I do to earn your forgiveness?”
“Fufufu.”
At Veronica’s mischievous remark, Dantalion laughed and asked back. Veronica’s laughter grew louder.
It really felt like she had returned to her childhood. It was amazing that a few words of conversation could make her feel this way.
Yes, she surely remembered having times this comfortable and warm.
She had lived her life forgetting because too many years had passed. Veronica’s eyes darkened slightly.
“Verie, I heard about your situation. I’m sorry. I was in a place where outside information was cut off, so I found out too late.”
“No, Brother. I’m the one who hasn't been of any help to you all this time.”
“...I want to help you now, at least.”
“……”
It might have been a cliché, but Veronica felt the sincerity in Dantalion’s voice.
Perhaps he was using the face of an old childhood friend to toy with her, but he had no reason to do so.
“Do you really… require nothing in return?”
“……”
At Veronica’s question, Dantalion gazed at her intently.
Veronica flinched involuntarily at the inexplicable heat in his gaze. Dantalion’s lips slowly parted.
“I just want you to be happy, Veronica.”
“……”
“That is all.”
And for a long time, she couldn't say a word.
*
“……”
What is this?
I was appalled as I listened to every word of the conversation between Veronica and Dantalion.
‘What is with this atmosphere, seriously?’
It was obvious enough that even someone who knew nothing of the original story could tell.
That final, decisive line: ‘I just want you to be happy.’ That was exactly the kind of line a desperately pining man would say.
‘To think that terrifying tyrant actually had an unrequited crush on Veronica.’
That a violent man, who acted as if he were devoid of emotion, was such a devoted lover.
As someone who had read the original work, this was deeply shocking.
I wanted to grab him by the collar and shake him, screaming, ‘Who are you? Who the hell are you?!’
“Whew.”
I had expected it to some extent, but it was still a shock. I let out a soft sigh of amazement.