Chapter 528: Trust Is the Only Way to Solve Problems
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 528: Trust Is the Only Way to Solve Problems
"Ah... you're in here, aren't you..."
An eerie voice drifted from the hallway outside. Simultaneously, with a sharp creak, the doorknob suddenly turned downward!
The door was about to open!
Muen’s eyes widened, his heart nearly stopping in that instant.
In an atmosphere so tense the very air seemed to stagnate, he felt like the protagonist of a horror movie. It didn't feel like a lovestruck girl wandering outside, but a vengeful spirit coming for his life!
"Dammit..."
That cursed Ariel. There are so many beauties at the ball, why is she so obsessed with me?
What exactly is it about me that attracts you? Just tell me and I’ll change it, okay?!
Muen grit his teeth so hard they nearly shattered.
What do I do, what do I do...
If Ariel caught him in a room like this, he’d never be able to shake her off.
He had to think of something!
In the fraction of a second between the handle turning and the door swinging open, Muen’s mind raced with a lifetime’s worth of desperation. Ideas flashed through his mental brainstorm only to be instantly rejected.
Finally, as if guided by fate, his gaze fell upon a metal ornament nearby...
"Heh..."
Muen suddenly let out a reckless laugh.
"...I guess... there’s no other way."
Indeed, at this moment, everything was predestined. He had no path of retreat.
He could only... do this.
Don't blame me, Ariel... you forced my hand!
The moment the door swung fully open, Muen snatched up the metal ornament and lunged out from the deep shadows!
Go to sleep, you damn lesbian!
"Hmm? Strange. Who’s making all that noise nearby? Lawenny, go take a look."
The refined man, who had been looking toward the source of the long, strange voice even as he opened the door, spoke to the maid beside him.
He turned back, only to see a shadow leaping out from the room. His expression instantly froze—then turned to pure terror.
Once Muen saw the man’s face, his expression froze as well.
It wasn't Ariel...
It was the First Prince!
Dammit, why is it the First Prince?!
Why... the f... is it... the fing... First Prince?!
Though his reflexes kicked in within a split second, it was already too late for Muen to pull back. He could only watch helplessly as the metal ornament in his hand made... intimate contact with the First Prince’s poor head.
THUD.
With a dull heavy sound, First Prince Albert’s eyes rolled back, and he slowly slumped to the floor.
The maid, who had been about to respond, stood frozen in place, her face a mask of utter confusion, not yet grasping what had happened.
Just then, as if drawn by the commotion, Ariel—holding a megaphone—poked her head around the corner. Seeing the scene, she froze for a moment before saying blankly:
"Miss Muse... attack... attacking a prince is something even I... would have a hard time fixing for you!"
"..."
F.*
Muen’s eyelid twitched.
He looked at the unconscious prince at his feet, then at the maid whose expression was rapidly shifting from dazed to vivid horror. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly bellowed:
"Ariel!"
Without a moment’s hesitation, Ariel charged forward at lightning speed. Before the maid could react or scream, Ariel delivered a swift, clean hand-chop to the back of her neck. It was a move so practiced and efficient it was clear she had extensive field experience.
Ariel then caught the falling maid with movements several grades more professional than Muen’s, preventing her from making a loud noise when she hit the ground.
Finally, working together, they dragged the maid and First Prince Albert into the room. After confirming there were no other witnesses, they shut the door.
It was as if nothing had happened.
"My, we really do have great chemistry, don't we?"
Having finished the deed, Ariel seemed completely oblivious to the gravity of what they’d just done. She wiped the sweat from her brow with a proud grin.
"I suppose this is what they call being kindred spirits!"
"..."
Muen felt like his face was going numb from all the twitching today.
He had only called out to her on a whim; he hadn't expected Ariel to become his accomplice without the slightest hesitation.
Should he be happy... or should he feel despair at this girl’s sheer determination to pursue a "beauty"?
...After all, he was the beauty she was pursuing. No matter how he looked at it, this was a reality that brought no joy.
"Aren't you afraid of the consequences?"
Muen took a deep breath and looked Ariel in the eye.
"We’ve only met a few times, haven't we?"
"No, the number of meetings doesn't matter."
Ariel propped a foot up on a stool, rested her elbow on her knee, and bit down on a toothpick she’d produced from nowhere. Striking a pose she clearly thought was incredibly dashing, she said:
"What matters is... intuition. My intuition is always spot on. Miss Muse, I don't know what you're trying to do, but I know you're not a bad person. I... believe in you!"
"..."
Looking at Ariel’s "roguish heartthrob" act, Muen fell silent again.
How should he put it?
She truly lived up to her role as the harem protagonist of the original novel. This kind of "sincerity" toward girls was, in a way, quite dazzling—so dazzling he almost felt a ridiculous urge to be moved to tears.
However, was her intuition "spot on"... or was it completely off?
"Will you... really always believe in me?" Muen asked suddenly.
"Of course!"
Ariel reached out her hand like a hero about to rescue a maiden from a sea of suffering.
"Miss Muse, there's no need to be shy, and no need to be afraid. I will trust you unconditionally! I promise!"
"Then..."
Muen squeezed out a "shy" smile.
"Could you turn around? I have a surprise for you."
"A surprise?"
Ariel blinked, a surge of intense joy erupting in her heart.
Could it be...
Because of her selfless, heroic actions, had Miss Muse finally lowered her guard and cast aside her shyness?
Had her first step finally succeeded?
Without any hesitation, Ariel turned around. She even took the initiative to close her eyes without Muen having to ask.
"How much longer... I can hardly wait," Ariel said, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Alright, you can turn around now."
"Great! I—"
Ariel turned back with heart-pounding anticipation. But what she saw wasn't a "surprise" from a beautiful girl. It was...
A descending metal ornament.
THUD.
Accompanied by a familiar dull sound, Ariel’s eyes rolled back, and she slowly slumped to the floor, her face still frozen in that expression of eager expectation.
"Whew..."
Looking at the unconscious Ariel, Muen set down the distinguished metal ornament—the weapon that had now ended both the Child of Destiny and the First Prince—and wiped a non-existent tear from the corner of his eye.
"What can I say? Regardless of everything, I'm truly happy you had that much trust in me."
After all, in a fair fight, he really might not have been able to beat her.
It was also fortunate that he wasn't some beautiful girl who would be moved by unconditional trust, nor did he actually have any intention of assassinating the First Prince.
Ariel’s "coolness" had been used in all the wrong places.
"Better find a place to dump you first."
After confirming that the First Prince and his maid wouldn't be waking up anytime soon, Muen grabbed Ariel by the ankles. He began dragging her out, her face sliding along the floor—though, fortunately for her, there wasn't much friction.
"Seriously, it's a good thing your head isn't made of steel," Muen muttered, feeling incredibly lucky once again.