Show Your Face, Prince! Chapter 74

“Yes! You did tempt me! I came all the way to Eustian, leaving behind the Lenebur estate, because Your Highness personally asked me. But once I got here, you didn’t even need me!”

“That’s not it—I was worried you might be in danger…!”

“Danger? I thought Your Highness valued my abilities. But now I see—you just didn’t trust me.”

Letier spoke coldly.

Dante stared at her, speechless, as if someone had just dumped a bucket of cold water over him.

“All I’ve done since coming to Eustian is visit ingredient shops and go to the library. Do you really think that’s helpful for me?”

“Letier, I…”

“And also! I hate that you’re toying with me!”

“You think I’m toying with you…?”

Dante’s voice came out, stunned once again.

He quickly pulled himself together and took a step toward Letier, grabbing her slender arm.

“Letier. Please, calm down and listen to me—”

“Let go of me.”

Letier looked up at him with a cold, steady gaze.

Dante didn’t let go but opened his mouth again.

“Alright. Come with me, then.”

“I’m not going.”

“You don’t even know where I’m going.”

“I don’t care where it is—I’m not going.”

Dante let out a quiet sigh.

“I was wrong. Foolishly, I thought this was what was best for you.”

“…”

“How could I not trust the top cosmetics researcher in the empire? I just… I thought that being with me might put you in danger.”

Letier quietly pulled herself free from his grip.

“…”

She averted her eyes for a moment, starting to feel a bit embarrassed about snapping at the prince like that.

Why did I lose my temper like that…?

She glanced up slightly to read Dante’s expression.

“Will you come with me?”

She’d expected a scolding for yelling in the prince’s face, but Dante didn’t look offended at all.

On the contrary, he looked genuinely sorry.

“Hmm? Will you come with me? I’d feel much more confident if you helped with the investigation.”

“…”

“There’s no one else I can trust by my side, other than you.”

Letier, whose anger had already melted away inside, finally opened her mouth in defeat.

“…Where is it?”

Only then did Dante’s tense face soften in relief.

He held out his hand to Letier and said in a gentle voice,

“I’ll tell you. Let’s go to my room.”

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

Even as he led Letier to his room, Dante couldn’t shake the doubt gnawing at him.

He glanced sideways at the small figure diligently following behind him.

Sensing his gaze, Letier tilted her head.

“Yes? Is there something you wanted to say?”

“…No.”

Dante quickly shook his head and pushed open the door to his room.

What am I even doing right now?

“Stay there for a moment, I’ll turn the lights on.”

Dante stepped inside first and adjusted the covered lamp on the desk to a bright setting.

In the light, piles of thick reports came into view, scattered across the desk.

Letier stepped cautiously into the room, gauging her direction in the now well-lit space.

“Excuse me…”

“That’s a bit formal now, isn’t it?”

Dante chuckled softly to himself.

He flipped through a thick report, scanning the pages before stopping at a particular section and handing it to her.

“This is a list of villages that Reuter compiled. Places likely tied to the Empress’s birthplace or upbringing.”

Letier carefully took the report and began to read it over.

On the page Dante indicated, there was a clearly marked map of the kingdom.

Toward the upper part of the map of Eustian, four circles were drawn, surrounded by densely written notes.

“…Most of them are clustered in the southeast?”

“Right. I’m planning to visit them from the bottom up.”

“What made Reuter think these villages are connected to Her Majesty?”

“We investigated through the Eustian magic academy, and it turns out the main ingredient in the poison the Empress used early on was the Traviphobia berry.”

“Traviphobia berries?”

Letier looked up at him as she asked.

Dante nodded.

“Traviphobia berries come from Travi trees, which only grow in certain areas of Eustian. These marked villages are located in those very regions.”

“Travi trees, huh…”

Letier murmured quietly.

She fell into thought for a moment before speaking again.

“In that case, there’s one more place I’d like to visit.”

“Where is it?”

Letier shrugged and answered in a light tone.

“I don’t know yet.”

 

 

 

*****

 

 

 

 

A few days later, several carriages came to a halt in front of the Eustian royal palace.

Maids bustled out from the palace gates, moving luggage into the carriages in a hurry.

The first to emerge was Princess Rubia, her brown hair fluttering lightly in the breeze.

With a smooth escort from the chief attendant, John, she stepped into the second carriage.

“Your Highness, may you have a safe and pleasant journey.”

“Thank you, John!”

Leaning back comfortably in her seat, Rubia peeked out the window and caught sight of her fiancé just stepping out of the entrance—with Letier following behind him.

She didn’t take her eyes off them, and as Dante approached, she curled her lips into a smile and spoke.

“You’re here, Your Highness?”

“Princess Rubia.”

“I didn’t know you were bringing the healer with you.”

“…”

“You said it would be dangerous, didn’t you?”

She asked with a sweet smile.

Instead of replying, Dante yanked the curtain shut in front of her face.

“My, what was that for?!”

Her voice shrieked from inside, but he ignored it.

Dante turned his head and looked troubled as he watched Letier coming down the steps with his secretary, then spoke to the knight beside him.

“Help Letier.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

With a blank expression, Kyledian turned and walked over to Letier.

“Lady, please take care. Heading out without us—the palace’s security must really be something.”

“Don’t worry, Lucy!”

“I mean, I get that the maids were cut back so the prince and princess could have their precious alone time… but seeing you go along like that—I can already tell how hard it’s going to be for you…”

“Mm… But I did go to the Forest of Memory without you, didn’t I?”

Letier answered with a small smile.

But Lucy only frowned harder.

“The Forest of Memory? Didn’t I tell you never to bring that up in front of me?! Just thinking about you getting lost in there still makes my heart race…”

“Let me take the bag.”

“Huh?”

Before they noticed, Kyledian had approached and interrupted their conversation, reaching for the bag Lucy was holding.

He took it with a somewhat annoyed expression, then turned briskly and descended the steps.

Startled by how her luggage was practically snatched away, Lucy blinked and turned to Letier.

“Lady…?”

There he goes again…

Letier sighed and patted Lucy’s back with a resigned face.

“I’ll be back soon. If you get too bored while I’m gone, go out with Ephron to the commercial district or something…!”

“What’s so fun about going out with someone who only cares about weapons…? Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing!”

I know everything, Lucy…

Letier couldn’t help but smile warmly at the thought.

Because Lucy and Ephron are definitely that kind of relationship…!

“Healer!”

Just then, someone called out to Letier from the top of the steps.

She turned and waved as he ran over.

“Shion!”

“Good thing I made it in time. My mother’s letter was delayed more than I expected.”

Shion rushed down the steps and caught his breath in front of her.

Still panting, he pulled a small slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Here. It’s what you asked about, Healer.”

“Thank you, Shion. I feel bad for putting you through all this trouble.”

“Oh no, not at all! It’s nothing!”

Shion replied with his signature, breezy smile.

He glanced between her, ready to depart, and the carriages lined up in the garden before speaking again.

“You must be leaving right away. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

“Thank you so much. I won’t forget this kindness!”

Letier gave him a smile and exchanged a glance with Lucy.

“Alright, I’m off! Lucy, I’ll see you soon!”

“Please be careful! And don’t forget to eat properly!”

“Got it!”

She hurried down the steps to catch up with Kyledian, who had already walked ahead.

Letier kept glancing back at Lucy and Shion, both watching her with worried faces, as she approached the small carriage where Kyledian was standing.

As he loaded her luggage inside, he turned and muttered under his breath.

“You’re doing something pointless.”

Huh? Did I hear that right?

Letier, who had been about to step into the carriage with a light heart, suddenly stopped in her tracks.