Chapter 5.2

As his voice broke the silence, his tone wasn’t necessarily asking for a response. His gaze slightly deviated from Ariel’s profile to an empty space. It felt more like he was looking for a distraction to dilute the boredom of the moment than seriously considering something.

The blue eyes stare off into space for a moment before returning to her again.

“…But, I don’t see why I should.”

“….”

“Even considering the Countess’s sincerity, I don’t see why… I should go to such lengths.”

“….”

“So, you could try to change my mind. I’ve decided to stay for a day anyway, so if you’re acting to my liking in the meantime, I’ll consider making some accommodations for you.”

There was nothing to argue with his cold logic of weighing gains and losses.

Not only was she a complete stranger to him, but she was also someone who had never shown her face in the social world. It was a request to take care of the convenience of such a person. If done wrong, it could damage his reputation, so who would listen to such a request?

Besides, he even had the status of the imperial family.

Even though he refused bluntly, the other party had nothing to say. He may not know the Countess, but she has neither the responsibility nor the warmth for her daughter.

Ariel agreed in silence.

This was her relationship with the Prince, distinct from the relationship between the Countess and the Prince. As a princess, she had to earn his trust and prove her worth, reassuring him that she was someone he could trust to watch his back.

This was something she would have to endure if she wanted to properly hold on to her connections with him.

‘Also, for the purpose of targeting…’

“Yes, I understand.”

When she calmly replied that she would, the Prince’s expression changed noticeably. He narrowed his eyes in surprise as his brow creased slightly as if he didn’t like it. Then, with a look of annoyance on his face, I closed his eyes narrowly.

“Then, follow me.”

Raising his body, he went towards the door. Ariel hurried after him. In her hand was the velvet box she hadn’t delivered as her mind raced.

His steps didn’t wait for her.

“Open the door.”

The door opened at the same time as he commanded. The first thing that caught her eye was his aide holding the doorknob, followed by the Countess and the butler waiting.

Without even looking at them, the Prince went past them and threw out a single command.

“I’ll call you if I need something, so you don’t have to follow after me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The aide was the first to step forward and receive the order. At the same time, he blocked the way to prevent anyone else from passing, and only Ariel was allowed through.

Whether it was something that was discussed in advance or did he do this often, the aide’s demeanor was one of practiced dexterity as he took a quick step forward. On the other hand, the people at the Count’s residence clearly expressed their bewilderment.

Ariel passed quickly between them since she was too busy chasing after the Prince to pay attention to her surroundings. He didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of adjusting his walking speed.

As he turned down the corridor, the Prince’s back trailed off into the distance.

Not knowing where he was going, she was only demanded to follow the back of his head hurriedly. Sprinting down the hall while clutching the fluttering hem of her skirt, she cursed the long dress she was wearing.

Hurrying steps went around the corner.

The place he headed was the entrance.

Upon entering the hallway leading straight to the door, the figure of the Prince, who had disappeared from sight for a moment, was captured again. As he opened the front door, a chill from the rainy, windy day outside swept across the white hallway floor.

Closing the distance between her and the door, Ariel approached, where the eerie sound continued to echo.

The Prince, who was leaning against the doorway, glanced outside in the rain and then turned his head. His blue eyes staring at her were as cold as ice. At the same time, the expressionless face he had all the time was so cold that it even became ferocious.

…What would come out of his mouth now?

For Ariel, the current situation was more vague than frightening. The sound of rain pouring through the open door was clamant.

She soon stopped her steps, calming her erratic breathing.

“Your Highness, what should I do now?”

When she declared that, like someone who had made up her mind, the Prince held out his hand without hesitation.

“First, give me what you were going to give me.”

Another command fell.

As she cupped her hands together and carefully handed him the gift, a velvet box went up into his outstretched palm. The velvet box that had been passed over to the Prince was immediately opened by his other hand.

The box opened rather stiffly, indicating that it was new. In the middle of the box, which was covered in velvet the same color as the outside, was a sapphire the size of two knuckles.

The square-cut jewel shone a deep blue.

It was flawless and of the highest grade. The vivid, ocean-blue sapphire was measured at a price comparable to a high-grade diamond.

It was a gift that the Countess had deliberately chosen with the imperial family’s distinctive blue eye color in mind, but the Prince’s reaction was languid. He held the jewel between his fingers, treating it as if it were an insignificant object.

Ariel watched his fingers anxiously.

A sapphire, which must have been prohibitively expensive, was caught between his middle and index fingers and was lifted precariously into the air.

“Ariel.”

When he called her name, her eyes from the jewelry turned to him. As if he’d been waiting for this moment, the Prince moved. With his arm moving fluidly, he threw it behind his shoulder before swinging forward with a swish, and the empowered sapphire flew fleetly through the rain.

She was a step too late to realize the jewel had been thrown.

Ariel stared at him, feeling a tingling sensation as if she’d been hit in the head. The expressionlessness that still covered the Prince’s fine face was ghastly.

“Go find it.”

He spoke as if he were calling a dog. His insipid voice would be exaggeratedly described as terrible.

She couldn’t even see the trajectory of the jewel. In addition, it didn’t even make a clattering or falling noise as it drowned in the thunderous sound of raindrops.

It was an abject failure.

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