Chapter 46 - Chapter 46
Katrina-sama's words forced me to bite my lip. Everything she said was the objective truth. Without Kuro's power, I could barely walk on my own, let alone manipulate even the simplest magic.
I knew it all too well. No matter how much His Highness desired me, I was woefully inadequate to be the Crown Princess, much less the future Queen.
I didn't doubt His Highness's feelings for a moment. The problem was my own lack of confidence. It infuriated me that I couldn't stand beside him with my head held high.
"Surely that's enough? I only intended to lend you that seat for a short while. It's about time you returned it to its rightful owner."
Katrina-sama wore a triumphant smirk at my silence.
"Oh? It seems I've hit the mark and left you speechless. But don't worry. I will be far more beloved by the people as the Mother of the Kingdom than you ever could be. Soon enough, no one will even remember you were ever His Highness's fiancée."
"...Do you truly believe someone who spreads malicious rumors is fit to be the Mother of the Kingdom?"
"My, I was simply informing everyone of the truth. We don't even know if a Spirit of Darkness is truly necessary for this country. Besides... 'Darkness' sounds so wicked, doesn't it?"
"How dare you! Do you intend to insult the spirits?"
Katrina-sama pressed a hand to her mouth, letting out a giggle she couldn't seem to suppress. Wilhelmina and Euphemia followed suit, snickering beside her.
To mock the spirits like that... Looking at their laughing faces, a sense of frustration washed over me. No matter what I said, it wouldn't reach them. At the same time, a simmering rage bubbled up from deep within my chest.
Calm down. Stay calm.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to regain my composure against words that made me want to cover my ears. Taking a slow, deep breath, I looked at Katrina-sama again. To my surprise, the faces of the three girls were turning pale, their mouths hanging open.
What was happening? I knit my brows and stared at them. Their gaze wasn't on me, but behind me. Just as I started to turn around—
"That sounds like a fascinating conversation. Won't you let me hear it as well?"
A frigid voice came from directly behind me, making my shoulders jump. I turned to find His Highness smiling, though his expression was as cold as ice.
"His Highness! Why are you here..."
"This isn't what it looks like!"
"I had nothing to do with this!"
As His Highness's smile deepened, the three girls turned even paler. Katrina-sama, seemingly realizing the gravity of the situation, stood up abruptly. The twins followed her lead, bowing deeply as if to curry favor, their voices trembling with frantic denials.
I moved to stand as well, but His Highness raised a hand to stop me.
"Rachel, you must be tired after listening to such foolish... or rather, headache-inducing talk. I shall take over the conversation with these three. Come, I have much to ask. Why don't you all sit down?"
His Highness pulled a chair from a neighboring table and sat beside me. Katrina-sama and the others couldn't refuse his 'invitation.' They sat down tentatively, watching his every move.
"Now then, what was the nature of your previous conversation?"
"Oh, it was just a chat between friends. Rachel-sama seemed so troubled by those rumors lately... I was simply worried. After all, we've been close friends since childhood."
Katrina-sama lowered her brows, putting on a sorrowful expression. If I didn't know her true nature, I might have been easily deceived.
How can she say that...
She claimed to be my friend while she had been trying to drag me down from my position as fiancée all along. My fists clenched tightly under the table. Then, a warm, large hand was placed gently over mine, easing the tension.
I looked up at His Highness in surprise. He met my gaze with a reassuring, soft smile. He gave a small nod before turning back to Katrina-sama.
"Worried? I'm impressed you can lie so boldly."
"It's not a lie..."
"The very source of the rumors dares to say such a thing?"
"Surely not! I would never do such a thing..."
"Is that so? Then I suppose I'll know the truth once I ask Rachel."
His Highness maintained a pleasant smile, but his eyes were sharp as he interrogated Katrina-sama. She shot me a quick glare—hidden from His Highness—before smiling elegantly at him.
"By all means. But Your Highness, please do not let your bias as her fiancé cloud your judgment. With all due respect, please calmly discern whether Rachel-sama is telling the truth, or if I am."
"Are you suggesting Rachel would lie?"
"I am saying the possibility exists. If you require testimony, please ask Wilhelmina and Euphemia as well."
At those words, His Highness gave a dark smirk.
"That won't be necessary."
Not necessary? What does he mean?
"Cyril, I assume you've saved the previous conversation?"
His Highness reached out his hand without looking away. Cyril appeared instantly from behind him and placed a recording magic tool into his palm.
When did Cyril... I didn't sense him at all.
Katrina-sama and the others were staring at Cyril in shock, just as I was. But more importantly, what did His Highness just say? Saving the conversation?
A recording?
Did he mean he knew exactly what we had been talking about? I stared at His Highness, and he gently stroked my hair, giving me a tender smile that was worlds apart from the look he gave Katrina-sama.
Katrina-sama began to shake her head, whispering denials over and over. His Highness's smile, now cold enough to transcend anger, only deepened as he held the device up to her.
"Do you know what this is?"
"You mentioned saving the conversation..."
"Yes. It's a magic tool, though it's still a prototype."
"...A magic tool that records speech?"
His Highness's smile vanished instantly. He looked at the three of them with a cold, expressionless gaze, as if they weren't even worth looking at.
"Your intuition isn't bad. It's a pity, Miss Higgins."
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