Chapter 10

I’m the Only One Who Knows the Male Lead Is the Villain

“Oh, right. Sis, could you contact my family and ask them to send over the things in the laboratory in my room? It’s rather inconvenient without the tools and materials I’m used to.”

While I was taking the gifts I’d received from the Emperor to my bedroom and putting them away, I asked Sis to contact my family.

It was nice that the laboratory here was spacious and comfortable, but the tools I was accustomed to using were still the most convenient.

“Ah, Lady Rine. I heard that His Highness the Crown Prince asked Count Astel’s household to send your belongings yesterday. Apparently, your things should arrive this afternoon.”

“Ivan did? I didn’t know because he never mentioned it.”

“He said that since he knew how precious your materials are to you, you’d probably be looking for them soon, so he would contact your family himself.”

He knew I’d be looking for them and contacted my family in advance?

I’d noticed it before, but apparently his thoughtful side really was part of his genuine personality.

Ivan’s public image was so firmly constructed that it was difficult to tell which version of him was the real one.

Well, there was no reason a devil couldn’t be considerate.

“Did my family say anything? If Ivan contacted them, they must have found out about the engagement…”

“Yes. They only asked me to convey their regards to Her Highness, the Crown Princess-to-be.”

Since it was a matter concerning my family, Sis smiled awkwardly and said that she planned to tell me more once the banquet was over and things had calmed down.

I could roughly guess what the atmosphere at home was like.

They had probably thrown a party.

They had been that happy when the scandal broke out, after all.

And now…

‘Well, I can’t really blame them.’

It wasn’t as though I had exactly been living a normal social life.

I rarely went outside, let alone participated in social gatherings, and spent practically all day shut away in my laboratory.

My parents—and even the servants—had been worried about me.

‘At least they’re not vehemently opposed to it.’

If my parents had given their approval, then the only person left was…

Leon Astel, my older brother.

As if proving that we really were siblings, once Leon shut himself away in the Magic Tower and became absorbed in his research, he became so immersed in it that he lost track of everything happening in the outside world.

Occasionally, I would hear some poor low-ranking mage who had barely escaped from his laboratory sobbing and screaming,

“That man is insane!”

That was usually the only way I could tell that Leon was still alive and well.

‘It’s actually fortunate that Leon doesn’t know.’

If he’d found out, he wouldn’t even have listened to the circumstances and would have immediately opposed the engagement and tried to interfere.

‘Hopefully, he won’t find out until this contract engagement is over…’

There were about two hours left before the victory banquet began.

There was no way I could arrive later than the Emperor, so I needed to go there early and wait.

But before that, there was somewhere I wanted to visit.

“Sis, have we still not received a reply from Carrot Palace?”

“No. We sent word quite some time ago… That’s strange. I’ve sent someone again. Could you wait just a little longer?”

I’d sent word to Carrot Palace because I wanted to deliver Ate’s gift and check on his condition.

But for some reason, there had still been no response even after quite some time.

If Ate had simply fallen asleep, his attendant would have told us.

The fact that there had been no response at all made me uneasy.

“I should go there myself. It’s strange that there’s been no response for this long.”

“I’ve finished wrapping the gift for His Highness!”

I’d asked the servants to wrap the artifact the Emperor had given me.

After all, a pretty package was bound to make the recipient happier.

We hurried toward Carrot Palace, but the quieter the palace surroundings became, the more suspicious I felt.

Of course, Carrot Palace wasn’t particularly close to Diamond Palace, where the banquet was being held, so there was no reason for it to be noisy.

Still, it was the residence of an imperial prince.

There should have been at least some signs of activity.

“Why is it so quiet?”

“I don’t see any servants either. Perhaps they’re all inside?”

“…Let’s hurry. I have a bad feeling about this.”

If the prince had simply been sick, news of it would have spread already.

But the eerie silence made me feel uneasy.

As soon as I entered Carrot Palace, I spotted a passing servant and hurriedly stopped him.

“Excuse me. Where is His Highness? Is he very ill?”

“Gasp… A-Are you Lady Astel? His Highness is in his bedroom.”

The attendant stammered nervously.

But he avoided saying anything more, which gave me the distinct impression that he was hiding something.

When we hurried to the bedroom, the maid standing outside looked at us with a deeply troubled expression.

It was understandable that she would be flustered since we’d arrived without making an appointment.

But this didn’t seem like that kind of embarrassment.

“Could you tell His Highness that I’ve come to see him?”

“Um… Lady Astel, I’m sorry, but His Highness is not in a condition to receive visitors. I apologize, but please return later.”

“Lady Rine has merely come to deliver a gift bestowed by His Majesty. Unless His Highness is asleep, please allow us to check on his condition.”

Sis pointed toward the gift she was carrying and spoke again.

The moment she mentioned the Emperor, the maid hesitated.

After thinking for a moment, she slowly opened the door.

“In short, you mustn’t make any loud noises. His Highness has been suffering since early this morning… and he’s extremely sensitive right now.”

As expected, Ate wasn’t simply suffering from an ordinary bout of illness.

Sis looked puzzled.

“Why didn’t you report it?”

“He said he didn’t want to cause trouble on such a joyous day when His Majesty had returned with news of victory. He repeatedly instructed us not to say anything, so we had no choice…”

The maid quietly explained the situation with a gloomy expression.

Only then did I understand why the palace had been so quiet.

There was no one inside except Ate, who was lying in bed.

Sis handed me the gift and said she’d wait outside before leaving the room.

In the silence, I approached the bed.

Ate was breathing harshly, wheezing as though every breath caused him pain.

“Again? I told you to get lost. I told you those useless medicines won’t work.”

Sensing someone’s presence, Ate waved his hand irritably without opening his eyes.

When I didn’t say anything, his blue eyes slowly opened.

“…You. How did you get here?”

His eyes widened when he saw me.

Then he let out a long sigh.

“Isn’t the banquet about to start? You don’t have time to fool around here.”

“Hm. I don’t understand why a ten-year-old is trying so hard to act like an adult.”

“W-What…?”

At my blunt remark, Ate frowned in disbelief.

Since there was no one else around, I decided that I could afford to speak to him a little more like an adult.

“If you’re sick, just admit that you’re sick. It’s okay for a kid to do that. Once you become an adult, there’ll be many more days when you’ll have to endure things even when you’re sick.”

“…You don’t seem to know. I can’t become an adult. Every doctor has told me that I’ll die before I reach adulthood.”

A dark shadow fell across Ate’s pale face.

Without saying anything, I looked at him for a moment before suddenly placing the gift I’d brought into his arms.

“What is this?”

“A gift from His Majesty. He brought it from the western region.”

“Father…?”

Ate hesitated before carefully opening the wrapping.

When he saw the dazzling diamond necklace inside, his brows slowly drew together.

“Wow. It’s ugly. Who even wears something like this these days?”

“Oh? If you don’t like it, give it back.”

“I-I never said I didn’t like it!”

When I held out my hand, Ate hugged the necklace tightly against his chest.

‘Gotcha. He likes the necklace.’

Noted.

When I also told him that the artifact contained a defensive spell, Ate’s expression brightened considerably.

He seemed especially happy that the Emperor knew about his interests.

“You came to give me this, didn’t you? I’ve received it, so you can leave now.”

“I don’t think I can do that.”

“What? Why not again…?”

The dazzling clothes hanging in one corner of the room were clearly meant for the banquet.

In other words, Ate had prepared that outfit a long time ago because he wanted to attend the banquet.

“You want to go to the banquet, don’t you?”

At my words, Ate tightly closed his mouth.

He probably needed some time to think.

Should I give him a moment?

“But… if I cough up blood there, I’ll ruin the banquet. And more importantly, it’s too late to get ready now…”

A little while later, Ate finally admitted what he was really thinking.

He had been acting like an adult who would never complain about anything, but receiving the gift seemed to have softened him a little.

‘Now he finally looks like a real ten-year-old!’

“Aw, then. Should I help you?”

…Huh?

Startled by a voice suddenly coming from behind me, I turned around.

Ivan was leaning against the wall.

When had he even arrived?

His neatly swept-back black hair and calm, dark-green uniform suited him so perfectly that it was almost chilling.

“…Brother?”

“Ivan? How long have you been standing there?”

“Just a little while ago. More importantly, we’re not too late yet.”

Ivan grinned and opened the door.

The maids who had been waiting outside immediately entered the room with solemn expressions.

“Hurry up. The banquet is about to begin.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

While Ate was surrounded by the maids, Ivan approached me.

His expression had become somewhat stiff.

He reached out and took my hand.

“Rine, could I speak with you for a moment?”