Chapter 97

‘If I stick around here any longer, am I just going to end up as a target for his frustration again?’

Just as I was trying to step back, wrapped in an ominous feeling creeping over my whole body, my eyes met Allen’s. His emerald eyes looked unusually dark.

“I-I think it would be b-best not to get too close to the M-Master of the Magic Tower, L-Lady Ardi.”

I already knew Allen and Diel weren’t exactly on friendly terms. And I also knew that showing any displeasure toward Allen when he had that look in his eyes wouldn’t do me any favors.

“I’ll keep that in mi—”

“What is the matter here?”

I was nodding, ready to agree to anything just to quickly get away, when a voice suddenly interrupted. Startled, I turned my head in that direction and saw it was Crown Prince Vien.

‘Ugh, what is he doing here again!?’

“…I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Swallowing the irritation that had risen to the tip of my throat, I quickly offered him a greeting. When I lifted my bowed head and glanced around, I saw that everyone in the hall was now staring straight at us.

‘He didn’t like that.’

It was easy to tell that the crown prince, as the host of the party, was displeased about the spotlight being pulled away from him.

Allen, who had glanced at Vien briefly, soon composed his expression as if nothing had happened and replied calmly.

“We were merely e-exchanging a few words.”

To Allen, Diel was just someone he couldn’t stand, but Vien was someone he outright envied and resented. Vien had more than him and enjoyed more than he did. Unlike Allen, he didn’t just avoid stuttering; he spoke with flawless eloquence and possessed exceptional abilities.

It looked like Allen was making an effort not to stutter in front of Vien, but when it didn’t work, his frustration with himself showed plain on his face.

At his words, Vien gave a slight nod, then turned his gaze to me.

“If that’s the case, would it be alright if I spoke with you for a moment, my lady?”

I was taken aback by the unexpected question and looked at him in surprise. Allen, seeing Vien’s relaxed smile, forced one of his own and responded.

“O-Of course. By all means. I’ll take my leave.”

Even though he answered readily, Vien didn’t so much as look in his direction. When I glanced at Allen, uneasy at the near-dismissive attitude, I saw him glaring at Vien with a sharp, hostile look before turning sharply, as if stirring a chill in his wake.

‘Is he that mad at Vien that he completely forgot about me? Well, I guess it’s a relief my favorability didn’t drop because of it…’

“It’s been a while, Lady Aidelis.”

“…I greet the Empire’s Little Sun.”

I gave him a quick, polite greeting.

Vien di Elberg

He was the Crown Prince of Arbonis and one of the system’s official romance targets… yet he harbored strong hostility toward Aidelis. That was why I never imagined that, on a day like this, he would be the one to approach and greet me first.

Especially not when his favorability was basically in the negatives.

‘Why is he acting like this?’

Whether he could read my confusion or was just ignoring it, Vien spoke like it was no big deal.

“I had no idea you were acquainted with the Tower Master and the Duke.”

“…They’ve both helped me in the past.”

Honestly, there wasn’t nearly enough time to explain everything that had gone on with those two, but even so, I dressed up my relationship with them using the most plausible words I could think of.

At that, Vien curved his lips into a smile and asked.

“The marquis is quite a resourceful man, isn’t he?”

“….?”

“It seems he realized that simply delivering a letter wasn’t enough to build a connection. Now I see you’ve made yourself indebted to them.”

I stared at him, flustered.

‘How does he even know that?’

Back then, I had unlocked his route and played through his storyline, so I ran into him constantly. That was why the story naturally led to Vien catching onto my father’s schemes. However, this time, I hadn’t unlocked his route, so this was only the third time we had even crossed paths.

Still, the way he looked at me made it clear he was waiting for a reply, so I kept my face neutral and answered.

“No, this has nothing to do with my father.”

“….”

“Though I doubt you’ll believe me.”

I remembered how, last time, I lost 12% of my health because of him.

With Diel and Allen, their favorability had gone up a little, so chatting with them briefly wasn’t a problem, but that wasn’t the case with Vien.

‘Last time, just by accidentally running into him and having a conversation, my health dropped all the way to 86%. So there’s no need to lower it any further by talking with Vien, who isn’t even a target.’

I made up my mind right then.

Just then, as music drifted through the hall, I seized the chance and quickly tried to end the conversation.

“It’s been an honor talking to you, Your High—”

“Lady Aidelis.”

Vien cut me off, extending his hand toward me:

“Would you honor me with the first dance?”

…What?

I stared at his outstretched hand, drowning in bewilderment.

I honestly had no idea what he was thinking.