Chapter 59

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: An Unwelcome Proposal
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#59

Desperately suppressing the haze clouding her mind, Lucy forced the corners of her mouth into a smile.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit… from one of the Empire’s noble bloodline?”

Alex’s smile deepened with delight as he bowed his head in a show of respect.

With the movement, his swept-back brown hair rippled softly, falling across his forehead. The hood he wore slipped down, revealing a splendid formal suit that seemed tailored to his body.

Anyone else would have marveled at his appearance, thinking he was born to captivate, but to Lucy’s eyes, every single detail was just an overly contrived piece of performance art.

Unaware of her thoughts, Alex placed a hand on his chest and spoke in a dignified tone.

“Your Majesty’s wisdom and sagacity are renowned even in the Empire. Moreover, hearing that you are the sovereign chosen by Grand General Hyverge himself, I was overcome with the desire to meet you. And so, I volunteered for the position of envoy to pay you this visit.”

“…I am honored. So, what do you think, now that you’ve met me in person?”

“Before our meeting, I had anticipated you would be a respectable figure, but seeing you in person has stirred a different feeling altogether. I had no idea you would be so graceful and charming.”

Lucy swallowed a scoff of disbelief. She couldn't tell if he was mocking her or being sincere.

*What is this bastard, who should be cooped up in the imperial palace, doing here…*

*Did he really come just to see me?*

“That’s strange. From what I’ve heard, the Crown Prince of the Empire is a very busy man who does not venture to foreign lands so easily. Are you saying you came here merely to congratulate me?”

“To be precise, I came to negotiate, but I’ve had a change of heart.”

“Negotiate?”

Alex turned and gestured to the delegation standing behind him. The envoys began to respectfully lay out the boxes they were holding.

All sorts of lavish items were placed at her feet: a necklace woven from black pearls, a massive onyx gemstone, a rare canary with peculiar tail feathers, a scarf made of white ermine fur, and more.

The final piece was a bolt of cloth dyed a fine violet.

Violet dye was exceedingly rare. While achieving a decent shade wasn’t too difficult, producing such an elegant purple required tens of thousands of sea snails.

To bring so much of a fabric that even the most prominent nobles struggled to acquire was far too extravagant for a congratulatory gift.

“Congratulations on your ascension, Your Majesty.”

Alex approached Lucy, a corner of his mouth pulled into a smile. He casually pushed aside the fabric at her feet with the tip of his shoe, then took something from his pocket and presented it to her.

“Please, accept this.”

It was a small velvet case, and its contents were obvious at a glance. *Surely not,* Lucy thought as she opened it.

“…Ha.”

Just as she’d expected.

It was a ring. A diamond ring with a multi-faceted cut that scattered brilliant light, clearly imbued with special meaning.

A dress, jewels, rare fabrics, and accessories. These looked less like gifts and more like betrothal presents. And now a ring on top of it all?

Staring down at the ring, Lucy let out a dry laugh and asked.

“Are you proposing to me right now?”

“To discern my intentions from the gifts alone… you are as perceptive as they say.”

Her incredulous question was met with an even more incredulous answer.

Their eyes met. Alex tilted his head, gazing into Lucy’s eyes as he slowly extended his empty hand.

Caught in the utterly unpredictable turn of events, she was at a loss for how to react. Her hand was helplessly captured by his, and soon, Alex’s lips touched its back.

Just as his lips, which had been tracing the lines of her veins, were about to part with a wet sound, a low voice grazed her ear.

“Whees. Escort Her Majesty.”

Before the sentence was finished, the sound of fluttering fabric came from above. At the same moment, Lucy’s body was pulled back, and a fluffy sensation pressed against the nape of her neck.

A familiar feeling. It was Raphi fur.

“Pardon the intrusion, Your Majesty.”

Whees said in a tense voice as he pulled Lucy into his arms. Simultaneously, the back of a man in a black coat, his form whipping around, filled the pupils of Lucy, who could only blink in surprise.

“Stand back.”

Walter, who had appeared from nowhere, now stood between Lucy and Alex, his hand on the pommel of his sword.

Walter’s voice was polite but devoid of emotion.

“Touch Her Majesty without permission again, and I will cut you down.”

Alex, who had maintained a leisurely expression until now, scowled for the first time, glaring at Walter.

Even if Walter was the kingdom’s most celebrated general, his words had crossed a line. Alex lightly licked his lower lip and spoke in a heavy tone.

“You would do well to step aside.”

“The same could be said for you.”

“Do you know who stands before you, that you would commit such an impertinence?”

“I do. You are His Highness, Crown Prince Alejandro Viante de Mon Terra. I committed a great discourtesy on the sea not long ago.”

Without taking his hand from his sword or blinking once, Walter met his gaze and continued speaking calmly.

“Please forgive my rudeness toward our esteemed guest. However, Her Majesty’s safety has been under constant threat, so we are eliminating any who approach her recklessly, regardless of their station.”

“Regardless of station, how could you…”

“Are you alright, Your Majesty?”

Ignoring Alex, Walter glanced back at Lucy. Still held awkwardly by Whees, she finally grasped the situation and slowly nodded.

“…I am fine. Captain Bomdeman, return to your post. Grand General, sheathe your sword.”

Whees, who had been holding Lucy stiffly under his arm, awkwardly released her. Walter, too, let go of his sword and took a step back.

But the tense atmosphere did not easily dissipate.

Hostile gazes crossed in the air, and both the imperial delegation and the palace guards had their hands on their swords.

*What should I do?*

*It would be wonderful if I could just slice Alex’s throat right now.*

The urge to kill him was immense, but unfortunately, Lucy was not that far gone.

Besides, she seemed to be the only one who could mediate the situation, so she sighed and spoke.

“Today is my first official event, so I hope you can understand our sensitivity regarding security. And you, Crown Prince… Lord Terra. While the Grand General’s overreaction was not right, you must also admit that you committed a discourtesy toward me.”

It felt strange to speak down to someone she had always addressed with honorifics. As she finished speaking calmly, Alex gave a bitter smile and glanced at Walter.

“My heart was aflutter, and my actions were excessive. I beg your forgiveness.”

“You are forgiven. I, too, apologize on behalf of the Grand General. Now, please take your gifts and withdraw.”

At her command to leave, Alex narrowed his eyes and his brow furrowed.

“Your Majesty. It is embarrassing to say, but what I said just now was not a jest.”

“If it wasn't a jest, then we have a problem. The Crown Prince of the Empire proposing to the queen of another nation. Are you saying you would renounce your claim to the throne and become my Prince Consort?”

“That is one possibility.”

“I am in no mood for word games, Crown Prince Alejandro.”

Lucy dropped the pretense, tilting her head defiantly and letting out a sneer.

“I have not the slightest intention of handing Parnas over to you as a wedding dowry. You would be wise to withdraw gracefully while I am still being polite.”

At her cold retort, the smile on Alex’s lips vanished.

Probing gazes landed piercingly on each other’s faces. It was Alex who broke the silence first.

“Then let us set aside romantic talk and discuss politics. There are many listening ears here. Would you mind if we moved to another location?”

His gentle expression remained, but the black eyes looking down at Lucy were filled with a frigid iciness, as if he were looking at an inanimate object.

This was a gaze she was far more accustomed to than his feigned one, so Lucy met his stare with an equally cold look of her own.

“Very well. We shall move outside.”

Lucy gestured to Walter with her eyes, then turned and walked away.

Beyond the rustle of her dress, the sound of two men's shoes followed her in a discordant rhythm.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

Unlike the dazzlingly brilliant interior, darkness had already fallen deep outside. The light rising from the garden was not enough to push away all the shadows on the balcony.

A servant quickly tried to light a brazier, but Lucy, thinking it better if their faces remained unseen, told him to leave it.

To her, Alex's face, which others gushed about as handsome, was merely a visage she wanted to punch and stab.

*I don’t want to look at him anyway, so I’ll just hear what he has to say and tell him to get lost.*

Lucy stopped at the railing, looking down at the garden as she spoke.

“What did you want to say that required us to move?”

“First, it would be best to start with the matter of the war.”

Alex pulled out a chair from the tea table at the end of the balcony. He gestured for her to sit first. Lucy stood with a displeased look for a moment before reluctantly taking a seat.

“So, what war are you talking about?”

She got straight to the point, and Alex raised his eyebrows, shooting her a look that seemed to ask why she was in such a hurry.

At his deliberately theatrical attitude, Lucy muttered a curse under her breath.