“What rumors?”

Valentin gently asked back. It was clear from his attitude that he wasn’t asking because he truly didn’t know, but rather because this topic was unwelcome.

Normally, she would have backed down at this point, but now was the time to draw on courage she didn’t have.

At this rate, it was only a matter of time before not just Valentin, but all of Ansgar would be in danger.

The land they stood on now was the emperor’s land, a board intricately laid out by the nobles.

And she was not deeply learned in matters of politics.

‘I need to, speak up.’

Yet did it have to be right now? Her resolve, which had been firm when she first opened her mouth, was being chipped away bit by bit.

Even though she knew better than anyone that there was no time.

Sometimes it felt strange. Lately, it was as if her heart wasn’t her own…

“Your silence is long, Adelheit.”

She awoke from her brief reverie. He was gazing at her with languid eyes, his chin resting on the windowsill.

“…I thought Valentin might find this topic uncomfortable.”

Adelheit said, deliberately averting her gaze from his face.

“I wonder if you heard the conversation Margaret and I had last time?”

The smooth smile on his lips faltered slightly.

“Ah.”

“You need to know the context in which that conversation came up. There are strange rumors going around about the gifts Valentin received.”

“You mean that insignificant gold I received?”

“You should know that insignificant gold is quite significant by human standards. Especially lately, the ‘gifts’ His Majesty bestows are excessively lavish. Anyone would think it’s preferential treatment.”

“…”

“Preferential treatment breeds unnecessary jealousy. If you make even a small misstep, it will invite unnecessary misunderstandings.”

Valentin let out a short laugh. When she furrowed her brow, he said, touching his lips:

“I didn’t know you were so concerned.”

“This is just what reached my ears while I was confined to my room due to illness. Please don’t think it’s ridiculous and listen properly.”

“Adelheit’s opinions are never ridiculous to me.”

He said, his expression becoming serious.

Adelheit narrowed her eyes as if gauging whether his words were sincere, then quickly continued:

“Especially the rumor that at this assembly, His Majesty’s right of succession is being considered as the top priority… That rumor is fatal. If even the moderate nobles start to believe it, the situation will spiral out of control.”

Right of succession. Just uttering those words sent a chill down her spine.

Adelheit clenched her fists tightly again as they began to tremble.

“If this situation continues, there might even be unsavory misunderstandings about His Majesty’s birth…”

“Ah, that’s not a misunderstanding.”

“Not a misunderstanding?”

Adelheit’s eyes widened immediately. Valentin let out a quiet laugh as if he found her reaction cute.

“You seem surprised. I thought bloodline issues were common talk among humans.”

“Not at all, Valentin, I really…”

Adelheit barely managed to blink her eyelids, which had stiffened in shock. Then, suddenly remembering something, she hastily opened her mouth.

“Then does His Majesty… cherish Valentin knowing all this? Not simply being generous to a nephew?”

“At least the empress would know. Every time our eyes meet, she gives me such a fierce look.”

He said, pulling up the corners of his eyes with his fingers.

Despite this playful sight, Adelheit’s expression didn’t soften. Rather, growing even paler, she asked:

“The, the empress too?”

“If that’s an important issue for Adelheit, should I confirm it properly? I might have to turn some brains inside out though.”

Brains… Adelheit, pretending not to have heard the terrible word, continued to ask:

“Then how about Duke Oscar… I thought you two were full brothers.”

“Oscar?”

For a moment, Valentin narrowed his eyes as if he couldn’t remember who that was.

Then, as if he suddenly recalled, he responded nonchalantly with an “Ah.”

“Well, you can see we don’t look alike just by looking at our faces.”

“Are you saying… he’s not of the Grand Duke’s blood?”

“They must have different mothers. The woman the Grand Duke loved died right after giving birth to her child.”

The woman the Grand Duke loved.

Was that woman Valentin’s birth mother? The more she conversed with him, the more her curiosity intensified.

Where on earth did Valentin learn all this information? Just a few weeks ago, he had been clumsy with both speech and memory…

As if noticing her doubts, Valentin smiled smoothly.

“Humans seem to forget very easily, but in fact, nothing is forgotten. They just pretend to forget.”

“…”

“To me, humans’ pasts appear like books that are a bit tricky to read. It’s annoying, but if I want to know, there are many ways to find out.”

Adelheit crumpled her skirt in both hands.

‘If everything I’ve just heard is true.’

If the emperor wasn’t just fond of Valentin, but had decided to pass the position of crown prince to him? The thought that suddenly occurred to her sent a chill down her spine.

In fact, until now, even if the emperor sometimes showed excessive favor, she thought it was because his love for his nephew was overflowing.

That it was due to a sense of debt towards his brother who died early.

‘I even thought it was just for show, a means to keep the empress’s Ernsts in check…’

After all, the emperor consistently ignored his own eldest son and only sought out his nephew.

Even as the empress went mad with jealousy, even as the empress’s family, the Ernsts, persistently pressured the emperor who lacked a support base.

‘If Valentin doesn’t come forward to actively explain or express his refusal, soon an unstoppable bloodbath will sweep through Denburg.’

She glanced at him, trying to suppress her anxious heart.

‘But Valentin promised to return to Ansgar. Even if achieving the ‘contract’ is urgent now, he wouldn’t covet the position of crown prince…’

But what if Valentin became the crown prince during this banquet?

Then Valentin would achieve the first contract earlier than planned, and the soul of the ‘Duke of Ansgar’ would return to its original body.

If that happened, Adelheit would also have to leave Ansgar.

‘Then what about the people of Ansgar’s domain? Who will take care of them?’

Valentin, having become crown prince, would not be able to leave Prague.

The immediate alternative that came to mind was Oscar, but even Hermann used to click his tongue at his incompetence.

‘My head is a mess.’

Not a single thing had been clearly resolved. Moreover, there was nothing she could solve at her level.

Just waiting quietly, whether in the hunting grounds or the banquet hall, while the future approached moment by moment.

He let out a brief laugh as he gazed at Adelheit’s face, which reflected her complex emotions.

“Why such a face?”

Valentin’s low laughter sounded different from usual. Adelheit slowly raised her gaze to meet his.

He was smiling broadly, with a somewhat chilling smile.

Adelheit wondered what emotion was lurking beneath Valentin’s beautiful face.

As she stared blankly, his hand grabbed her chin. He met her gaze leisurely and slowly opened his mouth.

“Surely not.”

His elegant eyes narrowed in an instant.

“You’re not worried about this shell I’m wearing, are you?”

…Shell? Adelheit closed her mouth at the jarring word.

The sharp blade hidden in his deliberately chosen words grated on her nerves.

His smile grew a little colder at her momentary loss for words.

“Because I mentioned an expensive bloodline, does this shell I’m wearing look a bit exotic? Even so, it’s nothing more than a mere human.”

“What, suddenly… such nonsense…”

“Adelheit.”

She could feel him trying hard to suppress his tautly strung nerves. Even though he was smiling.

The smile barely hanging on Valentin’s lips soon disappeared without a trace.

“I don’t like you paying attention to anything other than me. Even if it’s about this shell I’m wearing, even if it’s about that little rabbit hole you cherish.”

“…”

“I’m very greedy, you know.”

Only then did Adelheit vaguely guess why Valentin had been uncooperative throughout this conversation.

“I want that little head of yours to be filled only with thoughts of me. With no room for anything else to even squeeze in.”

His firm thumb pressed gently on her lips.

Valentin, who had been gazing at her as if looking at something very precious, soon smiled fiercely.

“Would hatred be better than affection for that?”

“…”

“Hm? Adelheit.”

He called her name affectionately, as if urging an answer.

As she looked up at him, dumbfounded, his gaze became even more intense, as if pleased.

His gaze moved slowly, as if examining even the trembling of a single hair.

The pale eyes fixed on him like a taxidermy specimen, the delicately trembling eyelids, the flushed cheeks and bridge of the nose, even the lips he was calmly pressing down.

That composure made her body temperature suddenly rise. Her heart beat urgently.

“…”

Her lips, parted by his pressing finger, trembled sensitively as if anticipating what would come next.