Chapter – 28
Cesare said while elegantly tapping his foot.
“I’m not really the type of person who likes getting tangled up like this. I’m only saying this out of minimal conscience.”
“Same here, honestly. By the way, do you not have any friends?”
“Yes.”
Wow. I’ve never been so glad before. I felt a strong sense of closeness and my eyes sparkled.
“Oh my, that’s exactly like me! You’re probably the type with a dark personality inside, can’t trust anyone, maybe a bit paranoid too!”
“……”
In many ways, he was the perfect partner… no, the perfect business partner. But Cesare’s overly satisfied expression bothered me. I was the one who made the first proposal, yet I strangely felt like I had fallen into a trap. And when something feels off, you’re supposed to demand something more.
“Ah, then one more thing.”
I spoke and opened the coin pouch beside me. I took out one gold coin, kept it in my pocket, then handed the rest to Cesare.
“Please build me a laboratory here with this.”
“A laboratory?”
“I originally planned to build one at the Prelay estate, but my grandfather told me not to do any more research.”
He didn’t exactly say it like that. But a coffee ban on me was basically the same as telling me not to research anymore. I had already gotten used to concentrating by chugging coffee and stimulants in a messy state.
Of course, if I fixed my eating habits, I could probably live longer and healthier. But I had already decided to just live a few years shorter by flooding my body with coffee and stimulants.
“I want to set up proper equipment here and do research comfortably. Is that okay?”
“You don’t need to pay for that. I can handle it myself—”
I gently refused Cesare’s kindness and thanked him politely.
“Thank you, but even if you’re rich, I can’t trust your financial sense. People like you who roam around clubhouses end up ruined quickly. So I’ll just use my own money.”
“……Do you really trust me that little?”
“Marquis.”
I smiled faintly and kindly advised him.
“Ordinary, responsible people don’t trust reckless people who hang around clubhouses. As you saw, I only went there for undercover investigation. Please keep that in mind.”
“……”
Cesare looked briefly aggrieved, but then sighed lightly and nodded.
“Anyway, I’ll provide you a room. Just write down what you need, and I’ll purchase everything immediately.”
“That’s great. I can just openly say I’m going on dates now.”
I clapped my hands with satisfaction. Cesare, who had been quietly watching me, suddenly asked.
“By the way, aren’t you curious about what kind of magical tool I want?”
Ah. I quickly folded my clapping hands neatly and asked.
“What kind of magical tool do you want?”
The answer was immediate—and very unexpected.
“A magical tool that can change eye color.”
“…Huh?”
My body froze instantly. I didn’t show it, but my heart dropped.
“…E-eye color?”
It was the very magical tool I had developed for the first time in my life—and one I never intended to reveal to the world. I hurriedly took a sip of coffee and barely calmed myself before speaking.
“Um, just so you know, magical tools only use mana as energy. They don’t create miracles or anything like that.”
“I know.”
“The one you’re talking about… well, even if it could be made, it would probably involve tremendous pain, and it’s very difficult and complicated…”
“Princess.”
Cesare said calmly with a faint smile.
“When I request magical tool research from the academy, they don’t ask for reasons.”
“……”
That was true. It basically meant, “You don’t need to know—just research it.”
“As you know, hair color can be changed. There are even permanent dyes sold. But eye color is difficult to change, so I’m asking. I thought maybe, if it’s you, you could make it.”
“But still, we should consider the social impact…”
Normally I wouldn’t hesitate, but for some reason I felt uneasy and rambled awkwardly.
“The idea that you could change a person’s innate appearance… that affects bloodline trust and such—”
“Princess.”
He spoke slowly in a low voice.
“I was abandoned by the people I trusted most. It shocked me so deeply that I became a completely different person from my naive past.”
His expression was somewhat gloomy—and cruel.
“My once bright and narrow world…”
His eyes grew distant.
“became very, very dark…”
They were eyes clearly filled with cold hostility. With that chilling gaze, he whispered again.
“And after that, I could no longer trust anyone.”
“……”
“Not even those who share my blood.”
“……”
“There are many like me. Blood relation does not automatically mean trust. So you don’t need to worry about social confusion.”
Blood relations… untrustworthy blood relations…
I fell silent for a moment, feeling a bit down. I, too, had a mother who caused pain to everyone.
“…Then…”
I swallowed and looked at him, quickly changing the subject.
“Marquis, you probably don’t trust me either.”
At my words, Cesare paused slightly. Then he replied dryly.
“Yes. I don’t.”
“Hm.”
“It’s easy to lie and say I trust you, but I don’t want to deceive you. I hope you don’t feel offended. As I said, I no longer trust family, friends, or even…”
Cesare repeated slowly.
“even first love.”
His tone sounded like he was speaking to himself. When I stared at him, he gave a perfectly measured smile.
“But we can be mutually useful to each other in a clean and proper way. I trust your abilities. That’s something the numbers in your papers already prove.”
That immediately made me feel better.
“That’s true. It does require talent, effort, and passion all together to achieve those results.”
Cesare smiled strangely.
“Well, socially speaking… maybe eye color changing will just reduce the culture of judging lineage by appearance. I think that’s a good thing.”
I couldn’t answer him. Because that thought was exactly what I had once believed as a child.
I erased my mother’s face from my mind. At times like this, I needed to think objectively instead of being trapped in the past. This was, in fact, a beneficial deal for me. I had already been asked to research a magical tool I could make.
I didn’t even need to work hard on it. I could just pretend to. Honestly, it wasn’t a burden. I could just pass time and say I developed it later.
After taking a deep breath, I said,
“Alright then.”
Our eyes met again.
“I’ll do the research. But there’s one condition.”
“A condition?”
“I’ll think more about officially publishing it. I mean, the paper. I need time.”
What I was concerned about was my connection with the boy who was likely the Crown Prince. I didn’t want to cause trouble for him if I released this. So I was just buying time. Time could be infinite, after all.
“Very well. We can discuss that together later.”
Cesare smiled, unaware of my intentions.
“Then please take care of me, Princess. And once again…”
He leaned slightly toward me.
“…no matter what happens, you cannot back out. Understood?”
His voice was sweet, like tempting me into doing something bad together.
“Of course.”
I answered immediately.
“You know there’s an imperial banquet next week for Prince Hiton’s birthday, right? Can I spread rumors there that you’re my lover?”
Joshua had said Cesare rarely attended social events. So I assumed he wouldn’t go to the banquet either. It was a convenient excuse to say, “I already have a lover.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
But his answer was unexpected.
“I plan to attend that banquet as well. So it would be better to show it in person.”
“Uh… you’re attending?”
“Yes. It was already planned.”
He smiled quietly.
“I just never imagined I would have an escort.”
So he had intended to go regardless of me.
I thought he only hung around dark places like clubhouses and never attended events…
Still, this would be his first official social debut, and I was about to ruin his image. But honestly, it wasn’t my problem, so I didn’t feel that guilty.
“Well, fine then.”
I replied vaguely. It seemed we were done talking, so I was about to stand up when Cesare slowly reached out his hand.
“And this…”
He untied Avian’s handkerchief wrapped around my wrist. The loosened cloth fluttered down slowly.
I looked at him in surprise. He smiled playfully.
“You can’t send your lover off with another man’s handkerchief.”
Then he took out another handkerchief from his coat and tied it firmly around the same spot—my right wrist.
