Chapter 18

The Prince

“...My lord. Are you all right?”

Stella asked with concern.

It must have been because Noel’s face had been pale blue since a while ago.

Even when she stood on the battlefield together, she had never shown such signs of agitation, but ever since the prince took Aiden away earlier, she had been like this.

“If you are unwell, please take a short rest. I will cover for you around here.”

“...Then. I’ll step out for a moment.”

▶ If the events listed in this entry fail, massive penalties will be imposed!

◈ Fake Marriage

* You have been chosen as Lady Noel’s spouse. Maintain the contract with your partner to the end!

The reason he absolutely could not give up was spelled out here in plain detail.

‘Does this bastard want to get me killed…!’

No matter what happened, he could not sever his relationship with Noel…!

The only option was to carry it through to the death or collapse from exhaustion…!

“...You will be forced to face countless things you cannot bear.”

Seeing the prince’s heavy demeanor as he spoke, Aiden ground his teeth inwardly.

No, I understood perfectly well what he was trying to say…

‘If I break off the engagement, I will literally die…!’

And with that desperate resolve, he somehow managed to turn it into a composed reply.

“I am prepared.”

At the immediate answer, the prince fell silent for a moment.

Aiden looked as though he was measuring the prince for a moment, unable to read what he was thinking.

“...You would do well to think carefully.”

The prince spoke in an icy voice. He must have been warning him that this could turn them into outright enemies.

‘So what…!’

Better that than dying right now, you bastard…!

“It doesn’t matter.”

When he replied without a single hitch, the prince stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words.

“...Why would you go that far? You’re only bound to Lady Noel by a contract.”

What other reason did he need—he simply had no choice but to do it…

But there was no point explaining that. No matter what he said, the man would keep prodding like this.

So he needed to think.

He didn’t know exactly why the prince was so intent on making him break off the engagement, but at the very least, he had to prevent him from interfering further between them like this. It was annoying—profoundly irritating.

Then, the best pretext to cut that off completely at the root, the one that would work…

‘Ah.’

There was one.

It might not be a true solution, but it would at least give him a reason the prince wouldn’t be able to argue against, a pretext that would block any attempt to “persuade” him.

“You.”

Aiden smiled broadly.

As if it were the most genuine feeling in the world.

“I like her.”

...He lied through his teeth without so much as moistening his lips.

It was the brazen shamelessness befitting a man whose main trade was fraud.

“...”

For the first time, the prince’s smile fell from his face.

As though he had never even considered the possibility of this answer.

“...You like her?”

“Yes.”

“...And for such a petty reason, you would choose to make an enemy of the Crown Prince? Of the man destined to rule the Empire?”

“Yes.”

Silence fell.

Far heavier, far more stifling than before.

A long moment passed.

“Ha.”

With that short exhalation.

“Ha—hahahah—!”

At last, uproarious laughter burst out.

-System Message

▶ You have engaged with ‘Usurper’, Arden Brimstone Lionel.

▶ [Malice] level has increased by 1 stage!

▶ A new function of ‘Weaver of Fate’ has been unlocked.

▶ You have copied a ‘Mutated Skill’ from the target!

“...?”

At the system window that popped up, Aiden’s face twisted.

He had never seen this window before. Until now, he had only copied skills by raising Affection, but Malice levels, Mutated Skills—what was all this supposed to be?

But before he could even finish questioning it—

Another window appeared immediately after.

-System Message

▶ Affection level with ‘Noel Astrea Simus’ has increased.

▶ The amount of Affection gained is extremely high!

▶ Bond level has surged from Level 3 to Level 5.

▶ You have gained 2 additional skill copy attempts!

▶ The accumulated Bond is sufficiently high. The application of ‘Weaver of Fate’ will soon change!

▶ A related entry will be added to the Main Quest!

▶ A new entry has been added to Quest ‘Fake Marriage’!

“...”

Why was she… again…?