A Blend of Romance and Fantasy - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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29.
“Why that expression? If we don’t divorce, I’ll have to keep living in Blake. As Empress, no less. Surely you don’t want that?”
“Absolutely not.”
Leonard Blake denied it immediately, as expected. Yet that irritated expression remained unchanged.
Just then, dessert arrived.
We began eating the sweet confection in silence.
Leonard Blake, who disliked sweets, seemed to be struggling somewhat.
We Sincesterians adored sweet desserts and were well-developed in that regard.
Whether out of courtesy or genuine effort to finish, discomfort was evident on his face.
Finding it far too amusing, I forgot all about our recent quarrel and let out a snicker.
“You don’t have to force yourself to finish it all. You really seem to hate sweets.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Very much so.”
“Hmm.”
Leonard Blake set down his spoon, having been eating ice cream cake.
“I do hope His Majesty doesn’t criticize me for this.”
“My Brother would criticize you regardless. He cherishes me far too much.”
Leonard Blake laughed while wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Did you possess a favorable environment, or did you create one to be favorable?”
“The latter, I’d say. After all, Charlotte was originally positioned as a villainess.”
“True enough. Life is what you make of it. I asked a pointless question.”
“….”
Suddenly, Cedric’s voice overlapped with Leonard Blake’s image.
-He was a vice-commander of the Punishment Unit, Thanatos.
-He was never originally of royal blood, Your Highness.
“Leonard Blake. How many years ago did you possess someone?”
Leonard Blake’s hand froze mid-air as he was emptying his water glass. The cup descended slowly and struck the table.
Eyes that had been brimming with laughter moments before gradually grew dim.
“Is that important information for you?”
“I read the original work of 【Habudal】 that you gave me, and there are many parts I don’t understand. Some information is missing.”
“I don’t remember the original well. Let’s just move past it.”
“Then just tell me who you possessed and how many years ago.”
Leonard Blake exhaled a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck.
“…You’ve heard something from somewhere.”
“W-well, that is…”
Caught off guard by his direct assertion, I stumbled over my words, and he smiled faintly.
“I expected you to investigate me. Didn’t you keep saying I was suspicious?”
“D-don’t make me feel like I’m being called out. And crossing the Lesher Desert really was suspicious.”
“Oh, are you shifting blame now?”
“No, what I meant was…”
“Fifteen years ago.”
Thud.
If there had been a sound effect, a resounding thud would have been most fitting.
Possessed fifteen years ago? That’s six years before I was even born.
“I possessed the body of a nobleman from a family whose name has since been erased—fifteen years ago. In other words, I was never originally of royal blood.”
Watching him speak such a truth with such an unbothered expression left me speechless.
Leonard Blake smiled faintly as I stood frozen before him.
“Was that the answer you were hoping for?”
“…Then how did you become a Sixth Prince?”
“That’s not particularly important to our contract either. Do you truly need to know?”
Leonard laughed again this time.
But unlike before, it was unmistakably a sneer. A sharp glint accompanied his gaze.
Yet I felt no displeasure. I had witnessed such an attitude far too many times.
It was a defense mechanism.
“Leonard, you don’t have to speak of it if you’d rather not remember.”
I spoke gently, as one might soothe a child.
Leonard seemed somewhat taken aback by what I was expecting of him at first.
But he laughed again—a rather refreshing smile, though whether genuine or performed, I couldn’t quite tell.
“That’s a different attitude from the Garden last time. I thought you’d grab me by the collar and demand the truth.”
“I have some sense of propriety too. I’m not entirely without tact.”
I pouted and grumbled, when Leonard suddenly opened his mouth.
“I possessed the body of a child from a family that was exterminated. But at that time, there was a place called Thanatos—a Punishment Unit. They gathered the surviving children of the exterminated families and threw them there. And I possessed one of them.”
“…”
“How many years was it? Seven? Eight?”
Leonard counted on his fingers, then furrowed his brow.
“I possessed a ten-year-old boy and survived there alone for several years, until I met James, the protagonist. But his abilities were so desirable that I killed him and took them for myself.”
“That’s… surely a lie?”
“Why would I lie? Besides, the Imperial Court knows all of this already.”
My mouth fell open at such a shocking revelation, yet Leonard’s expression remained perfectly serene.
“James wanted to achieve peaceful unification, so the Blackwood Family disliked him. Meanwhile, I appeared, scheming to become Emperor, so our interests aligned.”
“Wait. My head is spinning.”
“That’s precisely why I didn’t tell you. Besides, do you really need to know about my past? After all…”
His words paused briefly, but Leonard continued without hesitation.
“Once you prevent Sincester’s downfall as you said, we’ll divorce anyway.”
Good heavens. He really did take issue with that word ‘divorce’ I used earlier, didn’t he?
But did he have to make it so obvious? How petty.
“Are you angry?”
When I said nothing, Leonard cautiously probed, watching my expression.
“Me? How could I be?”
“…Now that I think about it, my words were rather harsh. But truly, we are…”
“I’m not angry, I tell you.”
I let out a scoff and rose from my seat.
But then I remembered another reason I’d come here, so I had no choice but to sit back down.
“Leonard, do you know how to shoot a bow?”
“A bow? Of course I do, but… are you perhaps trying to practice with the sacred relic you received?”
“Yes. I originally planned to learn from Cedric, but Aurora said since you’re my fiancé, it would be more appropriate to learn from you.”
“…Cedric?”
His tone, which had been deferential, suddenly shot upward.
“Now that I think about it, you call him by his name. Is it proper for the Princess to address the Duke so casually?”
It was obvious at a glance that Leonard was in a foul mood.
“The Duke asked me to call him ‘Cedric’ since he’ll be accompanying me as an escort knight from now on. Is there a problem with that?”
“…There’s no problem, but what about me? Didn’t you tell me not to call you by your name so freely?”
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
True, I’d called him “Your Highness” in front of others, and addressed him as “you” or “sir” or “listen here” in private—I suppose he had reason to feel slighted.
‘But why should I feel slighted? We won’t see each other after the contract ends anyway.’
I mentally scoffed and spoke as curtly as possible.
“Back then we were nothing to each other. But now we’re engaged, so it’s fine to use your name. It’s not like it wears out.”
“Then.”
Charlotte.
My name spoken in that deep, cavernous voice… had more impact than I expected.
Throughout my life, only the blood relatives of Sincester and Aurora had called me by my name.
In other words, no unrelated man had ever called me by my name before.
‘Compose yourself! No matter how handsome that man’s exterior is, think of what’s inside!’
I was barely maintaining a composed expression through Lamas-style deep breathing when he spoke again.
“Since you asked about my past, I’ll ask about yours.”
“What, what is it?”
“When did you possess this body? Or rather, does the Duke love you?”
“Excuse me?”
I expected him to ask about Knox Glaston or the Royal Family, but he’s asking the strangest things.
I frowned and crossed my arms.
“I possessed this body at ten years old, and the Duke doesn’t love me. Really, what a pointless question.”
“The Duke truly doesn’t love you?”
“That’s what I said. The Duke loving me? You must have read too many possession fantasy novels.”
That perfect cliché where the heroine who possessed a novel changes the original story and falls in love with the male lead when their eyes meet.
But Leonard still looked unconvinced.
“Why? Are you not satisfied?”
“No, that’s enough now.”
I’m the fool for asking her.
The muttered words seemed to have been spoken so quietly I could barely hear them.
“What did you just say?”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Are you sure?”
Her face was perfectly composed and serene. Had I imagined it? But I was certain that voice belonged to Leonard Blake.
As I tilted my head in confusion, someone entered the restaurant from the back.
“Your Highness. I sincerely apologize for interrupting your meal.”
It was Eric, the handsome man I’d been encountering frequently of late whenever I met with Leonard Blake. His mere presence brought an involuntary smile to my face.
Eric bowed to me before approaching Leonard Blake and extending something toward him.
“Your Grace, an urgent message has arrived from Blake. I thought it best to show you immediately.”
It was a blue envelope sealed with gold lettering embossed upon it.
Judging by Leonard Blake’s expression, it didn’t appear to be pleasant news.
He didn’t even open the letter—instead, his gaze turned directly to me.
“Charlotte, I apologize, but would you mind if I excused myself?”
“Oh? Yes, of course.”
It seemed urgent enough that I could only nod in assent.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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