For the heart - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 10

Casian quietly gazed at Nina’s eyes as she looked at him. He needed to be a bit clearer about what feelings prompted her question.

Soon, a calm voice flowed out gently.

“Of course. It’s only been a day since I made the proposal.”

“Let’s form an alliance. Whatever your ambition may be, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure His Majesty doesn’t regard you with suspicion going forward. So when you become consort, you must keep your promise to let me live as an ordinary woman, not a war weapon.”

“….”

It was a much-needed alliance, and the answer I had desperately hoped for.

Yet in that moment, Casian felt strangely conflicted.

Her eyes wavered, unable to abandon their wariness or trust me completely.

While so clearly showing her lack of trust, she still told me she would accept the alliance. It was a precarious decision.

After a brief silence between them, Casian smiled faintly and spoke.

“Please be sure to keep your promise, Your Highness. I’ll be risking my life following you onto the battlefield. Ah, I’d also like some token to prove today’s alliance.”

“A token?”

“Yes. I’d be troubled if you used me to your heart’s content on the battlefield, then changed your tune later.”

Though he was blatantly treating her as untrustworthy, Nina showed no displeasure.

She simply looked around my room slowly.

Just as I couldn’t trust him, it was natural that he couldn’t trust me either.

After surveying the small bedroom, Nina furrowed her brow with a defeated expression on her pale face.

Though I was a princess, I had nothing valuable enough to prove my imperial status.

Far from valuable, I didn’t even have a single worn doll.

Nina let out a shallow sigh and looked at Casian.

“As you can see, there’s nothing in my room that would be of value to anyone.”

Casian didn’t doubt her words. Just looking at the bare bedroom with not even a single frame on the walls was convincing enough.

His eyes, which had been surveying the room following Nina’s lead, stopped at one spot.

Realizing what he was looking at, Nina let out an incredulous laugh.

“The sword won’t do.”

“Not the sword, but how about that transparent gem embedded in the sword’s crossguard?”

“That’s….”

“But that’s strange. I’m sure it was red earlier.”

Nina was inwardly surprised by Casian’s keen observation.

The gem embedded in her sword’s crossguard was usually transparent, but glowed red when Nina held it.

Few people had noticed this, yet he had spotted it even from the viewing stands.

It seemed his night vision wasn’t his only sharp sense.

“Give me that gem as a token. I’ll return it the day I become consort.”

Nina felt a bit troubled.

The sword with that embedded gem had been given to her by her master, who had taught her swordsmanship and was now missing.

It was also the sword that had been with her since before she was called by the nickname “Cold Sword.”

She didn’t know why the sword’s gem glowed red only when she held it, or how only this sword could awaken the power within her.

However, to her who had possessed nothing, it was the only thing that proved it was truly ‘mine,’ so she was attached to it.

And now he was asking for that.

But it was better than giving away the entire sword, and there was no other option.

As Nina rose with apparent resolve to fetch the sword, Casian’s red eyes filled with curiosity.

The moment Nina’s hand touched it, the transparent gem changed to red like my own eyes.

“May I try holding it once?”

Nina readily handed him the sword, and Casian gripped the sword’s handle.

However, unlike when Nina held it, the gem remained unchanged, returning to its transparent color.

“It only responds to Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

“Which also means it’s perfect as a token.”

He grinned as if he had obtained a most satisfactory token.

It was a mischievous, boyish smile that instantly erased the coolness that permeated his expressionless moments.

In the end, Casian took the gem from the crossguard, saying he would regard it as a token of their alliance.

“It wasn’t even that large….”

Nina gazed down at the sword thoughtfully.

Though it was just one missing gem, the sword that had always been with her somehow felt unfamiliar.

With a wistful heart, she gripped the sword handle firmly, and as before, the blade instantly froze and emitted a transparent light.

Only then did Nina feel relieved.

The gem was something she could get back someday.

* * *

The next afternoon, Nina headed to the Main Palace at the Emperor’s summons.

The attendant guided her to the small garden behind the Emperor’s study.

“Come, come. Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Casian Montregger pays his respects to Your Highness.”

“…Prince Montregger. Thank you for yesterday.”

Inside were the Emperor, Casian, and Lillien together.

Though a bit flustered, Nina greeted him with the courtesy due a foreign prince, unlike when she was alone with Casian.

At that greeting, the corner of Casian’s mouth twitched momentarily as if suppressing laughter.

“I didn’t know Prince Montregger was a healer. There were rumors long ago that Montregger’s deceased empress was an Arsed person, but I suppose they were true.”

At the Emperor’s words, Casian smiled faintly.

“I heard my mother was an Arsed person. Though she wasn’t a healer.”

“I see. There’s never been a healer who didn’t die after healing Nina. It’s both strange and remarkable. Isn’t that right, Nina?”

“…Yes. Your Majesty.”

Lillien took a sip of tea and glared at Nina, who was still standing.

She had been seething with anger all evening after seeing Casian ignore her words yesterday, abruptly rising to approach Nina and heal her.

Though they were twins, she hated Nina, who had always excelled at everything since childhood and now commanded respect through her mere presence.

Even when appearing covered in the blood and dust of battlefields, her sister’s beauty only seemed to grow more distinct.

Nina was not supposed to be like that.

She should always be alone, no one should extend a hand to her, and she should cling according to their will only to be cruelly cast aside in the end.

That was the balance between her and her twin sister.

Yet the person who had cracked that carefully maintained balance was Casian Montregger.

“With such precious healing power, you should conserve it. There are plenty of healers to treat Nina.”

“Well. Arsed’s wars are not yet over, and healers play a very important role on the battlefield. Wouldn’t it be wasteful if they ended up as disposable consumables?”

“Healers are originally meant to be…!”

“Therefore, Your Majesty, if it pleases you, I would like to accompany future campaigns as Princess Nina’s dedicated healer.”

At Casian’s proposal, the Emperor’s eyes widened, and Lillien looked at him with a horrified expression.

“You’re saying you want to participate in war?”

“Yes.”

“Even as a healer, you could lose your life on the battlefield.”

“I believe this is the greatest role I can play for Arsed, having come here to strengthen our relationship.”

“Ha! Hahahaha!”

The Emperor burst into laughter.

The First Prince of Montregger, brought here as a hostage, wanted to participate in Arsed’s continental unification. Nothing could be more satisfying.

He had been troubled by the increasing number of healers dying on battlefields anyway.

But Lillien felt differently.

The large sunflower-shaped brooch below her shoulder swayed up and down with her rough breathing, its sharply crafted petals flashing as they caught sunlight from beyond the garden.

Nina was the first to notice Lillien’s state.

It seemed Lillien had already fallen deeply for Casian.

Knowing Lillien’s temperament better than anyone, Nina chose to leave first.

“If Your Lordship would do so, it would be of great help in battle. Then I’ll take my leave now. I must attend a military preparation meeting for the next campaign.”

“Go ahead. I was planning to hear about the next campaign anyway. Let’s talk again after the meeting.”

Nina bowed to the Emperor, who was in high spirits.

The moment she raised her head, Nina inwardly startled. Her eyes had met Casian’s as if colliding.

Nina immediately turned and left the rear garden.

Among all the gazes that reached her, none had been so intense except for enemies’ killing intent. Was it a warning look telling her never to forget their secret alliance?

Well, as an ambitious man aiming to become Arsed’s consort, his passion toward his goal would be extraordinary.

Nina had walked about halfway down the corridor when she was lightly shaking her head.

“Hey!”

“Ugh.”

Someone roughly grabbed and yanked her arm from behind.

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