I Was Hired by the Black-Minded Prince for My Life's Ransom - Chapter 24

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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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Episode 24. The Familiar Servant
My… ideal type?
I opened my eyes wide and snuck a glance at the servant.
Black hair, pale white skin.
A small mole beneath his eyes and an expression that seemed somehow forlorn.
Of course, for a commoner, he was quite handsome.
But…
‘Not a patch on His Highness.’
Honestly, if you stood him next to Iulian, he’d look like a pebble.
This thing about men who cry easily being my ideal type was just a joke.
I like handsome men, that’s all there is to it…!
My lips twitched with a strange sense of unfairness.
Besides, I had no such relationship with that servant.
It was simply that one day I’d happened to cross paths with him while resolving some tedious request Dai had thrust upon me.
‘Was it that Illegal Slave Market…?’
That servant had been trapped in a cage, covered in blood.
He wore a Shackle around his ankle—whether he’d been caught trying to escape or not—and his whole body was marked with bruises.
…Honestly, how could I have just walked past that?
So while the guards were distracted, I’d quietly broken the lock for him.
— Run fast, don’t let anyone see!
That was all.
After that, I had no idea what happened to him.
‘He’s doing well. That’s a relief.’
So I was simply a little pleased to see him.
I hastily shook my head.
Just as I was about to deny it was any sort of ideal type.
Scrape—
The lord’s daughter pulled out the chair across from me and sat down.
“Forgive my intrusion. I am Bremon Olivia.”
Neatly composed expression, elegant posture.
Yet her eyes harbored an undeniable weariness.
Glance.
She looked at her father, Baron Bremon, and without exchanging any further greeting, looked away.
……
Their relationship didn’t seem particularly good.
The Telepathic Communication flowing between us naturally ceased the moment she took her seat.
[…We’ll speak more later.]
Iulian shifted his attention to the meal as though nothing had happened.
His manner was so natural that I nearly forgot we’d been conversing at all.
…In truth, it wasn’t the sort of conversation that warranted such a serious response, was it?
I felt a bit embarrassed, caught muttering to myself over nothing.
Soon dishes began appearing on the table one after another.
Clams rich with butter, fish roasted golden brown, soup brimming with shrimp.
As befitted a seaside village, everything was seafood.
‘This smells wonderful.’
My mouth watered just from the aroma.
“I do hope it suits your palate.”
The lord, Baron Bremon, smiled with careful courtesy.
Then his gaze drifted subtly toward his daughter.
“My daughter has quite a fondness for the town’s specialty dishes, you see. I took some care with today’s menu myself.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
The young lady nodded impassively.
There was something uncomfortable in her manner.
Yet the reddened tips of her ears suggested she wasn’t entirely displeased.
‘Mm…’
No matter how I looked at it, they seemed to be matchmaking.
Perhaps because I’d witnessed countless women approach Iulian with all manner of seduction.
I’d become quite perceptive about such things.
‘Well, if the person in question is His Highness, I suppose it’s only natural.’
He is, after all, the most beloved Holy Saint in the empire.
Honestly, if I’d had the chance, I probably would’ve shoved her right in front of him without hesitation.
But.
‘It won’t work.’
A man so determined to avoid women that he’d destroy his Holy Saint image would never fall for something like that.
“I see. Thank you for your trouble.”
Sure enough, Iulian simply smiled warmly and didn’t take the bait at all.
Then he smoothly changed the subject.
“By the way, I’m curious about the current number of tourists.”
“Ah… the number of tourists, you mean?”
“How many outsiders are entering Valenta Island?”
The conversation naturally shifted to matters of work.
The harbor situation, how goods moved through the island, tourism revenue, and even trade issues with neighboring fiefdoms.
Iulian steered the entire flow of conversation with a kind, benevolent smile.
‘He’s so skilled at this.’
I found myself admiring him, fidgeting with my fingers.
I was trying to follow the thread of the conversation, but it still wasn’t easy.
And all the while, I felt a gaze poking at my cheek.
When I glanced up, the black-haired servant was looking at me with sparkling eyes.
‘Vanillin, you remember me? Goodness, to meet you again here… I’ve missed you so much!’
He could say so many things with just his eyes.
The way he was clearly bursting with things to say reminded me of a puppy wagging its tail.
‘Hehe.’
Warmth welled up in me, and I found myself breaking into a smile without thinking.
I gave him a small nod of recognition, pouring all my affection into those glances—*long time no see*.
The servant’s expression lit up at once.
…But then.
“……?”
The atmosphere at the table suddenly grew quiet.
I blinked.
‘What?’
When I turned my head, Iulian was looking at me.
Smiling gently.
It was a tender, beautiful, flawless smile.
Except for the chill creeping down my spine.
‘Why… why is he upset again…?’
By now, I could sense it purely by instinct.
Something had twisted in his mood.
I studied his expression carefully and asked silently with my lips.
‘Why…?’
[…….]
Iulian didn’t answer.
He simply kept staring at me.
I tilted my ear to listen, but I sensed nothing through Telepathic Communication either.
‘Why, why are you doing this.’
I straightened my posture awkwardly.
Then I averted my gaze to the side.
I was hoping that if I didn’t look, things might improve.
…But then.
“…….”
There’s no paradise in flight, or so they say.
This time, my eyes met those of the young lady gazing calmly at me.
Her mouth held a smile, but her eyes were ice.
What was wrong with her too….
What had I done wrong?
She studied me deliberately with her eyes, then reached out and placed her fingertips lightly on the back of the servant’s hand.
A gesture that looked affectionate.
Yet the servant’s shoulders suddenly trembled.
“……?”
I forgot what I was about to say and simply stared, dumbfounded.
What was that?
It felt as though she’d pinched me just now.
The young lady opened her mouth with a smile as if nothing had happened.
“Oh my, the food’s gone cold. Could you bring a fresh plate?”
“Yes, miss.”
The servant bowed at once.
In that moment, I caught a faint red mark showing through the gap in his loose clothes.
A long, thin line—like a whip mark.
My breath stopped short.
‘Surely not?’
I tried to look again, but he’d already vanished through the door with the dishes.
The rest of the meal proceeded with an almost eerie tranquility.
The servant didn’t return, Bremon kept laughing, and the young lady continued the conversation with a composed expression.
But I quietly bit the inside of my lip.
That scene from before kept replaying in my mind.
……
That’s why I didn’t notice.
That Iulian was watching me with eyes narrowed slightly.
* * *
Three days later.
“My apologies, Your Highness. The Sea Festival preparations beginning soon have made it difficult to operate ships for the time being.”
“The festival, you say.”
“Yes. It’s the biggest event of the year, so the harbor is undergoing complete maintenance. Almost no ships are leaving for the outside right now.”
Bremon seemed to have this all planned out.
No matter how I looked at it, he could certainly spare a ship for a prince, yet he clearly wanted to keep him here.
[Such talk of festivals. They’re all the same tired excuse—it’s enough to make one yawn.]
‘But a festival might be fun, actually.’
[The Sea Festival here is quite famous, after all.]
After deliberating back and forth, Iulian decided to remain here until the festival ended.
Just three days.
‘Yes!’
I let out a small, quiet cheer inside.
I was thrilled.
The unfamiliar village was fascinating, the sea was beautiful, and above all…
‘This feels like a real trip.’
I’d thought we’d only conduct the inspection and leave, but what unexpected good fortune.
Though if you asked whether I could enjoy everything without worry, the answer was no.
‘…Still no sign of him today.’
Since that first day, the servant hadn’t appeared once.
I mean, the manor looks barely a tenth the size of the Imperial Palace—how have we not crossed paths even once?
At first I thought he must be busy, but as days passed without a glimpse of him, I grew more unsettled.
And the household staff’s reaction was peculiar too.
“Ah… that black-haired servant?”
“Well, we don’t know much about it either.”
Whenever his name came up, they’d start in alarm and change the subject.
It was deeply suspicious.
I found myself frowning.
‘Something feels off.’
Was he being mistreated?
Or had someone discovered some weakness of his?
That’s when it happened.
“Vanillin.”
A low voice came from behind me.
I spun around startled, and there was Iulian, leaning against the doorframe—I hadn’t heard him arrive.
“Eek!”
“Why so startled?”
“I didn’t hear you come in….”
You scared me.
I hurried toward him.
“Is something the matter?”
As I drew near, I caught the faint scent of soap.
The damp ends of her hair lay loosely against the nape of her neck.
She must have just stepped out of the bath again.
Then Iulian laughed, a sound like a sigh.
“You really are too much, Vanillin.”
“…I’m sorry?”
“Here we are, finally on this journey together….”
He stepped closer to me.
Close enough that only a fist’s width separated us.
Iulian looked down at me, his smile slow and deliberate.
“Yet your thoughts keep drifting to another man.”

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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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