I Was Hired by the Black-Minded Prince for My Life's Ransom - Chapter 25

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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 25. Click
“Another man…?!”
I started in alarm, my hands fluttering wildly.
It was absurd.
No—it was unfair!
“Isn’t it?”
Yulian leaned against the doorframe beside the entrance, looking down at me.
His voice came slow and drowsy.
“You’ve been thinking about that servant all this time.”
“That’s….”
I couldn’t exactly deny it.
My lips moved soundlessly as I trailed off, and Yulian continued calmly.
“For days now, you’ve been roaming the whole house, cornering the staff and asking questions.”
He began counting on his fingers.
“Where that servant went, what he’s doing.”
……
“Why he seems to have wounds on his body.”
Oh no….
“Even the kitchen maid said you pressed her for information.”
How does he know all of this….
I tried to look away.
Because every word he said was true.
The servant had simply weighed on my mind.
The lash-like scars, Brenom’s Daughter pinching his hand—it all troubled me.
Something didn’t add up.
If there was any way I could help, I wanted to.
“Vanillin, I think you’re misunderstanding something.”
Drop.
A water droplet fell from Yulian’s damp hair, leaving a perfect circle on the wooden floor.
He tilted my chin up gently.
“Vanillin is mine.”
“Ah….”
“That means you shouldn’t let your mind wander elsewhere. You should focus on me.”
My eyes darted around.
He was standing far too close.
His beautiful features filled my entire field of vision, and I didn’t know where to look.
“If I wait for you every night while you come in late, would that be fair?”
“That’s….”
“Answer me.”
I flinched.
With my chin held in his grip, I only lifted my eyes to look up at him.
Had he been… waiting for me?
Now that I thought of it, he’d always been sitting on the bed, reading documents or books.
I’d simply assumed he stayed up late on his own….
‘He was waiting for me all along.’
My chest suddenly felt warm and fuzzy.
And he’d just called me his own, too.
I truly felt like I belonged to him now.
At the same time, shame washed over me.
It wasn’t quite as bad as what he’d described—nosing around everywhere and pestering the staff—but the fact remained that I hadn’t made him my priority.
‘Vanillin, you fool.’
This was a clear dereliction of duty.
I should have been grateful that he was pointing it out so kindly.
I lowered my eyes and admitted my fault glumly.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness….”
“Yes. Vanillin was in the wrong.”
“That’s right, I was wrong…. Please forgive me.”
“Forgiveness.”
Yulian’s eyes crinkled as he smiled.
His mysterious pale gold eyes narrowed to crescents between thick lashes.
How could a man look so beautiful even when he was angry?
Click.
He released my chin gently from his grasp.
My head, which had been tilted slightly upward, returned to its natural position.
“Shall we go on the inspection together today?”
“An inspection, you mean?”
“I need a day to myself as well, to relax a bit.”
Ah.
I blinked and nodded.
The reason I’d been able to wander the estate freely these past few days was that he’d been spending the entire day touring the lands with Brenom and the knights.
It must have been exhausting to keep playing the saint in front of so many people, no matter how capable he was.
“So it’s just the two of us going?”
“Why? Do you dislike the idea?”
“No! Of course not.”
I waved my hands in startled protest, and he laughed.
Then he straightened from where he’d been leaning against the doorframe and turned away.
“Get ready and come to my room at the appointed time.”
Click.
The door closed, and I fidgeted with my fingers.
Wait, so this is….
‘A date?’
* * *
Perhaps it was time to resume the ‘Yulian Seduction Project’ I’d put on hold.
“Hehe, it’s pretty.”
I twirled once in front of the mirror and broke into a silly grin.
A flowing white dress, layered with a sky-blue apron dress over it.
I’d bought them with my first paycheck.
I’d packed them excitedly when I heard we were traveling, but I never imagined I’d actually get to wear them!
My heart fluttered — buying pretty clothes was new to me, and wearing them was even newer.
The hem of the skirt swayed and billowed.
Knock knock—
“You’re here.”
At my knock, Yulian opened the door for me.
He too had foregone his usual stiff formal attire today.
A white shirt worn loosely, casual and comfortable.
…But why does he look so radiant?
He was so handsome that the casual clothes hardly seemed casual at all.
Yulian studied me slowly, then let out a soft laugh.
“You’ve put in quite a bit of effort.”
“Hehe, it’s pretty, isn’t it?”
“It’s worth the effort.”
Score — a compliment!
I walked ahead cheerfully.
Ruaern, the seaside town, was alive with energy.
The sea breeze carried the briny tang of salt, and from the direction of the harbor came the raucous cries of seagulls.
“Come on, move it! Time’s running out, the festival’s almost here!”
“Finally going to get a decent drink!”
The merchants along the street bustled about in preparation for the festival.
Shell ornaments dangling from tent awnings and bolts of brightly colored cloth draped over stalls created an atmosphere entirely different from what I’d seen in the Capital.
“Do you enjoy things like this, Vanillin?”
Yulian asked with an amused smile.
Oh, had I been too obvious with my enthusiasm?
I laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of my neck.
“It’s just… interesting. I’m seeing things for the first time.”
“It certainly is different from the Capital.”
A gentle breeze swept past, tousling Yulian’s hair.
I walked alongside him as I spoke.
“Are you planning to develop Valentine Island as a tourist destination?”
“That’s right. It’s close to the Capital, and the island itself has its charm. The natural scenery is quite good as well.”
“I see….”
“If we develop Ruaern together, quite a sum of money will change hands.”
That’s true enough.
I nodded slightly.
“You said there’s no way to reach Valentine Island without going through Ruaern, didn’t you?”
“One could go, certainly… but going through Ruaern is most convenient. Especially for the nobility.”
That made sense.
The nobility preferred to purchase time and convenience with money.
“Shall we grab something to eat?”
“Oh, I’d love to!”
Having conducted several inspections before, Yulian navigated without hesitation and brought me to a restaurant.
The sort of refined establishment one would expect to see graced by nobility.
My eyes went wide.
“Um… is it really all right for me to be somewhere like this?”
“Are you suggesting I ought to follow Vanillin’s example and drag myself to some cheap dive instead?”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant!”
Yulian ordered with ease, and I sat across from him, my mouth watering at the sight of lavish dishes.
Butter-scented lobster stew, warm clam bisque… My goodness, what was all this?
“Just like at the last banquet, you can’t tear your eyes away once the food arrives.”
“It just looks so delicious… hehe.”
“The cuisine here is quite good. Do try it.”
I brought the food to my lips as though entranced.
The moment it touched my tongue, my eyes flew open.
“Oh my, this is incredible.”
It was delicious.
Truly, wonderfully delicious.
I ate as though bewitched, so lost in it that I scarcely remembered how it all disappeared.
The warm broth and plump lobster meat.
With each bite, the warmth seemed to seep all the way to my soul.
“Your Highness, thank you….”
“Please, eat your fill.”
…I’m happy.
As we stepped out of the restaurant with our bellies full, the sea breeze brushed gently across my face.
I stroked my stomach contentedly.
Delicious food, beautiful clothes….
‘And a handsome prince beside me.’
It was like something from a fairy tale.
I hardly dared believe the world could be this peaceful.
I laughed to myself and glanced around once more.
What would we discover next?
The shell-craft shops looked entertaining, and the fish skewers smelled divine….
“Vanillin.”
“Yes?”
Right—we were here to conduct an inspection.
I was turning to follow where Yulian led when something caught my eye.
A familiar silhouette.
I tilted my head in confusion.
‘That person…?’
It was Brenom’s Daughter.
And beside her was the servant I’d searched for earlier without so much as a glimpse of them.
Draped in a black cloak, loitering suspiciously in front of a shop.
“Your Highness, over there….”
I was pointing them out to Yulian when—
“Will this suffice?”
A measured, elegant voice, and then—
Click.
Brenom’s Daughter fastened the Handcuffs around the servant’s wrist.

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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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