They Say an Age Gap Like This Doesn’t Even Need Matching - Chapter 44

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

Ah, really.
I don’t understand why he looks so cute like that.
What part of such a large man could possibly be it.
As I paused, holding back my laughter, he spoke in an anxious voice.
“I wasn’t trying to cancel at all. That couldn’t be, right?”
“Really?”
“Of course.”
“Alright then.”
I tensed my lips to keep from bursting into laughter as I climbed onto his back.
Only then did he exhale a long breath of relief.
“Rest easy. I’ll never drop you.”
As I wrapped my arms around his neck, the black cloak draped over me.
Supporting my hips firmly, he rose to his feet and leaped upward in one motion.
“…!”
In a single bound, the ground fell distant beneath us.
Simultaneously, the night sky embroidered with brilliant starlight drew near enough to touch.
He soared over towering trees, over buildings.
Landing softly, leaping lightly as if flying.
It was a jumping power that could dominate aerial combat without magic.
As I leaned against his back and cut through the night air, my head felt strangely dizzy.
Because my face was buried against him, I could feel Elhart’s heartbeat directly.
It seemed twice as fast as usual.
Simply returning after completing a mission.
A situation where I had to go back without achieving much.
Yet why did this moment feel so special.
I thought the phrase “wishing time would stop” was something that only appeared in books.
But right now, I was thinking exactly that.
As the distance to our destination shortened, I felt a sense of longing.
I found myself wishing the remaining path would be longer.
But that was impossible, and we arrived at the Separate Palace several times faster than we had come.
Even after landing, he didn’t set me down and strode into the building with long steps.
“Elhart.”
I tapped his shoulder lightly.
“Put me down now.”
Only then did he set me down.
Fortunately, Kei seemed to be absent and didn’t see us like this.
Exhaling in relief, I returned to the bedroom with him.
Only then did I ask him as I looked at him.
“Do you dislike me talking with the Crown Prince?”
This was an issue I couldn’t brush past vaguely.
My question made Elhart’s gaze waver.
“No.”
“No?”
I pressed further intentionally.
“Your face is completely jealous.”
His pupils trembled.
After a moment of silence, he spoke in a low voice.
“…It is jealousy.”
I blinked.
I didn’t expect him to admit it so readily.
Elhart looked directly at me.
“Every moment I watched him standing close to you, my heart felt like it was being squeezed.”
Waves of intense emotion rippled across his golden eyes.
“I wish he wouldn’t look at you. And I hate it even more that he touched you.”
Once he began to be honest, he laid everything bare.
“For personal reasons, this is the first time I’ve hated someone so much.”
Even his darkest depths, completely exposed.
I said nothing for a moment.
It wasn’t for any other reason.
I simply wanted to absorb everything he was feeling into myself as much as possible right now.
Jealousy, anger, hatred.
No matter how I looked at it, they were undeniably negative emotions, bordering on pain.
Unfairly to Elhart, I found his jealousy beautiful.
He had been pleased when he saw me grow angry because of the Crown Princess.
So this must be what that felt like.
Sweet enough to make my fingertips tingle.
I couldn’t even believe in myself for feeling this way.
“If he takes you from me… if you choose to be by his side, what should I do?”
“You know that won’t happen, Elhart.”
“There’s nothing I can be certain of. We still haven’t identified the Crown Prince’s true identity.”
Hmm….
In truth, I was already suspecting his identity with about ninety percent certainty.
I was collecting evidence based on circumstantial conviction.
But it was too early to speak of this yet.
Perhaps knowing his true identity might only make Elhart more anxious.
“This is troublesome.”
“Why.”
“I’ll have to keep meeting with the Crown Prince going forward.”
His eyes suddenly surged with intensity.
I deliberately added more, speaking slowly.
“If I want to extract information, there’s no way around it.”
He said nothing for a moment.
Then suddenly he pulled me closer.
Our chests pressed completely together.
“Still.”
He spoke.
“He’s not here right now.”
I blinked.
“That’s true.”
“So.”
His hand slowly traced up along my waist.
“Think only of me.”
Ah.
He was completely provoked, it seemed.
I gazed quietly at his face.
Elhart’s ears were flushed red.
His eyes were serious.
And… it felt somewhat dangerous.
I lifted my hand and pressed his cheek lightly.
“Your Highness.”
“Mm.”
“Are you suggesting we practice today’s lesson?”
“….”
“This would be troublesome if you’re being sincere.”
Elhart laughed low.
“You already know. That I’m far too late.”
The next moment, his lips descended.
From the start, with breath that was intensely warm.
***
The hall was dazzlingly magnificent.
An enormous chandelier poured forth golden light, and as the orchestra played, the nobles laughed and chattered with elegant grace.
Yet the two figures dressed as stewards seemed entirely out of place in the banquet’s festive atmosphere.
“There he is.”
Rick murmured softly, holding the tray that bore the silver goblets.
Kei shifted his gaze as well.
The center of the banquet hall.
Among the countless nobles, a figure stood out unmistakably.
The Crown Prince of Cradian, Auriel Herza Kradion.
Gold embroidery gleamed upon his black dress uniform, and the cloak draped across his shoulders swayed softly beneath the lights.
In terms of appearance alone, he was flawlessly perfect.
“He’s handsome, isn’t he?”
Rick murmured quietly.
“That’s precisely the problem.”
Kei answered without expression.
The Crown Prince was currently conversing with a noblewoman.
To be precise, he appeared to be mostly listening passively.
His gentle smile and seemingly affectionate gaze presented the image of a dignified Crown Prince to anyone watching.
But.
“Look.”
Kei spoke in a low voice.
As the noblewoman spoke at length about something, the Crown Prince nodded.
And then.
“I see.”
With that single brief response, the conversation ended.
The noblewoman laughed with a bewildered expression before finally withdrawing.
Rick murmured softly.
“His conversation-cutting technique is an art form. He seemed more sincere than I remember.”
“He has no interest. More precisely, something else important has come up.”
Kei narrowed his eyes.
Ignoring the nobles surrounding me entirely, the Crown Prince’s gaze slowly swept across the banquet hall.
Like someone searching for something.
But soon, as if he had found nothing, his expression faded.
All that remained on the Crown Prince’s face was boredom.
Everyone present seemed to him like beings of no consequence whatsoever.
“He’s not dancing either.”
In the center of the banquet hall, nobles paired off and danced.
Yet the Crown Prince never once approached that area.
Even when someone timidly asked him to dance, he declined firmly with a formal smile and tone.
Then, the Pope, who had been conversing with the clergy of the Imperial Capital, moved toward the Crown Prince.
The Pope had deliberately postponed his conversation with the Crown Prince until now.
It was to keep the Crown Prince in the Banquet Hall for as long as possible.
By doing so, he bought time for Iserna’s search and allowed Kei to observe the Crown Prince thoroughly.
However, delaying the greeting any further would have been a diplomatic breach, so he made the first move.
The Crown Prince exchanged words with the Pope while wearing a gentle smile.
His manners and demeanor were flawless.
As if his indifferent expression from moments ago had been a lie.
“He’s quite the skilled actor.”
Rick responded to Kei’s murmur.
“That’s the Crown Prince’s true image. Today was unusual.”

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