Chapter 11
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Translator: Diva
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: They Say an Age Gap of nnn Years Means No Compatibility
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The body pressed so close against mine suddenly became a distraction.
"A body trained to this extent feels so different when it touches..."
Once I became aware of it, every sensation sharpened, standing on end.
And on top of that...
My eyes, now adjusted to the darkness, revealed things I hadn't noticed before.
For example, where my thigh was touching his body, or the spot he'd patted to help me relax.
I tried to pull my hand away right then, but he flinched.
It seemed like the best thing was to just stay still.
My legs... I couldn't even dream of moving them.
"Sorry..."
I whispered softly, and Elhart bowed his head deeply.
His cheek brushing against my face felt burning hot.
All this time, he'd been so tense not because of the Crown Prince, but because of me.
"What if he thinks I groped him on purpose."
It was true that looking at his lips had sparked some impulse in me, but before that, I was completely innocent.
"Why does this man have to look like this."
Even knowing it was a mistake, my gaze subtly drifted back again.
"By any chance, about sealing off the west corridor..."
Meanwhile, the conversation outside was nearing its end.
"Someone else will handle that. Just focus on your own task."
The Crown Prince cut off the mage's words coldly and left the room first.
The mage followed soon after, and before long, their presences had completely vanished.
Even then, Elhart showed no sign of moving, so I spoke up first.
"Shall we go out now?"
"...Yeah."
We opened the cabinet door and slipped out silently.
When he carefully set me down on the floor, a pang of regret hit me—completely out of place for the situation.
"Get it together, please."
I rubbed my face to cool the heat in my cheeks, then stole a glance at Elhart. His neck, turned away from me, was just as flushed.
Ahem. I cleared my throat softly and spoke as if nothing had happened.
"I'll check the Foreign Affairs office."
I stepped away to give Elhart, who looked too shaken to move, some space.
"The Crown Prince came all this way with a mage for a reason."
They must have visited at this empty hour to retrieve something essential to their plan.
"Judging by where their voices came from, it should be around here."
I closely examined the display case that filled one wall.
"Emerun Mountain Kibnil, Rakfer Mountain Beniroph..."
It was packed with glass bottles of various shapes, labeled with origins and names.
"Hmm... I don't really know what I'm looking at."
I recognized some region names, but most were unfamiliar.
"Well, back then, there weren't many lands safe for people to live on."
Mikhail had founded the nation to create a sturdy haven where people could live securely, after all.
"Cradion's current territory had long been tainted by demonic energy, and purification efforts were still underway."
With my knowledge from that era, it was hard to guess what these were or what they were for.
"Herbs? Or spices maybe?"
For monopolizing expensive trade goods?
"Ingredients for synthetic poisons."
Elhart approached me as I tilted my head and swept his gaze over the case.
"For example, the white powder in that bottle causes paralysis on skin contact, and burning that red powder induces hallucinations over a wide area."
I looked at him in surprise.
"All these have harmful effects?"
"Yes. Cradion often tests synthetic poisons in wars. Sometimes the effects are minor, but other times they wipe out entire villages."
"No way..."
It was unbelievable.
War was cruel and brutal by nature, but this crossed a line no human should.
"The Crown Prince plans to use one of these tomorrow?"
"Probably."
I nodded at Elhart's words.
"Don't worry. I'll figure it out."
Using magic in a place like this enemy stronghold was risky, but I had no choice.
From their conversation, it seemed they'd set some unavoidable trap—not quite a mass slaughter, but deadly enough.
"Maybe it's aimed at Elhart."
They'd mentioned his description, so he was likely an outsider, not a Cradion noble.
Had I been wrong to assume they wouldn't harm him?
The circumstances suggested it was possible.
"The sudden order to attend the banquet was suspicious enough."
I pushed Elhart back and drew a magic circle on the floor.
"If I inscribe a formula to restore the spatial mass to its original state..."
A moment later, I carefully channeled mana into the completed circle, and fine powders slithered off to somewhere.
"That one...!"
Elhart checked the bottle I pointed to and turned to me.
"You're sure?"
"Yeah. Do you know what it is?"
He frowned and nodded.
"It's powder extracted from a plant called Qukeri..."
He hesitated, looking uncomfortable, before continuing.
"It's an ingredient in what's colloquially called the 'Love Potion'—a synthetic poison."
Oh... Love Potion.
"I have a rough idea now."
Something by that name had trended back in the day too.
But it was just a one-time charm spell.
It didn't work well on mana users with magic resistance.
Cradion's version probably worked differently.
"Do you know its exact effects?"
He shook his head at my question.
"From what I hear, it wipes out about half a day's memories after infection. That's all that's known."
So no tracing what was ingested or inhaled.
"Of all things, they plan to use something with such a shady name."
It grated on my nerves.
"We've learned what we can. Let's head back."
"Okay."
After meticulously erasing the magic circle's traces, we slipped out of the central palace.
Fortunately, aside from the Crown Prince's intrusion, nothing else went wrong, and we made it back to the annex safely.
As I prepared for bed, I glanced at Elhart.
His expression had been dark ever since leaving the central palace.
He probably had his suspicions.
"The Crown Prince really is targeting Elhart."
With Bardia's subjugation imminent, they might be trying to pull him to Cradion's side early.
"Using lust is the most basic tactic."
It worked so well, they kept using it.
"Come to think of it, Elhart seems a bit weak to women..."
Even when he thought I was trying to pounce on him, he hadn't pushed me away—instead, he'd hidden me to avoid detection.
"He could easily fall for it if he's not careful."
"Elhart."
He looked up from attaching the chain to his restraints on the bed.
"What?"
"Um, I have something to ask..."
I swallowed hard, watching his damp lashes slowly rise after his bath.
Were those golden eyes a trait of the current Bardia royal family?
Gold truly bewitches, a mesmerizing hue.
"Uh, hypothetically. If you spend the night in bed with a woman..."
The simple question came out stuttered and awkward for some reason.
"Do you think you have to take responsibility for life?"
"...?"
"Even without love, mistakes happen. A sudden impulse could surge up."
I'd do my best to protect him, but attending the palace banquet as his maid made things unpredictable.
Better to check with him beforehand on cleanup if things went south while my eyes were off him for a second.
Elhart, staring at me, slowly nodded.
"I'd have to."
"R-Really?"
"What about you?"
He asked, gazing into my eyes.
"Hmm, what to say."
Saying something like 'adult men and women can have a one-night fling' would brand me immoral.
Especially after groping him unintentionally earlier.
"I... think the same."
Without time to think deeper, I agreed with him.
"I see."
What? Why's he smiling like that?
Before the weird feeling could settle, I stood up.
"It's late. Let's sleep."
I must have seemed flustered, like I was fleeing, but he probably didn't notice.
"Ugh, seriously."
I slipped into my familiar, cozy sleeping bag and swallowed a sigh alone.
"I can't take my eyes off him for a second."
If Elhart got tangled with some shady woman, my plans would go to ruin.
"He'll have to marry someday, but not just anyone."
His wife would become Bardia's queen, after all.
Tossing and turning with these thoughts, I finally fell asleep as dawn broke.
And when morning came.
"Ser."
The voice right beside me jolted me awake.
It was shocking enough that I'd slept so deeply I hadn't sensed his presence, but even more so...
"...?!"
My sleeping bag had somehow been moved onto the bed.
"Sleep well?"
His smile as he looked at me was stunningly beautiful, leaving me speechless for a long while.