Chapter 6. You Are Pathetic

When I returned to the potion management room, the population density had changed.

I was sure there had been only Isola before, but perhaps people had gathered after hearing that a prince had come. The place was bustling with people. Even the razor-sharp Christina, who had acted like the epitome of a busy, competent professional, was still there.

“What’s your relationship with him?”

Isola asked me abruptly.

Her eyes were sparkling like those of a girl who had written all sorts of novels.

Oh no… It’s not just Isola! Excuse me, people I’ve never met before. Could you please put away those burdensome gazes when meeting someone for the first time?

“We have no relationship.”

I quickly drew the line.

I had absolutely no intention of ruining my future life at the Magic Tower by getting caught up in strange rumors on my first day at work.

“We happened to run into each other on the street a few days ago.”

“With His Highness the Third Prince?”

“Yes.”

I nodded vigorously.

That’s all it was. So please don’t misunderstand.

At that moment, I overheard unfamiliar male and female researchers whispering. I would later learn they were researchers named Jeff and Bella, who would become very close to me.

“That makes sense. The Third Prince is in charge of capital security, after all.”

“But why have I never seen him?”

“Me neither.”

“It’s surprising that he was actually patrolling.”

Listening to them, it seemed like they were gossiping with their brains removed.

Anyway, I could only blink helplessly at Isola’s sharp questioning.

“A commoner who the prince met on the street, and he specifically called you out from the Magic Tower to meet you? This smells fishy.”

Jeff and Bella whispered in chorus to Isola’s deduction. It smells fishy, it smells…

I was very perplexed.

How could I explain this away?

I had no choice but to be honest, but Karsion’s vulnerable appearance kept lingering in my mind, making me uncomfortable. Still, I couldn’t think of any lies to cover it up…

I’m sorry, Your Highness!

I’m going to have to expose a bit of your private life!

“I seem to resemble someone His Highness Karsion knows.”

As soon as I said that, Christina adjusted her glasses and interjected with sharp eyes.

“You do look alike. Now I understand why you seemed familiar.”

“Who do I resemble?”

“His Highness’s childhood friend.”

“Ah…”

So that was it.

I recalled Karsion’s face, overwhelmed with shock when I mentioned my childhood friend. He looked very pained, as if swallowing many words.

“I must look very much like that person.”

“Yes. Very much.”

Christina nodded.

“I only saw her once, so my memory is hazy, but you definitely look very similar.”

“Hahaha. No matter what you say, I’m not that person.”

Somehow I felt a bit awkward.

What nonsense to suggest that a commoner from the countryside could be a prince’s childhood friend. Perhaps it was an honor just to be mistaken for such a person?

Anyway, the small commotion ended there. People who had gathered out of curiosity dispersed one by one upon learning the rather unremarkable truth.

Shortly after, only Isola and I remained in the potion management room.

“I’m late with my introduction. I’m Isola. If you have any questions, ask me. I’ll explain everything I know.”

“I’m Lina. Nice to meet you.”

I smiled brightly as I shook Isola’s extended hand.

“The research institute is huge. Even the potion management room is this big. It seems like there’s nothing they don’t have here.”

“That’s not exactly true.”

Isola kindly explained various information about life at the Magic Tower, especially things that would be good to know as a researcher. Despite her occasional accidents due to curiosity, she seemed like a genuinely good person.

“If you need materials for research, you can submit a request form. You can list any materials you’re curious about. Unless it’s something completely useless, they’ll get it for you.”

“They’re incredibly supportive.”

Just like Lionel.

Lionel, who could get anything from anywhere.

“High-difficulty acquisitions might take months, but for important research, they won’t hesitate to engage in diplomacy, negotiations, or even monster subjugation to get what you need.”

“Wow…”

As I listened with sparkling eyes, Isola’s shoulders rose proudly, and she continued to passionately expound on the greatness of the Magic Tower.

The more I heard, the more impressed I became.

The salary might be low, but it seemed I had indeed joined an amazing place.

* * *

There’s something there.

Picking up a blueberry and eating it, Karsion carefully connected the threads of his thoughts, trying to find what he might be missing.

Lina, who lost her memory after falling from a tree five years ago. Renéee, whose body couldn’t even be recovered after being consumed by the Black Dragon’s breath five years ago.

The identical faces, expressions, voices of the two women…

If Renéee were alive, if she had grown to be twenty-three years old… she would look exactly like Lina now.

Karsion’s Adam’s apple bobbed prominently. The remaining blueberry juice in his mouth tasted bitter.

<…You’re from an orphanage, you say.>

<Yes.>

<And you’ve had a childhood friend since you were six.>

<Lionel is like family to me.>

<So. Which orphanage are you from?>

<Well, since I have amnesia…>

<This Lionel fellow didn’t tell you?>

<He has a bad memory. When I asked before, he couldn’t remember the name and tried to explain the location, but it was complicated and I couldn’t understand properly.>

There’s definitely something there.

And he strongly felt that this mystery’s clue was held by her so-called childhood friend. Karsion took a quiet, deep breath, feeling his stomach boil.

Lionel was a male name.

Had she been living alone with a man, without any fear?

“Haah.”

He couldn’t dismiss the possibility that Lina might be Renéee. And just thinking about that possibility made Karsion’s head turn bright red. He had already brutally torn this Lionel character to pieces thousands of times in his mind.

His emotions were in turmoil.

To an unbearable degree.

But until he could prove that Lina was Renéee, there was nothing he could do. He had no right to express his desire to approach her, interfere in her life, or do anything and everything for her, even if it meant giving his liver and gallbladder.

It was then that a knock was heard.

After granting permission to enter, his loyal friend and servant Evan appeared. The reason for his visit was obvious.

“Your Highness, I wish to return to Hilgrit territory now.”

There were no more orders to scour the Denivbruk Mountains for the Black Dragon, and the woman he had been asked to find had been found quickly.

For the first time in years, he was free from Karsion’s commands.

“Leaving already?”

Though he knew this perfectly well, Karsion asked casually. Rising to his feet and moving leisurely, his steps halted by the window.

It was still summer.

“It’s not monster subjugation season, and there’s nothing for you to do there.”

“There’s nothing for me to do here either.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

Karsion turned around, curling up the corner of his mouth. Sensing something ominous, Evan’s expression hardened.

“What now?”

It was bound to be related to Renéee Iblaine, or now, the woman called Lina. Evan sighed before even hearing the answer.

“This time, it’s not completely unreasonable.”

“…Please tell me.”

“About Miss Lina. She’s from an orphanage, they say.”

“Is that so?”

His tone sounded more like “So what?”

Though each syllable was laced with disloyalty, Karsion continued undeterred.

“Search all the orphanages and find her records.”

“Can’t you just ask her directly?”

“She doesn’t know. She has amnesia.”

“…”

Evan’s expression grew complicated. He had a feeling this would be a more difficult task than expected. Then Karsion threw him a ray of hope.

“I got this from the Magic Tower.”

It was Lina’s application documents that she had submitted to the Magic Tower. Her original address was written there.

Evan read the information inside with downcast eyes while listening to Karsion’s explanation.

“A man named Lionel should be living there. If you squeeze him, you might get useful information.”

“Who is Lionel?”

As soon as he asked, Karsion’s brow furrowed. Evan voiced the thought that had come to his mind.

“Is he Miss Lina’s lover?”

Suddenly, an immense killing intent spread from Karsion. Evan quietly inhaled. This level of killing intent for something other than hunting a dragon…

“He’s her childhood friend, they say.”

“…”

That was unknown territory.

Friends could develop into lovers, and above all, weren’t a man and woman living in the same house?

But Evan was someone who could read his lord’s mood. Wisely keeping his mouth shut, he recalled a fact he had noticed long ago but never verbalized.

Karsion’s endless unrequited love.

He was well aware that Karsion and Renéee Iblaine had remained just friends until the end. From age eight to eighteen.

The hero revered by the entire empire was a love-incompetent.

It was truly a pitiful situation.

Evan’s gaze turned to the table.

Blueberries again.

A fruit that Karsion ate occasionally despite saying it tasted bad.

No doubt it held memories with Renéee Iblaine.

“I will obey your command. I’ll send news by pigeon.”

He truly couldn’t refuse out of pity.

* * *

In an alley in Shutzen, bathed in red sunset.

Karsion was hiding behind a building, suppressing his presence. Beside him was Evan, who had somehow ended up accompanying him.

Evan sighed deeply and said:

“You are truly pathetic.”

“…Shut up.”

Without denying his patheticness, Karsion was tailing Lina.

Visiting the Magic Tower again would be too conspicuous, but not seeing her would drive him crazy.

As a result, he ended up secretly watching her and following her here. Running into Evan, who was trying to gather as much information as possible before his long journey, was not part of the plan.