Chapter 11.8

“Never mind what gave you the nerve to say that. You really have no flexibility, Lady. You were invited to a prince’s palace, and yet you dare to show up looking like that.”

Perian’s tone was playful, as if amused, but his eyes were cold. He didn’t bother to hide it.

“Is that the kind of manners you learned from Garzen?”

“…”

Perhaps noticing that he was in a bad mood, the woman gracefully knelt.

“I truly apologize for that. Since you said it was urgent, I came running despite the circumstances, but you don’t seem to be in much of a hurry. May I ask why you called for me?”

Of course. Perian let out a short laugh and nodded generously.

“What exactly were you looking for at Mashern Harbor all weekend?”

“…”

“If you’re thinking of making excuses, don’t even dream of it. I already know you and Garzen’s knights searched the ships like you were hunting rats and found something.”

As he lowered his voice threateningly, the woman stayed silent for a moment before cautiously speaking.

“Excuse me, Your Highness, but wouldn’t it be faster to ask your younger brother, Prince Garzen, about that?”

“I don’t talk to that guy. My sensitive nature just can’t handle his ignorance.”

Perian shook his head and waited for Brienne’s answer. But Brienne replied cheerfully,

“In that case, I’m afraid I have nothing more to say.”

“What?”

“As you know, I belong to Prince Garzen.”

There was no sign of agitation in her pale green eyes as she looked at Perian. Perian frowned as he stared into those eyes.

“Look, Lady. If you tell me willingly, I can give you information you want. For example, that mage—was her name Diashi?”

At that name, Brienne finally looked up.

“…Miss Diashi?”

“You must be curious, right? What happened to that mage that day. And why I, with no connection, went all the way to the medical center.”

“…”

The woman, who had been so confident, now had a flicker in her eyes. But her tightly closed red lips did not offer an answer.

Perian shook his head with a bitter smile.

<It’s already an investigation approved by His Majesty the King… Unless the Third Prince gives up his investigative rights, I have no authority to stop it.>

The more he thought of his secretary’s foolish face, saying Garzen’s investigation couldn’t be stopped, the more annoyed he became.

“What a shame, Lady. I really thought you were smart.”

“…Thank you for the compliment.”

“It’s not a compliment.”

Tap, tap. Perian drummed his fingers on his knee and sighed as if disappointed.

“Do you really not know why it’s just you and me in this big bedroom?”

“…”

“Maybe you don’t realize, but even if you say you won’t become mine, I won’t give up. I’ll make sure you have no choice but to become mine.”

A clean smile spread across Perian’s handsome face.

“If you understand, find a way to hand over Garzen’s investigative rights to me. Or, if you’re afraid of his retaliation, just give me the information.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Brienne’s shoulders flinched.

Perian wanted to see that interesting reaction up close. But the woman just stood there, unmoving.

She only gripped her skirt tightly.

After a brief silence, the woman looked up with an unreadable smile.

“…Your Highness Perian, if you don’t mind, may I dry myself off before we talk in detail?”

“Ah.”

Perian looked at Brienne’s still-dripping clothes and nodded readily.

“Finally done calculating? Go ahead, dry yourself off as much as you want.”

Perian chuckled and lay back again, watching Brienne’s appearance.

She must have been in such a hurry.

Looking again, it seemed she’d rushed over in a panic after receiving his summons. Otherwise, would she have come in such a state? Thinking of the frightened woman, he found her a little cute.

Soon, she would probably apologize for his earlier rudeness and ask for forgiveness.

No, she said she wanted to dry herself, so maybe she’d take off her clothes first?

“Then, excuse me.”

Wearing a beautiful smile, the woman glanced around the room, then took a step toward the bed.

‘…This is moving along faster than I thought.’

Perian muttered in surprise as he sat up.

The woman stopped on the white carpet.

Looking down at the floor, she gathered the hem of her skirt and wrung out the water.

Perian’s face turned to shock as he watched.

“Lady…? What are you doing?”

“Pardon?”

But Brienne Ford blinked innocently, as if she had no idea.

Well, maybe she didn’t know how expensive that carpet was. It had been imported from a country a month’s journey away by ship…

“Ha.”

Perian sighed in disbelief, managing a smile. But he didn’t realize Brienne could clearly see the corners of his mouth twitching.

“You said I could dry off, but since you didn’t provide a towel, I chose the carpet. Was that a mistake?”

“…What?”

“I’m sorry. I thought since this is a prince’s bedroom, I shouldn’t wring water onto the bare floor.”

“Wait, what about the carpet! Is it alright if it’s the carpet?”

Perian asked incredulously, looking at Brienne, who blinked as if she truly didn’t know.

“Carpets are consumables… I assumed someone as great as you, Your Highness, would use a new carpet every day. Was I wrong? I apologize.”

A new carpet…?

Shock crossed Perian’s face.

Ah, so that’s it. This lady is truly clueless. He’d thought she was clever, like Lusellion, but he was completely wrong.

Perian looked at Brienne’s genuinely apologetic face, sighed, and nodded.

“Ha, well… Never mind. Go ahead, wring it out as much as you want. As you said, that carpet means nothing to me—just a consumable.”

Perian waved his hand and irritably downed his whiskey.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

With his permission, Brienne continued to wring out her dress over the white carpet. She grabbed, twisted, and squeezed the fabric.

The slow process didn’t end until her dress was in tatters.

“…D*mn.”

When Perian’s patience finally snapped, his whiskey was gone.

“Lady, isn’t that enough? You were late getting here, and now you’re wasting time. How long are you going to keep me waiting?”

Angry, Perian strode over and grabbed Brienne’s wrist. At that moment, the woman, clutching something under her skirt, suddenly raised her hand.

“Sorry, Your Highness. This might sting a bit.”

Ssshh!

A mysterious liquid sprayed over Perian’s face, his eyes widening in shock.

“Agh…!”

Perian screamed and released Brienne’s wrist.

Brienne, calmly putting distance between them as Perian clutched his eyes and staggered, spoke in a composed voice.

“Prince Perian, with this, I forgive your rudeness for summoning me to your bedroom so carelessly.”

“W-what…? Rudeness? Did you just say rudeness?”

“Yes, I am not a woman who comes just because you call, Your Highness. I don’t wish to be involved with you any further, so I hope you’ll lose interest in me.”

Brienne’s hand, gripping the small spray bottle, trembled.

“No matter how royal you are, what’s unpleasant is unpleasant.”

Perian, now collapsed on the floor, looked up.

“Ha…! Are you crazy, Lady? You just attacked royalty. I’ll turn this into a national dispute with Rontiano…!”

“What are you going to say?”

“What?”

Brienne’s voice dropped as she looked down at Perian.

“If you wish to punish me, you’ll need the Continental Union’s approval first, Your Highness. Unfortunately, there are many witnesses to your summoning me here, but only the two of us in this bedroom.”

“…”

Perian, having his own words thrown back at him, hurriedly rubbed his eyes. He couldn’t open them. The stabbing pain only grew stronger.

“D*mn it! Lady, what did you spray on me…!”

Perian pounded the floor, tears streaming down his face. Brienne glanced at the prince, then knelt politely.

To make a man cry twice in one day.

‘Sometimes, this approach isn’t so bad.’

Brienne barely suppressed a smile as she finally spoke.

“Prince Perian, I have no intention of handing over Prince Garzen’s investigative rights. This concerns Rontiano, so please stay out of it.”

“Lady, do you have a death wish? Come here. If you leave like this…!”

“As if I’d want to die. Anyway, I’ll take my leave. It was a pleasure meeting you today, Your Highness.”

And as she turned to go—

“…Hey, Miss! Are you inside? What are you doing, you bastards? Open this door right now! Hurry up!”

A loud voice was causing a ruckus outside Perian’s bedroom.

This time, it was really Zen.