Since I Don't Know Anything About It, Shall We Break Up, Your Majesty? - Chapter 39

Dangerous…

That one word was strangely more tempting.

“…How dangerous is it?”

Karl let out a suggestive laugh at her curious question.

“If you want to know, I’ll tell you specially when we’re alone.”

Ah, somehow this sounds even more dangerous.

Lumiere shook her head as if to say ‘never mind’ and gently pushed away his chest as he came closer.

“No. It’s fine. I’m not curious anymore.”

A low chuckle escaped Karl’s lips at her rejection.

“That’s fortunate. Now, this way is where we need to go, Miss.”

He led her skillfully and elegantly.

His posture, straight enough to be beautiful, and his dignified steps without a single misstep, drew attention just by walking.

Lumiere felt the glances following them even though she was wearing a mask.

Although Karl Winger wasn’t particularly tall in this place, for some reason, perhaps due to his correct posture, he looked strangely taller.

Lumiere thought people’s attention was drawn to them because of his aura that couldn’t be hidden even by the mask.

Well, hadn’t she been indescribably shocked when she saw this man standing in that dark rain?

To that extent, Karl Winger was a beautiful man.

At least in Lumiere’s eyes, he was.

No.

No, no, this is by no means a subjective opinion.

She could confidently say that objectively, it would be hard to find a man as beautiful as Karl Winger.

But in fact, the glances stealing looks at the two of them were not solely Karl’s responsibility.

The sight of the two people wearing matching masks was beautiful like a picture itself.

Moreover, the elegant and straight posture that drew people’s attention was not only possessed by Karl.

Lumiere herself was unaware, but her gait and upright posture were all excellent, incomparable to any noble.

The sight of a man and woman walking properly in the dim interior of the club, which felt confused and somewhat decadent, was bound to stand out more.

Although the two of them were completely unaware of it.

“Now, this way.”

After passing through the small banquet hall that felt secretive and dissolute, a different space appeared.

Lumiere stepped into the new place he was leading her to with eyes shining with pure curiosity.

* * *

“I’ll bring you something to drink.”

At the passing server’s question, Lumiere requested champagne, and Karl asked for a glass of cold water.

The server quickly brought the drinks and then moved on to serve others who needed beverages.

Lumiere, watching the direction the server disappeared, said with inner admiration.

“Now I understand a bit why you’re called the master of pleasure.”

Karl shrugged with a strange smile at her words.

A place that provides pleasure to those who come, precariously maintaining the line between illegal and legal.

Indeed, befitting a place where a lot of money changes hands, it was overflowing with thrilling pleasure.

So that’s why people wait so eagerly for Tuesdays and Fridays when the club opens.

But the interesting thing is that the owner of this place doesn’t seem to have much interest in this place full of all kinds of enjoyment.

‘Is it because he’s a businessman? Or maybe he’s lost interest because he completely owns it.’

Lumiere looked around, moderately compromising with his indifference.

“But… is this where that interesting event is held?”

There was a small, flashy but quite high stage, and several people were seen chattering in groups, seemingly waiting for something.

“That’s right. This is the place.”

He answered with a short nod.

Lumiere’s eyes widened and sparkled as she followed the direction he was looking at.

‘Wow, what’s that?’

It was a huge billiard table.

But it was certainly not just any ordinary billiard table you could commonly see in the market.

The exterior was covered with expensive old wood and polished, and the inside was filled with expensive felt imported from the east.

Even someone without a discerning eye could clearly tell.

That was a high-class billiard table that could belong in a royal palace.

Karl added with a smile as Lumiere was looking at the billiard table.

“A billiard tournament is held once a month.”

A billiard tournament.

It sounded fun just hearing about it.

In Levania, billiards was quite a common game.

It was enjoyed regardless of gender, and it was not uncommon for families to have a billiard table at home and enjoy it together.

Billiards was also known to be the favorite game of the previous Crown Princess, that is, the late Crown Princess.

In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she brought a new trend of billiards to Levania with her fancy billiard cue and various techniques from Berhe.

“With a bit of gambling added, the winner takes all the money put up for that tournament. And the club also gives a billiard cue with gold decorations as a prize for the winner.”

“Gold decorations?”

He nodded and pointed to the billiard cue displayed on top of the billiard table.

Looking closely, the handle part of the billiard cue was all made of gold.

Even at a glance, the amount of gold used was considerable, and to think they give it out once a month.

It was an amazing display of generosity.

“Then, are we here to see that?”

“No.”

At his firm denial, Lumiere looked at him with puzzled eyes.

Just as she felt that the look in Karl’s eyes as he faced her was somewhat unusual, a surprising statement came out of his mouth.

“We’re going to participate.”

…What?

“What do you mean by…”

“Thank you for waiting, everyone!”

Lumiere’s words were completely drowned out by the appearance of a man in a tailcoat.

At the sound of his flamboyant greeting, a thunderous cheer erupted as if they had been waiting for it.

“We’ve been waiting, Nicholas!”

“Wooah! It’s starting!”

It was quite an enthusiastic cheer for a sound coming from an event hall with only a few dozen people gathered.

“Well, quite a few brave challengers have gathered this month too! Will a new king be born, or will the throne be defended! Let’s start the tournament!”

Along with the announcement of the tournament’s start, the cheers of the people grew louder.

“Now, the first participating team is…!”

A brief kiss with a hint of a smile brushed over Lumiere’s eyes, which had rounded in bewilderment.

“It’s starting.”

I can’t believe this.

…No, does this man think everything’s okay if he just smiles like that!

* * *

The billiard tournament was a system where challengers compete against the existing winner to determine a new champion.

The winner from the last tournament faces a challenger.

Then another challenger faces the winner of that match.

The final winner claims the ultimate championship title.

You can go up as a pair or compete one-on-one.

The format was quite free, and the matches didn’t drag on for long.

Clack—!

The sound of balls colliding echoed pleasantly.

The spectators raised their voices to cheer for their favored side.

The first challenger had already beaten the previous winner, and now the first and second challengers were competing fiercely.

“I won’t do it. No, I can’t do it.”

And Karl and Lumiere, the two of them, were assigned as the third challengers.

Lumiere grabbed Karl’s collar with a face flushed bright red.

“Are you crazy? I can’t play billiards! No, and if you were going to do it, why did you put my name up too!”

Lumiere, flustered and red to her ears, grabbed both of Karl’s shoulders and shook him violently.

She was almost out of her mind, probably because she was in such an excited state.

Karl smiled, his eyes wrinkling as if he found her uncharacteristically aggressive behavior entirely adorable.

“To be precise, I put us up as a pair, not your name specifically.”

“Anyway! It’s the same thing! Ah, I don’t know!”

Lumiere shouted angrily and buried her forehead in his chest as if to say it was all over.

A hand that came up over Lumiere’s slender shoulders hesitated for a moment, hovering, before carefully patting her shoulders.

“If you don’t want to, I’ll do it alone. Don’t make such a sad face.”

In fact, although he had put their names down as a pair, it was a match that could be played alone without any problem.

He had put them down as a pair just in case, remembering that he and Lumiere had often played billiards together before, but he had no intention of teasing or upsetting her.

Lumiere, who had been bumping her forehead against Karl’s chest, stopped her actions with a pause.

She let out a weak sigh, glanced at the billiard table, and then spoke in a somewhat subdued voice.

“…It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just so sudden. And what about my skills.”

“What about your skills?”

“…I haven’t played much billiards.”

“You’ve played a lot. With me.”

I have?

As Lumiere frowned in confusion, Karl gently smoothed out her furrowed brow with his fingertips and said kindly.

“There’s even a billiard table in the west room on the first floor, haven’t you seen it yet?”

…There’s such a thing in my house?

As she opened her eyes wide in disbelief, he whispered in her ear as if telling her a great secret.

“It’s even exactly the same as the one up there.”