Chapter 10 Part 4

The voice was cold and calm, devoid of any emotion. Standing there with a blank expression, emerging from the half-hidden corner of the terrace garden, was Halo Cart. It was the last place anyone would have expected someone to be.

“…….”

Daisy Queenie’s face turned pale, her shock evident. Similarly, I couldn’t mask my own surprise as my gaze shifted from her to him. He stood silently, observing our reactions with an expression as frigid as ice. Wherever his gaze passed, it felt as if frost crept over the air.

“Ca-Cart, Lord Cart, this is… that conversation was…”

Daisy stammered, her voice trembling as she tried to piece together an excuse.

Daisy Queenie opened her mouth to salvage the situation, but Halo Cart cut her off with an overly firm tone. I had expected him to intervene and declare his understanding, claiming he would forgive anything out of love for Daisy. But his reaction was surprisingly rational, even strange.

According to the original storyline, he would have gone to any lengths to earn Daisy Queenie’s love. Yet, he didn’t seem pleased to have gained her attention in this way. If anything…

“There’s no point in listening any further. I believe our connection ends here, Lady Queenie.”

His response was almost liberating. It felt as though he had been waiting for the opportunity to sever ties. Halo Cart, who had just dispassionately declared their relationship over, turned his still-detached gaze to me.

“…Lady Knight, do you require my assistance?”

For a moment, I tilted my head in confusion. The word “assistance” felt so unfitting coming from him that it took me a moment to grasp his meaning. Then I remembered—I was currently being threatened by Daisy Queenie. Throughout the conversation, she had made no effort to conceal her hostility toward me, so from his perspective, I must have seemed like the victim.

“No, it’s fine,” I replied.

But I had no intention of taking his hand. This was a matter between Daisy Queenie and me. While there were peripheral figures like Halo Cart and Harten Endeavor, the root of the issue lay solely between Daisy and me. In the past, I failed to understand this and dragged Ten into the mess, but this time I would not repeat that mistake. Smiling faintly, I reaffirmed my stance to Halo Cart, whose confusion was evident.

“I don’t think I need your assistance, my lord.”

In truth, his sudden and perfectly timed appearance made me suspicious that this was yet another trap set by Daisy Queenie. Perhaps she intended to back me into a corner, forcing me to rely on Halo Cart, only to betray me later. It was a situation so meticulously crafted that it felt deliberate, meant to manipulate me into submission.

But now, I resolved not to be swayed by anyone. Daisy Queenie, driven by her inexplicable hostility, had extended her claws from Halo Cart to even Harten. I had thought the best way to protect my peaceful life was to suppress myself, to live quietly. But the outcome of that choice was this.

Daisy Queenie, mocking my inability to resist, had armed herself with yet another weapon. I had to admit that my approach had been wrong.

“My lord Cart, may I ask for a moment of your time to discuss something?”

“…At this moment, I have nothing to discuss with you, my lady.”

I watched the two of them conversing with a faint smile. A flood of tasks I needed to accomplish crossed my mind, but there was something I had to address first. Daisy Queenie’s sweet voice, trying to coax him, and Halo Cart’s firm refusal played in the background as my mind busily spun.

“…Then I shall excuse myself first.”

Failing to persuade Halo, Daisy bit her lip and left the scene. An unprecedented look of frustration marred her face. I decided to consider the possibility that this situation might not be a trap after all

“…Lord Cart, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

When I initiated the conversation, Halo responded immediately. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by the fact that he had firmly refused me earlier. His sudden shift felt unsettling, but I chose not to dwell on it.

“…I admit that raising my voice here was my mistake, but I also believe the fault lies partly with you, my lord, for concealing your presence. So please, answer me honestly—at what point in the conversation did you start listening?”

“Regarding that… I must apologize. However, I only heard the part where Lady Queenie stated that she had used me. I swear I didn’t hear anything prior to that.”

I tilted my head slightly, wearing a gentle smile. Thankfully, my lips moved smoothly, crafting a convincing expression. It was one I had learned from observing noblewomen—a look that said, ‘I’ve noticed something odd, but I won’t call it out directly,’ feigning ignorance while maintaining politeness.

“…….”

“Then it seems there’s nothing more for us to discuss, my lord.”

Halo Cart truly seemed unaware of anything beyond what he had mentioned. Though his expression grew slightly more bewildered, there wasn’t the faintest sign of any deception. Fine, it seemed I didn’t need to worry about him further.

“Then, I’ll take my leave, my lord.”

I offered a polite farewell, opened the terrace door, and stepped out. With Halo Cart settled, the next matter was Daisy Queenie. Of course, she wasn’t someone I could approach and address directly. Instead, the most immediate and effective course of action was to inform someone who would be directly impacted—Ten.

My determined steps found their destination. On the way, I briefly encountered Roxana, but since meeting Ten took precedence, I only offered her a brief wave before hurrying along.

“Your Highness, so here you are.”

Surrounded by nobles, Ten greeted me with his usual ease. The nearby nobles welcomed me warmly and carried on the conversation, but Ten excused himself politely, citing fatigue. Soon after, we were walking down the corridor lined with private rooms.

“Did you manage to…?”

“Yes, I had the conversation, thanks to Your Highness.”

The music from the banquet hall still lingered faintly in the corridor. Sensing the soft dismissal in my tone, he offered a faint, understanding smile.

“Are you alright now?”

As the door to the lounge closed, the music that had filled the corridor was no longer audible. The soundproofing was impressive. I calmly pulled the curtains over the balcony and shook my head.

“No, Your Highness. From now on, things won’t be alright.”

“…There’s no one around.”

That wasn’t what concerned me. This was a matter of my resolve. His eyes darkened, displeased by my sudden defensiveness, as if he didn’t approve of the walls I was putting up.

“Daisy Queenie has uncovered Your Highness’s former identity. I’m not sure where the information leaked from, so it would be wise to proceed cautiously.”

“My former identity? How could the Lady Queenie know about that?”

His brows furrowed as he tapped his chin thoughtfully. Like me, he must have been mentally retracing everything, trying to figure out where the breach could have occurred. I calmly recounted the conversation I’d had with Daisy Queenie on the terrace.

“I knew Lady Daisy Queenie didn’t look favorably upon you, but I never imagined it would go this far,” he remarked, his voice laced with quiet disbelief.

Hearing the aftermath of my broken engagement with Halo Cart, he tilted his head with a frosty expression. When I mentioned that Halo Cart had bid farewell to Daisy Queenie, a faint smirk briefly crossed his lips.

“The fact that Daisy Queenie immediately began threatening me as soon as she got hold of that information makes her intentions clear.”

“…Indeed.”

“That’s why you mustn’t let anyone see us together from now on.”

As expected, Ten immediately shook his head. His face, cold enough to chill the air, was resolute as he responded firmly.

“I can’t allow that.”

“No, it must be this way.”

I, too, cut him off decisively. Though momentarily taken aback by my sharp tone, he didn’t relent. Our gazes clashed in the air, neither of us willing to compromise.

“Avoiding me won’t erase the fact that Daisy Queenie holds this leverage over you. As long as she’s alive, she’ll continue to be a threat.”

“Even so, provoking her right now isn’t the right move. All we need is time. As long as we can maintain the current situation, that will suffice.”

He shook his head again, unwilling to agree. And, admittedly, his reasoning wasn’t wrong. If Daisy Queenie’s target were an ordinary noble, his approach might have worked. But Ten was no ordinary noble.

“If Your Highness buys us a little time, I can handle this situation, as planned.”

“…….”

He seemed to realize what I was trying to say. It was a topic I shouldn’t broach so carelessly, but paradoxically, it was something that only I could say.

“…It’s a matter of time, isn’t it? She might be able to drag foreign royalty into scandal, but tarnishing the name of someone seated at the very top of the Empire is an entirely different matter.”

If he becomes Crown Prince, he’ll have the means to silence Daisy Queenie. At the very least, as long as there’s a guarantee that he will ascend as the next Emperor.

“…And how is that related to staying away from you, Lady Knight?”

“The Knight family is already supporting you, Your Highness. At times like this, you should focus on securing alliances with other nobles rather than relying on me.”

One of the simplest ways for royalty to secure loyalty from the nobility is through marriage. Since Ten is the only direct heir of Endeavor, marrying him would guarantee a position as Empress—or at the very least, as Crown Princess.

Furthermore, the Emperor of Endeavor doesn’t fully shield Ten. This means that nobles in Endeavor, who are cautious of the Emperor’s favor, are unlikely to proactively offer Ten their support. In that case, it might actually be more advantageous for him to forge strong ties with a powerful noble family from Rohan.”

Ten dropped his head, his face showing defeat. He knew it too—this was the best choice. He might not want it, in fact, he likely didn’t, but when the options boil down to the best solution or the least terrible one, the need for choice becomes meaningless. In the end, he would have no option but to choose the best.

“There’s no need for you to show me any special favor. No, I’d actually prefer it if you treated me as if I were irrelevant—whether in public or in private.”

“…Even in private?”

A somber shadow spread across his entire being. His gaze, trembling with conflicting emotions, bore into me. I ignored the sharp sting in my chest and nodded.

“No matter what alternatives you might think of, Your Highness, there is no safer approach than this.”

Since meeting Daisy Queenie, I had refined the plan. Put simply, it was about ensuring he ascended to the position of Crown Prince, but in reality, the tasks required were far from simple. Even so, I chose this path deliberately.

“…Others might take risks for a more efficient path.”

“…….’”

“But, Your Highness, the more you have to lose, the more you must compromise with efficiency.”

Gambling is the weapon of those with nothing to lose—there is no one more desperate than they are.

His blurry gaze wandered over my face. I didn’t flinch, meeting his eyes head-on. His unfocused stare lingered briefly before finally dropping to the ground.

“You’re asking me to let go of your existence.”

“…Because I hate gambling.”

“Then what do I gain from losing you, my lady?”

The corners of his mouth curved into a faint smile, but his eyes remained cold, devoid of any trace of amusement. I could see it—his eyes revealed his true feelings. He was angry. The stabbing sensation in my chest grew sharper, more unbearable.

“…You’ll gain the most exalted position.”

All it would take is letting go of me to place the entire Endeavor Empire within his grasp. Yet, he looked at me with unwavering resolve, as if such an option didn’t even exist in his mind. He didn’t waver, didn’t compromise, and refused to acknowledge my suggestion.