The Prince Is Dead, So Let’s Start Over Everything Again! - Chapter 3.4

What on earth was the 3rd Prince’s hidden agenda?

My mind started to race.

I lay flat on my stomach and began to observe the 3rd Prince.

He kept turning the pages with a serious expression.

Sometimes he would clench and unclench his small hands, making babbling sounds.

From what I could see, it seemed he was trying to follow the spells written in the book.

His effort was truly admirable, but the 3rd Prince seemed to have no talent as a magician.

No matter how many times he tried, not even a spark as small as a matchstick appeared at his fingertips.

Well, it was to be expected, if you think about it.

“…It’s not working after all, is it?”

After numerous failures without giving up, the 3rd Prince finally let out a long sigh, exhausted.

He patted his shoulders as if giving himself a massage with his small hands.

Of course, with a touch weaker than even a cat’s kneading, there was no way his fatigue would disappear.

Perhaps because of this, the 3rd Prince suddenly stretched widely and sank deep into the backrest.

…And naturally, our eyes met.

“…What are you doing there?”

The 3rd Prince asked in a bewildered voice. His face clearly showed his perplexed state of mind.

“Well…”

I didn’t know where to fix my gaze. My mind was creaking like a poorly oiled machine.

I somehow managed to force my malfunctioning brain to come up with an excuse.

“Ah, maybe hide-and-seek?”

“…Maybe hide-and-seek?”

“De-definitely hide-and-seek…”

“…I see. Right.”

Silence filled the vast library.

The 3rd Prince didn’t even pretend to believe my nonsensical excuse.

He just looked back and forth between the book he was holding and me several times.

Judging by his tightly closed lips, he seemed to be deep in thought.

The 3rd Prince finally let out a long sigh like an old man. He closed the book and stood up.

Somehow, I felt like a troublemaking child.

“Hahaha… Ow!”

I laughed awkwardly as I got up. In doing so, I accidentally hit my head hard on the table.

A loud noise that sounded like something breaking echoed through the quiet library.

With such a loud noise, either my head or the table, or perhaps both, must have been split in half.

“…Are you alright?”

The 3rd Prince seemed very surprised by my mistake. His eyes widened as he hurriedly approached me.

The 3rd Prince crawled under the table where I was hiding.

And for a while, he examined the back of my head to see if it was cracked.

His small hands wriggled like caterpillars in my hair.

It felt like being a baby monkey getting groomed by a mother monkey.

…It must be my imagination.

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like you’re hurt.”

The 3rd Prince, despite not having a license, made a diagnosis like a doctor.

He even went so far as to inform me of the useless fact that I didn’t have a bump on my head.

It seemed that Hariella had a very sturdy stone head.

Looking up slightly, I could see a small crack in the underside of the table.

‘Hmm, no. This must be my imagination too…’

If I could crack wood with my head, I shouldn’t be here playing the role of a count’s youngest daughter, but out there doing strongman shows.

I deliberately ignored the finely cracked wooden table.

While I was having a fruitless staring contest with the table, the 3rd Prince wriggled out from under it.

Because he was short, he could get out just by slightly bending his waist.

I couldn’t help but feel frustrated at being a span taller than the 3rd Prince.

“Here, take my hand.”

The 3rd Prince, who had successfully escaped with ease, reached out his hand to me.

His hand looked very white and soft. It was exactly like a child’s hand, untouched by hardship.

A sense of shame that I had forgotten suddenly washed over me. I suddenly wanted to hide in a mouse hole.

How embarrassing to be in this situation in front of a child.

Even if I might have looked a bit like a slug, I should have just crawled out on my own.

“It’s okay…”

Feeling awkward, I backed away while avoiding his eyes.

However, the 3rd Prince didn’t give up and reached out his hand once more.

“Take it. Quickly.”

Finally, I reluctantly took his hand. The warm temperature unique to children was transmitted through our touching palms.

The 3rd Prince pulled me with strength in his small hand.

He was trying to maintain a calm face, but couldn’t hide his trembling legs. It seemed I was heavier than he thought.

Well, with a height difference of one span, the weight difference would be considerable too.

For the 3rd Prince, it was quite an achievement just not to fall over while pulling me out.

…Of course, it would have been even more impressive if he hadn’t found me in the first place.

“Your clothes are covered in dust.”

After pulling me out from under the table, the 3rd Prince gently brushed off the dirt on my dress.

As he said, it wasn’t completely covered in dust, but there were certainly some stains here and there on my clothes.

“It seems the cleaning hasn’t been done well.”

“…Well, the servants must be busy now. It was always clean before.”

Of course, that was a lie.

I had only been to the library of the Ludbekia Palace twice in total throughout all the regressions.

The library was a treasure trove of information, so even as the daughter of a Count of the Palace, I couldn’t freely come and go.

This was also why the 3rd Prince’s arrogant attendant couldn’t enter the library.

“Well, I suppose it’s my fault.”

The 3rd Prince smiled faintly and led me to a nearby sofa.

“Here, sit down for now.”

He said as he took out a handkerchief from his pocket and spread it on the sofa.

The 3rd Prince looking up at me had a satisfied look in his eyes.

It was like the face of a Labrador expecting praise.

No, with that small size, it’s more like a Pomeranian than a Labrador.

“Ah, um… Yes. Thank you.”

I was about to tell him that there was no need to spread a handkerchief on indoor chairs, but I stopped myself.

Well…

If it makes him that happy, it’s fine.

After seating me on the sofa, the 3rd Prince also sat down in the chair opposite me.

Then he immediately asked me what he was curious about.

“So, what were you doing hiding here?”

“Hide and…”

“Not that, be honest. Didn’t you say trust is important in an engagement relationship, Miss Lurupel?”

The words I had once uttered came back to me intact.

I could only let out an awkward laugh, having nothing to say.

The 3rd Prince stared at me with clear eyes.

“Miss Lurupel, you’re really strange.”

“…Me?”

The words floating in my head suddenly popped out from between the 3rd Prince’s lips.

My goodness. Who’s calling who strange?

It’s absurd.

“Why do you suspect me, Miss Lurupel?”

“No, when did I ever suspect…”

My voice grew quieter towards the end. I felt like a mouse caught in a trap.

My mind started racing.

Could it be… Does he have some kind of villain setting?