Chapter 2

“Good day.”  

As she opened the door and entered, three interviewers came into view. Two stern-looking middle-aged men, and—  

“Yes, nice to meet you.”  

A man whose mere presence brightened the otherwise somber room.  

‘I’ve finally met him.’  

Chase, who smiled radiantly before her eyes, seemed almost unreal.  

Was it because she was seeing in person someone she had only read about in print? Or was it because his face was twice as dazzling as she had imagined?  

For a brief moment, Sabrina found herself staring blankly at Chase.  

His golden eyes sparkled like freshly poured champagne, holding her gaze captive.  

She had vaguely imagined him as a delicate and refined-looking young man, but the real Chase was a strikingly handsome man with sharp features. Even while leaning comfortably against his chair, his broad frame was evident.  

In terms of appearance alone, Sabrina’s three older brothers were not lacking. In fact, they were quite exceptional.  

But the moment she saw Chase, Sabrina’s standards of beauty were instantly redefined.  

The descriptions of his looks, which she had previously dismissed as exaggerations, flashed through her mind.  

‘So this is what it means to be the male lead…’  

Chase, as if accustomed to such stares, winked lightly at Sabrina with a smile.  

‘Get a grip. Now’s not the time to be dazzled by his looks.’  

Startled, Sabrina tore her gaze away and clenched and unclenched her fists to steady herself.  

Chase’s gaze briefly lingered on her hands before flickering away. It seemed as though he chuckled softly.  

“Relax and take a seat. Let’s begin when you’re ready.”  

“Yes, I’m ready.”  

“Good. The first question is…”  

Given how challenging the second written exam had been, she assumed the interview would be equally grueling. But to her surprise—  

The questions were nothing out of the ordinary. Most of them were standard, predictable questions that anyone could anticipate.  

‘Is this really all? That can’t be right.’  

Sabrina answered the questions fluently and without hesitation.  

There were no tricky questions, and the interviewers’ expressions weren’t unfavorable. The tension that had gripped her began to ease.  

And then, it happened.  

Chase, who had been lounging against his chair with a constant smile, leaned forward toward the desk. He set his pen down with a sharp click and parted his lips.  

『Your scores on the first and second written exams are excellent. Did you prepare a lot for the interview?』  

What came out of Chase’s mouth was not the language of the Empire. At that moment, Sabrina realized.  

‘Ah, this is where it really begins.’  

Without faltering, Sabrina smiled and replied.  

『Yes, I prepared to the best of my ability.』  

『I see. Most people get flustered for a moment, but you’re unfazed. As expected of a top student.』  

Chase’s lips curved into a smile. He tapped the desk lightly with his fingertips before asking again.  

『Have you been studying foreign languages for a long time? Your pronunciation is quite fluent.』  

『I’ve always been interested in languages since I was young. I’ve been studying consistently for about ten years.』  

『Ten years, you say?』  

Chase narrowed his eyes. He lifted his gaze from the documents he was scanning and quickly assessed Sabrina’s clear face.  

‘She looks so young.’  

To Chase, the word that least suited Sabrina was vanity. She seemed like someone who had never once sought attention or desired to attract others.  

Her neatly tied hair and subdued dress were very modest, far removed from the latest trends. Her long, slender neck bore not even a simple pearl necklace.  

Yet, regardless of her natural disposition or intentions, Sabrina stood out. Her plain attire only served to highlight her doll-like face.  

‘Though she doesn’t seem to realize it herself.’  

Her delicate face still bore the faint roundness of youth, with soft, rosy cheeks. Her unusually pale skin looked as though it would feel powdery to the touch, while her pink lips appeared as moist and luscious as ripe fruit.  

The place where Chase’s gaze lingered the longest was her blue eyes. Sparkling with intelligence, they had a captivating quality that made it hard to look away.  

Tilting his head slightly, Chase murmured as if to himself.  

『Would it be rude to ask your age?』  

Sabrina quickly shook her head and answered.  

『Not at all. I’ll be twenty soon.』  

『Twenty…』  

Chase let out a small laugh, as if surprised.  

『Nine or ten years old. Did you speak Alexian even at that age? When your peers couldn’t even finish books written in the Empire’s language?』  

Sabrina replied calmly.  

『I was a bit peculiar as a child.』  

『Special, you mean.』  

At Chase’s casual remark, Sabrina’s fingertips flinched.  

‘Special…’  

Odd, peculiar, special.  

At a glance, they seemed like similar words—just different ways of saying she was unlike others.  

A freak, a strange child. Words she had heard endlessly since childhood. Yet, the word Chase had casually thrown out gave her a completely different feeling.  

…It tickled her in a strange way.  

While Sabrina quietly felt a stir of emotion, Chase asked the next question in a neutral tone.  

『Is Alexian the only foreign language you know?』  

『No. I’m also fluent in Sahelian.』  

At that moment, Chase’s expression changed. A clear look of interest crossed his face.  

[That’s an unexpected answer.]  

The language that flowed from Chase’s lips changed.  

The interviewers seated on either side of Chase cast puzzled glances at him. It was clear they didn’t understand what he was saying.  

Regardless, Chase’s gaze remained firmly fixed on Sabrina.  

「Why did you choose to study Sahelian?」  

「…….」  

「I’m asking if there’s a particular reason you took an interest in Sahel. It’s not a commonly studied language, after all.」  

There was a reason Chase asked such a question.  

In every way, the nation most closely tied to Belfort was Alexia. Geographically adjacent, the two had actively interacted since ancient times.  

Of course, this also meant frequent conflicts, but their relationship was so intertwined that it couldn’t be severed. As such, many people studied Alexian.  

However, the Kingdom of Sahel was a different story.  

Located along the northwestern border of Alexia, Sahel was a small country, less than a quarter the size of Belfort’s territory.  

Interactions between the two were not particularly active, and little was known about Sahel beyond its existence. The few Sahelian goods that reached Belfort came through Alexian merchants, and even then, the trade volume was minimal.  

So how many people would bother to learn Sahelian?  

But Sabrina knew the situation would change.  

In the original story, there were far more episodes involving Sahel than Alexia, even though Alexia was a neighboring country.  

‘After Chase ascends the throne, Belfort will establish relations with Sahel. That’s because the female protagonist, Elena, is connected to Sahel….’  

However, Chase showing an interest in Sahel at this point was unexpected. After all, it would be quite some time before he met Elena.  

Sabrina, unfazed, answered clearly and steadily.  

「Sahel is a small kingdom, but it’s situated at a strategic crossroads between continents, making it geopolitically significant. While interactions between Sahel and Belfort are currently limited, I believe it’s worth noting its potential for future development.」  

At her response, Chase’s eyes narrowed slightly.  

「Is that your personal opinion?」  

「Yes, it is.」  

「Hmm, I see…」  

Chase trailed off, raising his eyebrows. His ambiguous reaction made Sabrina’s eyes flicker nervously.  

Had I been too presumptuous?  

Would it have been better to give a safer answer?  

Then, Chase set his pen down with a sharp click and spoke.  

“Well, let’s wrap it up here. I don’t think there’s a need for additional questions. What about the others?”  

When Chase glanced at the other interviewers, they shook their heads slightly. He turned back to Sabrina with a small smile.  

“You may leave now, Miss Wintlet.”  

“Yes, thank you.”  

Sabrina rose from her seat, feeling somewhat dazed. It seemed her interview had ended about ten minutes earlier than the others’.  

This could only mean one of two things: either she had done exceptionally well, or she had completely blown it.  

‘Which one is it?’  

As Sabrina quietly closed the door, she stole a glance at Chase’s radiant face.  

Chase didn’t look in her direction. He was tidying up his papers and exchanging light-hearted jokes with the interviewer seated next to him. From his expression, Sabrina couldn’t discern anything.  

‘…He’s impossible to read.’