ENCHANTED | Ergi .C

Chapter Nineteen | Humiliation

"Would you mind sharing a drink with me?"

Violet eyes moved themselves away from the Empress and land on the champagne glass before him. Taking a glimpse at the person who's holding the said glass, Prince Heinley smiled naturally and accepted the glass. Proficiently hiding his inner reluctance.

"Of course not. It’s one of the greatest honor to get a drink offered by the greatest mage of the Empire herself."

Very smoothly, as easily as breathing and blinking, the Prince lied with a bright smile, not letting even a smallest hint his innermost nervousness traceable.

"Ah.. another glib-tongue."

The Princess in lilac gown rolled her eyes inwardly and murmured under her breath with a bored look, which made the Prince who happened to have better hearing than ordinary people twitched his lips from her blunt words.

As Heinley quickly took a sip out of his glass to hide that, Veronique leaned her back on the wall besides him and turned her gaze toward where he's looking before, toward the dancing imperial couple, and started.

"How is Queen?"

"!"

Heinley froze, almost choke and spew out the drink. He frantically turned toward the woman besides him with widening eyes. Seeing his reaction, Veronique was amused a bit and intentionally smirked like a wicked witch.

"...Are you the one I'm exchanging letters with?"

He asked with visible hesitation that even a blind man could see. His voice was soft, however, his eyes were sharp as though he's aware that she's not his pen-pal but only baiting her with that question to figure out her intention.

What a smart move. Veronique couldn't stopped herself from smiling brightly.

"No, I'm not."

Rather than relaxing, violet eyes narrowed warily as if he'd expected her to lie and said yes,

"Then how do you know Queen?"

"Because he somehow saved my life in past?"

"That didn't explain how you got his name."

Heinley retorted skeptically and Veronique countered effortlessly.

"Being a friend of your anonymous pen-pal would explain then."

"So you know him."

Veronique tilted her head at the word 'him', slightly confused, but decided better not correct him and simply nodded. She had a hunch that Navier probably lied her gender with intention to hid her identity and remain pen-pals. But still, since Queen is a magical creature, depending on Heinley magic capability, there's a high possibility of him knowing what his bird know.

"Yes, I know that person. Do you really don't?"

'I dared you to lie.' Is what Heinley got from the look given to him by those olive eyes that's way too similar with his dearest queen at that moment.

Strictly, that's exactly the reason why Heinley had been trying extremely hard to not be noticed by this woman since he arrived.

She's the absolute nightmare for all those who had secrets concern with magic. There is no escaping for him now.

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"Earlier."

Sovieshu spoke to Navier in a low voice.

"What did you talk about with Prince Heinley?"

"We had a normal conversation."

"…"