Chapter 65 - I would like to know his name
Translator: Yonnee
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"He went on a brief territorial inspection."
With a hazy look in his eyes, Jace answered her question. And Seo-yoon felt a sense of satisfaction after seeing his reaction.
Even so, she was paying more attention to another Esper who wasn't here.
Why the hell was he affecting the only Guide...
Jace felt incredibly displeased, but he comforted himself with the fact that Ciel hadn't even been able to have a taste of guiding yet.
Tenderly caressing the crown prince's cheek as he slowly closed his eyes, Seo-yoon was thinking about the phone that she had tucked away in her sleeve.
While Jace leaned his cheek against her palm, like a person who desperately craved for touch, she gave a belated answer with a regretful tone.
"When will he come and introduce himself? I've been waiting... But it seems I won't be able to meet him again this time."
Jace's eyes widened. He was in a comfortable, languid mood, but he felt strangely offended after hearing her say that. Even so, he quickly set his thoughts straight.
"We can't keep the Saintess waiting. I'll summon him right away."
"Really?"
The saintess answered in a bright voice, and at this, Jace presented his ability to take immediate action. He reached for a small silver bell and shook it, then as soon as the chief attendant came in, he gave his order.
"Send a message to the Duchy and tell them that the Duke must return at once."
While he already knew where Ciel was, Jace stubbornly gave this order, and the chief attendant went away hurriedly.
Normally, regardless of his status as the crown prince, he tried to avoid giving out unreasonable orders. Strangely, however, he did not want to be like that in front of the saintess. He felt different from his usual self, yet he did not regret this.
Seo-yoon stared up at him with sparkling eyes, then slowly, she closed her eyes once more. Jace followed suit.
Exhaling as he fell into her, he relaxed his body and allowed himself to immerse in the calm energy flowing into him from her lips.
Like a bee swimming in a bucket of honey, not even aware of how addictive it was, he felt only bliss.
* * *
The crown prince escorted Seo-yoon out of the palace and helped her into the temple's carriage.
"Please come back tomorrow."
"I'll be able to meet the other Esper tomorrow, right?"
Unable to let go of Seo-yoon's hand even as she was climbing into the carriage, Jace purposefully extended their conversation.
"Yes, I'll be sure to scold him. How dare he commit the sin of making the Saintess wait."
Such words would make the general public feel shocked-it was very unlike the crown prince to say something like that. Still, Seo-yoon could roughly guess the situation with the way Jace's eyes were curved into crescent moons.
That other Esper and the crown prince were on good terms.
"I would like to know his name."
"He is Ciel de Leopardt. His household is a founding family of the empire and the only Duchy in the Empire."
"Ciel..."
Mumbling softly, Seo-yoon repeated the name. Even though it's just that, Jace felt as if something was burning inside him.
So, he lightly pulled the small, fine hand that he was holding and placed a kiss upon it.
"Your Highness..."
His mind calmed down only after hearing her startled and trembling voice.
"Saintess, the High Priest is waiting for you. Let's set off."
But at that moment, a paladin who was waiting by the carriage stepped forward and said this. Seo-yoon tried to hide her annoyance and forced herself to smile.
"Then, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes. Be safe on your way."
Jace stared disapprovingly at the paladin who interfered, but he eventually let go of her.
He clenched his fist. He only let go of her hand, but it's as if he had lost everything in the world.
The white and immaculate carriage was very obviously one from the temple, and it soon set off without any hesitation. From inside the vehicle, Seo-yoon watched the crown prince's lingering gaze.
That nice, handsome man was staring at her like an abandoned dog. It made her fingertips tremble numbly.
"Haa... Everything's so good already, but the temple is too troublesome."
Although the temple also treated her with great hospitality, there were many things that they prohibited her from doing, and she was forced to live a diligent life while imbibing their religion's doctrines.
Reaching into her sleeve, Seo-yoon took out the phone that she had hidden and turned it on.
Seeing the black screen turn on with a bright light made her let out a sigh of relief.
"It's such a relief that it can still turn on, but I only have fifty percent of the battery left..."
While fiddling with her phone, she recalled how she ended up in this world.
She was sure that the Gate she had gone to was only a B-Class one, but the boss monster that came out of it had to have been at least B+.
She was there as a supplementary Guide that day, but she was faced with the sight of struggling Espers. In the end, the situation became more and more dire as countless monsters started pouring in.
In a chaotic place like that, there's no way that anyone would take care of her when she was only just a supplementary Guide. While trying to avoid the attack of a regular monster, she came to a dead end, all alone.
Then, she heard a strange voice. At the same time, the phone that couldn't be turned on began to ring loudly inside the Gate and it emitted a bright light. She lost consciousness right there.
