Chapter 71 - What if
Translator: Yonnee
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Quickly returning to the capital through a portal, Ciel went back to his mansion first. As Aiden was about to return to the annex, Ciel called him.
"Aiden."
"Yes?"
"Can't you stay in the main mansion now?"
"...Will it really be alright?"
Aiden didn't hear people's thoughts at random anymore, but he was still not confident in his current situation. Noticing his younger brother's hesitance, Ciel placed a hand over Aiden's shoulder and spoke.
"It's alright. I'm by your side."
That's what his wife told him in the past. At the time when he felt terribly lonely, those words felt like salvation itself.
"Really?"
Aiden asked back with a brighter voice than before. And, Ciel answered firmly.
"Of course."
"Alright. Then, I'll move my belongings to the main mansion right away."
"That's good to hear, Aiden."
In the meantime, the butler approached them. Ciel gave an order right away.
"Prepare Aiden's room within the day."
"Yes, Your Grace."
After that, he simply changed his clothes and immediately set off for the palace.
Sitting languidly inside the carriage, he thought about Irene. Her round eyes and her expressions overlapped with how she had been in the past.
Whenever she was surprised back then, the only indication would be when her eyes would go wide. Though there would not be any change in expression anywhere else, the only place where her emotions would be revealed was in those widened eyes.
"It's the same..."
Once one similarity had been caught, ten or even a hundred were next revealed to him. Without even realizing it himself, Ciel smiled.
"We have arrived, Your Grace."
At the coachman's notice, Ciel schooled his features. His lips, which had been evident with delight, once more became stern, and his curved eyes grew sharp yet again. With a haughty expression on his face, he alighted the carriage.
Upon hearing the news of Ciel's arrival, an attendant came running to lead him, however Ciel went ahead of the attendant and headed towards the place where the crown prince and that woman would be.
In the past, that brazen woman came and went to the crown prince's office as if it was her own house, so Ciel figured that it would be no different this time around. And, he was right.
"Your Highness, Duke Leopardt has arrived."
The same moment an attendant announced his presence, Ciel entered the office. Then, he quickly sensed the subtle scent in the air wafting around his face and neck. It gave him nothing but goosebumps and displeasure.
"You're finally here."
At the crown prince's words, Ciel greeted him back with courtesy.
"I, Ciel de Leopardt, have come to answer your summons, Your Highness."
"Ohh, this person is another Esper, isn't he?"
Upon hearing the familiar voice that he had to listen to so much before, Ciel felt his mood sharply going south. Both then and now, this woman had no sense of decorum whatsoever.
"I see that you are here as well, Saintess."
Ciel replied indifferently. The crown prince was glad to see Ciel again after quite a while, but at the same time, he felt a wave of unpleasantness within him. The saintess was calling another man's name with the lips that he had just covered with his own.
"Hm. Have a seat, Duke."
So, Jace treated Ciel coldly unlike how he usually did.
Seeing this, Ciel laughed inwardly as he observed Jace's attitude. It was more of a self-deprecating laugh because he knew that the past him would have looked no different than Jace.
"Yes."
As he sat on the sofa, he felt the woman's persistent stare fixed at him, but he paid her no mind. Despite his cold response, however, Seo-yoon welcomed him.
"I've really wanted to meet you. I only caught a brief glimpse of you at the coming-of-age ceremony, so I was very curious about you."
Ciel looked at the soft-spoken Seo-yoon apathetically. Then, he saw things he didn't notice before.
In the eyes that he once thought were kind, there was but a miniscule hint of curiosity. And in the lips that he once thought were cute and beautiful, was a sense of pretentiousness that he never saw back then.
"Is that so?"
If he could, he would have already picked up a cup in front of him and threw the scalding tea right at her. No-he'd go as far as torture if only he could.
However, if it was God's will that had urged this regression, there must be a reason.
Instead, he maintained a calm demeanor.
"Unlike His Highness, you seem to be quite shy," Seo-yoon commented.
"The Duke? Mmh, I don't believe so," Jace answered.
In the crown prince's eyes, Ciel looked more tense than usual. And, though Jace felt strangely relieved, he also felt uncomfortable. The prospect of having to share the blessing that he had received with another man was an appalling thought.
After a brief sigh, he lifted his cup and sipped his lukewarm tea. Meanwhile, Seo-yoon looked at Ciel, whose eyes piqued her interest.
They were the same blue hue as the crown prince's eyes, however Ciel's eyes were a darker shade. They were beautiful. She also liked his black hair, which was similar to her own hair but had a different texture.
He was clearly distancing himself from her now, but she was giddily looking forward to how he would change once she'd guide him.
With a deliberately innocent expression, Seo-yoon reached out to him.
"You must have had a hard time until now, right? An Esper needs a Guide, of course."
Everyone called her a saintess, and a saintess was a person who was benevolent beyond measure. So, she knew she could imitate one as much as she wanted. People here in this world were more gullible than she thought.
But Ciel, on the other hand, gritted his teeth as he watched Seo-yoon's fingertips reach towards him. Nothing was certain just yet, but really.
All he wanted to do was to hit that damn hand.
