Chapter 87 - What is that
Translator: Yonnee
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Hearing what Ciel had to say, Jace hesitated for a moment and Seo-yoon was visibly taken aback.
"It was a mistake?"
"So you're admitting that you made a mistake?"
Ciel responded quickly as though he'd been waiting for her to say exactly that. Flustered, Seo-yoon nodded and began to make excuses.
"I wasn't in a very good condition that day. I guess it's because I'm in a brand new world..."
"Saintess! Didn't I tell you not to exhaust yourself?"
Jace reacted with surprise coloring his words. Seeing the concern in the crown prince's eyes, Seo-yoon was able to calm down his shock. And, she did not miss this chance.
Raising one hand to touch one temple, she then pretended to be dizzy. Immediately, the crown prince responded.
Right. Since he's an Esper, it's only normal to react this way to a Guide.
Seo-yoon furtively glanced at Ciel. Then, their eyes met. She was startled by this, but she didn't shy away from his stare.
But in the end, he did not move a single step forward from the moment he entered the room.
What's this? An Esper doesn't care about the well-being of the one and only Guide in this empire? His supposed reaction was obvious to her, so she couldn't understand why he's reacting this way.
Still, she wanted to wrap things up here in a way that wouldn't cause complications for herself later on. So, she clung to Jace and begged him.
"I miss my birthplace's food so much."
"Ahh, Saintess... I didn't think of that."
"Back in my home country, I enjoyed eating spicy food a lot. But that's not customary here in the Empire. It didn't cross my mind before how difficult it'd be to assimilate to a new place, but these days, I really miss my birthplace's food."
"The palace chef can cook anything. If you tell me what kind of food it is, I'll have it prepared straight away."
"You're so kind, Your Highness. Thank you ever so much."
Staring hard at one single spot, she did her best to bring tears to her eyes. Then, she looked up at Jace while batting her eyelids, pretending to be exhausted. At the same time, she stopped guiding him.
Guiding was like a magical spell that Espers could never resist...
With gnashed molars, Ciel watched Seo-yoon's usual farce, using that same trick to slip like a loach and escape any repercussions that might come her way. Even so, he wouldn't willingly fall for that any longer.
"You admitted it yourself-it's your mistake. So, there wouldn't be any reason for me to apologize, now would there?"
"Does that even matter now?"
As Ciel explained this coldly, Jace replied angrily. At this, Ciel added.
"Your Highness, I am a Duke of this country. What the Saintess has said about me is no different from slander."
"No, I would never...!"
"Not only that, but it is also blasphemy against the Imperial Family that you are lying to His Highness's face, Saintess. You have already admitted your mistake in front of him."
Seo-yoon was thus rendered speechless. Those blue eyes looking at her were as cold and ferocious as a wild beast's. She couldn't help but feel frustrated because of how different the temperature was between these two, even though they're both Espers.
"Once I return to the temple and recover, I will come again to prove that I am the Saintess."
"What's this... Saintess, wouldn't it be better for you to rest here at the palace rather than go back to the temple? I will tell the chef to prepare your home country's food."
Hearing this, Seoyoon looked up at Jace with twinkling eyes. She's glad to hear it.
"Your Highness, thank you so much. I owe you yet another favor..."
"Now then, you should stop this now, too. Do you really have to say such harsh things to a patient?"
Jace turned to Ciel.
"Yes, I don't want that either. However, I certainly hope we come back to this unfinished matter at another time, Your Highness."
Truthfully, Ciel wanted to stay on the topic and drive it to the end right now, but what mattered the most right now was not the saintess-it was to leave as soon as possible and return to Irene's side once again.
If it would take even an imprint just to make sure of it, he wished her to belong to only him.
He wished to have her close by his side just like before, so that he could protect her. No matter what enemies or dangers would come, he wished to cherish her like a precious treasure.
At Ciel's words, Jace nodded slightly.
"Of course, you're right as well. The Saintess acknowledged it."
Seo-yoon felt displeased the moment she heard this, but she made an effort to raise the corners of her lips.
"Yes, I admit my mistake, Your Highness. I'm sorry," Seo-yoon said.
"It's only natural that you can make some mistakes, too, Saintess. As you have been called here by God, you are such a generous person," Jace kindly replied.
Seo-yoon then nodded, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief.
"I owe Your Highness yet another thing."
What a suffocating, abominable situation. Ciel couldn't wait to get out of here.
"Well then, Your Highness. As it is, I understand that this means we can move forward and pretend that nothing unsavory happened last time. I've got many things to do as summer is approaching, so I'll be excusing myself."
"...Yes, Duke. You may go."
Jace watched as the expressionless Ciel left the room. In truth, it's not as if he couldn't glean what Ciel meant when he said those words, but he still could not believe it.
She was the saintess who had been acknowledged by even the high priest of the temple, and besides that, Jace himself felt as if he had found this light in his life the moment he met her. Considering who she was, he did not want to doubt the saintess. And he was also glad that Ciel wasn't showing any interest in her.
With this, Jace watched as Ciel left the room, complicated thoughts swirling in his mind.
