Chapter 43

“Evan? What’s wrong?”

 

“I’m annoyed. Do you like Bastien? Why did you give him advice? What if he falls for Lep?”

 

“What?”

 

I burst into a laugh at Evan’s absurd words.

 

“No, seriously—what’s gotten into you? Why would the crown prince have any reason to fall for me? And I’m your fiancée. That’ll never happen, so don’t worry.”

 

“You really don’t have even this much interest in Bastien, right?”

 

Evan’s eyes gleamed sharply. I nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 

“And other people? I can’t watch Lep every moment. When I’m stuck waiting endlessly in the mansion, I don’t know where Lep is or what she’s doing. Even today… I only barely insisted my way into coming along.”

 

Evan confessed quietly, biting his lip.

 

“Evan…”

 

I reached out slowly. I had thought it was strange how he kept his eyes stubbornly shut… He was breathing hard, almost like someone drenched in cold sweat.

 

Evan had never changed since he was young. Those steady eyes always looked only at me.

 

“Lep feels… like she’ll leave me at any moment.”

 

He grabbed my outstretched hand and pulled it close to himself. His trembling eyelashes looked like they were pleading not to be left alone.

 

‘But…’

 

Soon, that gaze would turn toward Elena.

 

According to the original story, the moment Elena and Bastien would meet was approaching. When that time came, things would change. But until then, I needed to stay by his side.

 

I gently stroked his hair.

 

“That’ll never happen.”

 

Until then, I would definitely stay and protect him.

 

 

***

 

 

“See? He’s fast. Look—he’s handling everything so quickly.”

 

I rolled around on the bed while reading the newspaper.

 

Under the headline <Pirate Suppression Going Smoothly>, there was a large picture of a dignified Bastien. The captured pirates were tied up tight, being escorted away. The public’s praise for Bastien grew louder.

 

“Guess this ended up helping the empress, but it should make her think well of me too. Still… there’s a long way to go.”

 

They’d only covered half the sea. The ocean was as vast as the landmass itself, full of countless pirates. Wiping all of them out overnight was impossible.

 

“If I earn the empress’s favor, get on the good side of the future emperor, and find the Moonlit Lily of the Valley quickly—everyone wins. Isn’t this what they call a win-win?”

 

I carefully scanned the article.

 

Then I spotted an extremely important line.

 

“What? They’re already caught?”

 

The Sea Leopard Pirate Crew had been captured.

 

Being a major pirate crew, I had worried they would be among the last, but it was the opposite. To break the pirates’ morale, Bastien had gone after them first.

 

He hadn’t cleared all the pirates yet, but the most important group—Sea Leopard—was now dealt with. And on the shore under their control, I had previously witnessed the Moonlit Lily of the Valley blooming under the full moon.

 

“Is this my chance? But I don’t know the exact location, and searching the open sea could take forever…”

 

I fell into thought.

 

I had already waited five long years for a cure for Evan. Waiting a few more months would be nothing—but the festival date was the problem. Evan absolutely had to be healthy by then.

 

The remaining pirates were concerning, but with Bastien scouring the sea with his eyes wide open, no one would dare rush in to fill Sea Leopard’s place so soon.

 

“Alright, let’s go! There’s no guarantee I’ll find it at once, so the sooner I move, the better.”

 

But there was one huge mountain to cross first.

 

“Please? Dad, please.”

 

“I said no.”

 

Nobody knew how long it would take to find the Moonlit Lily of the Valley.

 

So I needed my parents’ permission to go on a long journey.

 

And currently, my father was passionately against it.

 

“Dad, please. This might finally let me make the antidote.”

 

“…Is this because of young Lord Weiss again?”

 

“No, that’s not…”

 

“Anyway, absolutely not. I cannot send you to a place crawling with pirates! No one can predict what dangers might be waiting.”

 

“Dad…”

 

Not even my sweetest voice worked on him.

 

And honestly, I understood. The pirate threat wasn’t gone yet; of course he thought it too dangerous.

 

He had even stopped me from crossing the sea to trade with Zeiran, so only Pat and Eldan had gone instead. I racked my brain for a solution.

 

“And convincing Evan will be another issue…”

 

I sighed deeply.

 

As I paced around the room, Mary—while arranging a vase—began to speak.

 

“See? I told you, it won’t work. Master worries about you so much. I oppose it too! The pirate suppression is going smoothly, but that doesn’t mean they’re wiped out. The herb isn’t going to run away. Why not wait a little longer?”

 

She also opposed my going.

 

Not a single person in this household was on my side.

 

I slumped down on the sofa.

 

“That’s so unfair. I will come back safely…”

 

“You never know what may happen in the world, my lady. Absolutely not.”

 

I clicked my tongue. Without preparing some undeniable guarantee of my safety, Father would never permit it.

 

“Hm… got no choice then. Time for a glorious money-spending spree.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

Mary had thought I’d obediently give up, and nearly nodded—until I made it clear I wouldn’t.

 

My father’s biggest concern was my safety.

 

Then all I had to do… was secure my safety.

 

“Eldan’s been nagging me to spend some money anyway. This is perfect.”

 

“M-my lady? Just what are you planning…?”

 

“Hm? Oh, nothing much.”

 

I flashed her a bright smile.

 

 

***

 

 

“…Lep? What is all this?”

 

“Hmm? All kinds of magic items. Scrolls, accessories, things engraved with defensive spells…”

 

On the table lay multiple offensive and defensive magic scrolls, and various magical items that would help protect me.

 

“That’s not what I’m asking. You suddenly convene a family meeting and then ask us to let you go to the pirate sea zone?”

 

It was my first time visiting a mage-run shop, and everything caught my eye.

 

So I bought gifts for my family as well. A sort of bribe.

 

“I bought gifts for you and Dad too! This is a fountain pen that never runs out of ink, and this fan has defensive runes engraved on it. You should carry them, just in case. I also bought something for Brother… but he’s not here.”

 

“How much… did all this cost?”

 

“Hm? Uh… a reasonable amount.”

 

I avoided telling them the actual price.

 

Magic items were extremely expensive—far beyond what normal people could dream of.

 

The trading company had grown well. My future retirement seemed secure.

 

When I saw the balance in the account Eldan gave me, my eyes nearly popped out. I had only intended to buy a few scrolls, but the amount was far more than expected.

 

When I asked why, Eldan casually replied that gifts from the duke and duchess were included.

 

When I asked him why he took them, he simply said one can never have too much money.

 

‘I didn’t think they’d give it to Eldan since I refused to accept it…’

 

He managed my money strictly separately.

 

But thanks to that, living comfortably was not a problem.

 

“So? With all this, I can protect myself, right? I’ll also ask Ben to hire some mercenaries. Okay? And of course, I’ll take Fran!”

 

Mother already looked half-defeated.

 

She’d always watched my devotion to Evan up close.

 

“….”

 

Father sat silently with his arms crossed.

 

Mother still fanned herself, looking delighted with her new gift.

 

Father looked at me quietly.

 

I stared straight back, refusing to back down.

 

Realizing I wouldn’t yield, he finally nodded.

 

“If you take Sir Fran as well, then I can trust you.”

 

“Thank you!”

 

I kissed his cheek lightly.

 

He cleared his throat as his lips twitched upward.

 

“But! You must prioritize safety, send regular updates, and—”

 

“Yes! I will!”

 

And so, I finally received Father’s permission.

 

He was the easy one.

 

Piote would eventually tell me to do as I wished too.

 

The true final boss was… Evan.

 

“What do I even say to him… He’s perceptive to a terrifying degree.”

 

Thinking about the time I lied about going on business and secretly went to find the Moonlit Lily of the Valley still made me shiver.

 

Concerned I might leave alone, the duke had quietly assigned several knights to accompany me.

 

But Evan, while walking near the training grounds, noticed the invisible knights and learned they had been sent to escort me—and discovered I had been climbing the mountains at night searching for the flower.

 

That was the first time I had ever seen him truly angry.

 

‘Sure, I lied… but I had no choice!’

 

Making the antidote was urgent.

 

And as expected, now I stood face-to-face with the final boss: Evan.

 

“Lep, you have something to tell me, don’t you?”

 

“Uh…? How did you know?”

 

The moment I hesitated even slightly, Evan sensed something was up.

 

I tried to stay calm.

 

Outside the door, Baron Perio and Elena were silently praying that my plan would succeed.

 

I had already told them I found the location of the final herb.

 

They were thrilled.

 

But both of them shared the same concern: Evan.

 

No one expected that coming to the Weiss duchy almost daily would backfire this badly.