Rene placed a teacup in front of Lucy and observed her expression.
Looks like she’s in a pretty good mood. She was even tapping her feet and humming a tune without realizing it.
She didn’t come here first, but must have met with everyone else before coming to see me.
It’s not that strange. Maybe in the past, but the bond between Lucy Allen and me is just that.
“Here. This chocolate was made by the most famous patissier in the capital.”
“So this is all you’ve got after acting so confident?”
“If you want, I can summon all the chefs in the palace right away. They’d be more than happy to cook for the hero who saved the continent.”
“…No. I’ll graciously decline that offer.”
You would think it’s a grand treatment you wished for?
“Guys like you who say such things aren’t popular.”
“Hahaha. I’ll have to be careful.”
Seeing Lucy frown as if she didn’t like his answer, Rene chuckled lightly.
Even if you’ve become a hero who saved the world or hold the grand title of being the Daughter of Lord Jushin, you still haven’t changed at all.
That’s why I enjoyed my time with you.
No matter where I stand, you treat me as me.
Unlike others who had to watch their every gesture and expression and carefully choose their words, I could just smile when I was with you without a second thought.
I guess you want the same thing. You wouldn’t care about the grand title you’ve gained; you’d just want me to treat you as you are.
And I will. There’s nothing more to worry about now.
“I’ll arrange to meet again later.”
“Hmm. Are you trying to meet up again like that? You really seem like a guy who’s been around a lot of women.”
“You just called me pathetic before, and now you’re saying I’m cheap. What are you trying to say?”
“They have one thing in common. It’s disgusting how easily you can see through them.”
“…Didn’t you say the curse was broken?”
“Do you want me to treat you like the other young ladies, with fake smiles? I could if I wanted to. Prince.”
“Please don’t. That gives me the creeps.”
“See? I knew you’d react like that.”
Giggling, Lucy took a sip of tea and slipped in a question.
“Can you handle it?”
“What are you suddenly asking?”
“I asked if you can handle this situation.”
“Well, your teasing is a bit exhausting, but I’ve gotten used to it after being pushed around so long…”
You know I didn’t ask that.
Rene wiped the smile from his face and sighed.
My father was a bastard who actually wanted to eat me, and my mother who forced me to become king was a crazy woman helping him. And you ask if I’m okay? Can I really be okay?
Right now, Rene had lost everything.
Dreams I had tossed aside for so long have passed to someone else.
People I believed cared for me turned out to be nothing but trash.
The wolves who used to support him all left.
Now all that remains for Rene is a hollow title of genius.
Do I really look like I’m here out of love for the kingdom? Not at all. I have no interest in this country anymore. Yet I do this just because I need something to focus on; I don’t know what I might do if I face reality directly.
And so Rene wandered restlessly, searching for something to do.
I knew that if I took a moment to rest, the cruel reality would unfold right in front of me, so I desperately hung onto my work.
Even now.
I waged war today; came back to lead a banquet, and even though it wouldn’t be surprising if I collapsed from exhaustion, I still keep pushing myself to write.
I fear sleep, terrified of what might come out in my dreams, and if I open my eyes again not knowing what I’d do, I throw myself desperately into what’s in front of me.
“You wanted an answer, so I’ll tell you straight. Right now, I have nothing. Cecil has a family, Arthur has friends, but what’s around me? All I have to cling to is the rope hanging from the ceiling, oh, and one more thing— you. Lucy Allen.”
Rene glared at Lucy with bloodshot eyes but caught a glimpse of himself reflected in her pupils and leaned back.
I’ve lost it. I haven’t slept much lately.
Having good physical abilities is a problem too.
If I were just an average person, I would’ve fainted by now, but here I am hanging in there.
“Tch. I shouldn’t have said that. Let’s pretend I didn’t hear it. Just like you expected, my condition is…”
“Come to the Allen Knights.”
“…What?”
“After all, the palace doesn’t need the First Prince anymore, right? So come rolling in like a dog. With your skills, even Papa would welcome you.”
As Rene blinked in surprise at the sudden proposal, Lucy tossed a piece of chocolate into her mouth and stood up.
“If you’re not confident, you can run away. I don’t expect anything from a mama’s boy who has never chosen anything for himself.”
“Are you deliberately provoking me?”
“No? I’m just stating the objective truth. The reason the First Prince ran away from me was also because of your mother’s words. I was really disappointed back then.”
With a pointed reminder of the day their relationship had severed, Lucy laughed at Rene, who was left speechless, and then stood up.
“If you want to run away again, then go ahead. I have no interest in a sloppy guy who can’t handle anything.”
“Lucy Allen, I…”
“But I know you won’t run away. You’re my first friend. Rene, right?”
With the promise of waiting, Lucy disappeared, leaving Rene to shove everything on his desk off in frustration before dropping back into his seat with a wry smile.
Friend.
Friend, huh.
“What a long road I have ahead.”
After staring into the void for a long while, Rene stood up without even glancing at the documents, returned to his room, and fell onto his bed.
Maybe it was because I was heated earlier, but strangely, my eyes felt heavy today.
As if someone had bestowed a blessing upon me.
*
Looks like Rene’s condition is worse than I expected.
If I had left him be, he would’ve become a real menhera.
And the object of that obsession would have been me, right?
Imagining Rene using his power and abilities to creepily do perverted things gives me real chills.
For now, I’ll just throw him into the Allen Knights and work him to the bone until he can’t do anything.
If I ask Uncle Possell, he’ll definitely provide extreme training that even the First Prince wouldn’t last through.
[But what if he loses his mind in a different way?
“Better that way! I hate menhera! I can’t stand just watching from a distance, let alone having one right next to me! I’d rather just kill that bastard!”
Seriously, pure trash like Sloppy Fox or Perverted Apostle is better! A creepy pervert is the absolute worst!
While I explained to my grandpa just how bad menhera is, the fairies led me to my next destination.
It turned out to be that bar I had gotten sick of visiting.
When I first visited, Alsatine was the boss, but now it belonged to Karia.
I passed by the gentlemen bowing their heads as if they were going to bury theirs in the ground, and spotted Karia buried under a pile of documents.
“Looking for some men?”
“…These are the work tasks the Employer abandoned!? You said you’d be with me for a while! Why did you leave me behind!?”
“Take it up with Mama. I was taken away too.”
…Mama?
“The Shoddy Lord Armadi. You were friendly with him once, right?”
“Yeah, but it feels weird talking to him now that I know his true identity.”
“Don’t worry. Karia, whatever you think of him, he’s even dumber than that.”
“Are you allowed to say that to your mother?”
“Should I tell you how much trouble Mama has caused me?”
“No, I’ll pass.”
As I naturally took a seat across from Karia, she pushed the pile of documents aside.
“Did you settle things with them?”
“To be honest, I think I’d have been better off not knowing anything.”
“Hahaha. Mira’s still Mira, huh? So how about the others? Did you meet them all?”
“I’ve only met a few close ones first.”
“Tell me about it. I’m curious.”
“I don’t want to.”
“If you refuse, I’ll make you worship your Employer like a god.”
“That’s too much!”
“So tell me. I’ll keep it a secret. Okay?”
It’s usually best not to negotiate with a threat, but this is too big to ignore!
Damn it. How did I end up caving like this?
Feeling the weight of my helplessness, I finally told Karia everything.
I tried my best to edit out the cringe-worthy parts, but those efforts were futile in front of Karia.
What could I hide in front of a monster who perfectly reads my thoughts?
Ultimately, after my entire story was laid bare, I thrashed around in embarrassment.
“Perhaps your curse might have been necessary for the peace of the world.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“What? Employer, you don’t know what you’ve done?!”
“All I did was thank my friends for everything?!”
“That’s what it means to be such a charm that shakes the nation. It’s strange that even the goddess of Beauty and Art was charmed, but you can’t charm people?”
“Auntie, could you tone it down a bit?!”
“Why? I’ve been teased till now! Am I not allowed to tease my Employer just this once?!”
Ouch. Don’t hit me with facts! That makes me seem like a real bad person!
“Yeah! Do whatever you want! I’ll just let it slide!”
“Oh, you do feel guilty while teasing though?”
“…That… is.”
“Hahaha! Is it gone or something? Feeling more like a girl now, huh, Employer!”
As Karia cackled, I trembled in frustration, sighed deeply, and stood up from my seat.
“Don’t worry about the continent’s affairs, just relax. I’ll handle it.”
“Thanks, Karia. I feel more at ease now.”
“I enjoyed working together with you too, Employer. So, let’s keep it up.”
After Lucy left, Karia, now alone, smiled playfully. The people around her Employer must have it rough.
But what can they do? If they want someone like him, they’ll have to give it their all.
“I had my share of days like that too.”
Sighing over the past, Karia stretched and spotted Alsatine standing awkwardly just outside the open door, and jumped up.
“You! You!”
“I didn’t see or hear anything! Master’s complaints about age are totally untrue!”
“You heard everything, you little brat!”
