I sat silently, nursing the remnants of whatever dignity I had left.
The teacup in my hand was growing cold, much like my patience with this entire situation.
Licht, ever the gallant fool, was prattling on about something or other, doing his best to smooth over the awkwardness that had descended upon the room like a thick fog.
I should've been grateful for his efforts, I suppose, but gratitude wasn't something I excelled at, especially when it came to dealing with idiots.
And yet, here I was, biting my tongue—quite literally, I might add—because I couldn't trust myself to speak. The cursed skill had seen to that.
Every time I opened my mouth, something vile and unfiltered tumbled out, and while I normally reveled in such honesty, it was becoming increasingly inconvenient.
Especially with her around.
Himmel Einar.
My supposed fiancée.
A tiny, trembling thing with wide hazel eyes that seemed far too large for her face.
And I had no idea what might escape my lips if I dared to address her again.
So I remained silent, nodding occasionally as Licht rambled on, trying to look as though I was listening.
I needed to get out of this room before the system betrayed me again. Before I said something that would cause even more damage.
Just as I was about to make some excuse, however, the door to the drawing room flew open with a loud bang, and in strode Duke Einar, all smiles and booming laughter.
"Himmel!" he cried, his voice echoing off the walls.
The effect on Himmel was immediate. Her entire face lit up. It was remarkable how a single person could inspire such a reaction.
I stood, ready to bow out gracefully, when the sound of a small, startled gasp made me pause. I turned just in time to see Himmel running towards her father, only to step on the squishy foot of that ridiculous rabbit doll she was so fond of. Her balance wavered and in a split second, her tiny body was pitching forward towards the fireplace.
I moved before I even realized it, my body reacting on instinct. One moment, I was standing by the table, and the next, I was catching her just before she could fall into the flames.
But instead of the concerned words I intended, something entirely different slipped out of my mouth.
"You little bundle of trouble! You will die before we even get engaged like this!"
I froze, horrified at the words that had just left my lips.
I meant to say, "Are you alright, my lady?" but the cursed system had once again betrayed me.
I cursed inwardly, glaring down at the trembling child in my arms.
The room fell into an awkward silence, broken only by the crackling of the fire and the soft rustle of fabric as Duke Einar approached.
Licht gaped at me, his face an alarming shade of red, as if he had just witnessed some grand romantic gesture instead of a near-disaster.
He looked like he was about to swoon, and I couldn't decide if I wanted to throttle him or flee the scene.
Duke Einar's reaction was just as absurd, his eyes twinkling with what could only be described as paternal amusement, as if this whole ordeal was somehow endearing.
And then there was Himmel, the root of all this trouble.
She was staring up at me with wide, hazel eyes, her small hands clutching at my coat as if trying to make sense of what had just happened. I could practically see the wheels turning in her tiny, fragile mind.
Why did he save me?
She seemed to be asking.
And more importantly, why did he say that?
I scowled, willing myself to remain calm.
What a terribly weak creature.
I gently set her back on her feet.
Ting!
A familiar blue sentence appeared before my eyes. I bit back a groan, already dreading what new horror the system had in store for me.
['HIMMEL'S GUARDIAN' HAS LEVELED UP!]
Wonderful. Just what I needed—more complications.
I forced a smile as I awkwardly helped Himmel stand, bowing slightly as I excused myself.
"Forgive me, my lord," I murmured, inclining my head towards Duke Einar, "but I must take my leave."
Without waiting for a response, I turned and fled the room, not stopping until I was safely hidden beneath the canopy of trees in the garden outside.
The cool air did little to soothe my irritation, and I leaned back against the trunk of the tree, staring up at the leaves overhead as I sighed heavily.
Why did I save her?
I already knew the answer.
It wasn't out of kindness or concern—those were foreign concepts to me. It was necessity. If Himmel died, I would die as well, thanks to that wonderful skill.
But that didn't make it any easier to swallow. The fact that I was now bound to this weak, fragile creature—forced to protect her, to watch over her, all because of some twisted quirk of fate—was infuriating.
Ting!
Another notification appeared before my eyes, and I rolled them skyward, already dreading what it might say.
[HIMMEL IS SAD.]
My scowl deepened.
[DUE TO LEVELING UP OF SKILL 'HIMMEL'S GUARDIAN', YOU CAN NOW ASSESS HER MENTAL STATE.]
Fantastic.
As if being forced to protect her wasn't bad enough, now I was saddled with the added burden of understanding her emotions.
What kind of sick joke was this? A matchmaking scam system?
I could almost hear the universe laughing at my expense.
Before I could stew in my misery any further, however, I felt a presence nearby. My instincts cried out loud, and I glanced around, my eyes narrowing as I searched for the source.
It didn't take long to find it.
Hanging upside down from a branch directly above me was a boy, golden hair falling in wild, rough waves and brilliant teal eyes gleaming with mischief.
He was watching me with a look that was unsettling, even for someone like me.
For a moment, I simply stared at him, and he stared back, unblinking.
It was clear from the very first glance who this boy was—there was only one family in the entire continent that possessed such features.
The royal family of Scadrial.
The boy hanging above me, staring at me like a particularly fascinating insect, was none other than Arthur Balthasar, the crown prince of the Empire of Scadrial.
"Enjoying the view, your highness?" I drawled, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
I wasn't in the mood for games, least of all with a royal brat who clearly had no concept of personal space.
Arthur grinned, his upside-down face taking on an almost elvish quality.
He had a face that most women would love when he grew up and that face was also his card which let him get away with all sorts of mischief.
Since he was the emperor's only child, he was indulged far too more than needed.
"Oh, immensely," he replied, grinning with his angelic face. "It's not every day one gets to see the great Kaltes Herz Vespertine in person."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, though it was a near thing.
"And what, pray tell, are you doing here?"
"Oh, you know," he said, waving a hand nonchalantly as he swung from the branch like some kind of dark elf. "All that gallantry, the dramatic rescue… It was like something out of one of those dreadful romance novels my mother reads."
"Spare me your commentary," I snapped, though there was no real heat in my words. "I didn't ask for an audience, and it certainly isn't the answer to my question."
Arthur chuckled, finally letting go of the branch and flipping gracefully to the ground.
He landed lightly on his feet, dusting off his clothes as he straightened up.
"No, but you got my audience anyway. Consider it a gift."
"Some gift," I muttered. "Tell me, do you make a habit of spying on people, or is it just me that you can't stand having peace and quiet?"
"No no no," Arthur said, his grin widening. "You're far too ordinary to be targeted alone, Kaltes. I was just curious."
"Curious about what?" I asked.
Arthur tilted his head, his expression thoughtful as he studied me.
"About you. About why you're here, why you agreed to this ridiculous engagement. You're not exactly the type to play along with something like this, are you?"
It wasn't often that someone saw through me so easily, especially not a spoiled young royal like Arthur.
But that was the problem with him.
I'd say in most situations, you can get out of it peacefully without making a mess if you just go along with the flow.
But with Arthur, you can't do that.
He is someone who chooses the people he talks to out of pure boredom. If you do nothing but go along with his whims, he'll get rid of you so fast, you'd believe your life didn't exist in the first place.
Most people underestimate him because he's just four, but that's what gives him the advantage.
Knowing people inside out.
He may as very well have followed me all the way from Scadrial just to find out what I was doing in an "Einar" carriage.
"Why would you think I don't want this engagement?" I asked.
He shrugged, leaning back against the tree with a casual grace that belied his age.
"Call it intuition. Or maybe it's just that I've read too many stories. But something tells me you're not here out of the goodness of your heart."
"Goodness of my heart?" I said. "I'm afraid you've been misinformed, your highness. I don't possess such a thing."
"Exactly," Arthur said, nodding as if I had just proven his point. "So why are you here? Why did you save her?"
I hesitated, the words caught in my throat. I couldn't tell him the truth, not entirely. But I couldn't lie either, not with his monster lie-detecting sense.
"Because I had to," I said. "Because if she dies, I die. It's as simple as that."
Arthur had an astonished and childlike curious expression.
"Well," he said slowly, "that's… unexpected. I didn't expect Grand Duke Vespertine to be so strict."
He took it as Ranke threatening to kill me if I didn't marry Himmel.
Arthur was silent for a moment, his eyes flicking over me with an unreadable expression.
"And do you like it?" he asked quietly.
"Not in the slightest."
"Well, that's a shame," Arthur said, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice. "Because it seems you're stuck with her for the foreseeable future."
"Thank you for the reminder," I said dryly, though I couldn't help but feel a twinge of annoyance at his words. As if I needed to be reminded of my predicament.
Arthur pushed himself off the tree, dusting off his hands as he turned to leave. "I'll be watching you, Kaltes," he said over his shoulder. "Don't disappoint me."
"Oh, and I didn't follow you here. Father sent me for some negotiations Duke Einar would be back today. We can't exactly go to Vespertine, you see."
He looked at me with that unsettling gleam in his teal eyes as if he had found a new toy in me.
Being his toy was better than being dead.
I watched him go.
What a terrifying thing was the emperor raising.
How foreboding.