Chapter 32

Do You Like Playing with Fire on Summer Nights? (2)

Legina, having extracted one of Theore’s 36 secret passages through a mix of coaxing and threats, left the palace with only Johan as her escort. Selma had insisted on accompanying her, but Legina’s argument that she needed a decoy to keep the Emperor’s eyes occupied in the palace, even for a short while, left Selma with no choice but to remain.

“…Keeping His Majesty’s eyes occupied is just an excuse, isn’t it?”

“Half of it?”

“And you won’t answer if I ask what the other half is?”

“Johan, act like a bear in front of Selma. If she realizes you know everything and left her behind, you’ll be dumped, you know?”

“Hahaha, an angry Selma is charming too.”

Johan, who had been steadfastly calling Selma by her name despite her repeated requests to call her Madam Signy, had disguised his identity with lighter clothing than usual. However, with Legina, whose face was clearly visible, by his side, there was no way people wouldn’t recognize his identity. Had she worn a plain dress, she might have attracted less attention, but despite using a secret passage to avoid the Emperor’s eyes, Legina was dressed in a lavish gown and dazzling accessories. Furthermore, her violet eyes—eyes only royalty could possess—meant no one would mistake her for anyone else.

“Did you really have to dress so lavishly, Your Highness? I’m your only escort, you know… It could be dangerous.”

“My lord, have you ever seen a woman going to meet the man she loves dressed plainly?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Besides, my escort is you. I trust you, my lord.”

Johan wasn’t sure whether to be grateful for her trust or angry at her obvious manipulation. He sighed, watching Legina, who opened a parasol and smiled. He wasn’t unaware of the inside story: his mistress had decided to become a troublemaker, specifically one madly in love, and had chosen Aaron as her target. However, his instincts, honed as a knight, told him that Legina’s excitement wasn’t solely about that. It wasn’t just the exhilaration of her plan succeeding; there was something else.

Come to think of it, she sent Una ahead to prepare something… Is it related to why she didn’t bring Selma?

He had a strangely ominous feeling that he might end up sacrificing his back to Selma’s palm, going beyond merely being dumped by her.

“My lord, aren’t you coming?”

“…I am.”

A premonition was a premonition, but his duty now was to protect Legina. Johan quickly suppressed the ominous feeling and hurried to catch up with Legina, who was walking ahead with her parasol open.

“By the way, Your Highness.”

“Hmm?”

“You’re not planning to walk the whole way, are you?”

“…”

An hour later, Legina and Johan, who had finally managed to flag down a lost carriage far from the Imperial Palace and descended into the city center, stood in front of the fountain in the middle of the square. In the center of the fountain, built to commemorate the First Emperor’s achievements, stood a colossal statue of the First Emperor holding a massive shield, and on the shield he held was a lion with two shields in front of it.

“No matter that it’s to commemorate his achievements… if I were him, I’d be so embarrassed I’d want to die, you know?”

Legina, mumbling to herself as she traced the Imperial Family’s crest with her eyes, slowly turned her body at the sound of quick footsteps behind her. Una, whom she had sent out of the palace early this morning, was running towards her.

“Your Highness… No, young miss!”

No matter that she was revealing her face without any intention of hiding her identity, she still had to be careful. Presumption and certainty were different things. Una, who had almost called Legina “Your Highness” out of habit, quickly changed her words and ran up to Legina, panting heavily.

“I’ve prepared everything you asked for!”

“And the delivery will be by the time I specified, right?”

“Of course! They ripped me off with the money… No, I mean, I paid them! As you instructed, I even put down double the penalty fee, so they’ll bring it even if the world collapses!”

Una’s speech seemed to be getting a bit rougher lately. Was it perhaps because of her? Legina pondered for a moment, then smiled faintly and took out a handkerchief, dabbing the sweat from Una’s forehead.

“Una, you’re such a great help to me. I’m always grateful for you.”

“You honor me with your words.”

Una, who, before her regression, had pushed away Legina’s hand, pleading with her to go through the secret passage together, and then closed the door. Recalling her last words, where she smiled bravely despite her face full of fear, begging Legina to survive, Legina squeezed Una’s hand, then released it.

This time, she would absolutely not let her die. To do that, she had to be madly in love with the man who was now approaching, drawing everyone’s attention from afar.

“Sir Aaron! My lord! Over here!”

“Greetings, young miss.”

“I’d be truly grateful if you’d call me by my name.”

“I will try.”

Legina looped her arm through Aaron’s, who approached with neither slow nor fast steps, and spoke intimately, feeling him flinch. He said he wasn’t interested in women, but it seemed he hadn’t had any ordinary dating experience either.

“My lord, don’t freeze up so much. Move as if you can’t help it. You know, right?”

“Yes.”

Legina maintained her smiling face and subtly moved her lips to speak in a low voice, and Aaron nodded in reply. His role, after all, was simply to reluctantly go along with the princess who liked him. She had explained it in a complicated, drawn-out manner, but in short, it meant Aaron should just act as usual.

“Just thinking of meeting you made my heart pound so much that I couldn’t sleep properly last night.”

Indeed, her heart had pounded, making her lose sleep. But it was because she was looking forward to the fireworks, not Aaron.

“I took extra care with my appearance today. What do you think?”

She had even brought a change of clothes so her dress wouldn’t get dirty when she squeezed through the secret passage. As a result, her sky-blue dress was in perfect condition, not a single wrinkle. Furthermore, it was a dress with special features she hadn’t mentioned to anyone else.

“My lord, you haven’t had dinner yet, have you? I have a restaurant reserved. Let’s go there.”

“Yes.”

Legina, pulling Aaron, who moved stiffly as if uncomfortable with her touch, began to walk. She whispered in a voice so low only he could hear, “Please bear with it a little, my lord, even if it’s uncomfortable. This helps the rumors spread better.”

“Rumors?”

“Yes. Even if I don’t reveal my name, everyone will recognize me with just these violet eyes. Right?”

“Yes.”

“The princess who unilaterally annulled her engagement is enjoying a date with you. It doesn’t matter if people don’t know you. The rumor that the princess enjoyed a date with an incredibly handsome man will surely spread.”

If that happened, even the Emperor, who was currently blocking the rumors about her annulment, would find it difficult to endure. Would it just be the Emperor? Even the proud Slyveig wouldn’t be able to bear it.

I’ll make them unable to bear it!

Legina resolved this, pulling Aaron’s arm and smiling brightly. After finishing their meal and strolling through the city center, the two began to move to the outskirts of the capital by carriage as dusk fell. The carriage, bearing the Vestein family crest, wasn’t as luxurious as the Imperial Family’s, but it was comfortable enough, allowing Legina to enjoy the scenery passing by the window with ease.

“Are you truly alright without your escort knight and maid?”

“Their presence would only be a hindrance. Una is starting to take after Selma, her nagging is getting worse and worse.”

“And Sir Johan?”

“Ah, I deliberately left Johan behind because if he were with me, he might incur Selma’s intense displeasure later.”

If he were by her side and failed to stop Legina from such an act, disciplinary action would be one thing, but he would also incur Selma’s serious hatred. Since she was determined to bring those two together this time, this particular event had to happen without Johan knowing. Legina stole a glance at Aaron’s profile, who, like her, was looking at the sunset scenery outside the window. Although it was a contract, she was still going to do something that would harm his reputation, so she felt a little self-conscious.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Oh? Well… because you’re beautiful?”

“I am aware of that.”

“…Sometimes I think… sometimes you say things so casually that if you didn’t have that face, you’d be the subject of much gossip.”

“Because it’s the truth.”

“That’s true.”

Legina nodded at his answer, which made her agree obediently. Honestly, with that face, it was still fine. Who would hate a man who simply existed elegantly and gracefully, even if he threw tantrums, when he looked so beautiful even then?

“Diran Castle is further than I expected.”

“It’s closer than other villa castles. You just need to travel a little outside the city center.”

“I understand it’s an abandoned castle.”

“Rather than abandoned, it’s a place that has largely faded from people’s memories. It was built as a resort, but honestly, if you’re going to a resort, people generally want to go somewhere further, don’t they?”

It was a castle built by an Emperor several generations ago for his ailing daughter’s recuperation. She had once read a record stating that he wanted to keep her away from crowded places but couldn’t feel at ease if she was too far from him.

“Ah, I think we’ve arrived.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than the carriage stopped. Aaron, who got out first through the door opened by the coachman, extended his hand into the carriage, and Legina took his hand and stepped out.

“It’s more beautiful than you thought, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

Diran Castle was a small castle built in the middle of a beautiful lake. Although it couldn’t hide its aged exterior, having been untouched by human hands for a long time, the traces of its age blended with the lake and the surrounding forest, creating an elegant and beautiful atmosphere.

“Is the purpose of our visit here related to that?”

Aaron’s gaze was directed towards the beginning of the small bridge leading to the castle entrance. Legina, following his gaze and seeing what he was looking at, smiled contentedly and nodded. These were the things she had prepared in advance through Una this morning.

“Those are fireworks ingredients.”

“Did ‘playing with fire’ in your letter mean this?”

“Oh, my lord. ‘Playing with fire’ and ‘fireworks’ are different things.”

“Then what did you mean by ‘playing with fire’?”

“Are you curious, my lord?”

Legina, looking at Aaron’s face, which became a picture even when he simply nodded, smiled and finally revealed the highlight of today’s date.

“I’m going to burn this castle down today. Very, very brightly.”

“What?”

“What do you think? It’ll be a truly grand display of playing with fire, won’t it?”

— Mochinuna.