Chapter 63: The Crown Prince’s Intrusion

The Crown Prince’s carriage, which arrived at the campsite, was not the same golden carriage he had ridden at the Clock Tower Square. Though its exterior was plain, the luxurious grandeur of the large carriage was unmistakable, and it was followed by a long procession of the Imperial Guard.

Not just Xavier and me, but all the servants and knights of the Auguste household present at the campsite watched the scene in silence.

Finally, the carriage carrying the Crown Prince stopped at the center of the open space in the camp. The door opened, and a mustached nobleman stepped out first.

‘That must be Count Willem.’

He was the character I remembered from the original story as the ‘mustached count.’ A sycophant who clung to the Crown Prince and a man obsessed with birthright. He was also the father of Lady Doris, the so-called ‘buttonhole lady.’

Beyond the door held open by Count Willem, the Crown Prince stepped out, his long silver hair shimmering. Dressed in a pristine white uniform that seemed ill-suited for a long journey, Arthur was dazzling as ever.

‘Huh?’

Arthur, who had been smiling brightly as he disembarked, froze in place as if he had seen a ghost when his eyes landed on Xavier and me. Even Count Willem, who stood beside the Crown Prince, stiffened in surprise.

Arthur’s gaze shifted between Xavier and me before his frozen expression melted into a soft, almost practiced smile. However, he couldn’t completely hide the awkward twitch of his lips.

“Did I startle you by arriving unannounced?”

It seems like you’re the one more startled, though.

Xavier gave a slight nod without answering.

“Your Highness, you’ve arrived.”

“Duke Xavier, you look remarkably well.”

“Thanks to Your Highness.”

If looks could kill, these two would have already slain each other.

The tension between the two was so palpable that even I felt nervous. Especially Arthur, whose golden eyes, though paired with a smiling mouth, burned coldly as if ready to pierce Xavier.

‘Why does he seem even scarier than when I saw him at the victory banquet?’

Eventually, the Crown Prince’s icy golden gaze turned to me.

“Saintess Yuria, have you been well?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Like Xavier, I gave a slight bow, offering a brief courtesy before meeting the Crown Prince’s eyes again.

Why is he staring at me so intently?

“That’s not quite right, is it?”

“Pardon?”

Ar. Thur.

Arthur mouthed the words silently.

W-why is he doing this all of a sudden?

I didn’t need to look to know that Xavier, standing beside me, was grimacing.

“You have a title you promised to use for me, don’t you?”

“What?”

Xavier’s expression grew darker. Unable to hold back, he raised his voice in irritation.

“Your Highness, what exactly are you doing, showing up unannounced like this?”

“Can’t you tell? I’m clarifying titles.”

Xavier was clearly agitated, while Arthur was unusually cynical today.

As their respective leaders engaged in a verbal sparring match, the Imperial Guard behind the Crown Prince’s carriage and the knights of the Auguste household exchanged fiery glares. The atmosphere hinted that a sword fight could break out at any moment.

I decided to resolve the situation peacefully.

“…Lord Arthur, it’s been a while.”

“Good.”

Arthur’s once frosty golden eyes softened, melting into a honeyed gaze.

Meanwhile, Xavier pressed his lips into a thin line, glaring at me. No, ‘glared’ wasn’t quite right—he was outright staring daggers at me.

But what could I do? I couldn’t just stand by and let a brawl break out here! I tried to convey this with my eyes, but Xavier’s cold expression didn’t waver.

‘He’s sulking. Damn it.’

Arthur, seemingly amused by Xavier’s reaction, decided to fan the flames further.

“The Saintess and I agreed to treat each other like family.”

“Family? Are you seriously calling my wife, the Duchess of Auguste, your family?”

Xavier’s voice rose slightly, his tone sharp. Was it just my imagination, or did he emphasize the word ‘wife’ as if to make a point?

Despite Xavier’s retort, which bordered on an insult, the Crown Prince merely shrugged and brushed past us.

“You should be grateful your wife is the Saintess. Seeing you so healthy truly warms my heart. Don’t you agree, Your Eminence?”

“……”

Arthur, adorned with a radiant, sunny smile, looked outwardly cheerful but seemed deeply irritated beneath the surface.

Why is he being so blatant today? He keeps picking fights with me and Xavier.

When neither of us replied, Arthur casually turned to Count Willem and said nonchalantly, 

“Since I’m here, I might as well grab a bite. Oh, is that a whole roasted pig?”

“Yes, Your Highness. You must be hungry.”

Without anyone from our side offering, the Crown Prince decided to stay for a meal. Truly, power was a weapon in itself.

“…Prepare a place for His Highness.”

Though he said this, Xavier’s eyes burned with anger as the Crown Prince made his way to the dining area without waiting for an invitation.

“We need to talk later, wife.”

“Alright.”

Xavier, who usually called me ‘Yuria,’ now emphasized ‘wife’ loudly enough for everyone, including Arthur, to hear.

Xavier escorted me back to our seats with impeccable manners, but the air around him was icy.

‘He’s really mad.’

When we sat down, the food on the small table had already gone cold, and Lulu, who had been beside me…

‘He’s gone?’

He had been gnawing on ribs next to me just moments ago, but now he had vanished without a trace. What was I supposed to tell his owner? I rubbed my forehead, then remembered something.

‘He’s a beastman, isn’t he? No need to worry, then.’

Sighing inwardly, I looked ahead.

Xavier was sitting across from me, silently stabbing his meat with a fork. Occasionally, he would glance at Arthur, who was seated at a nearby table close enough for conversation. The tension between them was palpable.

Finally, Xavier broke the silence.

“Shouldn’t you be heading to Berg? I don’t understand why you’re here.”

Arthur, who had just taken a bite of meat, smiled and replied, 

“I smelled something delicious on the way and decided to stop by. It’s on the way, after all. What’s the harm?”

“Eat and leave.”

“Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

The invisible sparks flying between them were intense. The barbecue, which should have been enjoyable, tasted like nothing to me.

After a prolonged staring contest, Arthur eventually relaxed his gaze and asked, 

“I heard you left long before me. Why are you still here?”

Arthur’s eyes flicked to the scorch marks on the ground, remnants of where the campfire had been burning.

Everyone held their breath at the question. None of the servants dared to answer that Xavier had been unwell.

It was Xavier himself who responded.

“Simply replenishing my strength.”

“Hah. Someone like you, lingering here to rest? Am I supposed to believe that?”

“I didn’t ask you to believe me.”

Arthur’s sharp gaze intensified as he sliced the meat on his wooden plate with precision.

“Could it be that someone encountered… trouble?”

“What kind of trouble are you referring to?”

Arthur pointed his knife at Xavier as he continued.

“For instance, discovering a beastman.”

“……”

Xavier’s hand, which had been cutting the meat roughly, paused for a moment. He looked up at Arthur and answered calmly.

“Your Highness, what are you implying? This place is several dozen kilometers away from the Beast Kingdom.”

“It’s just a hypothetical. You see, something I’m looking for seems to have gone missing.”

Like a stray cat.

Arthur’s lips curled into a delicate smile as he spoke.

In that moment, seeing the glint in Arthur’s eyes, I realized something.

Arthur had come here to confirm something. And it wasn’t going the way he wanted.

Xavier gripped his cutlery tightly, trying not to show any reaction. His expression remained composed, but sitting close, I could see his hands turning white from the pressure.

“Then you’ve come to the wrong place.”

Xavier replied with his usual calm demeanor. Arthur’s smile faded as he accepted a napkin from Count Willem to wipe his mouth.

“My apologies. I’m full now, so I’ll take my leave. See you in Berg.”

“Yes. I won’t stray far.”

Arthur walked back to his carriage, placing a foot on the step.

Before fully boarding, he turned his head and scanned the clearing where we stood, as if searching for something. His gaze landed on the servants and Rosetta, and he smirked before stepping inside.

As the Crown Prince’s carriage departed, everyone bowed in respect. Well, everyone except Xavier and me. The Crown Prince, who had appeared like a bolt from the blue, disappeared just as suddenly.

‘It’s clear. Arthur came here to confirm something.’

Could it be related to the incident with the poison?

“He came to see if I was alive.”

Xavier’s thoughts seemed to align with mine.

“If that’s the case, he’s quite bold.”

“He doesn’t seem to care about hiding it. For reasons I can’t fathom.”

A shadow fell over Xavier’s face as he spoke. He was right; most people would try to conceal their actions.

‘Goodness, could Arthur also be… not normal?’

I watched the Crown Prince’s carriage grow smaller in the distance. It was clear now that Arthur was somehow connected to the incident with the poisoned herb.

“Go to my tent first, wife.”

Xavier’s voice broke through my thoughts.

“Your tent?”

“We have something to discuss, don’t we?”

Ugh. His memory was annoyingly sharp, even in this chaos.

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Just go. We’ll talk later.”

Xavier flicked my forehead lightly.

“It’s the first time I’ve found someone so adorable even when I’m annoyed.”

With those embarrassing words, Xavier turned and walked away.

“What did you just say?”

I shouted at his retreating back, my face red, but he simply raised his hand and waved it nonchalantly before disappearing with Rexton.

That direction…

“Is he going to see General Jude?”

I hope he’ll be alright.

For some reason, Xavier’s usually confident figure looked unsteady, as if he might collapse at any moment.