A Blend of Romance and Fantasy Chapter 21

Chapter 21

At first glance, his words sounded considerate.

But his gaze wasn’t.

It was sharp—unyielding.

I forced myself not to look away and answered evenly,

“What do you mean, Duke? I love Prince Leonard.”

“I’ve heard Your Highness prefers kind men with blond hair and blue eyes. The prince is the exact opposite.”

“Ideal types and reality are usually opposites.”

“Then would you be willing to say that in front of our family relic—the Eye of Truth?”

His deep-blue eyes, like the ocean depths, did not waver.

He already knew.

“….”

The Eye of Truth.

A relic passed down through House Myers—capable of discerning truth from lies.

A miraculous ability… at a cost. It drained divine power completely upon use.

Both the strongest—and the worst—kind of relic.

Its current wielder was Cedric’s younger sister, Cecilia.

“Duke, if Lady Myers uses that, she won’t be able to move for a while.”

“Cecilia is a member of House Myers. She understands her duty to Singcester. In fact, she has already volunteered.”

“…Why are you doing this?”

I frowned.

“You’ve never cared before. No matter what trouble—no, what work—I got involved in.”

“Did I seem indifferent to Your Highness?”

“I honestly can’t say no. You were indifferent to many ladies. Including me.”

“That may be true.”

He paused.

“But not when it comes to you.”

“…What?”

That caught me off guard.

“Are you saying you were interested in me?”

His expression didn’t change.

“It is only natural, as a duke, to take interest in the royal family of Singcester.”

Ah.

Official interest.

For a moment, I thought—

No.

I snapped my fan open, hiding the heat rising to my cheeks.

“Then I suppose I have no choice.”

I exhaled.

“Yes. The truth is—I said I would go because I didn’t want Aurora to go. Are you going to report that to my brother?”

“I will not.”

A pause.

“On one condition.”

“…A condition?”

“I accompany you.”

So that’s what this was about.

Not concern for me.

He just wanted to go.

Aurora… how did you reform this man in the original story?

Then again—considering her personality—maybe that made sense.

“I’ll say it again. You don’t have to. Sir Lucas is already coming, and you’re the head of House Myers. You can’t abandon your responsibilities.”

“…Ten years ago.”

Cedric set his teacup down.

“Do you remember rescuing me from the Belusium slave market?”

“Huh?”

Ah.

That.

Back when I first transmigrated—ten years old, clutching a mountain of gold, dreaming of saving the male lead.

“I don’t remember clearly. But… vaguely. Why?”

“I am going to repay that debt.”

“…You’re still thinking about that?”

I blinked.

“The late duke already repaid the royal family more than enough.”

“My father repaid the royal family.”

His gaze locked onto mine.

“I have not repaid you, Your Highness.”

Firm.

Unyielding.

He wouldn’t back down.

…Fine.

If a romance-fantasy male lead insists on helping, who am I to refuse?

Besides, my brother asked him too.

“…Understood. Then I’ll accept your help. I’ll be counting on you.”

Then—

“Please call me Cedric.”

“…What?”

“If I am to accompany you as your guardian knight, I will remain at your side. It would be appropriate for you to call me by name.”

“That’s… not exactly how things work here.”

Men and women didn’t casually use first names.

“You call Sir Lucas by name.”

That was different.

Sir Lucas was practically family.

Cedric… wasn’t.

“….”

“Is it difficult?”

He rarely asked me for anything.

And he wasn’t wrong.

And frankly—I was tired.

“…Fine. In public, I’ll still call you Duke.”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll be counting on you… Cedric.”

I extended the back of my hand.

He took it carefully—and pressed a kiss to it.

…That felt different.

Something about it made alarms ring faintly in my head.

Dangerous.

Very dangerous.

And yet—

When a handsome man acts like that, it’s hard not to flirt.

Before I embarrassed myself, I stood abruptly.

“Then, Cedric—I’ll be going now.”

“Wait.”

He stood as well.

“Have you ever heard of Thanatos?”

“…No. What is that?”

Thanatos. The name of a god of death, wasn’t it?

It sounded ominous.

“It was a military unit in Blake. It no longer exists.”

“…Blake?”

“Yes.”

His tone turned colder.

“It was not a regular unit. It was a punishment corps—made entirely of criminals. Once assigned, no one left alive.”

My expression stiffened.

“…This doesn’t feel like something to bring up casually.”

“It isn’t.”

His eyes met mine.

“Prince Leonard was once the commander of that unit.”

“…What?”

The words didn’t register at first.

“I am telling you,” Cedric continued evenly,

“that he was not originally royalty, Your Highness.”