The Third Prince is Too Dazzling! I Can’t Look at Him Directly! Translation

32. The Third Prince is Too Dazzling! I Can’t Look at Him Directly!

Chapter Thirty-Two: According to Clause Four of the Contract

The room Gil left returns to its quietness, and I look at the candy butterfly I just received. It’s really beautiful.

But… where could I possibly take the first bite?

Biting off the wings would resemble an act of cruelty, so, for the time being, I snap one of its antennae and put it in my mouth. It’s too small and melts quickly, so my tastebuds don’t even register any flavor. The poor thing looks worse with just one antenna, so I took the one. I can taste a little sweetness now.

Despite losing its antennae, this candy butterfly’s body and wings are still intact, and thus it remains a stunning work of art.

I look into the interior of the box that held it. The stand on which the butterfly rested catches my attention. I carefully lift it between my fingers. The moment I do, I hear an elegant metallic sound. A silver chain spills forth from beneath the stand.

Wow! A necklace with a beautiful butterfly pendant to boot.

Speaking of which, Gil mentioned something he wanted to make and something I wanted to receive, right? So, he wanted to make this necklace, and I wanted to receive this candy. Well, to be sure, a way to get to my heart is through delicious food, as I’ve remarked before, but Gil’s original idea was… this necklace, I guess. Though I don’t need to be fed so that I don’t run away like a wild creature, you know.

Although I have mixed feelings about the overall situation, I can’t deny I am delighted by the gift. I’ll allow myself to dote on this lovely little butterfly for now.

Picking up the butterfly’s main body and holding it over the light, my eyes feast on a shower of rainbow light diffused by the butterfly’s milky surface as I rotate it in my fingers. I can’t get tired of tilting the butterfly in a sunbeam and seeing how many rainbow colors it can produce.

I continue being mesmerized by this edible treasure for a while, but I suddenly notice a not too pleasant sensation in my fingertips. Uh, it’s…

It’s melting!

The double punch of the sunlight and my body heat made the once-proud feathers droop down as if the butterfly’s life were fading away.

In a mild panic’s grip, I shove one of its quickly melting wings into my mouth. My tastebuds are delighted by an amazing, delicate sweetness. It’s a fairly large butterfly, so it hit both my cheeks’ walls when I put it in my mouth.

While diligently licking the wing in my mouth, I can’t help but feel alarmed by the remaining wing’s condition, whose essence seems to wane in front of my eyes. Despite being just a candy butterfly, it still realistically resembles the real thing. It’s a strangely heart-punching sight to see it melt away like that.

I gotta hurry, I think, as I stop licking and start chewing it so I can gulp the wing in my mouth and start working on the other one.

After both wings deliciously melt in my mouth, I move the body away from my face… I freeze a bit at the sight. Yeah, that’s right… A butterfly without its wings is just a caterpillar. It’s melting, and it no longer resembles its once artistic masterpiece. Still, even if it were, I’ll just repeat it. It is a caterpillar. Not cute.

However, this melting caterpillar demands action, not looking. Gotta do something. I steel myself and sink my teeth into its creepy body. I have mixed feelings of being weirded out at biting a bug while simultaneously having my earbuds rewarded with a sublime sweetness.

After a minute, the sweetness on my tongue begins to vanish, and my eyes drift to the necklace. And I am shocked.

The pendant part with the butterfly motif is… oh my god! Isn’t it one big jewel? It can even be a diamond! I think with my appraisal expertise I don’t possess.

This really is a pearls unto swine kind of situation. This is a genuine diamond, after all, isn’t it? What am I gonna do if it’s a real one… My saliva is all over it… Anyway, let’s wipe it clean for now.

I pour water into a glass from the breakfast cart and submerge the necklace in it. While carefully cleaning it, the diamond, which I still hope is an imitation, acts as a prism. The light bounces off of its surface into a multitude of beautiful colors. This incredible shininess is alarming. It seems to surpass the real thing, even.

Now completely clean, I raise the necklace from the water and dry it with a small cloth, placing it on the palm of my hand.

What am I supposed to do with something like this!?

I look from side to side as if nervous somebody may be looking. What am I doing? I return my gaze at the wonderful object in question. It may get lost if I just leave it around, so maybe I should put it on since it’s a necklace. This is the best way to ensure it doesn’t get lost, right?

I’m not used to handling such accessories. Still, despite my lack of experience, I put it on somehow. My fingers seek the beautiful diamond, which may be a fake, pendant and confirm it isn’t a dream.

I gently roll the pendant between my fingers. A slightly cold sensation surrounds me. Loud knocks on the door interrupt my reverie.

“Excuse me.”

An unknown man enters my room. This person’s aura is suspicious! A muddy red envelops him like a walking swap. This person is having anything but good thoughts.

Blue hair and gray eyes and an artificial smile… Huh? This combination is…

“His Highness, the Crown Prince, surmised you could be bored in this place, so His Excellency has issued an invitation for you to join him for tea.”

No, you’re lying. I feel my face twitch a little. I am in danger, am I not? Gil, you liar! Didn’t you say I was safe here?

“E-excuse me, I am delighted at the invitation, but… m-my room is really cozy, so I’m not bored at all, thank you!”

“Are you saying no to a personal invitation from His Highness himself? Come on, let’s get going.”

But it’s a lie! I just said that! No, no, I don’t wanna go!

In stark contrast to this person telling lies with a smile, I can feel my face tense, my nervousness all but showing. I’m prompted to get up and start walking, but I don’t care about appearing rude. I feel like a baby goat unwittingly being taken to the market to be sold! I wonder if it will be fine for me to dig my heels here.

Ah, but rather than tipping my hand in this closed room from which I can’t escape anyway, it may be better to play along and take flight when he least suspects it.

I strengthen my resolve and respond to that fake smile with one of my own. I step forward into the first step towards this trap called “tea time with Jerik.”

The de facto house arrest room I’m leaving behind suddenly feels like a welcoming place compared to this. I really wanted just to be a good girl and stay put. However, judging from the stunt Gil had to pull to come here, it’s fair to assume he won’t be coming back soon enough, and neither can I count on some rescue party to show up. So I have no choice but to step forward for the time being.

Whenever someone came to my room, I could hear voices outside, so I was sure a guard was posted, but no one’s there now. Quite the timing to be away from duty.

I’m dragging my feet as much as I can. Maybe someone will catch sight of me. But it’s starting to feel like pointless resistance.

If I end up going where this guy is taking me, what’s actually going to happen to me? I’m not getting enough of an ominous vibe from his aura to really feel my life is in danger. Then again, I’m certain that something positively unpleasant awaits me with this guy. Will I be stashed into some dungeon? Or will I be sold off in some market for princess candidates? My hands contract into clenched fists out of tension alone. I can feel cold sweat in my palms…

A-anyway, didn’t Sir Glenn tell me he had assigned me a guard? I wonder where he is and what he is doing. It’s exactly now that his services are required the most! Or did he look at this situation and somehow conclude that this didn’t merit his intervention? In any case, a person I’ve never even seen before can’t be too reliable. Looks like I gotta pull myself out of this one on my own.

“S-sure is a nice day today, isn’t it? B-by the way, where are we, um, going?”

We’re past the garden I used to take walks in. I now find myself in a part of the castle I’ve never set foot in.

“We are almost there.”

He says so clearly, trying to seem upbeat, but he just sounds dismissive and curt.

While thinking this and that, we gradually go deeper into an area of the castle barely visited by the sun and where no human presence can be felt. My running skill gives me some confidence but knowing the terrain is just as important when taking flight. If we keep moving deeper into this unfamiliar place, it may be the end of me. It’s now or never.

Very carefully, I start to leave some distance from the man in front of me who has been at arm’s length so far. Then, I take a deep breath, do a 180, and start running in the opposite direction.

“Where are you going!?”

I can hear the man yelling at me, but I don’t turn back. My goal is my room, but I’m also trying to find a path that has people in it.

Ah, my skirt is tangling between my legs. If I were wearing something lighter, you would see my true speed. Right now, I’m almost tripping myself in this dress, though.

“Wait!”

The voice behind me sounds further and further away. I feel triumphant as my leg muscles have proven superior to these city folks once again. I’m gonna leave this guy far behind in the dust!

Panting a little, I finally come to a familiar corridor. It feels rare that I haven’t seen a person so far, but if I barge back into my room, I’ll just have won anyway. If I can turn that corner and run a little more, I will find myself back in your room. But then, a pair of strong arms grab me from the side! My heart is on overdrive at the appearance of this unseen competitor in our race.

“Sir Glenn!”

It is none other than the snakey chamberlain, wearing a seriously annoyed frown. Usually, I’d be wary of him, but I guess anyone who doesn’t want me killed is an ally right now. I instantly feel really relieved.

“S-sir Glenn! I’m being chased right now! Hurry, do some—”

“I know. Please don’t go out of your way here. Just let yourself get caught without any fuss, please.”

“W-what!?”

Glenn’s speech sounds like an enemy’s, and I instinctively try to shake him off. But he keeps his tight hold on me with both his arms. It feels like I am just going to hurt myself struggling there.

“There is more to this situation than you know. If everything goes according to plan, you’ll be out of danger for good, so please just go with this flow of events.”

“N-no, I don’t want to! Sir Glenn, you’re not being very reassuring!”

No way I’m going back into danger when I’m so close to the safe zone.

To begin with, when has Glenn shown he’s really on my side, huh? I don’t feel like trusting him, now of all times.

“You are ruining a carefully constructed plan. Aren’t ladies supposed just to let themselves be taken away and wait for rescue from their white knight?”

Oh no! His smile is sinister! My body reacts faster than my head. Glenn’s expression and aura make even the small hairs in my back stand. Disregarding his hold on me and how my arms are pinned to my sides, I stamp my feet and start pushing forward.

I manage to push forward these two extremely strong arms encircled around me, but I find myself yelping from the exertion. Sir Glenn, you don’t go easy on girls, do you?

“Goodness gracious… It’s either squeezing you till you faint and leaving you here for the enemy to find you or you going back by your own will. Choose one.”

Figures. So those are my only two options, huh? Both lead to the same outcome.

His arms start constricting me, and it hurts. You’re gonna give me an aneurysm, you know?

“Ten, nine, eight…”

“I-I’ll go! On my own feet!”

His countdown alarms me too much. I feel cornered into accepting his two unreasonable choices deal. Glenn has that sly smile I hate.

“Very well. I’ll watch from some distance that you get properly caught. Please be on your way.”

“Eek! Make sure you rescue afterward, OK? You are rescuing me, right!?”

I belabor the point, half crying. I’m going to have to count on Glenn’s fastidiousness about seeing his plans come to completion, at least.

“I know, I know. Hurry.”

Glenn’s reply is too curt, and that is not reassuring. What’s with this shift in attitude from before? Sending me straight into enemy soil without explanation, am I expected to put my life on the line just like that? I don’t remember us having discussed any such extremes being required of me… at all.

At least I gotta make my protest known. I look straight at him with teary eyes.

“This falls under clause four of the contract, right!? I will be demanding ample compensation!”

But Glenn just smiles disdainfully.

“I understand. It will be taken into consideration.”

His aura, not to mention his facial expression, remains unshaken, so I can only feel crushed. I mutter comeback lines while getting back the way I came.

You loathsome snake! One day I’m gonna leave that smart mouth of you speechless!


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