Guiding the Male Lead out of His Trauma - Chapter 14.2
“Ah, I see…”
He’s making it so obvious. There’s no way I can’t tell he has some kind of agenda.
‘From the very first meeting, he showed a keen interest in something about me.’
I don’t know what that is, but this man definitely wants to pull me into his own circle.
As expected.
Lowering his head so only I could hear, the prince whispered in my ear,
“No matter how high your sibling’s predicted grade is, do you think I’d just carelessly release an Awakened who acted without authorization?”
At those words, chills ran all over me.
Unable to hide my shaken expression, he stepped back again and asked with a gentle smile, as if nothing had happened,
“Next is the cathedral, right?”
“…Yes.”
“Thanks to you, I’ll have a chance to look around for the first time in a while.”
He started leading the way, his aide following. In that moment, Hyacine hurriedly grabbed my shoulder.
“Lippey. What was that just now?”
“Hys…”
I really think I’ve gotten myself tangled up in something strange.
Not knowing what it is only makes it more unsettling and unpleasant.
Even though Hyacine, pale-faced, demanded to know what happened, there was nothing I could say at the moment.
What a headache.
Unable to comfort him as we both stood stiff with worry, Acteon stepped in and calmly tried to reassure Hyacine instead.
“People say he’s a scatterbrained fool with a few screws loose. Compared to the crown prince, who’s active in politics, he’s seen as uninterested in state affairs and only chases his own whims.”
But the way Acteon looked at Prince Isadore now was the exact opposite of that public opinion.
“There’s no way someone like him could be so simple.”
“Yes. Please be careful. I’ll try to find out what he’s after as well.”
Normally, I’d refuse help from Acteon, but considering the information he could access as a Brondearn, I had no choice but to accept.
“Thanks.”
Acteon smiled with his eyes, clearly pleased that I accepted so readily.
Watching him for a moment, I felt a bit awkward.
Even if these two worry, I have no intention of letting myself get dragged around by someone else’s agenda.
“Alright, let’s just go for now.”
With an exasperated sigh, I pushed the two of them ahead.
* * *
Isadore had stepped outside first and was now leisurely looking over the nearby cafes.
“Just last year, they didn’t want to build any new buildings, but now things seem much more stable.”
“That’s thanks to the southern district support project you proposed, Lord Isadore. Quite a few people from other districts have moved in, too.”
“I never thought it would become so lively. It’s better than I hoped. It’s nice to see it for myself.”
Maybe he’d given up pretending to be uninterested in politics. His tone was relaxed as he chatted, and when he spoke of caring for the country, it sounded sincere.
It didn’t look bad, seeing him care for his people.
‘Though, who knows if that ‘people’ really includes Awakened like us.’
It remains to be seen which parts are genuine and which are for show.
While I left the prince and his aide to their conversation for a bit, Acteon spoke up with a faint look of concern.
“Senior, are you planning to go to the cathedral now?”
“If we go anywhere else first, the route will get messy. It’s better to start with the cathedral.”
Acteon parted his lips as if he wanted to say something, but hesitated.
“…It’s nothing. It should be fine.”
“What is?”
“Because of my brother.”
Brother… He must mean Cassiel.
‘So that’s where he went. To the cathedral.’
He wouldn’t spend the whole day just praying.
If Acteon says it’ll be fine, it probably will be.
While I dismissed it as nothing serious, Isadore came back, satisfied with his sightseeing.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not at all. Thanks to you, I had a good meal.”
Hiding how rattled I’d been by his earlier words, I kept my tone light as I answered, and he laughed.
“Ah, right. I paid, didn’t I? Watching you try to hide your frustration was entertaining.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. If I, humble as I am, could make you laugh, I’ll treat it as a greater honor than any medal I might one day receive.”
My sarcasm slipped out before I realized, but Isadore didn’t seem to mind, as if he was used to this sort of thing.
Even his aide let it slide.
Fortunately, any discomfort soon faded as we arrived at the cathedral.
“It’s been a while.”
The place was still crowded with people.
People with flowers, with candles, in black mourning clothes…
Every time I saw so many people coming to pray for and remember those lost to the Mana Stone War, it hit me like a bell ringing in my head.
Maybe that’s why.
I missed something I would have noticed right away under normal circumstances.
Instead of drowning in emotion, I should have been paying more attention to my surroundings.
I should have noticed earlier that another Brondearn carriage was parked nearby.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
