Chapter 112.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria
In an instant, Huan’s smile vanished.
His eyes quickly became busy, not missing a single expression, look, or gesture from Ruel.
He gazed at Ruel with eyes stronger than before, as if he was determined not to miss a single thing.
“Have you been hurt?” Huan asked.
“No, I just happened to see it passing by,” Ruel replied gratefully, acknowledging Huan’s concern.
“But it was a little strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“It felt odd for it to be called a carriage accident. Well, ultimately, the person wasn’t hurt either. Your Highness, please always take care. It would be a big problem if you were injured.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
“…Ah.”
Ruel suddenly reacted as if something had come to mind.
Huan pursed his dry lips, urging Ruel to speak with a look of impatience.
Ruel paused for a moment, as if responding to the urgent gaze, before speaking, “No, it’s nothing. It’s difficult for me to talk about this, as it’s a personal matter.”
“Is that so? How could I ask about personal matters?”
Despite pretending to be a broad-minded prince, Huan seemed full of impatience in Ruel’s eyes. Once again, silence fell between them, and it was Huan who felt frustrated for not being able to speak his mind.
—This body has figured out where the food is going. This body will be back after a bit.
Ruel found no time to be bored just by watching Leo and the bustling spirits wandering around the room.
“Everything is ready,” Cassion said.
After a sorting process that took more than 30 minutes, more than half of the food that filled the long table disappeared.
Huan swallowed a breath as he looked at the empty table.
He seemed quite irritated.
Cassion checked the drinks one last time before bowing and leaving.
“I will take my leave now.”
As the servant and Cassion left, Huan regained his composure.
“I’m sorry about this. I will make sure to prepare better next time.”
“No, I apologize as what you prepared was ruined because of me,” Ruel stated asking for forgiveness.
“It’s nothing compared to the rudeness I showed to you.”
Huan poured a drink into Ruel’s glass with a friendly face.
“I was really sorry back then. I lose my senses when I’m drunk. I’m trying to be more careful.”
“It’s already forgotten.” This time, Huan drank from his own glass, which contained a non-alcoholic beverage.
“Lord Setiria, I heard that you had an accident when you were young.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that too.”
“Do you have no memory?”
Huan asked with a slightly surprised face.
Ruel was secretly amazed at how Huan could make such realistic facial expressions despite knowing everything.
‘Yes, you have to be able to do at least that much to act as a prince.’
Ruel didn’t answer right away but fiddled with the cup.
“…That’s right.”
Immediately, he lowered his head slightly and sighed deeply.
“They said I was there too. But I can’t remember, it’s very… I feel resentful.”
Ruel clenched his fists and bit his lip.
Anyone could see that he was a person steeped in anger and sadness.
Therefore, Huan stood up and approached Ruel.
With a kind face, he lightly tapped Ruel’s shoulder.
“You don’t have to force yourself to remember.”
“If I could remember correctly, I would know who killed my father.”
“I will definitely find the culprit. So don’t worry too much.”
At that moment, Ruel almost burst out laughing.
Ruel can’t believe the culprit said something like that.
It was so absurd.
“Thank you.”
But Ruel looked at Huan as if he was truly grateful.
Huan comforted Ruel again and sat down.
“I’m sorry. I unintentionally said something that hurt you.”
“No. I was the one who brought up the carriage accident first. Thank you for your comfort.”
Ruel smiled and sipped his drink.
“This town is my personal favorite hence why I called you.”
It was as if Huan wanted to check Ruel’s memory one more time, and mentioned the Hian Village again.
Ruel asked, slightly surprised.
“Is there something special about this town? This is my first time coming to this village due to illness, so if there is anything good, please let me know.”
“Ah, it may seem unremarkable to you. It’s quiet and close to the capital, so it’s nice to be able to come here often.”
“I have a place like that too.”
Ruel smiled and picked up a fork following Huan’s actions.
While eating, the two people engaged in trivial conversation.
“How does it taste?” Huan put down his fork for a moment and asked.
It wasn’t as good as what Cassion and Astel cooked, but honestly, it was edible.
“It’s the most delicious food I’ve ever had.”
Huan laughed out loud.
“I didn’t know you could flatter so well.”
“There are many uses of the tongue, aren’t there? I only used one of them.”
“I like you.”
“It is an honor.”
Huan immediately cleared his throat and placed his clasped hands on the table.
Ruel also readied himself, as Huan looked like he was preparing something.
“I was drunk at the time, but what I said to you earlier was sincere.”
After a long introduction, Huan finally pushed in.
“I want to help you.”
Ruel put down his fork and knife.
“I want to hear the reason in detail, Your Highness.”
“Because you are Setiria.”
Ruel listened quietly.
“I don’t know where to start, but I’ve found someone in this country, who is selling your information to the enemy. Weren’t you attacked outside the capital some time ago?”
‘Should I react or not?’
Ruel was curious to see how shameless Huan could be, so he decided to react.
“How did you know this?”
“I was worried about you, so I hired someone.”
Huan did not attach anyone.
Cassion would have known if Huan really had an investigator.
“Your Highness, do you know who attacked me?”
“The Second Prince, Adoris.”
“H-His Highness Adoris, why would he do that to me?”
Ruel blinked quickly with a face as if he didn’t understand.
“Didn’t you say that the Red Ash is targeting you?”
“Are you saying that His Highness Adoris is part of the Red Ash?”
“That’s right, that’s why I want to protect you.”
The glass Ruel was holding shook.
Ruel managed to inhale Breath and looked at Huan, trying to pretend to calm down.
“How did you know this?”
“Because I am part of the Red Ash too.”
Ruel was dumbfounded by his imposing remarks.
Huan hurriedly continued his speech.
“Don’t get me wrong. I joined the Red Ash for this country. It was an inevitable choice to protect the country from my second brother.”
“…So, did you know that I was being targeted by the Red Ash?”
“Yes. At that time, I couldn’t speak properly because I was conscious of my second brother.”
Huan let out a long breath as Ruel kept his silence.
“I understand. You must be very suspicious of my words. But when you see this, you might think a little differently.”
What Huan presented was data.
Ruel reluctantly took the material and looked at it in front of him.
It was material containing evidence that Adoris approached the Prostone Guild and hired adventurers.
Afterwards, the assassin who attacked Ruel on his way back from Cyronian to Leponia even had evidence in his hand that he had been hired by Adoris.
‘So the assassin was sloppy at that time.’
Ruel barely suppressed his laughter and forced a frown as much as he could.
‘Huan gathered data to stab Adoris? I can collect a debt from Adoris.’
The data that Huan collected was an element that would interfere with the stage he and Adoris had prepared.
“I don’t understand.” Ruel said as he put down the materials.
“Is there a reason the Second Prince is targeting me?”
“That’s right. I just can’t understand it as well.” (Huan)
Since the story might be different from Adoris, Ruel continued acting and asked.
“Unfortunately, it seems like you won’t be able to get the explanation you want, but I can look into it for you.”
He spoke as if he were generously offering help, but Huan had just thrown a bait.
‘Does he know something else?’
Whether Huan knew it or not, Ruel had to tell him what he wanted to hear anyway.
“I hope I can meet Your Highness again next time.”
Only then did Huan smile satisfactorily.
This meeting was just a stepping stone for the next one. It was a typical method to lure someone with information, make them think they had become close, and then betray them unexpectedly. It was quite an effective method.
“Of course, honestly, I didn’t expect to hear your answer right away. I hope to hear it at our next meeting.”
“Yes, I will think about it carefully.”
Ruel wasn’t sure how much longer he would have to deal with Huan, but he needed to handle this valuable actor on the stage carefully.
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