"Huh? Thigh?"
“What do you mean by ‘I feel…’? I feel…?”
Without realizing it, I exploded in anger, and my voice turned sharp.
How did he interpret my desperate call for help?
“You felt ecstatic. As if you were seducing a stranger.”
"What? No, I wasn't!"
“Of course I was. And I even began to go deeper, more clearly, inward.”
“I didn't know!”
“Didn't you know?”
His green eyes were filled with unmistakable disbelief.
“The person who ‘didn’t know’ kept insisting on his touch...”
“Stop!”
If I listened any longer, I felt like I would have to explain something that couldn't be fixed, so I quickly cut him off.
Clinging to my soul that was about to flee, I stammered trying to explain my situation.
“I was asking for help. I had no other choice but...”
Wow.
Just remembering what happened last night made me feel completely exhausted.
I had already thought that I needed to tell the Grand Duke, wasn't it lucky that I had the chance to be alone with him like this?
“Actually...”
I took a short breath and scanned my surroundings.
Then I lowered my voice as much as possible and whispered in the Grand Duke's ear.
“I met His Highness the Crown Prince yesterday.”
"…What?"
Freeze.
The Grand Duke's movements stopped immediately.
I hesitated a little, watching his reaction, before continuing.
"I was really shocked too. I couldn't sleep...so I thought about going for a short walk, but who would have expected that I would meet the Crown Prince?"
“Where did you meet him?”
“In the park...it's not too far from where we live.”
“This place is a place Raiden Kleitan has frequented since his childhood.”
Oh, my God!
And so I walked straight into the lion's den.
As I suppressed the grimace that tried to take over my face, I heard his voice again.
“Did you have a conversation with him?”
“Okay...”
Where do I start?
After succinctly organizing my thoughts, I decided to share the most important part first.
“We talked about the weather.”
The explanation that followed was a re-enactment of the previous night's events.
I commented that it looked like it might rain, so the Crown Prince asked about it, and I answered immediately.
“Hmm.”
But as he listened, the Grand Duke's features gradually began to harden.
Besides, my growing anxiety deepened.
Finally, I said the words that were in my mouth.
“Was that…an interview?”
"…interview?"
His tone was puzzled, but there was no outright denial.
So I made no effort to hide my displeasure.
“I think it was an interview. I felt like he was asking unnecessary questions for no reason... What if His Highness decided to connect me to the Imperial Palace in Kletan?”
Part of me thought I might be overthinking things.
But after reading the original story and carefully analyzing the character “Saeko Raiden,” I could not ignore the growing feeling of pessimism.
A while ago, he peppered me with questions – didn't that mean he was interested?
I've just gotten used to this place, and I don't want to leave.
The warm and cozy Grand Duchy of Blair, no, my room.
Are you leaving that behind?
I even (mentally) chose my future home in the heart of the Grand Duchy!
“And the Imperial Palace does not suit my taste at all.”
My ingrained stay-at-home instincts rejected the idea of unfamiliar places.
Especially those that include a lot of people.
While I was floundering in a vortex of disastrous imagination...
“Sigh...”
The Grand Duke let out a deep sigh.
His exhale brought me back to reality, and when I raised my head, his features had softened slightly.
After a short pause, he rubbed his temple out of habit and spoke.
“First of all, don’t wander around alone unnecessarily from now on.”
The heavy emphasis on the word “unnecessarily” made it clear – this was not just my imagination.
Feeling more than a little guilty, I nodded meekly.
Then he continued his speech.
"Even if the Crown Prince is giving an interview, it doesn't matter now. You are bound to me by contract."
“Class C contract?”
Hearing those words, a memory came back to my mind.
“Before that, Princess, shouldn’t we settle our overdue accounts?”
“...Accounts receivable?”
“You are well aware of how expensive the items used in the homes of high-ranking nobles are, right? If I asked you to pay for everything, it would be no less than 10 million tri per month, and if we add the artists’ wages, it would amount to about 80 million tri.”
Oh, in other words...
“My accommodation fee…?”
“You have read the terms of the contract, right? It clearly states that until all your debts are settled, you must remain in the Grand Duchy of Blair.”
“Right...”
At the time, I was too confused to pay attention, but apparently, this item was there.
So, in the end…is this a good thing?
I felt strangely like I was being tricked, but his reasoning made perfect sense to my bewildered ears.
While I was nodding inwardly in agreement, he smoothly changed the subject.
“Anyway, it's a relief that you didn't eat anything harmful.”
“Oh, yes.”
“…But what were you so immersed in thinking about?”
He took a step back before asking.
"Yes."
Then I finally remembered my original goal.
I had planned to rush back to my room and ask Bonita about suitable metals for making cups.
But now that I think about it...
Isn't the Grand Duke the most knowledgeable about this matter?
A sudden idea came to me.
Maybe being dragged here without a chance to fight back was fate's way of guiding me.
Since arriving at the Imperial Palace, I had had little opportunity to talk to him, so I decided to seize this moment.
“By the way, regarding the matter I discussed with Her Majesty the Empress yesterday...”
“…Business talk?”
I nodded as if to say, “Sure.”
Honestly, since meeting the Empress, my mind has only been occupied with ideas for promotional products.
“I'm thinking of making a mug – it's a kind of mug. So in short…”
I gave him a brief explanation of the concept and function of the cup.
At first, he seemed skeptical, but as I continued talking, he gradually began to lean toward me with interest.
The idea of a cup that could maintain the temperature of its contents must have been quite new.
After listening attentively, he gave a direct answer.
“Aren't you the most familiar with this kind of material?”
"Me? When?"
His reaction was so unexpected that I blinked in confusion.
He shook his head and then explained.
“You even destroyed the core of the Magic Tower with that material.”
Heart of the magic tower?
At that moment, my face lit up, and I clapped my hand on my cheek.
That's right – parthanium!
I had read about it in the Grand Ducal Library.
Parthanium was highly resistant to magic, temperature, and corrosion.
This also means that it requires very complex processing.
Complex processing meant astronomical costs.
But that wasn't a problem for me.
Why?
Because my patroness is the Empress of Kletan!
When I remembered that the Parthanium Mines were located within the tower's range, I felt victorious.
I even had two remaining wish tokens as the Ear of the Tower, so getting their cooperation was practically guaranteed.
With my plan crystallized, I took a step forward and grabbed both of his hands.
"Thank you very much!"
“…why?”
“For everything today!”
She smiled at him broadly, full of sincere gratitude.
He defended me against the Crown Prince and helped me find the perfect material to make the cup!
If that wasn't helpful, then what was?
After I shook his hand twice, I turned and hurried off.
I'll go in first! See you at dinner!
'Huh?'
Why was he staring at his thigh?
…impossible.
Did he think I was thanking him for letting me touch his thigh? Ha ha ha…
After I got rid of that ridiculous idea, I hurried over, focusing my mind entirely on the cups.