TVDWL - Chapter 156 < Isn't this enough to pass? >

"What is it?"

"I went back to the herb patch I saw in the Cursed Forest, but it was already burned down. It seemed like they cleaned up."

"Hmm."

Mikhail let out a long snort at Hasten's words.

'What should I say again?'

There was no need to worry about that part. The important documents had already been secured. And now, instead of Mikhail, Max was analyzing the data. Hasten, who had no way of knowing this, spoke seriously.

"Because of this incident, the Vestian family seems to be protecting themselves, and there is almost no backroom dealing or movement. It has become more difficult to catch them."

"..."

Mikhail scratched the back of his head with an ambiguous expression. He knew why these two were so nervous about Croana.

'My late husband always wanted to create a new anesthetic... The research spurred by the support of the Vestian family has finally come to fruition. That was Croana.'

'But when the dangers and cautions of Croana became known... it began to be used to assassinate people rather than for treatment.'

Mikhail briefly recalled the story Selena had told him about Croana.

'The circumstances are such that these guys' goal is to wipe out all those who are abusing Croana.'

But...

'What does that have to do with Karina?'

As for the black magicians, they keep getting involved with her, so it's annoying, so Mikhail thinks of catching them all and getting rid of them. But Croana's case wasn't of much interest to him. And he didn't want Karina to be concerned about such things.

"I see. I understand."

That's why Mikhail was thinking of cutting that report off his line. For now, it was more important to make sure Karina didn't take the pills.

'Should I go back first?'

It was much later that he realized that this was a very naive idea.

***

"Please sit comfortably."

David, who arrived at the dark room, offered her a seat. Karina sat down without a word. While David asked the man in the white mask to bring him tea, Karina stared at his face.

'I see.'

It seemed that she knew why he had been interested in her until now. The Grand Duchess came to the Dark Market in person. It was an unusual situation, so it was only natural that David, who ran the Dark Market, would be very interested.

'So that's why you asked me this and that every time you met me.'

The reason seemed plausible. David said lightly, looking at Karina, who was very tense.

"You don't have to be so nervous. I'm not going to eat the Grand Duchess."

He said with a harmless shrug, but Karina couldn't accept those words easily.

'I don't know about that.'

If he had no secret plans, there was absolutely no reason for him to reveal to her the fact that he was Perso. And now, to be honest, she was in a frequented the Perso, to the fact that she had requested a 'wish potion' that would be laughed at by others, to the big fact that she had tried to obtain a certificate of infertility and infertility drugs to deceive the imperial family. If it was known outside, many things would be torn apart by the hyena-like nobles of the capital.

'It's dangerous.'

Karina didn't know about the others, but the last one was really dangerous. It was serious enough that she could be arrested immediately for deceiving the imperial family. 

Cold sweat ran down her back. It seemed like he wanted something else since he didn't drag her to prison right away.

'I have to find out what he wants from me and make a deal while keeping it a secret.'

Karina didn't let her guard down and threw a fastball right away.

"What do you want from me?"

"Oh. I wish you hadn't been so cautious."

David lowered his eyebrows as if in embarrassment.

"Please answer."

Despite his efforts to placate her, Karina's voice was extremely businesslike.

"What do you want?"

Finally, David thought for a moment and then quickly answered.

"Well, for now, I would like to become friends with the Grand Duchess."

"... Yes?"

Karina looked a little bewildered.

'He wishes we could be friends?'

It seemed a bit out of the blue. David added with a smile as if the thought was clearly visible on his face.

"Wouldn't it be great? If you become friendly with me, it would be of great help to the Grand Duchess."

He began listing the benefits of being friends with him.

"I have a lot of information, a wide network of connections, and I'm well-informed about rumors. I also have a lot of money, so I can help the Grand Duchess whenever you need it. I also have a high status, so if you want, I can be a pretty strong supporter. Don't you think that's all you're attracted to?"

"...?"

'What the heck is going on?'

The afterword was a little strange, but Karina was too dazed to notice it for a moment. David ignored it and continued his appeal.

"I am also very tight-lipped. Whenever the Grand Duchess is feeling frustrated, I am the perfect person to confide in. If you tell me, nothing will leak out."

He smiled confidently.

"What do you think? Isn't this enough to pass?"

His eyes sparkled as if he was expecting an acceptable answer. Karina quickly came to her senses and asked again.

"I... I don't understand why Your Highness wants to be my friend?"

When David said this, she knew that being friends with him would help her a lot. But she thought, "Isn't there anything he can gain from this?" The answer came out immediately.

"As I said before, I want to become someone who can have honest and open conversations with the Grand Duchess."

"A sincere conversation...?"

"Yes. We are special people who have overcome hardships together in the Cursed Forest."

He created a subtle sense of empathy by bringing up his past experiences.

"I hope that this will be an opportunity for us to build a relationship where we can talk openly and honestly without any secrets."

"..."

"And you were really pleasant when I spoke to you in the cave last time. I wish you could please me even more."

Karina was a little confused. To be honest, she had no idea what conversation he found pleasant and at what point. But if David really just wanted to be friends, there was nothing wrong with her.

'Looking at his expression, it doesn't seem like a lie.'

It seemed sincere at the moment. Unless he later said, 'It's not fun to talk to you. Let's cancel our friendship.'

'No...'

It didn't seem like that would happen, seeing as he was being friendly towards her. Thinking back, he was the same when they were isolated in the Cursed Forest. Even though he had the escape artifact, he didn't escape right away but stayed by her side.

'He seemed to have a good and good personality, worthy of the position of Crown Prince.'

"..."

As that memory came to mind, she felt sorry for having doubted and been wary of his words until just now. It seemed like she wouldn't cause trouble for him if she didn't worry.

'Did I act too strangely?'

Karina felt awkward as if she had been worrying about nothing. She relaxed her tense expression and meekly accepted his offer.

"Very well. Let's be friends, Your Highness."

Karina let her guard down and smiled. Then David followed her lead, smiling brightly with the corners of his lips raised.

"I'm glad you accepted. If you need my help in the future, please feel free to let me know."

Karina nodded and carefully opened her mouth.

"Well, then. Can you keep the fact that I've been going to the Dark World a secret? And all the other commissions I've entrusted to you here?"

"Of course."

David answered readily.

"Don't worry about the infertility certificate and the fertility drugs. We will keep it a secret."

"...!"

Karina, who was taken aback by his words, smiled awkwardly.

'Also.'

She didn't know why he suddenly made this suggestion, but he knew exactly what Karina was most worried about.

'I guess I should scrap my plans to take fertility drugs just in case.'

He didn't seem to have any ill intentions, but you never know. She decided to abandon the plan in case things went wrong later.

'The royal family found out that my Infertility was fake.'

Karina didn't know if the Emperor knew about this, but it was already a failure since Crown Prince David knew about it.

'It's like I confessed it myself.'

Karina swallowed a small sigh. She had told the Marquis that she was infertile in a fit of anger just before coming here. But the Marquis would not go around telling anyone about it.

'Rather, he'd be busy hiding it.

She decided that there was no need to worry.

Knock knock.

At that moment, the man in the white mask returned to the room with a tray filled with warm tea. He placed the teacups in front of Karina and David, then quietly took out the documents and handed them to David.

'It looks like a report at first glance.'

She thought to herself as she looked at the white mask nodding and leaving the room again. As expected.

"Come to think of it, this is information about the wishing potion that the Grand Duchess requested before."

David glanced over the papers and then brought up the subject of a previous commission she had given him.

"Oh, yes."

"We conducted our investigation with a focus on finding the source of the potion. Ultimately, we found out that the potion was related to the Western Magic Tower, but the Magic Tower was originally a very closed place..."

David told her exactly what he had found out from his sources.

"... Unfortunately, I couldn't find out any more information about it."

Karina wasn't particularly disappointed after hearing his explanation.

'The wishing potion did come from the magic tower just as Mikhail said. Everything he said was true.'

Then it would be true that it would have no effect.

'Then how on earth did I get involved with a dragon?'

The truth was falling into a deeper labyrinth. While Karina was lost in thought, David continued speaking.

"Since I was unable to properly carry out your request, I will return your deposit."

"No, it's okay."

Karina refused. She had something to ask him anyway. Questions she could ask because he was the Crown Prince.

'In the founding myth, it is said that the imperial family members were born with the bloodline of the first dragon.'

To be honest, it's just a myth, so it's nonsense and there's no way to prove it. But still. Shouldn't we try, even if it's just a straw? 

The Crown Prince is a member of the royal family who inherited the dragon's blood, so he might know something else. Karina straightened up and made a determined expression.

"Your Highness. I have something to ask you."

"Please speak comfortably."

David, sensing that she had something important to say, set the stage for her to speak.

"Could you please tell me about... dragons?"

"Yes?"

But silence fell without a trace. In this extremely serious atmosphere, a question about a fantasy creature, a dragon, came out of nowhere. Even David, who had been showing that he would sincerely answer any question she asked, looked slightly flustered this time.

"A dragon?"

"Yes."

"That dragon from the founding myth...?"

"Yes, that's it."

"Ah ..."

"..."

As the awkward atmosphere grew longer, the tips of Karina's ears turned red with embarrassment.

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