“I’ll give you this box, too. It’s a magic box. It’s usually hidden, but when you whistle, it appears out of thin air.”
Aila blinked rapidly in confusion.
Although she wasn't very good at magic, she was taken aback by his words that he would give her a precious magical tool that she had never heard of before.
“It must be really expensive.”
It wasn't a scroll that was used once and thrown away, and magic tools that could be used continuously were usually so expensive that they couldn't be put on a price tag.
“...Hmm. That’s true. But thanks to you, I saved my life.”
Aila bit her lip as she watched Winfred laughing, saying, “Did you think that the price of my life, the one inheriting the throne, was that cheap?”
She got greedy. She'd be lying if she said she didn't get greedy.
She could write down the information she found out and keep it secret, she could get weapons and hide them, and she wouldn't have to steal a new training uniform every time she moved.
She was able to safely hide the sleeping pills she had hidden under the pillow in her hotel room.
“...Is it safe?”
Aila asked cautiously.
Magic leaves traces. There's no guarantee it won't go unnoticed.
“Yes. This box has a security spell. At least, no one will notice unless they are stronger than the wizard who created the magical tool. And it’s a secret, because the person who created this box has the strongest magical power in the world.”
Winfred pounded his chest, boasting that he would never be caught.
The strongest wizard ever made it. Normally, she would have thought it was a bluff, but the opponent was the Crown Prince. It might not have been a bluff.
Now that things have gotten to this point, Alia is really tempted by this box.
She was more interested in the magic box that Winfred gave her to hide the pocket watch than in the original. It was a situation where the roles were reversed.
But there was a big problem.
As darkness fell over Aila's face, Winfred asked worriedly what was wrong this time.
“...I don’t know how to whistle.”
Aila opened her mouth in a desperate voice.
“...Are you kidding me?”
Winfred laughed awkwardly, saying it was a very funny joke. But Aila's expression was extremely serious.
“I’m not joking.”
Aila pretended to whistle with a sad face, but all that came out was the sound of the wind blowing.
“Phuhat.”
Winfred burst out laughing at that sight.
Aila glared at him with not-so-kind eyes, as if she had forgotten all about Winfred's words and actions, even though she had laughed at them several times.
At her cold gaze, the smile on Winfred's face, which had been laughing heartily, disappeared for a moment.
“Ah, sorry. You’re so cute, I couldn’t help but stop.”
How cute. Someone is worried because they can't use something precious right now, so how cute. Aila's gaze as she looked at him became even colder.
“That, that’s not a problem. You can just change the order. What would be good? How about snapping your fingers? Try this. Can you make that sound?”
Winfred spoke urgently, clicking his thumb and middle finger.
“Yeah, I can do that.”
Aila nodded and did the same, and a bright, clear sound came from her fingers.
“That’s good. Then let’s do that.”
Winfred smiled brightly, as if he was genuinely happy. Aila couldn't keep looking at him with sharp eyes even while seeing his innocent smile, so she took her cold gaze away and smiled slightly.
“Yes. Now, put your hand on mine.”
As she was standing there blankly, not knowing how to transfer ownership of the magic tool, Winfred held out his hand. Compared to his still young face, his hand was long and quite large.
“Oh, yeah.”
“I, Winfred Julius Vito Peles, own this box...”
Winfred, who had been quietly closing his eyes to recite the spell, opened his eyes wide as he realized that he didn't even know the mysterious girl's name.
“...What is your name?”
It was a really belated question. He had already revealed his name, his identity, and even the embarrassing story of his family, and yet he didn't even know the other person's name.
At his question, Aila was troubled.
Is it okay if I reveal your name and identity?
She had forgotten about him because their personalities and speech were so different, but Winfred was Byron's nephew who resembled him so much that she felt bad when shr first saw him.
Can she trust Winfred like that and just reveal her identity to him?
However, it is not that they were close friends. Rather, they were on bad terms. They had known each other for over ten years, as Byron had committed treason and fled when Winfred was four years old.
Moreover, the Crown Prince was also scheduled to attend Aila's eighteenth birthday banquet, so the relationship between the Duke's family and the Imperial Family would not be so bad.
So maybe, she thought, it would be okay to tell him everything.
Aila's heart continued to waver.
“Do I have to use my full name?”
Aila asked cautiously, wondering if he had made up his mind.
“No, that’s not it?”
Winfred shook his head. The thought that she was truly a girl with many secrets was a bonus.
“My name is... Aila. Aila... Hailing.”
The surname Weishaffen was swallowed up. She hoped that one day, she would be able to reveal this name.
It was also a riddle that was shamelessly given to the Crown Prince. Perhaps one day, Winfred himself will realize her true identity.
Just as she realized Winfred's true identity.
'Hailing?'
Winfred tilted his head to the surname he had heard somewhere. He couldn't remember it for sure, but it was definitely a familiar name.
But now was not the time to think about such things. Ahem, ahem. Winfred, clearing his throat, opened his mouth in the most wonderful voice he could muster.
“I, Winfred Julius Vito Feles, hereby transfer ownership of this box to Aila Hailing.”
Because of the change in voice, his voice came out slightly cracked at the end. Aila didn't seem to mind at all, but Winfred, who somehow wanted to show this girl only his cool side, had a sad expression on his face.
That was it. Then, a warm purple light sparkled around the two holding hands and disappeared.
“...It’s yours now. Call it once.”
Winfred let go of Ayla's hand, which he had been holding with a regretful expression, and said. Ayla, feeling unnecessarily nervous, snapped her fingers.
Then, just like before, a jewel box floating in the air appeared in front of Aila.
“Yes, then. Take this, Eila.”
Winfred called her name as he handed her a gold pocket watch. Somehow, the tip of her tongue tingled.
“...Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”
It was a precious item that had been received in exchange for saving the Crown Prince of the empire. Aila carefully placed the pocket watch on the bottom of the empty jewelry box.
“The method of sending it back is the same. You know?”
Winfred laughed, making a sound with his fingers. Aila nodded and repeated the sound.
Then, as if it were a lie, the box that had been floating in the air disappeared.
"...thank you so much."
Winfred wouldn't know.
This pocket watch and this box. They were the first things she had ever owned in her entire life.
And how much does this help her?
“I think I should go back now. Before that, I’ll take you to a safe place first.”
Aila looked up at the sky anxiously and said. It was already late at night. She had to go back quickly.
“You’re going back?”
"...yes."
Back to that hell. Back into the monster's maw. It was time to go back.
“Before you go, I have something to tell you, Winfred. The man who was after you today will continue to be after you until you return to the palace. So you must never, never sneak out like you did tonight. Do you have any sense that you are the Crown Prince? It’s so dangerous out there.”
However, it was not as if there was no time to nag Winfred. What on earth was lacking in the only Prince of the empire who would succeed to the throne that made him run away every night, leaving behind his servants and knights?
Since it was a process to become the Crown Prince, it was not something she could tell him to return to the palace right away. The best advice she could give him was to stay somewhere safe.
Winfred scratched his cheek, wondering why he felt like he was being nagged by an older sister every time they met, even though she was clearly younger than he was.
“...That assassin, your uncle Byron, he’s related to that guy. He’s plotting something. I don’t know how I knew. It’s a secret.”
Winfred's eyes widened at the subsequent revelations. He couldn't stand the curiosity to know what exactly Aila's true identity was and how she knew these facts.
But before he could even ask, he had to suppress the curiosity boiling inside him because she told him outright not to ask how she knew.
“And, by the way, later on, when you find out who I am.”
Aila swallowed nervously, worried about whether she could say something like that to him.
“...Then, can you definitely tell my parents? I’ll definitely go back. To my mother and father. I’ll definitely go back. Keep it a secret from everyone else, just to my parents.”
She spoke with a very serious expression. Her face was so determined that he couldn’t even ask, “Who are your parents...?”
Aila blinked rapidly in confusion.
Although she wasn't very good at magic, she was taken aback by his words that he would give her a precious magical tool that she had never heard of before.
“It must be really expensive.”
It wasn't a scroll that was used once and thrown away, and magic tools that could be used continuously were usually so expensive that they couldn't be put on a price tag.
“...Hmm. That’s true. But thanks to you, I saved my life.”
Aila bit her lip as she watched Winfred laughing, saying, “Did you think that the price of my life, the one inheriting the throne, was that cheap?”
She got greedy. She'd be lying if she said she didn't get greedy.
She could write down the information she found out and keep it secret, she could get weapons and hide them, and she wouldn't have to steal a new training uniform every time she moved.
She was able to safely hide the sleeping pills she had hidden under the pillow in her hotel room.
“...Is it safe?”
Aila asked cautiously.
Magic leaves traces. There's no guarantee it won't go unnoticed.
“Yes. This box has a security spell. At least, no one will notice unless they are stronger than the wizard who created the magical tool. And it’s a secret, because the person who created this box has the strongest magical power in the world.”
Winfred pounded his chest, boasting that he would never be caught.
The strongest wizard ever made it. Normally, she would have thought it was a bluff, but the opponent was the Crown Prince. It might not have been a bluff.
Now that things have gotten to this point, Alia is really tempted by this box.
She was more interested in the magic box that Winfred gave her to hide the pocket watch than in the original. It was a situation where the roles were reversed.
But there was a big problem.
As darkness fell over Aila's face, Winfred asked worriedly what was wrong this time.
“...I don’t know how to whistle.”
Aila opened her mouth in a desperate voice.
“...Are you kidding me?”
Winfred laughed awkwardly, saying it was a very funny joke. But Aila's expression was extremely serious.
“I’m not joking.”
Aila pretended to whistle with a sad face, but all that came out was the sound of the wind blowing.
“Phuhat.”
Winfred burst out laughing at that sight.
Aila glared at him with not-so-kind eyes, as if she had forgotten all about Winfred's words and actions, even though she had laughed at them several times.
At her cold gaze, the smile on Winfred's face, which had been laughing heartily, disappeared for a moment.
“Ah, sorry. You’re so cute, I couldn’t help but stop.”
How cute. Someone is worried because they can't use something precious right now, so how cute. Aila's gaze as she looked at him became even colder.
“That, that’s not a problem. You can just change the order. What would be good? How about snapping your fingers? Try this. Can you make that sound?”
Winfred spoke urgently, clicking his thumb and middle finger.
“Yeah, I can do that.”
Aila nodded and did the same, and a bright, clear sound came from her fingers.
“That’s good. Then let’s do that.”
Winfred smiled brightly, as if he was genuinely happy. Aila couldn't keep looking at him with sharp eyes even while seeing his innocent smile, so she took her cold gaze away and smiled slightly.
“Yes. Now, put your hand on mine.”
As she was standing there blankly, not knowing how to transfer ownership of the magic tool, Winfred held out his hand. Compared to his still young face, his hand was long and quite large.
“Oh, yeah.”
“I, Winfred Julius Vito Peles, own this box...”
Winfred, who had been quietly closing his eyes to recite the spell, opened his eyes wide as he realized that he didn't even know the mysterious girl's name.
“...What is your name?”
It was a really belated question. He had already revealed his name, his identity, and even the embarrassing story of his family, and yet he didn't even know the other person's name.
At his question, Aila was troubled.
Is it okay if I reveal your name and identity?
She had forgotten about him because their personalities and speech were so different, but Winfred was Byron's nephew who resembled him so much that she felt bad when shr first saw him.
Can she trust Winfred like that and just reveal her identity to him?
However, it is not that they were close friends. Rather, they were on bad terms. They had known each other for over ten years, as Byron had committed treason and fled when Winfred was four years old.
Moreover, the Crown Prince was also scheduled to attend Aila's eighteenth birthday banquet, so the relationship between the Duke's family and the Imperial Family would not be so bad.
So maybe, she thought, it would be okay to tell him everything.
Aila's heart continued to waver.
“Do I have to use my full name?”
Aila asked cautiously, wondering if he had made up his mind.
“No, that’s not it?”
Winfred shook his head. The thought that she was truly a girl with many secrets was a bonus.
“My name is... Aila. Aila... Hailing.”
The surname Weishaffen was swallowed up. She hoped that one day, she would be able to reveal this name.
It was also a riddle that was shamelessly given to the Crown Prince. Perhaps one day, Winfred himself will realize her true identity.
Just as she realized Winfred's true identity.
'Hailing?'
Winfred tilted his head to the surname he had heard somewhere. He couldn't remember it for sure, but it was definitely a familiar name.
But now was not the time to think about such things. Ahem, ahem. Winfred, clearing his throat, opened his mouth in the most wonderful voice he could muster.
“I, Winfred Julius Vito Feles, hereby transfer ownership of this box to Aila Hailing.”
Because of the change in voice, his voice came out slightly cracked at the end. Aila didn't seem to mind at all, but Winfred, who somehow wanted to show this girl only his cool side, had a sad expression on his face.
That was it. Then, a warm purple light sparkled around the two holding hands and disappeared.
“...It’s yours now. Call it once.”
Winfred let go of Ayla's hand, which he had been holding with a regretful expression, and said. Ayla, feeling unnecessarily nervous, snapped her fingers.
Then, just like before, a jewel box floating in the air appeared in front of Aila.
“Yes, then. Take this, Eila.”
Winfred called her name as he handed her a gold pocket watch. Somehow, the tip of her tongue tingled.
“...Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”
It was a precious item that had been received in exchange for saving the Crown Prince of the empire. Aila carefully placed the pocket watch on the bottom of the empty jewelry box.
“The method of sending it back is the same. You know?”
Winfred laughed, making a sound with his fingers. Aila nodded and repeated the sound.
Then, as if it were a lie, the box that had been floating in the air disappeared.
"...thank you so much."
Winfred wouldn't know.
This pocket watch and this box. They were the first things she had ever owned in her entire life.
And how much does this help her?
“I think I should go back now. Before that, I’ll take you to a safe place first.”
Aila looked up at the sky anxiously and said. It was already late at night. She had to go back quickly.
“You’re going back?”
"...yes."
Back to that hell. Back into the monster's maw. It was time to go back.
“Before you go, I have something to tell you, Winfred. The man who was after you today will continue to be after you until you return to the palace. So you must never, never sneak out like you did tonight. Do you have any sense that you are the Crown Prince? It’s so dangerous out there.”
However, it was not as if there was no time to nag Winfred. What on earth was lacking in the only Prince of the empire who would succeed to the throne that made him run away every night, leaving behind his servants and knights?
Since it was a process to become the Crown Prince, it was not something she could tell him to return to the palace right away. The best advice she could give him was to stay somewhere safe.
Winfred scratched his cheek, wondering why he felt like he was being nagged by an older sister every time they met, even though she was clearly younger than he was.
“...That assassin, your uncle Byron, he’s related to that guy. He’s plotting something. I don’t know how I knew. It’s a secret.”
Winfred's eyes widened at the subsequent revelations. He couldn't stand the curiosity to know what exactly Aila's true identity was and how she knew these facts.
But before he could even ask, he had to suppress the curiosity boiling inside him because she told him outright not to ask how she knew.
“And, by the way, later on, when you find out who I am.”
Aila swallowed nervously, worried about whether she could say something like that to him.
“...Then, can you definitely tell my parents? I’ll definitely go back. To my mother and father. I’ll definitely go back. Keep it a secret from everyone else, just to my parents.”
She spoke with a very serious expression. Her face was so determined that he couldn’t even ask, “Who are your parents...?”
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