Chapter 44

“You mean the ridiculous rumors about me.”

“…You knew?”

“How could I not? It’s the reason I came all this way.”

“…Does that mean the master here—that man—manipulated and spread the information? But why?”

“I haven’t been able to find that out. Thanks to someone’s interference.”

Dante said, staring pointedly at me.

*What does he want from me?*

I shrugged and turned my head away.

“Is what His Highness says true?”

Seemoi’s Master Berman hung his head low.

“…It is.”

“For what reason? What do you gain from spreading false rumors?”

“It wasn’t for personal gain. I was only following orders.”

“Who gave you such an order?”

“That…”

Berman trailed off, glancing nervously at Dante.

He had already experienced firsthand just how cruel that beautiful face, which seemed to glow even in the basement, could become.

It was only natural for him to think that if he kept the secret any longer, this time he might actually die.

Sure enough, he opened his mouth heavily. His hoarse voice echoed softly through the basement.

“It was an order from His Majesty the Emperor.”

*The Emperor?*

That was a name I hadn’t expected to hear.

“…You’re saying His Majesty ordered you to spread the rumor?”

“Yesterday, His Majesty summoned me in secret. He told me to spread a rumor that His Highness was the number one ranked Hunter and had killed the boss.”

“You didn’t know it was a lie?”

“I did not. I only found out it was false after I obtained the ranking list later.”

*Is it because his own son wasn’t on the list?*

That must be why he forbade any mention of the rankings and announced they would be revealed at the party for the Hunters.

The Hunters share the rankings among themselves, but with an order from the Emperor, the secret would be kept until the party.

*His plan must be to spread the false rumor in the meantime to make people believe it, and then reveal the truth only after the rankings change.*

It was a plan made possible because the current number one was the Mad Princess, Astell.

The kind of person no one would believe, even if she told the truth.

It seems even an emperor known for his righteousness can’t help himself when it comes to his son.

*So this is paternal love.*

I’ll give him that. It’s not the right way to go about it, but I can’t say I don’t understand.

Honestly, isn’t that better than Duke Ruthius, who couldn’t care less if his child lived or died?

“Where did you get the ranking list?”

“The identity of an informant is a top secret.”

“But I’m the one who saved your life.”

“Yes? Ah, no, I don’t see what that has to do with…”

“You said you’d repay the favor. Were those just empty words?”

“No! I may have fabricated information, but I would never make such a lie!”

“Then you can repay me now.”

Berman’s jaw dropped.

Asking the head of an information guild for an informant’s identity was no different from telling him to go out of business.

What informant would ever deal with a guild that couldn’t protect their identity?

I understood, but Berman was the one who offered to repay the favor. And as it happened, I was in desperate need of a capable informant.

Berman, sweating profusely, began to beg.

“Please, anything but that… Princess, couldn’t you ask for something else? I’ll tell you anything, as long as it’s not about my informants!”

“You just said ‘anything,’ didn’t you? Fine. I’ll be visiting often from now on.”

“…Ah, no, j-just once…”

The informant or Berman. As long as I could get information, it didn’t matter who it came from.

I pretended not to notice the master gaping like a fish and asked Dante a question.

“Did you really not know His Majesty was behind this?”

“Is that a question?”

“…No.”

It was a pointless question, really. He must have expected it to some extent.

*If he could figure out where the rumors started in half a day, it must have been easy to guess who was behind them.*

He must have come to see the master to confirm his suspicions.

*So the Emperor acted on his own.*

I carefully observed Dante’s bewitching face.

“May I ask a real question?”

“Go ahead.”

“Why did you avoid the level measurement?”

“You’re so sure I avoided it. Maybe I’m just too weak to make the rankings.”

“Any Hunter whose level is measured is automatically ranked. A flimsy trick like that won’t work.”

Having crossed swords with Dante, I had a good idea of his level.

*At least S-rank.*

It was impossible for an S-rank Hunter not to make the list.

“Should I tell you? The reason your level wasn’t measured is because you did nothing. That’s why you didn’t enter the rankings.”

Dante had used his sword only once during the level measurement.

It was only to kill the person who had become prey for the spiderlings.

He hadn’t used any of his power against the monsters, which is why his level wasn’t measured.

Dante’s red lips curved into a captivating smile.

“Were you watching in secret? I didn’t realize you were that interested in me.”

“…I wasn’t hiding, and I wasn’t watching. I’m sorry, but Your Highness is not my type at all.”

“I’ve been told my looks transcend personal taste.”

It was too true to deny, so my lips remained sealed. I cleared my throat instead.

“Ahem. Stop talking nonsense and just give me a reason. I answered your question, after all.”

“They didn’t attack me.”

He just stood by and watched simply because he wasn’t attacked.

If those spiderlings had escaped the barrier, the capital would have been annihilated.

“…Do you really think that makes sense? They were monsters.”

“To me, people and monsters are much the same. If they don’t attack me, I have no reason to fight.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“I’ve told you the truth. Whether you believe it or not is your choice.”

“Then why did you smile at me during the memorial service?”

“One question, one answer. You made the rule, Princess. You should be the one to follow it.”

Dante stood up with a meaningful smile.

I looked up at him from my seat.

“Are you leaving?”

“Should I stay and play with you all night, Princess?”

“…Goodbye.”

I thought he would leave right away, but he strode toward me.

I expected him to stop at a reasonable distance, but he didn’t. He came right up to me and even bent his head down.

He looked calmly into my eyes from a distance where the tips of our noses could have brushed.

Like someone trying to figure something out.

“…Are you trying to see if I’m sane?”

“Yes. I’m surprised you don’t seem all that mad.”

My eyes curved into crescents as I smiled brightly.

“Oh, I am the Mad Princess. I’m so out of my mind, I’m debating whether or not to kiss you right now.”

“…Do what?”

“Kiss you.”

“…Me?”

“Yes.”

“…”

“So you’d better move that pretty face of yours. Unless you want to get bitten by a mad dog.”

Dante’s eyes widened in surprise before he burst out laughing. The resonant sound of his laughter filled the office.

I found myself staring blankly at him.

His long eyes curved captivatingly, revealing straight, white teeth between his parted lips.

It was the same smile I’d seen at the memorial, but it looked different up close.

My eardrums seemed to tingle, and my heart began to race. It felt like my blood was rushing.

I finally understood what the other young ladies meant when they said being near Dante felt like it shortened your lifespan.

He was, in many ways, a man detrimental to one’s longevity. Even the master, who had been on the verge of death at Dante’s hands, was staring at him, utterly entranced.

After laughing for a while, he leaned in and whispered seductively in my ear.

“A noble lady who compares herself to a mad dog… How unique. It makes me want to try even more. Will you let me?”

His fragrant breath brushed against my earlobe, and the fine hairs on my skin stood on end.

Suppressing a shiver, I whispered back into his ear as if in revenge.

“Your Highness, do you know what happens when you get bitten by a mad dog?”

“I wonder. I’ve never been bitten.”

“Then I’ll tell you, so listen carefully. When a mad dog bites you, you go mad too. Do you want to be infected?”

“It’s fine. I’m already mad.”

Dante and I stared at each other in silence.

We were so close that our lips would touch if I leaned in just a little. I could feel his breath and see the patterns in his irises.

A strange tension mounted.

Dante, who had been slowly scanning my face, suddenly pulled back.

“A shame, but perhaps next time. I’m the type to save the best for last.”

“And I’m the type to never eat anything that tastes bad.”

“Don’t worry. It will be delicious.”

He whispered briefly before pulling up his hood.

With his enchanting face hidden by the hood, Dante left the office in an instant.

I stared at the wide-open door, dumbfounded.

*It’s not about the taste, you bastard! It’s because you seem spoiled!*

Guys like him are the most frightening.

Not only is he unpredictable, but he knows how to use the fact that he’s mad to his advantage.

That must be why he was pushed out of the line of succession, despite being far more capable than the First Prince, Igrid.

*No matter how talented he is, you can’t make a madman the emperor, can you?*

I stood up, pulling on my hood.

“Master.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll be counting on you from now on. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“…Yes…”

Berman’s face turned even paler than when he had actually been dying.

I offered him a brief word of consolation before leaving the information guild.