Chapter 44
Melance's stare was so sharp it was practically cursing him.
The fierce pressure bore down on Kanter.
Irritation rose in Melance's chest and made his lips twitch, but when he saw how restless Kanter looked, he shut his mouth.
What was the point of cornering such a weak little brat?
Skipping the lecture entirely, Melance continued walking.
Kanter hurriedly followed behind him, creeping after his steps.
After several paces, Melance's long stride abruptly stopped.
"Unbelievable. Now you're following me around too?"
His violet eyes darkened as he threw out the warning and grabbed the handle of the room they'd already reached.
"Y-Young Lord Melance! I'm sorry. Hic!"
Damn hiccups!
Melance stared down at him.
His pale brow narrowed slightly.
"Fine. Now get out of my sight at once... leave."
He barely managed to replace the harsh word rising in his throat with something more "polite," then opened the door.
Click.
"Um...! I have something to tell you."
"Tell me tomorrow. No, later would be better. Not saying it at all would be best."
"......"
Kanter anxiously tapped at his thumbnail and lifted his chin.
He did his very best to look up at Melance, who towered over his tiny frame.
"It's about Duke Cartes. I thought you absolutely needed to know...."
Melance looked down at him in silence with a cold expression.
His proud violet eyes seemed especially dark today.
No matter how annoyed he was, he still had to separate personal feelings from official matters.
Without a word, he jerked his chin toward the room.
"Thank you, Young Lord Melance!"
The Grand Duke's heir's room was more modest than Kanter expected.
There were no flashy decorations.
Instead, books of every kind were stacked everywhere like a library, filling the room with the pleasant scent of paper.
Kanter's sparkling green eyes wandered all over the room as he let out a small gasp.
"Did you read all these books, Young Lord Melance? Wow...."
Instead of answering, Melance leaned against the office table and looked at Kanter.
From a distance, Kanter looked far too small.
He was even shorter than seven-year-old Riena.
Even considering the abuse... is that really the height of a nine-year-old?
Small pale hands and feet.
Soft blond hair that still looked like it ought to smell faintly of baby powder.
Maybe he isn't actually nine.
It was a reasonable suspicion.
Even if Melance didn't want to hear them, the nobles' whispers had reached him often enough to lend that suspicion some weight.
At the same time, remembering the vile things they said behind Kanter's back made a vein stand out faintly on Melance's elegant forehead.
It was ugly enough watching them wait for prey like jackals.
Watching grown adults act desperate to tear apart a child was even more disgusting.
"If I study really hard too, could I become smart like you...?"
Meeting Kanter's innocent eyes calmed the complicated thoughts in Melance's head.
He gave a faint scoff and even allowed himself a relaxed smile.
"If you sleep two hours a day and spend the rest studying, perhaps."
At the absurd answer, Kanter pursed his lips and puffed out his cheeks before hopping onto a nearby chair.
The amusement disappeared from Melance's face.
"Say what you came to say."
The moment had come.
At the firm, commanding tone, Kanter barely managed to calm his little heart.
"...Young Lord Melance, I've been thinking really hard for the past few days."
Melance gave a halfhearted nod, but never took his eyes off him.
He was curious what could possibly make this little brat wear such a serious expression.
"No matter how I think about it, I feel like I've caused everyone too much trouble, so I decided something...! Finding Duke Cartes is difficult, so... um...."
A strange displeasure began to seep from the violet eyes silently watching him.
And just like magic, Kanter's carefully organized thoughts turned into a completely blank page.
This was bad.
He rolled his eyes with a pitiful expression.
I-I forgot...!
In the end, his lips stopped moving.
Melance, however, continued staring at him stubbornly.
It was a very heavy gaze.
"Was that all you wanted to say?"
The speech had been nothing but disconnected fragments.
Even Kanter had no idea what he'd just said.
"Since you're apparently finished, I'll answer."
Melance's neat lips twisted into a smile.
"I never intended to help you in the first place. You know that, don't you?"
Of course he knew.
How could he not, when Melance made his annoyance so obvious?
"I'm only searching for Duke Cartes because Her Highness ordered me to. So the proper order would be to speak to Her Highness first."
Kanter knew that.
He simply didn't have the courage to reject the Crown Princess's consideration.
"...I'm not brave enough...."
"Ridiculous."
Kanter slowly raised his head and glanced at Melance.
"You say you lack courage, yet you're trying to give up the ducal title."
"...I'd be fine without the title!"
"I'm sure you would."
Melance leaned back and crossed his long legs.
Arrogance seemed to seep from every movement.
"I don't care whether you become Duke or not. But understand one thing clearly."
Kanter, who had been staring at the floor like a guilty criminal, lifted his head.
"The moment you give up that title, returning to this Imperial Palace will require suffering severe enough to carve away your bones. No, even then, you may never enter the palace again."
"F-forever...?"
