Chapter 33 – Thrown in the Dragon’s Den

From that day on, there was an undefinable tension between Levisia and Pel. Ever since she had accidentally unraveled Pel’s true identity, she was unable to treat him as she did before.

Isn’t that normal? He was a prince of a ruined empire, a royal blood. Much more noble than she was.

‘And also the figure that would wipe out the current empire…’

Levisia regretted having treated Pel carelessly so far. Why couldn’t she have found out earlier and treated him nicely? Perhaps she could start treating him better now in good hopes? Oh… she was hopeless.

She could only hope Pel wouldn’t scoff at her upon realizing her intention. No, Pel was oblivious that Levisia was aware of his identity, but if she continued acting this way, she would be found out. Even now, Pel was looking at her with suspicious eyes and…

‘Oh my, is he trying to talk to me?’

Just before she turned her head, she heard Pel’s low voice. “These days…” The golden eyes beneath the heavy wig were directed towards her.

“Hmm, hmm?” She blinked her eyes, feigning innocence.

“Why are you like this?”

Sheila tilted her head at Pel’s question. “Yes, my lady. You barely seem to talk to Pel.”

“Me?” Levisia pretended to be oblivious and confused. To which Sheila replied, “You try to stay only near me… did Pel do something wrong?”

“What do you mean something wrong?” She asked, but her facade immediately shattered as her voice unknowingly shrilled. After denying the fact strongly, realization dawned upon her. Pel’s gaze towards her was becoming more intense.

‘Relax, I just need to act as I usually do.’

But it was harder than said. This is why to be ignorant is a bliss, and to be knowledgeable is sometimes frightening. She could never go back to before she found out about it. Pel’s true identity was no longer a mystery to her and it was irreversible. Unless she suddenly lost her memory.

Desperate to retreat her current dilemma, she started to busy herself with the bookshelf and thought of a lame excuse, saying, “I don’t really have anything to say, that’s all.”

“But to me-”

“Sheila, shall we have our dinner now?” She hastily interrupted Sheila from finishing her sentence. Sheila smiled as though she understood and nodded, “I’ll go get ready.”

‘Yes, this is the chance.’

“Then I’ll help-”

Ready to flee, she was about to follow Sheila when…

“My lady, you should stay here. This will be a good opportunity for you to catch up with Pel.”

“W-wait.”

“Pel, you can come and get the food once I ring the bell later.”

“Okay.”

Along with Pel’s dry reply the door closed shut. Levisia could follow Sheila out of the room, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave, reminded of the soft hand that blocked her.

Sheila was her maid, but sometimes she felt like a mother as well, which made it difficult for her to go against her suggestion, which applied to the current situation. She retreated her outstretched arm that was left hanging in the air and swallowed her desperation.

‘Sheila, help me…’

How could she leave after leaving her in the dragon’s den? How heartless. Levisia managed to suppress the urge to sob and turned around. When she was about to take a seat in the chair farthest from Pel, he spoke.

“Are you sure it’s because you don’t have anything to talk about?” Pel, who had leaned his body against the wall, confronted her. “When before you were so eager to talk to me?”

“I was not.” Levisia opposed, but her words carried embarrassment. Pel began to walk towards where she was seated and she quickly turned her gaze to the book in her hands, burying her nose onto the thick pages.

“See, you’re avoiding my eyes.”

“I’m reading a book.”

“And you come up with excuses.”

“What do you mean by excuses?”

As she lifted her head, her eyes met Pel’s peering orbs. He had bent himself to be on eye level with her.

“And you are nervous,” he added.

“…..!” Levisia couldn’t even bring herself to open her mouth and retort. Pel was inspecting every corner of her face; a nervous pretense wouldn’t be able to trick his perceptive eyes.

“Even Sheila has figured it out, at this rate.”

“What…”

“It’s too obvious.”

‘That I am frozen up like an idiot?’

Unlike her, who couldn’t even muster to breathe, suffocated by the heavy tension, Pel sighed and took a step back.

“This is not why she signed the contract.”

She couldn’t think of a reply.

“Act normally like you did before. And stop avoiding me.”

“…I’m trying.”

Pel shrugged his shoulders at her words. He must mean that she didn’t appear that way. Just as he was about to leave the room, he paused as he grabbed a hold of the door handle and spoke, “Let me ask you one thing.”

“What?”

“Are you acting this way because you can’t trust me?”

“What…?”

“What I mean is do you find me hard to trust because I have hidden it until now.” Pel tugged lightly at his hair as he turned to look at her.

‘Oh, he was asking if she found him hard to trust because he wore a wig.’

“No way. It’s nothing like that.”

“Then, did you see something else in my room?”

“That’s not it either.”

Pel stared at her before replying, “Then that’s fine.”

“Hmm?”

“Fine then.”

“Huh?”

“If it’s not any of those reasons and you still insist on avoiding me, then…” Pel closed his mouth and tilted his head. “There’s nothing I can do.”

‘That is such a scary thing to say.’