Three days had passed since Prince Ramtak asked to meet with me.
It was early afternoon, and though I could hardly say I was enthusiastic, I made my way to the same room where he had once invited me before.
Zeno stepped forward and knocked in my place. The door opened almost immediately, revealing Prince Ramtak himself, smiling as if this were some casual social call.
“Thank you for coming, Prince Cecil.”
“It’s no trouble,” I replied, my tone even.
Caught awkwardly in the narrow space between us, Zeno quickly sidestepped to let us face each other properly. After exchanging a brief, polite greeting, Ramtak gestured inward.
“Please, come in.”
He held the door open as he spoke.
That, in itself, was strange. Holding the door was a task for servants, not a prince.
I felt a prickle of unease.
Something’s off.
Still, there was no point in hesitating now. I had come all this way. And frankly, if someone like him tried anything foolish, I was confident I could handle it easily enough. Without a word, I stepped forward into the room.
“Ah, actually, I’d like to speak with Prince Cecil alone today,” Ramtak said lightly the moment I entered. “You all can wait outside.”
The unease sharpened into certainty.
As I turned, he had moved to block the doorway, preventing Zeno and my guards from following me in.
Really now.
Even if he wished for privacy, this was a shockingly discourteous way to go about it. The behavior bordered on that of a common thug. He didn’t seem to realize it, but to stop the attendants of a foreign crown prince without so much as asking permission was beyond insolent. I felt my brow tighten in irritation.
“What do you think you’re doing? They are my people. They don’t take orders from you.”
Lowering my voice a fraction, I let the weight of my displeasure slip through my tone.
Only then did Prince Ramtak seem to realize that something was amiss. He turned toward me in a fluster, eyes widening slightly.
“N-No, please don’t misunderstand,” he stammered. “It’s truly an important matter, one I wished to discuss with you alone, Prince Cecil. That’s why I came by myself as well.”
He gestured toward the room as if to prove his point.
Indeed, it seemed there was no one else present.
I was rather good at sensing presences, so I doubted I was mistaken, but just to be sure, I turned my gaze to Zeno.
A faint current of air brushed past, stirring the edge of my cloak. After a quiet moment, Zeno gave a short nod.
He must have used wind magic to check for hidden people or concealed devices. Normally, as a high-ranking spirit, he wouldn’t bother with such a mundane precaution; his perception alone was usually more than enough.
The fact that he went so far this time meant he was being thorough, taking no chances.
If Zeno said it was safe, then it was safe.
Still, that didn’t mean I was going to overlook Ramtak’s discourtesy.
“Tell me, is your mouth just for decoration?” I asked coolly. “If you wanted privacy, the proper course would have been to ask beforehand.”
“Ah—! Y-You’re absolutely right. My apologies,” he said, bowing his head in visible embarrassment.
He had grown up in a small, insular kingdom, one where everyone around him likely indulged his whims. Because of that, he had never learned that his behavior might offend someone of a higher station, let alone a foreign crown prince.
He’d probably assumed that once I confirmed the room was safe, I would simply accept being alone with him without objection.
What a careless way to think.
To behave so rudely toward a royal from another nation, one far greater in power than his own, and to be surprised when rebuked was baffling. I simply couldn’t comprehend his lack of awareness.
Besides, when I’d visited this same room last time, I’d brought extra guards. Anyone with half a brain could see that I didn’t trust him completely. Did it never occur to him that I might refuse to be left alone with him?
If I wanted to hold a private discussion with someone who clearly distrusted me that much, I’d handle it differently. I’d arrange several meetings beforehand to ease their wariness or, if pressed for time, I’d at least expect the possibility of being denied privacy and prepare an alternative.
For instance, meeting in a garden. In that setting, I could propose that the guards stand a short distance away while we spoke quietly. A simple, reasonable compromise.
However, in a private room like this, even that was impossible. He’d probably never even considered it.
Then again, it made sense. If he hadn’t anticipated rejection in the first place, the idea of needing a contingency wouldn’t have crossed his mind.
“Well then,” I said lightly, though I already knew what his answer would be, “why don’t you step aside and allow my attendants to enter?”
As expected, Prince Ramtak’s composure faltered. He shook his head quickly, panic flickering behind his eyes.
“Prince Cecil, I admit I should have been more considerate.”
Considerate? I thought dryly. No, this isn’t about consideration. It’s about basic decency.
“But,” he continued, “I truly must speak with you in private today. It’s an important matter. One that concerns both our nations.”
Negotiation? Hardly.
At this point, he was just a child throwing a tantrum because he wasn’t getting his way.
And this man is to be the next crown prince of this country? How bleak their future must be.
“Then tell me,” I said, my tone cooling further, “why should I be obliged to grant your request?”
“That is… Uh,” he hesitated, then straightened his shoulders with forced confidence. “Because it will be of great benefit to you as well, Prince Cecil.”
A deal that benefits me, is it?
To my ears, it sounded far more like trouble than opportunity.
Still, I had come here precisely to hear what kind of nonsense he intended to peddle. It would be tedious to walk away now and have to arrange another meeting later.
“Fine,” I said after a thoughtful pause. “I can’t say I’m particularly interested, but very well. One condition, however. My personal attendant joins us. He’s my most trusted man. Surely that won’t be an issue?”
Ramtak’s expression stiffened. “I… But…”
“You’re not saying no, are you?”
I tilted my head slightly and met his gaze, letting a hint of steel enter my voice. He faltered and, for a long moment, seemed to debate with himself.
“Are you certain he can be trusted?” Prince Ramtak asked at last. “If anyone overhears, it could cause trouble not only for me, but for you as well, Prince Cecil.”
His eyes flicked toward Zeno, then back to me, clearly gauging my reaction.
Zeno was aware of the glance but didn’t bother to respond. He merely tilted his head slightly and maintained his usual composed expression.
Strange, I thought, suppressing a smile. There shouldn’t be any topic between Ramtak and me that I’d find troublesome if overheard.
Still, if he believed this conversation was so sensitive that it would put me at risk, then it was all the more reason to hear what he had to say. The more I understood, the better I could predict and counter whatever schemes might follow.
“There’s no problem,” I said smoothly. “Zeno and I share more than trust. Our bond goes beyond that.”
At that, Zeno grimaced faintly, a quiet “Ehh…” slipping from his lips, though he didn’t deny it.
I wasn’t lying, after all. Between a spirit and his contractor, there existed a connection far deeper and more binding than ordinary loyalty.
“I see…” Ramtak murmured. Seeing that I wasn’t going to budge on the matter, he sighed in reluctant defeat and gestured toward the door. “Very well, then. He may enter.”
“Appreciated,” I replied lightly.
Turning to the others, I nodded once. “As for the rest of you, wait here.”
“But, Your Highness—!”
The leader of my escort, a tall, serious man with a stern gaze, immediately stepped forward in protest. His tone carried both respect and alarm. He was a man who took his duties seriously, always diligent and composed, but his concern was palpable now.
He wasn’t wrong to be worried.
Allowing the prince of a rival nation, known for his carelessness, to seclude me in a private room without visible guards was, by any measure, unwise.
That kind of vigilance was precisely what I expected from my men.
“May I have a word?” I said quietly, stepping closer to him.
He blinked, uncertain, as I leaned in and lowered my voice so that only he could hear.
Zeno, of course, understood immediately. A faint shimmer in the air told me he had stirred the wind to mask our conversation.
“I’m certain he’s scheming something, but it won’t happen today. For now, he seems to think of me as an ally, and all he wants is to draw me into whatever plot he’s weaving. I’m going to let him talk. What we need right now is intelligence, not force.”
The guard captain’s eyes widened, his jaw tightening in alarm.
“There’s truly no one else in that room,” I continued calmly. “And he didn’t even bother to check whether I’m armed. That’s how careless he is. If something happens, I’ll call for you, but honestly, I doubt it will come to that.”
He still looked unconvinced, worry written all over his face.
I gave him a quick, reassuring grin and tapped my chest lightly, as if to say, “Trust me.”
—Kacha.