“Does Your Highness really think I’m the kind of person who would put something weird in the tea?”
Hearing Celicia’s words, Mu’en was momentarily stunned. Then, as if he had suffered a devastating blow, he looked utterly dejected, almost on the verge of pounding his chest, wailing to the heavens, and causing snow to fall in June to proclaim his innocence.
“Since Your Highness has so little trust in me, I have no choice but to prove it with actions! I’ll drink first to show my sincerity!”
Mu’en grabbed his cup of tea, ready to gulp it down in one go.
“Wait,” Celicia suddenly called out to stop him.
“Mu’en, why are you so worked up? I was just teasing you.”
“Teasing…?”
Your face, which hasn’t changed expression this entire time, doesn’t look like you’re joking at all!
“As Mu’en’s fiancée, I’ve always trusted you from the start.”
A subtle curve formed at the corner of Celicia’s mouth, which, for her, seemed to count as a smile.
“I was just playing around earlier. Please don’t take it seriously.”
“Is that so?”
Mu’en put down the tea cup, subtly letting out a sigh of relief.
“In the future, please don’t make jokes that could damage the trust between us.”
“Of course. I’ve realized my mistake.”
Celicia still hadn’t touched her tea.
She lowered her head, fiddling with her cup, staring into the deep red liquid as though she were gazing into her own eyes.
“Actually, there’s a reason I made that joke.”
“Oh?”
“Mu’en, you should know, I’m actually a few months younger than you.”
“…I’m aware of that.”
Aware? Aware of what?
I’m shocked!
Celicia, the student council president of St. Mariaka Academy, who’s two grades above me, is actually younger?
The novel never mentioned this!
Wait… so, Celicia, who’s technically my senior, is actually my ‘little sister’? After all, there’s bound to be some blood relation between the royal family and nobility. Calling her ‘little sister’ isn’t too much, right?
Is this the legendary combo of moe and mature?
This is bad.
Just imagining the aloof senior Celicia privately calling me ‘big brother’ makes me feel… very uneasy.
This kind of gap moe attribute strikes right at my heart!
“After all, I’m a genius who skipped two grades. It’s not surprising this happened.”
“But because of that, I often feel exhausted. Everyone around me isn’t my age, but I have to act as mature as them—or even more so.”
“So, when I’m in private, in a place where I feel safe, I sometimes act a bit childish.”
“Childish?” Mu’en was stunned. He never expected the word ‘childish’ to come out of Celicia’s mouth.
“Yes, just like earlier.”
Celicia’s silver eyelashes fluttered as she asked softly:
“Mu’en, you’re not mad, are you?”
“Of course not.”
Mu’en couldn’t help but smile, answering without hesitation:
“If it’s Your Highness, I can accept even the most childish behavior. In fact, it makes you more approachable.”
“Really? That’s great.”
Celicia suddenly looked up.
“Perfect, because I have another very childish request I’d like you to fulfill.”
“Huh?”
“Mu’en, your tea seems to taste better. So… can we switch?”
“What?”
Mu’en’s smile froze.
He looked at Celicia, his hands and feet turning cold.
Her eyes still carried that icy, distant aloofness, but through the surface, Mu’en seemed to catch a glimpse of hidden cunning… and mockery.
Damn it, I’ve been played by this woman!
The whole ‘childish’ act was a lie—she’s still suspicious about my tea!
But she probably didn’t expect me to be bold enough to actually spike it. Otherwise, I’d already be facing her icy wrath.
“That… wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“Why not? Didn’t you just say you could accept all my childishness? Or—”
Celicia tilted her head, enunciating each word:
“Are you afraid of something, Mu’en?”
“W-what would I be afraid of? I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Mu’en pulled out a handkerchief, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
At the same time, his mind raced, searching for a way out.
“Actually… there’s something I’m too embarrassed to admit. I… I have a habit of sneaking sips. Yes, this tea—I’ve already drunk from it!”
Mu’en gripped his cup, proclaiming loudly:
“If Your Highness drinks it, it would be… an indirect kiss!”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yes, that’s how it is.”
Mu’en stared at Celicia with wide eyes, his gaze intense.
Well, Princess?
As the aloof goddess and icy princess, can you withstand the devastating power of the words ‘indirect kiss’?
Surely, you’re too pure to handle it—your cheeks must be turning red just hearing it, like in anime!
“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
But Celicia showed no trace of embarrassment.
“After all, I’m your fiancée. I can handle this much.”
Seemingly having fully accepted her role as his fiancée, Celicia even reached out, gently placing her hand over Mu’en’s.
But Mu’en felt no joy—only a chilling cold, as if he’d been thrown into an icy abyss.
Because Celicia was prying his fingers open, one by one, taking the cup from his hand.
But there was nothing he could do now. He could only watch in silence, despairingly, as if counting down to his doom.
“By the way, I’ve been looking forward to trying Mu’en’s tea.”
Celicia’s face showed no sign of anticipation, yet she brought the cup that originally belonged to Mu’en to her lips.
Then, looking at Mu’en, she asked with feigned innocence:
“Aren’t you going to drink yours, Mu’en?”
“Drink? I’ll drink.”
Mu’en’s smile was as stiff as a corpse’s.
He picked up his cup—the one that was originally Celicia’s—and slowly brought it to his lips.
He moved agonizingly slowly, as if trying to stretch the moment into eternity. But under Celicia’s gaze, even the slowest process must come to an end.
Mu’en helplessly closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and poured the tea into his mouth.
Watching this, Celicia finally took a small sip of the red tea in her cup.
Huh?
Why does the tea still taste… off?
Celicia frowned, looking down at her cup.
The liquid inside swirled, a vivid red like blood.
Could it be…?
Celicia suddenly looked up.
From the beginning, Mu’en hadn’t said a word.
And now, he was smiling—a wide, almost ear-to-ear grin, but with his mouth tightly shut. It looked utterly bizarre.
“You!”
For the first time, panic flashed in Celicia’s eyes.
But it was too late. She felt her body going weak.
And Mu’en finally opened his mouth.
With a ‘bleh’, he spat out all the tea.
