"So, do you know?" Emperor Alex asked, a small smile playing on his lips as he looked at Arthur.
Hearing this, Arthur's smile froze, and he let out a sigh.
After all, he knew that this situation was his fault for lying, and he had to take responsibility.
"Yeah, maybe he's outside," Arthur replied in a low voice, his gaze shifting to Lucia, who still wore a smile.
"Would Princess Lucia like me to accompany her to meet him?" he asked.
"After all, I'm more familiar with the neighborhood," Arthur added.
Upon hearing Arthur's offer, Lucia nodded immediately, maintaining her smile and never taking her eyes off him.
"Alright, please lead the way," she said.
Arthur noticed the change in Lucia's expression but didn't pay much attention to it.
The two of them soon walked side by side toward the outside.
The onlookers weren't particularly surprised, as it was natural for two individuals of equal status to be associated with each other.
Shortly after, everyone formed a line to present the gifts they had prepared to the butler.
David, too, didn't pay much mind to Arthur's closeness to Lucia, as it didn't affect his plans.
Emperor Alex, likewise, had no objections and simply gave David a deep look before returning to his original position.
There was no conversation between them, leaving their thoughts and intentions unknown.
...
Arthur and Lucia walked side by side towards the mansion's back garden.
Along the way, fireflies illuminated their path, and lamps crafted from the elemental art of fire provided additional light.
The two of them remained silent, but Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that Lucia's gaze was fixed on him, which made him slightly uneasy.
They reached the garden, and Arthur spotted a glass bench in the center.
He made his way to it and took a seat, with Lucia following suit, still wearing a smile on her face.
Just as Arthur was about to speak, Lucia's tone suddenly turned somber, contrasting her earlier smile.
"So, should I address you as Arthur, the commoner who saved me, or as the prince from the southern region of Duke Asvold's Mansion?" she asked.
Hearing this, Arthur remained calm and wore a gentle smile. "I am both, of course."
Lucia's expression immediately shifted, and her eyes bore into Arthur's. "Was the rescue purely intentional?"
Despite being only five years old, Lucia's education and experiences exceeded what one would expect from a child her age, making her more mature than her peers.
Moreover, after her mother's passing, Lucia dedicated herself to diligent study, making her undeniably intelligent.
Observing Lucia's expression, Arthur remained composed.
His mentality was mature, and he possessed a high emotional intelligence, allowing him to remain unfazed by Lucia's gaze.
He wasn't particularly surprised either because, in this elemental world, five-year-olds had already entered the pre-adolescent stage.
It was a stark contrast to his previous world, where five-year-olds still resembled infants and lacked significant awareness.
Additionally, Lucia was far from being as simple as she seemed on the surface.
While she may have initially acted silly when they first met, it was because she had sensed Arthur's trustworthiness.
Being a princess and the future empress of the Balka Empire meant that she had already undergone training from her father, Emperor Alex, whom even Arthur was quite horrified by.
This world, with its abundance of mysteries and peculiarities, was vastly different from his previous world.
"Of course, Princess Lucia, I truly saved you that time purely by chance," Arthur responded, his soft and charming smile on full display.
There was no trace of deceit in his expression or demeanor.
Lucia observed him intently for a moment and indeed found no signs of falsehood.
She possessed the ability to detect lies, except perhaps from individuals with exceptional control like Arthur and Emperor Alex.
However, Lucia remained unaware of Arthur's unique capabilities.
Certainly, everything Arthur said contained both truth and deception.
Initially, his intention was not to rescue Lucia, as his primary objective was Elena.
However, it was purely by chance that he noticed the black sun symbol on the slave seller and immediately connected it to the kidnapped Lucia in the story.
This coincidence gave him the confidence to assert that he was not lying.
At least, from a certain perspective, Arthur's assessment held some truth.
Glancing at Arthur, who continued to wear his charming smile, Lucia averted her gaze in embarrassment and pretended to snort coldly.
"Hmph! I'll believe you," Lucia responded, but her tone carried an affected pout.
Arthur, observing her reaction, smiled and ruffled her hair gently.
"But remember, I won't forgive you so easily," Lucia added, her face still displaying a hint of embarrassment.
Arthur laughed and playfully mocked Lucia, saying, "Didn't the princess lie to me as well? So, we're even, you know?"
Upon hearing this, Lucia's face turned as red as a tomato, and she gave Arthur a flustered, panicked look.
"That... That's for a reason," Lucia stammered nervously.
"Hehe, but it's still considered lying, Princess," Arthur persisted, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.
"You! You!" Lucia stood up and pointed at Arthur with an adorable, angry expression.
Arthur didn't respond verbally, but his smile remained as he gazed at Lucia.
Observing Arthur's teasing, Lucia quickly returned to her seat, turning her face away with an indignant expression and ignoring Arthur.
ραпdαn૦νel Undeterred, Arthur smiled and reached out, taking hold of Lucia's hand and playfully toying with it.
"Well, I apologize for lying to you," Arthur said, his fingers still gently playing with Lucia's palm and small fingers.
This caused Lucia's face to blush deeply, but she didn't resist and instead enjoyed the interaction.
Arthur maintained eye contact with Lucia as he spoke further: "I will grant you one wish."
"However, keep in mind that it must be within my power to fulfill, you know?"
Upon hearing this, Lucia's expression transformed into one of astonishment, and she looked at Arthur in disbelief.
"Really?" Lucia hesitantly confirmed, seeking reassurance.
"Of course," Arthur responded with a confident tone, patting his chest to emphasize his sincerity.
Lucia lowered her head, and Arthur patiently waited without interrupting.
He understood that when given the opportunity to make a wish, people often pondered how to best benefit from it.
In the case of Lucia, Arthur knew that she had developed a certain attachment to him ever since he rescued her.
He had a knack for discerning people's emotions, though there were individuals in this world, such as Emperor Alex, whom he found particularly difficult to predict—a formidable opponent who seemed specially prepared for him.
After a moment, Lucia glanced at Arthur with a peculiar expression.
Arthur could discern a mix of embarrassment, anxiety, and excitement in her gaze.
He silently made a guess as to what it might be about, but ultimately, he didn't attach much importance to it either way.
"Arthur, I've decided what it is..." Lucia spoke with a shy and embarrassed tone, piquing Arthur's curiosity.
"Oh? What is it?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Instead of answering, Lucia looked around cautiously before slowly approaching Arthur's face, as if she were about to whisper something to him.
Arthur quickly understood her intention and leaned his ear closer to Lucia's small lips, eager to hear what she had to say.
"What is it?" Arthur asked once again, growing even more curious.
"That is..." Lucia brought her lips close to Arthur's ear and whispered.
"I want you to be my husband in the future, and I want to be your only wife~," she uttered in a soft, low voice.
Upon hearing her words, Arthur's eyes widened in surprise.
Before he could react, Lucia kissed his cheek and swiftly dashed off toward the mansion, leaving him in a state of astonishment.
"This girl..." Arthur chuckled, holding his cheek, which still felt slightly warm from the kiss.
He shook his head and smiled, finding the situation both amusing and endearing.
"I might be able to fulfill that wish," Arthur responded softly.
"However, it won't be easy, as it would make me an enemy of your father and also potentially the entire Balka Empire."
"In that future, even then, do you still want me to be your husband?" Arthur whispered, his gaze shifting upwards to the bright, starry sky.
Although his face displayed a gentle smile, his mind was occupied with calculated plans and tactics for the next twelve years, preparing to conquer the Balka Empire.
...
Arthur made his way back to the mansion, smoothly navigating his return.
Upon his arrival, he engaged in conversations with children of similar age from various esteemed noble families within Luvic society.
He established connections with them and carefully selected friends whom he deemed advantageous for his future endeavors.
Naturally, Anna was among the children he interacted with.
Accompanied by Runa and Alicia, Arthur gracefully moved about, extending greetings to the Luvic nobles from all four regions who had gathered to attend the event.
He treated both high- and low-ranking nobles with equal respect, leaving everyone in awe of his maturity, far beyond his outward appearance.
This ignited a sense of curiosity among those who were less acquainted with Arthur, with some even speculating that he had the potential to become a leader as remarkable as David.
Of course, there were a few individuals who harbored dislike for him, but they constituted only a small faction among those who held reservations against Duke Asvold's Mansion.
Unbeknownst to them, the ceremony and feast eventually came to a close, and the Luvic nobles bid farewell to David and Arthur, including Lucia and Emperor Alex.
"Alright, Arthur," Emperor Alex said with the same smile on his face as he greeted Arthur. His voice was light and friendly.
Arthur returned the greeting with a gentle smile and a salute, saying, "Thank you for coming, Emperor."
Emperor Alex nodded and turned his attention to Lucia, who stood beside him.
"Don't you need to say goodbye, Lucia?" Emperor Alex asked Lucia in his characteristic tone.
However, Lucia shook her head and looked at Arthur without uttering a word.
Arthur understood and responded with a small nod, maintaining his smile.
Observing this exchange, Lucia smiled and boarded the prepared carriage.
Emperor Alex looked deeply at Arthur, his smile lingering, before turning to enter the same luxurious carriage as Lucia.
Soon, the carriage departed, leaving Arthur still gazing in the direction of its departure.
"He's really keeping an eye on me, isn't he?" Arthur smiled and muttered to himself.
He was referring to Emperor Balka, who had been observing him closely.
However, Arthur's expression remained unchanged.
As Arthur turned around, he was taken aback by David's sudden appearance before him.
Startled, Arthur was about to ask a question when David cut him off abruptly.
"Come with me," David said, turning around and heading towards the mansion.
Arthur nodded and followed him inside.
