A chill ran through one side of her chest at Rodrick's attitude of building walls.
"The curse. Don't you want to get rid of it? You don't want to die, right?"
"Not particularly. I don't mind dying."
Ha, look at this man. Diana's lips twitched with a tremor.
"You might not care, but I do!"
Hot emotions welled up at his insensitive face showing no sympathy.
I thought at least you were in the same position as me. We're both extras with a limited time to live.
"I don't want to die. Never again so painfully..."
I don't want to die. Not again. Diana frowned and swallowed the rest of her words.
At some point, she had assumed he would naturally cooperate. Despite their different circumstances and thoughts. She had been mistaken by his actions of accepting her.
She might have unknowingly placed her trust in Rodrick.
In desperation, she grabbed his collar. When did her heart become so weak? Had her heart become as poor as her physical strength?
She felt like crying. Not wanting to show her expression to him, she bowed her head deeply.
"..."
"..."
The delicate hand gripping his collar was trembling slightly.
Is she crying again? Rodrick casually expected, but shortly after, she raised her head abruptly and was not crying.
With eyes more lively than ever, she was appealing to him.
There was no negative emotion like resignation in her.
"I'm sorry, but I need you."
"Aren't you past the age for tantrums, Princess?"
"Rodrick Schwartz. This isn't a request, it's a proposal."
"That proposal isn't attractive to me, though."
"I'll make a proposal that's attractive to you too."
Her skin was particularly white, making her pink eyes seem to bleed into the redness around them.
Despite Diana's appearance that stimulated protective instincts, he felt no particular emotion.
He just impulsively stroked her hair that shimmered with a faint dark purple. This was the same man who hated touching anything.
Under the black gloves, her hair scattered softly. The wavy hair on the blanket looked like the northern night sky.
"So, you want to live."
"Yes, I want to live."
He recalled a woman who clung to him as a child, desperately struggling to live. It was ugly and unpleasant.
However, the woman before him shone while yearning for life. Rather, she was full of vitality due to her attachment to life.
Is this woman different?
It seemed he was becoming strange just by having Diana nearby. It was becoming quite different from his usual sensitive state.
His mind was calm, but unfamiliar sensations invaded, making him uncomfortable. He slightly furrowed his brow at the feeling of being out of control in another sense.
"Even if you glare at me like that, I can't back down. I'll stay with you no matter what. I won't leave."
"Whatever the proposal is. For now. I understand that the Princess needs to absorb the curse."
At his words, Diana brightened up and opened her eyes wide. Has he finally understood? However, her spirits dampened at his next words.
"But, Princess, you're nothing but a hindrance to my work."
Right. He had said he was on a confidential mission. From what she could see, it was an elite few.
For a mission prioritizing mobility, a child and a woman would be nothing but baggage.
Diana quickly made her judgment and swallowed dryly. She needed to choose her words carefully.
She had to emphasize her usefulness and somehow stay with Rodrick.
For now, there was no option of leaving this man's side.
The one in need must yield, what else can be done?
"Can you tell me what the confidential mission is?"
"Do you not know the meaning of confidential? Princess."
Who are you taking for a fool? He speaks so annoyingly. Diana glanced at Rodrick with displeasure.
"That mister is looking for his younger brother!"
Diana and Rodrick's gazes simultaneously turned to Noel.
"Younger brother?"
"Kid, where did you hear that story?"
Despite Rodrick's serious question, Noel remained bright. He had an expression that said it didn't matter as long as it helped Diana.
"I heard it when I was eating with the misters!"
"Haa."
With an expression that seemed to have a lot to say, he rubbed his face. His suppressed aura was severely fierce. Hmm, I pray for the knights' souls.
Anyway, a younger brother?
"Is Felice Schwartz in a state of disappearance?"
"..."
Felice Schwartz is a character who succeeds the Duke's position and confronts the Crown Prince at the original story's point.
So shouldn't he be quietly staying in the North now?
It was strange that they had come to this forest called the Black Forest, home of magical beasts.
Inhuman Demon Realm. This was a habitat where so many magical beasts appeared that humans couldn't set foot in it.
There's no way the Northern Knights would have come here just for subjugation.
"Is the Young Master here?"
"I have nothing to say. Princess."
It was clearly the young master's running away from home, but it wasn't something to reveal to people from other families.
But this woman, her eyes became even brighter.
"I'll help! In return, let us go with you."
"No."
Despite his firm words, Diana persisted.
"Rodrick. This proposal will be attractive to you too. I told you I can see magical power, right? I should be able to find the Young Master with magic too."
It was something she had just learned, but people each have their own unique magical power.
The amount is very small, but not so small that it can't be distinguished at all.
She can confirm it with her eyes, so it would be more useful than the trained knights' sense of energy.
"The reason you haven't found the Young Master yet, isn't it because it was impossible to locate him?"
Diana was right. Inside the Black Forest, the signal from the earring his brother wore was cut off.
However, wandering through the Black Forest wasn't much of a problem for them.
The only issue was his brother's survival. Even if he was weak, as a Schwartz, he should be able to hold out for some time.
"Do I need to say it twice? Princess, you're nothing but baggage."
Search "seduce" at redcatty [.] com to read ahead up to chap 70.