Observation Record of a Self-proclaimed Villainess' Fiance

Chapter 10 Bertia (16 years old)[4]

"Father, would you happen to know anything about [the fated girl]?"

The day after I gave up obtaining any information from Bertia and Baroness Heronia, I adjusted my schedule and returned to the royal palace in order to gather information about the phrase that somehow strangely got stuck in my head.

Since I didn't obtain the information that I wanted from the library, I thought that I might find some information about it among the intelligence passed down from successive rulers or any tradition related with [me]–the royalty. In order to confirm that, I paid a visit to my father.

I bought some baked sweets from my mother's favorite confectionery shop, which was located on my way back to the royal palace from Halm Academy, and prepared material that my father needed for his current government affairs as well as a summary of the information that I dearly desired.

Although my father was very busy as the king, once I curried my mother's favour by bringing what she liked and told father that I have some information that can help in advancing his government affairs smoothly, he quickly made a time for me with pleasure.

"[The fated girl]? You've taken an interest in something quite romantic, huh?"

After personally handing over the offering for my mother to the grand chamberlain with great care, my father who held the materials I brought with a beaming expression, widened his eyes a little and unexpectedly stared at me.

"It is a phrase that came up as a keyword in a matter that I'm personally investigating, but I'm troubled because I can't really grasp the original meaning behind those words."

"So even you have something that you can't understand to the extent that you're troubled by it. Have you tried to look it up in the library?"

I smiled at my father who was looking at me as if he was looking at a rare animal.

"I have looked it up there, but I couldn't find it. No, to be more accurate, there are a lot of stories in which the similar phrase came up, but honestly, I couldn't judge if any of them were relevant."

"Then, why would you ask me?"

"It seems that it is something related to the royalty. If that is the case, I think that it won't be unthinkable for father to know it if it's an important existence."

I constantly smiled despite my father giving me a doubtful expression as he shrewdly raised his eyebrows.

Truthfully, I don't really understand whether it is something that's related to the royalty or if it's something that's only related to me, but I purposely asserted that it is something that's [related to the royalty].

In case that the matter turned out to be a top secret related to the royalty, my father will handle the judgement from his position as a king first before his position as my father, whether or not he could give me the information.

In this case, the popular excuse such as [since my son pestered me] won't work, so it would be better for me to operate by showing hints of holding some information to a certain extent in order to draw more information out from the superior.

""...""

We exchanged glances at each other while probing into the other party's attitude.

My father squinted a little as he tried to probe into my real intention. On the other hand, I remained smiling without any change in my expression.

The one who yielded first was my father.

"Despite being my son, your smile was like an impregnable fortress. I thought I would like to probe into your real reason for asking that question, but I don't feel like I can pull out any information from you, whose expression doesn't change even once."