The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella

Cesare lightly raised both hands over his shoulder, signaling his surrender.

“…I apologize. I’ve crossed the line.”

“I seem to always anger you, Your Highness.”

“Yeah, you absolutely hate me too.”

“We’re not a good match. Wouldn’t it be better for both of us to go our separate ways?”

Edmund sheathed his sword and casually twirled the hand that had been holding it.

The same tired expression he wore when his grandfather visited the palace appeared.

Cesare, grinding his teeth, forced a smile as though it had been painted on his face.

“As promised, I’ll leave.”

“See you off…?”

“Send my regards to the Duke.”

Cesare waved his hand dismissively as though he had no further interest, turning his back without a second thought.

Well, he wouldn’t leave so easily.

However, Edmund couldn’t keep an eye on a royal without any proof, just because he suspected something was off.

‘What a headache.’

Edmund kept watching until Cesare disappeared from his sight.

“Your Highness! You’re here! Marquis Lichten is looking for you.”

“I’ll go right away.”

The boy had a lot to do.

Hearing his name being called, Edmund had no choice but to move quickly.

***

Cesare leaned against the wall, greeting the people who passed by with a warm smile, killing time.

After casually scanning his surroundings, he spotted something.

“Ah, Prince!”

He saw a young maid who, startled and stuttering, froze upon seeing him.

He flashed a smooth smile.

“Shh.”@@novelbin@@

Then, he placed his finger on his lips and whispered softly.

“It’s a secret that I’m here.”

“Without your attendants? Why are you—?”

The maid lowered her voice in turn.

The boy adjusted his posture, meeting her eyes as she blushed, and bent slightly to continue.

“Well, the truth is, I snuck here.”

“Who did you come for?”

“I heard my personal servant said something rude to a woman. I want to apologize directly, but I can’t meet her.”

“A woman? Who is she?”

“Well, I’m not exactly sure who she is either. I heard she’s a guest staying at the main palace.”

“Ah, that person...”

The maid hesitated for a moment, glancing at Cesare.

Seraphina Bluewood.

There had been rumors about her recently, and word had spread that no outsider should know her whereabouts until things quieted down.

But he was the prince.

And he would one day inherit the throne.

While Valkyrisen was a powerful land, it was still a fief of the Silvaria Kingdom, and referring to Cesare as an outsider felt off.

“I’ll just apologize and leave. If I formally ask to meet her, it will surely attract attention, and that would cause her trouble.”

Hmm?

Cesare added with a feigned pleading tone, lowering his brown eyebrows and making a dramatically sad face.

His playful demeanor made the maid feel strangely relieved.

She figured the prince would, as he said, avoid attention and leave after simply offering his apology.

After a brief hesitation, she revealed Seraphina’s location.

“She’s in the western annex right now.”

“Hmm... Thank you?”

The boy chuckled and waved his hand as if to say it was no trouble at all.

That laugh, though, sounded almost mocking, and the young maid felt a peculiar sense of discomfort.

But before she could reconsider, Cesare had already turned and disappeared.

***

‘That was easy.’

So easy.

His life had always been easy.

Except when it involved Valkyrisen.

Whenever he got involved with Valkyrisen, something always happened that went against his mood, big or small.

‘And now I’ve been caught by Valkyrisen.’

How could I not bring it back properly and then get caught? Can’t even handle things right... What a fool.

This was the worst humiliation.

Only after making sure no one was around did Cesare stiffen his face, walking forward with a cold expression.

The greenish eyes, like the color of pine, were filled with a subtle killing intent.

Now that it had come to this, he would at least enjoy seeing Edmund’s face twist in disgust.

‘If that girl ends up falling for me, that would be even better.’

Then, he would get to see Edmund’s reaction.

‘This is going to be an interesting show.’

With a satisfied smile on his face, Cesare headed toward the western annex.

Unlike the Serenity Annex to the east, which was off-limits, the western annex was open for outsiders to freely come and go.

‘Why did they move her from the main palace to a place like this?’

A disguise?

To keep her from looking important?

He wondered about it as he crossed over the annex walls.

Just then, he saw small white clusters floating like dandelion seeds in the air.

‘Magic Cotton...!’

Cesare couldn’t help but recall Edmund’s words.

***

“There’s no reason to covet power that’s not mine.”

If even the heir to this land sees what isn’t his as belonging to no one, then what difference is there between owning it and having no owner?

Moreover, nothing in the land of the Silvaria Kingdom was not his possession.

‘It’s coming to me without me even looking for it.’

Cesare’s life had always been this way.

So simple.

Having already checked there was no one around, he reached out without hesitation, believing it was his right to claim.

“If someone truly desires this power, I would give it to them.”

The one who would become the master of Silvaria desires it.

So he should give it away.

He needed to keep all abilities to himself if he was to make the world flourish.

Not willing to share a single privilege with anyone else.

‘No idea what’s ahead of me.’

They wouldn’t even be able to fight back, so why not share a bit of power?

“Magical talent is incredibly rare. If I learn the abilities someone else desperately wants, without any effort or respect, it would be disrespectful.”

I’m desperate, Edmund Valkyrisen.

You, who have such overwhelming talent, probably wouldn’t even understand.

Cesare twisted his lips in disdain and grabbed the Magic Cotton.

At that very moment.

“Maegi kotteun chajatta! (Found the Magic Cotton!)”

A small child, who shouldn’t even have known about it, suddenly shouted excitedly, pointing directly at the prince.

Elodie had decided to wait and observe the situation.

Perhaps the prince would come and apologize to Duke Valkyrisen and leave without seeking out Sera.

If it could be resolved without her involvement, then it was best not to draw attention by stepping in and staying out of sight.

It was still a time to lay low.

‘But, he went out of his way to come here in person.’

The western annex was a place where even merchants, with permission, could enter.

A place open to outsiders, unlike the Serenity Annex in the east.

If he wasn’t planning to meet Sera, there was no reason for him to come here personally.

‘Ugh, I really don’t want to see him.’

Elodie struggled to maintain a neutral face, forcing herself to straighten out her expression.

She then widened her eyes and put on a confused look.

“I was looking for that.”

Why is he holding it?

She stared at him, and the boy, who had been frozen in shock, smiled lightly as if nothing had happened.

“Hello.”

His smile made his soft, graceful appearance shine even more.

The prince wasn’t someone whose appearance was so stunning that it would steal attention from everyone, but objectively, he had a face that would make people like him.

The kind of looks someone would prefer in a marriage candidate.

He had grown up with a good education from a noble family, and his looks were impeccable.

Even if he came from a lowly background, his face alone would make anyone seriously consider marriage.

‘Just like I did.’

Both Sera and I were fooled by that face.

I thought he had Edmund’s character, but then...

“Nice to meet you. What’s your name?”

‘He’s trying to play games again.’