friend chapter 7

My heart shriveled. Desperate to avoid being caught in a lie, I overcompensated, launching into exaggerated, high-pitched praise of Edward. “What are you talking about? I adore His Highness! He’s too good for someone like me. Honestly… How can someone be so handsome? Those intense eyes are the best. They make me want to just… melt.” I feigned the lovesick schoolgirl act, fighting the cringe. This was the only way Jade would believe me. Oh, the lengths I had to go to.

“Luna… you’re crazy.”

“Crazy about His Highness.” My brazen reply seemed to leave Jade speechless. He just stared, with a hint of pity in his eyes. What? Why was he looking at me like that?

“…Aren’t you afraid?” The quiet boy suddenly spoke, startling me into silence. I just blinked, dumbfounded. “There’s a famous rumor. That Crown Prince Edward assassinated Prince Bright. When he was only twelve years old.”

I knew the story well from the original novel. Bright, Edward’s half-brother, was the Empress’s son. The title of Crown Prince should have been his. His maternal family held significant power, and historically, the first prince inherited the throne. There were only two reasons for the second prince to ascend: the first prince’s death, or the second prince’s ability to wield illusion magic. Edward’s case was the latter.

Unlike common magic, illusion magic was a rare gift, exclusive to a select few, a power said to flow in the royal bloodline, yet so rare that no one had awakened to it in the last hundred years. Until Edward. Naturally, the title of Crown Prince went to him, and the imperial palace was thrown into chaos. Everyone, especially the Empress, had believed the position belonged to Bright. She tried everything to install Bright as emperor, attacking Edward at every turn, but it all ended in failure. Because Bright was dead.

“Prince Bright’s death was ruled a suicide.”

“But before his death, he spoke strangely, as if under some kind of illusion spell.”

The boy was right. Bright, known for his cheerful and kind nature, had reportedly been delirious in the days leading up to his death. This fueled the rumors that Edward had used illusion magic to manipulate Bright into taking his own life, silencing those who supported Bright’s claim to the throne. But it was all just an unsavory rumor within the royal family. Speaking of it openly could lead to charges of treason, so most people kept quiet. Only a handful of nobles knew about Bright’s strange behavior. ‘But… how does he know?’ He certainly wasn’t a student at our school. His worn clothes, frayed at the cuffs and hems, clearly marked him as a commoner. While Edward’s cruel nature was public knowledge, the assassination of Bright was not.

“…Well, I overheard it at the mansion where I work,” the boy added, scratching his cheek, as if he’d read my mind. He was quite bold. He’d go far in life. But that wasn’t important right now. Jade’s intense gaze was fixed on me. I needed to reaffirm my love for Edward. Oh, the predicament!

“I know about that.”

“And you still admire His Highness?”

“Yes.” Despite the boy’s borderline disrespectful behavior, I didn’t reprimand him. In fact, I was grateful. He was giving me a chance to prove my feelings to Jade. “Rumors aren’t important. My feelings for His Highness are. If he turns out to be a bad person after I meet him… well, that would be sad.” But I wouldn’t know until I met him, would I? The boy looked slightly surprised by my answer. Perhaps it was too cheesy. I had to admit, it was. My toes had already curled up and atrophied from the embarrassment. A wave of shame washed over me. I probably looked like a volcano about to erupt.