Chapter 51 - A Broken Promise

“Marquis Ederick. Do you call me the Crown Prince when you treat me like this?” Charles snapped at marquis Ederick.

“Excuse my manners. It was an urgent situation.” Marquis Ederick twisted his lips and nodded, “Release the Crown Prince His Highness.”

The knights who were on standby opened the cage, released Charles, and uncuffed him. The boy staggered with a pale face but soon straightened his back calmly.

“Your Highness, I—” 

“Before that, Marquis Ederick. That child has nothing to do with this,” Charles interrupted the Marquis.

“I see,” the Marquis raised his eyebrow and grinned. “I will move her to a different room and…”

“I’m not saying that, I meant to release her. She ran into me by accident, but she’s only a child unrelated to this matter.”

“Since she came all the way here, she’s no longer unrelated. Besides, I heard this girl treated Your Highness’ wound,” as the snake-like eyes glanced down at Azriel. Charles bit his lips.

“You must need me. Without me, you won’t have any justification.”

“Your Highness is quite smart.”

Although the Marquis was speaking in a pleasant tone, his eyes were not pleasant at all. It was a disadvantage for him if the one that he was going to make a puppet of was smart. 

“Free that child, or I’m not going to cooperate with anything,” Charles emphasized.

Marquis Ederick was silent for a moment. He looked at Charles and Azriel in turn and opened his mouth again.

“Before that, Your Highness, what do you think of this term?”

“What term?”

“It’s a term that I get to cut off her fingers one by one every time you don’t cooperate.”

Charles’ face turned pale blue. The boy was shut in shock for a moment and found his serenity back. Charles continued as calmly as he could.

“Marquis Ederick, I didn’t think of you as that ruthless.”

“Your Highness, I don’t want to be a ruthless person. I’d like to win over a person of talent through persuasion rather than a threat. She’s an outstanding talent,” The Marquis continued with a smiley face. “She can use magic without fingers, but it won’t look good. She’ll also have a grudge against me.”

Charles’ face, which had been dark, was now turning white. The Marquis shrugged and turned his eyes toward Azriel.

“If it weren’t for you, Your Highness, I’d have received her hospitably. So, if any ruthless event happens to that girl, it’ll be all because of you,” Marquis’ smile was deepened nastily.

“I—” Charles clenched his shivering fist. The boy closed his eyes gently and opened the back slowly. Then he spoke in determination. “Marquis Ederick, if you do such a thing, I’ll cut off my fingers, too.”

“…?”

“I wonder who the royal dignitaries and the people of the kingdom will suspect when they see the king without his fingers.”

The Marquis knitted his forehead.

“That’s too much mercy that you’re giving to a girl you accidentally ran into. Your Highness, do you have to do this?”

“I can’t be an animal who doesn’t know how to repay one’s kindness like you.”

Even though he was pale, the boy had a mocking smile on. The Marquis looked at the young Crown Prince, rubbing his chin, and moved his steps to approach Azriel. He looked inside the cage. His shadow was cast over her. She felt nauseous. She stepped back, struggling.

“Take this out,” at the Marquis’ order, knights opened the cage and dragged out Azriel. “Dagger.”

At his short command, a dagger was handed in his hand. He fidgeted with it for a moment and threw it around Charles’ feet. Startled by the dagger that rolled around his feet, Charles stepped back a little.

“What are you doing?”

“Cutting off your own fingers… If you can do it, try doing it, Your Highness,” Marquis Ederick chuckled. Then he pointed his chin to the knight standing next to him. “Cut off her finger.”

The knight raised up Azriel and took her wrist. The sword was drawn out with the sound of ‘shiiing.’ The knight casually asked.

“Which finger should I cut?”

“From the left pinky.”

“Should I just cut it off like this? It’s a child and she might go wrong in a shock.”

Charles vacantly looked at the dagger on the floor and Azriel in turn. The Marquis gave a look to the knight. 

“It doesn’t matter. Cut it off.”

“Yes, sir.”

The knight indifferently grabbed the girl’s thin pinky finger. Overwhelmed by fear, Azriel stared at the blade that was nearing her. Her brain turned blank.

“S, stop! Stop it!” Charles shrieked hysterically and the blade was stopped.

“Don’t stop it,” the Marquis calmly spoke.

“I told you to stop it!”

“Your Highness, if you want to stop it, you should cut off your own finger. Unlike a ruffian like me, you would keep your promise, wouldn’t you?” The Marquis mocked the young Crown Prince. He was worried about how he should deal with that smart boy, but it was just a great chance. He made a gesture with his chin. “Cut it off.”

“I said stop! I, I’ll cut mine off, so stop!” Before the knight moved at the command, Charles shouted with a split voice. He hastily picked up the dagger on the floor. Then he put its blade against his left pinky. “Look! I’ll cut it off! Stop right now!”

The knight looked at the Marquis in question. The Marquis crossed his arms. 

“Wait for him,” the Marquis spoke as he crossed his arms. “Let’s see how well our king-to-be keeps his promise.” 

There was no way for him to actually cut off his own finger. It would not be easy even for a trained and experienced knight. The boy prince who had been well-cared for as he was raised could not do such a thing. Not to mention, the girl was not even his kin nor an old friend. She was just a child whom he met by accident and received help from.

“Urgh…”

Putting the blade against his finger, Charles shivered. His entire body was soaked in a cold sweat in no time. Marquis Ederick watched that scene interestingly.

‘I thought he’d give in as soon as I asked him, but he at least makes an attempt.’