NOVEL WEB chapter 237
15. You’re Not Capable
“Just not so unbearable?”
Mu En was somewhat surprised as he turned to look at Celicia. “I thought your evaluation of me would be a bit better.”
“That evaluation is already quite good.”
Celicia paused, “Compared to the you of the past.”
“Is that so? But I feel it’s still not enough, because just being not unbearable means I have to marry you; that seems rather pitiful, doesn’t it?”
Mu En suddenly leaned in, blinking as he said.
“Hmm?”
—
Celesia raised an eyebrow, seemingly puzzled.
“So?”
“So… should I try a little harder?”
Mu En nervously rubbed his hands together. “To make you truly fall for me… that seems a bit unlikely.”
After all, she was the aloof ice queen, Celesia. Although Mu En knew from the original story that she had a warm heart beneath her cold exterior, that icy facade was not so easily melted. Even the original protagonist, the overconfident Ariel, had spent nearly half the book trying to win her over, making her one of the most challenging characters to conquer in the plot Mu En was familiar with.
Mu En was well aware that he lacked the protagonist’s halo and had no special charm, so he naturally lacked that confidence.
“But…”
“I think if I try a bit harder, I should be able to make you feel at least a little fond of me, right?”
Mu En chuckled, “After all, I believe there’s a significant difference between marrying someone you don’t dislike and marrying someone you have a slight fondness for. I still hope you can be a bit happier.”
“A slight fondness…”
Celesia seemed taken aback by Mu En’s sudden declaration, her delicate brows arching slightly.
The boy before her, though his expression was somewhat flippant, had eyes that were incredibly sincere at this moment.
And this statement… no matter how one heard it, it sounded like a veiled confession.
A second confession.
Unlike the first, which had been an annoying scene, the gentle breeze blew, and a thin mist enveloped them. The boy smiled, his golden hair shining, exuding a handsomeness that she had to admit.
At that moment, in the night, someone was softly humming a long melody, like a sweet love song.
Yet, the thought of trying to win someone over just to make oneself happy… felt a bit strange.
Celesia’s cold gaze lingered on Mu En for a moment before she suddenly asked:
“Do you use the same tactics on those two girls?”
“Pfft…”
Mu En nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
Was this really the time to bring that up? Did she not understand the atmosphere, Princess?
“W-what tactics…”
Mu En forced a smile, “These are all sincere words! More genuine than pearls!”
“Is that so?”
Celesia’s voice became elusive.
In the next moment, the fallen leaves by the roadside suddenly stirred.
Mu En’s heart tightened.
His mind rang with alarms.
But before he could even react, a cold white light flashed before his eyes.
Mu En’s body went rigid.
Feeling the sudden chill creeping up his neck, he tilted his head slightly back, cold sweat already dripping from his forehead.
So fast…
Mu En’s gaze dropped, landing on the ice crystal sword that lay across his neck, his heart involuntarily shaken.
He hadn’t even seen when Celicia had made her move.
Compared to a few months ago, she seemed to have grown significantly stronger.
No, back then, her abilities had been greatly restricted due to special circumstances.
And now, this was the true brilliance of the empire’s renowned first genius.
“Is that all?”
Celicia squinted her eyes, a rare hint of a smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Mu En Campbell, your sincerity is rather weak.”
“This… this is a matter of the venue. How about we change places and fight again?”
Mu En held his neck high, forcing himself to appear unyielding.
“Anywhere you go, you are no match for me.”
Seemingly oblivious to Mu En’s bravado, Celicia casually dispersed the ice crystal sword.
Then, with a gentle flick of her slender, fair finger, she playfully hooked his chin, as if teasing a weak and adorable tyrant, a mysterious curve forming at the corner of her mouth as she said:
“Then do your best, my fiancé. Right now, you are still far from enough.
I won’t fall for a man weaker than me.”
“Wha… what do you mean ‘not enough’!”
Dazed by Celicia’s overwhelming presence, Mu En blinked in shock, suddenly flustered. “Let’s change places and see! I’ll show you what I’m capable of!”
“Heh.”
Celicia remained noncommittal, turning to continue on her way.
The swaying hem of her dress and her flowing hair were like the ice flowers that had yet to fully dissipate in the air.
Beautiful to the point of breathtaking.
…
“So, Celicia, where exactly are we going?”
Once again battered and bruised by Celicia’s words, Mu En stared with wide, fish-like eyes, finally recalling the main topic of the day.
Thinking it over, Celicia’s involvement in the earlier matters surely wasn’t just about the so-called warning, as warnings could come at any time. There was no need for her to deliberately stir up trouble for him.
Celicia wasn’t that bored; she must have had something important to discuss.
“Father has summoned you.” Celicia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, speaking casually.
“Oh, so it’s the in-law… wait, what did you say?” Mu En’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Celicia.
“You said His Majesty summoned me.”
“That’s right.”
“Such an important matter, why didn’t you say it earlier?”
Mu En nearly spat out a mouthful of blood for the third time tonight, feeling like an ant on a hot pan, anxiously pacing back and forth.
The emperor suddenly wants to see him.
What to do? He is completely unprepared.
Is there anything he needs to pay attention to? Would it be more polite to compliment his daughter directly when they meet?
“What are you so anxious about?”
Cecilia shot Mu En a glance,
“Do you really think Father would summon you at such a late hour?”
“Uh… that’s true.”
Mu En calmed down; in the dead of night, it really didn’t seem like a time he would be summoned.
Then why…
“The formal summons should be delivered tomorrow, before that…”
“Before that?”
Cecilia’s expression suddenly turned cold, “You should wash off that stench of women from yourself first.”
“……”
……
Cecilia brought Mu En to a seemingly very low-key residence.
“This is…”
“My temporary residence.”
“So simple?”
Mu En was taken aback.
Although the building before him vaguely revealed clever and exquisite construction, it certainly didn’t look like a place where a princess should reside.
“It’s just a temporary stay; why make it too conspicuous?”
Cecilia didn’t care at all, personally stepping forward to take out a key and unlock the door.
“No guards at all?”
“Do I need someone to protect me?”
“True… then what about your maid?”
“I have hands and feet; why do I need a maid?”
“Truly worthy of you…”
Mu En sighed, but then, his eyes brightened.
No guards.
No maids.
In other words…
The night was deep and quiet.
A lone man and a lone woman.
Alone together.
Double lodging and double roosting?