Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Communication

When we finally reached the lake, I noticed him immediately.

Prince Richard was standing at the water’s edge, his back straight, his hands behind his back, his gaze fixed somewhere in the distance. He stood motionless, as if he were part of this beautiful landscape.

His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, swaying gently in the light breeze, and the slight ripples on the water reflected the sun’s glare, framing his figure in light.

I froze for a moment and stopped when I saw him. An unexpected feeling came over me — a mixture of slight excitement and inexplicable embarrassment.

The servant who had accompanied me bowed politely and took a step back without saying a word, letting me know that I had to go on alone.

Finally, I slowly moved forward. As I drew closer, Richard must have sensed someone’s presence. He turned his head, and our eyes met.

His warm golden eyes immediately focused on me.

"Lady Weinstein, I am glad you have arrived," he said in an even, calm voice.

I bowed slightly, observing all the formalities.

"Your Highness," I replied, trying not to show the slight excitement that was stuck in my chest.

He took a step forward, closing the space between us.

"You must be surprised that I decided to speak with you here," the prince continued, keeping his gaze on my face.

I felt a momentary flicker of embarrassment.

"Perhaps a little..." I replied, tilting my head slightly, trying to hide my unexpected excitement.

Richard smiled slightly, and the smile was so subtle that I almost doubted I had noticed it. But the warmth it conveyed was palpable.

"Don’t worry," he said. "It’s nothing special. I just wanted our conversation to take place in a more relaxed setting."

I nodded, smiling slightly in response, allowing myself a small feeling of relief.

"Oh, I see..." I said, not hiding the fact that this explanation caused my inner tension to ease slightly.

Meanwhile, I kept my gaze on his face, trying to catch even the slightest hint of what he was going to say next. His calm golden eyes, slightly narrowed in the sun, seemed inscrutable, and I involuntarily tensed, preparing for any turn of events.

But unexpectedly...

"The weather is calm today," Richard said, looking at me with a barely perceptible softness in his voice. "How about we go for a boat ride together?"

I blinked, as if I didn’t immediately understand what I had heard.

At that moment, the prince took a step to the side, and my gaze automatically followed him.

There, at the pier, a small boat rocked gently.

The water, smooth and clear, lapped softly against the sides, reflecting the clear sky and the thin branches of the willows hanging almost to the surface. A light breeze rustled the leaves, and sunbeams danced on the water.

For a moment, I was confused.

In fact, there was nothing unusual about taking a boat ride together. Such pastimes were common among the nobility.

And yet... something else bothered me a little.

I frowned slightly and, suppressing a note of anxiety in my voice, said:

"Your Highness, but what about your shoulder?"

Considering that the prince had recently been wounded and might not have fully recovered, I couldn’t help but ask this question. However, Richard just shook his head slightly and smiled, and there was a surprising confidence in that smile.

"You needn’t worry," he replied calmly. "I am not so weak that I cannot even steer a boat."

I blinked, slightly embarrassed by his self-assurance.

"And yet—"

"I feel much better now," he said. "Besides, the wound was not serious."

I sighed quietly. Apparently, Richard de Stone had planned all this from the beginning. In this situation, there was no point in arguing.

I simply gave in and nodded, allowing myself to accept the circumstances for a moment.

"Okay..."

The air above the lake was cool and fresh, and a light breeze ruffled my hair. Everything around me seemed to encourage calm.

When Richard offered me his hand, I froze for a moment. Then I slowly reached out, allowing his palm to wrap around mine.

I carefully stepped into the boat, trying not to look at the water swaying beneath my feet, and felt slightly dizzy for a moment.

The prince, on the other hand, took his place, confidently grasping the oars. With a slight effort, he pushed the boat away from the shore, and we slowly sailed into the lake, leaving behind a thin ripple that barely disturbed the mirror-like surface of the water.

We were silent for a while. I watched the sun’s rays refract on the surface of the lake, and somewhere in the distance, birds chirped. The setting really seemed too peaceful for an interrogation to take place here. And yet...

"Your Highness, is there any news regarding the investigation?" I decided to be the first to break the awkward silence that had settled between us since the beginning of our walk.

Richard tensed slightly, and I noticed his fingers tighten on the oars for a moment before he sighed quietly.

"Unfortunately, no..." he finally said, lowering his eyes slightly to the calm surface of the water. "The Imperial Guard has been searching the reserve all this time, but we still haven’t found a single clue. Even the guest list didn’t contain anyone suspicious."

I nodded, keeping my gaze on his face.

"I see... So you really have nothing?"

"That’s right," Richard confirmed grimly, shaking his head. His voice was even, but there was a hint of fatigue in it. "We had to review all the routes and even double-check the statements of the servants and guards. But it was all in vain."

On the other hand, I wasn’t even that surprised when I heard this answer. If even Serpens and the Order of the Shadow had failed to make any progress in this case, what could be said about the Imperial Guard? Indeed, the case seemed too complicated.

At that moment, as if sensing my excessive thoughtfulness, Richard quietly asked:

"Lady Weinstein... I also wanted to ask you about that day. Did you manage to notice anything then?"

I frowned a little, trying to remember the details, but it was useless anyway.

"No," I finally said. "They were wearing masks. And it all happened too quickly for me to see anything."

"I understand," Richard said quietly, sighing again, as if the weight of the case was pressing on him more than he wanted to show."This case has turned out to be much more complicated than we expected. I can’t even imagine who would try to attack you."

I frowned slightly, thinking about his words.

"So you’re sure that I was their ultimate target...?" I asked cautiously, trying not to betray my anxiety.

Richard looked at me, and a slight, barely noticeable smile appeared on his lips.

"Do you have any other ideas?" he asked, as if he already knew my answer.

I shook my head slightly, but then cautiously continued:

"Perhaps... it was done specifically to lure you into a trap."

The emperor’s nephew paused for a moment, his gaze becoming pensive and his brow slightly furrowing.

"Perhaps... it would make sense if these people had attacked someone I know well. But we’ve never met before. How could they lure me into a trap using you?"

I paused for a moment.

"Your Highness, actually, I also wanted to ask you something..." I began cautiously.

He tilted his head slightly, as if listening intently.

"Yes?" he replied evenly, with a hint of interest in his voice.

I took a deep breath, trying not to betray my inner excitement.

"That day... how exactly did you happen to be nearby and able to save me?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm, even though I was boiling with curiosity inside.

Richard seemed distracted for a moment, and a slight, barely noticeable smile appeared on his lips.

"Well..." he said, pausing, "it’s probably because I continued to follow you for a while."

I froze. His words took me completely by surprise, like a cold wind suddenly piercing the calm surface of the water.

"What?" I blurted out, and then, just in case, asked again, not believing my ears. "You... followed me?"

He nodded slightly, his expression unchanged.

"I can’t explain it," he said quietly, "but actually... since we first met, I feel like there’s some kind of connection between us."

I froze, feeling my heart beat a little faster.

"What...?" I breathed, not understanding where this conversation was going.

Richard moved a little closer, reducing the already fragile distance between us. His presence was too palpable: I caught a faint whiff of his cologne and felt the shadow of his figure cover me. His gaze became more piercing, more attentive, as if he were trying to look deeper — to read my thoughts, to catch the doubts hidden behind my usual reserve.

"Lady Weinstein," he finally said, and his voice sounded genuinely serious, devoid of any playfulness. He pronounced each word slowly, as if giving it special weight. "Have you never felt this before?"