For Romantic Superpowers - Chapter 66 - Pushing Through the Dense Bushes

#66. Pushing Through the Dense Bushes

“Ah…”

When it came to Alfonse’s first love, only one thing came to mind.

“The cause of my flower allergy.”

“That’s right. It was when you were just seven. You picked a flower to confess, but she bluntly rejected you, saying she didn’t like flowers.”

By the time Perth arrived, Alfonse had already developed his flower allergy. Alfonse, who was ten years old when Perth entered the palace, was already a cheeky boy who was loved by all the ladies from a young age. Perth hadn’t noticed that Alfonse had a crush on his fiancée. Perth thought he knew everything about Alfonse, even things he didn’t want to know. But he was wrong.

“So that’s how it is…?”

Perth almost let out an overly honest statement.

“I know roughly what you want to say. That incident was just a trigger. I simply care about all the ladies in front of me.”

“Isn’t it because you love Lady Ferdinand?”

“It’s just a memory from childhood. As her fiancé, I’m only trying to understand whom she likes.”

To Perth, it seemed like Alfonse was just denying his own feelings. But what mattered now was not Alfonse’s unresolved first love but Lia’s situation.

“So, do you now believe that Lady Ferdinand cursed Lady Lia?”

“I never doubted it from the beginning. You don’t lie. I was just asking for the reason.”

Alfonse fully trusted Perth. The two had spent a long time together since childhood. There was no one more loyal to Alfonse than Perth. Perth also believed that Alfonse would trust him in crucial moments. That’s why he had rushed to his office.

“Then…!”

“But still, it won’t work.”

“What is it this time?”

Being rejected twice, Perth felt a surge of anger. What did his earlier words about trust mean?

“I trust you completely. But how do you plan to convince Her Majesty? Will you say you saw it? Who would believe that?”

“If I reveal it as my ability.”

“Only His Majesty, the head of the ability management department, and I know about your ability. Moreover, your ability is my hidden weapon. Can we reveal it to everyone?”

Perth’s entry into the palace was for that reason. The current king had brought Perth to the palace to be a companion to the prince. In reality, it was almost as if he was bought at a high price because his ability would be useful to the prince later on.

Even so, Perth didn’t resent his situation. Leaving the Versier household and coming to the palace was a stroke of luck for him. In the palace, he learned many things and discovered that he could do much more besides his psychometry ability.

“I will always do my best to help you, Your Highness. So please, help me just this once.”

Perth made a desperate request to Alfonse once more. It was almost unheard of for him to ask Alfonse for something like this. He had always lived with a dispassionate face, seemingly uninterested in the world. Alfonse let out a deep sigh.

“I’m not saying don’t reveal the truth.”

“What?”

“Bring me the evidence.”

“Evidence… you mean?”

“Yes. Lady Penelope is someone I recommended. If the truth isn’t revealed, my honor will also be tarnished. So bring evidence that anyone can acknowledge.”

Alfonse pointed his finger at Perth.

“You have many abilities besides psychometry. You can handle this, right?”

Alfonse’s point was obvious. However, with Lia being forced out of the palace, Perth had been extremely agitated. This naturally made it difficult for him to think clearly. Not being able to realize such a basic thing himself, Perth replied with a bitter smile.

“Yes, of course.”

“The opponent is the Ferdinand family. Be thorough, understand?”

“Don’t worry.”

“Good. Now, the important thing is Lady Penelope’s will. I will go to Penelope’s residence.”

“I will persuade her.”

Perth interrupted Alfonse and responded firmly. No matter how good a superior Alfonse was, he couldn’t accept this one thing.

“Hmm. So the rumors were true after all? You seem oddly excited about Lady Penelope.”

“It wasn’t true at the time, but it will be soon.”

Meaning, don’t interfere. Perth stared directly into Alfonse’s eyes. Even someone as dense as Alfonse could quickly understand the meaning in those eyes.

“Soon? That’s quite a lot of confidence. Fine, I won’t touch my aide’s woman.”

“Thank you.”

Alfonse’s smile was full of mischief, like that of a child who had found an interesting toy.

“Interesting. Let’s see when you get back.”

* * *

“Mr. Perth?”

Perth, lost in his thoughts, didn’t respond to Lia’s calling. Lia waved her hand vigorously in front of his blank eyes. Then, feeling mischievous, she rested her head on his shoulder. Despite her face being so close, Perth didn’t react at all. No response even after this? Lia, flustered, blinked in surprise.

“Don’t let your guard down.”

Kiss.

In an instant, Perth turned his head, lifted her chin, and kissed her.

“Who was spacing out first!”

Lia, frustrated by the embarrassment and the unexpected reversal, grumbled. Once the barrier was broken, Perth took every opportunity to kiss her.

“The sun will set soon.”

“It’s dangerous in the mountains after dark, so we should go down quickly.”

But neither of them felt like getting up. If Perth returned to the palace, who knew when they would see each other again?

“Lady Lia, don’t you want to return to the palace?”

When the topic of the palace came up, Lia’s expression darkened. She withdrew from Perth and looked back at the valley.

“I’m a bit scared.”

“There’s no need to be afraid. It’s not your fault, Lady Lia.”

“How can you be so sure it’s not my fault?”

“Because the person I like would never do such a thing.”

His tone was full of conviction. Perth knew who the culprit was through his abilities. But even without those abilities, he would never have doubted Lia. He knew how much she loved plants.

“Thank you, Mr. Perth. But I’m still scared. The Miracle of the Desert that I was in charge of was turned upside down. It was done deliberately to get rid of me. That means someone in the palace hates me.”

Perth held Lia’s trembling hands firmly in his.

“There’s more than just that person in the palace. I’m there, and so is Lady May Flower, who is very concerned about you. And besides…”

Perth paused, an unwilling expression crossing his face.

“Mr. Kevin Arkwood is also there.”

Seeing his obvious dislike, Lia couldn’t help but laugh. Although her time in the palace was short, she had learned a lot and met precious people. That alone was a great gain.

“And the real culprit seems to be Lady Abigail Ferdinand, who is outside the palace.”

He hadn’t yet found all the evidence. Though he was sure of the culprit, he couldn’t declare it just yet.

“Lady Ferdinand?”

“Yes. After you left the garden, she confessed to me.”

She had guessed as much, but hearing it confirmed wasn’t pleasant. However, it was clear that he had rejected her. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be holding her hands right now.

“I refused her.”

Worried that Lia might have unnecessary thoughts, he made it clear.

“I know. So she got angry?”

“Yes, she threatened that you wouldn’t be safe. I never thought she would do something like this.”

Lia also gripped his hands tightly, worried that he might blame himself.

“Don’t even think about blaming yourself, Mr. Perth. If you had accepted her confession, you would have had to face my wrath.”

Despite her firm words, Perth’s face relaxed. Blushing slightly, he whispered.

“I’d like to be scolded by you, Lady Lia.”

“What are you saying!”

The feeling of his breath against her ear sent a thrilling sensation down her spine. To hide her embarrassment, she playfully slapped his arm.

“It hurts.”

“I meant to hurt you.”

“Does this count as being scolded too?”

“Stop saying strange things! That was a slap, not scolding!”

As the sun began to set, the two hurriedly descended the mountain. Lia frequently stumbled in her haste, but Perth kept a firm hold on her hand, steadying her each time.

“Whoa.”

“Be careful.”

The rocks they were passing over were covered in long, white plants that were tangled together like vines, making it difficult to walk.

“Are these stems? They make walking hard.”

“Ah, these are roots.”

“Roots?”

To Perth, they looked just like stems. They didn’t seem functional, appearing dry and almost dead.

“They’re very different from what I’m used to.”

“These plants don’t absorb water through their roots. They’re parasitic. These roots are only used to cling to the rocks.”

Lia’s eyes sparkled as she talked about the plants. It was natural for her to be excited about a subject she loved. Perth listened quietly.

“So, if the roots break, do they die?”

“No. Even if the roots break or are damaged, the main plant remains alive. The roots aren’t essential for sustaining its life.”

“I see. This seems familiar somehow.”

To him, all plants looked alike. But hearing her explanation made them seem more like living beings. Everything felt new when seen through Lia’s eyes.

Preoccupied with watching her step, Lia fell silent, lost in thought. Eventually, Perth decided to break the silence.

“Lady Lia?”

Startled by his call, Lia snapped out of her reverie, looking confused.

“What were you thinking about?”

“I think I know how to cultivate the Miracle of the Desert.”

Her sudden statement left Perth equally confused.

“Suddenly?”

“Yes, what should I do? Could you tell Mr. Kevin for me?”

Lia seemed unusually anxious. She had been passive about her own issues but became very proactive when it came to plants. She was eager to resolve this quickly. Perth smiled.

“Then you should return to the palace and take care of the Miracle of the Desert yourself.”

“How can I do that?”

“First, we need to clear up the misunderstanding. Just say you want to return to the palace, and I’ll handle the rest.”

Lia’s eyes wavered at Perth’s words. Returning to the palace required some thought. It had been her long-held dream, shattered in an instant. But she was determined to save the Miracle of the Desert with her own hands.

“I want to return to the palace.”

By now, they had reached the outskirts of the forest. They just needed to push through the last bit of underbrush to reach their destination. Perth met her eyes with a smile.

“If that’s what you want, it will happen.”