Chapter 69
“How disappointing. To do something even a child wouldn’t do.”
“……I am sorry.”
“On the other hand, through this incident, I truly saw the Monrephe Ducal House in a new light.”
The emperor gazed at Edenber with warm eyes entirely different from when looking at the Skya Duke.
“I had no expectations at all since the previous duke did something disappointing, but I’ll watch from now on.”
“I am deeply grateful for your boundless words.”
Edenber bowed his head deeply.
Then, at the following question from the crown prince, he flinched and straightened his back.
“Monlepe Duke, have you decided on the one to share the glory of victory with?”
It was referring to the custom where winners gift the beads obtained from Arcs to their precious ones.
But if unwanted, there was no need to deliver it in such a public place like this.
Edenber glanced at Asil sitting beside Arcian far away, then bowed his head again and politely answered.
“I have not decided.”
“Is that so, then how about the Aylphasia Princess.”
In that instant, Edenber’s face slightly hardened.
Aylphasia Princess.
The empire’s Fourth Princess and the crown prince’s most favored younger sister due to her distinctive sparkling silver hair.
The nobles quietly buzzed.
‘My goodness, to recommend not just anyone but Her Highness the Fourth Princess……’
‘Even His Highness the Crown Prince must like the Monlepe Duke.’
It was talk without knowing that Edenber opposed war with the beastmen.
Edenber looked at the Fourth Princess with indifferent eyes. Then the Fourth Princess blinked enchantingly.
But it didn’t enter Edenber’s heart at all.
Rather, sensing what intention the crown prince had in doing that, a sigh came out on its own.
‘He intends to turn my heart through the princess.’
He drew a firm line.
“I am sorry, but I have someone in mind.”
“……You said there was no one to share the glory with?”
“The other party dislikes drawing the eyes of many, so I was forced to speak falsely. I apologize.”
“Then there’s no helping it.”
At the clean apology, the crown prince reluctantly backed down.
Instead, he sent a sharp gaze towards the Skya Duke, who was breaking out in cold sweat.
Chapter 7.
“Damn it……”
Right after the hunting festival ended.
The crown prince, who had returned to the palace, ground his teeth with fierce gleaming eyes.
“How couldn’t you win against that one child!”
“I am sorry, Your Highness.”
The Skya Duke, who was like a son to the crown prince, cowered.
“My skills were insufficient……”
“Enough. I won’t expect anything more from you, Duke.”
“Your Highness!”
“Properly clean up what happened during this hunting festival. I’m saying don’t lose more of His Majesty’s trust.”
The crown prince, who had discarded even his public image, glared at the Skya Duke.
“Not on a battlefield but in a mere hunting ground, the duke’s children scared of magical beasts. If this fact gets out, your war support statements will be nothing but a joke.”
“That hasn’t been officially investigated yet……”
“Think realistically. Aren’t those two the most likely?”
The Skya Duke shut his mouth.
Even setting aside the Monlepe Duke, the Erzébet young lady had wandered around too composedly for someone scared of the captain Arc.
In comparison, Lilibet had fainted, and Briden hadn’t left her side with a dazed expression……
“The investigation must absolutely not proceed.”
The crown prince, with a hardened face, spoke as if commanding.
“I’ll ask to delay the investigation until Duchess Lilibet wakes up, so do something in the meantime.”
“What……”
“You’re not a child, do I have to tell you everything one by one?”
The crown prince’s two eyes flashed with anger.
The flustered Skya Duke hurriedly bowed his head.
“S-sorry. For now, I’ll make sure Lilibet absolutely doesn’t wake up.”
Then, he hurriedly left the palace.
Watching his pathetically scurrying figure, the crown prince pressed his throbbing forehead.
Both the Starafit Duke and the Skya Duke. Why are there no talents around me?
I should have reached out to the Monlepe Duke first before Iocaste approached.
It was then that the chamberlain announced a guest’s visit.
“Count Feyrunt has arrived.”
“……!”
The crown prince’s face, smeared with irritation, brightened in an instant.
Count Feyrunt was the border count in charge of the southern border adjacent to the beastman’s forest, and the man who had raised his three sons into excellent knights.
He was such a renowned talent that there was a saying the one who captured the count’s heart would win the war.
Count Feyrunt paid respects with propriety.
“I see the empire’s little sun. Have you been well?”
“Thanks to you guarding the border, I have been very well. I heard the news that Sir Rain was appointed as the deputy captain of the imperial knight order this time. Congratulations.”
Rain was Count Feyrunt’s second son.
At the praise of his son that was always pleasant to hear, the count smiled faintly.
“Haha, even so, he hasn’t reached the swordmaster level yet.”
“I also heard about Sir Basian. He’s making a name as an excellent tactician under you.”
“You overpraise.”
“I saw well that Sir Dylan took second place in the hunting festival. All three are showing clear achievements in their respective positions, so you must be very proud.”
“Hahaha, thank you.”
Unlike with the first and second, when the third son Dylan’s name came up, the count’s brows slightly furrowed.
It was an extremely subtle reaction hard to notice, but the crown prince didn’t miss it.
However, pretending not to know, he broached the topic.
“But I don’t understand why Sir Dylan, with that level of skill, belongs to the Monlepe Ducal House.”
The crown prince had long known of Dylan’s skill.
To the extent of surpassing his much older brothers’ skills.
‘Being under me would be much better than under the Monlepe Duke.’
The more talents, the better.
Especially, from the results of this hunting festival, he had even more interest in Dylan.
If he could, he wanted to pull the entire Monlepe knight order.
Count Feyrunt openly expressed regret.
“I feel the same, but what can I do when he likes it there.”
“Hmm……. With Sir Dylan’s skill, it would be good to have him as my guard knight……”
Pretending to ponder, the crown prince dragged out the end of his sentence.
“Couldn’t you persuade him, Count?”
“Heh heh, if he wants to be there, how can I.”
Even as he said that, Count Feyrunt had a subtly agreeable expression.
That was because being the crown prince’s guard knight was far more attractive than a duke’s knight.
And if he became emperor later, it could become the center of power.
“I heard Sir Dylan is very filial. If he could show a better side to his bedridden mother, wouldn’t he follow your words, Count?”
“Hmm……”
Count Feyrunt let out a short groan.
As the words said, Dylan was filial.
No, not just Dylan, but all the men of the Feyrunt Count family terribly followed the countess’s words.
To the extent that if the countess said to die, they would at least pretend to.
“I’ll try talking once. However…… Since my wife’s name came up, may I ask a small favor if it’s alright?”
“Please, anything.”
At the welcome news midway, the crown prince brightened. With such a man, if you place a debt, he repays with even greater reward.
Count Feyrunt lowered his voice.
“I’m looking for twin children.”
“Twin……s?”
At the unexpected words, the crown prince’s face became blank with surprise.
Why is he looking for twins, said to bring ruin to three generations if brought into the family.
Count Feyrunt explained the circumstances step by step.
“Not long ago, my wife’s best friend passed away. Leaving a will that she wanted to see her lost grandson and granddaughter.”
The wife’s friend had one daughter under her.
But when that daughter went up to the capital and got pregnant with a child from some unknown man, greatly disappointed, the wife’s friend cut family ties.
“Several years later, when she belatedly searched for news of her daughter…… She only heard that she died lonely in the slums. It seems she was raising twin siblings, but no traces could be found anywhere……”
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By Anna 💓
