Chapter 8

“Did you cry, sister?”

Then a familiar voice rang out. A large hand covered my cheek, wiping away the tears I hadn’t been able to wipe away.

“Because His Majesty did not accede to your request?”

“…….”

Was he eavesdropping outside? Sly bastard.

The sight of Dexter’s face suddenly reminded me of last night’s shameful scene.

This bastard, isn’t he a pervert who has that kind of taste?

Come to think of it, he was also a sub-supporting character who was originally obsessed with the female lead. I had forgotten that although he pretended to be friendly, he had the worst personality as the Emperor’s son.

“Can I help you?”

“…….”

Honestly, it was a proposal that was difficult to ignore. But the judgement that followed was absurd.

“How can someone like you help?”

Perhaps because I wasn’t in a good mood, I spoke just like how the old Atilla spoke. He passed it off with a smile, as if he was used to it.

“Please stop by Crest when you have time. I will do my best to help you.”

“…….”

It would be a lie if I said no. However, I didn’t want to involve myself with a sinister person more than was necessary.

Isn’t he someone who has been ignored by the Imperial Princess all his life? If such a person dared to take the lead in helping, there must have been a certain ulterior motive.

He may be the last bastion. But not now.

I passed him without answering.

Dexter did not stop me. But somehow, I had a hunch that I would see him again in the near future.

I walked out of the castle, praying in my heart that, hopefully, at that time, my affairs would be settled.

Evandel was standing in front of the main palace entrance, as if someone had told him that I had visited the Emperor.

I ignored him and was about to walk away, but he gripped my wrist.

“Why are you ignoring me?”

“…… It is what you do whenever we meet, but you can do it and I can’t?”

This jerk has no conscience.

“And which country has the etiquette to forcibly stop another person?”

As if he had been stung by my words, he loosened his grip on my arm. But he didn’t completely let go, so I had to keep dealing with him in this state.

“Why did you meet His Majesty?”

“Is it so strange for a child to see his father?”

“I know very well that you don’t talk without any business.”

“The capricious fairy must have visited.”

When he didn’t get a proper answer, he sighed. Then, as if he had noticed something, he suddenly reached out to touch my face.

But that hand did not touch me.

Evandel, who stopped moving in the middle, lowered his arm back to its original position and asked softly.

“Your eyes are red. Did you cry?”

“…… Do I have to explain to the Lord that I sneeze?”

“…….”

He stared at my face for a long time, as if he did not trust me, and then held out his hand. Maybe because I scolded him earlier, he was very cautious.

“Let’s go back. I know you don’t want to stay any longer.”

“Don’t get cocky. Did you eat something wrong? Why are you acting creepy all of a sudden?”

Like someone who cares.

Despite my sharp tone, he stood firm with his hand outstretched. His motionless arms displayed strong stubbornness.

Glaring at him, I accepted his escort pretending that he had won.

I don’t want to keep standing here, so I’ll have to get his guidance to get back to the march1 anyway. The act of yielding at the right time was more of a way to protect one’s pride.

I was worried that he might start prying again, but fortunately he remained silent all the way back. The fact that he came to the main palace in search of me seemed to be the least he could do as someone who knew the circumstances of the Imperial Princess.

After all, he was Attila’s only friend. Even if not now.

It might have been a concern if the Imperial Princess, who morbidly hates being entangled with the Imperial family, asked for an audience herself.

But that doesn’t mean our relationship can be restored.

“Why did you just leave yesterday?”

“…… what?”

“Yesterday, I was being harassed by a drunkard, but you didn’t help me and just left.”

I was still angry, but I wondered why just as much. He is loyal enough to meet the Emperor, but why did he leave me yesterday?

“……was he a drunkard?”

“So you mean he looked normal?”

Did he really think I was playing with a man outside? He should have known it from the time he started talking nonsense.

“Even if I play around, I do it with the right kids. There’s no way I’ll play with him!”

“Then, what about that second husband…….”

“What?”

He paused. When I asked him back annoyedly because I couldn’t hear him properly, he looked away and glossed it over.

“It’s nothing.”

No matter how bad the relationship is, don’t ignore someone when they need help. You’re a knight. It goes against chivalry.”

“…… I apologize.”

He unexpectedly offered a clean apology without giving an excuse. Thinking about what happened yesterday, I still wanted to chew him alive, but my anger melted away when he apologized.

Knock. Knock.

There was a knock on the carriage door, and the aide I had seen before appeared.

“We have arrived.”

Although the misunderstanding had been cleared up, I was glad that we arrived in time, since I did not want to share a friendly conversation with Evandel.

Taking a refreshing breath, I grabbed the aide’s hand and got off.

It had been ten days since I returned from the Imperial Palace.

As I stared out the window in boredom while sipping on refreshments, Mary approached me with a fuss.

“Your Highness, do you know what news I heard?”

Her flushed face and uplifting voice made her feel like a kid in a toy shop. I liked that she didn’t tremble like she used to, probably because we’d gotten quite close.

“What is it?”

What’s so fun when I’m dying of boredom?

“The First Prince of Qishan said that he would take the place of the Second Prince who originally came as a hostage!”

“…… What?”

I heard from Dexter the other day that Qishan’s royals were in the palace for a full-scale trade agreement. The reason for keeping a hostage is probably an insurance that the cunning Emperor had in place just in case.

However, it was too strange for the first prince, who is the Crown Prince, to take the place of a hostage. Is it to spy on something?

“But do you know why?”

“Why?”

“He found his bride in the Empire! So he said he would stay to win her heart.”

“…… Is he crazy?”

Volunteering to be a hostage for such a ridiculous reason? There must be a political reason, but even so, that is a very absurd justification.

I clicked my tongue, realizing that there really were so many different types of people in the world.

“But who did you hear that from?”

“Oh, my cousin is one of Her Majesty the Empress’s ladies-in-waiting.”

“What?”

The Empress’s lady-in-waiting cannot be just anyone. For a commoner, that was unreasonable unless she obtained conspicuous favor and laundered her identity under the leadership of the Imperial family.

Mary explained shyly.

“My cousin is a noble. She had a good marriage. I’m from the indirect line of the family and my house is in need of money……”

“Is that so?”

That’s good news. Even if it wasn’t so, if I returned to the Imperial Palace after the divorce, I would take Mary with me.

It’s good that she didn’t have a lot of connections and I liked her so much that I was contemplating whether to arrange a marriage for her or even give her a title. I was annoyed that the divorce wasn’t proceeding well, but at least this should be easy.

“By the way, I need another option.”

The operation to get a divorce was put into a forced lull because the last failed attempt was a wrong move for fake infidelity.

“I can’t spend money like water. It doesn’t work even if I kick out all the employees and make a mess of the house, and even if I cheat, he’s cool with it, and besides, I failed to get the Imperial order from the Emperor. Is there another way?”

At my grumbling, Mary smoothed her chin and pondered. I really didn’t expect Evandel to be so stubborn.

After holding on to me like this, when the female lead appears, he will immediately let go of me. His personality is an amazing sight to behold.

“In times like these, it will be helpful if an attractive woman appears. But His Excellency will not be interested at all……”

What do you mean by he would not be interested?

Sooner or later, that attractive woman will appear.

In the original work, I cursed sarcastically inwardly at Evandel who changed like a high-speed train2.

I’d just have to wait for the female lead to show up, but I didn’t know how long it would take. Moreover, I wanted to do things in my own way rather than rely on others, and if possible, I didn’t want to see the female lead’s face at all.

I don’t want to be the third wheel while watching them flatter and exalt each other.

“Or why don’t you do it the way you normally do?”

“Normally?”

“As you always do, so……”

Mary, who brought up an unexpected proposal, hesitated and couldn’t continue. By deducing what she was trying to express from her attitude, I said what she had in mind instead.

“You want me to stalk morbidly like I used to, right?”

“I-I didn’t mean to take things to the extreme, but looking at the result…… Yes, that’s right.”

It wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about it. If I surpass the existing Atilla in harassing, he would surrender.

However.

“Until yesterday, I ignored him and fussed about getting a divorce, but if I suddenly say I love him again and become obsessed…… wouldn’t I look like a crazy person?”

“That’s true, but wouldn’t it be more effective?”

That makes sense. But it feels terrifying when looking at it differently.

“Hmm.”

Trying wouldn’t hurt, so should I give it a try?

So what started the very next day was to stick with Evandel and stay in his office.

Of course, it wasn’t easy. Our sublime Marquis tried to throw me out as soon as he knew I had no business.

“Why are you interrupting me when you have nothing to say?”

“When did I interrupt? And I have nothing to say. I’m thinking, so just wait.”

How to be obsessed?

I practiced a few lines, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak them. How could I spit those words out when I’m sober?

First of all, I sat diagonally on the long sofa to buy time.

“Do your work. I’ll tell you when I remember.”

“…….”

Like last time, I sat close to the backrest in case he called the servants like last time.

They won’t be able to drag me like they did before unless they lift me up completely.

Fortunately, Evandel chose to back down. Whether it was a lie that he was busy or not, he focused on his work without paying attention to me as soon as I sat down.

As a Lord who manages the border, he must have a lot of work, but just looking at the papers, I don’t know when he will be available. Wouldn’t his skills die at this rate?

I opened the book that Mary prepared for me because I was bored and I was not sure when he would talk to me.

That was the problem.

“Your Highness, how did it go?”

Back in my room, Mary asked me cautiously. I trudged in weakly, closed the door, and leaned against her blankly, which can be a cause for concern.

“…… Mary.”

I smiled, suppressing my anger.

“How can you give me such an interesting book, huh?”

March is the land of a Marquis similar to that of the County which is the land of a Count.

His decisions/emotions change so quickly like how fast a high-speed train is.