CH 3.5

She hesitated for a while, trying to find the right words to say. Eventually she said nothing and bowed her head. “…I’ll take my leave now.”

“Very well.”

As soon as Marie left the Crown Prince’s office, she leaned against the door and closed her eyes, sighing heavily.

The Crown Prince’s words echoed in her mind, further complicating her emotions.

Meanwhile, The Crown Prince took a sip of the tea Marie had brewed. A clear and soothing taste spread through his chest, bringing a momentary sense of relief.

Suddenly, Rael recalled the words he had heard from the Eastern envoy. ‘Brewing tea is a work of art. If you don’t brew it with all your heart, you will never bring out the rich flavor of the tea.’

Then, did that mean she poured all her heart into the tea? Just for him? Rael couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly at such whimsical thoughts. How silly his mind had become.

He settled deeper into his chair, feeling the warm aroma of the tea gently caressing his senses.

‘It’s so good.’

Was it because she brewed it herself?

He felt a slightly warmer and more comfortable sensation, as if the tea had enveloped him in a gentle embrace.

‘Perhaps… I might be able to get some sleep tonight.’ With that thought in mind, he gently closed his eyes.

After drinking Marie’s tea that night, the Crown Prince experienced a surprising change. Not only was he able to fall asleep, but he also slept uninterrupted for a staggering 3 hours. It may seem like a mere nap for others, but for someone who had chronic insomniac, it was an amazing feat.

‘I was able to sleep that much?’

He didn’t even have any recurring nightmares. Thanks to that, his body felt refreshed more than he ever did before.

‘Was it really due to that tea?’

From that day forward, Marie began brewing tea for the Crown Prince every night. But she did not stop at only brewing tea, she played relaxing music for him as well.

The impact of her efforts where undeniable, as the Crown Prince began experiencing noticeable improvements in his sleep. As a result, visiting his bedchamber late at night to treat his insomnia became a regular routine for Marie.

‘It should be fine. After all, I am the Crown Prince’s maid,’ Marie thought to herself.

The Crown Prince was not a bad master. So, until she left his side, Marie felt that things would be fine. However, as she continued to visit the Crown Prince’s bedchamber every night, an unexpected development occurred.

The maids around Marie started to regard her in a more significant light.

“As expected, His Highness didn’t summon her for no reason.”

“Right. She comes to His Highness’ bedchamber every night.”

The maids of the Lion Palace whispered among themselves as they looked at Marie.

Of course, everyone knew that Marie went to the Crown Prince’s bedchamber for his insomnia. Even so, visiting it every night was out of the ordinary.

’The Crown Prince’s favored maid.’

The Crown Prince’s most trusted maid.’

Everyone regarded Marie in that way. Regardless of the fact that she was attending to the Crown Prince’s insomnia, the frequency of her visits to his bedchamber implied a level of favor and trust that wasn’t bestowed lightly.

Unbeknownst to Marie, she became known as the Crown Prince’s most cherished maid.

As those mundane days passed, a significant change occurred in the palace.

Finally, the Crown Princess candidates had entered the palace. It marked the beginning of the long-awaited Crown Princess selection, something Marie had been anticipating for a long time.

“The candidates have finally entered the palace,” Prime Minister Oren remarked to the Crown Prince in his office. Seeing the Crown Prince nod without much enthusiasm, Prime Minister Oren pursed his lips. “Why aren’t you interested? One of them will be your future Crown Princess, you know.”

As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Oren was the key figure behind the selection process.

“All men in the empire are envious of you, Your Highness, considering both candidates are regarded as the most beautiful women in the empire.”

Rael couldn’t help but laugh sardonically at those words. What difference did a woman’s appearance make? Those in high positions like him saw marriage as nothing more than a political tool. As the ruler of the empire, he had an obligation to marry the woman who’d benefit the empire the most.

“Which of the two candidates do you have in mind?”

“None so far. I need to assess Lady Schulian and Lady Istvan first and determine which one would be more beneficial to the empire.”

The Crown Prince’s response made Prime Minister Oren click his tongue.

He asked which of the two women appealed more to him, but the Crown Prince seemed completely uninterested except for political strategies. Rael seemed to firmly believed that his own marriage was merely a tool for the empire’s interests.

‘Still, he’s choosing someone he’d spend a lifetime with, so it would be nice if he would also consider his own preferences.”

The Crown Prince was solely focused on the empire and its people, with little interest in his sake. While it’s a great quality for a ruler, it’s far too excessive in his case.

‘I hope the selection process can soften that rigid aspect of him.’

Although the Crown Prince was perfect in every way, his interpersonal skills were lacking. Thus, Prime Minister Oren hoped that one of the candidates would melt the Crown Prince’s heart.

‘Since they would spend time together during the selection period, surely he would develop feelings for at least one of them. After all, the Crown Prince is still a man.’

Since the political advantages from both noble houses were roughly equal, Prime Minister Oren thought it would be nice if the woman who captured the Crown Prince’s heart would become the Crown Princess.

Suddenly, the Crown Prince brought up another topic. “Have you still not found Princess Morina’s whereabouts?”

“I apologize, Your Highness. I’ve been tirelessly searching for her, but…”

Rael shook his head.

“What a shame. Princess Morina, the last descendant of the Cloyan bloodline, would be a lot more advantageous than the Lady of Schulian and the Lady of Istvan.”

The Crown Prince was right. If Princess Morina were officially crowned as the Crown Princess, it would completely bring the unstable region of Cloyan under the empire’s control, which was immeasurably advantageous.

“However, we can’t delay the Crown Princess selection for Princess Morina any longer, Your Highness. In fact, you should have married her a long time ago, but it’s too late now.”

The Crown Prince nodded in agreement. He was well aware of that. That’s why he had reluctantly started the selection, even though he didn’t feel inclined towards marriage.

“I know. Since it’s come to this, there’s no other choice. I have to give up on Princess Morina.”

“Yes, it appears so.”

Prime Minister Oren asked, “But what if we find Princess Morina later on? What would you do then?”

The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment. He couldn’t have two Crown Princess.

‘In that case…’

Since Princess Morina was the last descendant of the Cloyan bloodline, if he couldn’t marry her, then there was only one option.

“Of course, I will have to kill her,” Crown Prince Rael said emotionlessly.

With a melodious sound of horses’ neighing, two ornate carriages entered the palace. They were the royal carriages carrying the Crown Princess candidates. Soon, the candidates stepped out from their respective carriages, accompanied by their knights.

“Greetings, Lady Ariel, and Lady Rachel. I am Ashlyn, the chief head maid.”

The first to bow her head was Countess Ashlyn, the chief head maid. The palace maids who’d been waiting on the side followed suit, bowing as they welcomed them.

“Here are the palace maids of the Lion Palace who will accompany both of you, Delphinas.”

Delphina. It was a word derived from the Latin word “Delphinatu,” which meant Crown Princess.*

Among the two women, the one with a dignified air and beautiful appearance said, “Yes, I’m counting on you.”

Meanwhile, Marie, who was standing at the back, looked surprised when she saw the woman. ‘So, that’s Lady Ariel. She truly is as beautiful as the rumors say…’

The maids in the Lion Palace may be beautiful, but they were no match to Lady Ariel. With her jet-black hair, large captivating blue eyes, porcelain skin, and rosy red lips, she was a sight to behold. Her features, finely sculpted like celestial jewels, were reminiscent of a rare gem that cannot be touched by everyone. Coupled with her voluptuous figure, she possessed an alluring charm that could make any man’s heart skip a beat at the mere sight of her.

“I look forward to it as well,” a delicate-looking woman followed, bowing her head.

When Marie caught sight of her, she exclaimed inwardly in admiration, ‘So that’s Lady Rachel of Istvan County. She’s really beautiful too.’

She appeared to be the same age as Marie, around 17 or 18 years old. With her radiant golden hair and ocean blue eyes, her doll-like appearance were reminiscent of flowers. If Lady Ariel exuded a highly seductive air, Lady Rachel emanated a delicate and innocent charm that stirred one’s protective instincts.

Indeed, both candidates lived up to their reputation of being the empire’s finest beauties.

‘It feels like… they’re the main characters of a novel,’ Marie thought to herself.

With those two women by their side, the beautiful maids of the Lion’s Palace seemed to fade into background. Even more so for Marie, who looked plain and unremarkable.

“Delphinas, allow me to guide you to His Highness. Please proceed this way,” said Countess Ashlyn, the head maid, as she guided them.

Lady Ariel, true to her appearance, followed with a graceful stride, while Lady Rachel trailed demurely. Once they disappeared, the palace maid buzzed with excitement. “Wow, did you see that? They really live up to the rumors.”

“Right? I’ve seen Lady Ariel multiple times in social functions. But still, Lady Rachel is no less impressive, isn’t she?”

The maids whispered among themselves, as if they’re reading a romance novel, their eyes sparkling with romantic fancies.

They then speculated on who would be chosen by the Crown Prince. “I wonder which of the two will be chosen by His Highness?”

“Could it be Lady Ariel? After all, His Highness is a man, so wouldn’t he appreciate such seductive beauty?”

“No, I think Lady Rachel has the upper hand. Men tend to prefer the delicate type.”

“Oh, I think Lady Ariel of the Schulian Duchy will be chosen, considering she’s from one of the most prestigious noble houses in the empire.”

“Well, if we’re basing on that, then Count of Istvan’s power is also quite formidable. Well, if the beautiful Lady Rachel captures the prince’s heart, it would take a different turn, wouldn’t it?”

In this manner, they debated back and forth. Meanwhile, Marie nodded as she listened to their conversation. ‘Their speculations weren’t entirely wrong. Surprisingly, there’s a high chance that the person who captures the Crown Prince’s heart will be chosen, since both families offer comparable political advantages.’

Of course, it was hard to imagine the Crown Prince being captivated by a woman, but after seeing those two candidates, Marie had changed her mind. No matter how rigid the Crown Prince was, with such beautiful women, his heart could be swayed.