CH 19

For as long as I can remember, my surroundings have been filled with sweet poison.

The nanny who raised me was so overprotective that I thought I was a princess.

There are so many maids in the inner court of the royal palace that I can't even remember their names.

Back then, I thought most people in the world were women.

While having my hair combed every morning and having my clothes changed, I was told, like a spell, that I was really pretty.

My two older brothers are more than ten years older than me, and my second brother was already in high school when I was five years old.

"You are having it nice huh. Being loved by everyone."

Brother said that every time he saw me. I thought it was a contradiction to say that I was loved by everyone when my older brother didn't even love me.

I often feel this kind of contradiction.

Most people who point out that you are loved don't love me.

After a while, I realized that the criticism came from jealousy.

I know that everyone except my family is below me.

So if you speak ill of me, it will inevitably be a gossip.

Gossip weighed several times more than what was said in front of them.

At some point, the women praised me by changing the expression from "pretty" to "beautiful," but in any case, it was just an extra story.

The men used to gossip as if they were antithesis, as opposed to the women, but there was only jealousy without any grounds or facts.

Before I knew it, I was getting better at reading people's feelings by looking at their complexions without being told.

Rubbish.

The people around me are crap, and I'm also crap when I'm swayed by it.

I earnestly learned what I should learn, such as academics, swordsmanship, and etiquette. Even if it doesn't lead to my evaluation, even if it seems natural to be able to do it.

Because I know that's the duty of the royal family.

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At that time, I heard that there was a performance at the royal palace at evening.

If I go to take a peek with a chamberlain, I will be immediately surrounded by nobles. They pushed their sons and daughters down to do their task. I wonder if its from that point. The reason why many noble children came to attend me every time I appeared.

The performance itself was interesting. The circus is a hot topic among the commoners, and it felt good to see all the performers moving lively.

I would have enjoyed it more if those around me weren't unanimously flattering and chattering.

A party was held after the party was over. As I looked around with many children attending, I saw a shadow moving in the darkness of the courtyard.

Go to the pillar and look at it.

One of the dancers from the circus earlier was dancing with a girl with bright strawberry blonde hair.

That girl won't join my entourage? I was watching while thinking.

As she spins, she dances with all her might, laughing with a bright smile on her face.

The leading dancer's expression tends to face down and cannot be seen. However, I felt that those black eyes met my eyes for a moment.

It was quickly deflected, and she didn't even tell the noble girl.

“That is Miriella, the daughter of the Duke of Fowders.”

A girl in a blue dress came to my side and said,

I felt the tone of that voice was the same as that of a voice that was gossiping behind my back. Although not part of the current royal family, they are a powerful duke. A high-ranking aristocrat's daughter danced with a commoner in such a place. And bluntly (the women in blue dress) looked down on her (Miriella).

I guess the same thing happens with women.

I wonder if she, who is smiling like a commoner now, is also burdened with the same hardships as me. From a distance, she doesn't look like that at all.

Do your best too.

While moving away from the courtyard, I sent a self-deprecating shout.

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The Ed I met in middle school was an oddball.

It seems that he ended up repeating a year as a result of devoting himself to swordsmanship in elementary school. In recent years, even though the policy has been mercilessly forced to repeat a year for those who fall behind in their studies, I would never thought that the eldest son of a duke would be like that.

Even the Duke, who works in the royal palace, has a reputation for giving off an aura every day that no one will mess with him.

He became a classmate in middle school and quickly became popular.

A former classmate a year older than him also admired him, so there was always someone around him. The sight of him surrounded by people looks the same as mine, but it's completely different.

"Why are there always people around you?"

In a classroom that happened to be just the two of us, I asked him what I had wanted to hear for a long time. It was the most embarrassing thing I have ever experienced in my life.

“Your Highness is always surrounded by people too!”

"Voice is loud"

Even though it's just the two of us, his voice volume is strange.

Also, the fact that Ed and I are not the same, there's no way he doesn't know that. Everyone at the academy knew that he was really smart.

"Do you hate it? People around you!"

"Because I'm a royalty, that's why. Like it or hate it, it won't move them."

“We are students now, you know? Now is the time to do what you want!”

Besides, adds Ed.

“Your Highness must think that everyone around you is a potato or something! That’s why you can’t like them!”

"I like potatoes"

"Un! That's not what I mean!"

Ed was always smiling, but now he was laughing even harder.

"I learned this from my sister too! To get along with people, you have to listen carefully to what they have to say! Listen carefully, and then have them listen to what you want to say!"

"That's idealism."

"Isn't it fine to have an idealistic theory! If you listen to ten people properly and find even one person among them who you can get along with, you win!"

"Win?"

Ed is cheerful and easy to get along with, and he doesn't turn down anyone in particular. That's why there must be a lot of people who come to him to have fun superficially. Still, he listens to those people and searches for people who are a good match for him.

A scary man, I thought.

At the same time, I wanted to be accepted by him.

It was decided that my second brother would marry into a neighboring country full of princesses, and that my wife would be domestic. There were many aristocrats who desperately pushed for their own daughter, but Miriella was the first to be called by my caretaker, Madam Campbell, from her ducal family. [Tl note no 1: full of princesses.]

There are other suitable girls, so I was told to meet casually. But in my mind, I didn't care if this had already been decided.

The women I meet at tea parties and social parties still praise my beauty. Occasionally, there were girls who praised my schoolwork (scores), but it was just an extension of flattery.

Even if Miriella is that kind of woman, Ed will become my brother-in-law if I marry her. If it's similar no matter who I choose, I thought it would be a good deal because Ed would come along If I just be with Miriella. [Tl: Alexis sees Ed as Good Friend.]

And yet.

"I have someone I've decided on, so I can't accept this offer."

Likewise thank you very much, well then.

With such momentum, Miriella tried to end the marriage meeting.

She wasn't a bad looking girl.

She had the same hair and eye color as Ed, and because of her resemblance to the Duke, she had a tight but well-proportioned face.

She bluntly refuses the engagement because she has a man she likes. If I become her husband, in that situation, she'll immediately become the target of envy and yet she refuses me. [Tl note no 2]

I wonder if that man is someone who boasts about his beauty. Because he can't match me in terms of status and wealth.

Come to think of it, did she think the guy she liked was insulted? Did she just feel insulted? She quietly got angry and pushed me away.

It was interesting to see Miriella's expression change over and over again.

Ed is expressive, but he basically wears a veil of a smile. It was hard to read his expression, as expected of him as the legitimate son of a high-class aristocrat.

On the other hand, his younger sister speaks with a face as if to ask me to read it.

I make her angry today, but she also likewise makes me angry too.

Though she said she refuse the engagement.

I want to try to talk to her again. Is what I thought.

TL: Maza Miya

Editor: Maza Miya

[TL note no 1: full of princesses, as in, not having a male heir. this translation is literal, because the prince monologue, the raw doesn't give any specific explanation, but the most logical one is this.]

[Tl note no 2: this line is tricky. the word "husband" in the raw either meant Alexis or The man Miriella likes, as for "object of envy" belongs to either her husband or Miriella. and at the end is Alexis. I decided for a ratification that makes more sense to the story. I apologize to those who has read this chapter ahead before this changes.]

[I'm truly sorry, I didn't realize I miss labeled the chapter. I'll fix it soon on Novelupdates too. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience.]