CH 23

Chapter 23 – The Crown Prince’s Call (1)

Translator: Lioness

Alice was taken aback by the words of the Marquis Hamilton.

“T, the Crown Prince?”

“You insolent child. You should call him His Highness or His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

Her insolence was pointed by the Marquis, who did not matter if Alice was called, but the fact that she was called by the Crown prince. Even if she asks the Marquis who has a big smile on his face, it’s hard to receive a proper explanation.

‘Why is he calling for me?!’

The place of Imperial Palace is where she doesn’t want to go. Ever since she heard that ‘voice’ in that place in her head, she had become more reserved. But noticing that her complexion had darkened, he looked at her strangely.

“Don’t worry too much. It seems Her Highness liked the gift you gave.”

“Was it because of my gift?”

“They praised the gift you gave to Her Highness, the Crown Princess. You said you want to talk to her, now is the time which may result to opening up a new market.”

‘No, not at all.’

Now, the business of the Marquess of Hamilton took up a larger amount of business with the Duke of Shellington than with the imperial family. She tried to expand his business into the Nakran Empire, but the massive expansion failed because of the Marquis objected her suggestion directly.

‘At least I made a branch.’

The scale of the international business, which was more than just trading in the capital of Nakran, led Alice to look inside the Erha Empire, and the power of the Duke of Shellington in opening up markets inside the Empire. It was then that Alice realized that the Empire was held together by the power of the Duke of Shellington, not the Imperial Family.

‘The first setting wasn’t like this…’

Things ended up like this since she didn’t want to put the Crown Prince in a difficult spot so she had no choice but to answer the Marquis, who was still waiting for her.

“When should I go?”

“It’s a visit to the imperial family, so you’ll need to prepare. How about three days later?”

A sigh was heard after hearing that she had to go. Her head felt rolling realizing that she could never leave this empire without visiting the Imperial palace. She pondered how she could leave this Empire without having to visit the Imperial palace but no answer came out.

If she disappeared without a word, the remaining Marquis Hamilton would be stressed. She could not afford to put the Marquis in that spot since she was the one who made him rose from the brink to the top. After a while, she nodded her head.

“All right.”

“Then I will write a reply to Her Highness.”

“Yes.”

The Marquis offered to do the trouble for her so does not need to refuse, and gladly accepted his kindness. The Marquis was satisfied, so there was smile radiant on his face. He went out and now she was alone, and right after, she pulled her hair, making it disheveled but it didn’t matter for her.

“Why!”

She wondered why the crown prince had called for her, but she couldn’t speak out loud in case someone outside heard her. She beat her chest in frustration, but it didn’t solve anything but pain.

‘If I go out for no reason and hear that voice again…’

It was a big problem, and it was not a place she could go with Lawrence. It’s a private space of the Crown Princess, Stella.

‘Couldn’t it be because of what I said at the birthday party for the Crown Princess?’

The setting was that she was an angelic person. As long as the setting didn’t change, Stella was supposed to be a beautiful heroine forever. Her head might be empty, but she was a beautiful heroine loved by everyone. But Alice, albeit only for a moment, witnessed Stella’s lifeless gaze.

She was a good-natured heroine but her gaze held a malice she never showed before.

‘Has it changed?’

Alice Hamilton changed after she possessed this body, which means Stella might have the same case. Alice’s goal was to leave this empire and safely arrive at Nakran Empire. However, her eyes narrowed at the thought that Stella might block her way.

She barely escaped the voice, but now the heroine grabbed her by the ankles.

‘No, the voice didn’t disappear. I still can hear it again.’

She didn’t know what had happened, and the feeling that everyone she knew had changed in an instant gave her goosebumps. It was Lawrence who pulled her out of the room, pacing and fidgeting.

When Gina told her that she was visited by Lawrence, Alice hurriedly walked to her parlor. Duke Lawrence was busier than expected, so there were days when he didn’t visit the Hamilton Marquis. However, the servants of the Marquis family became busy with her appearance almost every day.

“You must look very nice, my lady!”

“What?”

“Duke of Littenverk fell in love with the lady at first sight!”

‘Fell in love, nonsense.’

She thought the play turned out good so she bluntly answered,

“Does it look like that?”

“Yes!”

Over time, the Marquise’s servants began to treat her differently. This was not the case even when she had made a fortune running her business and paid them generous salaries. The title of Duchess of Littenverk was well deserved.

“And the Duke of Shellington. He said he wanted to see the lady!”

“Me?”

“Yes! But he said the Marquis said no.”

The corners of Alice’s eyes rose to the sky at Gina’s chattering words. It was an unexpected situation for her.

‘Why do dogs and cows show interest in me!’

(TN: At least you have them, wanna give me one? *wink*)

She had to be free of people’s attention if she was to pass safely to the Nakran Empire. She could not escape to the Nakran Empire without anyone noticing when she was blatantly in the spotlight.

“You are late.”

As she thought about this and that, before she knew it, she was in the drawing room where Lawrence was. Gina, whom she had been walking with, was nowhere to be seen, and the servants in the room had already left, too.

“Why did they go outside?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“What?”

“It’s for our private time.”

“What nonsense…”

Alice, who had responded to Lawrence’s remark with a bold statement, jerked back in embarrassment at his approaching face. He had been sitting at the table, sipping his tea quietly, and now he was on his feet, right in front of her. His hand slipped around her waist again, and she turned.

‘Why do you always hold my waist?’

She knew in theory that a standard escort move was to hold hands and hold her waist, but this was too awkward. When she tried to pull away, he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. Their lips were close enough to touch, and she tried to tilt her head back.

“The Crown prince called?”

“How did you know?”

“I can know everything.”

Laughing mischievously at her and letting go of her back, Lawrence sat back in his chair across from her. He urged her to sit down as if he was the owner of the house and she gazed at him angrily.

Alice, who did not want to start talking until she sat down, let out a light sigh and sat down. Lawrence opened his mouth first without waiting.

“Go with me.”

“Yes?”

“We’ll solve that problem when we go to the crown prince’s palace together.”

Lawrence was right. Going with him made her feel relieved. Above all, the biggest advantage was not being able to hear his voice when he was by his side.

“Isn’t it better to have me next to you?”

For some reason, she was relieved by his words that penetrated her inner feelings. She didn’t know why the Crown Prince was calling for her, but entering the palace was stressful for her. At this time, what could be the reason for calling her when she was about to escape?

“Yes, that’s right.”

Alice’s head moved up and down.

“So, let’s go together.”

“You can’t bring just anyone to an imperial summons, you know that, right?”

It was reassuring, but etiquette was etiquette. In particular, imperial etiquette could not be ignored. Unless Stella was a good girl and a baroness, there was no way she was going to be embarrassed in a ballroom. That’s how strict the Erha Empire’s etiquette was.

‘It was also a frustrating part.’

“A fiancé is possible.”

“… I beg your pardon?”

“Are you pretending not to hear it?”

“No, that’s not it, that’s so absurd!”

“Why?”

Lawrence rather criticized Alice.

“I will use every means and method available to bring you to the Nakran Empire. To do that, you have to reduce the variables.”

“Variables?”

“Walking to the Erha Empire with the knowledge of knowing what would happen.”

Those words, which fell low, rang in Alice’s heart. That was right. It was also the part she was most worried about.

“Isn’t it right?”

“It is.”

Alice’s eyes changed. She had been too careless all this time. As Lawrence said, she should have moved regardless of means and methods, but she didn’t. Escaping from the Erha Empire had been her long-held goal, but when her goal was right in front of her eyes, she needs to sacrifice herself.

‘I have to change.’

Otherwise, the situation will not change. Her personality, which had been dormant for a long time, was awakened. She said that she would stick to her original personality after the original story was finished, but her personality that had been suppressed for years did not return in an instant.

Alice realized after this incident that it could be her loss if she had to hide her plaque under unknown circumstances.

‘Since when did the Crown Prince was above the Hamilton?’

He was a member of the royal family without any powers. While Alice earned money to die to avoid this. Because if one don’t have money, you’ll be ignored.

“How much money did I pour into the imperial palace?”