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Chapter 55
“I’ll introduce the good-for-nothings to you, my Lady.”
Not long after Blake returned, he spoke to me with a face that had made a big decision.
“…Is it because of the rain?”
“Well, that’s part of it, but on a day like today with an official announcement, it’s better to have an escort. We’ll likely be running into them frequently from now on.”
“Ah! Well, it’s true that having an escort on a day like today is normal.”
“Besides, it’s better than having them giggle and make bets about you like before.”
Blake gritted his teeth, his eyes cold.
Hmm, it seems Gregory and Lavi must have gotten a severe scolding from Blake.
Anyway, I’m fine with it!
Thinking about actually meeting those lively and interesting characters from the book is kind of exciting, isn’t it?
Blake, who was quietly stewing while thinking about his direct subordinates, met my sparkling eyes.
He then looked down at me with a dumbfounded expression.
“Don’t tell me you took a liking to those rascals?”
“I found them amusing.”
“Those good-for-nothings?”
“Well, since Your Highness is the biggest good-for-nothing of all.”
Blake’s expression turned strange.
It seemed he was reflecting on whether he really was that undignified and impudent…
Unable to hide the laughter that escaped, I giggled.
“I’m joking. I only said that because they are Your Highness’s direct order of knights.”
“Sigh, right. It’s my fault for recruiting them based solely on martial prowess…”
Hmm, I didn’t mean to blame Blake.
He did make efforts to instill etiquette and dignity in them, but it just yielded no results.
“Isn’t it almost time for the conference announcement? Let’s hurry.”
“…Right. As you’ve seen before, there are many strange ones, so don’t be too surprised.”
Ah, what conference announcement?
Today was the day Blake would announce the discovery of Magi-Stones in the depleted mine after the distribution of the Orion territory.
Since weapons can be made from Magi-Stones, Magi-Stone mines must be reported to the Imperial Family.
But now it’s in the Crown Prince’s hands!
It’s a day to legally boast about an immensely valuable mine that can’t even be taken by force through authority, right?
The reason Blake was taking me to that conference was also to announce the fluorescent substance obtained from Nabi together.
It’s the day I finally let everyone know that I’m not just a stupid commoner-born Crown Princess who only eats and does nothing!
Anyway, before Blake and I moved to the main conference hall, we headed to the knights’ building near the Crown Prince’s palace.
“I wonder if this is a good idea.”
Unlike my excitement, Blake still seemed uneasy.
Blake slowly walked towards the knights’ training grounds.
As we passed by together, I could feel the courtiers of the Crown Prince’s palace whispering as they looked at me…
But more than that, since it was my first time seeing his palace in such detail, I looked around for a long time.
“There’s nothing special, so watch your step. You might trip.”
“Wow… You say that because you come to my palace every day. I think this is my first time properly seeing Your Highness’s palace?”
At my words, Blake hesitated for a moment, then tightened his grip on my hand slightly.
He then pointed into the distance and began guiding me.
“If you go that way, there’s a garden. I hardly ever go, but I’ve seen Alex stroll around there often.”
“Alex? His Highness Prince Alex? But this is the Crown Prince’s palace.”
At my words, Blake just shrugged.
Well, in the book, Alex was such a lofty prince that he acted as if this Crown Prince’s palace was his own, so that behavior is probably natural.
Moreover, Blake didn’t particularly stop him and just acted indifferently.
“And this building is my office, where you came to find me.”
“It was good that the building was right in front of me. I think I would have gotten lost otherwise.”
Since we were so awkward back then, the Crown Prince’s palace, which I first stepped into with the courage I mustered to approach him, felt very unfamiliar to me.
I had no time to admire the lavish decorations placed everywhere or the elegant wallpapers; my mind was solely filled with the thought of meeting Blake.
The things I was too nervous to see back then now filled my vision and chattered incessantly.
“Oh, that decoration is similar to the one in my palace. Maybe it’s just a different color?”
“Ah! This flower looks like one I saw at the Count Espero’s. The scent is really nice, right? It’s amazing it’s still blooming even in winter. The Crown Prince’s palace gardeners are truly exceptional…
Hmm, noticing my husband had fallen silent, I quickly closed my mouth.
But fortunately, Blake didn’t seem to find me noisy or uncomfortable.
He gazed at me intently with eyes mixed half with curiosity and half with amusement, then spoke.
“Why did you stop talking?”
“…I thought I was being too noisy.”
“Not at all. I was just finding it interesting that the palace I see every day could be seen that way.”
“Really? Isn’t the Crown Princess’s palace even more boring?”
“Don’t you like it?”
…What should I say if he asks if I don’t like it?
I rolled my eyes, thinking.
If I say I don’t like the garden, will he plant more colorful flowers or bring in a skilled gardener?
But the words that escaped Blake’s lips before my answer were completely different.
“Then, do you want to live in the Crown Prince’s palace?”
“Huh?”
“You seem to like it here.”
Just because you like someone else’s house, you can’t just suggest swapping!
Besides, the distance between his palace and mine wasn’t that far.
…Although, we did live distantly for the past year despite that short distance.
“If you live here, it’s closer to my office……”
“Wait a minute. You weren’t suggesting we swap palaces?”
“Oh, I didn’t know you wanted to be the Crown Prince.”
Blake said that and laughed.
Ah, he was joking.
I glared at him sharply, but of course, it had no effect.
At the same time, we had arrived in front of the training grounds and the knights’ building.
Blake glanced sideways at the training knights, then walked inside, leaving me there.
At his appearance, the knights saluted with strict discipline…
But I wonder if it’s just my imagination that the discipline seems enforced because Blake gave them a warning in advance due to the Gregory and Lavi incident?
Then, at Blake’s gesture for me to come closer, I walked over slowly.
The knights’ eyes widened as they spotted me, and their gazes felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
“Wow, it’s true? Honestly, I didn’t believe it……”
“Russell doesn’t need to feel hard done by losing 2 gold.”
“Who would believe what that mountain bandit-pirate duo says?”
At the murmuring reactions, my body automatically shrank back.
Noticing this, Blake made a displeased face, crossed his arms, and spoke.
“Who told you lot to open your mouths?”
“……”
“This is my wife, the person you must protect with your lives. She is not just some passing noble lady.”
At Blake’s words, more hushed whispers were heard.
“That Gregory guy must have called Her Highness the Princess a ‘noble lady’.”
“That madman. So His Highness is only going to punish that duo? Why did we all have to suffer together? This is so unfair.”
“Can’t you tell from him bringing Her Highness here? From now on, if you recognize her face, greet her properly. He might assign us as her guards, so protect her well, that kind of thing.”
Feeling awkward at their words spoken while cautiously looking at me, I felt a bit embarrassed.
It feels like being a transfer student introducing myself in front of new classmates.
As I glanced at Blake as if asking him to do something about this strange atmosphere, he called out to someone with a nonchalant face.
“Russell.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Compile a list of all the bastards who dared to participate in bets about my wife and me.”
“…Yes.”
“If your name isn’t at the top of that list, I’ll take it as a lie and assume you all need to roll around the training grounds.”
At his words, sighs leaked out from here and there.
Russell, receiving the terrifying stares of his colleagues all at once, quickly bowed his head.
Satisfied with Russell’s now respectful attitude, Blake changed his target.
“Next, Creighton.”
“Huh? Me? I didn’t say anything!”
“Do you think it makes sense for the Vice-Captain of my direct order of knights to know nothing about the Crown Princess?”
“……”
Vice-Captain Creighton Meadows.
The young blond knight was the second son of Viscount Meadows.
However, he was obsessed with swords and had little interest in noble social circles…
“I don’t want to say this in front of you all, but my wife is not from a noble family. Creighton, I thought you would have naturally informed the other knights.”
Not that Creighton, who had no interest even in the Emperor, would have known about my background.
“I… apologize.”
At Blake’s words, Creighton’s eyes went dead; he glanced at me as if checking my reaction, then bowed his head deeply.
Among these knights, he was one of the noble-born knights and the Vice-Captain.
It seemed he understood what a commoner-born Crown Princess meant.
And also the reason why he should have explained it to everyone.
Well, I also thought they were making fun of me when they called me a noble lady.
Seeing the knights become quiet as mice, Blake looked satisfied and finally called the names of the two who were the original cause of this visit.
“Gregory, Lavi.”
“Yes, yes.”
“Yeees……”
“You two, follow me. The rest of you are dismissed; return to your training.”
It was a moment where the joys and sorrows of Gregory, Lavi, and the remaining knights intersected. remove the lining space
