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Chapter : 7
“Such a loud noise from the parlor… Lutie?”
Immediately, our eyes met—her gaze as blue as sapphire.
“…….”
For a moment, silence filled the room.
The Crown Prince halted his approaching steps abruptly, and I stopped moving too.
The only one moving now was the Grand Duke, who shifted his gaze between us.
After a very brief instant, the Crown Prince turned his eyes and began to scan the dimly lit parlor, the evening shadows stretching across it.
“This….”
His eyes were sharp, as if searching for a clue.
But after sweeping the room, his gaze inevitably returned to me and fixated insistently on my hand.
“Right now.”
The hand that had just been suddenly grabbed by the Grand Duke.
“Ah!”
Realizing I was holding the Grand Duke’s hand, I quickly pulled it away.
Was that an inappropriate gesture?
“What… is this situation?”
The Crown Prince’s face twisted, as though he couldn’t make sense of it.
“Uh….”
“Uh?”
‘Why did you have to appear now of all times?’
“Why aren’t you speaking?”
‘…I don’t even know how to deal with this!’
It was our first meeting since discovering his shameless affair, so I was utterly flustered.
Thankfully, I quickly realized what I needed to do.
‘I… I need to divert his attention!’
Stepping forward, I lifted both ends of my voluminous skirt.
Swish!
“…….”
“…….”
Shielding the man who would become my husband as best I could!
‘I haven’t even had a proper moment with the Grand Duke yet; I can’t let them meet like this.’
…So I decided to become a human shield.
“I greet His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince of the Empire.”
It was a formally proper greeting, so he could find no fault.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince’s gaze fixed on me.
‘Good. I’ve made the introduction, so I can quietly send the Grand Duke away through the maidservants.’
Perhaps my deliberation took a bit too long.
“Could it be… Prince Abel?”
The Grand Duke, who had been sitting slack-jawed, suddenly sprang to his feet.
With a face full of excitement, he took a step toward the Crown Prince, then another.
“It is an honor to meet you, Prince Abel! I am Kardmael Rikesis, Duke of the North!”
“What…?”
“I have long admired your reputation. I look up to you as a hero who saved the Empire! May I—dare I—extend my hand in greeting?”
Despite asking permission, the Duke’s hand had already moved forward.
The Crown Prince’s gaze shifted to the outstretched hand.
Then back to the Duke’s face.
“…….”
Had the Crown Prince realized the Duke bore no ill intent?
Without a word, he extended his hand.
“Ah!”
Even with this hesitant approval, the Duke’s face lit up.
He quickly clasped the Crown Prince’s hand with both of his own.
“To shake hands with the Crown Prince himself… Coming to the capital was the right choice, ha!”
The Duke looked ecstatic, yet the Crown Prince’s eyes were on me.
As if silently asking, ‘Who is this person?’
Frozen, I widened my eyes.
‘You cheated, and yet you dare lift your head like that?’
I could still see in my mind the way he flirted with another woman.
Now, standing rigidly before me, emotions I couldn’t name surged.
‘Aren’t you lowering your eyes?’
Seemingly sensing my anger, the Crown Prince paused.
Then he naturally shifted his gaze elsewhere…
“Kardmael Rikesis, was it?”
He withdrew his hand from the Duke and addressed him.
“What were you doing with my wife?”
‘Is he… taking it out on him?!’
The voice, icy as a sharpened blade, made me want to step in—but the Duke answered first.
“Yes! This Kardmael Rikesis was discussing matters regarding the North with Her Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess!”
The Duke’s voice rang with pride, his eyes sparkling as if completely unaware of any hostility from the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince’s reply was cold:
“I must also consult with my wife, so step aside.”
“Ah! Understood!”
…What?
I came fully awake.
‘Why are you sending away my guest?’
“Your Highness, Duke Rikesis is my guest, Duke?”
But the one who blocked me in my indignation was the very guest being dismissed.
When I stared at him, the Duke silently pointed to his chest.
“?”
Confused, I opened my mouth at him.
‘My chest?’
Shaking my head.
‘A jacket?’
Shaking again.
In that brief moment, the Duke pounded on his broad chest repeatedly.
Then I remembered an item he had stashed in his jacket pocket…
Nod!
The Duke’s eyes, nodding in agreement, turned to the Crown Prince.
Could it be…
‘He’s not asking for the Crown Prince’s signature, is he?’
“…….”
‘No, I must be imagining it.’
Yet my intuition was correct.
“Please!”
The Duke confirmed it with his sparkling eyes.
“……Understood.”
I reluctantly nodded.
‘I… must get him out of here!’
If he stayed any longer, this oblivious Duke might directly request the Crown Prince’s signature.
“Then I shall wait, Your Highness!”
With my reply, the Duke happily left the parlor.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence fell over the parlor, if only for a moment.
“The unwelcome guest is gone.”
The Crown Prince’s first words made me glare.
‘Unwelcome guest? Who stormed in here suddenly?!’
Above all, the worst unwelcome guest for me was the Crown Prince himself, the very man who had been carrying on an affair at the Empress’s palace just that noon.
Moreover…
“Sit, Lutie.”
How brazen to order me to sit!
‘Not a shred of guilt?’
“No…”
“Sit.”
I shot him a sharp look but had no choice but to sit, saying,
“What business brings you here?”
“……Business?”
Perhaps my sharp tone caused the Crown Prince to raise an eyebrow, and I bit my lip.
‘I should have asked elegantly, “For what purpose have you sought me?”…’
“Yes, business.”
Wrong again.
I couldn’t phrase it gracefully.
Gripping my skirt tightly under the table, the Crown Prince spoke.
“Your business is extensive, I imagine.”
I let out a small sigh.
‘There’s no avoiding the conversation anyway.’
I didn’t want to speak a word with him.
But even if a couple’s relationship is broken, the titles of Crown Prince and Crown Princess do not disappear.
Day and night, we must face each other to discuss matters of the Empire and the royal family.
‘Better get it over with quickly.’
Clenching my teeth, I ran through all possible agenda items.
‘Was it a delay in the Southern Railway project? Or a succession issue with the House of Marquis Rehin?’
But the Crown Prince’s next words were unexpected.
“I heard you nearly collapsed yesterday.”
“…….”
Hearing this, I glanced at the maids serving tea.
Seeing them subtly avoid my gaze, I couldn’t help but smile.
‘You’re dead.’
As the maids jumped in surprise, the Crown Prince’s voice continued.
“Are you unwell? If there’s something physically wrong…”
‘Hmph! He hasn’t heard why I collapsed, has he?’
Of course, the maids couldn’t report it:
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince’s affair enraged the Princess, causing her to grab the back of her neck in anger!”
…No maid could say that.
“Lutie, why aren’t you speaking again?”
Funny enough, the concern in his gaze seemed genuine.
‘Still, as her husband, he’s worried I collapsed…’
But what use is that?
‘How healthy would I be, given my husband’s affair?’
“Just a momentary dizziness, that’s all.”
Feeling an explosion inside, I bit down and gripped my skirt even tighter.
“…….”
Even feeling the Crown Prince’s gaze on me, I couldn’t stop.
