IORAWM 20

Chapter : 20

“Perhaps the one who investigated me behind my back was that knight, Jenen Locke….”

It was necessary to make the Duke act more cautiously than he had been.

I wasn’t interrogating him.

He kept reddening and slumping his shoulders more and more.

Was it because of my dejected appearance?

“That… wasn’t meant as an investigation….”

The Duke looked flustered, unsure of what to do, then began speaking in a timid, crawling voice.

“Last night, some knights went to scout the merchant district. Ah! Of course, it was never my intention to investigate you two! It was something ordered by one of my administrative knights under my command.”

Having said that much, the Duke trembled, clenching both fists tightly.

“Jenen, that brat…”

But even that didn’t last long; he bowed his head deeply and apologized.

“So, unintentionally, I ended up hearing rumors about Her Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess.”

“I see….”

“I truly… am sorry.”

The Duke blushed, lowering his head in embarrassment.

Of course, he quickly raised it again.

“One! I believe all of this to be an evil scheme meant to slander Your Highnesses. But of all things, rumors of your husband’s infidelity!”

Immediately, the Duke glared at me with burning eyes.

“I was so distressed for Your Highnesses suffering in silence that I wanted to help, even if just a little!”

At his sincere expression, my eyes warmed once again.

“He’s angry. Even more than me…”

Perhaps it was because the Duke’s demeanor seemed entirely truthful, without a trace of deceit.

I wanted to confess everything.

Hana, if I took the bait the Duke was throwing, it could be disastrous.

“The Duke seems to like the Crown Prince quite a bit,” I thought.

Like asking for a handshake or an autograph.

“That would make sense. After all, the Crown Prince saved the empire during the great crisis of the Southern Kingdom war.”

Of course, the Duke had asked me for an autograph as well, but it’s highly likely the Crown Prince was his favorite.

However, if I now change my attitude and criticize or insult the Crown Prince, the Duke might feel conflicted.

“I need to proceed step by step.”

Let him gradually come to his own disappointment with the Crown Prince.

“When a fan’s favorite turns dark, that’s the scariest moment!”

Planting the seeds of doubt, I began speaking calmly.

“As Your Grace said, I’ve already heard the rumors. And… I am convinced of the Crown Prince’s infidelity.”

“What?! Wh-why!”

The Duke went pale, and even I was taken aback by my own words.

“To think I have to recall that scene again…”

“Why…?”

I choked slightly, so it couldn’t have been mere acting.

Hesitating, I exhaled and said:

“I confirmed that Princess Nevia of Khalid has been coming and going in the Crown Prince’s bedroom.”

The Duke’s face turned ashen.

“My goodness.”

After that, the Duke remained silent for a long while.

“Did the Duke want me to declare that all of this was just a rumor?”

I wished that were the case.

Then I wouldn’t have had to coax the Duke like this and have a gloomy conversation since morning.

But it was all true.

“At this point, I suppose I’ve earned the Duke’s sympathy.” I sipped my black tea.

For some reason, it tasted bitter.

“….”

How long did the silence last?

“Hmph hmph.”

My father cleared his throat and spoke.

“Duke Rikesis, even His Majesty the Emperor cannot meddle in the Crown Prince’s private life.”

“….”

“Above all, you are about to debut in the formal social circles, are you not?”

Even though my father changed the subject, the Duke’s eyes were still bloodshot, fists trembling with barely controlled anger.

“Duke… you seem… unwell…”

“Are you listening, Duke?”

“I am listening.”

“Ah, that’s a relief. Well! The early spring banquet, an important royal event, is coming up soon.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard that until now, you haven’t appeared in the social circles because you’ve been busy defeating monsters in the North. But usually young nobles debut before coming of age… Are you listening, Duke?”

“….”

Now, the Duke didn’t even nod.

“Could it be that the Crown Prince’s infidelity shocked him so much…?”

It was the first time I’d seen Duke Rikesis with such a dark expression.

Moreover, he was slowly lowering his head.

“Um… Duke?”

Finally, unable to resist any longer, I looked at his face.

“Princess Nevia of Khalid…”

“D-Duke?”

Up close, the Duke was biting his lips.

“Is he more angry than me…?”

From the Duke’s expression, his fury toward the Crown Prince and the princess committing the affair was palpable.

“Duke…”

My chest tightened briefly. But then, the words he muttered made me flinch.

“That wicked woman.”

Huh?

Did the Duke just call her a “wicked woman”?

“…!”

“This… this is dangerous!”

Instinctively, my heart raced. I grabbed the Duke and urgently asked:

“Do you know Princess Khalid?”

“No, I do not!”

“I-I see.”

“But committing an affair by entering the bedroom of a married man… isn’t she just as wicked?”

“You can’t just label her like that!”

Of course, Princess Khalid wasn’t doing anything admirable.

But “wicked woman”?

“If that title sticks, it usually ends horribly!”

And…

“If having an affair makes someone a wicked woman, then wouldn’t I also be labeled wicked if I ever had one?”

And if Nevia faces a bad ending and reincarnates, I’d become the “wicked woman”…

“No, wait. That’s not right!”

I briefly entertained ridiculous thoughts but quickly snapped back.

Now wasn’t the time for clichés about wicked women.

“…Affairs are common, so there’s nothing I can do.”

I folded my hands and lowered my eyelashes with a wistful expression.

For now, it was important to appear as the unfortunate Crown Princess, aware of her husband’s infidelity but powerless to act, to earn sympathy.

“Ah…”

Seeing me like this, the Duke lamented.

After that, I stopped speaking entirely, and both the Duke and my father could only stare at me, unable to speak.

The greenhouse grew gloomy once more.

“Hmph hmph!”

My father cleared his throat, glanced at both of us, and then spoke again.

“More importantly, I have plans to overcome several crises in my duchy! I want you to have very close discussions with the Duke about it…”

‘He probably isn’t listening anyway.’

Seeing the Duke still in full-blown anger mode, I swallowed dryly.

“Your Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess!”

Suddenly, the Duke turned toward me and grabbed both my hands firmly.

“Huh?”

I widened my eyes and looked down at my hands, trapped in his.

“But Father is right here, and this is… physical contact without permission?”

Of course, in the nobility of the Empire, one does not touch another’s hands without permission.

“My father hates breaches of etiquette…”

I glanced at him.

Unsurprisingly, his eyes were blazing with fury.

“D-Duke, those hands…”

Just as my father was about to scold the Duke,

“The Crown Prince will not fall for such a wicked woman—!”

The Duke’s desperate shout reverberated throughout the glass greenhouse.

“…Excuse me?”

“Even if fate separates you two, I will ensure your bond remains! So do not despair further!”

Wait, why that conclusion?! ‘Did I look that devastated by the affair? I spoke rather calmly…’

This situation isn’t good.

“Cardmael Rikesis, you must become my man!”

Just as I was about to take some action…

“Noona—!”

Bang!

The door flew open, and a figure dashed inside.

“You should’ve said if you were coming to the Duke’s house! Come play with me,”

The voice stopped abruptly. I and my father turned our heads.

Looking back, Ruarc stood alone among the greenery.

“….”

With almond-shaped eyes wide open, staring this way.

And his amethyst gaze fell on my hands, held by the Duke…

“Who’s this person?”

Waaaah—.

A strange alarm sounded in my head.