PVMC 37

Chapter 37

“That guy?”

The Emperor echoed it back as if genuinely surprised. Of course, I was just as taken aback.

In <Once Again, a Nouveau Riche!>, the Crown Prince belonged to the category of sub-villains.

A man obsessed with dopamine.

Crown Prince Chaser.

He wasn’t on the level of Matthias, but he was still one of the villains who had played a major role in driving the protagonist to the edge of a cliff.

Unlike the Emperor, who had been nothing more than a background extra, that guy had even had his own dedicated episodes—he had a fair amount of narrative weight.

But until the main story properly began… hadn’t he gone down to the southern region for a while?

‘Ah—no, wait.’

Matthias is here too!

‘Is it even okay for the two of them to meet?’

They were both masterminds behind the scenes, but their relationship was far from good.

Their styles, personalities, temperaments, even their sense of beauty were completely different. Put simply, they were natural opposites.

If Matthias was more fierce and aggressive, the Crown Prince valued artistic qualities more.

‘Right. This one wasn’t normal either.’

He was the type of man who believed that if something wasn’t beautiful, it should die.

‘Not that Matthias was any better.’

This one was also a remarkably exceptional madman. Honestly, he was a man I wanted to avoid as much as Grand Duke Frombel.

His personality, and the way he thought in everyday life, was rather perverted.

‘Well… actually, compared to me, this guy is the bigger problem.’

Without realizing it, I stole a sideways glance at Matthias. Whether that was fortunate or unfortunate, since they hadn’t met yet, his expression hadn’t changed.

“Miss.”

At that moment, the Emperor, who had called me, gestured with his eyes toward the door.

It meant I was to decide whether to let the Crown Prince in or not.

Since he was currently meeting with me, it seemed he was giving me the choice of whether to allow an outsider inside.

‘Still, at least the father seems normal…’

Maybe it was because their relationship was bad.

In many ways, it felt rather strange.

“I’m fine with it.”

After all, even if I refused, he wasn’t the type who would stay out. The Emperor must have been thinking the same thing, because he smiled at me as if in thanks and turned to a chamberlain.

“Let him in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The attendant briskly pulled the handle.

Through the door that opened like that, a man entered.

Bright blond hair that seemed to gather all the light of the world, blue eyes like the Emperor’s—at a glance, a man who looked like he had a nasty personality strolled in leisurely.

‘I heard he was incredibly popular in high society.’

Indeed, his looks were nothing to scoff at. Just by appearances alone, he looked like the kind of man who would easily win people’s favor.

He was only a sub-villain, but befitting someone who had secretly had a core fanbase, I almost found myself admiring him for a moment.

But no matter how outstanding his looks were, that man was still insane. He wasn’t someone I could let my guard down around.

“I didn’t realize you had a prior engagement.”

His pleasant baritone gently brushed against my eardrums. After sweeping his gaze over me and Matthias, he curved his lips into a smile.

I carefully stood up from my seat. I didn’t forget to get Matthias to stand as well.

Since the original story hadn’t even begun yet, there was no need to create bad blood between them already.

Before I could even greet him, the Emperor suddenly stepped in front of us, blocking the way.

“A greeting is unnecessary, Miss. Aren’t you still unwell?”

“…?”

The upper body I had been about to lower toward the Crown Prince stopped awkwardly in mid-motion. Just as I was feeling a strange sense of discomfort—

“Are you feeling unwell?”

Chaser asked, looking at me with a deeply concerned expression.

“I-It’s not that serious.”

“Does it hurt?”

To make matters worse, Matthias, who had been with me, also came up close. Flustered, I hurriedly shook my head. I had suddenly become the center of attention for two shadowy masterminds, and I had no idea where to put myself.

Meanwhile, the Emperor urged me to sit down, saying that he couldn’t keep someone who was unwell standing.

But the more he did that… the more uncomfortable it made me feel!

If he were genuinely worried, that would be one thing, but—

‘To me, it just sounds like…’

He was deliberately slighting his own son. It was awkwardly intrusive, in a way.

Knowing that the two of them didn’t get along made it feel even more so.

When I finally sat down, the Emperor spoke in a very inscrutable tone.

“Still, shouldn’t the Crown Prince be in the south about now?”

“I was on my way back after completing the task you entrusted me with.”

“…You’ve already finished it?”

Amber eyes narrowed at once. I could feel him scrutinizing Chaser’s face as if trying to judge whether he was telling the truth.

But Chaser showed no sign of being intimidated and added smoothly,

“Fortunately, we found them before the ship set sail, so we were able to apprehend them quickly.”

We were lucky.

Chaser bowed his head lightly as he added the humble remark.

“Since I merely stopped by to greet you upon my return, you may continue your discussion now. As for the report…”

He glanced at me once, lifted the corner of his lips—

“We can do that next time.”

Then he slowly swept his gaze over Matthias.

Very.

Blatantly.

‘Ha… I just want to go home…’

Dealing with Xavier alone had already been enough to give me a headache, but watching a father-and-son standoff in real time had completely drained me.

‘And I didn’t even learn much.’

All I’d managed to find out so far was that Xavier had been stabbed to death. I still didn’t know who had killed him on Frombel’s orders.

‘It’s going to take some time to investigate.’

Even if I narrowed it down as much as possible, there were still countless people who came and went through the imperial palace. It wasn’t something that could be solved overnight.

Still, the culprit really could be a knight or servant who worked in the palace. If I kept an eye on who took leave over the next few days, or who suddenly quit, maybe I’d notice something suspicious.

“So, are we going now?”

As soon as we stepped out of the reception room, Matthias asked. He must have felt stifled inside, because just hearing that we were going home made his eyes sparkle.

“…Mm.”

That 모습 looked a little—no, seriously—cute to me.

Nodding awkwardly, I turned my body away. I deliberately ignored the strange, ticklish feeling rising in my chest.

But just as I was about to take a single step—

“?!”

My body was suddenly lifted into the air.

“M-Ma-Matthias?!”

Wh-what are you doing?!

I stared down in a daze at the floor that had already grown distant. I was so shocked that words wouldn’t come out properly.

As I blinked blankly, Matthias explained the situation in a calm voice.

“You said we’re going home.”

“R-Right?”

“So.”

Matthias adjusted his hold on me slightly.

“Let’s go to the carriage.”

…Like this?

The scene from when we had entered the palace earlier flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.

“No.”

“Hm?”

“Put me down right now…!”

I’d almost died of embarrassment on the way in, and now he wanted to do the same thing on the way out?

‘Absolutely not!’

At this rate, it wouldn’t be Xavier—I’d die of shame instead.

But—

“Have you finished speaking, Miss?”

My trial was only just beginning.

“……”

“I have been waiting for you to come out.”

Chaser approached calmly, his expression unchanged even as he looked at the two of us.

Then, wearing a very friendly smile, he placed a hand over his chest.

“My apologies for greeting you so late, Lady Renesty.”

If it’s all right—

“May I see you off?”