🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 78
“Hhng, h-heeeoooong.”
Pony, who had been quite the crybaby in childhood but hadn’t shed a single tear since becoming an adult, was crying so hard her eyes were swollen.
“Why won’t they eliminate me!”
My friend grabbed her pigtails and screamed.
“Listen, Loa.”
Stella, who had even forgotten to eat her grapes, began explaining to me—since I hadn’t been able to watch the crown princess selection process.
During the 1st stage’s final part—the fifth trial where candidates showcased a talent—Pony had chosen the harp. And she hit a wrong note. Badly enough that anyone could tell.
Yet she passed.
Since there weren’t many respectable families attending, Pony reluctantly accepted that she had somehow been chosen despite that mistake.
“The 2nd stage consisted of two parts. The first was a public debate on economy and trade, the second was about politics and neighboring nations.”
Starting from the 2nd stage, only the candidate’s family, a few acquaintances, and high-ranking nobles were allowed to observe.
“For the first topic, Pony presented her opinions excellently. Well—she pretended to, and deliberately got things wrong.”
The Pink household excelled at making money.
Pony didn’t know scholarly theories or frameworks, but she had animal-like instincts for what profited and what lost. And she could talk smoothly, so even if she lacked theory she could package her words well—but she intentionally tanked her score.
“But the politics and international relations part was the complete opposite.”
That was a field Pony knew well.
The Pink Count’s family traded frequently; their people knew foreign power players better than most diplomats.
Still, Pony deliberately answered questions with irrelevant nonsense or awkward smiles.
“She fumbled so much that people groaned.”
I knew exactly what that meant.
“The top 10 were chosen based on total points from both parts.”
Pony was exactly tenth.
“The 11th place girl, Viscount Arco’s daughter, and candidates up to 15th demanded the scores be revealed.”
The judges refused.
They fled the hall in a hurry, and resentment turned toward Pony.
They said she was suspicious—she gave wrong answers in economy, couldn’t speak on politics, yet scored high? Some even accused her of bribing the judges.
It nearly turned into a dispute between houses, but others stepped in, barely preventing a major conflict.
“I wanted to fail! I really thought I would! I even purposely gave wrong answers during the economic debate!”
Pony unloaded the truth she couldn’t shout in the palace.
The 3rd stage tested virtues expected of a royal woman.
The imperial family valued knowledge needed for producing heirs. There were also hypothetical moral questions—like what she would do if the future emperor fathered a child with a woman other than his empress.
And purity.
“I said if my husband secretly met another woman, I would never forgive either of them. I’d stop it before a bastard child could be born.”
A jealous woman is disqualified. Especially since royal bastards are royal blood and can’t be killed.
“I said I’ve dated eighteen men and like hiding away in a villa! I even acted like I knew men’s bodies really well! I STUDIED IT ON PURPOSE!”
Purity was one of the most important requirements for empress. Pony should have failed.
“And yet I passed! I’m still in the top 10—this is humiliating!”
My friend sobbed, ignoring her favorite dessert.
Whenever I participated, I was always chosen as crown princess and later killed by the crown prince. When I didn’t participate, he canceled the final stage.
The crown prince hated the selection and had no interest in it. The emperor kept him away so he wouldn’t ruin it.
Each test had its own judges, chosen by the emperor and high ministers—but the emperor’s influence was strong.
The final stage was judged by the emperor and major department heads.
High-ranking officials wouldn’t yield to imperial pressure, but by the final stage the best candidate was usually obvious, so they mostly agreed.
“What about Lady Ekel? Did she pass everything?”
“Yes. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a single flaw.”
Well, she was the universally adored perfect heroine.
I forced down a bitter smile.
“It was funny, seeing her pretend to be pure.”
“But why did I pass? It makes no sense!”
Before Stella could finish, Pony screamed again.
“I think they kept you because of Merina.”
“Because of her? Why?”
Stella turned toward me.
I couldn’t say because the emperor wants to separate the crown prince and Merina, so I gave another plausible reason.
“The Ekel family only recently rose in status—thanks to the emperor’s favor.”
“That’s true, but they’re still respectable. And since there are almost no daughters in our generation, if we only consider houses with daughters around the crown prince’s age, Ekel ranks pretty high.”
“Sure. But the Ekel family is already tied to the royal family.”
Pony had stopped crying and was listening closely.
“Oh. Right. I forgot because the crown prince and empress get along so poorly.”
Stella crossed her arms and legs.
There was no need to absorb the Ekel family further. They weren’t powerful enough to justify two generations tying to the royals.
“It’s better to marry into another noble house to broaden influence and image.”
“Exactly. It’d be weird—one sibling marrying the father, the other the son. Totally abnormal.”
Stella frowned.
“But people don’t seem to realize that. Everyone freaked out at the opening ceremony, but after that they forgot again. I only remembered because you pointed it out.”
Because Merina must never be disliked—so the world conveniently forgets.
I swallowed the truth and gave Pony a cold dose of reality.
“I think you’ll make it to the final round.”
“EEEEEEK!”
Pony shuddered, clutching her pink hair.
“My dream was to marry a cute younger man and party forever! Now they want me as crown princess?! And the groom would be that insuffer— I mean, stern, serious man?!”
She suddenly attacked her cake, tearing it apart like a sworn enemy.
Then she spoke gravely:
“Stella, before the final stage… prepare me a ship. Please.”
“Of course.”
After venting, Pony calmed down and began eating an untouched slice of cake.
Normally Pony would never get to the final stage. But if the crown prince doesn’t overturn it this time? If the emperor is more determined than usual?
Pony might actually be chosen.
The crown prince would never marry someone other than the woman he wanted.
A chill ran down my spine at the thought of never seeing her bright pink hair again.
I must either get Pony eliminated in the next stage or force the crown prince to overturn the process.
Thankfully, there was a one-month break before stage four.
“Dark forest…”
“You are not fully recovered yet. Please wait a little longer. And we still lack mercenaries.”
Ted didn’t miss my muttered words and tried to stop me.
“Apparently Silver Guild mercenaries have been sent to a large mission. They say it’ll take at least a month before we can hire them.”
“That’s true… but we can’t leave before the crown princess selection ends.”
“Your friend passed the third stage, correct?”
“She might actually become crown princess.”
Others would celebrate; we would not.
“The emperor seems to have his eye on Pony. I need to figure out how to resolve this cleanly.”
If Pony fled now, the entire Pink family would suffer—so that was the last resort.
“In these cases, you make the stronger side move.”
“Meaning we force the crown prince to overturn it?”
“Exactly. Even the emperor can’t punish him too heavily.”
Pony would endure anything not to become crown princess, and what the crown prince wanted most was Merina.
And what did Merina need right now?
A handsome man.
