Chapter 5.2

“I have no idea what you’re thinking…”

At my rambling words, Rubellian frowned.

“Seriously, it’s true. This isn’t some minor thing, and yet you’re telling me to do whatever I want with it? Isn’t that quite different from usual?”

“I was under the impression that I treated you well enough, normally.”

“That’s nonsense. Don’t you know my treatment is the most trivial in the ducal house? Tell me, what are you scheming?”

I won’t bother saying how trivial my treatment is in the ducal house. Of course, he usually holds me in his arms and often tells me he loves me, but that’s a separate matter from this, isn’t it?

This is something involving the imperial family, yet he readily agrees like this? Moreover, Rubellian has only seen the stupid act I put on.

I slowly stepped backward while scanning Rubellian.

At my appearance, Rubellian sighed lightly and pulled me toward him. Then he lightly flicked my forehead with his hand and spoke.

“If the treatment is bad, I should tell Mrs. Jena to treat you like a queen.”

When I stared at Rubellian with probing eyes, he kissed me teasingly with a smile.

“You must have some thoughts too.”

“Well, that’s true… But it’s still strange how at ease you are. Do you know what kind of person I am?”

“Though you’re usually a bit loose in the head…”

“What?”

“Weren’t you always the type to get sharp when it counted? Lately, that feeling seems to be missing.”

“What feeling?”

“The feeling of being an observer.”

At Rubellian’s words, I paused.

To think he’d notice that. He’s more perceptive than I thought?

Eventually, I had to conduct deep reflection on my past time, while simultaneously growing curious about my image in Rubellian’s mind.

Anyway, after the Crown Prince’s long and boring speech ended, the nobles scattered in small groups to achieve their purposes. Some nobles rushed to the Crown Prince to flatter him, and Rubellian and I were also surrounded by nobles.

Looking at the nobles surrounding us like fish in water, throwing in a word or two, I couldn’t help but feel a bit strange, remembering how certain people would use every connection they had just to flaunt their ties to me at social gatherings.

Well, whether it’s here or there.

“The Duchess is truly beautiful. When you first entered, I thought my eyes would go blind.”

If they haven’t gone blind yet, does that mean my beauty is lacking?

“Really, I envy His Grace. To welcome such a beautiful wife.”

I’m the pretty one, so why envy Rubellian?

While internally responding to people’s compliments one by one, I diligently honed my tackling skills so they wouldn’t rust.

How much time had passed like that? I suddenly turned my gaze toward the party hall entrance that had become noisy.

“Who’s here?”

At my words, the gazes of surrounding people all focused on the door.

Soon, the moment the door opened, I flinched at the figure walking steadily forward.

“Oh my, His Highness Prince Heron, the Second Prince, has arrived, and the person next to him is…!”

“It’s His Highness Prince Runen, the Third Prince.”

Ah, the Second and Third Princes came.

“Didn’t His Highness the Second Prince go traveling abroad? I thought His Highness the Third Prince temporarily left the palace for knight training, but both must have returned for His Highness the Crown Prince’s party.”

At the murmuring of a noble who was clearly playing the role of exposition, I looked at the princes. The Third Prince was quite unfamiliar since he wasn’t mentioned much in the original work, but the Second Prince was familiar since I’d seen him before while pestering the Crown Prince.

Actually, the Second Prince was a typical gentle and caring sub-male lead. Because of that, I initially thought about seducing him—

“You’ve come, my dear younger brother.”

But the relationship between the Second Prince and Crown Prince was too bad, so if I tried to seduce the Second Prince, the Crown Prince would probably kill me first.

I clicked my tongue while alternately looking at the Crown Prince’s greeting that radiated cold air and the Second Prince who was smiling elegantly.

They haven’t changed a bit. Two brothers locked in a power struggle, all while the female lead was just over there, caught in the middle.

Then, Rubellian spoke.

“Don’t have contact with Prince Runen.”

I, who had been so focused on the two brothers’ power struggle that I’d almost overlooked Third Prince Runen like a transparent person, raised my face.

“Why? Is he a dangerous person?”

When I made a somewhat anxious expression since he was a character who barely appeared in the original work, Rubellian blocked my front and nodded.

“He’s a dangerous person to you.”

“Gasp. Why, why? Does he envy and resent pretty women? A beauty hunter?”

“……”

“I’m joking, joking.”

At Rubellian’s dumbfounded look, I laughed awkwardly. I should probably reduce my spontaneous jokes a bit.

“Oh my, His Highness the Third Prince is coming this way.”

As soon as the noble lady beside me finished speaking, Rubellian’s hand, shielding me behind him, tightened slightly. Curious about why he was like this, I tried to peek my head around him, but Rubellian pushed my head back behind him again and bowed to the Third Prince.

“I greet His Highness the Third Prince.”

“Who’s the lady behind you? I haven’t heard of the Duke having a younger sister.”

The Third Prince’s voice was quite low and polite, but it had a different feeling from Rubellian’s. While Rubellian’s voice was courteous and warm, laced with a subtle coolness, this man’s voice carried the restrained discipline of a knight.

Still, if something about it felt strangely out of place, was I simply imagining things?

At the Third Prince’s question, Rubellian replied coldly.

“She is my wife.”

“…What?”

I felt the Third Prince pause for a moment. My mood soured at that voice full of disbelief. What’s wrong with me?

“She is my wife, Your Highness. Since she has a delicate constitution and is excessively shy about meeting people, she cannot greet you directly—”

“Let me take a look.”

That’s when it happened.As the Third Prince’s voice rang out, Rubellian extended his hand.

Thud—

When the sound of grabbing something was heard, the noble standing beside us took a sharp breath.

What? Don’t tell me…

“Duke?”

“This is not proper etiquette toward a lady, Your Highness.”

“I am a knight. I don’t pledge loyalty to ladies.”

I gaped while looking at Rubellian’s hand firmly gripping the Third Prince’s arm. Don’t tell me that bastard was trying to pull me out from behind Rubellian…

Is coveting other men’s women an imperial family trait?

I took a breath while looking at Rubellian’s hand firmly gripping the Third Prince’s arm.

Since I’d never seen Rubellian use force before, I naturally assumed he was more skilled in literary than martial arts. But to be holding onto a knight—the Third Prince—so tightly that he can’t even free his arm?

This is going to be a fight.

This damn beauty of mine. Just be moderately pretty! No wait, why is this because I’m pretty? It’s not because I’m pretty but because that bastard is underdeveloped!

How long did this standoff continue?

While I was pondering what to do, the Crown Prince approached from afar.

“What is this about, Runen?”

The Second Prince behind the Crown Prince also frowned and spoke to the Third Prince.

“Runen, surely you weren’t trying to lay hands on the Duchess?”

“I was merely trying to greet a new lady as a knight.”

“When have you ever known all the ladies in the world? You just seem to have lost your mind over the Duchess’s beauty.”

I was impressed by the Second Prince’s sharp wit that hit the bone.

Then, the Crown Prince stopped Rubellian’s hand.

“Duke, please release Runen’s arm now.”

“Regrettably, my wife seems to encounter difficulties whenever she enters the imperial palace.”

“Isn’t that because the Duchess is beautiful?”

“My wife is beautiful outside the imperial palace as well.”

“……”

“I can roughly guess where the problem originates.”

At the words that basically said the imperial family was the problem, the Crown Prince’s face changed strangely, but whether recognizing there were many watching eyes around or genuinely agreeing with those words, he soon turned his gaze to the Third Prince.

“Runen, convey your apology to the Duke.”

“Brother!”

“You are in the wrong.”

Eventually, the Third Prince offered an apology with a displeased face, though it had no sincerity whatsoever.

Rubellian, who had no particular interest in his sincerity from the beginning, obediently released his arm.

After only suffering the humiliation of being caught by Rubellian without even seeing my face, the Third Prince was dragged away by the Second Prince to another location.

As I let out a slight sigh of relief, Countess Alke and several ladies I’d met at the previous tea time approached me.

“Duchess, are you alright?”

“Oh my, you must have been quite startled.”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Although His Highness the Third Prince is a knight, he often has scandals with ladies.”

At Countess Alke’s troubled words, I frowned. So that’s why Rubellian reacted so sensitively.

Countess Alke glanced at Rubellian, who was conversing with the Crown Prince, and whispered softly.

“But I’ve never seen His Grace Duke Florence come on so strongly.”

Yes, it’s my first time too.

“I used to think he was someone difficult to approach no matter how polite, but seeing him love you so much, he’s quite the devoted husband, isn’t he?”

“He’s a good person.”

“That’s right, a husband who loves his wife can’t be a bad person.”

“I’m envious.”

…Are these people naive, or do they really not know about worldly affairs?

Instead of blushing at the ladies’ compliments, I smiled at them.

Soon the ladies chattered and left, and as if there had never been a commotion, quiet returned around me. Just then, Rubellian, who had finished his conversation with the Crown Prince, also approached my side.

“From now on, don’t associate with the Third Prince at all.”

“Would that be up to me?”

“If necessary, I can kill him.”

“…Th-that’s a bit extreme.”

However, Rubellian’s face held no playfulness. At the thoroughly frozen atmosphere, I smiled and said.

“I should have been a little less pretty. Right? Why am I so pretty that it causes such chaos?”

“No, that’s not your problem.”

“What?”

“The Gellin problem was like that, and this incident too. You’re not at fault at all.”

At his serious face, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“That’s true.”

There’s a saying called “beautiful woman, source of disaster.” It’s often used to mean “a beautiful woman is the source of all troubles,” but thinking about it, what crime is it being born pretty?

If the saying “beautiful woman, source of disaster” really applied, Charlina should have met death for the crime of being too beautiful.

But don’t we all know? Charlina died firstly because the Emperor is a bastard, secondly because the Empress was twisted, and thirdly because of those ridiculous rumors by the nobles.

I took Rubellian’s hand.

“I know that too. I was just saying.”

“Right.”

“But I’m curious about something. Have you perhaps learned martial arts— no, what martial arts? Have you learned swordsmanship?”

“That’s an essential accomplishment for any noble family heir.”

“Ah, I know that. I just didn’t know you could subdue even the Third Prince. I thought you were frail.”

“…Frail?”

Rubellian looked at me as if dumbfounded.

“No, you’ve never used strength in front of me.”

“Because you refused.”

“When did I refuse… No, not that kind of strength!”

I smacked Rubellian’s shoulder. At that, Rubellian looked at me and chuckled.

“There’s no need to use strength on you, is there?”

“Do I look that harmless?”

“In terms of physical force? Well, your attack power has developed in other areas.”

“Where?”

“Here.”

Suddenly soft lips crashed into mine. At his tickling kiss that melted me, I felt proud for no reason and smiled brightly.

“That’s right? My mouth really came from hell, didn’t it?”

Instead of answering, Rubellian kissed me once more. Warmth touched me with a sharp smacking sound, only to slip away again. Finding that strangely regrettable, I lightly touched my lips with my finger.

* * *

Scanning the waltz music filling the hall, the dresses forming circles, and the swirling wine, I raised an eyebrow at the ripened party atmosphere.

Come to think of it, something should be happening soon…

What is the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet for? Of course, it’s a party for people who came to celebrate the Crown Prince’s birthday, but anyway, to me it was like the starting point of the original work.

In that sense, with a face half expectant and half anxious as I scanned the banquet hall—

“Oh, ooh, oooh— it begins.”

Looking at people going to Rachel with obviously unfriendly faces, I made a face full of joy and anticipation.

Finally they’re starting to pick a fight with the female protagonist!

The group in gorgeous dresses, as if clearly showing they were nobles occupying the center of high society, each held their heads high beautifully and proudly.

As I scanned their faces one by one, I soon frowned seeing a familiar face among them.

Was Melina Barnes in that group? Melina doesn’t have a reason to pick a fight with Rachel yet, does she?

I remember she started framing Rachel because Rachel smoothly handled this situation and the Crown Prince showed interest in Rachel… How did this happen?

While I looked at them with puzzled eyes, Melina, who had boldly stepped in front of Rachel through the priests’ glares, snapped open her fan.

Looking at her confident face, completely different from when she talked with me a few days ago, I couldn’t help but make an interested expression. She was fluttering like a dying leaf then, so why is she like this today?

“I greet the Saint.”

At Melina’s greeting, Rachel, who had been sitting like a folding screen, stood up.

Seeing this, Melina smiled brightly.

“To grace us with your presence on His Highness the Crown Prince’s birthday, truly the Saint has such a kind heart. I’m truly honored beyond measure.”

…Why is she praising Rachel for coming to the Crown Prince’s birthday banquet?

I narrowed my eyes slightly at Melina’s attitude of acting like the hostess. She acted like she was abandoned by the Crown Prince last time, so why is she suddenly like this today?

Feeling somewhat puzzled and blinking, Melina continued.

“You’ve been sitting in the same spot continuously, so I worried you might be bored.”

“I’m fine.”

“Looking at it, you don’t seem to have any close friends either, how lonely you must be.”

No, why wouldn’t she have any! She’s close with me!

But Rachel only lowered her head slightly as if embarrassed.

“Ah, I lack courage so I can’t carelessly speak to the young ladies and noble ladies of high society…”

…Oh dear.

“Oh my, I see. Then may I become the Saint’s friend?”

“Ah.”

Rachel’s eyes widened in shock before she slowly shook her head, struggling with the thought.

“No. How could I dare…”

“The Saint is the most revered person in the temple, so why do you say ‘how could I dare’?”

“That’s not it—”

“Or did you perhaps read some unpleasant energy from me?”

Melina smiled with twinkling eyes, chuckling.

When Rachel, who couldn’t manage her expression for a moment, frowned, Melina drooped the corners of her mouth and said.

“Oh my, it seems to be true.”

“That’s not it, my lady.”

“Well, if she felt uneasy just seeing His Highness the Crown Prince, how much worse must she feel about me, his fiancée? I get it.”

Melina nodded as if she understood everything.

However, at her loud voice, the surrounding people actually began to murmur.

“To say she feels bad about His Highness the Crown Prince…”

“The Saint said that?”

“Such rudeness…!”

Rachel, who instantly became subject to the nobles’ murmuring, blinked in bewilderment. However, without giving her a chance to explain, a young lady standing behind Melina made a fuss.

“My goodness, for the Saint to say such things! Really, how rude.”

“Exactly. I heard she’s someone who even killed her own family.”

Then, at Melina’s elegant murmur, the entire place fell quiet.

‘Someone who even killed her own family.’

Pondering the meaning of those words, I finally realized she was referring to the incident when Rachel was young and accidentally caused her mother’s death by pouring too much holy power into her while she lay sick in bed.

Rachel’s face had turned white. Looking at her trembling eyes and shaking hands, I eventually pressed my forehead.

This is dangerous. The fact that Rachel’s mother died from excessive holy power injection is Rachel’s most painful spot that only comes out in the later part…!

But Melina only whispered affectionately with a sly smile.

“It’s alright, Saint.”

“……”

“Surely a person can’t live without making mistakes once in their life.”

“Th-that’s not it. I…”

“It’s just that it happened to be your ‘mother’ by coincidence.”

“……”

“The one who lost her life because of the Saint.”

Though spoken in a gentle tone, the content was not gentle at all.

At the sound flowing from Melina’s lips, not only the surrounding people but I also had to cover my mouth.

Look at that cruel and vicious thing.

At Melina’s words, Rachel’s eyes trembled.

She had only tried to save her mother. She thought she could save people because it was warm light. How could she have known it was also a power that could kill people? Especially a mere six-year-old.

The fact that she had taken her mother’s life with her own hands was a wound that could never be healed throughout Rachel’s entire life.

And it was the Crown Prince who healed that wound.

I hardened my face. How does Melina know that? This was Rachel’s cruel secret known only to a very few. Unless someone investigated Rachel’s background, it would have to remain secret.

‘Did she investigate separately? But what connection is there between Melina and Rachel that she would investigate that?’

Ah, there is a fundamental thread connecting Rachel and Melina.

The Crown Prince.

In the original work, the reason Melina hated Rachel was because the Crown Prince showed interest in Rachel.

But currently, the Crown Prince had no favorable feelings toward Rachel. Then the reason that Melina was jealous of Rachel is ruled out.

The assumption that heavenly noble lady Melina, who has no particular interest in worldly affairs, suddenly became interested in the temple’s saint and stepped forward herself also doesn’t make sense.

Well, then the final hypothesis is…

I raised my head and scanned the party hall. When everyone’s gaze was directed toward Melina and Rachel, I spotted the Crown Prince looking down from the upper floor with a cold face and curled up the corners of my mouth.

Found him.

The Crown Prince reigned on the second floor like an elegant predator, holding wine in one hand.

Like an emperor who had all the chess pieces in his hands and was moving them, his face was terribly cold, making me admit for this moment at least that he and Rubellian were half-related by blood.

As expected, Melina is…

It was the moment when the murmuring of people who had only been watching each other’s reactions between Melina, who looked at Rachel with a subtle smile, and Rachel, whose face had now turned completely white, was reaching its climax.