Chapter 44
Left alone in the room, I took a moment to look around. With a comfortable chair and some simple snacks prepared, it seemed that the duchess had a personal lounge where she could rest when tired.
To have a personal lounge in the palace—it really showed the Duke’s family’s significant status. Just then, music began to drift in from outside.
I opened the door and stepped out. Approaching the stair railing, I could see the grand banquet hall on the first floor.
The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminated the vast space of the banquet hall dazzlingly. The place was adorned with golden decorations and splendid murals, showcasing the pinnacle of luxury.
“Hmm, those must be the Marquis and Marchioness Noir, and that elderly lady next to them looks like Countess Erlac.”
I used all the knowledge I had to guess the identities of those attending the ball. Being on the second floor had its advantages; it offered a chance to identify the noblemen of the capital from a distance.
It was easy to distinguish well-known nobles from their portraits. Of course, there were instances where the portraits were painted when they were too young or overly retouched. Still, portraits typically captured personal features, making identification not too difficult.
For nobles whose portraits I had never seen, I relied on information I had heard from the duchess. For example, identifying someone as a balding, short man waddling with a belly that looked like it might burst at any moment, or a lady who loved feather decorations so much that her hair was completely covered in feathers—these were the kinds of details I used.
Information, information…
I leaned my arms on the railing and pondered.
Even if I put the matter of counterfeit currency on hold for a moment, there was still another issue to address: securing a reliable source of information for both my father and me.
“Surely, signing a contract with one of the information guilds would be the quickest solution, right?”
Guilds are legally operating organizations that provide clients with what they need once a contract is established. This includes goods, mercenaries, and information.
I had planned to contract with one of the information guilds before leaving the capital. That way, I could supplement the lack of information about areas outside the Grand Duchy. Additionally, I could inquire about further details regarding the symbols left by the counterfeiters. An information guild might have more insights about that organization.
Just as I was thinking that I needed to find out which information guild was the most capable tomorrow, I suddenly heard a commotion behind me.
“…!”
Someone was arguing and heading in my direction. A young man was walking quickly in front, followed closely by a noblewoman.
I quickly hid behind the curtain.
The duchess said that no one could come up here, so who could it be?
“Persis!”
I immediately recognized their identities from just a single word.
With his flamboyant golden hair and upward-tilted golden eyes, the man who looked like an extremely angry cat was Prince Persis, whom I had met when I was a child.
Of course, being inside the palace, it was natural for royalty to come and go as they pleased. What the duchess meant was likely that only people from the duke’s family could enter, excluding royalty.
I stood behind the curtain, waiting for them to pass quickly. I didn’t want to reveal myself and make things uncomfortable with a forced greeting.
However, they happened to stop right in front of me.
“Stop it!”
“Persis!”
“I told you I wouldn’t talk to Mother anymore.”
“Persis, please listen to your mother.”
The lady’s voice was filled with emotion.
“You know I live only for you. You are all I have. I do this because you are my everything.”
“If you really cared about me, you wouldn’t do anything and just stay quiet. Don’t become the laughingstock of others!”
“That’s really too much. What have I done to deserve such harsh words…?”
Soon, the sound of crying followed. Unexpectedly caught in the middle of a family quarrel, I let out a quiet sigh.
Please, just finish this quickly and go. Why does it have to happen right in front of me?
Fortunately, the lady’s crying didn’t last long. It was clear her son showed no signs of comforting her.
“Alright, but remember, I’m saying this for your own good. You must seduce Lady Iskas today. That’s the only way you can claim the throne!”
What did she just say?
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. Do the nobles of the capital enjoy gossiping about others right in front of them? If you’re going to gossip, at least do it where there aren’t so many people around!
“The only family that can stand against the Duke of Acanthus is the Iskas Grand Duchy. Even if you give up your claim to the throne, royalty is still royalty. If you marry Lady Iskas, the throne could be yours.”
“Stop talking about that rude and fierce woman!”
Rude and fierce woman? Ha, that hellish mouth of his is still the same?
“It’s not worth getting so annoyed. Although the young duke is your friend, he’s not really providing any help, is he? Even if the lady’s mother has a low status, she still has noble blood running through her veins. That lineage doesn’t just disappear.”
“Only my mother would think that woman is so great.”
“Or is it because of the rumors about her being the ‘ugliest woman of the century’?”
At that, I put my hand on my head. Were there such rumors about me circulating all this time? Not just ugly, but the ‘ugliest woman of the century’? The rumors must have spread widely.
“Well, hearing the rumors, she doesn’t seem to be that good-looking. But what can you do? What you need right now is not a beautiful woman, but one who can support you. And that woman is the lady.”
“My mother is under one misconception: even if she were an unparalleled beauty, I absolutely dislike that woman!”
“Think about it. The lady will surely target the young duke. What will you do if the two end up marrying?”
“Mother, Hyun dislikes my sister. Didn’t you know that?”
Hyun dislikes the princess?
That was the first I had heard of it. In fact, I hadn’t had the chance to talk about the prince and princess with him until now.
But why does he dislike her? Is there a specific reason?
“That’s unknown. No one can predict the feelings between men and women. Just yesterday, they might have hated each other, and today, in an instant, they could fall in love. Did I want to live as the king’s mistress from the beginning? It was love, so there was nothing I could do.”
At that, a cynical laugh escaped me.
“Are you saying you became a mistress because you loved His Majesty? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard so far.”
“Persis…”
“Please leave now. This is not a place for my mother to come.”
I heard a deep sigh. Then I heard footsteps gradually moving away.
I was also waiting for the prince to leave quickly. However, at that moment, an unexpected voice rang out.
“Hey, why don’t you come out instead of eavesdropping?”
Damn, did he notice I was here? But eavesdropping? Let’s be clear: I was here first, and then you came!
“What kind of rat has hidden itself here…?”
Suddenly, the curtain was pulled aside. Prince Persis’s face was right in front of me.
His golden eyes widened in surprise for a moment. Contrary to my expectation that he would scold me for eavesdropping, he just looked at me with a somewhat dazed expression.
“……”
“……”
An unexpectedly long silence settled between us. What’s with that? What’s with that expression as if he’s seen something strange? Is he surprised to run into an old enemy in such a place?
Anyway, since he didn’t speak first, I decided to break the silence.
“It’s not correct to say I hid like a rat. I was here before you, Your Highness. And it’s also inaccurate to say I was eavesdropping. I have no interest in your conversation.”
At that, the prince’s expression changed slightly. Look at that! It was exactly that kind of expression.
“You have no interest?”
“To be precise, I have no interest in who among you and the princess will ascend to the throne. So let’s pretend I didn’t hear the conversation you just had here.”
“Strangely enough, that statement can be interpreted as meaning you have no interest in me at all.”
…Sharp as a tack.
The men from the North are all as dull as rocks, but the men from the capital are as sharp as foxes.
“…You seem like a face I haven’t seen before.”
From that remark, I realized he didn’t recognize me at all.
Well, it was so long ago that he wouldn’t remember my face at all.
“I’ve met you once before, Your Highness.”
At that, Persis looked surprised.
“We’ve met? Where?”
