Chapter 48: A Princess Must Counter Another Princess’ Tyranny part 1
Objectively speaking, the current Crown Prince was indeed quite handsome. However, it was clear that Fay had no particular romantic interest in him. If she had, she would have found every excuse to rush to the palace at any given opportunity. At most, she acknowledged his good looks with a passing thought.
In other words, while the Crown Prince’s face was pleasant to look at, it posed no threat to her heart, or so Lucius believed.
Having quickly discerned that Fay’s words just now were not heartfelt, he remained indifferent.
“So, when do you plan on going?”
“I don’t have any pressing matters to attend to, so I’ll head there tomorrow. It’s best to go early to avoid unnecessary encounters. Lucius, if you’re bored, why don’t you come along?”
Fay invited Lucius to accompany her. If he handed her another suspicious bottle of liquid during this visit to the palace, she would make sure to check the label before consuming it.
She would not make the same mistake again!
Contrary to Fay’s thoughts, Lucius was simply thrilled.
Perfect! He didn’t care about anything else, but he certainly wouldn’t allow the scheming nobles of the palace to tease or take advantage of Fay.
With his mind preoccupied with such thoughts, he was pleased that she had suggested going sooner rather than later.
— — —
When the new year arrived, Fay once again found herself face to face with the Crown Prince. A subtle nobility emanated from him.
“It has been a while, Lady Fay.”
“Your Highness, I trust you have been well?”
“Indeed.”
Seated impeccably without a single flaw in his posture, the Crown Prince’s presence alone was enough to inspire admiration.
If Kassel was the very embodiment of a perfect knight, then Sillas was the epitome of elegance and power molded into a single being. And Lucius…?
‘Why am I thinking about Lucius here? He’s standing right next to me, for goodness’ sake!’
Though Fay still addressed Lucius formally, she had unconsciously dropped the honorifics. Neither she nor Lucius found this strange.
Well, in any case, Lucius was undeniably handsome. Nowhere else could one find such flawless silver hair. Typically, silver had hints of gray mixed in, but his was completely pristine. Fay struggled to resist the urge to steal glances at him.
Sillas poured himself a cup of tea, dismissed the attendants, and got straight to the point.
“I will be escorting Lady Klein to the Spring Ball.”
Crash—
For a brief moment, Fay thought she had dropped her teacup. However, it was merely an illusion.
She neither trembled nor showed any sign of fear. Seated gracefully before the Crown Prince, her well-practiced etiquette did not betray her. She was even able to compose a calm response to his startling declaration.
“I see.”
Hearing someone else speak of the position that should have been hers, especially when it was referred to as belonging to another, felt strangely surreal.
When she had nearly escaped from the monastery, she had vowed never to look back. So why did this feel so unsettling now? What was this emotion?
Dott had taken the title of Lady Klein and died almost immediately after. As a result, Fay had never truly seen Dott act in that role. Yet, a nauseating unease stirred in her stomach.
“On the surface, it appeared to be solely Duke Klein’s request, but the true mastermind was the Duchess, who subtly masked her intentions behind a fan.”
“…”
That was valuable information.
At the very least, one thing was clear – Duchess Klein was still devoted to Dott, just as before.
“The esteemed Duke, who is usually so dignified, practically begged me to grant this favor. I found it difficult to refuse, especially given the efforts the Klein family made during my seclusion.”
“I see….”
Within that favor, Kassel’s efforts, his hardships in treacherous lands, were surely included.
Sillas, maintaining an impassive expression, continued, “Their goal is to formally introduce their daughter to high society while significantly elevating her status. My personal involvement as her escort will be excessively scrutinized. Without a doubt.”
“There is no way to reverse this decision, is there?”
“Correct. However, I cannot allow my position to become a subject of debate. Regardless of who the other party is, now is not the right time for such discussions.”
Were they trying to manipulate his favor for their own gain?
Fay had seen such tactics countless times during her days as Eina. But to think Duchess Klein would go so far as to maneuver the Crown Prince himself…
It was clear, just as before, the Duchess had fallen completely under Dott’s spell.
Of course. Unless he had completely abandoned the Klein family like Maurice, the situation was bound to unfold in a similar manner. In fact, since Dott was now officially acknowledged as their daughter, it would likely be even worse.
“So, you mean to escort Lady Klein while preventing the Klein family from leveraging it for their gain?”
“Precisely. Given the multitude of issues already at hand, allowing them to make noise will only cause further complications. I cannot afford to leave unresolved matters lingering. I must put an end to suspicions surrounding Duke Orleans and Marquis Hyante.”
Fay immediately grasped his intent.
“Then, we need to create a more compelling spectacle at the Spring Ball, one that overshadows Lady Klein’s debut.”
“You are as astute as ever.”
Instead of a humble response, Fay boldly proposed an audacious alternative.
“Your Highness, if it does not displease you, how about inviting Lady Manuela de Lâtel? I understand she has been absent from social gatherings for quite some time.”
“Another noble lady?”
“Yes. If she emerges from seclusion, Duke Orleans may reveal his true colors. It would also make it more difficult for others to speculate about Your Highness’ engagement.”
Sillas’ golden eyes gleamed with intrigue.
“Lady Fay, you never cease to amaze me. You are truly fearless.”
“I apologize.”
As Fay bowed slightly, Sillas’ smile deepened.
