When Perdes heard from Harness that the Crown Prince had come, he naturally recalled the conversation he had had with Adele before.
“If the Emperor finds out that I entered the Knight Academy, he will definitely send someone. Since the Second Prince went abroad to study, the Crown Prince will probably come himself.”
Chernosser left for study abroad about three days after the Sunflower Festival ended.
If he had gone a little earlier, they wouldn't have met then.
Suddenly recalling that incident, Perdes clicked his tongue inwardly and continued to recall the conversation he had with Adele.
“Don’t be afraid even if the Crown Prince comes. He just came to assess the situation on behalf of the Emperor.”
Perdes was about to tell Adele that he had nothing to fear from the Crown Prince but then asked her something else.
“What are you planning to do with this situation? Without you, the Emperor won’t be able to have the child he wants anyway.”
“Well, I don’t know about that part since it’s the first time I’ve been absent.”
“Yes? What does that mean?”
Perdes asked for an unknown word, but all he got in return was an awkward laugh.
Adele flexibly changed the subject of the conversation, leaving Perdes unable to ask again.
After that, he forgot that they had that conversation so he didn't ask, but when he thought about it again, it was really strange.
'I think there's something.'
Let's ask her together while he tells her about the Crown Prince's visit.
“What would you like to do, Mr. Perdes?”
While Perdes was thinking about this and that, Harness asked again.
“What should I do? We have to meet.”
Perdes didn't want to meet him, but he was the Crown Prince.
Since it was obvious that he had come on the Emperor's behalf, he had to meet him no matter what.
First of all, externally, he must be on the Emperor's side, not Adele's.
That was the role of the double agent Perdes.
'I wish Chernosser had come instead.'
Chernosser was a very choleric man and not very good at hiding his feelings, so he was easy to deal with, but the Crown Prince was not.
Although he may not be as strong as the Emperor, he was a type that had a few snakes inside him, so he was difficult to deal with.
“Where is the Crown Prince?”
“First, I invited him to the reception room.”
"Alright."
Perdes headed to the reception room, calculating the various scenarios of how the Crown Prince might react.
The Crown Prince, who was looking at the decorations that made up the reception room, turned around when he heard the door opening.
The corners of his lips rose smoothly as he soon discovered Perdes.
“It’s been a while, Perdes. How have you been?”
It was a lively greeting that made people who didn't know anything about it look like brothers who were usually very close.
However, the eyes looking at Perdes were filled with all sorts of negative emotions, such as irritation, doubt, and suspicion.
Perdes only had to make eye contact with the Crown Prince once to know deep down that he hated him.
But the reason he didn't feel bad or anything like that was because Perdes also hated the Crown Prince.
Was it just the Crown Prince?
“If the Emperor finds out that I entered the Knight Academy, he will definitely send someone. Since the Second Prince went abroad to study, the Crown Prince will probably come himself.”
Chernosser left for study abroad about three days after the Sunflower Festival ended.
If he had gone a little earlier, they wouldn't have met then.
Suddenly recalling that incident, Perdes clicked his tongue inwardly and continued to recall the conversation he had with Adele.
“Don’t be afraid even if the Crown Prince comes. He just came to assess the situation on behalf of the Emperor.”
Perdes was about to tell Adele that he had nothing to fear from the Crown Prince but then asked her something else.
“What are you planning to do with this situation? Without you, the Emperor won’t be able to have the child he wants anyway.”
“Well, I don’t know about that part since it’s the first time I’ve been absent.”
“Yes? What does that mean?”
Perdes asked for an unknown word, but all he got in return was an awkward laugh.
Adele flexibly changed the subject of the conversation, leaving Perdes unable to ask again.
After that, he forgot that they had that conversation so he didn't ask, but when he thought about it again, it was really strange.
'I think there's something.'
Let's ask her together while he tells her about the Crown Prince's visit.
“What would you like to do, Mr. Perdes?”
While Perdes was thinking about this and that, Harness asked again.
“What should I do? We have to meet.”
Perdes didn't want to meet him, but he was the Crown Prince.
Since it was obvious that he had come on the Emperor's behalf, he had to meet him no matter what.
First of all, externally, he must be on the Emperor's side, not Adele's.
That was the role of the double agent Perdes.
'I wish Chernosser had come instead.'
Chernosser was a very choleric man and not very good at hiding his feelings, so he was easy to deal with, but the Crown Prince was not.
Although he may not be as strong as the Emperor, he was a type that had a few snakes inside him, so he was difficult to deal with.
“Where is the Crown Prince?”
“First, I invited him to the reception room.”
"Alright."
Perdes headed to the reception room, calculating the various scenarios of how the Crown Prince might react.
The Crown Prince, who was looking at the decorations that made up the reception room, turned around when he heard the door opening.
The corners of his lips rose smoothly as he soon discovered Perdes.
“It’s been a while, Perdes. How have you been?”
It was a lively greeting that made people who didn't know anything about it look like brothers who were usually very close.
However, the eyes looking at Perdes were filled with all sorts of negative emotions, such as irritation, doubt, and suspicion.
Perdes only had to make eye contact with the Crown Prince once to know deep down that he hated him.
But the reason he didn't feel bad or anything like that was because Perdes also hated the Crown Prince.
Was it just the Crown Prince?
Perdes hated the entire royal family. If possible, he would have drained all the royal blood flowing in his body and eliminated all contact with them.
Perdes, feeling sorry for the impossible reality, offered the Crown Prince a seat.
“Please... sit down, brother.”
It had been a long time since he took off his foolish mask, but he thought it would be good to act somewhat foolish in front of the royal family, so Perdes deliberately smiled like an idiot and spoke slowly.
Then the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and looked at Perdes.
He heard that Perdes had been completely cured of his dementia and was living like a normal person.
Is that all?
Perdes, feeling sorry for the impossible reality, offered the Crown Prince a seat.
“Please... sit down, brother.”
It had been a long time since he took off his foolish mask, but he thought it would be good to act somewhat foolish in front of the royal family, so Perdes deliberately smiled like an idiot and spoke slowly.
Then the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and looked at Perdes.
He heard that Perdes had been completely cured of his dementia and was living like a normal person.
Is that all?
He heard that Perdes was doing the work of Duke Leopold and his estate in place of Adele, who suddenly entered the Royal Academy of the United Kingdom.
But the Perdes he saw with his own eyes still looked like a fool.
It seemed like things had gotten better than before, but it was hard to see him as a normal person.
'Was it just a rumor?'
Of course, there was no way that the dementia he had suffered from for 16 years could be cured in a short time.
Then he guesses he doesn't have to be so vigilant. The Crown Prince relaxed his tension a little and sat down in the seat of honor.
“What is going on here?”
Perdes, sitting next to him, asked directly.
The Crown Prince was a little annoyed by the somewhat rude way of speaking, telling him to stop talking nonsense and just say what he wanted to say, but he said nothing.
There was no way that Perdes would understand what he said to the fool, and he also wanted to finish his business quickly and return to the palace.
“I heard that Adele Leopold went to the Royal Union Academy. Do you know why she suddenly made that decision?”
“It’s because of me.”
Since this was an expected question, Perdes gave a prepared answer.
“She left, saying that she would become a knight instead of myself since I could not become one. To become a Duke, you need to be a knight.”
“Does that mean Adele Leopold wants to become a Duke?”
Yes, of course, she should become a Saint Duke.
“No. I should be the Duke.”
Perdes said things that were completely different from what he really meant, but he acted as if he really meant it.
Because that's the only way to protect Adele.
"Yes."
The Crown Prince, who was completely captivated by Perdes' acting skills that he had honed for 16 years, smiled in satisfaction.
“Even though you’re stupid, you’re still greedy. Just like Chernosser.”
Then he laughed at and cursed at Perdes and Chernosser together.
He was a half-idiot who was despised by most royals, but not Chernosser.
Moreover, he is the same full brother as the Crown Prince and was born on the same boat, so how can he say something like that?
'With humanity.'
Perdes clicked his tongue inwardly but smiled outwardly as if he knew nothing.
The Crown Prince looked at Perdes with pitiful eyes and asked.
“Is it true that you are the final decision-maker on behalf of Adele Leopold?”
“Yes. It’s bang bang.”
As Perdes made a gesture of stamping his seal, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue and muttered.
“As expected, you just stamp the documents the managers create.”
How could that be?
From beginning to end, he carefully checked to make sure there were no mistakes, and not miss a single period.
Perdes didn't want the Crown Prince to know that, but he was a little annoyed when he heard him say that.
The Crown Prince stroked his chin, thought for a moment, then stood up.
“Give me guidance.”
Guide me, where?
When Perdes stared blankly at the unknown order, the Crown Prince frowned and shouted.
“What are you doing sitting there like an idiot? Hurry up and show me to the office.”
The office the Crown Prince was talking about was definitely Adele's office.
But, being guided there means that he wants to see the documents of Duke Leopold's family.
Even if you were a member of the royal family, you couldn't freely look at the family documents.
It was absurd and unsettling to hear the Crown Prince say something like that since he could not possibly be unaware of the fact.
Perdes doesn't know what the Crown Prince wants, but one thing he knows for sure is that it would be of no benefit to him if he gave in to it.
'I have to stop it somehow.'
Having reached that conclusion, Perdes stood up, hiding his anxious feelings behind a bright smile.
“Then the butler has the key, so I will ask him to bring it to me.”
It was a blatant lie. He had the key to the office, but he said it to buy time.
Then the Crown Prince frowned.
“If you are the one who makes the final decision, why did you entrust the key to your office to a mere butler?”
“I don’t know. Adele said to do that.”
If someone else had said this, they would have been called the world's biggest fool, but Perdes could do it.
Because in the Crown Prince's mind, Perdes was already a fool.
The Crown Prince waved his hand and put his hand on his head as if he had a headache.
“Haa, hurry up and get the key from the butler.”
"Yes."
Perdes, who came out of the reception room right away, asked a servant who was waiting.
“Tell Harness to light three or four candles on my desk in my office.”
When asked to light a candle in broad daylight, the servant seemed puzzled but agreed.
Perdes asked another servant to bring him a robe with wide sleeves.
After a while, when the servants who had completed their mission returned, Perdes put on his outer garment and entered the reception room, shaking it as if he had just received the key.
“I brought the keys.”
The Crown Prince frowned at the sight of Perdes' outer garment.
“What’s that funny coat?”
“I wore it because it was cold. Isn’t it pretty?”
When Perdes asked foolishly, his wide sleeves flapping like wings, the Crown Prince turned his head with a frown.
“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and lead the way.”
“This way.”
Perdes took the Crown Prince into his office.
On the desk where the papers were piled up was a candle that Harness had lit.
“This is the office.”
After confirming this, Perdes made big movements like a comical clown and introduced the office to the Crown Prince.
“This is a bookshelf, this is a desk, and this is...”
When Perdes, who had picked up the documents, made a large movement of his arm, the candle that had hit his wide sleeve fell limply and caught fire on the documents.
“...!”
The Crown Prince, who saw the fire spreading rapidly, quickly devouring the documents, quickly left the office, fearing that sparks might fly to him.
Until then, Perdes had been stamping his feet as if he didn't know what to do, but as soon as the Crown Prince left, his expression changed and he put out the fire with water from the kettle.
The desk was specially treated to be fireproof, so the fire did not spread to anything other than the documents and was quickly extinguished.
Perdes, who had hurriedly brought a bucket of water from a servant who had seen the fire, put out all the remaining sparks and fiddled with the charred paper that was beyond recognition.
“What is this...”
Aldor, who came to see the Crown Prince after hearing the news of his arrival, was shocked when he saw the charred documents and asked Perdes.
“Could it be that you did this on purpose to avoid showing the family documents to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
"Yes."
“You were reckless.”
At those words, Perdes turned to Aldor. Aldor spoke without averting his gaze.
“If you do this, you won’t know what documents are included, so it will interfere with your work...”
“Who said I didn’t know what kind of document it was?”
Aldor paused at the question that had been asked before cutting off his speech and asking again.
“So you remember everything?”
"Yes."
Perdes laughed, sitting on the edge of the desk.
“Don’t worry, I remember every single word, including what documents there were and what was written in them.”
But the Perdes he saw with his own eyes still looked like a fool.
It seemed like things had gotten better than before, but it was hard to see him as a normal person.
'Was it just a rumor?'
Of course, there was no way that the dementia he had suffered from for 16 years could be cured in a short time.
Then he guesses he doesn't have to be so vigilant. The Crown Prince relaxed his tension a little and sat down in the seat of honor.
“What is going on here?”
Perdes, sitting next to him, asked directly.
The Crown Prince was a little annoyed by the somewhat rude way of speaking, telling him to stop talking nonsense and just say what he wanted to say, but he said nothing.
There was no way that Perdes would understand what he said to the fool, and he also wanted to finish his business quickly and return to the palace.
“I heard that Adele Leopold went to the Royal Union Academy. Do you know why she suddenly made that decision?”
“It’s because of me.”
Since this was an expected question, Perdes gave a prepared answer.
“She left, saying that she would become a knight instead of myself since I could not become one. To become a Duke, you need to be a knight.”
“Does that mean Adele Leopold wants to become a Duke?”
Yes, of course, she should become a Saint Duke.
“No. I should be the Duke.”
Perdes said things that were completely different from what he really meant, but he acted as if he really meant it.
Because that's the only way to protect Adele.
"Yes."
The Crown Prince, who was completely captivated by Perdes' acting skills that he had honed for 16 years, smiled in satisfaction.
“Even though you’re stupid, you’re still greedy. Just like Chernosser.”
Then he laughed at and cursed at Perdes and Chernosser together.
He was a half-idiot who was despised by most royals, but not Chernosser.
Moreover, he is the same full brother as the Crown Prince and was born on the same boat, so how can he say something like that?
'With humanity.'
Perdes clicked his tongue inwardly but smiled outwardly as if he knew nothing.
The Crown Prince looked at Perdes with pitiful eyes and asked.
“Is it true that you are the final decision-maker on behalf of Adele Leopold?”
“Yes. It’s bang bang.”
As Perdes made a gesture of stamping his seal, the Crown Prince clicked his tongue and muttered.
“As expected, you just stamp the documents the managers create.”
How could that be?
From beginning to end, he carefully checked to make sure there were no mistakes, and not miss a single period.
Perdes didn't want the Crown Prince to know that, but he was a little annoyed when he heard him say that.
The Crown Prince stroked his chin, thought for a moment, then stood up.
“Give me guidance.”
Guide me, where?
When Perdes stared blankly at the unknown order, the Crown Prince frowned and shouted.
“What are you doing sitting there like an idiot? Hurry up and show me to the office.”
The office the Crown Prince was talking about was definitely Adele's office.
But, being guided there means that he wants to see the documents of Duke Leopold's family.
Even if you were a member of the royal family, you couldn't freely look at the family documents.
It was absurd and unsettling to hear the Crown Prince say something like that since he could not possibly be unaware of the fact.
Perdes doesn't know what the Crown Prince wants, but one thing he knows for sure is that it would be of no benefit to him if he gave in to it.
'I have to stop it somehow.'
Having reached that conclusion, Perdes stood up, hiding his anxious feelings behind a bright smile.
“Then the butler has the key, so I will ask him to bring it to me.”
It was a blatant lie. He had the key to the office, but he said it to buy time.
Then the Crown Prince frowned.
“If you are the one who makes the final decision, why did you entrust the key to your office to a mere butler?”
“I don’t know. Adele said to do that.”
If someone else had said this, they would have been called the world's biggest fool, but Perdes could do it.
Because in the Crown Prince's mind, Perdes was already a fool.
The Crown Prince waved his hand and put his hand on his head as if he had a headache.
“Haa, hurry up and get the key from the butler.”
"Yes."
Perdes, who came out of the reception room right away, asked a servant who was waiting.
“Tell Harness to light three or four candles on my desk in my office.”
When asked to light a candle in broad daylight, the servant seemed puzzled but agreed.
Perdes asked another servant to bring him a robe with wide sleeves.
After a while, when the servants who had completed their mission returned, Perdes put on his outer garment and entered the reception room, shaking it as if he had just received the key.
“I brought the keys.”
The Crown Prince frowned at the sight of Perdes' outer garment.
“What’s that funny coat?”
“I wore it because it was cold. Isn’t it pretty?”
When Perdes asked foolishly, his wide sleeves flapping like wings, the Crown Prince turned his head with a frown.
“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and lead the way.”
“This way.”
Perdes took the Crown Prince into his office.
On the desk where the papers were piled up was a candle that Harness had lit.
“This is the office.”
After confirming this, Perdes made big movements like a comical clown and introduced the office to the Crown Prince.
“This is a bookshelf, this is a desk, and this is...”
When Perdes, who had picked up the documents, made a large movement of his arm, the candle that had hit his wide sleeve fell limply and caught fire on the documents.
“...!”
The Crown Prince, who saw the fire spreading rapidly, quickly devouring the documents, quickly left the office, fearing that sparks might fly to him.
Until then, Perdes had been stamping his feet as if he didn't know what to do, but as soon as the Crown Prince left, his expression changed and he put out the fire with water from the kettle.
The desk was specially treated to be fireproof, so the fire did not spread to anything other than the documents and was quickly extinguished.
Perdes, who had hurriedly brought a bucket of water from a servant who had seen the fire, put out all the remaining sparks and fiddled with the charred paper that was beyond recognition.
“What is this...”
Aldor, who came to see the Crown Prince after hearing the news of his arrival, was shocked when he saw the charred documents and asked Perdes.
“Could it be that you did this on purpose to avoid showing the family documents to His Highness the Crown Prince?”
"Yes."
“You were reckless.”
At those words, Perdes turned to Aldor. Aldor spoke without averting his gaze.
“If you do this, you won’t know what documents are included, so it will interfere with your work...”
“Who said I didn’t know what kind of document it was?”
Aldor paused at the question that had been asked before cutting off his speech and asking again.
“So you remember everything?”
"Yes."
Perdes laughed, sitting on the edge of the desk.
“Don’t worry, I remember every single word, including what documents there were and what was written in them.”
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