It was a perfectly peaceful and sunny afternoon.
Today again, there was a lot of work piled up since morning due to the demands of the Eastern Gathering nobles, but this happens every day.
A beautiful sky where even a single cloud becomes a painting, a lush green garden, and warm sunshine.
Birds are chirping and the sound of families having just finished lunch strolling through the garden, chatting happily.
If it were his usual self, he would have been happy and contented to see all of this.
But not today.
“Master...”
“Hey, who would dare talk to me like that? I’ve told you many times not to pay any attention to me while I’m working.”
The mansion's butler, Yon, forced himself to swallow the sigh that was about to escape and continued to speak firmly.
“But you must get up now. It is almost time to leave.”
"Ha..."
Count Chaylor, who was called master by Yon, sighed deeply and began to tear at his hair.
Yon frowned as if he was not pleased with the sight, but he just waited for his master to get up on his own.
Since he visited the Illeston mansion a few days ago, he has been torturing himself by pulling out his hair like that every day.
“Yon, why don’t you go instead?”
“Master, that can’t be possible. You promised. Then, as the master of the Chaylor family, you should keep your promise.”
Count Chaylor.
He was a man who visited the Grand Duke of Illeston but was treated badly by the Eastern nobles.
“I have to meet her again!”
Horribly, horribly! It's scary.
He never thought that he would be cursed.
That's right, they said the curse was already over, and moreover, the curse of the Illeston family only appears on the members of the Illeston family!
He just knew it...
He had a terrible experience.
Count Chaylor in the mirror sees him and laughs, then jumps out and traps him in the mirror.
And what's worse, he acts like Count Chaylor.
He didn't want to get involved with the Grand Duke of Illestone, and he definitely didn't want to get involved with a woman whose status he didn't even know, so he had no choice but to live his life.
Be had no choice but to promise her that he would do 'anything'.
He was afraid that if he didn't give a satisfactory answer to the question of what he would do if she took him out, he would just leave it like this.
Those cheeky eyes and the corners of her mouth went up as if she found this situation funny as if she had been in it many times.
She would have been more than willing to disregard the dignity of life and lock him in the mirror.
Because she looked like a little devil, not human.
'Why did she look like that?'
The reason was something that even Count Chaylor was very curious about. She looked like just an ordinary girl on the outside, so why on earth did he feel that way that day?
That's because of the atmosphere, normally he wouldn't have even paid attention to such an impudent girl's contempt.
"Ha..."
As Count Chaylor sighed repeatedly, his secretary, who had been watching from the side, frowned as if he did not understand.
“Your Grace, if you really don’t want to go, why don’t you just say no? It’s only a verbal promise.”
If you just insist on not going, you can easily get out.
Even if it was a promise made by the Grand Duke's family, the girl said she wasn't even from the Grand Duke's family, and above all, he said he wouldn't go, so what could she do?
The Illeston family has lost all power to do anything to nobles who do not keep their promises, so it should be possible for him to refuse.
There's too much to lose by blindly keeping a promise to 'do anything'.
Above all, if a nobleman were to fulfill this promise of wiping the feet of a girl who they didn't even know, a great change would occur in the Cheylor household.
Of course, in a bad way.
She's sure Count Chaylor knows that. Why does she insist on going there?
Moreover, why is the butler, who should be stopping this, instead encouraging it?
His doubts were quickly resolved by the words of Count Chaylor, who took a deep breath.
“Would I want to go? I don’t know what that woman might ask for, so of course I don’t want to go.”
But he has no choice. She made it so that Count Chaylor had no choice but to come.
“Do you know where she called me?”
“Yes? Well, maybe the Grand Duchy of Illestone or... Hmm, where is it?”
“It’s the Imperial Palace.”
"...Yes?"
The secretary asked back with a dumbfounded expression. Imperial palace? That unidentified woman chose the imperial palace as the location for the contract?
“Imperial Palace... No, you mean the capital city. Isn’t the imperial palace not a place that just anyone can enter?”
Even for just anyone, it is nearly impossible to go without a public purpose.
Unless you are a high-ranking noble or a distinguished guest with very close ties to the royal family.
She is not a noblewoman. That was confirmed by Count Chaylor with the help of his informants.
She is said to be a child from an orphanage that no longer exists.
A person like that sets the contract location as the imperial palace?
Count Chaylor questioned whether that was even possible.
He wonders if she's joking or something...
She might have scared him by telling him to meet her at the castle, but she was actually hiding near the castle entrance to watch the frightened Count Chaylor.
He said she looked like a playful girl, so maybe that's possible?
But the expression on Count Chaylor's face never seemed to suggest that he was joking or taking it lightly.
“Even if it’s a joke or a lie, I have to go there. There are such things as emergencies.”
It would be too absurd to pass it off as such since she was already with the Illestons, a duchy that was known for being averse to outsiders.
Besides, it occurred to him that she might have already taken over the castle by some means, just as she had done to him.
'Rumors are going around these days that the Emperor is acting strangely... '
He had just entered the Eastern Gathering, was active as a nobleman, and had only been to the Imperial Palace a handful of times, so he was very slow to hear about the rumors.
The Emperor had already recovered and was carrying out normal politics, but Count Chaylor heard belatedly that the Emperor had become strange.
His anger and suspicion towards Simone grew so great that he came to believe that the Emperor had become strange because Simone had taken over the castle.
"Ha."
But what can I do?
Not only that, but the servants of the palace seemed to already know of his visit, and they greeted him politely and even guided him.
Even if it weren't for the promise, Count Chaylor had never been this deep into the castle before.
'What on earth is that woman's true identity?'
Could it be that she was hiding a very high status?
Count Chaylor wondered if there had been a Princess in the royal family, but then stopped.
Even if there was a Princess, there was no way he could know.
To prevent a fight over succession, it is the law of the Luan Empire that the Emperor's children are not to reveal their faces until the Crown Prince has firmly established his political base.
But just thinking about that possibility made Count Chaylor's heart burst.
“This is it.”
“Thank you.”
Count Chaylor entered the room his servant had shown him. It was not a small room, but a proper reception room.
'I think something big is going on?'
He seriously felt like something was wrong.
He had not thought that she would enter the castle, but that he would simply meet Simone at the entrance and try to make a contract nearby.
Of course, who would use his last name to make a private contract?
It was ridiculous.
Just then, knock. There was a knock on the door and Simone and a blond-haired man entered.
“Have you been waiting?”
“Ugh!”
Although it was Simone who spoke, Count Chaylor's gaze was turned to the blond-haired man standing behind her.
Of course, Count Chaylor has never seen the Crown Prince in person.
The Emperor's face was something that everyone in the Luan Empire knew, but the Crown Prince had never appeared at an official function, and it was only recently that he had been given the Emperor's orders to handle state affairs.
But Count Chaylor knew it at once.
Golden hair that shines as brightly as the sun, gentle-looking eyes, and the numerous servants he has.
He is the Crown Prince.
He was definitely the Crown Prince.
For some reason, the Crown Prince was with a woman he didn't even know.
Today again, there was a lot of work piled up since morning due to the demands of the Eastern Gathering nobles, but this happens every day.
A beautiful sky where even a single cloud becomes a painting, a lush green garden, and warm sunshine.
Birds are chirping and the sound of families having just finished lunch strolling through the garden, chatting happily.
If it were his usual self, he would have been happy and contented to see all of this.
But not today.
“Master...”
“Hey, who would dare talk to me like that? I’ve told you many times not to pay any attention to me while I’m working.”
The mansion's butler, Yon, forced himself to swallow the sigh that was about to escape and continued to speak firmly.
“But you must get up now. It is almost time to leave.”
"Ha..."
Count Chaylor, who was called master by Yon, sighed deeply and began to tear at his hair.
Yon frowned as if he was not pleased with the sight, but he just waited for his master to get up on his own.
Since he visited the Illeston mansion a few days ago, he has been torturing himself by pulling out his hair like that every day.
“Yon, why don’t you go instead?”
“Master, that can’t be possible. You promised. Then, as the master of the Chaylor family, you should keep your promise.”
Count Chaylor.
He was a man who visited the Grand Duke of Illeston but was treated badly by the Eastern nobles.
“I have to meet her again!”
Horribly, horribly! It's scary.
He never thought that he would be cursed.
That's right, they said the curse was already over, and moreover, the curse of the Illeston family only appears on the members of the Illeston family!
He just knew it...
He had a terrible experience.
Count Chaylor in the mirror sees him and laughs, then jumps out and traps him in the mirror.
And what's worse, he acts like Count Chaylor.
He didn't want to get involved with the Grand Duke of Illestone, and he definitely didn't want to get involved with a woman whose status he didn't even know, so he had no choice but to live his life.
Be had no choice but to promise her that he would do 'anything'.
He was afraid that if he didn't give a satisfactory answer to the question of what he would do if she took him out, he would just leave it like this.
Those cheeky eyes and the corners of her mouth went up as if she found this situation funny as if she had been in it many times.
She would have been more than willing to disregard the dignity of life and lock him in the mirror.
Because she looked like a little devil, not human.
'Why did she look like that?'
The reason was something that even Count Chaylor was very curious about. She looked like just an ordinary girl on the outside, so why on earth did he feel that way that day?
That's because of the atmosphere, normally he wouldn't have even paid attention to such an impudent girl's contempt.
"Ha..."
As Count Chaylor sighed repeatedly, his secretary, who had been watching from the side, frowned as if he did not understand.
“Your Grace, if you really don’t want to go, why don’t you just say no? It’s only a verbal promise.”
If you just insist on not going, you can easily get out.
Even if it was a promise made by the Grand Duke's family, the girl said she wasn't even from the Grand Duke's family, and above all, he said he wouldn't go, so what could she do?
The Illeston family has lost all power to do anything to nobles who do not keep their promises, so it should be possible for him to refuse.
There's too much to lose by blindly keeping a promise to 'do anything'.
Above all, if a nobleman were to fulfill this promise of wiping the feet of a girl who they didn't even know, a great change would occur in the Cheylor household.
Of course, in a bad way.
She's sure Count Chaylor knows that. Why does she insist on going there?
Moreover, why is the butler, who should be stopping this, instead encouraging it?
His doubts were quickly resolved by the words of Count Chaylor, who took a deep breath.
“Would I want to go? I don’t know what that woman might ask for, so of course I don’t want to go.”
But he has no choice. She made it so that Count Chaylor had no choice but to come.
“Do you know where she called me?”
“Yes? Well, maybe the Grand Duchy of Illestone or... Hmm, where is it?”
“It’s the Imperial Palace.”
"...Yes?"
The secretary asked back with a dumbfounded expression. Imperial palace? That unidentified woman chose the imperial palace as the location for the contract?
“Imperial Palace... No, you mean the capital city. Isn’t the imperial palace not a place that just anyone can enter?”
Even for just anyone, it is nearly impossible to go without a public purpose.
Unless you are a high-ranking noble or a distinguished guest with very close ties to the royal family.
She is not a noblewoman. That was confirmed by Count Chaylor with the help of his informants.
She is said to be a child from an orphanage that no longer exists.
A person like that sets the contract location as the imperial palace?
Count Chaylor questioned whether that was even possible.
He wonders if she's joking or something...
She might have scared him by telling him to meet her at the castle, but she was actually hiding near the castle entrance to watch the frightened Count Chaylor.
He said she looked like a playful girl, so maybe that's possible?
But the expression on Count Chaylor's face never seemed to suggest that he was joking or taking it lightly.
“Even if it’s a joke or a lie, I have to go there. There are such things as emergencies.”
It would be too absurd to pass it off as such since she was already with the Illestons, a duchy that was known for being averse to outsiders.
Besides, it occurred to him that she might have already taken over the castle by some means, just as she had done to him.
'Rumors are going around these days that the Emperor is acting strangely... '
He had just entered the Eastern Gathering, was active as a nobleman, and had only been to the Imperial Palace a handful of times, so he was very slow to hear about the rumors.
The Emperor had already recovered and was carrying out normal politics, but Count Chaylor heard belatedly that the Emperor had become strange.
His anger and suspicion towards Simone grew so great that he came to believe that the Emperor had become strange because Simone had taken over the castle.
"Ha."
But what can I do?
Sighing, Count Chaylor stopped worrying and got up.
“Whether it’s a joke, a lie, or the truth, I’ll go and see.”
He was summoned to the castle, but since there was no way she could enter the castle, he planned to meet her first and declare that he would not keep his promise.
No matter what, you can't put chains on your family, right?
She appeared to be working with the Grand Duke of Illestone.
What would she do if he threatened to tell the royal family that the curse of the Illestons family had not been lifted? And what would the Grand Duke, who seemed to be her guardian, do?
A bitter smile appeared on the corner of Count Chaylor's mouth.
“...”
Count Chaylor's complexion became increasingly pale as he entered the palace.
‘You’ve really entered the imperial palace...’
“Whether it’s a joke, a lie, or the truth, I’ll go and see.”
He was summoned to the castle, but since there was no way she could enter the castle, he planned to meet her first and declare that he would not keep his promise.
No matter what, you can't put chains on your family, right?
She appeared to be working with the Grand Duke of Illestone.
What would she do if he threatened to tell the royal family that the curse of the Illestons family had not been lifted? And what would the Grand Duke, who seemed to be her guardian, do?
A bitter smile appeared on the corner of Count Chaylor's mouth.
***
“...”
Count Chaylor's complexion became increasingly pale as he entered the palace.
‘You’ve really entered the imperial palace...’
Not only that, but the servants of the palace seemed to already know of his visit, and they greeted him politely and even guided him.
Even if it weren't for the promise, Count Chaylor had never been this deep into the castle before.
'What on earth is that woman's true identity?'
Could it be that she was hiding a very high status?
Count Chaylor wondered if there had been a Princess in the royal family, but then stopped.
Even if there was a Princess, there was no way he could know.
To prevent a fight over succession, it is the law of the Luan Empire that the Emperor's children are not to reveal their faces until the Crown Prince has firmly established his political base.
But just thinking about that possibility made Count Chaylor's heart burst.
“This is it.”
“Thank you.”
Count Chaylor entered the room his servant had shown him. It was not a small room, but a proper reception room.
'I think something big is going on?'
He seriously felt like something was wrong.
He had not thought that she would enter the castle, but that he would simply meet Simone at the entrance and try to make a contract nearby.
Of course, who would use his last name to make a private contract?
It was ridiculous.
Just then, knock. There was a knock on the door and Simone and a blond-haired man entered.
“Have you been waiting?”
“Ugh!”
Although it was Simone who spoke, Count Chaylor's gaze was turned to the blond-haired man standing behind her.
Of course, Count Chaylor has never seen the Crown Prince in person.
The Emperor's face was something that everyone in the Luan Empire knew, but the Crown Prince had never appeared at an official function, and it was only recently that he had been given the Emperor's orders to handle state affairs.
But Count Chaylor knew it at once.
Golden hair that shines as brightly as the sun, gentle-looking eyes, and the numerous servants he has.
He is the Crown Prince.
He was definitely the Crown Prince.
For some reason, the Crown Prince was with a woman he didn't even know.
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