“What... are you asking for help with?”
“I will tell you what I want to ask you if you promise to grant my request.”
When I spoke with a smile, the Marquis looked embarrassed.
“I think you should tell me in advance so I can decide what to do.”
“I’m sorry. If Your Grace does not grant my request, I will be in a difficult position, so I cannot tell you right now.”
I know this is his only option, so I don't need to show him my cards.
The Marquis of Prasis thought for a moment, then asked cautiously.
“Can I take a couple of days to think about it?”
It was obvious that he was trying to stall for time and take the initiative, as nodding right away would mean giving the initiative away to me.
“Of course.”
The reason I nodded my head even though I knew that was for the same reason.
Even if I wasted time, I was confident that I could take the initiative.
“Thank you. Then I’ll decide what to do within two days and come back to you.”
After Marquis Prasis returned like that.
Perdes asked me.
“Did Young Lady do it?”
Although there was no subject, it was immediately clear that he was referring to counterfeit gold coins.
I answered with a small smile.
Then Perdes muttered, a little surprised.
“You’re really serious. If it gets out that Young Lady did it, not only Young Lady but the Duke’s family will fall apart.”
“I won’t get caught, so don’t worry about that.”
Even if I get caught, it will be the responsibility of the Kingdom of Artina where Prince Philos resides, not me.
By the way, Prince Philos' coronation is coming up soon.
It was supposed to happen on the last day of February, so there's less than a week left.
Wouldn't it be nice to send a congratulatory gift for the coronation?
If I send it directly under my name, it will show off my friendship with him, so I should send it through another route.
“But wasn’t what Young Lady wanted to do to get revenge on the Emperor?”
"That's right."
“But why do you keep touching the Empress? Surely not...”
As we were talking, Perdes noticed something and asked me in a lower voice.
“Is that because I got sick from eating the cake the Crown Prince brought you?”
“That’s one reason, but it’s not the only reason.”
I had designated three houses as the ones I would shake up by using counterfeit gold coins, and one of them was the Marquis of Prasis.
Just as I was wondering where to use the counterfeit gold coins most effectively, something happened and that was the only thing that made me decide to target that place.
“What does that mean?”
Perdes, who could not have known that fact, asked me.
“Do you want to know?”
“Why are you asking something so obvious? Are you afraid I’ll ask you something you don’t want to know?”
“Then, come with me to the Duke Lucien’s residence tomorrow.”
If the Duke Leopold's House was the sword of the empire, the Duke Lucien's House was called the book of the empire.
It is a family that has produced many talented people, and the current Duke of Lucien also graduated from the Academy with the highest honors in the liberal arts department and became the youngest prime minister.
To be exact, he inherited the position after his father, the former Duke of Lucien, retired, but since his abilities had already surpassed the former Duke of Lucien, no one had any objections to him becoming the prime minister.
Even in the nobles' assembly, where it is difficult to reach a unanimous agreement, they all agreed to him becoming prime minister, so it speaks for itself.
Although Duke Lucien was talented and handsome, his reputation was not very good.
It's not about women's problems, burglary, injections, or anything like that...
“If it’s the Duke of Lucien, he’s known to be a man with a broken personality... You’re not going to meet that person, are you?”
It was because of his personality.
He was a bitter critic, and if he didn't like something even a little bit, he would immediately verbally attack the other person.
It was said that because of his warm appearance and status, many young ladies approached him and were treated badly and shed tears.
The reason why the Duke of Lucien is approaching his thirties and still unmarried and alone is also because of this.
“That’s right. I’m going to see the Duke of Lucien.”
But Perdes frowned as if he didn't like the idea of me going to see the Duke of Lucien.
“Do you really have to go meet that person?”
“Yes. I have a favor to ask of Duke Lucien.”
“What would you like to ask for?”
“I’ll tell you about that later.”
“Hmm.”
Perdes crossed his arms and tilted his head.
“It looks like you’re going to ask for something like Marquis Prasis.”
You're really quick-witted.
“Are you going?”
“If I say no, will you give up?”
“No. I’m going to harass you until you say yes.”
When I answered as if asking something so obvious, Perdes smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t want to see that unlucky man, but I also don’t want to be bullied by Yeong Lady, so there’s nothing I can do.”
“Then I have to be at the Duke Luciens residence by 2 o’clock tomorrow, so I’ll see you in the hall at 1 o’clock.”
"Yes."
Perdes nodded and stood up.
As he was walking as if he was about to leave the reception room, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me.
“But did the Duke of Lucien also threaten the Marquis of Prasis with the same thing?”
“No way.”
If I had tried such a foolish trick on the Duke of Lucien, I would have been immediately discovered, so he was not even considered from the beginning.
“Surely you’re not going to throw a tantrum and ask me to do you a favor. How do you plan on getting that man’s help?”
“Chess.”
"Chess?"
“Yes. To be exact, I plan to win the betting chess game and get the wishing ticket.”
The Duke of Lucien loved chess so much that he held a chess tournament every year at his own expense, and he was good at it.
“If he's the Duke of Lucien, he's the best chess player in the empire.”
Perdes asked me, a little surprised, whether I was aware of that fact.
“But you want to play chess to brag? Is that okay? I think it’ll hurt you if you lose.”
“That’s what I wanted to ask you, Perdes.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“What are you talking about? I'm saying that it’s not me, but Lord Perdes who’s playing chess with the Duke of Lucien.”
There was a moment of silence.
Perdes looked at me with a half-dazed face.
“Are you okay?”
“... If it were me, Young Lady, would it be okay?”
Oh, I see.
“It’s okay. Mr. Perdes can do it.”
“That’s not the problem... Phew.”
Perdes let out a sigh that seemed to boil from the depths of his being and ran his hand through his hair.
“What happens if I lose the bet?”
“Then I should grant Duke Lucien’s wish?”
“...That’s dangerous.”
"It's okay."
I walked up to Perdes and smiled brightly.
“Because there’s no way that Lord Perdes would lose.”
On the other hand, Perdes' expression was still serious.
“How can Young Lady guarantee that?”
“The Duke of Lucien has won ten chess tournaments so far, and he has won nine of them.”
The host won the competition.
It was something that could easily be criticized, but everyone acknowledged that the chess tournament was held because the Duke of Lucien wanted to play chess.
“Then wouldn’t it be better to go to that person and ask him?”
“That can’t be. He’s dead.”
Although he didn't say outright who it was, Perdes immediately realized that it was my father and apologized, looking visibly embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you where you hurt...”
"It's okay."
Even without making excuses, I knew very well that it wasn't intentional.
Perdes coughed loudly, perhaps a little embarrassed, and then brought the conversation back on track.
“Hmm, hmm. Then, has Young Lady ever played chess with that guy?”
“No. But all the chess games I know, I learned from my father. Since Lord Perdes was able to beat me, I’m sure you can beat the Duke of Lucien too.”
“It may seem a bit far-fetched, but... Okay. Since Young Lady trusts me, I’ll give it a try.”
“Please take good care of me, Perdes.”
I did consider other methods, but the best one was still for Perdes to win the bet at chess.
So I earnestly asked him to help me win, and Perdes scratched his head.
“I feel this once again, but Young Lady really seems like a vixen.”
“That’s good. I like a cunning fox better than a foolish bear.”
Knock, knock, there was a knock.
Just then, looking at the door, I was about to ask who it was.
“...I like foxes too.”
Perdes spoke in a whisper.
The words, "I like you," struck my heart and created a strange resonance.
I knew he didn't just mean that he liked foxes.
“Who is it?”
“This is Aldor, my lady.”
“I’m going out now.”
But I can't accept it.
I was afraid that if I brought that up, our relationship would become awkward again, so I pretended not to hear him and left the living room.
“You stupid kid.”
Why are you suddenly saying such strange things...
After Adele left, Perdes was left alone and fell into a deep sense of guilt.
No matter how much he thought about it, no matter how many times he chewed over it, it was a crazy thing to do.
Why did you say something like that when you weren't even drunk...?
The only silver lining was that Adele didn't hear him.
...You really didn’t hear it?
What if she heard it but couldn't accept it and pretended not to know?
“Sigh, I’m going crazy. Seriously.”
Perdes sat down on the floor and clutched his head.
He tried to give up his mind.
He tried to give up because he knew it would never work out, but it wasn't easy.
Rather, the more he tried to give up, the more hia feelings for her grew and grew in resistance.
So sometimes, he would feel like he couldn't control his emotions.
If he continues like this, he might make an irreversible mistake.
So it was horrible to think that Adele might despise him.
“Should I leave when this is over?”
Perdes tried to help Adele until her revenge was over, but it was impossible in this state.
“Okay, let’s go.”
It's good for him and for her.
As Perdes thought about it, something hot rose up deep in his chest and he covered his mouth.
“I will tell you what I want to ask you if you promise to grant my request.”
When I spoke with a smile, the Marquis looked embarrassed.
“I think you should tell me in advance so I can decide what to do.”
“I’m sorry. If Your Grace does not grant my request, I will be in a difficult position, so I cannot tell you right now.”
I know this is his only option, so I don't need to show him my cards.
The Marquis of Prasis thought for a moment, then asked cautiously.
“Can I take a couple of days to think about it?”
It was obvious that he was trying to stall for time and take the initiative, as nodding right away would mean giving the initiative away to me.
“Of course.”
The reason I nodded my head even though I knew that was for the same reason.
Even if I wasted time, I was confident that I could take the initiative.
“Thank you. Then I’ll decide what to do within two days and come back to you.”
After Marquis Prasis returned like that.
Perdes asked me.
“Did Young Lady do it?”
Although there was no subject, it was immediately clear that he was referring to counterfeit gold coins.
I answered with a small smile.
Then Perdes muttered, a little surprised.
“You’re really serious. If it gets out that Young Lady did it, not only Young Lady but the Duke’s family will fall apart.”
“I won’t get caught, so don’t worry about that.”
Even if I get caught, it will be the responsibility of the Kingdom of Artina where Prince Philos resides, not me.
By the way, Prince Philos' coronation is coming up soon.
It was supposed to happen on the last day of February, so there's less than a week left.
Wouldn't it be nice to send a congratulatory gift for the coronation?
If I send it directly under my name, it will show off my friendship with him, so I should send it through another route.
“But wasn’t what Young Lady wanted to do to get revenge on the Emperor?”
"That's right."
“But why do you keep touching the Empress? Surely not...”
As we were talking, Perdes noticed something and asked me in a lower voice.
“Is that because I got sick from eating the cake the Crown Prince brought you?”
“That’s one reason, but it’s not the only reason.”
I had designated three houses as the ones I would shake up by using counterfeit gold coins, and one of them was the Marquis of Prasis.
Just as I was wondering where to use the counterfeit gold coins most effectively, something happened and that was the only thing that made me decide to target that place.
“What does that mean?”
Perdes, who could not have known that fact, asked me.
“Do you want to know?”
“Why are you asking something so obvious? Are you afraid I’ll ask you something you don’t want to know?”
“Then, come with me to the Duke Lucien’s residence tomorrow.”
If the Duke Leopold's House was the sword of the empire, the Duke Lucien's House was called the book of the empire.
It is a family that has produced many talented people, and the current Duke of Lucien also graduated from the Academy with the highest honors in the liberal arts department and became the youngest prime minister.
To be exact, he inherited the position after his father, the former Duke of Lucien, retired, but since his abilities had already surpassed the former Duke of Lucien, no one had any objections to him becoming the prime minister.
Even in the nobles' assembly, where it is difficult to reach a unanimous agreement, they all agreed to him becoming prime minister, so it speaks for itself.
Although Duke Lucien was talented and handsome, his reputation was not very good.
It's not about women's problems, burglary, injections, or anything like that...
“If it’s the Duke of Lucien, he’s known to be a man with a broken personality... You’re not going to meet that person, are you?”
It was because of his personality.
He was a bitter critic, and if he didn't like something even a little bit, he would immediately verbally attack the other person.
It was said that because of his warm appearance and status, many young ladies approached him and were treated badly and shed tears.
The reason why the Duke of Lucien is approaching his thirties and still unmarried and alone is also because of this.
“That’s right. I’m going to see the Duke of Lucien.”
But Perdes frowned as if he didn't like the idea of me going to see the Duke of Lucien.
“Do you really have to go meet that person?”
“Yes. I have a favor to ask of Duke Lucien.”
“What would you like to ask for?”
“I’ll tell you about that later.”
“Hmm.”
Perdes crossed his arms and tilted his head.
“It looks like you’re going to ask for something like Marquis Prasis.”
You're really quick-witted.
“Are you going?”
“If I say no, will you give up?”
“No. I’m going to harass you until you say yes.”
When I answered as if asking something so obvious, Perdes smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t want to see that unlucky man, but I also don’t want to be bullied by Yeong Lady, so there’s nothing I can do.”
“Then I have to be at the Duke Luciens residence by 2 o’clock tomorrow, so I’ll see you in the hall at 1 o’clock.”
"Yes."
Perdes nodded and stood up.
As he was walking as if he was about to leave the reception room, he suddenly stopped and looked back at me.
“But did the Duke of Lucien also threaten the Marquis of Prasis with the same thing?”
“No way.”
If I had tried such a foolish trick on the Duke of Lucien, I would have been immediately discovered, so he was not even considered from the beginning.
“Surely you’re not going to throw a tantrum and ask me to do you a favor. How do you plan on getting that man’s help?”
“Chess.”
"Chess?"
“Yes. To be exact, I plan to win the betting chess game and get the wishing ticket.”
The Duke of Lucien loved chess so much that he held a chess tournament every year at his own expense, and he was good at it.
“If he's the Duke of Lucien, he's the best chess player in the empire.”
Perdes asked me, a little surprised, whether I was aware of that fact.
“But you want to play chess to brag? Is that okay? I think it’ll hurt you if you lose.”
“That’s what I wanted to ask you, Perdes.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“What are you talking about? I'm saying that it’s not me, but Lord Perdes who’s playing chess with the Duke of Lucien.”
There was a moment of silence.
Perdes looked at me with a half-dazed face.
“Are you okay?”
“... If it were me, Young Lady, would it be okay?”
Oh, I see.
“It’s okay. Mr. Perdes can do it.”
“That’s not the problem... Phew.”
Perdes let out a sigh that seemed to boil from the depths of his being and ran his hand through his hair.
“What happens if I lose the bet?”
“Then I should grant Duke Lucien’s wish?”
“...That’s dangerous.”
"It's okay."
I walked up to Perdes and smiled brightly.
“Because there’s no way that Lord Perdes would lose.”
On the other hand, Perdes' expression was still serious.
“How can Young Lady guarantee that?”
“The Duke of Lucien has won ten chess tournaments so far, and he has won nine of them.”
The host won the competition.
It was something that could easily be criticized, but everyone acknowledged that the chess tournament was held because the Duke of Lucien wanted to play chess.
“Then wouldn’t it be better to go to that person and ask him?”
“That can’t be. He’s dead.”
Although he didn't say outright who it was, Perdes immediately realized that it was my father and apologized, looking visibly embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hit you where you hurt...”
"It's okay."
Even without making excuses, I knew very well that it wasn't intentional.
Perdes coughed loudly, perhaps a little embarrassed, and then brought the conversation back on track.
“Hmm, hmm. Then, has Young Lady ever played chess with that guy?”
“No. But all the chess games I know, I learned from my father. Since Lord Perdes was able to beat me, I’m sure you can beat the Duke of Lucien too.”
“It may seem a bit far-fetched, but... Okay. Since Young Lady trusts me, I’ll give it a try.”
“Please take good care of me, Perdes.”
I did consider other methods, but the best one was still for Perdes to win the bet at chess.
So I earnestly asked him to help me win, and Perdes scratched his head.
“I feel this once again, but Young Lady really seems like a vixen.”
“That’s good. I like a cunning fox better than a foolish bear.”
Knock, knock, there was a knock.
Just then, looking at the door, I was about to ask who it was.
“...I like foxes too.”
Perdes spoke in a whisper.
The words, "I like you," struck my heart and created a strange resonance.
I knew he didn't just mean that he liked foxes.
“Who is it?”
“This is Aldor, my lady.”
“I’m going out now.”
But I can't accept it.
I was afraid that if I brought that up, our relationship would become awkward again, so I pretended not to hear him and left the living room.
***
“You stupid kid.”
Why are you suddenly saying such strange things...
After Adele left, Perdes was left alone and fell into a deep sense of guilt.
No matter how much he thought about it, no matter how many times he chewed over it, it was a crazy thing to do.
Why did you say something like that when you weren't even drunk...?
The only silver lining was that Adele didn't hear him.
...You really didn’t hear it?
What if she heard it but couldn't accept it and pretended not to know?
“Sigh, I’m going crazy. Seriously.”
Perdes sat down on the floor and clutched his head.
He tried to give up his mind.
He tried to give up because he knew it would never work out, but it wasn't easy.
Rather, the more he tried to give up, the more hia feelings for her grew and grew in resistance.
So sometimes, he would feel like he couldn't control his emotions.
If he continues like this, he might make an irreversible mistake.
So it was horrible to think that Adele might despise him.
“Should I leave when this is over?”
Perdes tried to help Adele until her revenge was over, but it was impossible in this state.
“Okay, let’s go.”
It's good for him and for her.
As Perdes thought about it, something hot rose up deep in his chest and he covered his mouth.
Support Novellate!
thanks! i think it would be fun for him to leave and travel, then actually come back, determined to win adele over, teehee
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