Curtis stared at Cecilia with a shocked face.
“Cecilia, that...”
“You have to deny it.”
Even though she already knew it, she got angry when she got an answer that admitted it.
“You have to ask if that makes sense.”
Cecilia knows. There's no way Curtis knew that Eden would kill him in the future. No matter how they seem to be on the outside, he's the only one who doesn't want to make excuses.
"Ha..."
Cecilia sighed and roughly brushed back her disheveled bangs.
“I’m sure you know, Father, but you can’t pretend not to know even if you know.”
And she spoke calmly. It was dangerous to get angry and yell without thinking because you never know where or how the words might pop out.
“You know. You are in a relationship where you can never go together.”
In fact, this was the first time since the death of Cecilia's mother, Olivia. If it was a new love that came to Curtis, who had never looked at a woman before, she would have liked to cheer him on.
However, the Empress still did not give up on making the Third Prince, Damon, the Emperor. The nobles of the Empress's faction were secretly attacking Aster and were wary of Eden.
“That feeling may not have been sincere, to begin with.”
So, the move Curtis made now was the worst. It would lose the Emperor's faction's trust, and it would give the Empress's faction an excuse to exploit them.
"Father."
“...”
“Please organize it.”
The wind blew as autumn drew to a close. Cecilia looked straight at Curtis with cold eyes. She didn't know about anything else, but this was something she couldn't give up.
“I tried too, but...”
But Curtis hesitated to answer. Thanks to this, Cecilia had a gut feeling. Curtis would not be able to cut off the Empress with his own hands. Is this the foolish innocence of men?
“Cecilia, dear.”
It would be nice if Curtis chose to break up with the Empress, but if he didn't, she could make it happen. No, she planned to make it happen.
“It would have been better if Father had sorted it out yourself.”
Cecilia, who had said that, turned around coldly. Then she began to walk against the wind that felt somewhat dreary.
“What kind of business is it that has you so excited?”
She had just arrived at the terrace leading out from the garden. The voices of people gathered by the window, talking, pierced her ears.
“Well, it’s a secret. Today’s party is also disguised as a birthday party, but it’s actually to celebrate the business.”
“It looks like the income is solid.”
Cecilia's gaze turned to Count Casper, who was laughing heartily from afar. Count Casper was confident that the business he had invested in would succeed. And in order not to share the profits with anyone, he kept his mouth shut.
If you are stupid and greedy, you will end up ruining your family. Cecilia, who was nervous about Curtis's case, naturally criticized Count Casper harshly.
“...”
It was then that Eden, who was standing next to Count Casper, met her gaze. It was as if he had been waiting for Cecilia to return the whole time, without missing a beat.
He's like a beast that doesn't want to miss his prey. Cecilia often thought that way when she looked at Eden recently. Even though it's not like he noticed anything.
“Oh my, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
Cecilia, who noticed that Eden's body was moving, shook her head slightly. Then she walked towards where Eden and Count Casper were.
“Why are you coming back alone?”
“My father said he wanted to get some fresh air for a while.”
Cecilia answered slyly and smiled brightly. Eden naturally wrapped one arm around Cecilia's waist and held her close to him.
“Oh my, Your Highness. Are you afraid that Her Highness will leave Your Highness the Grand Duke behind and go somewhere?”
Eden just smiled without answering. He looked pleased when Countess Casper was happy. That was until the maid hurried over and whispered something in Countess Casper's ear.
“The play will start soon. Both of you, please take your seats.”
Countess Casper spoke, pointing to the seat reserved for the Grand Duke and his wife.
As soon as Cecilia and Eden took their seats, a line of actors lined up at the front of the hall. It was said to be the most famous troupe of recent times.
“He resembles His Highness the Third Prince.”
Among them, one of the actors particularly resembled the third Prince, Damon. When Cecilia muttered in surprise, Eden agreed.
“It might be misunderstood by those who don’t know better.”
Cecilia, who had been absentmindedly nodding her head at Eden's muttering, stopped.
It causes misunderstandings...
“Cecilia, that...”
“You have to deny it.”
Even though she already knew it, she got angry when she got an answer that admitted it.
“You have to ask if that makes sense.”
Cecilia knows. There's no way Curtis knew that Eden would kill him in the future. No matter how they seem to be on the outside, he's the only one who doesn't want to make excuses.
"Ha..."
Cecilia sighed and roughly brushed back her disheveled bangs.
“I’m sure you know, Father, but you can’t pretend not to know even if you know.”
And she spoke calmly. It was dangerous to get angry and yell without thinking because you never know where or how the words might pop out.
“You know. You are in a relationship where you can never go together.”
In fact, this was the first time since the death of Cecilia's mother, Olivia. If it was a new love that came to Curtis, who had never looked at a woman before, she would have liked to cheer him on.
However, the Empress still did not give up on making the Third Prince, Damon, the Emperor. The nobles of the Empress's faction were secretly attacking Aster and were wary of Eden.
“That feeling may not have been sincere, to begin with.”
So, the move Curtis made now was the worst. It would lose the Emperor's faction's trust, and it would give the Empress's faction an excuse to exploit them.
"Father."
“...”
“Please organize it.”
The wind blew as autumn drew to a close. Cecilia looked straight at Curtis with cold eyes. She didn't know about anything else, but this was something she couldn't give up.
“I tried too, but...”
But Curtis hesitated to answer. Thanks to this, Cecilia had a gut feeling. Curtis would not be able to cut off the Empress with his own hands. Is this the foolish innocence of men?
“Cecilia, dear.”
It would be nice if Curtis chose to break up with the Empress, but if he didn't, she could make it happen. No, she planned to make it happen.
“It would have been better if Father had sorted it out yourself.”
Cecilia, who had said that, turned around coldly. Then she began to walk against the wind that felt somewhat dreary.
“What kind of business is it that has you so excited?”
She had just arrived at the terrace leading out from the garden. The voices of people gathered by the window, talking, pierced her ears.
“Well, it’s a secret. Today’s party is also disguised as a birthday party, but it’s actually to celebrate the business.”
“It looks like the income is solid.”
Cecilia's gaze turned to Count Casper, who was laughing heartily from afar. Count Casper was confident that the business he had invested in would succeed. And in order not to share the profits with anyone, he kept his mouth shut.
If you are stupid and greedy, you will end up ruining your family. Cecilia, who was nervous about Curtis's case, naturally criticized Count Casper harshly.
“...”
It was then that Eden, who was standing next to Count Casper, met her gaze. It was as if he had been waiting for Cecilia to return the whole time, without missing a beat.
He's like a beast that doesn't want to miss his prey. Cecilia often thought that way when she looked at Eden recently. Even though it's not like he noticed anything.
“Oh my, Your Highness the Grand Duchess.”
Cecilia, who noticed that Eden's body was moving, shook her head slightly. Then she walked towards where Eden and Count Casper were.
“Why are you coming back alone?”
“My father said he wanted to get some fresh air for a while.”
Cecilia answered slyly and smiled brightly. Eden naturally wrapped one arm around Cecilia's waist and held her close to him.
“Oh my, Your Highness. Are you afraid that Her Highness will leave Your Highness the Grand Duke behind and go somewhere?”
Eden just smiled without answering. He looked pleased when Countess Casper was happy. That was until the maid hurried over and whispered something in Countess Casper's ear.
“The play will start soon. Both of you, please take your seats.”
Countess Casper spoke, pointing to the seat reserved for the Grand Duke and his wife.
As soon as Cecilia and Eden took their seats, a line of actors lined up at the front of the hall. It was said to be the most famous troupe of recent times.
“He resembles His Highness the Third Prince.”
Among them, one of the actors particularly resembled the third Prince, Damon. When Cecilia muttered in surprise, Eden agreed.
“It might be misunderstood by those who don’t know better.”
Cecilia, who had been absentmindedly nodding her head at Eden's muttering, stopped.
It causes misunderstandings...
***
“You said you’d never see me again.”
Diego greeted Abby with a grin. Abby took off the hood of the robe she was wearing over her head and glanced at Diego with a sour look on her face.
“I wouldn’t have come if Her Highness hadn’t told me to deliver the letter.”
Diego wrapped his arms around Abby's waist with a sly look on his face and pulled her to his chest. Abby screamed in surprise but made no effort to escape.
"Lie."
“I’m not lying!”
Diego also enjoyed watching Abby scream. Then as if he couldn't resist the urge, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“This, this lecherous thing...!”
“I told you, I don’t do this to just anyone.”
You like it too, but why are you being so picky?
Diego greeted Abby with a grin. Abby took off the hood of the robe she was wearing over her head and glanced at Diego with a sour look on her face.
“I wouldn’t have come if Her Highness hadn’t told me to deliver the letter.”
Diego wrapped his arms around Abby's waist with a sly look on his face and pulled her to his chest. Abby screamed in surprise but made no effort to escape.
"Lie."
“I’m not lying!”
Diego also enjoyed watching Abby scream. Then as if he couldn't resist the urge, he gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
“This, this lecherous thing...!”
“I told you, I don’t do this to just anyone.”
You like it too, but why are you being so picky?
Diego thought as he hugged Abby tightly as if he was going to crush her.
“Let go, I said let go.”
“Then struggle a little more. Don’t just talk.”
Abby's face turned bright red at Diego's teasing. Abby slapped Diego's forearm with her palm. Now Abby's neck was red. Diego looked at her and gave a short laugh. It was unexpected, but he liked this girl who was always loud and self-indulgent.
“So. Why did your master send you away today?”
Diego, still holding Abby in his arms, stumbled over to the chair and flopped down. Abby, who was sitting between Diego's legs, took a letter out of her pocket with a sour look on her face and handed it to Diego.
“I don’t know. I don’t read the letters Her Highness sends.”
Well, maybe it's a letter asking if her father's love affairs are true. Diego thought as he opened the envelope.
[ Choose actors who resemble the two people and form a theater troupe made up of wanderers. I will give you the manuscript of the play. ]
But the content of the letter was concise and unexpected. What kind of play would a theater company with actors who resembled the two people do? It wasn't like they were trying to spread rumors on purpose.
“...”
But there's no reason to deliberately spread rumors that Curtis and the Empress were having an affair. The repercussions would be quite significant.
No.
Diego paused and tilted his head to the side. There was a reason to spread the rumor. As long as the Empress and Curtis didn't get shot in the head, their relationship would never be officially acknowledged. But there would be more eyes watching them.
“Hmm.”
In that situation, would they really take the risk and continue the meeting? Unless they were prepared to lose everything they had.
"Why?"
While Diego was reading the letter, Abby, who was slowly eating the cookie he had given her, turned around.
“You’re so cute for no reason.”
“Don’t you know how to answer the question?”
When the useless answer came back, Abby frowned.
“You don’t even know what your master is sending you.”
Abby rolled her eyes with an “Ouch!” Diego chuckled and kissed Abby’s forehead.
“Your master is a really scary person.”
As Diego whispered, Abby immediately shook her head. Then she started a long speech about how good Cecilia was. This was not the first or second time, so Diego listened half-heartedly.
“I said you just don’t know.”
“Are you really going to keep doing this?”
When Diego answered dryly, Abby pushed Diego's shoulder hard and raised her voice. Abby was not one to compromise when it came to Cecilia, but she was not one to give in when it came to anything else.
“Yes. Hear only good things, see only good things.”
"What..."
“There might be my baby in your belly.”
The moment Diego's large hand covered Abby's stomach, Abby's face turned red in an instant. Her pupils were shaking as if there had been an earthquake. It was clear that she was recalling the events of the previous night.
“This, this pervert...”
Abby pushed Diego away and jumped up from her seat. With a thud, Diego fell off the chair and looked up at Abby, holding his aching buttocks and waist.
“It hurts.”
“I dropped it because it hurt!”
Abby, who had screamed, put her hood back on and hurried out of the pawn shop. Diego watched the closed door creak open and close, then got up from his seat with a snicker.
“She really is a good actress.”
Diego's gaze turned to the letter he was holding in his hand. The last paragraph of the letter said that if he did the job properly, he would be rewarded with the thing she treasured most.
“Yeah, well...”
If the reward was as cute as that squirrel, then doing what Cecilia asked wasn't hard. Rather, it was more like something that had to be done somehow.
“Let go, I said let go.”
“Then struggle a little more. Don’t just talk.”
Abby's face turned bright red at Diego's teasing. Abby slapped Diego's forearm with her palm. Now Abby's neck was red. Diego looked at her and gave a short laugh. It was unexpected, but he liked this girl who was always loud and self-indulgent.
“So. Why did your master send you away today?”
Diego, still holding Abby in his arms, stumbled over to the chair and flopped down. Abby, who was sitting between Diego's legs, took a letter out of her pocket with a sour look on her face and handed it to Diego.
“I don’t know. I don’t read the letters Her Highness sends.”
Well, maybe it's a letter asking if her father's love affairs are true. Diego thought as he opened the envelope.
[ Choose actors who resemble the two people and form a theater troupe made up of wanderers. I will give you the manuscript of the play. ]
But the content of the letter was concise and unexpected. What kind of play would a theater company with actors who resembled the two people do? It wasn't like they were trying to spread rumors on purpose.
“...”
But there's no reason to deliberately spread rumors that Curtis and the Empress were having an affair. The repercussions would be quite significant.
No.
Diego paused and tilted his head to the side. There was a reason to spread the rumor. As long as the Empress and Curtis didn't get shot in the head, their relationship would never be officially acknowledged. But there would be more eyes watching them.
“Hmm.”
In that situation, would they really take the risk and continue the meeting? Unless they were prepared to lose everything they had.
"Why?"
While Diego was reading the letter, Abby, who was slowly eating the cookie he had given her, turned around.
“You’re so cute for no reason.”
“Don’t you know how to answer the question?”
When the useless answer came back, Abby frowned.
“You don’t even know what your master is sending you.”
Abby rolled her eyes with an “Ouch!” Diego chuckled and kissed Abby’s forehead.
“Your master is a really scary person.”
As Diego whispered, Abby immediately shook her head. Then she started a long speech about how good Cecilia was. This was not the first or second time, so Diego listened half-heartedly.
“I said you just don’t know.”
“Are you really going to keep doing this?”
When Diego answered dryly, Abby pushed Diego's shoulder hard and raised her voice. Abby was not one to compromise when it came to Cecilia, but she was not one to give in when it came to anything else.
“Yes. Hear only good things, see only good things.”
"What..."
“There might be my baby in your belly.”
The moment Diego's large hand covered Abby's stomach, Abby's face turned red in an instant. Her pupils were shaking as if there had been an earthquake. It was clear that she was recalling the events of the previous night.
“This, this pervert...”
Abby pushed Diego away and jumped up from her seat. With a thud, Diego fell off the chair and looked up at Abby, holding his aching buttocks and waist.
“It hurts.”
“I dropped it because it hurt!”
Abby, who had screamed, put her hood back on and hurried out of the pawn shop. Diego watched the closed door creak open and close, then got up from his seat with a snicker.
“She really is a good actress.”
Diego's gaze turned to the letter he was holding in his hand. The last paragraph of the letter said that if he did the job properly, he would be rewarded with the thing she treasured most.
“Yeah, well...”
If the reward was as cute as that squirrel, then doing what Cecilia asked wasn't hard. Rather, it was more like something that had to be done somehow.
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Thank you for the chapters, dear Translator!đź’‹
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