Episode 104. Someone is Digging a Trap
“Then. The applause was so loud that the mansion shook. The flowers I received from the spirits were piled up so much that the servants had to carry them on trays.”
“Oh, that’s right!”
Just then, Eria brought me tea, so I excitedly offered it to her.
“Drink it. It’ll smell good, Misha.”
She drank the tea and seemed to calm down a bit.
“Why didn’t you reply? Of course, you should have sent an apology reply, right?”
Now, I felt like I would get neurotic just hearing the word letter. But I smiled calmly.
“There was nothing wrong with what you said. Time flew by while I was thinking about what to apologize for. I’m really sorry I couldn’t go to the coming-of-age ceremony.”
Then Misha took a sip of tea with a much more relaxed face.
“So, what did you do with Prince Kydel when you skipped my coming-of-age ceremony?”
I couldn’t think of anything for several days, but when something came up, something plausible came to mind. I instantly concocted a lie.
“I was on my way and got into a carriage accident. It happened on a quiet road at the entrance of Loire, so I couldn’t even catch a rental carriage... Then Prince Kydel got on my carriage and said I was out of luck, so I got angry, and we fought...”
“Ha! You swore at Prince Kaidel?”
“Uh... Um... Yes!”
I shut my eyes tightly. I was in a state of despair, thinking that whatever happens will happen. I had been lying for the past few days, and my stomach was starting to hurt.
Misha opened her eyes wide and muttered.
“Poor Prince Kydel!”
“What, do you have to feel sorry for him...?”
When I glanced at her disapprovingly, she snapped.
“Do you know what your swearing is like? I’m telling you now, but after hearing your harsh swearing, I can’t sleep for days. I can’t digest it, and even hearing similar words makes me feel sick!”
“Uh... Sorry.”
I licked my lips. I didn’t hate seeing the destructive power of my swearing, but I couldn’t show that I liked it either.
“Ah, how pitiful must Prince Kydel have thought of Loire!”
“No. He must have liked me because of my swearing. Are you crazy?”
I stared blankly into space, then my eyes met Misha’s.
Then she opened her eyes brightly and said meanly.
“But other people don’t think that way. Where were you two nights ago?”
“I was in the palace. Of course.”
“I’m going crazy!”
I had a bad feeling.
“What’s going on, Misha?”
“There were more than a few people who saw you and Prince Kydel in the downtown area two nights ago.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Misha frowned and waved her hand as I unknowingly uttered a foul word.
“A tall man with jet-black hair, wearing clothes with an eagle emblem, and a petite blonde woman were all hot in a downtown alleyway...”
“Hot?”
“Amorous behavior! Hugging and stuff... Strange noises... People reported it, and the capital guard was dispatched. The Prince was arrested, but there were rumors that they turned a blind eye due to the influence of the Kydel family.”
“What are you talking about? I was at the palace. Wouldn’t Prince Kydel be the same? Didn’t you see the article a while ago? Someone who must have been extremely busy because of that, what kind of affectionate behavior would that be...”
In that moment, goosebumps ran down my spine and all the way to the top of my head. There was no way Prince Kydel would do something like that.
Misha said.
“Etrang, the bar, the alley. There are many eyewitness accounts of you and the Prince, Lorisha.”
Etrang may not be an issue, but the rest were ridiculous. This rumor reeked of a rotten conspiracy.
“Then. The applause was so loud that the mansion shook. The flowers I received from the spirits were piled up so much that the servants had to carry them on trays.”
“Oh, that’s right!”
Just then, Eria brought me tea, so I excitedly offered it to her.
“Drink it. It’ll smell good, Misha.”
She drank the tea and seemed to calm down a bit.
“Why didn’t you reply? Of course, you should have sent an apology reply, right?”
Now, I felt like I would get neurotic just hearing the word letter. But I smiled calmly.
“There was nothing wrong with what you said. Time flew by while I was thinking about what to apologize for. I’m really sorry I couldn’t go to the coming-of-age ceremony.”
Then Misha took a sip of tea with a much more relaxed face.
“So, what did you do with Prince Kydel when you skipped my coming-of-age ceremony?”
I couldn’t think of anything for several days, but when something came up, something plausible came to mind. I instantly concocted a lie.
“I was on my way and got into a carriage accident. It happened on a quiet road at the entrance of Loire, so I couldn’t even catch a rental carriage... Then Prince Kydel got on my carriage and said I was out of luck, so I got angry, and we fought...”
“Ha! You swore at Prince Kaidel?”
“Uh... Um... Yes!”
I shut my eyes tightly. I was in a state of despair, thinking that whatever happens will happen. I had been lying for the past few days, and my stomach was starting to hurt.
Misha opened her eyes wide and muttered.
“Poor Prince Kydel!”
“What, do you have to feel sorry for him...?”
When I glanced at her disapprovingly, she snapped.
“Do you know what your swearing is like? I’m telling you now, but after hearing your harsh swearing, I can’t sleep for days. I can’t digest it, and even hearing similar words makes me feel sick!”
“Uh... Sorry.”
I licked my lips. I didn’t hate seeing the destructive power of my swearing, but I couldn’t show that I liked it either.
“Ah, how pitiful must Prince Kydel have thought of Loire!”
“No. He must have liked me because of my swearing. Are you crazy?”
I stared blankly into space, then my eyes met Misha’s.
Then she opened her eyes brightly and said meanly.
“But other people don’t think that way. Where were you two nights ago?”
“I was in the palace. Of course.”
“I’m going crazy!”
I had a bad feeling.
“What’s going on, Misha?”
“There were more than a few people who saw you and Prince Kydel in the downtown area two nights ago.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Misha frowned and waved her hand as I unknowingly uttered a foul word.
“A tall man with jet-black hair, wearing clothes with an eagle emblem, and a petite blonde woman were all hot in a downtown alleyway...”
“Hot?”
“Amorous behavior! Hugging and stuff... Strange noises... People reported it, and the capital guard was dispatched. The Prince was arrested, but there were rumors that they turned a blind eye due to the influence of the Kydel family.”
“What are you talking about? I was at the palace. Wouldn’t Prince Kydel be the same? Didn’t you see the article a while ago? Someone who must have been extremely busy because of that, what kind of affectionate behavior would that be...”
In that moment, goosebumps ran down my spine and all the way to the top of my head. There was no way Prince Kydel would do something like that.
Misha said.
“Etrang, the bar, the alley. There are many eyewitness accounts of you and the Prince, Lorisha.”
Etrang may not be an issue, but the rest were ridiculous. This rumor reeked of a rotten conspiracy.
“Prince Kydel has never been involved in a scandal. There were strange women who showed up sometimes, but in the end, the truth came out. The women were even more excited when they confirmed his innocence.”
I was afraid of what Misha would say next.
She looked at me and said slowly,
“But somehow this doesn’t seem to end like that.”
Misha asked with a fearful expression.
“You, really? The last time the Prince hid in our house, too...”
“Misha, someone is setting a trap.”
“What?”
Misha’s eyes widened as if they were going to pop out.
“Who would dare dream of doing that to Prince Kydel!”
“Someone who hates him?”
Misha smiled and waved her hand.
“Where would someone like that be! This is clearly a trap for you, Lorisha.”
On the one hand, I felt a pang of anger. But now was not the time for an argument.
And now, the fact that Misha wasn’t enjoying my misfortune made me feel strange.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll think about it from now on.”
Misha stood up with a stern face. No matter who this was, it must have been related to the competition, so she probably judged that it wasn’t something she could interfere with.
“I told you, so I’m going?”
“Ugh. Bye. Thank you.”
We parted ways after giving such an uneasy greeting.
When Misha told me about this suspicious situation, the first thing that crossed my mind was suspicion. Was Prince Kydel breaking his promise and continuing the play by sending in my substitute?
However, anyone who had met him for even half a day would not have such suspicions. It wasn’t because I trusted him, but because such a lowly method wasn’t his style.
I was already under observation in the first place, and I couldn’t be a variable in this competition anymore...
“I’m going crazy.”
I was shocked to realize that I had been underestimating myself all along. To be exact, where I was.
I was at the center of the empire, in the palace.
If I hadn’t been in the palace, I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to Prince Kydel.
And I wouldn’t have been able to make a deal with him and make His Highness Grayon a hero of the sea battle once again.
If His Highness Orl had somehow learned that I had influenced this incident, he wouldn’t have left me alone.
Since he was the one who brought me into this palace, he would have used covert and indirect methods. A method that would harm me and the people around me.
“...”
No matter what, this was too dirty a trick for Tagar to commit.
However, for someone who would just pull out his sister’s carriage wheel for a snack, this might have been a moderate method.
That was the part that was both wicked and clever about this plot. It could send both me and Prince Kydel into the abyss at the same time.
Furthermore, his master, His Highness Grayon, would also suffer a blow to his already high reputation.
“Ha... Is this how I get counterattacked?”
I sat down in my seat, feeling dumbfounded.
I used the newspaper article published by Kalin Ankart to make His Highness Grayon a hero.
However, Prince Orl was trapping me and him at the same time. He was using Prince Kydel’s scheme to create a scandal with me and get me out of the competition.
There are always people who learn quickly. At this moment, I was just very sorry that someone with such a good learning ability was going to Prince Orl.
‘I ended up having to go see Prince Kydel.’
My head was pounding. I was so confused that I didn’t want to see his face yet.
So I decided to organize my thoughts today and go see him tomorrow, and went to sleep.
We met at Director Royman’s herb garden. It was the easiest place to avoid other people’s eyes.
Prince Kydel, who had come to the herb garden, frowned slightly at me and scolded me.
“You shouldn’t have said you wanted to see me. I would have gone and found out myself.”
“Ha...”
He spoke so obviously that I was momentarily taken aback.
But I quickly came to my senses and said.
“There’s no time for jokes today, Your Excellency.”
He tried to protest at the joke, but then focused when he saw my serious face.
“Have you heard the news? The rumors about us?”
“‘Our’ rumors?”
“They say the capital guard was called out for public indecency. They say we’re going around the capital engaging in excessive acts of affection.”
“Isn’t that my style?”
“Your Excellency! It’s serious now. They even say that the Kydel family forcibly took the arrested Prince out. Someone is slandering you.”
Kydel’s eyes quickly turned cold.
“This was not my intention, Miss Loire. I didn’t mean to drag you into this scandal.”
I said with a serious face.
“I’m not blaming you right now. I’m saying you’re in danger.”
Kaidel sat down on the shabby bench that Director Royman used to trim herbs and looked at me intently.
“I’m truly sorry.”
He was so serious and apologetic that I felt embarrassed and avoided his gaze.
He seemed to be afraid that I would be hurt by this scandal and resent him.
What did he think of me? Well, I said it was nothing.
“The Prince is trapping the Duke and me. He is using the Duke’s scheme against him.”
“...”
But he somehow didn’t seem to accept what I said.
“Then, is there anyone else who would do something like this? Could there be anyone among the remaining pirates who is this cunning?”
He shook his head briefly.
“The Kydel family and the capital city guard have been conducting frequent searches and inspections. I am certain that there are no pirates left in the capital.”
“Then...”
Prince Kydel smiled faintly instead of answering.
“It’s been a long time since we met, so why are we only talking about work? I will take care of that, so forget it, Miss Lorisha.”
It seemed that he had a clue. However, since it was his fault, he seemed to want to take responsibility.
I was annoyed that he didn’t tell me the details, but I didn’t want to get involved in this matter and get entangled with him again.
It was also because I believed that he would take care of it well.
When I sat down a little bit next to him, he changed the mood and said,
“You had tea with His Highness Grayon?”
I was afraid of what Misha would say next.
She looked at me and said slowly,
“But somehow this doesn’t seem to end like that.”
Misha asked with a fearful expression.
“You, really? The last time the Prince hid in our house, too...”
“Misha, someone is setting a trap.”
“What?”
Misha’s eyes widened as if they were going to pop out.
“Who would dare dream of doing that to Prince Kydel!”
“Someone who hates him?”
Misha smiled and waved her hand.
“Where would someone like that be! This is clearly a trap for you, Lorisha.”
On the one hand, I felt a pang of anger. But now was not the time for an argument.
And now, the fact that Misha wasn’t enjoying my misfortune made me feel strange.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’ll think about it from now on.”
Misha stood up with a stern face. No matter who this was, it must have been related to the competition, so she probably judged that it wasn’t something she could interfere with.
“I told you, so I’m going?”
“Ugh. Bye. Thank you.”
We parted ways after giving such an uneasy greeting.
When Misha told me about this suspicious situation, the first thing that crossed my mind was suspicion. Was Prince Kydel breaking his promise and continuing the play by sending in my substitute?
However, anyone who had met him for even half a day would not have such suspicions. It wasn’t because I trusted him, but because such a lowly method wasn’t his style.
I was already under observation in the first place, and I couldn’t be a variable in this competition anymore...
“I’m going crazy.”
I was shocked to realize that I had been underestimating myself all along. To be exact, where I was.
I was at the center of the empire, in the palace.
If I hadn’t been in the palace, I wouldn’t have had the chance to talk to Prince Kydel.
And I wouldn’t have been able to make a deal with him and make His Highness Grayon a hero of the sea battle once again.
If His Highness Orl had somehow learned that I had influenced this incident, he wouldn’t have left me alone.
Since he was the one who brought me into this palace, he would have used covert and indirect methods. A method that would harm me and the people around me.
“...”
No matter what, this was too dirty a trick for Tagar to commit.
However, for someone who would just pull out his sister’s carriage wheel for a snack, this might have been a moderate method.
That was the part that was both wicked and clever about this plot. It could send both me and Prince Kydel into the abyss at the same time.
Furthermore, his master, His Highness Grayon, would also suffer a blow to his already high reputation.
“Ha... Is this how I get counterattacked?”
I sat down in my seat, feeling dumbfounded.
I used the newspaper article published by Kalin Ankart to make His Highness Grayon a hero.
However, Prince Orl was trapping me and him at the same time. He was using Prince Kydel’s scheme to create a scandal with me and get me out of the competition.
There are always people who learn quickly. At this moment, I was just very sorry that someone with such a good learning ability was going to Prince Orl.
‘I ended up having to go see Prince Kydel.’
My head was pounding. I was so confused that I didn’t want to see his face yet.
So I decided to organize my thoughts today and go see him tomorrow, and went to sleep.
***
We met at Director Royman’s herb garden. It was the easiest place to avoid other people’s eyes.
Prince Kydel, who had come to the herb garden, frowned slightly at me and scolded me.
“You shouldn’t have said you wanted to see me. I would have gone and found out myself.”
“Ha...”
He spoke so obviously that I was momentarily taken aback.
But I quickly came to my senses and said.
“There’s no time for jokes today, Your Excellency.”
He tried to protest at the joke, but then focused when he saw my serious face.
“Have you heard the news? The rumors about us?”
“‘Our’ rumors?”
“They say the capital guard was called out for public indecency. They say we’re going around the capital engaging in excessive acts of affection.”
“Isn’t that my style?”
“Your Excellency! It’s serious now. They even say that the Kydel family forcibly took the arrested Prince out. Someone is slandering you.”
Kydel’s eyes quickly turned cold.
“This was not my intention, Miss Loire. I didn’t mean to drag you into this scandal.”
I said with a serious face.
“I’m not blaming you right now. I’m saying you’re in danger.”
Kaidel sat down on the shabby bench that Director Royman used to trim herbs and looked at me intently.
“I’m truly sorry.”
He was so serious and apologetic that I felt embarrassed and avoided his gaze.
He seemed to be afraid that I would be hurt by this scandal and resent him.
What did he think of me? Well, I said it was nothing.
“The Prince is trapping the Duke and me. He is using the Duke’s scheme against him.”
“...”
But he somehow didn’t seem to accept what I said.
“Then, is there anyone else who would do something like this? Could there be anyone among the remaining pirates who is this cunning?”
He shook his head briefly.
“The Kydel family and the capital city guard have been conducting frequent searches and inspections. I am certain that there are no pirates left in the capital.”
“Then...”
Prince Kydel smiled faintly instead of answering.
“It’s been a long time since we met, so why are we only talking about work? I will take care of that, so forget it, Miss Lorisha.”
It seemed that he had a clue. However, since it was his fault, he seemed to want to take responsibility.
I was annoyed that he didn’t tell me the details, but I didn’t want to get involved in this matter and get entangled with him again.
It was also because I believed that he would take care of it well.
When I sat down a little bit next to him, he changed the mood and said,
“You had tea with His Highness Grayon?”
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