"Embarrassingly, that is the case."
Lillie put down the newspaper and sat in the chair.
Wondering why, the maids glanced at the spread-out newspaper.
Oh my!
The maids looked at each other and blushed.
The newspaper featured portraits of Euclid and Erencia.
In a place that was clearly Euclid's bedroom—Euclid's initials were written on the bedpost in the background. Euclid knelt before Erencia.
Erencia was barefoot, and Euclid held his shoes.
They don't know if he's putting on shoes or taking them off.
Usually, one imagines putting shoes on someone, but there is a context to the picture as well.
The flowing, figure-revealing dress Erencia was said to love wearing, Euclid's deep gaze...
It sparked a strange imagination.
And the climax was the headline.
<Did they only take off the shoes?>
"What are you guys doing?"
Lillie glared at the maids as they leaned further and further over the table.
"Are you watching this?"
Lillie's face contorted viciously. As if to show off to the maids, Lillie tore up the newspapers and scattered them in front of their faces.
"Alright. I have made a mistake, Your Majesty, the Empress."
The maids immediately knelt down and begged.
Lillie couldn't control her anger and swept the items on the table away.
The vase fell to the floor and shattered.
The petals were crushed by Lillie's foot.
Still not satisfied, Lilly let out a scream, let out a sharp sigh, and straightened her clothes.
Lillie stood upright and waved her hand, looking as if she were someone who had been screaming just moments ago.
"Clean it up thoroughly."
It was a refined voice, as if it had never uttered a sound.
The ladies-in-waiting remained kneeling without moving until Lillie left the greenhouse.
"She left?"
How much time had passed? Their legs began to tingle.
"Yes, she left."
Even after that, the three of them listened intently for quite some time, wondering if they could hear any signs of life.
And after confirming two or three times that Lillie had disappeared, they all rushed toward the torn newspaper scraps.
"Let's take a look!"
The three ladies-in-waiting pieced together the newspaper scraps Lillie had torn to complete the article.
<On a night of a full house, a woman on a white horse entered the Blue Lion Mansion. According to a servant, the owner of the mansion and the owner of the white horse shared a pleasant conversation all night long. With the roar of the blue lion shaking the mansion and the song of the white reindeer never ceasing, joyful news will soon reach the Empire.>
The white reindeer was the symbol of Novellita, and the blue lion was the symbol of Gredelus.
They even drew the portraits so clearly that anyone would recognize them as Erencia and Euclid, so why bother putting the family symbol on them?
"Oh my, oh my, what is that sound?"
"What do you mean? They're getting married soon."
"If it's a blue lion, Duke Gredelus..."
"You fool, the protagonist here must be Grand Prince Gredelus!"
"But didn't you say the Grand Prince enjoyed a secret rendezvous with the Princess?"
"Look at this portrait, and the detailed explanation! Anyone can see that the rumors about the Princess are lies, and this is the real deal."
The maids whispered.
Most people in the capital who heard about the scandal were not much different from the maids' reaction.
***
The Novellita mansion was turned upside down.
Duke Novellita summoned Erencia to confirm the facts.
"Did you really stay up all night with Euclid?"
"Yes, that's right."
"So, you mean you did something like what is depicted in the portrait?"
"Yes."
She indeed stayed up all night because of Euclid and the portrait, and although the scene depicted in the portrait was staged, she posed for it herself. And that was under Erencia's initiative.
There wasn't a single lie.
Duke Novellita collapsed, clutching the back of his neck.
***
"The rumors have spiraled out of control."
Euclid placed ten newspapers in front of Erencia.
Every newspaper was plastered with feature articles about Erencia and Euclid.
"It's truly explosive."
The Empire was in an uproar over the scandal between the two.
Erencia made a pincer shape with her fingers and lifted up one of the newspapers.
<New Dating Trends! Please Give Us the Right to Love Too.>
<An audacious but responsible declaration.>
<The courageous act of Lady Novellita and Grand Prince Gredelus, who broke free from their shackles and cast them aside, is having a significant impact on the young nobles.>
"Have we ever worn shackles?"
Erencia flipped the newspaper over as if she had seen something she shouldn't have.
"A cold cup of coffee, please."
Erencia placed an order with the waiter.
The cold coffee came out quickly.
Erencia emptied half of the glass at once and put it down.
When breaking the scandal, what Erencia imagined was a love triangle between Selvarena and Erencia.
A sordid love triangle involving Euclid and the rage of the imperial daughter.
But why are there absolutely no rumors about an affair, and why do the articles keep focusing on social activism?
Nobles, you did everything behind the scenes with the Free Alliance!
And these days, there was also an atmosphere encouraging free love.
It's just that they don't do it openly.
It’s not like cases where free dating leads to marriage never happen, just that they are extremely rare, so she doesn’t understand why there is such a fuss.
Also, strictly speaking, the relationship between Erencia and Euclid was also a contractual relationship, a kind of business and transaction.
Ugh, but she can't reveal that either.
"Euclid."
"Speak, Erencia."
Euclid took the coffee cup that Erencia was gripping tightly and pushed it far to one side.
She should put off the idea of trying to do something with Euclid for the time being.
Erencia decided to take on a major undertaking on a different front.
"Is your offer to lend me money still valid?"
“Shall we go to the bank?”
He doesn't know how much money Erencia needs to run away from home, but even so, it would probably be enough to buy a mansion and hire about ten servants.
He could provide that much as a sufficient price for making her life comfortable.
Erencia readily stood up.
“Let’s go, bank.”
Anyway, she is an impatient woman.
Euclid gulped down the remaining tea and stood up, following Erencia.
***
"500 gold coins."
“It’s simple.”
Euclid muttered as he quickly wrote and handed a blank check to the bank manager, as Erencia had requested.
Simple? Lending 500 gold coins without collateral?
"I was thinking of about 5,000 gold coins."
"Oh, really? You should have told me in advance."
Erencia replied vaguely.
She was busy thinking of nobles who might need money right now.
In times like this, the past life is really helpful.
Young noblemen who lost a fortune in gladiatorial games and could not enter their mansions must be gathered at the Pig's Tail Pub.
The first target has been determined.
“Where are you going?”
When Erencia, having come out of the bank after receiving lavish hospitality, told Euclid that she wanted to go separately, he asked.
“Ready to run away.”
Erencia decided to let him misunderstand as he pleased.
That's convenient.
It would be even better if he were disappointed when he found out the truth later.
"Please feel free to tell me if you need anything."
Euclid spoke to Erencia's retreating back.
***
The pig's tail pub was filled with smoke.
Erencia pulled her robe down low and went inside.
"Miss, is this really a gold mine?"
In order to come out with Agnes, Erencia had just told her that she could make a lot of money.
"Well then, look here. They are all our customers."
Agnes didn't really know what Erencia was trying to do.
However, since she was the one paying her salary and she was trusted to be very clever, she followed whatever Erencia said.
But now Agnes regrets blindly believing it.
There are quite a few people whose pupils have dilated.
Every single one of them had a face that had given up hope for life.
Agnes clasped her hands tightly together.
Her palms were drenched in sweat.
Erencia sat at the long bar and tapped her fingers.
Shortly after, the bartender came and handed her the complimentary drink.
"Fairy Tale 5."
One-tenth the value of one silver coin was one copper coin.
Erencia put down a silver coin and said.
"You can have the rest."
The bartender's eyes widened. His irritable eyebrows dropped.
He wrinkled his eyes and quickly made a new drink.
"It is on the house, sir. It is called Golden Wine, made with a drop of honey."
Erencia chuckled.
Everyone knows it's a marketing ploy.
And, instead of a single drop of honey, they probably put in cheap sugar made by alchemists.
Erencia took a glittering piece of gold out of her pocket. And she dropped it into the wine glass.
"It has to be at least this much to be a gold medal."
And then, she put it in her mouth with a cool thud. Of course, she didn't eat the gold.
“Take this for you, too.”
After saying just two words, Erencia left the Pig's Tail Pub.
Erencia, noticing that the map had become noisy just before the door closed, walked slowly.
"Miss, I'm a bit scared. The people over there seem to have lost their minds."
"Oh, Agnes, don't say things like that to our potential customers."
"But still, if they follow me and try to harm me..."
They can never do it.
Erencia knows who they are.
The one huddled in the corner, staring intently at Erencia, was Arrist, the young Viscount of Villans, while the one sitting at the table behind Erencia with his ears pricked up was Peter, the young man of the Beryu family.
You can't recklessly attack someone you know the true identity of.
Plus, there are witnesses.
"I told you they absolutely can't do it, just you wait."
Anyway, it's about time to strike up a conversation.
"Uh, uh, y-y-you!"
Lucky!
Welcome, sir.
Erencia turned around.
She didn't forget to deliberately shake her head to make her hood fall off.
Erencia's blonde hair fluttered naturally.
Arrist recognized Erencia immediately.
Erencia intentionally met Arrist's eyes.
He was in a desperate situation for money right now, and he had met Erencia at Prince Barlos's birthday banquet last time.
Though it was just a fleeting encounter.
She must have been incredibly impactful that day.
He must surely remember.
"No, no, Lady Erencia of Novellita?"
See? You knew it, after all.
"Hello, Arrist Villans. I am Erencia Novellita. By the way, what can I help you with?"
Erencia smiled like an angel.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment