IWAP - Chapter 62

For a woman, it was a fatal scandal for people to find out that an unmarried virgin had spent the night with a man.

"Do you know what people are saying about you?"

"A whore who goes around seducing this man and that, a disgrace to the nobility. Ah, I hear there is also talk of me being a vixen who devoured the Crown Prince."

As is often the case with rumors, they are bound to reach your ears even if you do not actively seek them out. Since that day, I have never left that mansion, but I could tell how things were being said about me from the whispers of the maids.

"Why are you staying silent when you know such ridiculous rumors are circulating!"

Anasha shouted with a look of disbelief.

"Since even the Imperial Family is keeping silent, it means there is absolutely nothing we can do on our end this time."

There was only one reason why the Imperial Family remained silent. It was because Crown Prince Sis was still unable to get up from his bed. Since Sis, who was at the center of the incident, was lying unconscious, the Imperial Family could not say a word.

The rumor of the 'witch who devoured the Crown Prince' seemed to have originated from Sis, who was still unable to get up.

As I, the person involved, was also living in seclusion inside the mansion under my father's protection, the rumors grew larger and larger as people added to them with their imaginations.

"What on earth happened that day?"

"There was an accident, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was injured in it."

"I know that too, Bjornne."

A chuckle escaped my lips at the resentful look in Anasha's eyes. To hide my laughter, I lifted the teacup once again and took a sip. Before I knew it, the tea had cooled to a suitable temperature for drinking.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intends to shake the First Prince's power through this matter."

"What? But His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."

Currently, it was publicly known that Sis was barely conscious and hovering between life and death. His condition had been further exaggerated by some nobles who witnessed him lose consciousness from a high fever during transport.

It wasn't entirely a lie. After all, when Sis was first discovered by the knights, he was clearly unconscious and in a dangerous condition. However, contrary to expectations, Sis's fever subsided the next day, and he immediately regained consciousness. Aside from his fractured ribs that restricted his movement, there were no particular health issues. It was truly a relief.

Sis was about to get up and leave immediately to show that he was still alive and well—that is, if it weren't for the rumors that had started circulating among the people.

The rumor first started among commoners—to be precise, among the servants working at the mansions of the nobility. It claimed that I had secretly summoned the Crown Prince, seduced him, and put him in danger. Supporting this rumor were past rumors about me and Evan. It was a preposterous rumor claiming that I, desperate for him while Evan was away for a long time, had seduced the Crown Prince, but the rumor grew in detail, and witnesses began to gain credibility as the claim that even that was added.

The rumor, which was plausibly well-crafted like a play, spread rapidly even to the nobility, as if someone were deliberately instigating it.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in good health."

At my answer, Anasha fell silent and began to quickly scan the area around the drawing room. She was quick-witted.

I quickly grasped what that meant.

"The entire surrounding area has been bitten, so you can rest assured. Anasha."

"Is the First Consort the main culprit behind the rumors after all?"

Anasha is skilled in business. She couldn't possibly have been unaware that the rumors about me were fabricated. After all, merchants are people who are sensitive to rumors by nature.

"Well, I wouldn't say they are completely unrelated, but they probably aren't the main culprit."

“Then who is it?”

"If my guess is correct, she is probably the First Prince's new concubine."

"If it is the First Prince's new concubine..."

Anasha dragged out her words slowly, as if recalling a memory, then clapped her hands and continued.

"So you are the woman who bought a large quantity of Louisha's dresses this time."

A faint wrinkle formed between Anasha's eyebrows. She soon spoke with a look of pity.

"She was such a good customer, you know."

To Anasha, a good customer was a guest of Louisha, who spent a lot of money. Like a true merchant, she loved money. Furthermore, she had an exceptional talent for inciting the vanity of noblewomen to spend money. The First Prince's consort also seemed to have fallen for her business tactics.

"I need to remove her from the customer list completely."

Anasha's voice sounded solemn, as if she were compiling a hit list. I burst into laughter at the sudden change in her attitude.

"Aren't you curious why she was singled out as the main culprit?"

"I already know about what happened at the hunting competition. She is more than capable of pulling off something like this. However, there is no way such a scheme could have come out of her head."

Anasha tilted her head in puzzlement. While the First Prince's consort was certainly reckless enough to cause trouble, she was also not the type to handle matters in this manner. That was precisely why Anasha had initially singled out the Empress.

"So, the First Consort is behind this as expected?"

"Well, that doesn't quite suit the First Consort's personality."

Anasha nodded at my words.

The First Consort was not someone who would engage in a fight she could not win from the start. She was the type to bow down, endure, and remain silent, only to bite the nape of the neck the moment her opponent revealed a weakness, thus severing their breath. She was not someone who would stir up a commotion and cause a commotion like this. I do not know why such a First Consort agreed to something that would cause such a commotion, but it was certainly true that this rumor would be a significant blow to our side.

My reputation, having fallen to the lowest point, even affected my fiancée, Sis. Voices began to emerge among the nobles questioning how a Crown Prince who could not even control his fiancée's behavior could possibly handle state affairs.

The rumor that spread throughout the capital in that short time of just a few days was, as Anasha feared, uncontrollable.

"Does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have a plan?"

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and a rumor for a rumor."

"Certainly, when it comes to rumors, no one can match the merchants."

Anasha smiled faintly. For merchants seeking greater profits, information manipulation was essential. After all, their goal was precisely to sell ordinary items as if they possessed a unique value unlike any other in the world.

"What should I do?"

As she continued speaking, Anasha's face hardened seriously. Eventually, she jumped up and shouted.

“That’s ridiculous!”

"Don't get worked up; sit down. Anasha."

"Have I stopped getting worked up? If this goes wrong, your reputation, Bjornne, will be no different than being buried alive in the aristocratic world!"

"We just need to make sure it doesn't go wrong."

“Bjornne!”

"Is there any more reputation left to fall to?"

Anasha fell silent at my question. I put down the teacup with the bottom of the cup and pushed it aside.

"My reputation is already at its worst. It can't get any worse."

"It is a reputation without substance. It is a rumor that can be ignored if you choose to ignore it. But Beyonne, you said one method is dangerous. Rumors can gain traction."

"It is dangerous, but it is a job where you can earn that much income."

"Did His Royal Highness the Crown Prince also consent to this?"

She looked at me while still standing. Her eyes were steady, filled with the determination that she would never do anything to harm me.

"He told me not to even think about taking a single step out of the mansion."

Sis intended to use this incident as an opportunity to pressure the First Prince's faction. After all, this could clearly be framed as the assassination of the Crown Prince—in other words, treason. However, before Sis could even take action, malicious rumors about me began to circulate, and Sis's injury was blamed on me. If concrete evidence could not be found, I, rather than them, could be framed as the culprit behind the Crown Prince's injury.

Even if I wasn't framed as Sis's assailant, the rumors circulating now were detrimental to me as the future Crown Princess. It was a matter that could potentially lead to the annulment of the engagement. Even if they were just rumors, they were fatal to the Crown Princess, who was expected to be flawless.

There will likely be people who question my qualifications to become the Crown Princess sooner or later. After all, those who are displeased with me are not only from the First Prince's faction but also from within the Crown Prince's faction.

The union between me and Sis was practically the result of the Emperor pushing it through unilaterally. Even within the Crown Prince's faction, there were quite a few nobles vying for a seat by Sis's side. They would not miss this opportunity. Enemies are not found only outside. Even within the same faction, mutual interests were intricately intertwined.

While Sis was unconscious, unlike us who were distracted by it, the First Prince's side took charge of cleaning up the aftermath of the hunting competition. All traces of that day had vanished completely. Very cleanly.

Sis changed his plan and hid the fact that he had regained consciousness. It was to buy even a little time. If Sis were to wake up now, he would have to catch the culprit who injured him, and I was currently the prime suspect.

Even if Sis denies it, as long as my reputation remains intact, I will have to continue living under that yoke. And regardless of our wishes, I will have to step down from my position as the Crown Prince's fiancée.

Only a tiny minority, including myself, knew that he was perfectly fine. He was currently struggling with those few people to turn the tide. Unfortunately, we had not yet secured any concrete evidence. As time went on, the situation became increasingly disadvantageous for us.

"Why are you determined to proceed with something that even His Royal Highness the Crown Prince opposes?"

"Because it is the fastest and surest way to turn the tide."

At my answer, Anasha let out a sigh and slumped onto the sofa.

"Bjornne, think about it again. There must be other ways without necessarily having to use that method."

"That might be true. But if this method succeeds, we will never again be the subject of gossip over matters like this."

“Yes, but...”

"I'm sick and tired of these rumors."

The tiresome rumors that followed me back then, and continue to this day.

I could remain indifferent to any rumors I heard right now, but I absolutely detested the thought of those around me suffering harm because of them. Until now, I had ignored them because I didn't feel the need to intervene, but this time, I felt it was absolutely necessary to put an end to them.

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