“As fun as expected.”
I muttered while looking at Ronella and the Crown Prince, then Alois lightly grabbed my shoulder.
“…Agreed.”
“…?”
When I raised my head, our eyes met.
“I also find it very interesting.”
Don’t tell me he was acting like this because I interfered with his plans? I knew what he was thinking without having to be told.
The emperor was still in good health and would likely remain in rule until Prince Yuina came of age.
Alois would rather Prince Yuina, who was easier to handle, was enthroned than the difficult Crown Prince.
“Oh my, I’m honored.”
I flippantly replied to Alois, who was trying to take advantage of the young prince, and as I turned my head away, I heard a laugh.
“Give me a second.”
I left Alois behind and walked up to Ronella.
I was still curious.
About what kind of person Alois really was.
He was the type to sacrifice the few for the greater good. If I asked him why he wanted to use Prince Yuina, he would probably give me a stereotypical answer.
Something like…
‘His Highness the Crown Prince fails to understand the little intricacies,’ he might start off calmly.
I could vividly picture him saying it, which made me chuckle.
The Crown Prince fails to understand the little intricacies.
He cannot see the struggles of those in the slums or the hardships of wanderers living day to day.
‘So, I believe that Prince Yuina, who can understand such intricacies, should sit in that position,’ he would continue.
However, that was only a superficial excuse to me. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing.
“Are you alright, Princess?”
After all, Prince Alois also knew how to consider the smaller things, how to serve the country, and at the very least, he was a far better ruler compared to the current Emperor who only cared for his own interests.
But I didn’t want everything to be controlled in Alois’ hands.
“L…Lady Emilone.”
Ronella looked slightly surprised and faltered when the Crown Prince’s gaze left her. Only then did he look flustered, but Ronella was already running towards me.
With so many nobles here, why was she running to hug me? Ah. Maybe she wanted to hug me because so many were around.
“Oh no… Ronella, your clothes are quite wet…”
I wasn’t interested either, so I said that while lightly pushing her back and her pupils trembled slightly.
It was fun to watch a sinking ship but not fun to be on it.
I wonder if she was frowning inside and thinking how to retaliate against me.
“…The servant.”
Or maybe it hadn’t sunk yet?
I was bitterly doused when I watched the men rushing over as soon as the commotion started.
“It seems our servant has made a mistake. Why don’t you allow us to prepare new clothes for the Princess?”
After asking that, I blinked a few times as if to say, ‘what do you think?’
“…I’ll leave it to you,” came the reply.
Did I look like I ate people?
What made the Crown Prince so disturbed that he was flinching every time I did something?
He readily nodded to my request and glanced at Ronella.
Her face was calm, but her trembling pupils suggested she couldn’t believe the Crown Prince was considering someone else before her.
“Because of me…the party mood is…”
“It’s alright. The music stopped, but the party is not over yet.”
If the Crown Prince had yelled or gotten angry at the servant here, I might have had to call off the party to respond.
But as it was, it was just a simple mishap that could be brushed off.
With a look from me, the music that had stopped began to flow softly again.
“Shall we go?”
“Sorry for bothering you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I looked back at Reneben, and he nodded.
Duke Cassian was anxiously watching the wine stains on Ronella’s dress.
When I blatantly stared at him, our eyes happened to meet, and he let out a sigh.
“Duke Cassian, it looks like your sleeve is wet as well. Would you like to come with us?”
It was the remnant of the drink spilled by a young miss who had bumped into him when the loud noise occurred earlier.
“…Please.”
He hesitated for a moment but then took a step forward.
My eyes curved into a smile.
“Don’t mention it.”
With nothing else to say, I repeated what I had just told Ronella and started down the stairs.
“Saintess.”
Since Alois was in front of me, I glanced at him and whispered as I walked past him.
“Please take care while I’m gone.”
It sounded as if I trusted him. The perfect remark that could be easily misunderstood.
But when I said, ‘take care while I’m gone’, I was saying…
“You have nothing to worry about,” Alois replied, showing that he fully understood.
Don’t do any nonsense.
As we passed him, I felt Ronella sticking close behind.
“We’ll need to enter the temple for a bit. Will that be alright?”
As soon as we stepped out of the hall, a strong wind blew. If my hair hadn’t been firmly tied up and secured, it would have been quite troublesome.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Hmm?”
There were suitable clothes inside the temple for them to wear.
When Ronella apologized, Duke Cassian, who was staring to undo his wrist buttons because of his wet sleeves turned to her.
“I’m causing so much trouble…”
“Like I said earlier, it’s alright. No need to worry.”
“…No, I can’t. I can’t stay at the party and continue to be a burden like this.”
But I didn’t mind at all.
I watched her rapid self-reproach with an expressionless face.
“Well, let us prepare new clothes for you since it was our servant’s mistake.”
“It’s my fault for not paying attention and bumping into them. I can’t impose on you any further.”
She seemed reluctant.
It was as if she was refusing to enter the temple, yet framed like she was stubbornly refusing to inconvenience me any further.
Now that I thought about it, I have never seen Princess Ronella enter the temple before.
I had hosted her in the reception room a few times, and while today’s party hall was part of the temple’s domain, its sanctity was quite different from the central areas which was covered with the power of our priests and paladin.
“You’re not imposing, Princess.”
“I’m just so sorry. It’s because of me that the Saintess has to deal with such trivial matters.”
She seemed like she really didn’t to want to go in, so I looked down at her dress and asked, “In that case, do you plan to go home?”
“B…Because of me, the Saintess’s party has become like this…”
“Oh dear.”
If she left like this, it would only worsen the Crown Prince’s mood. The room was also bound to heat up with discussions about Ronella’s departure.
Ronella received an excessive amount of love, enough to hold the lives of several men in her hands, but it didn’t work on everyone.
“If it really weighs on you like that, you may leave.”
I could feel Duke Cassian looking at me anxiously, wanting me to stop her. Though he didn’t show it, it was clear he didn’t want her to leave.
“Truly… because of my carelessness…”
“The servant was hurt so I will convey your apology accordingly.”
“…”
Ronella hesitated then called for her carriage.
I lightly tapped my arm with my finger as I watched her walk away.
Failing to capture the Crown Prince’s attention and making a lonely exit was very unlike her.
I expected her to come up with something else. Perhaps she wasn’t as brilliant as I thought.
After all, being good at deceiving others and being good at handling emotions are entirely different things.
Personally, I would never act so foolishly.
“It seems your carriage is here. Unauthorized carriages aren’t allowed inside the temple, so you will have to go out yourself, Lady Ronella.”
While I was thinking hard, I noticed a change in the wind and saw a carriage with the Duke’s emblem approaching.
“Thank you for offering to take care of me. It’s no greater honor than receiving the Saintess’s care.”
She was still very spirited.
Waving my hand to show it was no problem, I sent her on her way.
Now, only Duke Cassian, who had been quietly observing, remained.
“There should be suitable clothes for you to wear, Your Grace. Come on in.”
“…Why?”
With Ronella sent away and the main character gone, I hoped the remining people could entertain me. As if waiting for this moment, Duke Cassian questioned me.
“Why what?” I countered his question.
We walked past the paladins guarding the temple and I opened the door myself to let him inside.
“You could have asked a servant to do this. Why is Your Holiness personally attending to us?”
“Oh this.”
I thought he was picking a fight, but it was just a genuine question.
“I don’t think it’ll be polite to ignore my dear guests when they’ve been troubled.”
Of course, I wasn’t lying. They were truly ‘dear’. I cherished them a lot.
“…”
“And my priests are supposed to be having fun. I don’t want to involve them in such matters.”
The inner parts of the temple were off-limits to random servants or maids.
The clothing was near my room, and I didn’t want to send a servant alone to the Saintess’s quarters without supervision.
“Isn’t that what they are for?”
Just to be ordered around?
Not understanding his intentions, I paused on the stairs, glancing at the sunlight streaming through a window.
“…Hmm, Lord Duke. What do you think the priests are?”
The temple was always clean so the scent of wine on his clothes lingered heavily in the air.
While the sweet aroma pierced my nose, I stopped climbing the stairs and looked down at him.
The dark, unlit interior of the temple was completely silent.
We relied only on the sunlight pouring in through the large window.
“The clergy…priests, they are supposed to be that kind.”
“What kind?”
“The kind that devotes their lives to God, gives up everything for the Saintess, takes care of the people, assists the nobles—”
“Duke Cassian.”
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- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 67 - December 21, 2024
- Forget My Husband, I’ll Go Make Money – Side Story 21 - December 14, 2024
- Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 66 - December 14, 2024
Well, rip, I’ve caught up way too quickly.
Kinda disappointed that wine incident ended like that, I was curious to see if maybe the temples energy affected the princess or not in some way. Forced to show her true colours.
Her colors did show. Demon-Colors that would become visible to the naked eye if she touched Holy land. ilIt’s that color only her brother cam smell.
Why are all men (excepted Rubenen) in this novel trashs? Why do they all act as if the priests are some slaves who exist just to fulfill all their desires? Can’t wait to see what Emilone said to him X)
Thank you for the update, Miss Ruby.
Ronella backed off way too easily. It obvious that she wanted to make a scene, but for her to go home after one failed attempt is surprising and a bit disappointing. I understand that she didn’t want to go into the temple, but it still feels like she quit too soon. But then again, I get the sneaking suspicion that another demon attack will happen during this party.