episode_0036

Just by taking a step, all eyes are drawn.

People in the passage step back in surprise.

If our eyes meet, they swallow their breath and avoid eye contact.

It was absurd that I, a duke’s son-in-law, was experiencing this.

However, it was natural. In social gatherings, what was more famous than a prince or even more so was David, the Duke’s prodigal son.

The problem was that his not-so-favorable significance made him unapproachable.

“That prodigal…?”

“I heard he got engaged and changed.”

“I heard the rumors too, but still, it’s scary. It should take more than one or two scandals to cause such a commotion.”

Their murmurs seemed to reach my ears, painfully sharp.

But wasn’t it all because of my own mistakes? I had to endure it without complaint.

In truth, part of my attendance at the social gathering was to break the image already established as a prodigal.

It might be too much at once, but I would make an effort, again and again.

So that Luna wouldn’t hear about the prodigal and unhappy marriage.

At the end of my steps, I arrived near the reformist group.

Eyes full of anxiety turned towards me.

They seemed afraid of what I might do.

Compared to the misdeeds of your family, what I did would seem like child’s play.

A sudden surge of emotion welled up, but I forcibly suppressed it and raised my head.

It was finally time to get a little help from the prodigal.

“Everyone, what delightful conversation are you having? I’m curious as well.”

“Oh, haha… It’s nothing special. I suddenly felt dizzy, just taking a breather for a moment…”

One of them awkwardly scratched his head, trying to leave.

But naturally, I had no intention of letting him go.

I roughly grabbed a wine glass from the tray of a passing servant and gulped it down in one go.

It was a behavior devoid of dignity.

However, it was effective in its threat.

Extending the empty glass to the servant, I gently raised my hand over his shoulder.

“Altrea, where are you going? Or am I making you uncomfortable? Do you think I might swing a sword?”

“N-no, of course not.”

“Hahaha! Just kidding. Kidding! There’s no way I could bring a sword to the social gathering, right?”

I said, tapping his shoulder firmly.

He must have realized it then. If I left this place, who knows what trouble I might cause.

While others may not know, I absolutely couldn’t let him go.

When the civil war broke out, it was his family that attacked our territory.

He even led the troops as a commander.

Whether it was his will or his family’s righteousness, it didn’t concern me.

It was a clear fact that people from our territory died at his hands.

“So, what interesting story were you telling?”

“I, I was talking about enrolling in the academy next year…”

“Oh, the academy. I’m also enrolling.”

“Uh…”

He openly showed a disapproving expression.

It was a bad feeling, but I was more composed than ever.

I moved calculatedly, constantly turning over the underlying meaning of his words in my mind.

In many ways, it was a noble-like behavior.

“But why are all the glasses empty? Or is it that seeing my face makes the drink not go down well?”

“T-that’s not possible. Drinking should be enjoyed in moderation, isn’t that right?”

“I see…”

A reasonable statement.

But I had no obligation to comply with that.

“Hey there! Bring more drinks here!”

The servant hurriedly brought wine and filled the glasses.

Although everyone hesitated, they reluctantly drank when I smiled.

I had to drink until today’s events were erased from memory.

Because I made it so.

One glass.

“By the way, today His Highness mentioned…”

Two glasses.

“In fact, I want to enhance my abilities at the academy…”

Three glasses, four glasses, five glasses…

Every time their glasses emptied, I instructed the servant to refill them with wine.

To the point where the servant stood by us.

And finally.

“This time, my father said…”

Not quite like Confucius, but another family member opened their mouth.

The alcohol was strong, but I was pushing myself to keep up with their pace.

My heart was pounding, and it felt like all sound except his voice was muffled.

My lips moved.

“How much did you praise me this time… hic… The next head of the family is me… Huh, do you understand? David Gongja?! I, Balbar! Next head, it’s me!”

The tension melted away like snow.

Sensations returned, and a sigh escaped my lips.

It seemed endless at this rate.

Moreover, Luna was waiting, so I couldn’t linger.

In the end, I made my move.

“Anything new lately in the family? Increased purchases of military supplies, expanded army, anything like that?”

I couldn’t directly mention the civil war, so I posed a similar question.

But they all just shook their hazy faces.

‘Don’t know.’

The civil war wouldn’t erupt for another 10 years, but I expected preparations were already underway.

After all, it’s a matter of staking everything. Entrusting your life to an impulsive act is nothing short of reckless.

They’re not likely to easily let go of what they have.

However, judging by their reactions, it seems the preparations for the civil war are still lacking.

Either that or my words are too heavy to be lifted with just alcohol.

It’s regrettable, but I should stop here.

It would be troublesome to delve deeper and raise suspicions.

Luna is waiting, after all.

As I tried to turn away with a light farewell…

“Come to think of it, I heard David Gongja got engaged this time… His partner was, hic, Bung, Bung-eori Lady…?”

Blushing, I approached the guy who was hiccupping.

And then, I grabbed him by the collar.

The sobriety had long vanished in the midst of the alcohol.

“Is it appropriate for a mere junior to address a lady like that? Let alone in front of your fiancée? Quite a ridiculous thing.”

“I-I’m sorry…”

“You seem quite drunk, behave yourself.”

Without saying a word, I released the grip on the collar and smoothed out the wrinkles on the clothes with my hands.

It was because I had regained my composure belatedly.

“I hope we won’t have to embarrass each other. Well then.”

I turned away from them and wandered around, searching for Luna.

Where could she have gone?

Somehow, I felt like Luna would be sitting alone in a corner, looking lonely and lost.

And as I searched for such a place, lo and behold, I found Luna.

However, I was met with a situation different from what I had expected.

“Princess, are you okay?”

A nod.

Luna was talking with the prince.

Suddenly, memories of the past came to mind at the sight.

At the academy, Luna had been quite close to the prince.

Why? I don’t know. At that time, I didn’t care.

But now, it was different.

I strode toward where they were with determination.

My heart pounded with excitement. I felt uneasy.

My rationality had long since flown away with the alcohol.

It seemed like I had drunk too much.

* * * * *

Luna followed Albert’s back with her eyes as he headed somewhere, then she changed her direction.

The place she arrived at was a secluded corner of the ballroom.

“Uncomfortable.”

Nobles were no different from monsters.

They never revealed their true intentions, and instead of comforting weaknesses, they sought to use them as leverage to climb higher.

In the midst of that, she was nothing but perfect prey, full of weaknesses.

So, she didn’t want to attend such social gatherings, but she never really had a choice in the matter to begin with.

Refusing an invitation without a proper reason would be impolite.

Furthermore, it would be a disgrace to her family.

This time was no different.

Wasn’t it the first social gathering after the engagement was announced?

If she didn’t attend, it would cause trouble for the David family and Prince Albert.

So, she attended somehow, but as expected, everyone grumbled at her full of weaknesses.

But it didn’t bother her.

It was just too natural.

That’s when she was waiting for Albert in the corner.

She saw someone approaching with determination.

Certainly, the late author Yeongae was a perfect match for Rachel.

Sure enough, just beyond her, Rachel was there, looking in this direction with a sneer.

Is she trying to torment me again?

Is breaking the flowerpot not enough?

Luna’s resigned head slowly drooped down.

The late author Yeongae pretended not to notice anything, gazing into the air as she walked briskly and collided with Luna.

It was an act that seemed deliberate to anyone who saw it.

Thrown off balance by the considerable impact, Luna staggered, losing her center.

But she considered herself lucky. The way to torment her wasn’t by spilling wine.

It was because she had dirtied the dress borrowed from the lady of the manor, which was why she felt ashamed.

Her staggering body finally tilted over.

Surely, at this rate, she would fall.

However, Luna did not fall.

“Oh my! Are you alright?”

A warm, soft voice accompanied the sensation of being held.

When she opened her tightly shut eyes, wasn’t it the prince holding her in his arms?

Luna hastily distanced herself from the prince.

It was an action that should not be taken with an engaged body, and also because she had inconvenienced the prince.

However, something was a little strange.

The prince was clearly slender.

However, the chest buried in the face clearly felt similar to that of a woman.

More precisely, it felt like something was covering the chest, something that could compress it.

Was the accident leading in that direction?

For some reason, the prince’s contours seemed smoothly feminine.

Moreover, the height being somewhat similar to her own had a strangely convincing effect.

With a dry face, Luna looked at the prince with suspicion, no, certainty.

The prince is a woman disguised as a man.

Afterward, the late author Yeongae rushing in and throwing herself on the ground was yet another issue.