That side, even though the plan was proceeding- he was not responding. Better to stimulate him. He would be confused, and he would be a little nervous-. The Archduke- he works just enough to not harm himself-. To deal with him- He had to provoke him on purpose- to make a big deal out of it, and to induce him to make mistakes.’
Leone was thinking quite far.
Right. The Archduke, always backing down, erased any evidence of his involvement. Even though we fought bloody, the assassins didn’t know who the real client was, so they couldn’t prove it. The Grand Duke always sat in a comfortable seat.
‘If the Archduke were a little lax—I might think, that Trixie might have nothing to do with me. It’s optimistic- lean.’
So, the strategy was planned according to Leone’s thoughts.
‘Ah. Of course you… He can’t touch Trixie, be forceful, or hurt her. Can’t even contact. If he even touch her fingertips…’
The words Leone added did not carry on to the end. However, the meaning of his cold gaze was clear. If touched, he dies.
‘But you have to pretend to be hurt, so make a little fuss… should do I hope you take care of yourself.’
Leone, who had maintained a cold attitude the whole time, looked at her and spoke to her with a worried face.
‘Trixie. Sorry. I already know the operation- everything, so there’s nothing dangerous. No, dangerously- I won’t make it.’
To be honest, he didn’t mind. He didn’t know since when, but he thought he had been able to be sure that she would be safe with Leone. Anyway. In the end, all the nobles who approached her today acted coercively, as the Grand Duke said, but they were asked to show meticulous acting skills so that they could not be really coercive. And he too.
“Name is…”
“No, I don’t know the name. Instead of drinking today, I want to get drunk on your beauty-”
His stomach churned at the oily lines, so he lowered his voice sharply and whispered menacingly.
“Really… I’m sorry… a little bit… Could you please speak less?”
“This much has to be-”
“I don’t think anyone will hear it, so it’s okay.”
“Is that so? Then I will lead you now.”
They looked around and whispered to each other. Her eyes naturally turned to look for Leone. He wasn’t looking this way. It was natural. If the Archduke were to stare at me in an obvious place, it would be no different than an advertisement saying, ‘We are related’.
“Come on, let’s go.”
The baron strained his eyes and grabbed her wrist. She raised her eyebrows as she looked at the baron’s slender forearms, which lacked much strength compared to Leone’s. A pitiful face, a face that couldn’t be rejected and was dragged along…!
“Why, why are you like this, really.”
It was a full-on performance, but the baron’s expression shook slightly. It was clear that both of them were smokers. She was taken to the baron as she was. Leone, who reached the end of her bewitched gaze, was greeting the aristocratic lady standing across from her without paying any attention to her. Wow, with a friendly face.
‘I’m very annoyed…’
It’s an operation, she knew it’s an operation. All the while she was being dragged around, Leone had a face like that. Was he saying hello to many young ladies?
‘Have a good time with me, Leone. This isn’t me, Leon. Wasn’t it just you having a good time…? However, she had to be dragged helplessly. Because there were people waiting to be dealt with.
* * *
Archduke Evans was displeased.
“Your Highness is truly a nobleman…”
“Why not? Sooner or later, the wedding market in the capital will be very hot.”
“I heard that you had some problems when you were young. Was it a rumor?”
“No way. Look now. That would have been nonsense.”
“I remember seeing it myself…”
“Is it so? So maybe you’re alright? I never thought you would grow up so wonderfully.”
It wasn’t just because of the stupid noises around her. It was an attitude that embarrassed even the Archduke. How could he be able to laugh like that? He was a completely different being from the prince the Archduke remembered, Leone Atarta. Even the Archduke could have been fooled in an instant. The appearance of a full-fledged person. Acting skills that look like royalty.
Adler clung to the prince’s side, whispering to him from time to time. When the prince heard something from Adler, he naturally smiled and continued his conversation with the people.
“Tsk.”
Seeing that, the Archduke immediately came to his senses. He thought Adler was controlling him. Despite the shiny appearance, the inside was a beast. The Archduke knew. The true face of the prince that would be revealed just by removing that mask. Whether it’s now Adler or that annoying Beatrice Giuseppe, it could have been brainwashed to make it that way. Violence, coercion, brainwashing. There was nothing that couldn’t be changed with those things. It would have been even easier if that beast prince had opened his heart to the girl. There was no male that did not fall for a woman’s sweet whisper. So all he had to do was peel that skin off. He could…
“Something is strange…”
It was strange. The four attendants surrounding the disguised Beatrice were clearly guarded by the prince. Even though she was wearing a disguise, she was instantly recognizable because of the way she protected her. It was so stupid. Hide if you want to hide, why do you stand out vaguely? However it got weirder as time went on. A prince who didn’t know how to contain his emotions. He didn’t even look at Beatrice Giuseppe. He put on guards and didn’t pay attention like that? He was vague about whether he was interested or not. Were those knights posted by Adler, who had a sense of justice and even treated the servants with respect? Really, was the prince not interested in that girl?
The welcome ceremony was coming to an end, and the girl had been in trouble several times because of the nobles he had bribed. At least he knew how to look when he was dragged or pushed into a corner and beaten up. What was it, what was it? What was he missing? If someone else had been the opponent, he would have recalled the possibility that he would have bribed the nobles again, but the opponent was Adler. The Archduke discarded the hypothesis as soon as the ‘P’ of purchase came to mind. There’s no way that would be possible for Adler. The reason why the Archduke liked to attack the quantity was simple. Because he has no one to trust. Because he has a good chance of success. When attacked in large numbers, most are unable to defend against the plan even if they are aware of it in advance. It was difficult for anyone in the Empire to be as influential and wealthy as the Archduke. In order to use his hands the way the Archduke did, he had to move a large number of people, and to do so, he had to have the three elements of a brain, guts, and capital to persuade them. Adler was strong at hand-to-hand combat, hand-to-hand combat, and prepared and concealed, but weak at his improvisation. Besides, he hated buying people, spending them, and throwing them away. Moral integrity was really cheap. Also, it would be strange to say that Adler managed to seduce people while ignoring that innocence. Would his people dare to betray the Archduke and go over there? All Adler had was a broken Emperor, a stupid prince, and a count.
‘The attendants can pass. They don’t know much about this world, they’re stupid.’
He didn’t expect much from the attendants in the first place. He just hoped they would cause confusion. The Grand Duke did not even think that the servants who had nothing would be more desperate. To him, the lowly and poor were no more than insignificant creatures, worse than bugs on the roadside. So the fact that they might have been bought was of little interest. They’re garbage that should be disposed of anyway. But it didn’t make sense to go over to the ‘aristocrats’. They’re low-ranking nobles, so they’re worms, but they’re still nobles. Beings who know this world well. They were understandably afraid of the Archduke. Because one didn’t want to miss what one had. Because they knew very well what kind of power the Archduke had in this world.For that… Adler, who had nothing, scratched it gently and bought it again? Did he make a compromise? Nonsense. Then, the only possibility left was that the prince and Beatrice might not be related.
“General.”
The Archduke decided not to think about it. It’s all a useless idea anyway. He just have to check to see if the prince really isn’t interested in the girl. General Bede, who had been standing one step behind the Archduke throughout the welcome ceremony today, stood aside at the Archduke’s call.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Why, isn’t the banquet too quiet?”
If you don’t know, there is only one action to take. Full of desperation, clinging to the Archduke and using his impatient subordinates to carry out his original plan. Since he didn’t want to use it at a time like this in the first place, it was the perfect timing to use it.
“It’s not fun if it’s too peaceful.”
“Yes, you are right.”
“You were a guard who dragged a man on the back of a horse in a village on the outskirts. It was very impressive.”
“Do you remember! Haha. This is embarrassing.”
“It was really fun when I saw you then… How is it now, you must still be a fun person?”
General Bede was silent for a moment. The Archduke wanted something. Like the way he used to torture his men on the street in the old days. He got a second chance, even though he had been unsuccessfully trying to track down the prince for five years already. So now, if the Archduke tells him to, he has to do anything. As long as the Archduke moved as he wants, becoming his sword and advancing, General Bede’s position would be solid forever. The fact that he had already passed on him once was proof that the Archduke cared for the general.
“Yes, Your Excellency. I am still a fun person!”
“Okay. Okay. Ah, I’m over there- the lady-in-waiting is a bit annoying.”
The general simply walked towards the lady-in-waiting pointed out by the grand duke. He didn’t know who it was, but the Archduke wanted to deal with it. The general stood in front of a small lady-in-waiting who seemed strangely surrounded by attendants.
“I don’t like it.”
The maid’s eyes widened slightly.
“Tsk, it’s been bothering me since before.”
“Yes? What if I’m wrong…”
The maid opened her eyes wide and asked. Harassing the staff of the imperial family at the welcome ceremony could have been a serious sin, depending on the mood of the Emperor or the prince. In any case, it was because he had touched the property of the imperial family at will. But General Bede didn’t even think of that. After all, they were the weak imperial family. Because the years of ignoring it had been so long, the general moved his hand without much thought.
“Ah- wait…!”
The lady-in-waiting let out her cry. If so, it’s already too late. Standing next to the handmaids, her attendants were the ones who couldn’t stop the general. Anticipating the fear that would spill out of her handmaid’s eyes, General Bead grinned.
“No, calm down.”
But she was not looking at the general. Far from her fear, her eyes were vivid. The lady-in-waiting looked behind the general and spoke firmly as if to warn someone.
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR, thank you very much for reading!
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Next post will be released on July, 28.
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