Late one night, a carriage carrying Duke Dominique, his son Lucas, Marisa, and other high nobles clattered through the darkness.
Tension filled the inside of the carriage. Overwhelmed by the silence, Marisa turned her gaze outside the window.
Rumors about Ludwig and his valet spread far and wide.
Marisa had managed to let the rumors reach everyone from the empire’s lowest strata to the highest nobility’s ears. By now, it was likely being discussed among other imperial nobles as well.
There were ongoing petitions to the emperor, starting with Count Bael, for the deposition of the crown prince. Soon, the nobles’ council would debate this issue.
Marisa closed her eyes, feeling tired. Whether intended or not, the arrow aimed at Ludwig could no longer be stopped.
The carriage entered the mage tower, and unusually, the doors that seldom opened were now ajar.
Thanks to Ian accepting a meeting he had never agreed to before, his faction wore an uplifted expression.
Rosini, a deputy mage, led the disembarking group into the meeting room, where Ian stood with his back to them.
“Welcome.”
Ian greeted them with a formal smile.
“Lord Ian, have you considered what I mentioned before?”
Duke Dominique asked expectantly as soon as he sat down.
“I appreciate the sentiments of you and the Ian faction, Duke Dominique. And thank you for your support. However, being the head of the mage tower is sufficient for me.”
“Lord Ian, could you reconsider? The crown prince currently lacks the necessary qualifications. It’s time for you to ascend as emperor.”
Duke Dominique pleaded earnestly, and the other nobles echoed his sentiment.
“Hasn’t the crown prince been tarnishing the empire’s reputation with his scandalous and frivolous behavior since his appointment?
“And it’s not just that. There are rumors circulating that the crown prince is involved in a love affair with a man.”
“A love affair with a man? Are you referring to Ludwig?”
Ian, who had been ignoring the nobles’ conversation, finally showed interest.
“Yes, there are rumors about the crown prince being intimately involved with his masked valet.”
At that, Ian looked at Marisa with a skeptical eye.
“The crown prince is not like that. We are cousins, and I can vouch for him as if he were my own brother.”
“Lord Ian, sexual preference is a personal matter. It’s not something to be judged by moral standards.”
Ian sent Marisa a warning look as she spoke to the point.
“I will meet the prince to verify the truth. And I will disregard the Ian faction’s proposal just now. I will continue my role as the head of the mage tower, serving the emperor.”
Sighs and murmurs of resignation filled the room, and one by one, the nobles left, unable to persuade him further.
In the now empty meeting room, only Ian and Marisa remained, and the deputy mage left jasmine tea on the table before exiting.
“Speak your mind.”
Marisa said haughtily as she brought the teacup to her lips.
“Do you understand the consequences of what you are planning now?”
“I am aware.”
“Why go to such lengths? Is it because you love Ludwig?”
“I dislike his carelessness. He’s selfish and immature, completely disregarding others’ feelings.”
“Were you not aware of Ludwig’s flaws before? Has your affection grown so strong that you can no longer tolerate his faults?”
Ian’s eyes filled with pity and compassion.
Hearing his accurate expression of her feelings, Marisa choked up.
Biting her lip to hold back tears, she stood up as Ian looked back at her.
“Marisa, I wish you had only stirred up as much trouble as I can handle. Please.”
***
“His eyes should be larger and more beautiful. His nose cuter, and his mouth more charming…”
Ludwig continuously complained to the woodcarvers working on a doll.
After Elias had left the wooden doll the day before, Ludwig summoned the empire’s painters and woodcarvers to Nangong, the farthest and most secluded palace in the imperial court.
He also gave Elias and the other attendants a day off.
“What mischief are you planning now? I won’t join you.”
“Hmm, is that so? Then, shall we have a serious conversation?”
Holding a romance magazine in one hand and shaking the wooden doll with the other, Ludwig watched as Elias ran away.
The rumors about the crown prince and his masked valet refused to die down.
Ludwig, through his secret organization “Sky”, discovered that Marisa was at the center of the rumors.
Marisa’s movement signaled she was seeing this through to the end, putting herself and Rapun in danger, and Ludwig had to make a decision. Ludwig wanted to spend more time with Rapun in this critical situation and leave a portrait of him behind.
He commissioned a painter to create portraits of himself and Rapun, and ordered the woodcarver to make two dolls.
“How can you not capture Rapun’s lovely and adorable expression?”
Ludwig paced among the artisans, expressing his dissatisfaction.
“Rapun, don’t you think so too?”
“It does look quite similar, doesn’t it?”
“Similar?”
“Yes. These dolls look like the Crown Prince and me.”
“Hmm, is that so? Well, if Rapun likes them, that’s good enough for me.”
Though not entirely pleased, Ludwig concluded that it was impossible for the dolls to replicate reality perfectly and reluctantly accepted them.
In just half a day, dozens of wooden dolls were completed, and Ludwig ordered them to be taken to the Crown Prince’s palace.
He then rode around the palace grounds with Rapun.
“Isn’t it nice to ride around like this?”
“Yes, it’s lovely.”
“Is the stable finished yet?”
“It’s not completed yet. I’ll finish it as quickly as possible.”
“There’s no rush.”
“But it will be winter soon, and it will be cold for the horses.”
“Aren’t you cold?”
“What?”
“I mean, wouldn’t you be cold if I weren’t here?”
Ariel turned her head at the deep sigh she felt from Ludwig behind her, and his eyes were filled with profound turmoil and conflict.
‘…Has His Highness decided to send me away?’
Ariel felt a ticklish sensation in her heart, akin to an itchy nose, and a strange feeling washed over her.
It was a feeling mixed with both a desire to laugh and cry, like the colorful silk draped over the summer palace.
“Don’t I have His Highness?”
Ariel said, looking ahead with an innocent smile, and Ludwig was so moved that he couldn’t speak.
Did Rapun realize how significant his seemingly playful words were? They meant trust, but could also be misinterpreted as having feelings for him…
“Your Highness?”
Ariel turned to look at Ludwig, who was unusually silent, and their eyes met.
Struggling to control his emotions, Ludwig asked gruffly.
“What can I do for you?”
“Well, didn’t His Highness bring Sardonyx to the summer palace? That’s enough for me.”
Taken aback by her response, Ludwig carefully touched her face with his fingertips.
As the rain began to fall, his touch trembled delicately, almost like a sob. Tears weren’t only shed from the eyes. Right now, His Highness’s hand was crying.
***
Elias and Robert, who had returned from their holiday, were astonished at the sight of the wooden dolls piled up in the office.
“What on earth are all these wooden dolls?”
“…”
“They look like Ludwig and Rapunzel… Did he send everyone on holiday yesterday just to make these dolls?”
Elias stood speechless.
Ludwig, known for not giving up, had thrown the wooden dolls at them as a torment. But then, he had gone a step further and made dozens of dolls resembling himself and his valet.
“Ah, really…”
Ludwig, in a good mood, hummed a tune as he entered.
He greeted them with his eyes, then sat down and picked up one of the wooden dolls on the desk.
“It seems they were made in such a hurry yesterday that they couldn’t make the masks. I’ll have to get masks made… Ah, and have the clothes made of top-quality silk. Soft lambskin would be good for the shoes.”
“Are you planning to play with dolls now?”
Elias asked, suppressing his anger.
“Doll play? I hadn’t thought about that, but it might be a good idea. Maybe I’ll play dolls with Rapun when he arrives.”
Ludwig held two wooden dolls facing each other and clicked their mouths together.
“What’s wrong with Ludwig today? He seems very serious, doesn’t he?”
Robert whispered to Elias, and Ludwig unexpectedly spoke loudly.
“Robert, didn’t I tell you before? You have such a loud voice that everyone can hear you. Oh, and Elias. There’s something I want to do even before I confess.”
“…”
Overwhelmed, Elias tightly closed his mouth and left the office.
His thoughts were complex.
Ludwig’s feelings for Rapunzel seemed genuine. Previously, he grumbled about Rapunzel, but now he openly cared and showed his affection.
The chief steward of valets at Ludwig’s side surely knew this. It was uncertain what the gossip-loving servants might spread.
Elias heard from Leo that petitions for the deposition of the Crown Prince kept coming to the Emperor. So, it seemed that the Emperor might soon make a decisive move.
Ludwig heard that confining the Crown Prince in the palace and making an example of the valet by executing him might be drastic measures considered.
The movements of Ian’s faction were unusual, and Marisa was at the center of it all.
Elias understood Marisa’s feelings. However, he wished she had discussed her extreme decisions with them beforehand. It left him feeling regretful.
Thinking of Ludwig, who seemed to be indulging in a reckless game of love amidst such a critical situation, made him furious and anxious.
Elias was afraid he wouldn’t be able to protect Ludwig, his friend and his sovereign Crown Prince, and he was also worried about my sister Marisa.
It hurt that Ludwig did not pay attention to Marisa.
Marisa could lead a remarkable life even without Ludwig or the position of a crown princess. Yet, she chose a path that hurt everyone involved.
Elias decided he could no longer stand by and had to inform Ludwig about the current situation.
***
Crown Prince Alexei of the Prolands Empire received a letter from the Romanov Empire.
It was from Crown Prince Ludwig, expressing his desire to settle in the Prolands Empire.
The letter inquired about how much settlement funds would be necessary and where the best place to live in Prolands would be. Alexei was puzzled by the very detailed and specific letter, especially since he had recently received a similar one from Ian.
“How tough must things be in Romanov?”
Ian had once turned down an offer to be the head of Prolands’ mage tower, even with a dukedom on the table. But now, suddenly, he was inquiring about a position at the Prolands mage tower.
While Ian’s letter was surprising, Ludwig’s was truly unexpected.
The flashy Ludwig, who loved to show off, seemed to have no reason to give up his glamorous position as crown prince and move to Prolands.
Already planning to visit Romanov with Gale and Alfred, Alexei thought this would be a good chance.
Gale and Alfred were troublemakers, stirring up the social circles of Provençal with their antics.
Recently, Gale flirted with a baroness and fled after being hit when he was caught.
Alexei could no longer simply watch as they wreaked havoc in Prolands society.
Rumors had it that Gale and Alfred were on the run after stealing Ludwig’s bracelet.
Alexei planned to use the guide to Romanov Empire as a pretext to take them there and hand them over to Ludwig.
“Shall we go meet Ludwig as soon as we’re ready?”
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