Duke Scandars was taken aback, but he put his hand on his chest without showing it.
“I apologize, Your Majesty. My daughter’s painting is nothing compared to Elsalute’s.”
Although he spoke in a very respectful tone, the emperor stared at Duke Scandars with an unpleasant look.
I told you to get lost, but how dare you spit on my words?
“If it’s worthless, then that’s even better. I don’t have any plans to have your nameless daughter paint any important paintings.”
The emperor glared at Britia, pointing at her with his eyes. Britia, who noticed his gaze, opened her eyes wide in disbelief.
“I didn’t know that was your intention, Your Majesty. In that case…”
Duke Scandars could not finish his sentence because he was boiling with anger. Kyra had disgraced herself in front of the Crown Prince and had even run away. Because of that, he had spent the whole day wandering around the palace trying to catch her himself. It was an impossible task.
He had to take her back immediately and make her beg for forgiveness until her hands and feet fell off. But he’s getting away with it like this?
His hands trembled with anger. However, it was dangerous to argue with the emperor here. Even without that, the emperor didn’t seem to be in a good mood because he didn’t listen to him and insisted. Duke Scandars barely controlled his mind and smiled at the emperor.
“I hope my daughter will be able to entertain Your Majesty with her humble talents.”
Instead of showing his anger to the emperor, Duke Scandars glared at Kyra and Britia.
Britia, who met eyes with the Duke, was startled. The emperor’s eyes narrowed at Britia’s movements as she fluttered like she was about to start a game.
“If you understand, go away and stop acting like a shrew to your grown daughter.”
Duke Scandars took his hand off Kyra as the emperor waved his hand like he was chasing away a fly.
The emperor snorted and went into his office, watching the Duke’s back as he walked away. He had helped Britia, but he wasn’t in a good mood.
“Britia Lockhart!”
Britia, who had been secretly crying in relief that she had been spared, was startled by the sudden loud voice. The emperor’s eyebrows furrowed.
“What are you doing, just standing there with your eyes wide open?”
Britia was startled and bowed her head deeply.
“Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty. You are truly a kind and compassionate person, to have noticed my clumsy tricks and helped me…”
She thought he was angry because she wasn’t grateful, but she didn’t think the emperor’s crumpled expression would ever smooth out.
“That’s not what I’m talking about. What was that pathetic display in front of Scandars!”
The emperor shouted angrily. In fact, the emperor was more angry at Duke Scandars for threatening Britia than at Britia for being scared. However, the anger of the man with the twisted mind was directed at Britia, who was standing in front of him.
“Sig would have torn Scandars apart right there. But you, to Scandars!”
He dared to open his eyes like that and threaten that weakling. What would he have done if she had really started to cry?
“How dare you look at me with such impudence!”
Britia, thinking that he was referring to her, lowered her head deeply, apologizing.
“Don’t you dare raise your head!”
Britia was startled by the emperor’s shout and raised her head.
“Didn’t you want to be the wife of a mad dog? Then shouldn’t you bite and tear off the tail of anyone who threatens you, regardless of who they are!”
Britia was surprised and speechless. She had thought she would be scolded for returning late, but she had not expected to be reprimanded for this.
“Don’t be blind! Put some strength in your eyes! I’m telling you to be poisonous!”
Britia did as he said and glared.
“I told you to put poison in your eyes, not just open them wide!”
Britia desperately glared, but the emperor was not satisfied.
“I’m telling you to look more alive, like Sig!”
Britia bit her lower lip and frowned at the reproach that she couldn’t even do that. She didn’t know how to show her fighting spirit, but she tried to put as much anger into it as possible.
“More!”
That didn’t seem to be enough for the emperor either. As a result, Britia had to practice making a more vicious and strong expression under the emperor’s supervision for a long time.
While Britia was learning from the emperor how to be poisonous, Sig quietly watched the crown prince with his mouth shut.
Sig was not very perceptive, but he could tell why he was so serious now.
“Brother.”
When he called out softly, the crown prince rolled his eyes and glanced at Sieg. It had been a long time since he had seen such a sullen expression on his face.
“Are you bothered by what that woman said?”
Sig asked, and the crown prince frowned and snorted.
“Sig, listen.”
“Yes, brother.”
The crown prince didn’t say anything for a long time after telling him to listen. Then he took a long breath out of his nose before opening his mouth.
“I am a person who approaches important matters carefully.”
Sig nodded, looking at the crown prince’s sullen face.
“Marriage? It’s not important. Besides, there are many strategic considerations to be made in my marriage, so I can’t just make a decision, can I?”
There were not a few people who supported the crown prince because they thought that their family could produce the crown princess. Marriage alliances were traditional and common. That was also why Grand Duke Cameron had not married even though he was over 40 years old.
However, he did not want to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, who had changed wives whenever he needed to. He had used this family and that family and eventually died of poisoning.
“I’m just trying to be very careful. But I didn’t succumb to temptation…”
The crown prince felt wronged.
Sig tried hard to think of something to comfort him.
Should I tell him that I will take care of that woman? But he seemed to be close to Britia, so would that be okay? But if that’s what my brother wants.
While Sig was struggling to find an answer, the adjutant spoke up.
“Isn’t it proof that Your Highness has been thoroughly avoiding the traps set by the families who are after the crown prince’s position?”
The vice-captain comforted the crown prince, but he secretly thought that Kyra’s suspicion was justified. He was so abstinent that even he, who was on the same side, found it strange.
“Just because that woman thinks that way doesn’t mean it’s a big obstacle to Your Highness’s future.”
In fact, this was not the first time such rumors had circulated. The crown prince was only speechless and laughed at the time. Since he didn’t care in the first place, he thought he could just let it go this time too.
“There is no obstacle…”
However, the crown prince muttered with a bitter face. As he said, it was something he wouldn’t have cared about at all until two months ago.
***
The Crown Prince was flabbergasted when the woman asked him to play matchmaker for her. He had been approached by countless women before, but this was a new one. He wondered if she was trying to approach him in a new way, but she seemed sincere.
“Can you keep this request for matchmaking a secret from my father?”
Kyra didn’t hide the fact that she was planning to deceive her father. The Crown Prince had heard rumors that Duke Scandars treated his children poorly.
She seemed desperate to escape from her parents. The Crown Prince understood her situation and kept quiet, even though he knew that the Empress and the Duke would have high expectations.
He decided to help her, thinking that he could save a promising artist in the process. In the meantime, the Crown Prince selected a few suitable men to introduce to Lady Kyra. It wasn’t a difficult task, but choosing the right one turned out to be surprisingly difficult.
One man’s appearance was lacking, while another’s domineering behavior towards his family made the Crown Prince wonder if he would treat his wife the same way. Even with men who seemed to have no obvious problems, the Crown Prince wondered if they would be able to fully support their wives’ painting careers after marriage.
“I’d rather marry you.”
The Crown Prince was even more embarrassed by the words that blurted out of his mouth without thinking. However, he tried to ignore it, insisting that he only valued her talent as an artist.
It seemed that dragging things out for too long had clouded his judgment. He decided to hurry up and find her a match.
The Crown Prince set a date and invited Kyra and a few potential husbands under the pretext of a painting appreciation event. He planned to observe who she got along with best and make a decision based on that.
“This painting is wonderful. That painting is wonderful. This artist is this way, that artist is that way.”
The potential husbands, on the other hand, did not even bother to talk to Kyra. They all emphasized how deep their own artistic knowledge was, even mispronouncing the names of the painters.
Did I choose the wrong candidates? The Crown Prince’s eyes turned to Kyra, who was tired of them. She didn’t seem interested in the men either, and simply stared at the paintings without saying a word.
Did she know or not that this appreciation event was for her?
The Crown Prince was not happy with her attitude, but it didn’t last long. He was surprised to see Kyra, who was always nervous around him, exuding a very calm aura in front of the paintings.
Without realizing it, the Crown Prince approached her. Then, his eyes met Kyra’s as she moved on to the next painting.
“Thank you for showing me such wonderful paintings, Your Highness.”
She smiled as she thanked him, then quickly turned her eyes to the next painting. It was only a fleeting smile, but the Crown Prince couldn’t take his eyes off her face. Even though he was confident that he would not succumb to any temptation, no matter how strong.
Who was it that said that the more confident a person is, the more likely they are to fall in love helplessly? Was it His Majesty?
The Crown Prince thought of his father’s grumbling face when he told him this, and quietly gritted his teeth.
“I didn’t know Lady Kyra was interested in painting.”
While the Crown Prince was flustered, one of the men asked Kyra a know-it-all question about the painter. He still couldn’t pronounce the painter’s name properly. At that, Kyra’s gentle expression returned to her usual one.
How dare he interrupt her.
The Crown Prince found the man he had invited to be an eyesore. And then he threw away the list he had made of her potential husband candidates.
There was no need to look far. If she chose him, she would always be able to see and paint good paintings.
The Crown Prince, determined to seduce her by subtly showing off this fact, began to make plans.
Up until she told him she wanted to meet him today, the Crown Prince thought his efforts were paying off. But he was completely wrong.
“Aren’t you heartbroken because something went wrong?”
At the Crown Prince’s sharp voice, the vice-captain and Sig widened their eyes and exchanged glances.
“Your Highness, then that woman…”
The Crown Prince’s heart sank at the sight of Sig, who looked confused as if he couldn’t believe it.
“As expected, you two are like brothers who grew up together. You can’t even date in the same way.”
The vice-captain exclaimed repeatedly.
It was said that you can tell what a child is like by looking at their parents. Indeed, these men were of the blood of the emperor.
The vice-captain laughed to himself as he came to this conclusion.
“I’m not telling you this story to make fun of me.”
The Crown Prince smiled faintly and glanced at the vice-captain. The vice-captain bowed his head, not looking sorry at all.
“How about it, Your Highness, do you need my advice too?”
The Crown Prince’s mouth twitched at the vice-captain’s attitude, as he grinned and chattered away. He hated that he couldn’t confidently say that he didn’t need any advice.
