TVWRL Chapter 37
After getting into the carriage, I found myself unconsciously glancing at Ilias. Sensing my gaze, he turned to look at me.
“Is something the matter, Lin?”
“Your Highness, didn’t you say you’ve never been in a relationship before?”
“Yes, I haven’t. But I did study a bit to make sure I wouldn’t ruin things because of my inexperience.”
“Study? How did you study?”
“Of course, I studied through books. What else would I use?”
An odd sense of defeat washed over me, realizing that I was being outdone by someone who had learned about relationships through books.
I knew Ilias was intelligent and quick-witted, but I didn’t expect him to have such an exceptional ability to apply what he had learned.
‘Is this some sort of noble prince advantage?’
As follow-up articles about what happened at the newspaper office were published, the prince—once pitied by many—quickly rose to become the empire’s lover.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Empress Sierra, with a deeply furrowed brow, massaged her temples as she looked at Duke Crothos seated before her.
“What is going on? A relationship, you say?”
“I had no idea this would happen either.”
“Didn’t you notice anything during your surveillance?”
“There were no notable movements. Ah, there were a few times we lost track of him. I assumed it had to do with our work… I didn’t think it would be a woman-related issue.”
“Are they really in a relationship?”
Duke Crothos remained silent at the Empress’s question.
Until he saw proof with his own eyes, he couldn’t be certain. However, it was also hard to dismiss it as false. A relationship with a commoner brought no benefit to Ilias.
“The fact that such a scandal has spread is disgraceful. The authority of the royal family has been tarnished. A romance between a royal and a commoner—it’s as if the empire has forgotten all sense of shame.”
Of course, it wasn’t strange for a healthy young man to fall in love. The problem was simply that the man in question was Ilias—the one they were trying to destroy.
Moreover, the fact that the insignificant insect he was seeing was a commoner was what irked her the most.
“For now, I will thoroughly investigate their relationship. We need to understand why the prince is meeting a commoner who brings no benefit.”
“He, who was once insignificant, is now the focus of attention. For the time being, let’s not make any moves and see how things unfold.”
“After all, she’s just a mere commoner. Using a common woman as an excuse to strip him of his right to succession could be a viable strategy.”
“We’ll decide based on how the situation develops. How could he even meet such a lowly person… It’s truly a disgrace to the royal family.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Christian had just returned to the capital after completing his work at a local temple. He had rushed back because tomorrow was Adeline’s divine power test.
However, what greeted him upon his return was the news of Adeline and Ilias’s romantic affair.
After reading the article, he threw the newspaper aside, unable to contain his rising anger.
He had believed that once Adeline joined the temple after the test, they could be together forever.
He had even devised a plan to gradually ease her aversion to the temple.
‘But a romance with the prince? Since when?’
Christian had never intended to force Adeline into anything. He wanted to win her heart, no matter how long it took.
But now, he feared that might no longer be possible.
There was no way Christian would let Adeline be taken by the prince.
“Adeline, you belong to the temple. And you belong to me.”
His determination burned with an almost frightening intensity.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
The Imperial Newspaper was in chaos due to the flood of exclusive stories.
When they announced that the prince had promised a continuous series of articles, they received dozens of advertising reservations just for the stories about Ilias and Adeline.
Before the excitement of the romantic scandal could settle, the Magic Tower requested a special press conference. And the subject of that conference was none other than Paulian Lint.
Paulian had never allowed an interview before. The press had always requested one, but the response was consistently a refusal.
For him to reach out directly this time, today was undoubtedly a jackpot day for the Imperial Newspaper.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Paulian looked at me with a complicated expression. Bitterness, admiration, disbelief, regret, anger, and loss—he didn’t hide the mixed feelings written on his face.
I couldn’t even begin to guess how I should respond to any of those emotions.
But after a moment, Paulian quickly gathered the dozens of expressions flitting across his face and spoke in his usual manner.
“Adeline, you’re truly an extraordinary person. I was completely shocked when I read the newspaper this morning.”
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you beforehand. But it wasn’t something I could share. If the article hadn’t come out, it would have remained a secret forever.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Because it involves the prince, I couldn’t reveal it carelessly. I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been more cautious because of my position as a commoner. I should have told you earlier since you’re a friend, but…”
“Have you been seeing each other for a long time?”
“No, it hasn’t been long. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to come out like this. And definitely not so soon. I guess I’m just unlucky. Sigh…”
I felt guilty lying to my ally, but I had no other choice. Everything was part of the safety net to protect me.
“Well, it’s not over yet, is it?”
Paulian spoke brightly, having brushed aside his disappointment. His mood was shifting rapidly today.
“Pardon?”
It was true that the plans we had set in motion weren’t finished yet. I smiled at him in return.
“Shall we go surprise the world again, Adeline?”
“Let’s do it!”
We headed together to the interview space prepared on the first floor of the Magic Tower.
Although it was an exclusive interview with the Imperial Newspaper, its influence was vast, being the empire’s only paper.
The journalist, who had seen me at the newspaper office that morning, looked at me with wide eyes, shocked to see me appear at the Magic Tower in the afternoon.
“Oh! Lady Adeline.”
I smiled softly and bowed slightly.
“I’m here because of Paulian’s interview, but why are you here?”
At that moment, Paulian skillfully interrupted.
“Why are you asking such an obvious question? Since the subject of my interview is related to Lady Adeline, isn’t it natural that we’d be together?”
The reporter looked at both Paulian and me with eyes wide as if shaken by an earthquake.
The protagonist of the morning’s explosive romance news had been none other than Prince Ilias, but here I was in the afternoon, with Paulian, the empire’s idol and future head of the Magic Tower.
It was only natural that the reporter was caught in a whirlwind of confusion.
After glancing around nervously, the reporter lowered their voice and asked cautiously, their expression betraying anxiety.
“What exactly is the relationship between the two of you?”
Paulian leaned in closer to the reporter, lowering his voice as if to tease, and whispered:
“We’re partners.”
The reporter, already mentally crumbling, looked even more shocked. Paulian added with a smirk:
“Business partners, unfortunately.”
It took the reporter a moment to recover from the shock before asking again.
“Business partners?”
“Yes, and that’s what we called you here to discuss. Let’s go over the details.”
Originally, the front page of tomorrow’s paper was supposed to be “Adeline’s Divine Power Test: What Will the Outcome Be?” But now, it was certain that the headline would change to “First-Ever Collaboration Between Magic and Divine Power: Exclusive Interview with Paulian Lint and Adeline Senner.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
After finishing the interview, we moved to his office.
“Did we make this too big of a deal?”
“No. Right now, I need all the special attention I can get. To ensure that no one dares touch me.”
“Even if it’s the temple, they can’t touch you now, Adeline.”
Paulian handed me a small box that had been on his desk.
“It’s finished.”
Inside the box was a pendant with a tiny diamond embedded in it.
“It’s hard to find a jewel that can withstand both our powers since mine and Adeline’s are particularly strong. I’m still looking for one, but if the jewel cracks or breaks, you’ll need to come back for a new one.”
“Okay. I will. Thank you, Paul.”
“We should do this much for each other as friends.”
“How should I pay you?”
Paulian thought for a moment and then shook his head.
“It’s okay. Right now, I don’t want anything in return… at least nothing specific.”
“Then I can’t just let it go. If you think of anything at all, just let me know.”
“I will. If an opportunity arises later, I’ll tell you.”
I stood up and bowed politely to Paulian.
“Thank you for the pendant and the interview. Thanks to you, I can come and go to the Magic Tower comfortably, and I can take the test tomorrow without any worries. Once everything settles down, I’ll make sure to thank you properly. If you ever want something, don’t hesitate to let me know.”
“I will. Adeline, have a good time at the temple.”
“Yes. Paul, I’ll come by soon.”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“Ilias Driopeia wasn’t enough, now it’s Paulian Lint?”
Leona couldn’t contain the boiling mix of jealousy and anger, biting her lips in frustration.
Ilias was the husband candidate she had chosen, the man who could elevate her to the highest ranks of the empire.
It wasn’t just about the conditions, or else she wouldn’t have been this upset.
Leona couldn’t forget the image of Ilias the first time she saw him on the day of her inauguration.
Though he seemed detached from everything, with a melancholic gaze… Ilias, who had lost everything yet stood with dignity and confidence… even appeared slightly arrogant. This image of him left a deep impression on Leona as an attractive man.
That was why he had stirred the desires of her father, Gunner.
She wanted that man. She genuinely wanted him.
But now, he was in a romantic relationship with Adeline.
Moreover, the pictures of the two in the newspaper looked incredibly affectionate, a sight rarely seen among nobles involved in political marriages.
Seeing that, Leona felt an even stronger desire for the seat beside Ilias. If Ilias looked at her with such eyes, she believed she would be the happiest person in the world.
Leona glared at Adeline’s happy expression in the newspaper as if she could kill her.
It felt as though Adeline was stealing everything important from her life.
“You’re just an obstacle in my life. But I can remove anything that stands in my way.”
After barely suppressing her rage, Leona spoke coldly.
“I am the saint of the Myaria Church, the most powerful force in the empire, and the daughter of Count Waynes. Adeline, you can’t even compare to me.”
With that thought, Leona vowed to take Ilias away from Adeline.
