TVWRL Chapter 40

TVWRL Chapter 40

Of course, there were paparazzi nearby, and Ilias’s words eventually made it into the newspapers. Thus, the headline read not “Adeline’s Divine Power Test” but rather “The Man Who Was Jealous of the Goddess, Ilias.”

In the end, the divine power test faded into obscurity without generating any buzz.

While it was true that, as the pope said, the church had not given up on me, it was still a heavy burden for them to take away the prince’s lover, who was currently attracting all the attention and support, especially since I had no divine power right now

If I were to be attached to the temple, our relationship would inevitably break apart.

The Myaria Church had always used the imperial family as a shield to engage in their wrongful acts.

While they could ignore Ilias in a space only occupied by the imperial family and church members, they weren’t foolish enough to openly assert their superiority over the imperial family in front of the people of the empire.

The general populace merely had a vague sense of the church’s significant power.

Ilias leaned over and gave me a light kiss on the cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Lin.”

His carriage began to depart, and I stood still until it disappeared down the alley.

It didn’t take long for the unfortunate and pitiful prince to transform into the empire’s lover.

‘I think it’s still too early, but if someone who loves a commoner without prejudice becomes emperor, might my life change as well?’

Thoughts like this began to emerge. And as he changes, his nonexistent presence will turn into popularity

I spent a light-hearted time with my friends at Mirage, enjoying the desserts and tea that Ilias had bought for us.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

After that, I soon returned to my daily life.

Once the business suspension was lifted, customers flocked in greater numbers than before.

Looking at it this way, our contract wasn’t solely beneficial for Ilias.

Not only did I see an increase in customers compared to before, but the image of a commoner who had captured the prince’s heart and possessed the ability to save lives was starting to form a fanbase.

Moreover, there were many nobles who benefited from me, so not only commoners but nobles as well were becoming favorable toward me.

I gradually increased my allies. My allies would soon become Ilias’s allies as well.

People were a crucial element to our success.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

In the flower garden of the Empress Palace, Sierra met with Duke Crothos.

In front of them was a fragrant flower tea. However, despite the beautiful setting, Sierra’s expression was cold and hardened.

Duke Crothos pretended not to notice her discomfort as he sipped his tea.

“The aftertaste is quite delightful, Your Majesty.”

“You’re as carefree as ever, Father. You even have the leisure to enjoy tea.”

Sierra did not hide her discomfort as Ilias’s popularity soared.

These days, wherever one went in the empire, it was all about Ilias. There were even people who, oblivious to her feelings, inquired about Ilias’s well-being.

Sierra had lived until now trying to diminish Ilias’s presence and erase his traces, ensuring that she could dispose of him at any time for Aiden’s sake.

But now, Ilias had overshadowed Aiden in terms of presence. Sierra could not contain her anger at this fact.

Unlike her usual self, she displayed impatience.

“Is this merely my problem? Isn’t it for our family’s sake? How can you be so carefree?”

“Do not worry too much. It is all temporary. The public’s interest does not last long. Right now, it’s merely a new story that sparks their interest.”

“Soon it will be Aiden’s birthday.”

“I was just thinking about giving my grandson a good birthday gift, so I’ve already sent a warning to the First Prince.”

A hint of joy flickered in Sierra’s expression.

“So you haven’t been idle after all.”

“This concerns the Crothos family, does it not?”

“I almost misunderstood your intentions, Father.”

A satisfied smile appeared on Sierra’s lips.

☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓

Due to the daily dating schedule, Ilias’s agenda was always tight.

On this rare day without a date, Ilias went to a tavern. While it seemed like he was going to enjoy some entertainment, he had a different purpose in mind.

After ruining Duke Crothos’s deal last time, he had sent a few people abroad to investigate arms trading, and today was the day he would receive that report.

Since such reports couldn’t be received in the heavily monitored imperial palace, he had arranged to meet at the tavern.

The tavern owner joyfully offered a drink.

“Your Highness, this is from my heart.”

When Ilias looked at the owner with a surprised expression, a face that seemed rough was smiling shyly in response.

“I support Your Highness’s love.”

Only then did Ilias’s previously tense expression soften.

“That can’t be.”

Ilias felt guilty about accepting free drinks when it was not a genuine romance but a contractual one, and he knew the owner was a commoner who barely scraped by day to day.

So when Ilias reached for his money, the owner adamantly refused.

“Please accept it. I may not be rich like a noble, but I can happily offer you a drink.”

“Still…”

“You can repay me by making the world a better place. And please take good care of our Lady Adeline until the end. Actually, it was Lady Adeline who helped us create this drink. Now it has become our shop’s signature menu, loved by both men and women. While there are people who have never tried it, there is no one who has only tried it once. Thanks to this drink, we have even gained noble regulars. Hahaha.”

Ilias turned his gaze to the drink.

Now that he thought about it, the color of the drink was different from what he usually drank. It had a greenish hue.

Noticing Ilias’s curiosity about the drink, the owner continued.

“It’s a cocktail made from various mixed drinks. The name ‘cocktail’ was given to it by Lady Adeline. She’s truly amazing. I’m proud to be a commoner like her.”

The tavern owner scratched the back of his head as he spoke.

“I apologize for the modest gift compared to the favor you’ve done us, Your Highness.”

As the tavern owner smiled awkwardly, Ilias reached for his drink.

“I will gladly accept it. I won’t forget your kindness. And the next time you see Adeline, please make the same request for me. I’ll pay for my drinks in advance.”

At those words, the tavern owner smiled happily. It felt as if Ilias’s deep affection for Adeline somehow reflected on him, making him feel loved.

After taking a sip of the drink, Ilias found the strange taste appealing—it started bitter but ended sweet.

He casually glanced around the tavern while drinking.

Since it wasn’t a date today, there were no paparazzi. Instead, there was someone else trailing Ilias. Several people were already inside the tavern, watching him. Naturally, he pretended not to notice.

Ilias moved to a card game table in the corner of the tavern to give the watchers something to observe.

Dating, drinking, playing games—it was the perfect scene he could show to Empress Sierra.

The people reporting to him could easily join the card table, making it a frequently used method of contact.

“May I join you?”

“Of course.”

“Please have a seat.”

“It’s an honor. I never thought I’d get to play cards with Your Highness.”

The people already at the table welcomed Ilias with enthusiasm.

“Owner! Bring a drink for everyone at this table. I’ll buy it in celebration of the Prince’s presence.”

“No, it’s fine.”

Ilias adamantly declined, but drinks quickly appeared on the table.

“If not today, how else would I have the chance to treat you to drinks, Your Highness?”

“Thanks to you, I will enjoy this.”

The cheerful responses from the people at the table made Ilias raise his glass.

In reality, commoners rarely had the chance to see the face of royalty up close. This was why Ilias had faced life-threatening situations multiple times in the heart of the capital.

However, things are different now. With Ilias appearing in the newspapers daily, it was harder not to recognize him.

Seeing a prince who had a commoner lover enjoying a card game with them seemed approachable and quite charming.

But despite the warm reception, there was one person at the table who openly showed hostility.

“The prince is busy with his love life, while the country is in shambles.”

Ilias pretended not to hear. It was clear that this person had been sent by Sierra.

With Aiden’s birthday approaching, it was expected that Sierra would start moving again.

‘Just as I talked about with Adeline.’

When the dating rumors first broke, the intense interest from the public likely caused her to hold back, fearing any reckless actions might escalate the situation.

However, as Ilias became more of a topic of discussion, Sierra’s displeasure was bound to grow, and it was likely he wouldn’t hold back anymore.

It must be difficult for someone who had lived life as they pleased to tolerate anything that bothered them.

The man stirring up trouble continued to provoke Ilias. It seemed like he was trying to incite a fight.

Perhaps the man had found it burdensome to start a fight with Ilias, who was the center of attention. Until now, he had been causing trouble without any reason, but now he seemed to be coming up with a half-baked plan.

After losing a significant amount in the card game, the troublemaker abruptly stood up.

“The prince is just here to squeeze money from commoners. With dating and gambling, it’s pathetic.”

Ilias didn’t want to retaliate, but since the people he was supposed to report to hadn’t arrived yet, he couldn’t just walk away.

As he contemplated his options, the tension escalated.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The people who had been playing cards with Ilias suddenly stood up, their chairs tumbling backward.

“Our prince is an open-minded person, so he’s willing to play cards with us commoners and even date one of us.”

“If you have so many complaints, why don’t you go work hard instead of sitting here with us?”

“Isn’t it a bit exaggerated to call it gambling just because we’re betting a few coins on a game of cards?”

“If you’re part of the imperial family, you should understand how commoners live. Only then can you govern for us. You seem more narrow-minded than I thought.”

Ilias didn’t even need to step in himself. In this tavern, there were plenty of people willing to defend him if anyone tried to provoke him.

Although Ilias was a bit surprised as this was the first time such a situation had arisen, he didn’t feel bad about it.

He had accepted the idea of a contractual relationship and marriage proposed by Adeline because it clearly had its benefits. However, he never expected it would help him this much.

‘I never imagined dating would be this beneficial.’

When Adeline talked about the things that could happen through their contractual relationship, he had thought she was being overly dramatic, but now it seemed even that was an understatement.

He hadn’t realized that people’s interest could work in this way.

Until now, Ilias hadn’t trusted anyone aside from a few close associates. Of course, until now, no one had really supported him either.

Adeline was clearly the best business partner for Ilias.