Chapter 158

TL: Zimming

The surprised empress dowager came to me.

“What’s the matter?”

“Huwaa……!”

Even Empress Yvonne who was looking at Andre, who had fallen down with a nosebleed, looked at me.

Andre, who was quickly excluded from the spotlight, frowned and grabbed Empress Yvonne’s sleeve.

It wasn’t something a 14-year-old boy would do.

‘Well, he still does that even when he grows up later.’

Andre was the most famous mamaboy in the Empire.

“M, mother, that bastard told me-”

Andre was about to tell Empress Yvonne, but I intervened,

“Huwaa, father……!”

When I cried and even brought out my trump card, father, the people exchanged glances in great bewilderment.

The emperor opened his mouth.

“Lady.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…….”

“Answer me. What’s the matter?”

“A, Ad, Adrian……sob! Prince Adrian……hik…not bad……!”

They were confused when I even began to hiccup.

“Don’t cry and speak calmly. I can’t understand you.”

“I’m bad. Because I’m a lowly commoner… I was born as a commoner so that nobles could easily use me and throw me away…!”

After saying so, I looked at Prince Andre as he got up in bewilderment.

“T, that’s not it, Your Majesty!”

I shook my head inside.

‘Is he stupid?’

He basically confessed when he said that.

As expected, the emperor, the empress, and empress dowager looked at Andre in great surprise, and I decided to drive him further.

“Prince Andre called me a lowly commoner, and Prince Adrian was angry.”

“I……!”

Andre’s face becomes white as a sheet. I have nothing to say, but it seemed like it worked when I pushed him into a corner. I continued casually.

“Prince Adrian politely asked him to take back his words, but Prince Andre said that commoners were the tools of nobles…….”

The emperor who was looking at me turned to Andre.

He must be fuming now.

‘A commoner is the tool of nobles.’

Even if it comes out of the mouth of a low-rank noble, the people’s heart will be filled with hatred. But it came from Andre’s mouth, the closest prince to the emperor.

If rumors spread that he said this in turbulent times, the people would be enraged.

I opened my eyes widely as if I knew nothing.

“I think it’s a very bad word to say. Prince Adrian continued to endure even when Prince Andre said bad things but couldn’t at the end.”

“Lady!”

Empress Yvonne ran to me in surprise, leaving her son behind.

“I’m sure Lady misheard. Andre wouldn’t say that, would he?”

“That…….”

“Right?”

The empress looked very urgent.

It was understandable. The emperor’s expressions have changed after all.

The empress and empress dowager looked at the emperor with anxious faces, and Andre was at his wits’ end.

When all eyes were on the emperor, I grabbed Adrian’s sleeve.

He was very confused when I sent him an eye signal.

‘Tell him you’re sorry.’

“…….”

‘Hurry up!’

Adrian opened his mouth when I frowned.

“I’m sorry for making a fuss.”

“No, I would be in trouble if you hadn’t made a fuss.”

“…….”

Andre said in a low voice when Adrian bowed his head silently.

“Y, Your Majesty, Adrian is the one who wielded sword in the Imperial Palace. You can’t leave him alone. You need to discipline-”

“First Prince!”

The empress interrupted him.

‘Oh my……. I thought he was stupid, turns out he’s super stupid.’

He’s very tactless.

The emperor said,

“I must do something to the first prince’s tutor.”

“……?”

“Huh?”

“He lacked common sense and didn’t even care about the empire’s future.”

“Your Majesty, what are you talking about…….”

“He even dared to order me!!”

A thunderous shout erupted from the emperor’s mouth. Andre realized then that things had gone awry, and the Empress hurriedly grabbed her son’s nape and made her bow his head.

“Hurry up and beg for your mistake!”

The emperor looked at them.

“That’s enough. Hearing his thoughtless words make me sure that he didn’t even know his mistake. What should I do with a heartless apology?”

“That……! Your Majesty!”

“To raise a child like that. How can you be so proud?”

The queen’s expression turned cold. She bit her lip.

‘Oh, it seems like a serious couple fight.’

After that, the emperor ordered Adrian.

“Adrian, go back to your palace. On the way, take Lady to the carriage.”

“……Yes, Your Majesty.”

‘I should hear the fight, that way, I can choose which side to take……!’

It was a shame, but Adrian pulled me away and forced me to leave the greenhouse.

As soon as we left the greenhouse, Adrian looked at me. I also stared at him with my eyes narrowed.

“What if I wasn’t there before? If you’re going to hit people, don’t make the marks visible! No, if it’s your situation, you shouldn’t be punching… you idiot.”

He’s such a fool.

Adrian, who approached me, carefully wiped my tears with his sleeve.

“It’s fake tears.”

“Don’t cry, even if it’s fake.”

“…….”

“I don’t know what to do if you cry.”

Adrian’s voice became very low, as his expression became melancholic.

I stared at Adrian, who was wiping away my tears very carefully, as if he was touching a glass that was about to break.

His hands were surprisingly full of wounds.

“What’s with this wound? Who hit you?”

“I’ve increased my training intensity today.”

Who is Adrian taking lessons from right now?

‘Originally, when I was four years old, Adrian’s maternal grandfather rebelled and kicked him out of the palace.’

While wandering the continent, he accidentally meets a man who was the head of the Holy Knights and becomes his disciple.

‘That’s how he became a cardinal.’

It always happened the same way until my third life.

But not in this life. His maternal grandfather did not revolt, but rather was ignorant of Adrian.

‘There’s only one case where the future changes. When I intervened.’

Adrian’s future might somehow be changed because of me.

So I always felt sorry for this kid.

Adrian’s life as a wanderer would be much more comfortable than living in the palace.

I was convinced of it because I have also experience living as a noble and beggar.

Adrian smiled faintly as I grew sullen.

“I won today.”

“…….”

Knowing this kid’s heart, I smiled as there was nothing I could do about it.

“Good job. Did you hit him hard?”

“Three times on the shin, one solar plexus, seven in the head.”

“You hit in the right place, good job.”

When I lifted my hand to stroke his head, he naturally bent over.

“Did you eat well here?”

“Yes.”

“What did I tell you to do when someone bothers you?”

“Your life is not worthy is it? How can we be sure of the future? If you’re unlucky, you won’t end up with a limb.”

Adrian remembered every word I had taught him without mistake. I nodded with a pleased look on my face.

“Good job, good job.”

I patted him on the shoulder. Then I saw a carriage rental shop behind him.

‘I should get going now.’

I had to stop by the mercenary guild too.

“I had to get going now, take care of yourself. I’ll come by later”

As I was about to walk away, Adrian grabbed my sleeve.

“……?”

“…….”

“Why?”

“……Nothing. Be careful”

“Yes…….”

Adrian went away first, and I tilted my head staring at his back, and started walking to the carriage rental shop.

‘There was something he wanted to say.’

But what is it?

Is he sick?

I don’t think so.

I agonized with my arms crossed.

‘I don’t know. Oh, there are things that I have to approve of at the mercenary guild today, I have to buy thick cloth before autumn comes. What’s the date today….’

September 1st

Today is Adrian’s birthday.

“Hey, you idiot!”

When I ran and slapped his back, Adrian’s eyes widened and looked back at me.

“If it’s your birthday, you should say it’s your birthday.”

“……how did you know?”

Yes, Adrian will be Crown Prince in the future. On the birthday of the crown prince, a fancy party will be held at the imperial palace, so everyone knows.

But I couldn’t say it, so I turned around.

“Can you leave the imperial palace?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Shopping street. To eat cake.”

As I laughed mischievously, Adrian’s face brightened.

***

At that time, in the Dubbled’s mansion.

The three brothers gathered in the Duke’s office and were doing their own thing. Henry, who casually checked the watch, opened his mouth.

“It’s time for Leblaine to come home.”

The Duke answered, taking off his glasses after looking at the documents.

“She said she’ll stop by the shopping street.”

“To the mercenary guild?”

“Yes.”

Isaac who was resting his chin said.

“Should we pick her up?”

“Well……. That’s not a bad suggestion.”

When Henry raised himself with a smile, Johann asked,

“What will you do, Father?”

Theodore Dubbled was the first to leave the room, picking up the coat that had been draped over his chair.

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