Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Narrow Shoulders
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“Unfair.”
I tried to pull my hand away, but Lark gripped it tightly.
“Let go.”
“Sorry.”
“Fine, so let go.”
“No, you haven’t cooled off yet.”
“I’ll hit you two more times and then I will, so let go.”
“Uh, sure, okay.”
Lark hurriedly released my hand, and I thumped his chest twice more.
“That do it?”
“…….”
“Hit me more, go on.”
“No.”
I let my hand drop limply and sighed deeply, as if the ground might cave in.
“If we’re being technical, it’s not Your Highness’s fault. I was the fool for misunderstanding, and Cedric was the con artist for lying.”
“No.”
Lark shook his head, his eyes somewhat confused.
“Cedric Raizer is a con artist, sure, but you’re no fool, Duchess. It’s mostly my fault. I admit it.”
“…….”
“Honestly, I thought you’d forgotten about that day.”
“Why would I forget? And you, Your Highness— you kept remembering it all this time?”
“Well, we made a promise that day. Promises are meant to be kept.”
“Exactly. So after I spent seven years waiting until I grew up, you only came to see me now? Because of that childish promise to get married?”
“Whoa, ‘childish promise’? That kinda hurts. Even if it was childish, I was planning to keep it.”
“Of course I was too. That’s why I ended up liking only Cedric my whole life.”
“You’re not seriously going to marry Cedric Raizer in the future, are you?”
“No. He marries Lilia.”
“What? Then why would you cling to that jerk your whole life—”
Lark, suddenly bristling, flashed a grin and corrected his vulgar slip.
“That con artist, why?”
“Who knows. Maybe because I was born a hopeless romantic. In the future, there’s no Your Highness to explain things to me, and that con artist toys with me forever.”
“Ha, good thing you can see the future, Duchess. What if you’d really hung on to that con artist forever?”
I forced a smile in front of Lark, who was frowning.
“Yeah, exactly.”
‘Truth is, it’s not seeing the future—it’s just rewinding time after living through it all.’
I couldn’t bring myself to reveal the truth, so I just swallowed another sigh inwardly.
‘Ah, my lifelong pure love that went to the wrong place…….’
Lark watched my limp, deflated form with pity, then declared firmly.
“From now on, don’t even associate with that con artist.”
“Obviously. Do I look insane?”
“No, but the more I think about it, the more pissed off I get. If that con artist hadn’t lied, you never would’ve liked him all that time, right?”
“Probably. If not for that memory from that day, I never would’ve followed that narrow-shouldered, scrawny con artist around.”
“Exactly. Shoulders make the man, after all.”
Lark nodded in agreement, then raised an eyebrow with a sly grin.
“So, how about it? Even now, me?”
I let out a disbelieving huff, shoved his shoulder, and said.
“Nope. You’re way too late already.”
“Aw.”
Watching Lark shrug with mock regret, I muttered to myself.
Rubette, are you watching by any chance?
‘……Sorry, but Cedric’s a con artist, strike one. Lark’s the crown prince, strike two. I’ll slowly look for some other good guy.’
With that resolve, I smiled brightly and started circling the clearing again.
Lark followed behind, shouting.
“Hey, Duchess! We’re going together!”
“Ah, hurry up!”
* * *
Crown Prince Lark van Rashumah Decard had been in a foul mood from the moment he met Rubette yesterday until the next day.
He’d forced smiles and chatter to cheer up the gloomy Rubette, but inside, he’d unleashed a torrent of curses for the first time in ages.
‘Is that guy actually insane?’
Cedric Raizer……
It was bad enough that he’d deceived innocent Rubette all this time, but that wasn’t the end of his villainy.
Even after getting married, he kept Rubette on the hook with vague hints, making her cling to him forever? What kind of future was that?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got beyond mere absurdity—an uncharacteristic emotional spike for someone so even-keeled.
‘And with those narrow shoulders…….’
Finally, after mulling it over all morning and barely finishing his approvals, Lark left his office, grinding his teeth as he clutched the documents.
‘I need to sock him once to feel better. How can I run into him?’
That was when it happened. Lark’s steps halted abruptly in the corridor.
Raizer Duke.
A familiar face from imperial council meetings, Cedric’s father.
And beside the duke stood a boy who looked just like him.
“Crown Prince!”
“Raizer Duke? It’s not a council day— what brings you to the palace?”
“Nothing major, Your Highness. My eldest son was just appointed vice duke yesterday, officially becoming the Raizer heir. We’re paying respects to all the imperial family members.”
“Ah, right. Was it tomorrow morning? No wonder you requested an audience with me.”
“Yes, exactly. I was planning to visit you tomorrow, but since we’ve run into each other here…….”
The duke patted Cedric’s shoulder fondly with pleased eyes.
“Greet him.”
Cedric, looking somewhat tense, bowed deeply to Lark.
“I see the empire’s little sun, Crown Prince Lark van Rashumah Decard. I am Cedric Raizer, vice duke.”
“……Hm, yes.”
They say you meet your enemy on a single log bridge. The culprit who’d grated on his nerves all yesterday was now right in front of him.
Lark forced a smile, lips curling up, and eyed Cedric.
“As heir to Raizer, I will humbly devote myself to the empire and pledge loyalty to the imperial family, without shame.”
“Yeah, do that.”
Lark replied halfheartedly to the enthusiastic Cedric.
“……?”
Sensing the oddly hostile gaze and curt tone, Cedric froze for a moment.
Lark said offhandedly.
“But I’m busy right now. Don’t block the way— move aside, will you?”
“Y-Yes? Y-Yes, Your Highness…….”
“P-Please, take care.”
The duke and Cedric flusteredly stepped aside.
Lark glared down at Cedric with haughty disdain and took a bold step forward.
Thud—!
“Ugh!”
“C-Cedric!”
Then, as if on purpose, he slammed his shoulder into Cedric’s with full force.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Cedric staggered but barely regained his balance.
“Whoops, my bad. My shoulders are just too broad, you know.”
“Ah…….”
“You okay?”
Cedric stared up blankly at Lark, who pouted sympathetically, and felt certain.
I’m marked. Definitely.
‘What the hell? Why is the crown prince after me? We’ve never even met before?’
Lark asked the dumbfounded Cedric again.
“You okay?”
“Ah, yes! I-I’m fine.”
“Good, then…….”
Lark walked off briskly, feigning busyness.
“Raizer Duke, get your son some exercise. What’s with a guy having shoulders like that? So scrawny, he nearly topples from a light tap.”
“……Yes, understood.”
“Alright, then. Bye.”
With that, Lark sauntered away.
Staring blankly at his retreating back, the duke muttered.
“You little punk…….”
“No, Dad, hear me out.”
“What the hell have you been up to, getting on that nice crown prince’s bad side? Huh?”
“No, it’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t do anything. No incidents—”
“You punk! You punk!”
The duke clenched his teeth, glanced around, then smacked his son’s back repeatedly.
“Ow! This is the palace! Cut it out!”
Cedric grimaced, bewildered and taking the hits.
* * *
Early September, when the sweltering heat had finally eased.
Renten’s boutique street in the commercial district.
This place, always bustling with extravagant nobles, was now overwhelmed by even larger crowds lately.
The reason? The meteoric rise of the boutique [Blanc de Ruby].
The bold new designs from the capital’s star actress Sera Viego and the Rolland Troupe actors she belonged to had, predictably, sparked a trend.
Quick-witted noble girls flocked en masse to Sera Viego’s [Blanc de Ruby].
[Blanc de Ruby]
-Operates on prepaid reservations only.
-No custom orders. (No inquiries.)
From the signboard out front, you could feel the skyrocketing fame inflating Madam’s ego at [Blanc de Ruby].
As girls who’d ordered dresses here began strutting the capital’s streets one by one, the fashion tide turned completely.
In just one month.
“Hey, Madam. Do you know who I am, treating me so rudely?”
And here.
Fourteen-year-old noble girl Nora Pelkan, the only daughter of the Pelkan Baron Family, was furious.
“I’m not sure.”
“Ha!”
Arms crossed neatly, legs crossed haughtily. Even before a famous noble girl, the insolent posture didn’t bend.
Madam Becky of [Blanc de Ruby] seemed well aware of her surging fame, exuding utmost arrogance.
“I’m Nora Pelkan! Only daughter of the Pelkan Baron Family!”
“Yes, Lady Nora. So, what brings you here?”
“To get a dress made! How many times do I have to say it?”
“I’ve told you several times as well, but our shop operates on prepaid reservations only. If you book today.”
Becky flipped through her ledger with a smile and added.
“We could have it ready by August next year.”
“Ha, unbelievable. Me, Nora Pelkan, waiting nearly a year for one dress?”
Bang!
Fuming, Nora slammed her small fist on the table.
“Take my order now! I’ll pay whatever you want!”