Chapter 50
Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Imperial Tea Party (2)
Thanks to the maids' pitiful gazes, I ended up sitting at the tea party table as is. I quietly sighed while looking at the ecstatic Crown Prince.
"Hahaha! Your jaw must be on the floor, huh?"
"……."
"No wonder. Tea leaves of this quality are hard to come by even in the Empire!"
Before I knew it, the once-empty tea party table was filled to the brim with food and premium teas by the busy maids.
"You know what? The tea you're drinking right now is made from limited-edition leaves imported directly from the Eastern Continent, steeped for a whole week."
"Ah, I see."
"Even for Belverk, it'd take years to get your hands on this. Consider yourself lucky!"
To be honest, the premium tea was decent. But the problem was the mountain of food piled up in front of me showed no signs of decreasing.
"Um, you can stop with the food now..."
"Huh? We haven't even gotten halfway through yet."
"...My stomach's already full."
No, has this guy ever even hosted a tea party before?
Why serve a full banquet course at a gathering meant for light snacks and tea like pastries and cakes?
"Tsk tsk, looks like the youngest son of Belverk has a small appetite."
"……."
"That's why you're not growing taller, picking at your food like that."
As I narrowed my eyes at him with those thoughts, the Crown Prince, who had been eyeing me suspiciously, suddenly picked a fight.
"...Um, by the way."
"Yeah?"
"Where are the others?"
Daring to poke at my weak spot. I put on a slightly annoyed expression but soon pointed at the empty seats with a bright smile, subtly glaring at the Crown Prince.
"Ha, haha. Seems all the promising talents are busy."
"Who did you even invite?"
But as the Crown Prince, who had looked flustered at first, replied in a forced casual tone, my softened heart led me to ask a bit more seriously.
"The eldest daughter of Margrave Harkfried, the granddaughter of Marquis Sharhen, the sole disciple of Marquis Magnaris."
"……."
"And you and Uriel Nox Belverk."
The moment I heard the guest list the Crown Prince had invited, the faint sympathy that had settled in my heart vanished.
"They're all women."
"Yeah, you gonna invite a bunch of stuffy guys instead?"
"I'm a guy."
"Haha, a brat like you calling himself a man?"
And why does he keep treating me like a kid? I'm a proper boy who's even acted as proxy head of Belverk House.
"Anyway, you sent out invitations like that, and I'm the only one who showed up."
"Nah, you don't know that!"
I hardened my heart again, glared at the Crown Prince, and used the polite speech patterns Lilien had taught me for social events, but he just smiled innocently in response.
"They might be busy and come late!"
"……."
"Heh, do you know why I invited you?"
Then he suddenly lowered his voice and whispered to me.
"Last time, you dared to humiliate me right in front of my face."
"That was..."
"So today, I'm going to show you the insurmountable gap in power."
What was this about now? I wanted to let it go in one ear and out the other, but since he was the Empire's Crown Prince, maybe I should hear him out.
"One word from me, and the heirs of the Empire's meritorious houses come running!"
"……."
"The hottest topics in high society right now, no less!"
Ah, I should've ignored him. He seemed a bit pitiful earlier, but he's still an annoying jerk.
"Hey, you know that? Kairen?"
"Ugh, get away."
"They say the eldest daughter of Margrave Harkfried is super pretty."
As if knowing or not knowing my thoughts, the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, draped his arm over my shoulder, and began whispering while glancing around.
"And Marquis Sharhen's granddaughter declared she'd marry the one who beats her, becoming the dream of all knights."
"Ah, yes."
"As for Marquis Magnaris's one and only disciple... well, she's pretty but kinda creepy... maybe I shouldn't have invited her?"
Then, tilting his head slightly, he patted my back and grinned, continuing.
"Anyway, you just sit back and watch, kid."
"……."
"Me, surrounded by beauties arriving soon! Hahaha!"
So this was his revenge for that time?
I thought when he mentioned his authority, it'd be some political payback or scheme.
Is he actually a bit nice, or just a thoughtless idiot, or hiding some ulterior motive? I can't tell.
"Your Highness, a letter from a meritorious house."
"Oh?"
"Um, but..."
Just then, as I was lost in confusion with a blank expression, a maid entered the garden with a dark look on her face.
"I'll read it first."
"Hm? Sure, go ahead."
"Thank you!"
Sensing something off in the atmosphere, I snatched the letters from the maid—three in total, addressed to the Crown Prince—and began reading them aloud.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
About five minutes later.
"……."
In the end, at the Crown Prince's insistence, I showed him the letters as they were. Now I was quietly patting the back of the Crown Prince, who had hung his head with a gloomy expression once more.
'...The four great meritorious houses aren't to be trifled with.'
According to Mother's explanation last time, excluding Belverk, the other houses—including the newly added Magnaris family—were all descendants of the original hero party.
Thanks to that historical background, even the Crown Prince couldn't command the four great meritorious houses with a mere word without real power.
Of course, if he had any charisma, they might have come uninvited, but that's not something to say in this mood.
"Um, Your Highness."
Deciding just to comfort him, I offered quiet advice to the still-downcast Crown Prince in a soft voice.
"Why not invite friends instead of just promising talents?"
"...Friends?"
"Yes, I heard you have many close aides and young ladies following you around..."
But upon hearing that, the Crown Prince lifted his head quietly, stared at me for a moment, then let out a wry smile and looked away.
"...Haha."
Soon, a low mutter escaped his lips.
"Must be nice being young."
"Pardon?"
"If those guys looked like friends to you."
His expression, as he lowered his head again, had long lost its earlier arrogance.
"Your Highness."
"……."
"Don't you have any friends?"
Intending to lighten the mood with a light joke, the Crown Prince suddenly glared at me murderously and growled.
"Shut up."
As I widened my eyes at that, he sighed while still glaring, then muttered again.
"How do you make friends as Crown Prince?"
"……."
"Even I know those bastards are leeches clinging to suck up favors, no matter how dumb I am."
His expression looked weary, so I dropped the playfulness and spoke in a slightly serious tone.
"Then just ditch them."
But eyeing me as if I were absurd, the Crown Prince shook his head and replied.
"You think I want to be Crown Prince?"
"Then what?"
"I just wanna have fun. But I was born the imperial firstborn—what can I do?"
Seems like the Shinehardt imperial family isn't as easy for heirs to survive as Belverk, but still tough.
I was starting to feel a strange kinship. Damn it. I shouldn't get attached to this annoying guy.
"Ah, but there are perks to being Crown Prince."
"Like what?"
"You can date tons of girlfriends! Hahaha!"
Fortunately, the Crown Prince soon reverted to his smug face and shattered the mood with his words.
"But there's risk too. My ex poisoned my wine, so I gotta find a new one soon."
"……."
"Sigh, big bro's advice: don't date carelessly."
If I hadn't caught the meaning behind what he said next, I might have lost any budding affection again.
"Um, Your Highness."
"Yeah?"
"If you need a friend..."
After gauging his reaction for a moment, right as I decided to do something I never imagined this morning—extending my hand to him.
"Pardon the interruption."
A palace maid, even paler than before, cut us off again, bowing her head to deliver the news.
"A carriage from Belverk Ducal House has arrived at the palace."
"Huh?"
"However, it's a different carriage from Young Master Kairen's."
Wait, a different carriage from mine? Then who...
"Oh my, have I interrupted your cozy time?"
"……!?"
"But I was invited too, so please excuse me."
Just as I was bewildered by the sudden confusion in my head, a gentle voice came from the far end of the garden.
"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness."
Emerging was a girl with narrow eyes, dressed in Belverk uniform, accompanied by her dedicated maid.
"And..."
The girl smiled at me—a smile that seemed warm on the surface but chilling somehow.
"...Nice to meet you. My cute little brother."
That was my official first meeting with my second sister, Uriel Nox Belverk.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
About an hour after second daughter Uriel appeared at the tea party.
"Urgh..."
Instead of the mountain of food, the tea party table was now piled with card decks and chips, from which the Crown Prince's groans echoed.
"Your Highness."
"……."
"The 'price' you bet instead of chips this time must be honored."
Uriel stared at him from across the table, where she'd gathered most of the chips, flashing a chilling smile.
"Ka, Kairen."
The Crown Prince, flinching at Uriel, turned to me at the far end with a desperate voice.
"He, help me out..."
He'd lost his prized sword, jewels, premium tea leaves—and even the clothes he wore were marked for seizure.
"……."
At his plea, a bead of cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I fiddled with my few remaining chips, intently studying my cards.
'...What trick did she use?'
To understand how the peaceful tea party had devolved into this, we need to rewind time a bit.