Chapter 35
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 35
“……What?”
A hint of panic flickered in Dave’s eyes as he ground his teeth and asked again.
“What did you just say? Am I wrong?”
“Yes. Your Highness was the one who put his foot on my body first, wasn't he?”
“……What?”
“It was Your Highness who used a foot, not even a hand, to trip a lady.”
“…….”
“Why are you suddenly flying into a rage?”
“Wh-what is this…….”
Right.
Dave was the textbook definition of a "spoiled rich kid."
A prince of the Imperial Family, the very pinnacle of privilege.
The Second Prince.
But while he had plenty of wealth and a foul temper, he wasn't particularly bright—as evidenced by the fact that he couldn't immediately find a retort to my words.
Taking advantage of his stunned silence, I quickly adopted a pitiful expression.
“Has something unfortunate happened to Your Highness? As a noble of this country, I am deeply concerned for your well-being, so please, tell me everything without reservation. Unless, of course……”
I paused for a beat before continuing.
“……You didn't trip a passing lady on purpose, did you?”
“Pfft.”
At that moment, a snicker drifted from nearby. Dave, who had clearly been planning to just scream at me, whipped his head around.
I followed his gaze and was instantly taken aback.
‘Good heavens.’
When did so many people gather?
I had forgotten for a moment because of the chaos, but this was the White Ivory Tower—a treasury of knowledge where countless scholars, geniuses, the Pneuma, and the Chancellor resided. Since the Second Prince himself was the one causing a scene, it seemed a fair number of scholars had rushed over to see what was happening.
‘The Chancellor will probably be here any minute.’
In fact, I was hoping the Chancellor would arrive as soon as possible.
Ideally, with my former Pneuma, Schuls Schmidt, in tow.
Dave’s face was now beet-red. He looked like he wanted to scream for the scholars who had laughed to be arrested, but he seemed to be barely restraining himself, mindful that this was the White Ivory Tower.
“Take this insolent wench away for the Crime of Insulting the Imperial Family! How dare a low-ranking noble insult a Prince?!”
I hadn't expected his anger to escalate all the way to the "Crime of Insulting the Imperial Family."
That charge meant being taken to the Imperial Palace. More specifically, to the dungeons beneath it. I’d heard it was a horrific place where rats gnawed on your fingernails and cockroaches crawled over your toes.
If Grand Duke Asis Frezier found out I’d been dragged to the dungeons on a whim, he would lodge a formal protest, and the Second Prince would be severely scolded by the Emperor.
‘Of course, that would be a much more satisfying "cider" moment.’
But then I remembered the giant cockroaches I used to see back when I lived in a studio apartment and shuddered.
I definitely couldn't handle that. Just as I was about to reveal my identity—
“Dave. That is enough.”
An elegant, beautiful voice cut through the sound of the rain. Dave turned around and cried out.
“Mother!”
“To engage in a petty squabble with a lady—is that your idea of a gentleman’s conduct?”
It was Empress Carmi.
Behind her stood the Chancellor, looking startled.
‘It looks like the Chancellor and the Empress were having tea.’
And they must have stumbled upon this scene on their way out.
It felt strangely absurd to see the Empress looking so graceful and composed, as if she’d just finished a pleasant chat, when she had just finished beating Ferdinand’s face to a pulp. The same went for the indignant Second Prince Dave.
“But this lowly girl—a low-ranking noble from who knows where—dared to insult me……”
“Dave.”
Empress Carmi cut him off with a voice as clear and sweet as rolling jade beads, then turned her gaze toward me.
Unlike Dave, who had called me a rat, she seemed to know exactly who I was. She wore a benevolent expression, looking nothing like the villain who had been striking the Crown Prince with ice-cold eyes just moments ago.
However, a faint trace of loathing lingered in her gaze.
‘Well, she’s probably already heard the rumors that I’m not the Marquis of Frezier’s biological child.’
Perhaps because there were so many witnesses, Empress Carmi continued in a gentle tone.
“That lady is no low-ranking noble. She is of the Frezier Grand Ducal bloodline.”
“What?”
Dave’s face went blank for a moment.
“Mother, are you sure you aren't mistaken?”
“Dave.”
Dave flinched slightly at the mention of his name. The Empress’s smile didn't waver in the slightest.
“Behave like the noble member of the Imperial Family you are, Dave.”
“But with such shabby attire…… and no maids or knights to guard her……”
It was only natural that my dress looked pathetic and limp after being soaked in the rain.
‘But it’s definitely not "shabby." He’s exaggerating.’
He really was a spoiled prince; his character was so poor that he treated someone like a beggar just because their clothes were a bit wet.
For a moment, silence fell over the area.
In truth, the Frezier knights had already found me right after I collided with Dave.
‘Wait for now.’
They were simply glaring in this direction, having understood the quick signal I’d sent telling them not to approach.
After all, this was the White Ivory Tower, not the Frezier territory.
Furthermore, I was technically a noble lady who hadn't even made her debut yet, which put me at a disadvantage in a confrontation with royalty. If the knights got involved, Dave might even try to trump up charges of "Threatening the Imperial Family."
“Dave, show us your social etiquette.”
At Empress Carmi’s prompting, Dave reluctantly reached out a hand toward me.
“I regret that things have turned out this way, Lady. What is your name? I didn't realize you were from a branch of the Frezier family……”
“She is not from a branch line. She is of the direct line.”
Dave was cut off mid-sentence. It wasn't the Empress’s voice.
“Who dares to interrupt me—!”
Dave’s voice, which had been rising in anger again, came to a dead stop.
Step, step.
I watched, feeling as if I were in a dream, as an umbrella was held over me and a firm hand reached out to help me up.
“Because Tulia is the legitimate granddaughter of I, Grand Duke Asis Frezier.”
“Grandfather?”
I hadn't expected Grand Duke Asis Frezier to arrive so early, so I could only blink in surprise.
‘Wait, did he come straight back without even stopping at the Imperial Palace?’
The timing didn't make sense otherwise. Why did he come straight here?
However, the person more shocked than me was Second Prince Dave, who had been acting so haughty just moments ago. He looked up at the Grand Duke with a face as pale as prey facing a predator.
“Gr-Grand Duke Frezier……?”
“That’s His Grace, the Grand Duke.”
The voice was so deep and resonant it sent a chill down my spine, like the low growl of a lion.
“It seems the Second Prince is still clumsy with his etiquette.”
Dave’s stunned face instantly flushed a deep red.
Ignoring his reaction, Grand Duke Frezier looked down at him with cold eyes and continued.
“As decreed by the solemn national laws of the Brillant Empire, I, the Grand Duke of Frezier, am entitled to be addressed with formal honorifics by a mere prince.”
If I had said something like that, Dave would have tried to kick me again regardless of the Empress’s presence, but now he was trembling like a deer before a tiger.
“Luc Kelposher.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Demonstrate to the Second Prince exactly how he should greet me.”
Luc stepped up beside the Second Prince. After a brief bow, he spoke.
“I greet His Grace, Grand Duke Asis Frezier. I am Dave Ewigkeit, the Second Prince.”
“…….”
Compared to the formal greetings most nobles gave to the Imperial Family, it was much simpler and stripped of many formalities.
But the key point was that it was a greeting from a "member of the Imperial Family" to a "noble."
According to this protocol, Dave, despite being a prince, was the subordinate who had to pay respects to the Grand Duke.
‘That was the setting in "The Milk Bread," after all.’
Since the game starts with Corico entering the Grand Ducal house as a prospective daughter-in-law, the prestige of the Frezier family was truly immense. The setting that they were the only noble family capable of rivaling the Imperial Family wasn't just for show.
“Now, Second Prince.”
“…….”
“Greet me again, just as you saw.”
“…….”
“I am not a very patient man.”
“……!”
‘Wasn't the Second Prince supposed to be the same age as Tulia?’
That would make him only fifteen. Even if he was royalty, he was still just a boy who was bound to be terrified in front of someone like Asis Frezier.
“I-I greet His Grace, Grand Duke Asis Frezier. I am D-Dave Ewigkeit, the Second Prince.”
Wicked as he was, Dave was quick to read the room. After his greeting, he tried to hurry back behind the Empress.
“Wait.”
“…….”
“I would like to ask why there is a footprint on my granddaughter’s dress.”
“……!”
Dave’s amber eyes widened in shock.
I was quite surprised myself.
‘Wow, he really has an incredible eye. I guess you don't become a legendary knight for nothing.’
Grand Duke Asis Frezier shifted his gaze. Against the backdrop of the sky where the rain was just beginning to clear, his terrifyingly chilling voice continued.
“Would you care to explain, Second Prince, why there is a vivid footprint near my granddaughter’s solar plexus—not even on the hem of her dress?”
“That……”
“Or would you prefer to apologize to my granddaughter first?”
His fierce, overbearing gaze bore down on the Second Prince without mercy.