Countering the Fake Lady's Arrogance
Objectively speaking, it was true that the current Crown Prince was quite handsome.
Yet Pay showed no particular signs of being smitten with him. If she had been, she would have been rushing to the Imperial Palace at every opportunity. She merely thought, upon seeing him, that he was “handsome.”
In other words, the Crown Prince’s face was pleasing to look at, but posed no threat to Lucius’s pure affection—or so Lucius believed.
Because he had already discerned that Pay’s earlier words were not spoken from the heart, he could remain composed.
“So, when are we going?”
“I have nothing special to do, so let’s go tomorrow. Going early means we can avoid running into others, which is better, don’t you think? If you’re bored, Lucius, you can come with me.”
Pay suggested that Lucius accompany her.
If, during this visit to the Imperial Palace, he tried to hand her another bottle containing some suspicious liquid, she would definitely check the label before drinking it.
She would not make the same mistake as before!
Contrary to Pay’s expectations, Lucius was simply delighted.
Of course. Regardless of anything else, he could not allow the scheming people of the Imperial Palace to mock or exploit Pay.
Lucius was so filled with that thought that he was glad she had suggested they go together.
When the Crown Prince’s face came into view again after the turn of the year, a subtle dignity lingered upon it.
“It has been a while, Lady Pay.”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince. Have you been well?”
“Mm.”
The Crown Prince sat with impeccable posture, his very appearance inspiring admiration. If Cassel was the perfect specimen of a knight, then Silas was the flawless embodiment of splendor and power. Lucius was… hmm?
‘Why am I thinking about Lucius right now, of all places? He’s sitting right beside me!’
She still spoke to Lucius with formal respect, but at some point the honorific “sir” had quietly slipped away. Neither she nor Lucius found this strange.
Well, in any case, Lucius was also exceedingly handsome. Nowhere else could one find such perfectly silver hair. It might have a hint of ash mixed in, but still…
Pay struggled to suppress the urge to glance sideways at him.
After having tea poured, Silas dismissed the attendants and got to the point.
“I have been assigned to escort the Klein lady to the Spring Ball.”
Clink—
Pay froze for a moment, wondering if she had dropped her teacup.
But that had only happened in her imagination.
She sat calmly before the Crown Prince, neither trembling nor frightened. The etiquette her body had grown accustomed to did not betray her.
She was even able to give a composed reply to the startling announcement.
“Is that so.”
It felt strange to hear someone else—especially someone outside the family—speak of the position that should have been hers.
When she had left the monastery, she had thought she would never look back. Why was she feeling this way now?
This feeling… how to describe it.
Dot had killed her almost immediately after becoming the Klein lady.
Therefore, she had never truly witnessed Dot’s full performance as a lady.
Yet her previously calm stomach now churned unpleasantly.
“On the surface, it appeared to be the Klein Duke’s request alone, but the true instigator was the Duchess, who hid behind her fan and stepped back.”
“……”
It was useful information.
At the very least, the Klein Duchess was still protecting Dot just as before.
“That proud duke was practically begging before me, pleading for me to do it. I could hardly refuse. While I was in seclusion, the Klein ducal house rendered considerable assistance, so it was difficult to ignore.”
“I see…”
Among those efforts was surely Cassel’s hard work in the dangerous borderlands.
Silas continued without so much as raising an eyebrow.
“Their goal is to formally introduce their daughter to high society while elevating her status as much as possible. They intend to exaggerate the significance of my personally escorting the lady after my long seclusion. Without a doubt.”
“Then the escort arrangement cannot be changed?”
“Correct. However, I cannot allow discussions concerning the seat beside me. My decision is that now is not the time, no matter who the other party might be.”
So they planned to turn someone else’s goodwill into their own weapon?
She had seen such things countless times during her days as an Eina, but to think they would try to move the Crown Prince himself…
Pay became certain that the Klein Duchess was just as deeply enamored with Dot as before.
Of course she would be. Unless someone had left the ducal house entirely, like Morris, they would likely behave much the same as before. Now that they had acknowledged her as their daughter, it would only be worse, not better.
“You mean to escort the lady, but ensure the Klein ducal house cannot make any further demands?”
“Precisely. With so many problems already piled up, allowing the Klein house to raise its voice would only create more headaches. I believe the past must be properly settled before we move forward. We cannot continue suspecting the Orleans ducal house and the Huante marquisate indefinitely. We must resolve this soon.”
Pay immediately understood the Crown Prince’s meaning.
“Then we need to create something at the Spring Ball that will draw attention away from the Klein lady’s debut.”
“You are as sharp as ever.”
Instead of a modest reply, an impulsive and bold suggestion spilled from Pay’s lips.
“…Your Highness, if it would not displease you, what if we invited Lady Manuela de Latsel? I understand she has not appeared in high society for quite some time either.”
“The lady?”
“Yes. If she breaks her seclusion, there is a chance the Orleans ducal house will reveal their true colors. I believe it would be a worthwhile move. It would also prevent others from speaking carelessly about Your Highness’s engagement.”
A glint of interest appeared in Silas’s pale golden eyes.
“Lady Pay, the more I see of you, the more remarkable you are. You truly are a fearless person.”
“I am honored.”
When Pay lowered her head slightly, Silas’s smile deepened.
“No, I am genuinely impressed. In fact, I discussed the same matter with Sir Cassel, but he gave an unexpected answer. He said that if it was too bothersome, he would look into whether the lady had committed any offenses that would warrant house arrest that day.”
“Pardon…?!”
Would the ever-cautious Dot actually make a mistake?
Even if she did, the old Morgana would have been too dull to notice. Or perhaps she would have noticed but refused to believe it, deliberately erasing it from her memory.
The people of the Klein ducal house would not scold their precious daughter for a minor slip, would they? Above all, the probability that she would give up her debut at the Spring Ball was zero.
Even if she were injured and could only sit, it would still be better for her to attend.
More than anything… Pay found it both surprising and reassuring that Cassel had taken the Crown Prince’s side over Dot’s.
Perhaps Cassel had also noticed something. The strange aspects of the Eina named Dorothea they had brought in, and the Klein lady they had regained.
She hoped that was the case.
“Of course, that would not do. I accepted his goodwill and sent him back for now.”
“I see…”
“Haha, but since you have provided an excellent solution, we should proceed with it.”
The gentle smile on Silas’s lips was pleasant to see.
Even after three years of seclusion, the reason people always said they wanted to see the Crown Prince again, that they missed him—this must have been why…
The empire under his rule would prosper for a long time.
“Will you proceed?”
“Mm, I must. And Lady Pay?”
“Yes.”
“In addition to the invitation I will send, arrange for Lady Morgana to make her debut at this year’s Spring Ball. I heard your other name is Morgana. Is that correct?”
“What?! It is… yes, it is.”
Pay was startled.
Attending a ball at the Imperial Palace did not frighten her.
She had done it until she was sick of it—acting as an Eina without being a lady.
Though not as much as Dot, she danced well enough, and her manners and bearing always exceeded the minimum standard.
Still, she had assumed the Crown Prince was inviting her as one of his subordinates…
Lady Morgana?!
Silas looked at her, the one who had offered such a remarkable plan, and spoke.
“You hold positions in both the Magic Tower and the imperial court. Therefore, it would be difficult to assign you a permanent official post. As a Drakan Rider, it would be more convenient for others to call you by the name Lady Morgana rather than by your abilities or titles.”
“I…”
The unexpected suggestion left her somewhat dazed.
“It would also reduce the sense of distance people feel. If you continue to be called Drakan Rider, everyone will think of the dragon’s face before they think of yours or your name.”
“…Your Highness is correct.”
When she passed by, people would whisper from afar upon seeing her light pink hair.
‘Drakan Rider.’
‘The Ice Mage.’
‘The Magic Tower’s prodigy.’
Those titles were not bad either, but to make her debut as Lady Morgana…?
Pay sank briefly into distant reminiscence.
Morgana. The time and hardships she had endured while holding onto that single name.
She had thought she had cast it aside along with the name Pay, yet she was both Pay and Morgana.
It was an indelible scar, proof of the years she had endured pain and loneliness.
A past as thorny as a field of brambles…
She could overcome it gladly.
She nodded.
“It was a suggestion I never expected. Thank you very much.”
“Mm. Since I have unavoidably been assigned to escort the Klein lady, how about you enter with Astain? Discuss it with the Empress as well.”
“With Prince Astain? Ah…! Yes. I understand.”
“Good. You may take your leave now.”
“Yes.”
‘Astain…’
As Pay repeated the name, her eyes widened.
The Crown Prince would not have casually named his half-brother as her partner. Though he had not said it outright, it was a signal that she could discuss Manuela’s matter with him as well.
Having grasped his intention, Pay went to see Astain and Empress Ranya without a moment’s rest.
Astain regarded the unfamiliar Lucius with curious eyes. The usually arrogant Lucius simply accepted the human’s gaze in silence.
“Mage Pay, how do you do?”
“I greet Her Majesty Empress Ranya and His Highness Prince Astain. This is my companion, Lucius.”
The kind-hearted Empress Ranya smiled and accepted the greeting.
“I see. Please sit. Since you mentioned bringing tea, I’ll have only water prepared.”
“Yes.”
They had already been informed in advance.
Since nothing else had been requested, only a water bottle and cups were placed before them before the maids withdrew.
The gentle light in Empress Ranya’s eyes quickly sharpened into a keen, profound gaze.
“I hear you received a hint from His Highness the Crown Prince and are planning something for the Spring Ball?”
“Yes. Actually…”
Pay recounted in detail the conversation she had just had with Silas. Empress Ranya fell into thought before nodding.
“That sounds fine.”
“Have you perhaps met Lady Latsel before, Your Majesty? I do not know what sort of person she is, and I worry I may have acted too rashly.”
“No. Lady Pay, you know my middle name, do you not?”
“Delphier… Yes.”
That name referred to the fallen kingdom of Delphier, the Empress’s homeland.