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chapter 66




Crown Prince Limapheus headed to the Grand Duchy as soon as finished his work. It took two weeks for him to deal with the pile of paperwork and he even had to listen to the noble fraction for hours.
“It’s all because of you.”
Limapheus glared at his aide, Eric.
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
After finishing everything under Eric’s surveillance, he was able to finally go to the Grand Duchy. And out of all things, the news that they had gone to the harvest festival welcomed him. It was literally nonsense.
“I can go today. But why do they have to go for today?”
“I was heading there after visiting so it’s not that bad, but why did they have to go there today?”
It was the day he had to inspect the capital, and the timing was perfect with the time Ben and Cersinia went to the harvest festival. He got on the horse, nervously messing with his well-groomed blonde hair.
Thankfully, he had to inspect the capital today, so it was easier for him to meet Ben and Cersinia. He quickly got on his horse, and nervously run his hand through his well-groomed blonde hair.
“I’m going to Fabian Street.”
“Weren’t you going straight to the Imperial Palace?”
“How can I not go somewhere when I already come out.”
“How can I return, when I already came this far.”
He was glad that he wore casual clothes and a hat, so he rode his horse thinking about going on an undercover trip. Eric sighed inwardly, already sensing that he would be involved in something troublesome, but proceed to follow him.
“Hoo. That looks sophisticated.”
Limapheus, who arrived at Fabian Street and looked at some woodwork, exclaimed. He was undercover, but it had been long since he became a spectacle.
“It came from Mulain Village just yesterday,” the owner explained.
Limapheus nodded as he looked at the sculpture in his hand. The sculpture, made of wood, had the shape of a woman praying. The wooden sculpture, which gave off a warmer feeling than the plaster sculpture, was so beautiful that he wanted it.
“Eric, I have to buy it.”
When Limapheus said that, Eric was forced to take money out of his inner pocket and pay for it.
“There is no place to put it after you have filled up the decorations.”
“I don’t even think there will be space for this one since you have filled the place with decorations.”
Eric nagged Limapheus as they walked.
“Then order one more cabinet.”
However, three seconds after spitting out the words, he regretted it. Eric only realized that method didn’t work for Limapheus when he told him.
“It is said that the craftsmanship of a man named Theodore is quite famous these days. Ask him to make it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Only one nagging gave Eric two things to do. He followed Limapheus while frowning he already had a headache.
“Won’t you let go of me?”
“I guess you’re devout to Lady Cersinia. I’ve been watching you do this for a long time and it never works, so come to your sense.”
At the moment, in the noisy Fabian Street, Cersinia’s name resounded in Limapheus’s ears.
“Didn’t they just say Cersinia?”
Limapheus turned and looked around. Even with all the noise surrounding him, he was sure to have heard the name Cersinia. She is the woman who came with Ben to the Grand Duchy.
“I didn’t hear it.”
“They definitely said Cersinia.”
Eric tried to stop him, but Limapheus was already making his way through the crowd.
“…Cersinia.”
Again. Limapheus wandered through the crowd, looking for the source of the sound.
“You trust that woman when you don’t even know where she came from? Wake up, Verne.”
“Don’t insult lady Cersinia.”
‘Found it.’
Limapheus found the source, the voices came from a dark alley. Without hesitation, he entered that alley.
“What do you mean by insulting her?”
“At that time, I had no choice but to let you go, but I won’t let you go today. For the past few days, I’ve been suffering because of that!”
The man shouted and stroked his bruised nose, giving the impression that it was throbbing.
“Verne, you don’t have anyone backing you up today.”
“Understand your situation.”
The three men surrounding Verne giggled and laughed as if they had just said something funny.
“Don’t talk about Lady Cersinia like that! This time should I leave you bruised for the rest of your life?”
Verne glared at the men with her wildcat-like eyes. Limapheus stood tall in the shadow cast in the alley. It was because of the woman who strangely piqued his interest, and to understand the situation. She was overpowered in terms of number, size, and gender, but she didn’t show any inch of surrender.
‘It’s a refreshing sight.’
“This is real!”
Thud.
A man with a bruise on his nose blushed and raised his hand toward Verne. Limapheus was surprised and tried to interfere but stopped in his track when he realized that it wasn’t the woman who got hit, but the man.
“Argh! This bitch really!”
He was hit on his bruised nose. The man jumped up and down as if he couldn’t stand the pain and grabbed Verne’s hair. Without a single scream, Verne pinched and scratched the hand holding her hair, trying to get away. One of the men, watching the two of them fight, raised his hand towards Verne’s cheek.
Slap.
With the loud sound, Verne’s head turned. Neither the man holding Verne’s hair nor Verne’s stopped what they were doing. It was Limapheus who broke the silence.
“Stop. Stop there.”
He got out of the shadow and appeared in front of them. He should have stepped in sooner, but the woman’s reactions so far were so strange and fun that it delayed his reaction.
“What do you want? Mind your own business and keep walking.”
The man who slapped Verne in the face looked at Limapheus annoyingly and barked sarcastically.
“Three men against one woman. You should be embarrassed about saying that you are men.”
“Look, if you don’t want to get hit, just go on your way.”
Limapheus thought that he was dressed too plainly. They wouldn’t have been so cocky if he had taken off his hat and had a sword.
“Your-”
Eric, who was running into the alley started but ended up muffling his words upon seeing the others.
“What if I say I can’t just go?”
“And what if I don’t?”
Limapheus laughed at them and said with a smirk. The three men flinched as they were ridiculed by the uninvited guest. But they still had more heads. He ridiculed them because he thought it was worth a try to have a fight.
“If you want to get hit, I’ll give you what you wish for.”
“Pfft, hahaha!”
Limapheus burst into laughter because it truly was the funniest thing he had heard recently. As his laughter grew louder, the three men’s faces turned purple.
“You little punk!”
Looking at him laughing while holding his stomach, one of the men rushed to him. Then he, who had been laughing helplessly just now, lightly knocked the man down and stepped on him.
“Why don’t you just attack all at once? To save time.”
He said with serious eyes.
“You crazy punk!”
Two men rushed at him at the same time. Eric took two steps back. Even if he didn’t help, he knew who would win anyway. Not long after, the sound of punches occupied the alley.
“As expected, don’t go around saying that you’re a man.”
He smiled and stepped on the three men who were rolling on the floor groaning.
“…”
Verne was dumbfounded by what happened since it all occurred in an instant. It’s not every day that a strange man appears and knocks her bullies down in no time. The craziest thing was that he didn’t swing his fist several times, but he slammed it once, and everyone fell out.
“If you don’t disappear from my view in three seconds, I will start all over again.”
He then began to count without mercy.
“One.”
The trio rushed out of the alley as soon as Limapheus started counting. Limapheus clicked his tongue towards them, taking off his hat and stroking his hair roughly with his hand.
‘I can’t believe such gangsters are still around.’
He thought he should order to further strengthen the security of Fabian Street.
“Thank you.”
Verne bowed. As she looked up again, she made eye contact with him, who stared intently at her.
“So, what’s your relationship with Cersinia?”
Limapheus asked Verne, who seemed to had no intention of tidying up his messy hair. He was curious about that. That’s why he came all the way here and helped.
“…Who are you? Are you acquainted with Lady Cersinia?”
Verne’s, previously looking at him with a grateful expression, attitude changed and gave him a wary look. It made Limapheus curious about her, whose attitude just changed in a mere second.
“You will find out one day, so let’s move on. What’s your relationship with Cersinia?”
His eyes were impatient to see her reaction.
“Why should I tell you that?”
She said with a sharp tone. Verne showed displeasure and didn’t set boundaries toward him. Limapheus then smirked. She acted like an angry cat that would hiss and expose its teeth if he said something wrong. It was amusing that a woman who was smaller than him would jump to him at any moment with her tangled hair and blood-stained lips.
Verne got goosebumps when she saw him smirking at her silently. She thought that he was not a good person, especially since he was asking about Cersinia and the fact that he could smile. The two stood silently, staring at each other. That’s how the story was flowing.