Chapter 36

　The car drips steadily. Startled, I almost threw the teacup, which tipped over and soaked the tablecloth.

“What did you say?”

I must have been so preoccupied with my stepmother lately that my hearing has definitely gone bad. In response to my question, Adeus handed me a handkerchief with a nonchalant expression.

“You said you want to be the Crown Princess’s mistress.”

“Are you crazy?”

A curse slipped out involuntarily. Ignoring the handkerchief Adeus offered, I took out my own and wiped my mouth and dress. Calm down, calm down.

“Did you really find it that shocking?”

My lips were tightly pressed into a straight line. I didn’t want to let another curse slip out. What should I say to make this crazy guy understand? I barely managed to hold back the curse that had risen to the tip of my tongue and composed my trembling breath.

“Yeongshik has been like this since our first meeting. It seems he really enjoys playing with me.”

“Does anyone joke about wanting to be a noble’s mistress? If they did, they’d probably be arrested for insulting the nobility.”

Adeus, with his hand on his chest, smiled as if deeply moved.

“I’m serious about being the Crown Princess’s—”

“...”

“Mistress. If you give me one word of permission, I would bow at your feet right now.”

With a face as pale as paper, I looked at Adeus, who was smiling ambiguously, and said firmly,

“No.”

“Oh.”

Adeus tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

“Do you dislike me so much that you won’t even consider it?”

“It’s not a matter of liking or disliking. I don’t need a mistress. I’ve never even thought about it.”

“Then why don’t you consider it now?”

Adeus slowly got up from his seat, approached me, and knelt down to pick up the teacup that had fallen to the floor.

“I—”

Adeus looked up at me with an overt gaze.

“What if I became the Crown Princess’s mistress?”

Adeus roughly wiped the teacup with his thumb and then briefly pressed his lips to the spot where mine had touched.

“I’ll do whatever you want, day or night, anytime.”

I stared at Adeus, dazed as if under a spell.

‘Crazy, get a grip!’

If it weren’t for the breeze, I might have nodded at his handsome face. Thud. I kicked Adeus’s shin as soon as I snapped out of it.

“Go back to your seat before I kick you out.”

“Haha!”

Adeus, who had been kicked, put the teacup back on the table and laughed heartily as he got up. He then returned to his seat.

‘What a sly guy.’

I watched his actions with narrowed eyes. Adeus, now seated, propped his chin on his hands and stared at me intently.

“Someone like me would make a good accessory to take around.”

“I already have more jewelry than I need.”

“Not only am I handsome, but I also have a good body and height.”

While not entirely false, it was odd to hear him say it himself. Adeus was actively selling himself.

“What if I grant you another request?”

“Then I want to be the Crown Princess’s secret lover.”

“That’s a mistress.”

“Wow, you’re quick.”

Does he really think I’m that stupid?

“Why do you want to be my mistress, Yeongshik?”

“I’ve fallen for the Crown Princess. ...You wouldn’t believe me, would you?”

“Do I look like a fool to you?”

Adeus crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

“What can a mere illegitimate son do?”

“What?”

“The money I ask for can only do so much. The same goes for honorary positions. No matter how much I achieve, I won’t have the chance to advance. I’ll spend my life working under others.”

Unexpectedly, Adeus had a clear understanding of his situation.

“So I want to be the Crown Princess’s mistress, to receive direct benefits from the Laphreon family.”

“Benefits from the Laphreon family?”

“Being the mistress of the Laphreon family, which is the closest to the royal family, is the best title one can have. No one would dare treat me poorly.”

I thought he was just a thoughtless, pleasure-seeking playboy.

‘Maybe he’s more ambitious than I thought.’

I narrowed my eyes and carefully observed Adeus’s sparkling eyes.

“Will you take me in as your mistress now?”

Adeus asked again. Despite my reluctance, my answer remained the same.

“My answer is the same. If you have no other requests...”

I pulled my chair and stood up. Adeus looked at me calmly.

“Go back now.”

At my firm answer, Adeus stroked his chin as if deep in thought. His Adam’s apple moved noticeably.

“Even if I can be of help to the Crown Princess?”

“Yeongshik can’t help me at all. I don’t need your help.”

After all, I only have a year as Crown Princess, and I don’t need a mistress. I turned away from Adeus coldly.

‘Surely he understands now.’

After taking a couple of steps, Adeus, still seated at the table, spoke to me in a cheerful voice.

“Lady Zahart is advocating for the Crown Princess’s disinheritance, you know.”

I froze in my tracks. I turned my upper body to look at Adeus, who was grinning.

“How did you know that?”

“It’s not widely known, but I heard it through the grapevine.”

‘Did my stepmother spread it around?’

What a loose-lipped woman.

“So? What does that have to do with anything?”

There was no other explanation. Adeus, who had been smiling, suddenly changed his expression. The smile vanished, and his face hardened.

“Of course. ...After a long time, with no evidence, to use the death of the count as an excuse to strip you of your inheritance rights?”

Adeus’s lips curled.

“Let me rephrase my question. Do you think Lady Zahart, your stepmother, can strip you of your inheritance rights?”

Of course not.

“No. There’s no way she can strip me of my inheritance rights.”

The answer was already clear. With time passed and no evidence, the trial my stepmother initiated couldn’t prove anything. A few days ago, the lawyer clearly stated that my inheritance rights couldn’t be stripped.

“Of course not, right? I think the same.”

Adeus agreed with a smile. What is he getting at? Why does he keep changing his stance? I narrowed my eyes at Adeus and felt a strange sense of dissonance.

‘Wait a moment.’

This was an answer everyone should have known. Adeus, of course, said he thought the same.

‘Then does my stepmother also know this?’

Adeus looked at me with an interested gaze as I was lost in thought.

“Let me tell you a story, Crown Princess.”

“Suddenly?”

I was already struggling to figure out what my stepmother was up to. What story could he suddenly tell? I gave Adeus a disapproving look, signaling him to stop. But he ignored my gesture and began his story.

“There was a daughter who inherited a vast fortune after her father, the count, died, as written in the will.”

“...Yeongshik?”

“The daughter had a stepmother and a half-sister. The daughter, who inherited the fortune, married the head of a powerful family and distanced herself from the family’s affairs.”

This is my story.

“Are you talking about me?”

“With only the stepmother and half-sister left, the family’s fortunes declined, and debts began to pile up. However, the daughter, who inherited all the family’s wealth, did not help her remaining family.”

“Yeongshik.”

I felt irritated by his mocking tone and gaze. I called out to Adeus forcefully, but he didn’t stop.

“At that time, someone spread a rumor. ‘Maybe the daughter killed her father to inherit the fortune?’”

“...!”

I felt the blood drain from my body. My fingertips turned cold in an instant.

“Others agreed with this opinion. ‘That’s right, she must have been blinded by power and married for the fortune! That’s why she doesn’t care about her family!’”

Adeus laughed devilishly, seeing my pale and rigid expression.

“What does it matter if it’s true? After all, there’s no evidence on either side.”

I felt as if I had been hit on the head with a hammer. Adeus’s words were all true. Just by holding the trial, people would pay attention to this case. There’s no evidence on either side. There’s no proof that I killed my father, but there’s also no proof that I didn’t. People would focus on the visible situation, and that would be to my disadvantage.

‘How stupid of me!’

I had only focused on the inheritance, thinking my stepmother would naturally try to strip me of my inheritance rights. Now I understood why Adeus had suggested I do a lot before the trial. Biting my lower lip in frustration, I felt a long finger reach out.

“You might not have known.”

Adeus gently stroked my lower lip, which I had bitten hard. His finger moved over my lips like a butterfly on a flower petal.

“Neither the Crown Princess nor the Duke are interested in high society. In high society, rumors mean death.”

“...”

“It’s a battlefield where people kill each other with these pretty lips.”

Adeus smiled ambiguously. He slowly leaned closer to me.

“I just saved you from death again. You owe me another favor, Crown Princess.”

Then, as if trying to seduce me, he whispered softly.

“Do you still not need me? I can boast that I’m the best in this field.”

“...”

“I’ll ensure that no one, no matter how powerful, can touch your family.”

A sweet floral scent filled the air. Instinctively sensing danger, I stepped back. But Adeus followed, gradually closing the distance.

“I’ll personally become the Crown Princess’s man. Take me as your mistress.”

“Yeongshik.”

“Adeus, you can call me.”

Just as I was about to push Adeus’s face away with my palm, a deep, angry voice roared from close by.

“Adeus. ...Is this how you behave?”

A large hand from behind forcefully pushed Adeus’s hand away from my lips. At the same time, a strong arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me close. Startled, I opened my eyes wide and saw Adeus’s rigid face behind me.

“I clearly warned you before.”

The man who had caught me before I could fall pulled me tightly into his embrace. Tertius, who had his arm around my waist, pulled me even closer.

“Stay 500 meters away from my wife.”

He growled like a predator baring its teeth at an intruder.