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Episode 60: Rumor Has It (I)
The margrave’s hand, which was hesitant, decisively turned to one side.
He quickly scribbled his signature and handed the paper to the attendant.
“Deliver this to Archduke Marquis.”
* * *
“What? Archduke Marquis is running a survey?!”
I felt like I had been struck by a thunderbolt while working in the office. My hand that was turning over the Spinel-related government documents suddenly stopped.
Laura nodded her head with a slightly perplexed look on her face.
“Yes, this time he decided to reflect the public opinion of the nobility in detail.”
‘No, that strict and picky man!’
‘Isn’t he intentionally trying to screw me over?’
Did he hate the idea of me marrying Rixus so much?
‘Did he lose to me?’
Perhaps he was doing this to indirectly punish me for the crimes of making bribes.
He knew that I was more desperate than anyone else when it came to the marriage permit, right?
I shook my head, suffering from the urge to run to that monstrous black mansion right away and pluck out the crow’s eyeballs.
Actually, the holy marriage was pretty much decided on ‘The High Priest’s Visit’.
However, it was only with the permit that the wedding date could be set.
If there was no date, the wedding would be delayed day by day, and if public opinion was overturned, it would be a headache.
It was the same in this world in that no one knew for sure until we had the wedding ceremony.
(TL/N: In the sense that any wedding could be canceled till it’s actually completed.)
“Laura, Seryl and Maribel.”
The three maids looked at me with their eyes wide open like clever chicks.
“So what’s the public opinion of the nobles?”
None of the maids could answer confidently, they all hesitated immediately.
In their eyes, embarrassment could be read.
Receiving the stamped marriage permit would take quite a while, so I wanted to hear the public opinion of the nobles, but there must have been a bad result.
“What? Tell me.”
When I questioned, Laura opened her mouth.
“The truth is… among the nobles, there are some rumors going around.”
“There are rumors of a discord between the two of you. That you two don’t even sleep together and fight every day…”
At Laura and Maribel’s words, Seryl’s feelings exploded as if she’s bursting with anger, bang bang!
“They don’t even know how much the Crown Prince loves Her Majesty!”
Maribel nodded and added more words.
“Those of us who have been watching from the side are well aware… How sweet was the note from His Highness the Crown Prince to Your Majesty the Queen?”
“That’s right, it’s the first time Seryl’s ever seen a husband who loves his wife like that?! As soon as the third day was over, he ran over to see his wife at noon!”
Laura blushed.
“He even said a day was long.”
“……”
When the maids pointed it out one by one, I felt a little embarrassed.
It must look like this from their side. Rixus was also amazing.
By the way….
‘The Margrave must have come to the capital by now.’
As soon as I reached this thought, I asked at the same time.
“I’m sure the opinion of the Margrave is included in the survey?”
Laura said cautiously.
“I heard he voted against it.”
“……”
A person who created rumors that were provocative enough to cause the margrave to vote against me.
A person who cleverly mixed the truth with false information and spread them.
Perhaps the one who turned my discord with Rixus into gossip with a plausible logic by exquisitely intertwining it with war.
I knew who it was, whose way it was.
‘I feel bad, but as expected, Deborah is not standing still.’
If so, I should prepare as well.
I had no intention of sitting still and wasting time.
“I’m going to see Rixus. Inform him that I will visit.”
“Yes!”
I changed my mind instantly.
“No, it’s okay.”
I got up straight away and went out the door without hesitation.
“I’d rather just go and meet him right now.”
* * *
“Berylia.”
Rixus sat in the office and greeted me.
I went to visit him without contacting him; and without asking what was going on, the doorkeeper opened the door as soon as he saw me.
I heard that the doorkeeper had been instructed not to ask if I ever came, but to take me to where he was with utmost sincerity.
‘I’ve never gone to Rixus before…’
I was also surprised at his meticulousness – he gave such an order in advance just in case I would come.
And every time I saw that smile, I was amazed again.
A good-looking man with a generous personality was looking at me with his eyes wide open.
At this time, Rixus’ eyes looked sweet like candy.
“Did you come to see me?”
I could have said yes, but I decided to say only the truth.
“No. I have something to do.”
His sweet eyes narrowed playfully.
“How can you be this cold?”
“…It’s because it’s an important matter. It’s about the marriage permit.”
Then the playfulness was erased from his face.
“Have you heard of a discord between us, Rixus?”
“Yes.”
Rixus answered calmly.
“The search for the maid, who is said to have talked about the situation in the bedroom, has already been completed.”
‘Oh my God, that’s pretty fast.’
It felt reassuring to be on the same side with a man who was so quick and precise.
When I was an enemy, it was difficult to deal with such capabilities, but when I was on the same side, I was still amazed like this.
“Then Rixus, have you thought about how to deal with it?”
“We have no choice but to prove that the rumors are just nonsense.”
“How?”
“Let’s go here together.”
Rixus pulled out a small letter from a drawer in the office.
It was a cute invitation, with a small butterfly-shaped envelope.
Looking at the family emblem with the motif of a golden butterfly, I could tell which family’s invitation it was.
‘This is an invitation from the Duke of Mavis.’
Words written in cute little handwriting were underneath the invitation.
<Dear Crown Prince, this is from Yuria.>
As soon as I saw it, I felt a little bad.
Putting two unpleasant points into this short sentence was a feat itself.
The first was ‘dear’. This expression was sometimes used by nobles to express respect and closeness to the imperial family, but…
Naturally, it was used more between lovers.
And second, ‘this is from Yuria’. It was a pretty rude expression.
I opened the invitation with a trembling feeling, recalling a slender face that smiled broadly like an angel.
<Your Highness the Crown Prince,
My birthday is in 3 days.
I haven’t been able to hold a birthday party since I’m in Malta, but I’m going to do it this time.
Please attend.
Oh, I read the book you gave me at my birthday party 3 years ago to remember it.
Thank you so much……>
After that, it was about just waiting, and so be sure to come.
It was the longest invitation I had ever seen. It was very sloppy.
It felt like a love letter disguised as an invitation.
‘She also sprayed perfume.’
The scent of flowers that I smelled when I first ran into Yuria was faint.
‘Seeing that she mentioned a birthday present from three years ago, she’s saying that she’s looking forward to receiving something again, right?’
As soon as I read the part that her birthday present was a book, I vaguely remembered the original.
Originally, the crown prince did not celebrate any of the nobles’ birthdays.
In general, it meant that he wouldn’t have cared about the duke’s daughter’s birthday.
Nevertheless, Yuria invited him to her birthday and wrote that she would like to receive a present.
Because she always wanted what she wanted.
And the indifferent original protagonist had his lieutenant choose a gift.
The indifferent original protagonist was now right in front of me.
“You want to attend Lady Mavis’ birthday together…?”
“Yes.”
‘Well, there’s no better place to clear up a misunderstanding than that.’
It was a birthday banquet hosted by the Mavis family, so all the major Aktoum nobles would gather.
‘The Margrave will definitely come.’
“Great.”
I nodded willingly.
If I wasn’t there, I would have been bitten more.
It was better to go to the party and resolve the misunderstanding in person.
However, there was one part that was a little worrisome.
How to resolve the misunderstanding?
“…Then are we going to the birthday party and pretend to be friendly?”
“We don’t have to pretend.”
Rixus said with a low smile.
“Just do what you normally do.”
Then he wrapped his big hand around the back of my hand, and touched it with his soft, hot lips.
It was a silent kiss that seemed to melt.
He kissed me on my hand, but my heart tickled.
As if falling in love for a moment, the way he looked at me made my heart flutter.
‘How does he make eyes like that?’
“I guess I’ll just have to do what I usually do too.”
Playfulness quickly hung around his eyes.
“It’s going to be so obvious, Candy.”
“……Okay.”
“Who I like.”
I thought my face would turn red for no reason, so I pulled out my hand.
But he took my hand as I was about to slip away and brought his handsome face closer.
Then he stared at me… and said one more embarrassing thing.
“I’m sure it’ll be obvious I like you.”
“…I got it…”
As I averted my gaze, he whispered softly and affectionately.
“Look, it’s obvious even now.”
‘……Really, what is he saying? I’m shy.’
I pulled my hand away and looked around with a grim expression on my face.
“…Why is the office so hot? I think the construction is faulty.”
He lowered his head and said, “How extreme.” Then he raised his lips coolly and burst into laughter.
Like it or not, I continued to pretend to feel hot and fan with my hands.
As if repeatedly emphasizing that it wasn’t because I was embarrassed, but because I felt absolutely hot.