Chapter 108

"Oh, don't be so cold. I had a very difficult time sneaking out. My future aide nags a lot. Even now, I had to dump all my work in order to run away."

"Future aide?"

"Ah, you didn't know? I'm talking about your older brother."

"......"

Violet's expression became slightly distorted.

Here was the crown prince, so blatantly dismissing the duke's heir—in other words, the next Duke of Everett—who would soon rule a vast territory. There was a great difference between that and a mere 'future aide'.

Violet sighed. She realized why Roen had grumbled so much about this prince.

According to her memories, he was but an arrogant man in power. But how come this strange, peculiar person instead appeared?

As she unhesitatingly dubbed the crown prince as a weirdo, Violet smiled.

This man is cut from the same cloth as Roen, I see.

* * *

Rajaden joined their group.

It's a mystery, but perhaps it's simply because she was just that sociable, Mary soon relaxed despite being so uncomfortable with him just earlier.

And thanks to the fact that Roen was mentioned a lot in passing during the conversation, Cairn quickly eased back to his true personality—that being a fool.

Violet could already imagine how much Roen's headache would grow worse later. She sighed.

On the other hand, Aldin remained the same. After all, he was originally a quiet and stoic person.

Only Violet was busy trying to weigh Rajaden's intentions.

"Um, I never imagined that I'd ever meet such an illustrious man in my life."

"Aren't you a maid of a ducal residence? What about me, you don't find me intimidating? I'm a ducal lord, too, aren't I?"

"That's, well, I'm a low-ranked maid... I don't know how many times I'll ever get to meet someone who's on top of the hierarchy. And, umm, ducal lord..."

"What, what. Why did you trail off?"

Lucky for them, Rajaden was staying by Violet's side. It was thanks to this that Mary and Cairn could at least catch their breaths, and their bickering continued.

"Ah now that you mentioned it, you're also a high-ranking man, Young Master."

At Mary's realization, Cairn had the strongest urge to shout loudly, but he was forced to drop the volume of his voice with his outburst.

"Who exactly do you think I am then?"

"A homeless person..."

Since he was just getting his karma, Cairn could say nothing to that.

'I can hear you.'

While listening to the steady stream of their voices, Violet sighed. They were whispering amongst themselves, but she couldn't help but hear everything.

What exactly was she to do now. Cairn might get scott-free, but Mary wouldn't be able to escape reprimand.

"They're an interesting pair of friends, aren't they?"

"Yees..."

"Are you worried, Ducal Lady?"

"It is not the kind of behavior they should be showing to the small sun of the Empire."

"But I think it's nice to see. In all truth, it's the ideal. Nobles and commoners should be able to interact openly without anyone seeing fault with it. I just wish those blockheads in the parliament would open their eyes."

The crown prince clicked his tongue, yet Violet deliberately pretended not to have heard what he just said. She had absolutely no intention of getting involved in politics.

"Anyway, I'm pleased to see it. And maybe I'm even more pleased because you also seem to be different from all the rumors, Ducal Lady."

"I'm humbled by your words."

Rajaden's words were spoken lightly. It was difficult to tell whether or not he was sincere because of how lightly he said them.

In the end, she reacted more or less soullessly back.

"I heard that you're not interested in social activities?"

"It's because I don't have a place in high society. It doesn't mean all that much to me anymore."

"Haha, it's rather fascinating to hear you say that. You've really changed a lot."

"You remember how I was in the past?"

"Hmm. Does it seem like that, Ducal Lady?"

"......"

It was a lackluster conversation. Meanwhile, Aldin just walked behind them as though he was on escort duty.

With Cairn walking further behind Aldin, Cairn stopped chatting with Mary and thought to himself.

'You idiot.'

If, at the end of the day, he'd have to choose between the crown prince and his friend, his friend would win by a whole lot.

Cairn clicked his tongue.

From one man—who had absolutely no dating experience whatsoever—to another, Cairn just inwardly hurled insults at Aldin.

* * *

The crown prince continued to accompany their group. He persistently tried to persuade Violet, asking her to go with him to the most famous restaurant in the capital.

There was also a rumor that the person who opened that establishment was a retired chef of the imperial palace, and only aristocrats were allowed to dine there.

"That's right. It's a restaurant that was opened by the head chef who once worked at my mother's palace, so we're acquainted. I bet the dishes there taste heavenly."

The crown prince confirmed the rumor to be true.

"More than that, I'm worried for our cute lady here. Should I show my face to ask them to be lenient today and let her come in?"

"Y-Your Highness doesn't need to worry about me. I can wait outside...!"

"No can do. I hear that you're the Ducal Lady's most cherished friend, so I can't show an unsightly side to me, can I?"

It's as if he was appealing to the friend of his crush.

Of course, Violet surmised that his actions were politically motivated.

"Mary and I would rather sit this one out. It would be better so that the three of you can have a nice, long conversation together..."

"How valiant of you, Ducal Lady."

At the crown prince's remark, Cairn looked directly at Violet, silently pleading for her to handle this.

Closing her eyes, Violet smiled. Socializing was just so annoying.

"Excuse me, can you call the maître d?"

In the end, everything worked in the crown prince's favor.