Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Chapter 44.“...

Yes? Wait, Lus. What did you say just now?”

Just now heard words that seemed shouldn't just pass.

Then Lus rather tilted his head and asked.

“The Emperor is also a spirit beast's contractor. Between spirit beast's contractors can know each other are contractors, right? I thought older sister was trying to reveal this time.”

“...

Was it?”

Asking Blackie Blackie nodded.[Didn't know, Master?]

In the original the female lead doesn't need to hide the spirit beast she controls, so didn't know if there's such a setting.

“Uh, what to do? Still no intention of revealing! Shall I say sick even now?”

Lowering the voice as much as possible and whispering, Blackie asked.[If the Emperor's spirit beast is it the white lion?]

“Yeah.”[Don't worry, Master. Since a spirit beast I know there's a method to resolve.]

The method Blackie said was unexpectedly simple.

Just let the spirit beast in the form of a white lion, Riolen and himself meet.

Too simple a solution so rather hard to believe.

Inside the carriage heading to the imperial palace I asked Blackie again.

“Really if only the two meet can resolve everything?”[It's real, Master. How many times are you asking.]

“Because afraid of being caught adding the crime of trying to deceive.”

Earned a lot of money but if possible wanted to live long long.[Spirit beast's contractors are taken and made to work so won't die.]

“Instead what if only working to death?”[Still won't die.]

“Are you comforting me now correctly?”

Then, the carriage stopped and the knight called us.

“Madam, from here can't enter riding the carriage they say.”

“Yeah. Got it.”

I put Blackie in the pocket, and got off the carriage.

“Then I'll go and come so wait here.”

“Yes, understood.”

The sand palace where the spirit beast Riolen is had to walk quite a bit from here.

Quite a far distance to walk, but to prevent possible threats carriages were prohibited inside the imperial palace.‘Even coming freely like this today is because I'm the Duchess.’ A completely collapsed family, but the title of one of only four founding contributor ducal houses definitely helped in this country.

Walking toward the sand palace like that, suddenly Blackie stuck his face out of the pocket and sniffed with his nose.

“Why?”[A good scent, Master.]

“Feeling the smell of jewels?”[No, that's not. Just the feeling is good. Go that way, Master.]

Blackie pointed at the maze garden with the tip of his nose.

“We were going to meet the spirit beast.”[But it's really a good smell.]

Unusually Blackie was stubborn.

Since time wasn't tight I entered inside the garden following Blackie's guidance.

At the end of the winding road here and there what appeared was a boy seen for the first time.

The age looked one or two years older than me, and the summer sunlight suited well.

Brilliant blonde and blue pupils.

The shirt attire rolled up to the elbows was refreshing.

When the small bird sitting on the white fingertips chirped, the boy's mouth corner rose gently.[That man, the energy is peculiar. It's the first in a long time seeing a human having such energy.]

“What kind...”

Unconsciously trying to answer Blackie then closed the mouth.

At my voice he looked back at me, and the bird flew far away.

Seemed I disturbed the peaceful time so sorry.

However he instead of getting angry elegantly and gently curved the eye area and asked.

“What brings you here?”

“...

Lost the way.”

I pondered for a moment and gave the most innocuous excuse.[Seeing closely it's certain. This is a creation god put quite a bit of effort into. The good scent coming is also natural.]

Listening to Blackie's words I tightly closed my mouth and looked at him.

“Did you come to see His Majesty?”

“Yes? No!”

Meeting the Emperor, what scary words.

“Then what brings the Duchess Valfruga to the imperial palace?”

Didn't say anything how did he know my status?

“How did you know?”

He laughed without words.

“Then who are you?”

He opened his eyes round and asked back.

“Don't you know me?”

Seeing speaking in that way it was clear a quite high person.

“Yes.”

The Emperor is an uncle with age so absolutely not, and in the original never saw such a pure boy.

Perhaps one of the candidates for high priest?

Seeing Blackie liking that side is also a bit suspicious.

Fortunately his identity could be known soon.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince! Brought biscuits!”

The knight who appeared parting the bushes held the pocket like spoils and shouted.

“Thank you.”

The boy expressed thanks in a kind tone.

Crown Prince? Imperial Crown Prince?

I looked at the Crown Prince's face with a surprised face.

Not knowing was also natural.

Felix Auleiter.

The Empire's first prince and Crown Prince.

Called the incarnation of a hero with clear brain, pure appearance, gentle and fair character and loved by everyone.

But he was a person already dead before the original started.

Cause of death suicide.

Knowing his identity made it more unbelievable.

A person this suited standing in the sunlight cutting his own life.

The knight looking at me staring at the Crown Prince asked.

“But Your Highness, who is this lady?”

“The Duchess Valfruga.”

At those words the knight's eyes changed.

“Ah ah, this girl is exactly that commoner origin...”

He said in a tone of seeming to know and scanned me up and down.

Clearly an attitude of looking down on me.‘How to handle that. Kill, let live?’ While pondering for a moment, the Crown Prince opened his mouth first.

“Rude, Evan. She is a member of the Valfruga ducal house recognized by His Majesty. Not a status where you a knight can commit rudeness.”

A quiet tone but contained charisma that couldn't be ignored.

“But Your Highness...”

The knight muttered, but the Crown Prince quietly looked at him.

“Or do I have to personally punish you?”

“...”

At those words the knight bit his lips, and lowered his head in front of me.

“I'm sorry.”

“Evan, apologize with etiquette.”

“I apologize for the rudeness I committed to the Duchess. Please forgive my foolishness.”

When I nodded receiving the apology, the knight raised his body.

“You violated the knight's etiquette so will receive legitimate punishment. Any complaint?”

At the Crown Prince's question he answered loudly.

“None!”

The Crown Prince this time turned his gaze and looked at me.

“Sorry for making you spend unpleasant time. Instead may I escort? Where were you going?”

“Was going to the sand palace.”

“If the sand palace were you going to see the spirit beast Riolen?”

“Yes. Never seen a spirit beast even once so curious.”

“Is that so.”

I moved steps following the Crown Prince.

And as soon as exiting the garden, asked him.

“A cherished knight?”

“Just an imperial knight. Even if a cherished one the knight's rudeness is rightly the lord's responsibility. I only did the work I should do first before Madam stepped forward.”

He was silent for a moment then watched my mood.

“...

Were you unpleasant?”

“No, it's okay. Actually was pondering how to handle.”

“Fortunate. I wanted to get along well with Madam.”

“Yes?”

“I heard the work Madam did after marrying the Duke Valfruga. All only amazing things.”

I opened my eyes narrowly to grasp his intention.

The tone was kind and the behavior elegant, but he was imperial family.

Didn't know what scheme he was hiding inside.

“Among them the most amazing is the matter of employing administrators a while ago though.”

“What's amazing. Administrators are employed in any territory.”

“But there's no family employing that many commoners.”

I shrugged my shoulders and said as if nothing.

“As you know the Valfruga territory is rugged and because of the cold weather not many people trying to come. Just employed because there's ability.”

“Do you also know that because of that people gossip behind?”

“Yes?”

“There are guys linking with Madam's origin and belittling. Many people not favorable to Madam like that knight just now.”

Whether trying to indirectly criticize me stared at his face, but the handsome face rather seemed worrying about me.‘Must have seen wrong. When did he see me to worry about me.’ I shook my head inside and said.

“It doesn't matter. Anyway not sounds chattering behind. If having courage to speak do it in front of me.”

I lifted the right hand clenched into a fist and said playfully.

“Won't just leave though.”

At my words he made a face of not knowing the reason.

After that whatever thinking he tightly closed his mouth and silently moved steps.

“Here is the sand palace. Riolen is probably napping around now.”

“Thank you for bringing.”

“Not at all. If there's a chance hope there's an opportunity to talk with Madam again next time.”

He smiled softly like the first again, and kissed the back of my right hand.

Separated from the Crown Prince I headed straight to the sand palace.

Now it was time to let Blackie and Riolen meet.* * *The Crown Prince, Felix hurriedly moved steps after separating from Felia.

Knew it doesn't match etiquette, but the heart beating couldn't stay still at all.

A lovely girl like a fluffy rabbit.

With the sweet appearance could easily know she is the rumored Duchess Valfruga.

Because remembered all the appearances of influential nobles.

From when first hearing the story interest went to the unconventional moves.

Among them, the one that caught his gaze the most was the words of employing commoners in large numbers.

Because of that all sorts of rumors rolled behind, but the person herself seemed not particularly caring.

Even when the knight committed rudeness saying commoner whether got angry, didn't seem feeling shame or humiliation.

When the attendants' appearances were visible, Felix's footsteps gradually slowed like usual.

Passing between them the sound of attendants whispering small was heard.

“Look there, it's the Crown Prince.”

“My goodness, how so elegant and handsome?”

“Did you hear that? The Crown Prince has a gentle character so never even once vented anger on things like us.”

“As expected a person like the incarnation of a hero.”

Every time moving steps gazes followed.

Outwardly wearing a perfect smile, but inside seemed nausea would come at the gazes toward himself.‘It doesn't matter. Anyway not sounds chattering behind.’ Amazing.

How can she be so detached even to the words surrounding herself.

Moreover that is not words containing praise and awe like his own case, but words belittling and denying her status.

At the same time became curious.‘Duchess Valfruga’ title disappearing whether she can say that.

Whether she can avoid the scheme the father Emperor prepared.

Felix looked back.

The bright spring-colored hair noticeable even from afar disappeared long ago, but in his eyes that appearance was still clear.