CHAPTER 20…………………………………
“I do understand that Professor Yunus was of great help to you.”
“Yes?”
“I hope you get closer to your goal, Rosnelli.”
“Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Leonhardt.”
“Yes?”
“Call me by my name. ‘Your Highness the Crown Prince’ every sentence… isn’t it tiring?”
“…However—”
“You said when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I don’t know where Rome is, but in Silentium, the king is essentially you. I came here not as the Crown Prince, but as a guest customer. So—call me by my name. Casually. That’s an order from the Crown Prince.”
“…Ah, um. Yes.”
One moment he calls himself a guest, and the next it’s an order as Crown Prince. Rosnelli nodded with a bewildered expression, and Leonhardt soon passed her by.
“Then I’ll head off first for rest. I don’t have any schedule after the massage therapy.”
He even bothered to explain his schedule.
In truth, Leonhardt himself didn’t know why he had added that unnecessary remark. As he passed Rosnelli, he frowned slightly at himself, as if reproaching his own behavior.
The ministers, hastily summoned to the sauna room, appeared uneasy and confused, wondering if some great crisis had occurred as they came before Leonhardt. As the hot steam made them sweat, the elderly men quickly wiped their shiny foreheads with towels.
“Why on earth summon us to the sauna instead of a proper meeting room?”
They had been enjoying the sauna when suddenly the Crown Prince’s arrival was announced, and their relaxed muscles instantly tensed. Leonhardt, who had entered the sauna after receiving massage treatment, spoke. The ministers, all seated properly with only towels wrapped around them, focused their attention.
“Investigate the list and personal details of all professors in the Empire who hold academic titles.”
The ministers exchanged puzzled looks.
“Why are you asking about professors in the Empire?”
“Stop asking questions and just do it. Especially those with ‘Yunus’ in their first or last name.”
Yunus? Who is this Professor Yunus that he’s so fixated on?
Leonhardt ordered them to gather the full list of professors working at the Imperial Academy.
He had thought he would be able to see Rosnelli often here, but that seemed to be a mistake. The only time he saw her was once a day—during morning greetings.
Whenever he tried to ask her anything, she would just smile brightly and leave it to her secretary Natasha or assign staff to him. It wasn’t that Leonhardt particularly wanted long conversations with Rosnelli, but still, he wasn’t pleased.
“Your Highness, are you unwell?”
One of the ministers asked with concern. Only then did Leonhardt remember he was in the middle of a meeting in Silentium’s conference room with the ministers.
“No, I was just lost in thought. My apologies. Let’s continue. Increase troops at the border—”
“Your Highness. We were actually discussing your health. Didn’t the meeting already end earlier?”
At Count Kaftan’s words, silence fell over the room.
He had been thinking about something else the entire time and had been caught.
“…I see. So that’s how it was.”
Leonhardt cleared his throat in embarrassment. The man who prided himself on never showing a gap in state affairs had slipped.
Watching this quietly from the side, the royal couple of Petreon exchanged glances. The real betting was about to begin.
Queen Canis asked quietly:
“If you’re so curious, why not ask directly?”
“About what?”
Leonhardt pretended not to know. Queen Canis smiled slightly while making eye contact with her faction of ministers.
How obvious, pretending otherwise.
She had decided to repay her debt to the Crown Prince, who had helped her husband win the throne and supported him in war, by helping this dense young heir.
“Weren’t you curious about the village being built in front of Silentium? I was curious. Lady Rosnelli seems very serious about business. But she’s not only serious about business—she seems sincere with people as well. She has the qualities of a leader, a noble. There must be a reason she was once a Crown Princess candidate. Hoho.”
At the direct praise, Leonhardt flinched slightly.
He then asked the ministers:
“A village is being built?”
The ministers responded promptly.
“Yes. Workers started a few days ago. It seems to be an effort to support the residents of Certa Village who were buried in the recent flood.”
“Lady Rosnelli truly cares for the people, supports them, encourages them, uplifts them, helps them, pushes them forward, worries for them, cares for them, loves them, shows grace, attends to them, protects them thoroughly… truly amazing. Even though she is no longer a Crown Princess, she shows the qualities of a national mother figure. Right?”
“Yes, indeed.”
“Truly, what a remarkable person.”
“She is most suited to be a Crown Princess candidate.”
The praise was so blatant that even the speakers seemed embarrassed.
Leonhardt looked at them coldly, fully aware of their intentions. As people age, their faces only become thicker-skinned. They continued praising Rosnelli without pause.
However, not everyone joined in.
For example, Duke Rudelli, Marquis Bacon—his relative—and Count Hamilton, the Marquis’ in-laws… all sat silently, mouths tightly shut as if sealed.
One minister provoked Duke Rudelli:
“If you stay silent like that, your mouth might rot shut. You barely speak except when eating and drinking, Duke Rudelli.”
“I simply have nothing to say.”
“So silence means agreement? I see, silence is consent. Even the conservative Duke Rudelli must admit Lady Rosnelli is a fitting Crown Princess candidate.”
“Nonsense. Silence is just silence. Unlike you loud ones who need attention through noise. A true Crown Princess should be composed and quietly support the Prince like a shadow.”
“After three days of silence, the only thing you manage to do is insult others. How transparent.”
“And you, sir, are quite blurry yourself.”
“What did you say?! Blurry?!”
“Yes. Your face, your eyes—everything is blurry. Even your future looks blurry.”
“You insolent—!”
The argument escalated quickly. Old men began grabbing collars and pulling beards in a disgraceful brawl.
As always, Leonhardt had to intervene.
BANG.
He slammed the table, his eyes sharp enough to strip them bare without words.
“Enough. This is ridiculous.”
At his voice, the ministers immediately released each other.
Leonhardt clicked his tongue, rubbing his temple. He was fed up.
It wasn’t external stress. It was these so-called ministers of a nation acting like children. And all of it over the position of Crown Princess. His opinion didn’t matter at all—it was all factional power play.
“How utterly disgusting. The ones who claimed they came here for my rest are the source of all my frustration.”
At this moment, he wanted to expel all factions—conservative or progressive alike.
“Everyone, leave.”
But were they the type to obediently leave when told?
Just then, King Terrius spoke.
“Come now, why chase the ministers out? Leonhardt, instead of throwing them out… how about you leave instead?”
The most dangerous snake was always closest to you.
Leonhardt looked at him with a “what nonsense are you spouting now” expression.
Queen Canis joined in:
“That’s a good idea, Leonhardt. Why not visit the construction site yourself? A kind of field trip. Aren’t you curious about the hot spring village they’re building?”
“I am curious, Your Majesty,” said the king.
“So am I,” the queen added.
Husband and wife were of one mind.
The royal couple of Petreon now looked at Leonhardt with shining eyes.
The ministers immediately chimed in as well:
“Yes! Let’s go on an inspection!”
“Yes, yes! Let’s go!”
