IGCHPM 31

CHAPTER 31…..

The maid Esia was sent back to Arpad under my orders.

For several hours after I told her to return to the Crown Prince, she knelt before me begging for forgiveness, but I did not accept it.

“I was thoughtless. Please forgive me, Your Highness Bi.”

“Is that also the Crown Prince’s wish?”

“……!”

“Absolutely not!”

Esia, pale as death, seemed to realize too late that her desperate attempts to gain my forgiveness only worsened my mood.

Eventually, after my reprimand, she bowed her head once more in apology and disappeared from my vicinity.

“I’m truly, truly sorry. I was incredibly thoughtless.”

After that, rumors spread quickly. Apparently, Esia holds a fairly high position among the palace servants of the Crown Prince’s residence.

Esia was dismissed because she valued Arpad more than me, and Arpad said nothing about it.

This served as a message to the servants of the Crown Prince’s palace:

“Arpad is not my master.”

And:

“Those who serve me directly must prioritize my orders above all.”

I have been betrayed by subordinates more than once.

Even before I have my own people, it’s unacceptable for everyone around me to prioritize Arpad’s commands first.

“Are you just going to leave it like that?”

Arpad tilted his head in response to his secretary’s question.

“Why shouldn’t I just leave it?”

Yulken answered, glancing suspiciously toward the ivory bedroom.

“Well, openly driving away Your Highness’s people is tantamount to rebellion. How can you trust someone like that?”

Arpad knew Yulken was about to call her ‘that kind of person’ but quickly changed it to ‘that kind of lady’ after seeing his expression.

He chuckled and gave the suspicious aide the answer he wanted to hear.

“If you can’t even keep one trusted aide, you can’t do your job properly. Someone so small-minded doesn’t suit being Crown Princess.”

Arpad murmured while looking at the pearl necklace on the desk.

“…Same goes for the Empress’s position.”

Yulken’s face was still full of worry and doubt.

Without a decisive incident, it was impossible to remove Yulken’s suspicion.

‘And that… has to be done by herself to have meaning.’

His help wouldn’t mean anything. From that perspective, not asking for help in controlling aides meant she passed step one.

‘Of course, step two hasn’t even begun, and it won’t end with just step two.’

I wondered if my beloved wife could pass all the ‘tests.’

I was really curious if she could prove herself fit for the Empress’s position.

The day after sending Esia back.

I received shocking and infuriating news—but the response was expected.

A pale and flustered palace servant carefully watched my expression as he delivered the news.

It was the answer from the butler of Delpinjer to my orders.

“What? He said he can’t send the two people I ordered?”

“Yes, Your Highness Bi.”

Rage welled up to the top of my head.

‘Just as expected. But…!’

I never expected the butler to obey my orders willingly while Ludwig was still entrenched in Delpinjer.

Only a blatant act of rebellion would give me the reason to get angry and take action.

I had hoped and calculated for it to turn out this way.

But that didn’t mean I wasn’t furious.

My hands trembled on the dressing table, and the servants, sensing the tension, all knelt simultaneously.

“We’re sorry, Your Highness!”

“Our abilities are insufficient!”

Sending Esia back was worth it.

At least no one would openly refuse my orders or ignore my mood before me.

But it wasn’t the servants or other nobles who disrespected me—it was Delpinjer’s employees.

This was absurd.

I was the sole heir of the Duke of Delpinjer.

‘So, no matter what, Delpinjer’s employees must prioritize my orders.’

But they did not.

Because they were watching Ludwig’s cues.

The butler reportedly replied like this:

“I cannot send the two.”

“What did you say? This is an order from Your Highness Bi.”

“Grand Duke Ludwig did not permit it, so I cannot help it.”

Then he closed the door without listening to the servants’ responses.

I couldn’t hold back and slammed the table in the reception room.

“What nonsense is this!”

This was also a performance to show everyone.

That I was angry enough and justified in my actions.

Delpinjer needed to be cleaned up as soon as possible.

It was absurd that Ludwig was still holding out there.

‘And while I’m kicking Ludwig out, I might as well get rid of Evangeline’s room too!’

Evangeline frequently came and went at Delpinjer. She used the best guest room as if it were her own.

Naturally, she had many followers inside the mansion.

If the situation at Delpinjer became known, I would likely be blamed.

‘They’ll say how can you handle being Crown Princess when you can’t even control your own household.’

I could already see them tearing me apart like piranhas.

So I had to take the initiative.

I stood up and ordered the servants.

“I need to change clothes and get ready. I’m going to see the Crown Prince.”

When Hilia, brightly dressed, visited Arpad’s office.

Naturally, Yulken looked at her with suspicion in both eyes.

Moreover, Yulken already knew the answer Hilia brought back from Delpinjer.

Everyone with Hilia was still Arpad’s people.

Of course, all related reports had come in through Yulken’s hands.

Arpad also knew.

‘Could it be she hurried here asking me to handle her family’s affairs?’

Hearing that news, she dressed up nicely and came straight to Arpad.

Naturally, from a third person’s perspective, it could only look like that.

‘If she just begs me to take care of Delpinjer’s affairs, I won’t hold back from speaking up.’

Yulken was the type who spoke his mind even in front of Arpad.

So it was nothing compared to how he felt in front of Hilia.

He was bracing himself, when Hilia’s pale pink lips parted.

“I came because I have a favor to ask, Your Highness.”

“What is it?”

Yulken, watching them, was about to narrow his eyes and speak harshly.

Hilia spoke with a shy, apologetic expression.

“I thought tonight Your Highness might have to sleep alone, so I came to tell you in advance.”

“…?”

Even Arpad tilted his head briefly in confusion.

He quickly recovered and replied.

“Though I’m sorry about that, is there a reason?”

“I have to visit my parental home.”

“Parental home? Delpinjer?”

“Yes. I’m going to settle some family matters briefly.”

Hilia glanced at Agrippina’s tears lying on Arpad’s table and smiled slightly.

“You cherish my gift so much and never leave it alone; I don’t know how to repay you.”

Arpad laughed wryly, seeing how the deposit turned into a love gift.

“Well, this was the first thing I ever received from you. I can’t help but keep it close.”

“I still remember the day I gave you that pearl vividly.”

To an outsider, this looked like a tender conversation between newlyweds.

But the content was entirely different inside.

‘You’re keeping the deposit well? You haven’t forgotten you’re hired by me, Mercenary King?’

‘How could I forget? It was such a ridiculous experience, I’d never want to forget.’

Hilia smiled brightly and approached, whispering into Arpad’s ear, so softly Yulken couldn’t hear.

Arpad’s red eyes widened with surprise.

Then, as if suddenly, Hilia lightly kissed Arpad’s cheek.

So naturally, as if approaching not to whisper but to kiss.

Yulken watched her blush shyly and quickly leave the office, mouth agape.

‘What was that? Is this really a love marriage? No way. But she didn’t come asking to help with Delpinjer’s affairs…?’

Leaving the confused secretary behind, Arpad stood up.

“Uh, where are you going, Your Highness?”

“Do I have to report my whereabouts to you one by one?”

“…!”

Yulken, caught off guard, realized his mistake. He knelt and apologized.

“I’m sorry. I misspoke.”

Arpad left without another word.

The master was someone who kept many secrets even from his closest aide.

After Arpad disappeared following Hilia,

Yulken was left to wonder.

‘Could it be… he followed the Delpin daughter?’

No, it couldn’t be.

Could the Crown Prince, suddenly so lovestruck, really help his wife with her family affairs?

Just imagining it sent chills down his spine.

But Yulken recalled their earlier conversation.

That cringe-worthy couple talk.

‘No… right? It can’t be?’

Such suspicion was unthinkable before Hilia’s arrival.

I boarded the carriage engraved with the Crown Princess’s seal to go to Delpinjer.

And I smiled brightly when I saw the person already camped and waiting there.

Because it was the person I had been waiting for.