CHAPTER 90…………………………….
“Your Highness, I believe you can do it.”
Unconsciously grabbing Theodore’s hand, Claire spoke firmly. Theodore, staring at her blankly, let out a small chuckle.
“Well, this is strange. Getting encouragement from a fake lover feels… odd. Is it just me?”
“I feel the same.”
Hearing the mischievous tone finally return to his voice, Claire smiled with relief and answered back.
“Shall we go, then?”
“Yes.”
Claire stood up while still holding his hand, picked up her jacket, and shook the dust off.
“Be careful not to trip.”
“You too, Your Highness.”
The two of them held hands all the way down to the base of the wall. Thanks to the firm grip that steadied them whenever danger arose, neither stumbled, and they made it down safely.
And thus, the festival of the fake lovers came to an end.
The Duke of Muton, acting on Cordelia’s words, began his search for the so-called “Pudding.”
Blond hair, green eyes, and an attractive boy who had appeared to be in his mid-to-late teens at the time.
There were a few more hints—poor eyesight, and possibly a younger sister—but nothing particularly useful.
“Eric, how is the search going?”
“Well… I’ve been looking, but no good news yet.”
“Useless fool! You can’t even manage the simple task of finding one person?!”
The duke pounded his chest in frustration.
Then why don’t you do it yourself… Eric swallowed the words that rose to his throat, lowering his head with a resentful expression.
Having boasted he would find the boy before the founding festival ended, the duke was now growing anxious.
No matter how I look at it, this isn’t something that can be solved in just a few days…
If he failed, the deal would fall through. Desperately, he wracked his brain.
Suddenly, a wicked idea sparked.
Wait! If we can’t find him… then why not make him?
After all, how could the princess truly verify whether some boy was the right one or not?
It was nearly twenty years ago, and she hadn’t met him even once since.
The duke’s lips twisted into a crooked smile.
“Eric, from now on, do exactly as I tell you.”
“Yes, Father.”
Following his orders, Eric Muton found a decent-looking commoner man with blond hair and green eyes, paid him a hefty sum, and hired him.
They drilled him on all the information they had gathered, along with the details Cordelia herself had provided.
With a pair of glasses added, the fake Pudding was born.
Coincidentally, he bore an uncanny resemblance to Franz.
Once preparations were complete, they brought the man before Cordelia.
“……!”
Cordelia, who had been waiting nervously, shot to her feet the moment she saw him.
Though he felt slightly different from her memory, the joy of seeing the person she had long dreamed of meeting again overwhelmed everything else.
“Pudding…?”
“Princess—no, Coco. It’s been a long time.”
“Is it really you…?”
The fake Pudding nodded, his expression brimming with emotion.
As a former conman, he had a natural talent for acting. He portrayed the complex feelings of reuniting with his first love—now grown into a woman—with such skill that Cordelia was completely taken in.
“Sorry for leaving without a word back then. I hurt you by breaking my promise, didn’t I?”
“No… honestly, I was very upset and confused at the time. But now that I know your true circumstances, I understand.”
“You can’t imagine how much I missed you.”
Cordelia spread her arms and embraced him.
He returned the embrace. His gentle voice and the comforting pat on her back were just like the Pudding she remembered.
I really found him. I thought I’d never see him again.
“What a moving reunion—it brings tears to my eyes. Congratulations, Princess.”
The Duke of Muton, who had been watching with a blank expression, suddenly beamed and stepped in.
Startled, Cordelia pulled back from Pudding, embarrassed.
“Well, I’ve kept my promise. Now, Princess, it’s your turn.”
“Very well. I’ll sign the contract as soon as it’s ready.”
“Excellent, excellent. Hahaha.”
The duke laughed to himself, delighted. Watching the clueless princess fall for the trick amused him.
Honestly, how foolish of a princess to give her heart to some commoner from another land.
Since they hadn’t been able to find the real Pudding, he must have been some utterly insignificant commoner.
All the better. I’ve provided her with someone respectable instead.
So he shamelessly rationalized.
Completely unaware of the truth, Cordelia reached out to Claire—only to formally reject her offer.
“I’m sorry, Lady Ravello. I’ve decided to strike a deal with the Muton family.”
Claire had expected Cordelia to side with her, so she was taken aback. But she concealed it and calmly asked,
“May I know the reason?”
“I believe the Muton family can supply higher-quality mana grass, steadily, over a long period.”
“We can do the same, Princess. In fact, we can provide better, and longer.”
“I can’t abandon a stable and reliable supplier in such a high-stakes contract just on your word. It may seem cold, but business is business.”
Cordelia was resolute. Seeing no room left to persuade her, Claire realized she had to withdraw for now.
“…Is that the only reason?”
Her low voice made Cordelia flinch. She couldn’t admit it was because of Pudding, so she merely nodded.
“Yes.”
And so, unlike before, the conversation ended in a barren, frosty atmosphere.
Left alone afterward, Claire pressed her forehead and sank into troubled thought.
What should I do now…
Better to deal with the Gillo Kingdom than to let this pass. Eldor Kingdom’s deal had to be blocked at all costs.
If it went through, the Muton family would gain over ten million gold in profits annually. She couldn’t stand by and let their wealth recover after all the effort it had taken to cut them down.
Should I make a mana-grass garden like with Viscount Rost? Or maybe I should cultivate some high-quality mana grass and deliver a whole chest to her?
Though the situation had turned completely against her expectations, Claire remained calm, seeking a breakthrough.
Since Eldor’s delegation would depart immediately after the founding festival, she had to change the princess’s mind before then.
Claire locked herself in the glass greenhouse and spent the entire day growing mana grass. It was much more demanding than other plants, so the work was exhausting.
Hearing his sister had holed herself up in the greenhouse, Franz came to check on her, worried.
“Claire, are you okay?”
“…Ah, Franz.”
Seeing her haggard face, changed so much in just a few days, Franz was horrified.
“Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”
“I have no choice if I want to persuade the princess. I can’t just sit by and let her sign with Muton.”
Claire pressed at her temples as she spoke. It wasn’t so much physical strain as the weight of pressure and stress wearing her down.
Looking at his sister with pity, Franz rolled up his sleeves.
“Then I’ll help you.”
“No, you’ve been busy lately.”
“It’s fine. What wouldn’t I do for you, Sis? What do you need? Want me to make a convincing research journal on mana grass?”
Claire hesitated, then nodded. A research journal would indeed help in persuading the princess.
“Thank you, Franz.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He answered gently, smiling brightly.
During the founding festival, Eldor’s delegation stayed at the imperial palace’s secondary palace.
Cordelia even had Pudding brought there so they could spend time together.
“Tell me how you’ve lived since then.”
“After parting from you, Coco, I wandered for quite a while. As you can see, I’m just a commoner with nothing to my name. I struggled a lot.”
The fake Pudding brushed back his hair with a wistful gaze, stirring sympathy.
“I agonized over whether someone like me deserved to see you again. Especially after learning you were the princess of Eldor… I felt so small.”
“Don’t think like that. No matter who you are, you’ll always just be Pudding to me.”
Cordelia gently took his hand, trying to comfort him. The fake Pudding seized the chance and sensually kneaded her hand.
Cordelia flinched without meaning to.
…Was it always like this?
Back then, he’d been a boy—so simple, pure, and soft-hearted.
Of course, now he was a man in his mid-thirties, so change was expected. But oddly, here and there, things made her pause.
