Chapter 41
“Yeah. Quite often, actually. It’s infuriating.”
William stopped his usual sly demeanor and revealed a sliver of his true feelings. He wasn’t the type to openly show displeasure like Jared, but in reality, he disliked their father’s illegitimate daughter even more than Jared did.
He withdrew his arm from Jared’s shoulder and ran his hand through his red hair, eyes flashing a deep navy as he spoke in a low voice.
“How dare he give that girl a stepping stone while our mother and we siblings are still alive and watching?”
William found it offensive that Helen was naturally being introduced into the aristocratic circles of the Caesar Empire simply by appearing alongside Ian. What’s more, rumor had it that she was starting a business using the name “Caesar” subtly. It was one thing for their father to overlook it, since she was still his daughter, illegitimate or not—but William couldn’t understand why their mother hadn’t chased the girl out.
Either way, he had no intention of leaving Helen alone. Nor would he spare Ian, who helped her.
“Brother… Don’t tell me you invited Lady Aisha on purpose…”
At William’s expression, Jared’s eyes reflected both concern and suspicion. William laughed heartily and slapped his younger brother’s back.
“I may be the Crown Prince, but I’m not so cold-blooded as to use my little brother’s crush for my own gain. Relax.”
“…”
“Anyway, regardless of the reason, Lady Aisha agreed to go with you, didn’t she? This is a great opportunity. Go. Meet some people while you’re at it.”
“But if things go wrong, her reputation could…”
“Given the current situation, her going with you will help her more. As far as I know, Aisha is being laughed at right now.”
Jared twitched at the corners of his eyes. William clicked his tongue in pity as he noticed the small beauty mark below his brother’s eye twitching like a wave.
“You’re really clueless even about the girl you like? Honestly.”
“Just tell me already. What happened now?”
“You know Count Garrot’s family just had their first child, right? There was a fuss because the Count and his wife were taking the baby to their estate. Marquess Gamel even came to me, begging I stop his son from quitting his government post…”
“…”
“Anyway, apparently Marquess Lloyd showed up at the event with Helen Fitz, the illegitimate daughter. And Aisha showed up alone without a partner… A noble lady attending a banquet alone while her fiancé arrives with another woman? It’s obvious what people would say.”
“What a scumbag.”
Jared muttered a curse at Ian. Aisha didn’t deserve to be treated that way. His jaw tightened in anger, and William grinned, adding fuel to the fire.
“Aisha was already the subject of gossip for not being acknowledged by her fiancé. So this incident? A complete humiliation. Sure, some may pretend to pity her, but behind her back, they’re tearing her apart with rumors. Especially since her father is that Count Parden. Think the nobles under the Duke of Levantus will stay quiet? They’re probably having a field day.”
Jared abruptly stood up, causing his chair to teeter dangerously before William caught it and set it back upright.
“Where are you going?!”
Holding the chair that almost toppled, William shouted. Jared was already at the conference room door.
“To get fitted for my suit.”
Bang!
The door slammed shut as soon as the curt reply ended. Left alone, William shrugged and leaned back in his chair, tilting his head to rest.
But just as he was about to close his eyes, the door that had slammed reopened and a stream of well-rested bureaucrats came pouring in.
“Damn it.”
William grimaced at the mountain of documents in their hands. Still, what could he do? He was the Crown Prince of this nation. Stretching his arms, he straightened his back and addressed the seated officials.
“Well then, shall we begin again? Lord Walpoth, I’d like to hear your opinion this time.”
* * *
The banquet at the Marquis of Litman’s estate was held in honor of his youngest son, Damian, who had just been commissioned as a royal palace knight. It wasn’t a grand event like a wedding, and the Marquis wasn’t particularly wealthy, so the celebration was modest—almost quaint—but nobles were desperate to get an invitation.
The reason they wanted to attend was simple: the guest list was filled with powerful figures. Crown Prince Jared, Duke Levantus, and even the Minister of Finance, Marquess Rotuban, regardless of faction, were rumored to be attending to congratulate the youngest Litman son.
“The Marquis must really be something. It’s rare to see this many important people in one place.”
The reason for such attendance lay in the honor the Marquis held. Though now just an aging man, twenty years ago, Marquis Litman had been a national hero of the Caesar Empire. In his youth, he’d led over a hundred naval battles to victory, including the famous Litman Sea Battle named after his family.
“Marquis, congratulations. And congratulations to Sir Damian. I remember seeing him as a child carrying a wooden sword. I suppose I’ll be seeing him around the palace now.”
“Thank you. One of my lifelong wishes has finally come true. His older brothers are all thinkers, so I worried. But now that this boy has chosen the path of a knight, I’m relieved.”
The usually stern Marquis Litman, posture straight as ever, clapped his youngest son on the shoulder as he welcomed guests. His booming laughter revealed his uncontainable joy. Damian, still youthful in appearance, blushed at his father’s pride but graciously shook hands with well-wishers.
“It’s been a while since we’ve seen Duke Levantus at a gathering like this.”
“Well, Marquis Litman is a living legend, acknowledged even by His Majesty. A remarkable man.”
Because of the sheer number of prestigious attendees, many nobles went unnoticed. But then, a pair entered and instantly drew everyone’s attention.
“Look over there… again…”
“They were together at the recent Baron Whiffon’s banquet too…”
The main characters? Ian, Marquess of Lloyd, and Helen Fitz—currently the talk of the social scene.
* * *
“Oh my, this little place is packed. Not a spot to stand.”
Helen, her red hair piled high and adorned with white feathers, scanned the hall with a haughty look. She fanned herself and turned to the man beside her with obvious dissatisfaction.
“Don’t you agree, Ian?”
“…”
“It’s rude not to answer your partner. And today marks the end of our time as banquet partners. Lighten up a little, Ian.”
Ian’s cold face tightened slightly. Without even glancing at her, he spoke while staring into the distance.
“…Lady Helen. I never gave you permission to use my name.”
“So heartless. Don’t be like that. It’s not like we haven’t been to a few events together.”
Her bubbly laugh was followed by a playful tap on his shoulder with her fan, but Ian showed no reaction.
Truthfully, Ian was feeling uneasy. After Aisha told him not to follow her, she’d completely vanished from his view. Normally, even if she didn’t come right up to him, she’d linger nearby, gauging his mood. But this time was different.
‘How long does she intend to sulk?’
After that, Ian had sent her a letter inviting her to attend the Litman banquet with him. He didn’t include an apology or excuse, but simply sending the letter was his way of showing he’d bent his pride. Aisha, however, never replied.
Just because she was acting cold, did she think he’d be shaken? Infuriated by her silence, Ian chose to attend the banquet with Helen. Helen had been eager to attend and thrilled at his offer—until she saw how modest the event was. But Ian didn’t care if she was disappointed.
‘…Looks like she didn’t come.’
In the distance, he spotted Edward and Daniel Parden. Their parents were away on a short trip, so it seemed only the brothers were attending today. Confirming Aisha wasn’t with them, he felt oddly relieved.
His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Edward and Daniel. When he met Daniel’s eyes, the boy smiled brightly. Normally, Daniel would scowl and act like he was ready to fight—this was strange.
Edward turned to look too. He didn’t smile as obviously, but Ian caught it—the slight curl of his lips.
Ian raised an eyebrow. Clearly, Daniel had told his brother about the time Aisha yelled at Ian not to follow her.
His teeth clenched again, and his anger flared. She’d turned him into a laughingstock in front of her brothers. Even if she sent him a letter now, he had no intention of seeing her before the engagement.
‘I’ll have to fix that habit of hers—telling her brothers everything. Or she’ll keep doing it even after we’re married…’
Just then, his thoughts startled him, and he froze mid-step. Helen gave him a puzzled look, but he didn’t notice.
‘…Married? With her?’
To Ian, the engagement had always been just part of his plan. Considering Graham Parden… marriage seemed unlikely. Though he had no solid proof, the stack of papers in his third desk drawer made things quite clear.
His mouth tightened coldly. He swept away his emotions with a hard blink. Daniel was still grinning at him from across the room.
But surprisingly, Ian didn’t feel irritated anymore. Thinking carefully, weren’t they the real laughingstocks here? Their sister’s fiancé had just arrived with another woman—one infamous in society, no less.
Ian knew exactly what people were whispering about him and Helen. Until now, it had been bothersome. But at this moment, it wasn’t. Because in a scandal like this, the one who truly took the hit… was Aisha.
total scumbag