Chapter 28
‘So what?’
Ephinia decided to think about it coldly. Just because his attitude had changed a little didn’t mean anything significant could change between them.
Crown Prince Kasselard was a man steeped in the privilege mentality of the imperial family. The fact that she was a woman of commoner origin who had awakened as a Guide and become a noble would not change.
Even while keeping her by his side, he would always think of her as a low-ranking noble from a common background, and even if they were to do deep contact guiding… there was no way he would ever consider making her the Crown Princess.
‘I have no desire to become someone’s mistress.’
Concubine, kept woman, she hated it all. Just as she had been forced into working as a maid regardless of her will, she had no intention of being pushed by circumstances into becoming the Crown Prince’s mistress.
Ephinia decided to go back for today. If his rampage meter rose any further like this, yesterday’s hardship would go to waste, but right now she didn’t want to see his face at all.
The thought that had just occurred to her made him feel repulsive. If he really had started avoiding her, then she would need to come up with a countermeasure.
* * *
Count Logan Ricard had not been in a good mood since that ball. It was supposed to be a ball to introduce the Crown Prince’s Guide. And yet he had spoken like that in front of so many people.
Wasn’t his intention obvious?
There was no way the other nobles hadn’t noticed what Logan had noticed. Already, many people had gathered around Ducal Lady Sophia Tignesia, who would likely have become the Crown Prince’s fiancée if Kasselard were not a Transcendent.
They subtly asked whether the imperial family had given any hints to House Tignesia, and probed how she felt about the Crown Prince.
Sophia Tignesia looked like she wanted to dance in delight at the situation. Since the Crown Prince had humiliated his Guide like that, it seemed impossible that they would become lovers.
Until now, the Crown Prince had endured without a Guide, relying only on guiding substitute potions and wave suppressants. Those who had never personally experienced the pain Transcendents endured were confident that he would continue to get by with medication. More importantly, they believed he would protect his bloodline.
Seeing the excited Ducal Lady Tignesia, nobles who had heard rumors about Transcendent rampages cautiously offered advice. Still, they said, His Highness the Crown Prince was an SS-Class Transcendent, so shouldn’t he have a Guide by his side?
“But shouldn’t His Highness at least keep one Guide as a mistress or concubine?”
When one of the nobles said this, Sophia’s brow furrowed. Just thinking about it was unpleasant, but in a situation where the imperial family’s eyes and ears might be anywhere, she couldn’t show such feelings openly.
“How could one stop a Transcendent spouse from being close to a Guide? It’s a matter of life and death. If one cannot bear that, then it would be right not to marry him.”
“In that case, you would accept a Guide concubine or mistress…?”
“His Highness is very strong-willed… I don’t know if he would follow my persuasion. Doesn’t he dislike it so much even now?”
Sophia had subtly expressed that it couldn’t be helped since the Crown Prince disliked it, but the nobles seemed to interpret it however they pleased. As they exchanged meaningful glances among themselves, Sophia smiled with a suggestive expression.
Logan thought of the Guide who had left the ballroom early. Baroness Linier. Rumors had already spread widely that she was of commoner origin and had awakened as a Guide while working as a maid.
Did she want to become the Crown Prince’s mistress as well? Judging by the Empress’s reaction, it seemed the imperial family hadn’t known of the Crown Prince’s intentions.
It was irritating to the point of regret. Guides were always in short supply.
Even if B-Class or C-Class Transcendents could be managed with medication and had little chance of rampage, the number of Guides was still insufficient.
The Crown Prince should not treat the one Guide with a high match rate that had been found at long last like that.
‘That shameless punk.’
Logan himself was an A-Class Awakened, but he had no matching Guide. Although Agnes, an S-Class Guide, was generously looking after other Awakened, that was only in extremely dangerous cases.
Moreover, even contact was limited to holding hands, so he knew exactly how indulgent and spoiled the Crown Prince was being right now.
Just because he was the Crown Prince, did that mean he could treat a precious Guide like that?
No Transcendent would fail to feel excited at the news that a new A-Class Guide had appeared. Yet from the very start, their interest had been blocked. The imperial family and the Lanas ducal household, the Empress’s natal family, had cut off access to the new Guide.
Watching the Crown Prince keep a Guide to himself, when they couldn’t even speak to her, made their insides churn.
‘Would it be acceptable if I approached her?’
If the Crown Prince only intended to take that Guide as a mistress, wouldn’t it be acceptable? He himself would treat her far more preciously and kindly.
Of course, he knew the Crown Prince’s life was important, and that the Empire could not afford to lose an SS-Class Transcendent. He knew that. But one could not sacrifice everything for that. Especially if the man himself had forgotten his own position and was acting so selfishly.
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