Chapter 95
“That day, at the ball. Because I have black hair and eyes like this… was I too ugly to look at, that’s why you treated me that way?”
“W-What?! Wh-Who said that!”
Kasselard shouted, flapping and shaking like someone who’d been struck in a weak spot. Ephinia spoke while forcing back tears that looked like they were about to spill.
“They said you even said that in front of Her Majesty the Empress…”
“N-No! I’ve never once thought you were gloomy!!”
Had he panicked so much he’d become an idiot? Seeing Ephinia’s expression turning stiff, Kasselard realized that whoever had talked about him hadn’t said it that far.
“…Put me down.”
“E, Ephie.”
“I’d appreciate it if you put me down.”
At Ephinia’s coldly ringing voice, Kasselard carefully set her down. Ephinia straightened her clothes, then began to move forward, stumbling as she walked.
Kasselard followed behind her, fidgeting. Ephinia clenched her teeth.
‘If I can’t walk to the audience hall on my own, then I’m not human!!’
Her legs were shaking and the undeniable presence following behind her made her angry, but she never looked back. Ephinia was the type of person who would do whatever she set her mind on.
* * *
What’s done is done.
Anox thought as he looked at Empress Yekaterina, who seemed satisfied. Unlike him, whose mood had soured because things had gone wrong, the Empress looked very comfortable. To the point that he almost suspected she had been involved in Kasselard secretly marrying Baroness Linier.
‘That can’t be.’
But even if she had gone that far, there was nothing he could do. Yekaterina was his imprinted Guide, and he could never move against her. That truly couldn’t be helped.
If, truly if, though it was only a hypothetical, the Nabel Empire’s Princess had a high match rate with Kasselard, what were they going to do then, after his unfilial son had pulled a stunt like this?
Anox fumed, but Yekaterina insisted that this side wasn’t the one causing trouble.
‘Even if the Nabel Empire’s Princess has a high match rate with Kasselard, it won’t exceed 70%. Considering his match rates with other Guides, it’s more likely to be lower.’
‘Even at 70%, considering she’s Grade 5, wouldn’t her guiding efficiency be outstanding? In that case, it would be proper to…’
‘It looks like those two are already doing high-intensity guiding. After they’ve even done deep contact guiding, they won’t be satisfied with the guiding of a Guide with a match rate around 70%. They certainly won’t be able to let go of Baroness Linier, and problems will arise.’
It was the Nabel Empire’s Princess coming as a political marriage partner. Setting aside the question of verifying whether she was truly of royal blood, the Nabel Empire would back her, so it was obvious they would try to remove Baroness Linier.
They could kidnap her and make her another Transcendent’s Guide, or worse, she could suffer something even more terrible.
‘Do you think the Crown Prince would let the Nabel Empire go if something like that happened to his Guide?’
Of course he wouldn’t let it go. Anox knew his son. He knew, and yet thinking the other side was an S-Class Guide made it feel wasteful beyond measure.
‘Right. Even objectively speaking, the Nabel Empire’s Princess wouldn’t be Kasselard’s match.’
If she truly was the Nabel Emperor’s biological daughter, it was a problem, and if she wasn’t, it was also a problem.
The Nabel Emperor was someone Yekaterina especially despised, so there was no way she could get along with his daughter. If she wasn’t a biological daughter, then she wouldn’t be royalty, so the benefit Anox wanted would be the same as having none.
While he was thinking, Kasselard entered the audience hall holding the hand of the new Crown Princess. The Empress greeted them with a gentle expression, but Anox was displeased.
“You’re here? Go to your seats and sit.”
Ephinia bowed in accordance with imperial etiquette, and seeing Kasselard fidgeting anxiously at her side made Anox feel sick.
‘She’s already got him wrapped around her finger… tsk, tsk.’
He could guess why Kasselard was like that, but since he was also a Transcendent, he couldn’t exactly blame the punk. Anox only turned his head away to stand in for what he felt.
Meanwhile, Ephinia ignored Kasselard’s hand as he tried to support her and headed to her seat. Beside the Crown Prince’s seat, there were two more chairs.
The one at the far end belonged to the Second Prince, Wolfgang, and one new chair had been placed right next to the Crown Prince’s. It was a large, splendid chair, the same size as the Crown Prince’s.
The one at fault was that little s**t, not Baroness Linier.
That chair had originally been made in advance for when there would be a Crown Princess. So it was right that Baroness Linier, now the Crown Princess, should use it.
The Emperor thought that even though the order of events had gotten reversed, he would have to create a pretext soon and make Baroness Linier a Countess. Separate from how annoying Kasselard was, it was a matter of the imperial family’s dignity.
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