# 78
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Everyone froze in their places.
No one dared to look at the Duke.
Even the sounds of the pens stopped, and even the dull cries of the seagulls that always permeated the area seemed to have ceased.
The only man unaware of this atmosphere continued to chatter excitedly.
“B, b, of course! I tried to save her. But the waves here are so strong and dangerous...!”
He said there are many people who choose to end their lives in this area, often young women.
After his excited chatter, the man glanced hesitantly at the silent Duke.
The Duke was staring at him with turquoise eyes without blinking.
Despite his fear, the man continued his justifications.
“…So, taking a dead person’s stuff isn’t a crime, right?”
* * *
In the capital's Royal Palace, Emperor Alexander was living more comfortable days since his eldest son's escape.
It was thanks to Duke Clifford, a thorn in his eye, suddenly descending south.
'Heh, thanks to that girl, things went well.'
Who would have thought that the Aberdeen girl who had been abandoned by the imperial family would be so useful? He didn't feel any pity for the girl who almost became his daughter-in-law, so he felt relieved.
'From this Parliament onwards, I must push hard.'
While he was thinking like this and walking up the stairs of the palace, his private secretary came running, carrying a newspaper under his arm.
“A, Your Majesty! There is something you must check immediately!”
“What's wrong?”
“From the ‘Protector’ newspaper this morning...”
The secretary showed an article from the newspaper 'Protector' written by a woman named Edith Clarke.
The name of the eldest son of the imperial family, who had disappeared from the political arena, made the front page, attracting everyone's attention.
Everyone knew that the imperial family, although they pretended not to look for him, cherished him very much.
But for the prince to be hiding in a region that the Clifford family cherished, and not in another country, was astonishing.
But the biggest problem was the heinous acts committed by the prince while he was hiding.
Edith Clarke, who would later become known for her acerbic style, demonstrated her skills in this essay.
“Those dirty bastards!”
The Emperor tore the newspaper with the intention of tearing it apart, but his hands were shaking from anger and shock and he did not succeed.
The Protector was very different from other libelous newspapers.
The latter would write anything for money from the nobility and the imperial family.
But to the Emperor, the 'Protector' was a disturbing presence, a gathering of deviants who exposed all the unnecessary filth in the glorious empire.
The secretary grabbed the emperor, who almost collapsed from high blood pressure.
“Your Majesty, please calm down.”
“This newspaper must be closed...! Immediately...!”
When the Emperor made a serious statement, the secretary frowned anxiously.
The Protector was the newspaper of choice for members of the Common Council, and was also considered an 'educated newspaper' by potential soldiers.
If the Emperor used his power to shut them down, even with the large profits from the war he was promoting, many would leave him.
The article was about the 'Princess for a Day', meaning the current Lady Duke, yet the Clifford family did not exert any pressure.
The Duke's family was supportive of this, or at least would not object.
The Emperor regained his composure and rubbed his forehead.
"Haa. What's the reaction from outside?"
“…Not ordinary, Your Majesty.”
Despite his short statement, Parliament and everything has been in chaos since the article was published.
The prince escaping from the eyes of the duke was funny in itf, but he continued to harass and beat the maids, not one or two, but more than a dozen.
What's worse is that he freely committed these acts against his noble fiancée for two years...
The Emperor held the newspaper with trembling hands and saw the next page.
'That damned Aberdeen girl.'
He thought she was just a silent girl watching warily, so he left her.
But what followed was exclusive content that Edith Clarke obtained about that girl.
'How can this girl not be ashamed...!'
How did she reveal everything that happened in her family in such detail?
Since the night before the engagement, he had tried to rape her, threatened to stab her in the eye with a candle holder, and beat her every time they were alone before the wedding.
It ended up being that the imperial family knew everything and ignored it.
Even if it was a formal engagement, the relationship before marriage was despised in Cremisia.
Threatening violence by a man against a woman was condemnable regardless of status.
Suddenly, Andrew turns into a dirty criminal who commits crimes against nobles and commoners alike.
At a time that was supposed to be a great opportunity to declare war led by the imperial family, it turned into the worst moment.
“Wait a minute.”
The Emperor breathed heavily and suddenly raised his head.
'My son is now detained in the south... and what is the relationship with the Byrne family?'
What is the Clifford family up to?
* * *
Andrew was being held captive in the basement of the Place Hotel.
In the early days, he tried to maintain his dignity as a prince, demanding that he not be touched. But the more he tried to maintain his dignity, the more the quality of the food deteriorated.
In hunger and an unhealthy environment, there was no dignity.
In the end, he ed to speak to Kenneth to explain the matter, and the dark cellar door finally opened.
Kenneth looked at his pale face as if he were looking at an ant crawling along the road.
He didn't sleep well. He was searching for traces of Ariana and answering questions pouring in from the capital, which made his days stressful.
However, he had to make time to deal with this insect…
“It's been a long time.”
“Kenneth.”
Andrew smiled cringingly and looked at him.
“Yes, there seems to be a misunderstanding.”
"…misunderstanding?"
"Yes!"
Andrew laughed sarcastically and then tried to calm his expression into repentance.
“I didn't know the Aberdeen family would go this far, Kenneth.”
“Your assassination, and the death of your parents in that horrific way...! Of course, I was jealous of you! But rationally, who would really want that? They were trying to please me, but they-”
“I just wanted to humiliate you a little. But when I came back in anger, I got scared and had to hide.”
“I didn't ask them to do this, and yet you blame me...”
But before he could finish speaking, a spray came out of his mouth.
With one clean kick, he grabbed his stomach and groaned in a muffled voice.