“Honest Erica, didn’t I tell you? You and I have a strange understanding.”
Here I am making sure: no one but Ludwig really understands my role as a villain.
It is said that “the reckless person knows the reckless person.”
Although this inner familiarity between us is not something to be happy about.
There he sat, his chin resting on his palm, his legs crossed with extreme elegance.
He flashes his charming smile that suggests he is “the biggest villain in this world.”
Let's ignore the sullen looks of Carlex and William as they watch this scene.
“Regarding your proposal to Her Majesty to establish a book club, since things are moving in this direction, could you please implement a personal matter for me as well?”
See, what does he want to order?
I decided to listen first, so I calmly replied: “What do you order, Your Highness?”
“I want you to include the female candidates to marry the Crown Prince in the book club as well.”
"Good…".
I was about to nod my head dismissively, then I was surprised belatedly: “Wait a minute, why?”
Ludving asked him with a reassuring face, as if he was talking about the dinner menu: “I would like to test the competence of future candidates to marry the Crown Prince. They usually say that marriage is the grave of life. We must be very careful.”
My eyebrows furrowed even though I maintained my formal expression.
“Your Highness, with great regret...” I began quietly, but my gaze stared at him defiantly: “I ask Your Highness to withdraw this matter.”
I could not suppress the wave of objection boiling deep inside me.
It is true that obedience to higher orders is the basis of social life, but this book club matter was an exception that could not be tolerated.
Ludving stared at me with a look that said: “I see you doing this?”
William looked somewhat surprised, while Carlex looked at me seriously.
I felt from his looks that he would support me whatever my decision.
“You are the first one who dares to explicitly reject my order.”
Ludving's joking tone changed to a low, threatening one.
Or maybe that was his original voice? The voice of the ruler who sets the kingdom under his feet.
I have already crossed the line with my public dissent.
How many more steps separate me from the gallows?
But, since I started going crazy, I will continue it until the end.
What might happen? Won't they probably kill me?
Most importantly, someone trusts me like this.
I stared at the Crown Prince without any retreat: “It is not because I refuse to obey the order, sir. The book club was established to give girls deprived of education the opportunity to learn and the right to benefit from culture. Politics should not be involved in this matter.”
Perhaps the sincerity of my feelings reached him, because Ludwig's expression was frozen.
"Yes." He sighed softly, then placed one hand on his forehead as if he had a headache. “Erica, please understand why I issued this order. I am in a very dangerous situation.”
“What do you mean, sir?”
“His Majesty’s health is not well.”
Ludving's face was filled with deep pain.
In the original novel, he was a son who was not recognized by his father.
It was said that this made him yearn for his father's love and become more deviant.
Fortunately, the Crown Prince is now a devout son with a very appreciative father.
“His Majesty would like to abdicate the throne to me as soon as possible, but my popular base is still not enough to empower me. I have not yet gained the full loyalty of the old court nobles, and I also need to strengthen the power of the new nobles who will protect me.”
Ludving paused for a moment, then sent a look of profound confidence to Calix and William.
“His Majesty the King first ordered me to marry, even if only with a marriage contract to the Crown Princess in light of this situation. According to the course of things, the lady from the Ducal Siren family seems to be the most likely to become the Crown Princess.”
“Miss Eliade is nominated?”
So these rumors circulating in social circles were not just talk?
I thought Eliade was lying about it, but it was true.
Indeed, as I expected, this dirty world is based only on power and influence.
“His Majesty has deep confidence in the Ducal Spirn Family, but my opinion is completely different. The Spirn Family is like a hundred-year-old snake pretending to be loyal.”
The Crown Prince smiled coldly, as if the mere mention of the Spirn family disgusted him.
It seemed that, thanks to his blue eyes that could see the truth, he was fully aware of who his enemy was.
Since the Crown Prince is determined to eliminate the future of the rebel forces, I must change my position.
“If Your Highness does not want the Crown Princess to be a member of the Spirn family, does this mean knowing Miss Eliade’s weaknesses?”
My eyes sparkled like a politician hatching a conspiracy.
Ludving read my gesture, and the corner of his mouth rose slightly.
“An interesting suggestion, but it's not my style. I don't want anyone to be a victim of political issues.”
“I did not know that Your Highness had such mercy. So, what should I do?”
I stared at Ludving in astonishment.
With extreme confidence, he extended his hands and said:
“I would like to discover another candidate for the Crown Prince’s marriage, so as to disperse the power concentrated around the Spearn Ducal Family.”
So he wants me to audition for the Crown Prince candidates for his book club.
It's not a bad idea.
If she becomes Crown Princess of the Spern family, Franz's plot to seize the kingdom will become a reality.
“I see what you mean, it is better to cut the rotten shoots in the bud.”
I smiled evilly as I twisted my mouth.
Seeing my expression, Ludving stiffened for a moment.
“You know what? Your expression now makes you look like a real villain.”
Carlex could not bear it, so he spoke in a reproachful tone: “Stop harassing her. Don’t you see that Honest Erica is suffering?”
William also agreed: “Right. Please reconsider that plan. I will prepare another alternative.”
Faced with the insistence of the two loyal ministers, Ludwig’s eyes widened as he said in self-defense: “She is suffering? Don’t you see that she is enjoying this plan more than me now?”
The argument between the three men was about to intensify, but I suddenly got up, tapping on the desk.
Everyone's eyes turned to me at once.
“Okay. I will comply with Your Highness’s order but, in my place, I will nominate someone else who is more qualified for this task. Please allow me to focus on running the book club to the fullest.”
The Crown Prince scratched his chin, thinking for a moment, then agreed with complete satisfaction: “You are the one who decides on the form and method. The important thing is to find another candidate for the Crown Prince’s marriage from within the book club.”
William asked me seriously: “Do you already have someone in mind?”
I nodded confidently.
I've already thought about the best person for the job.
“Yes. I nominate Miss Rose of the Madison family. As the eldest daughter of a major merchant family, she has an excellent ability to judge and analyze people. It is a talent that is unfortunate to remain only for registering the lending of magic books at the information desk. I will ask her to conduct the aptitude test for the Crown Prince’s marriage candidates.”
“You have seen that Miss Madison's ability to gather and analyze information is truly excellent. She is a perfect fit.”
William nodded in satisfaction, then handed me a document: “I will also help in my free time. This is the final list of candidates for the Crown Prince’s marriage.”
While reviewing the filters listed in the document, I came across a familiar name.
Freesia Rubel
Why? Reflexively, my gaze turned to the Crown Prince.
Did he have feelings for Freesia? Although the original story stated that he fell in love with her at first sight, from what I observed over the past period, Ludving did not show any special feelings towards Frisia.
The Crown Prince met me with only a bitter smile.
I almost scolded him and asked him: 'Why did you include it on the list if you don't like it?'
I know it's a meaningless question.
Perhaps the talk of love in choosing the Crown Prince's wife is anomalous in itself.
It is a purely political issue in which interests and power are intertwined.
But... I did not want Frisia to get involved in bloody political conflicts.
If I had not intervened, she would have fallen in love with Carlex and lived happily ever after.
Her life has completely changed because of me, and now she is among the candidates to marry the Crown Prince!
I must protect her.
This might be the only thing I can do for her.
But I wonder: Are these thoughts nothing more than trivial self-satisfaction with which I want to alleviate my feelings of guilt? Then I felt pain in my stomach, as if it was twisting.
I tried to keep my expression calm so as not to show my emotions.
I felt Carlex's constant gaze on me.
I saw his calm expression shake for a moment.
This guy is so sensitive to my facial expressions that it's a problem.
Please, protagonist, wake up quickly! Your heroine is among the candidates to marry the Crown Prince!
If you don't pay attention, it could even be stolen from you.
Where did that man who loved Frisia so much to the point of sacrificing his life in the original novel go?
Sometimes, I really want to grab Carlex by the collar and shake him violently and say: Please, open your eyes!
I sighed inwardly and continued reviewing the list.
There were four candidates for the Crown Prince's marriage: Eliade, Frisia, a Marquis's daughter, and a Duke's daughter.
But the last field was empty of name.
“The fifth name is not written?” I asked.
When I asked, William tilted his head in surprise: “Sir, wasn’t the total number of female candidates four?”
Ludving was leaning back in the chair in a relaxed position with his legs crossed, but he adjusted his position.
His blazing blue eyes stared directly at me.
It was a look so powerful that it took my breath away.
It was so heavy and foreign to him that I thought his joking looks all the time were deceitful.
“She is my personal candidate to marry the Crown Prince in my heart. I also have the innocence of my love.”
Before I realized the meaning of the Crown Prince's words, Carlex stopped moving.
His facial expressions were as cold as the edge of a sword, and his gaze staring at the Crown Prince was tinged with suspicion.
It is said that Ludving and Carlex's relationship began when they were nine years old.
Even after Carlex suffered the tragic death of his father and spent seven years on the frontier fighting monsters, their friendship was solid.
Carlex was harsh in his words to the Crown Prince, but behind this harshness was a strong sincerity.
It is the honor and pride of the Reinhardt family that has protected the kingdom for centuries.
But now, perhaps for the first time, his views have changed.
Blind trust disappeared, replaced by cold disbelief.
“Can I know who this fifth candidate is?”
Carlex's gaze at the Crown Prince changed and became threatening. Y
Ludving seemed to notice this as well, as he stared at Carlex coldly.
Their gazes crossed in the air nervously.
Even William realized the seriousness of the situation, and his expression hardened. His face was thinking about how to calm them down.
Oh, this is crazy!
I've seen this situation before in the original novel.
Ludwig wanted to force Frisia to become the wife of the Crown Prince, so an angry Carlix revolted against him.
Why is this situation happening now, because of me?!
Loving translation