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Chapter 182: The woman who will steal the prince (2)

It was a spring day in the dusky Imperial Palace Temple’s Confessional before I learned about the child’s true identity.

I clearly remembered the sharp gaze of the young boy who ended up being the Imperial Prince.

It was such explicit repulsion that it was hard to miss. I had a guess even at that time.

I considered that there might be a not-so-great past between him and the Managing Editor of the < Biweekly Riester >.

“I’m really sorry, your Royal Highness. I did think that there may be some issue between the Imperial family and Lady Belliard.”

“……”

Step, step, thump, thump. The two sets of footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway.

This was a family home where everything was different from the palace, so it was not far to the stairs heading down to the kitchen.

The savory fragrance of just-baked soccas rose up from the lower floor.

I calmly continued to speak.

“I was contemplating how to use this precious opportunity that her Majesty gave me…… But I am so well cared for in basically every aspect that there is nothing else that I need. That is why I started thinking and wondered if there was anybody around me I could help.”

The crown prince’s pink hair silently fluttered.

I did my best to share my thoughts as carefully as possible.

I could not be too stubborn without knowing the situation between them.

“But everybody seemed to be doing fine. Isn’t that wonderful? There are also some things that I can now do on my own without borrowing her Majesty’s authority…… Of course, I am not talking about the sun halo weed, your Royal Highness. That is not to be distributed outside of the palace yet.”

According to Cardinal Boutier, they could not reveal any information about the medicinal herb until the remains of the Holy Kingdom’s soldiers in the Empire’s territory were recovered and we assessed the present situation of the divine illness patients.

The people who are currently ill would naturally get priority, but maintaining the Empire’s order was also important.

Empress Frédérique did not want to see any of her people giving up their jobs to become remain hunters, or for the sun halo weed to be traded on the black market.

Of course, there was probably the opinion that the Imperial family needed to have as much information about any divine cures as well.

“I continued to think about it until Lady Belliard came to mind, your Royal Highness. We are not close, but I was feeling sorry for her sick grandson. It is also a pity that his illness has split the family apart as well.”

‘It is a common story. A child is sick and the parents work hard to heal them but nothing works.’

Lady Belliard’s grumbling in the temple echoed in my ears.

The old woman’s voice had been very dry but I didn’t think it was because she felt no emotions toward it.

It was probably because there was a vast desert in her heart that could not be fully wetted with her tears.

I stealthily peeked at crown prince Cédric’s side.

His dyed ash-colored eyes were stoically looking forward.

‘But he is not showing anger like before. Can I take this as a positive sign?’

‘Or maybe he gets more emotional in his child form?’

“I don’t know whether her grandson is suffering from the divine illness. I have not heard about any other symptoms other than the fact that he is unconscious. However, I’m sure that they would have tried everything…… So I thought that it might be good to offer them something else to try.”

The punk remained silent. I quietly sighed and looked forward.

I had nothing else to say. I had no idea what had happened between them.

‘I wonder if I’ll find anything if I rummage through the Imperial Family Library?’

– Slam!

The kitchen door slammed open at that moment.

Marquis François Duhem’s light pink eyes blinked as he appeared with a dramatic gesture.

‘His timing is always so spectacular.’

“Your Royal Highness, you are here right on time!”

He had an azalea-colored apron on and had a big round pan on one arm.

The steaming golden brown chickpea pancake had fragrant herb powder on top of it.

My tongue was the first to react, potentially because I had not finished my dinner yet. Anybody would think that this dish looked delicious.

‘Is there anything this handsome man cannot do?’

“Feel free to take a close look, your highness. Enjoy this scent that makes it impossible to control your body! This is one of the snacks that Antoinette, Maria, and Thérèse enjoy the most. The lovely Maria especially enjoys the crunchy edges.”

“Ah, I see.”

He rattled off too much information about his younger sisters even without being asked.

‘Right, this is this guy’s issue……’

“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

-♬♩♪!

We heard cheering and music outside the window at that moment. The three of us all exchanged glances.

They must have heard the same thing in the dining room as we heard the noises of chairs being dragged before…thump thump! We heard the sound of people running in the hallway.

I chuckled. I was certain that Eva and Gerrit would have been the first to dangle on the windows.

It was also highly likely that Christelle and Sand were with them.

“The parade must have started. Shall we head out to see it, your Highness?”

The Marquis sent over a handsome wink as he asked.

I would usually not accept any of his suggestions, but this time, I happily obliged.

This was my first festival in the QNW world!

*

“We will be back soon!”

Eva was holding little Geens’ hand as she energetically shouted.

There were two pieces of socca that were as big as Gerrit’s face in her other hand.

Marquis Duhem would take a warm pancake out of the pan and I would wrap it in a thin piece of paper. Christelle would finish it off by adding some pepper and salt.

Everybody was lined up in front of the door to get some dessert. The crown prince was no exception.

“Please eat it now, Sir Johann. It will not be as good when it cools.”

“Thank you very much, your highness. I will see you outside.”

Sir Johann received his socca before heading out with the two kids.

He seemed concerned about my safety but now that my ether had returned, the safety of the children was more pressing.

I also had my partners.

“Thank you very much, mister. It looks delicious.”

“I’ll be waiting outside, your highness!”

“Thank you very much, my lord. I also want to thank you for keeping my kitchen clean!”

Vice Captain Élisabeth, Ganael, and Sand all said bye before heading out the door.

Sand even bowed almost ninety degrees and was shaking with excitement.

The Marquis warmly smiled toward the young Countess, who he cherished as if she was his blood niece.

“His highness is a gourmand, so he should probably pack two slices.”

“He will accept nothing less than four, Marquis Duhem. Alcohol is probably best bought outside, right?”

“As you wish. There should be a lot of charming stands in Claire Plaza right now. There is a luxurious tavern in the eastern district that makes a magnificent cointreau. Every year, during the harvest festival……”

The drinking buddies, the Marquis and Christelle, were happily chatting away.

I packed some socca for David and Benjamin as I smiled.

I felt sorry that I was suspicious of this guy, even if it was only for a short moment.

He was a weirdo whose mental realm was something normal people could not understand, but he was a kind person who cherished the Imperial family more than anybody else.

“Your Royal Highness, your highness. We will open up a path.”

Benjamin benignly commented. I nodded my head and packed our portion of the snacks.

The crown prince put on a plain black robe and even put on a hat.

Christelle chuckled as his intentions were clear.

– Screeeech, thud!

The door closed behind us once we walked out.

‘Don’t forget to do the dishes when we get back, Jung Yeseo.’

“Wow. There are so many people. Please follow me properly, your highness!”

Christelle shouted in a loud voice.

I couldn’t help but chuckle because I had never been treated like this even when I was a kid.

We seeped into the crowd so instantly that it almost felt magical.

I took a bite of the warm and salty socca and thought to myself.

No issues had come up since Robert Blanquer was put on house arrest at the villa.

What could the ark’s warning and Bacary’s prophecy have been trying to tell me?

‘……Maybe I succeeded in avoiding the Almighty God’s danger?’

*

“Jackpot.”

The parade truly was larger and more magnificent than I had expected.

A sparkle that was different from the elegance of the Imperial Palace was all over the palace.

The night street was full of red, blue, and other bright lights.

The loud laughter and chatter was also something that was difficult to hear in the palace.

My jaw dropped and I watched the dazzling procession with a blank look on my face.

It was just disappointing that Eunseo and my brother were not here with me.

-♬♩☆!

Flinch. I snapped out of my thoughts thanks to a trumpet player who squeaked a note. I gasped.

The bugle, cymbal and an old violin played the same song but each as they pleased.

It wasn’t as elegant or delicate as the music I heard in the Sérénité Lord’s Castle, but it was still nice to hear.

Everybody seemed happy and full of life.

“Look over there, my goodness! The decorations on that wagon are so splendid!”

Christelle’s pretty orange eyes sparkled as she pointed to the procession.

I nodded my head vigorously so that she could see it.

There were as many people here as on a major street in Gangnam during Christmas.

There were so many people that we couldn’t even see the shops on the other side.

We were not walking as we pleased but just following the waves of people.

When I snapped back to my senses, we had flowed all the way into Claire Plaza.

The air was pretty cold as it was near the end of Autumn, but the vin chaud that Sand shared with everyone warmed my hands.

“Is that a peacock?”

“It’s a turkey!”

Christelle and Vice Captain Élisabeth were basically shouting at each other to hear.

Ganael was holding hands with his fiancee.

The house-sized turkey filled with straw, cheap cotton, and old clothes moved right past us on top of a wagon.

“How dedicated they are. I can’t even imagine how long they must have spent to make that. It’s so pretty.”

The main character looked extremely excited.

I was the same but I couldn’t help smiling brightly after seeing her enjoying it as if she was really nineteen.

The eve of the Imperial Crown Prince’s succession confirmation ceremony was a big celebration as well, but I was away from the crowd the whole time.

Being able to be among the Riesterians like this was different and fun.

A participant who lost a shoe, bouquets that were stepped on, a baby who was crying because his mother’s disguise was scary…… The half-baked nature of some things added a warm excitement to the situation.

We could only write into our mental diaries with our eyes and ears because there were no photos or videos.

In front of the turkey was a large Imperial family crest made of ficelle. Behind it was……

“It’s the circus troupe, your highness!”

“Yes, we see them again.”

Eva, who was taking good care of Gerrit, shouted with joy. I smiled brightly as I responded to her.

The Imperial Capital’s greatest circus troupe that the crown prince had called to Juliette Palace was also a part of the parade. The punk noticed my gaze and snorted.

One of the acrobats jumped onto a rolling wheel with his bare feet, making the excited Gerrit throw flower petals into the air.

The similarly-aged children on the other side were cheering so loud they sounded like screams.

One entertainer was juggling eight balls.

“Wow!”

“How is that possible?”

“Holy Almighty God!”

Christelle gasped and Marquis Duhem honestly gasped while throwing gold coins.

The way everything was so chaotic made it quite cheerful.

Next was a flower cart full of actors who were dressed up.

Benjamin and David handed the crown prince and I each a tulip as if they had been waiting for this.

I tilted my head in confusion.

“We end by honoring her Holiness, the Pope, your highness. You just have to throw the tulip.”

‘Ah, I see.’ I held the tulip in my hand and looked forward again.

It ends by honoring the Pope, but the continent has not had a Pope since Elene Sneijder closed her eyes around one hundred years ago.

That actress at the center of the cart must be dressed as Elene.

The reaction of the crowd was much different from earlier.

“Oh Almighty God.”

“Thank you very much, thank you very much!”

Instead of whistling and mischievously cheering, the crowd was throwing tulips and silently praying or quietly clapping.

The actress wearing the Pope’s mask used benevolent hand gestures to pretend to bless them.

This year, Riester was said to have had the greatest harvest in history.

That was the reason the golem’s rampage and the hole in the sky was able to be dismissed so easily.

We did hear people talking about the soldiers being on alert as we walked here, but none of them looked concerned.

They were all treating it as a shocking story to share with others.

“……The Pope.”

I mumbled to myself as I threw the tulip.

To be completely honest, I felt like I could understand what smart little Demy had been trying to say to me lately.

I tried not to pay any attention to my pumping heart. The Paten of Wishes, and……

“Huh?”

I made eye contact with Elene at that moment. At the same time…

– Flap!

She pulled off her fake Pope’s robe.

I could see her smiling under the mask.

I froze, feeling a chilling ominous sensation. I could feel the crown prince channeling his energy.

The instant the crowd’s cheering turned into anxiety…

– Bang!

“Ahhhhh!”

“Aaaaah!”

There was a small explosion and the Pope disappeared.

People were screaming and our surroundings became a mess with a small crowd trying to run off while a large crowd pushed forward.

There was only a thick wooden pillar where she had been standing.

My eyes opened wide to see what was dangling on the wooden pillar.

It was a white cloth with large writing so that anybody would be able to read it.

The handwriting was extremely elegant.

‘I’m going to come to steal the moon of the Holy Kingdom. – Madame Victoire.’

—

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