Chapter 17
The palace was in an uproar because Luance had challenged someone to a duel to defend Lorencia’s honor. Of course, a duel could be fought. The problem was that Luance’s opponent was a woman, and Luance had a reputation for publicly exposing himself at the slightest provocation — so it became an issue.
Because of that, Luance’s image took a nosedive. He already had a whispered reputation for being surrounded by many women. This incident only gave people another reason to gossip about him alongside Rolirose.
Adrian tapped the desk with his fingers and fell into thought. “So the reason Luance is going to Count Paul Heredian’s place isn’t because of Lady Illina — it’s because of Lorencia, the illegitimate child.”
Why would anyone go so far as to lie and hide the existence of someone named Lorencia? Adrian was curious. Once Adrian got curious, he was the kind to hold on and dig until he got his answers.
According to the shadow reports, Lorencia was enduring unbearable psychological abuse and harsh physical abuse at the Paul Heredian household. And yet Luance, who was so concerned that he even threw down a white glove at Rolirose to defend someone’s honor, had apparently ignored the abuses happening at Count Paul Heredian’s estate. From Adrian’s common-sense perspective, that behavior made no sense.
Then, at some point, the rumors began to shift.
There were rumors that Anne had abused the illegitimate child. Adrian knew that the abuse really happened — but the truth he knew and the gossip circulating were slightly different. The story went that Illina had told Luance about Anne abusing the illegitimate child; Luance had asked Count Paul Heredian to officially register the child into the family; but Anne, ignoring both their wishes, continued the abuse and had even asked Rolirose to attack Lorencia. When Luance found out, he intervened and threw the white glove.
Those who heard the rumor were moved by the kindness of Illina and Crown Prince Luance. Because the rumor said Luance had challenged Rolirose to a duel to preserve the honor of the illegitimate child, Luance’s image shifted. Unlike yesterday, people began to like him as a righteous figure who would not tolerate injustice.
“Completely fabricated gossip. Whose head invented this? Whoever did it used the rumor quite effectively.” Adrian shrugged. It seemed the Greycaan ducal house still had capable people inside.
“We should have been more on guard…”
“We’ll just be careful from now on, Adrian.”
“Charlotte. The Greycaan Duke is not someone to be taken lightly.”
Duke Daniel of Greycaan, leader of the noble faction, pressured the current emperor to make Pelena a concubine. It was between the emperor and Pelena that Luance was born. Daniel thought of Luance as someone special, someone who resembled him most of all.
Daniel worked to make the newborn Luance the heir apparent. But the crown prince ended up being Adrian, born of the empress and the emperor.
“I did think it was strange.” Daniel’s treasured Luance had the worst rumors spread about him, yet the Greycaan house had remained unusually quiet. They wouldn’t have just let the rumors spread without doing anything. Daniel didn’t make a move. And then Adrian realized exactly why: just as the bad rumors had spread, public sympathy for Luance had risen sharply.
“The duke let the rumors spread because there’s something to gain from it. The old sly snake.” Adrian leaned back against the sofa with an uncomfortable look. This incident erased the playboy image attached to Luance. Even if he was an illegitimate child, he had become an example of a noble who defended a lady’s honor. Daniel had intentionally let the rumor spread for that result.
But more worrying than the rumor was Lorencia herself. “I keep feeling like Lady Lorencia plays some important role. I’d like to meet her and talk, at least once.” Thinking about Lorencia felt like walking through fog where you couldn’t see a step ahead — like you might find something, but you never quite did. Frustrated, Adrian sighed deeply.
“Shall I meet Lady Lorencia, Adrian?”
“Can you meet her?”
“I’ll ask Her Majesty the Empress. I’ll request permission to hold a light tea reception to introduce myself as the prospective crown princess. Although she’s an illegitimate child, she was formally registered into the count’s family as a countess. Unless she is physically unable to attend, Her Majesty will have to attend the tea reception.”
“But the count’s household might make Lady Lorencia’s movement difficult.” Adrian remembered the report that Lorencia, as an illegitimate child, had been abused.
“Don’t worry too much. Either way, I can create a situation where we’ll have to meet, whether Lady Lorencia comes to the reception or not.”
“Then I’ll leave it to Charlotte.” Charlotte smiled gracefully. Adrian nodded, pleased.
Illina felt like she would go mad. At first, when she arranged for Rolirose to escort Lorencia as her debutante and to be her first dance partner, she felt fine. She had been excited at the idea of watching Lorencia suffer and cry after being mistreated by that pervert. But everything had gone wrong. For some reason, Lorencia had not been harmed by Rolirose. That alone was infuriating, and to make things worse, strange rumors started to circulate.
The rumor claimed Rolirose and Lorencia were romantically involved and that Luance had inserted himself into their relationship to form a love triangle. Luance’s honor had sunk to the bottom, and Illina — who had once walked the social scene like a flower — had retreated into seclusion for a while.
Then, at some point, the rumors began to change. Anne became the wicked, cruel villain. The story became that Anne had conspired with Rolirose to kill Lorencia, the countess by registration, and that Luance had thrown the white glove at Rolirose to defend Lorencia’s honor. He was now seen as a paragon of a prince who protected a lady’s dignity.
But what Illina found even more unbearable than the rumor was this: “I heard everything from Crown Prince Luance. Why should Mother be punished instead of the monster?” Hearing that Luance planned to punish Anne by sending her to a convent on a remote island across the sea for the crimes that caused his honor to be besmirched, Illina could not stand it.
“Julie, Mother’s going to be sent away. What am I supposed to do?” Anne, clinging to Illina, sobbed as she wailed in despair. “My poor child. Mother should have thought and acted sooner. sob I’m sorry.”
“Mother, I want to go to the convent with you. I don’t want to live in the same house as that monster.” Anne held Illina tightly and cried her heart out.
“I’ll manage the household of the Paul Heredian count while you’re gone.”
“Mother.” Daniel had ordered the marriage to Brant, and she had done as she was told all her life. This was just a momentary mistake that had now turned her into a villain to cover it up. She felt wronged and bitter — used her whole life and then discarded. Illina feared that she, too, would be used and abandoned. But Luance had promised to take Illina as his crown princess. She had no choice but to believe him. If she didn’t, stubbornness would mean being sold off as the thirteenth concubine to a desert king.
“Do whatever it takes to keep Luance’s heart. Become the crown princess. Then the crown princess, then someday the empress. You must.” All Illina could advise was: grab Luance. That’s how she’d survive.
“Yes, Mother. I will.”
“Please, from that high place look down at those below and be happy for the rest of your life, my child.” At Anne’s words Illina wept aloud.
Then a single invitation arrived from the palace that made Anne hide her astonishment. It was an invitation from the Empress to a tea reception to introduce Charlotte, the woman to be the prospective crown princess. For noblewomen and young ladies, this was the kind of event they must attend for any reason.
“Mother.” Anne’s reputation was in tatters. If she showed up now, she would be fingered and gossiped about. “What shall we do?” Biting down on her thumbnail, Illina paced the room anxiously. Anne opened the invitation envelope and checked its guest list. Only Illina and Lorencia were listed. Anne herself was not on the list. It was clear the Empress had deliberately left Anne’s name off because of the Rolirose rumors.
“So I’m not on the invitation list.” Hearing that, Illina secretly sighed with relief. Illina had already been rumored to be the kind young lady who cared for the abused illegitimate child. She was embarrassed to go if Anne came along, so Anne being excluded from the guest list reassured her.
“Do I have to ride in the same carriage as that monster? No way, Mother.”
“Calm down, Illina. It’s the Empress’s invitation; even if you hate it, you have to attend.”
“Is there no way around it?”
“There is a way.” Anne’s bloodshot eyes glittered. “Isn’t Prince Luance in the room with Lorencia right now?”
“Yes.” Anne immediately went to Lorencia’s room and knocked, and showed Luance the invitation sent from the palace. At once Luance crumpled the invitation and tossed it on the floor.
“So you’re scheming any way you can to see Lorencia.”
“Prince, if we want to avoid attending the tea, Lorencia’s movement must be made difficult.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Empress’s tea reception must be attended no matter what. If she can go, that’s fine — but if you want her not to attend, you must make her physically unable to.” Anne stood behind Luance and locked eyes with Lorencia, deliberately speaking louder so Lorencia would hear everything.
“Go out — I want to talk to Lorencia.” Luance shut the door with a faint smile. In the quiet room, only Lorencia and Luance remained.
“You heard that, right, Lorencia?”
“If I attend the tea, I shouldn’t go, right?” Luance frowned. “Lorencia, haven’t I told you before? Think about what you say. Just do as I tell you. Why can’t you understand?”
“I’m sorry. I’ve never been to a tea reception before, so I was curious.”
“When I make you my princess one day, I’ll let you throw as many tea receptions as you want. Got it? For now, you must do this for me. Understand? Only then can both you and I be happy. You want to be happy with me, don’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Then you must absolutely do as I say. Don’t listen to anyone else.”
The current situation mirrored the future scene the amethyst had shown. But they had to endure the present pain.
“Don’t be so scared. I’m not going to cut your body with a knife. I’ll only make your movement a little, just a little, inconvenient.”
