ATPL 30

The silver-haired crown prince’s words were undeniably correct, but for some reason, Elliot didn’t seem too pleased by them.

The crown prince noticed Elliot’s expression.

‘They say he’s known for his righteousness, but I suppose he doesn’t like the current situation.’

How many years had he lived as a playboy? After living that way, it wouldn’t look good to suddenly want to marry some unknown maiden.

Abelard’s mouth twisted into a bitter frown.

Just then, something irritating caught the corner of his eye. It was Anais.

“Wow…”

“What is it now, butterfly mask?”

“No, it’s just that Sir Abelard is speaking quite sensibly.”

“Ha, who am I? I’m the man who’s met the most women in the capital. I know women’s hearts better than anyone.”

“Is that why you got slapped by Anais, because you know women’s hearts so well…?”

“What did you say?”

Before the argument could escalate, Elliot intervened with a single gesture, stopping both of them in their tracks.

Abelard loosely gripped his horse’s reins and unbuttoned his uniform shirt, feeling stifled. Though he only loosened two or three buttons, the uniform instantly gave him the appearance of the most dissolute rogue in the world.

Abelard had that uniquely rakish air about him.

In stark contrast, Elliot, though wearing the same uniform as Abelard, exuded an ascetic aura.

So much so that if someone had to point to the most uptight person in the world, everyone would undoubtedly point to Elliot Resaloniki.

Anais couldn’t help but marvel at the strange contrast between the two men.

“In that sense, I’d like to suggest we go to Reims first, Lord Resaloniki.”

“That’s not wrong… You seem quite eager. May I ask why?”

Elliot responded, implying, ‘I thought a playboy like you would hate being tied down to one woman. What’s going on?’

“Because of that first love commotion, everyone thinks I failed to find my first love.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow, silently prompting him to continue.

“Actually, I haven’t tried to look for that first love girl since I was sixteen. Even if I found her, she couldn’t become the crown princess anyway. Whether she was a forester’s daughter or a criminal’s, she wouldn’t come from a proper family.”

“Wow. You must have really liked her?”

Anais exclaimed, impressed.

Thinking she meant ‘To think you even considered making her crown princess’, Abelard preened slightly.

“I may look like this now, but my original principle was to be devoted to one woman for life.”

“Setting aside how that sounds completely ridiculous, Anais was being sarcastic just now, but Sir Abelard seems to have misunderstood.”

“What?”

“You’re assuming she would naturally want to become crown princess.”

Abelard’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Who would refuse that position?”

“…Anais would.”

“I refuse you!”

“Thank you.”

Anais didn’t stop there. She lifted her skirts atop the mule in a mock curtsy, further provoking Abelard’s growing irritation.

As Abelard fumed, Elliot calmly added.

“My thoughts are similar to Lady Fleur’s. You haven’t considered what you’d do if that lady refuses.”

Ah, so that’s why he looked displeased. Abelard clicked his tongue in frustration. Elliot added another point.

“Moreover, if the young lady was fourteen… Now, at twenty-four, she’s likely already married, as that’s well past the marriageable age for commoners.”

“Fourteen?”

Abelard frowned, bewildered by the unexpected number.

“The young lady was fourteen? Did the Dragon Lord tell you that?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“…No?”

“I don’t even know that girl’s age. Where did that number come from?”

“Didn’t you say she was about that age?”

“That was my age.”

Elliot’s eyes widened in realization.

“Ah…”

“Tsk tsk, Lord Resaloniki. You seem distracted. I apologize. I got provoked by this woman and ended up giving you a headache too.”

“If you keep that up, Sir Abelard, you’ll be sleeping on the ground tonight.”

“Who are you to say that?”

“Tonight’s owner of our lodgings?”

Anais shook her mule’s reins proudly, and Elliot raised an eyebrow.

Anais spread her delicate fingers wide before Elliot.

“Look, Lord Resaloniki. From our conversation, it’s basically decided that we’re stopping by Reims, right?”

“That’s true, but…”

Anais folded one finger.

“And while Dragon Knights receive lodging and meals wherever they go across the continent, given our current objective, we need to keep things quiet, right? So, the lord’s castle is out.”

Elliot acknowledged the point.

Normally, as Commander of the Dragon Knights, he would receive a grand welcome at any castle, but stopping at the lord’s castle would inevitably require explaining the purpose of their journey.

The lord would naturally want to help, but that help would come with complications.

“We don’t know if Sir Abelard’s match is a commoner or noble, and if rumors about the crown princess spread, we might have another situation like with the possessed girls. You wouldn’t want a flood of blonde, green-eyed ladies rushing in, would you, Sir Abelard?”

“…You’re quite clever, aren’t you?”

“Thank you.”

Anais responded with a mock curtsy, folding her two fingers together.

Abelard’s face turned slightly pained.

“I shouldn’t have said that.”

“Anyway, so it would be better to search quietly using the servants. And as for Anais… ta-da!”

Anais folded her third finger and grinned.

“I have a villa in Reims! With servants who visit every year and are close to Anais!”

“…Indeed.”

“And additionally, I have some things to look into.”

Elliot blinked and asked.

“Is it about the possessor?”

“Yes. Looking at what’s written in Anais’s diary, it says this.”

Anais pulled out a pink diary and opened its pages.

“Something written around last summer— ‘The villa sucks!’ That’s what bothers me.”

“…”

“Hmph, I’ll never forgive Number 33! How much does Anais love the Reims villa! It has sixteen rooms, and though it’s a bit old, there’s even a small pond! Do you know how beautiful the lotus flowers are in summer?”

“Sixteen rooms? That’s just the size of the imperial stables,”

Abelard sneered. Anais glared at him.

“Then Sir Abelard can sleep in the stables with my donkey!”

As the two began bickering again, Elliot took Anais’s diary and examined it.

Apart from ‘The villa sucks!‘, there were various other notes written inside.

It seemed clear that Number 33 had visited the villa in Reims.

There were musings on why the master and mistress hadn’t come with the servants, as well as accounts of wandering here and there.

The passage “Why does this person carry around a diary they won’t use for nearly ten years and make me bothered too” indicated that Number 33 had put considerable effort into pretending to be Anais.

“Anyway, Miss Fleur has a point. Being able to rest without others’ eyes or tiresome welcoming ceremonies is certainly the most appealing aspect.”

At his words, Anais’s eyes widened. Abelard also looked taken aback.

“My goodness. Tiresome, you say? Commander of the Dragon Knights, is that what you really think?”

“I must tell Mother. That the Black Dragon Knight Commander actually found the Empress’s welcome burdensome…”

Elliot was flustered, realizing he had inadvertently revealed his true feelings.

It was a sentiment widely shared among Atlas and other officers, or between the Dragon Knights themselves.

After all, who wouldn’t welcome the name of the Black Dragon Knights?

However, those very knights had grown weary of the banquets and approaches made under the pretext of a grand welcome wherever they went.

Of course, as their Commander, Elliot would reprimand such knights, but in truth, he had always felt the same way.

Seeing Elliot’s face turn bright red with embarrassment, Anais clasped her hands in front of her mouth and gave him a pitying look.

“Oh my. Someone might think Lord Resaloniki is bleeding from his face…”

“Come to think of it, it is the fate of the noble and busy. I won’t deny that I, Abelard, share similar feelings with Lord Resaloniki, but to Her Majesty the Empress…”

Abelard joined in, raising his voice and bringing both fists to his mouth, mimicking Anais.

Elliot squeezed his eyes shut, sighed deeply, and said.

“I was wrong, so please stop teasing me.”

“We’re not teasing, Lord Resaloniki. You’re known for being ascetic, so how burdensome those lavish welcome parties must have been!”

“I’ll offer my spot next to me in the stables for the overwhelmed lord!”

“Oh my, Sir Abelard. Are you really willing to sleep in the stables?”

“Hey, that’s just a figure of speech!”

Prrrrr. Elliot’s horse snorted.

Somehow, it seemed like a sigh directed at these pathetic humans.