ATPL 27

To cut to the chase, the Empress was furious—extremely so.

The lady who had screamed was once Abelard’s lover. The one responsible for making her scream was also someone in the same position.

Mia Zelen.

The incident had started simply enough. The Crown Prince had just returned from the forest and stormed into the gazebo, visibly agitated. Everyone quickly noticed the red handprint on his cheek. It was obvious that a woman had slapped him.

Of course, Anais was the culprit behind that mark, but everyone still considered the Crown Prince to be somewhat reasonable.

To be precise, they thought that, no matter the circumstances, the Crown Prince wouldn’t dare lay hands on someone wearing the Dragon Knights’ uniform, woman or not.

So who had slapped the Crown Prince? Was he starting to develop his old, terrible habits with women again?

Everyone snickered, amused. It was obvious the Empress would be furious, especially with the Dragon Knights’ Commander present.

Yet, everyone’s attention turned to Mia Zelen. They all knew she hadn’t stopped obsessing over the Crown Prince, even after briefly being at Abelard’s side.

If only Mia Zelen had left quickly, everything might have been fine.

But Mia, once again, was consumed by her obsession with the Crown Prince. Abnormally so.

She was curious about what the Crown Prince was doing in the gazebo, especially considering that not only Elliot Resaloniki but also a masked female knight, had entered.

Of course, the biggest reason was that she wanted to see Abelard’s beautiful face once more after their conversation ended.

Love truly was the enemy. People began to murmur as they watched Mia fidget near the gazebo, but Mia paid them no mind.

After all, her sacred love for Abelard was something that others couldn’t understand.

Finally, one lady, unable to watch any longer, spoke up.

“Miss Zelen. Did you not hear Her Majesty’s order for everyone to withdraw?”

“Constance. This is none of your business.”

Constance’s eyebrow twitched at being addressed so familiarly. They weren’t close enough for Mia to use her name like that.

Moreover, since Constance had once been Abelard’s lover, it made things awkward.

Still, Constance felt compelled to speak up because she didn’t want to be ridiculed because of Mia’s actions.

While most of Abelard’s former lovers were generally favorable toward the Crown Prince, some weren’t.

Constance was one of the latter.

‘Really, he’s meeting with such low-class women left and right. I’m being lumped together with them.’

Constance had been Abelard’s first lover three years ago before his womanizing began in earnest. She was the daughter of a count.

She found his behavior after their breakup utterly distasteful.

Moreover, Mia’s impulsive actions had now caused the names of Abelard’s former lovers to be brought up one by one at this gathering.

But Constance felt wronged. Back then, she had been only eighteen. Now, at twenty-one, her involvement with Abelard was her dark history!

‘An eighteen-year-old is allowed to make mistakes!’

Besides, Abelard had been twenty-one at the time! When you’re over sixty, a three-year age gap might not seem like much, but in your teens, it’s enormous.

How many eighteen-year-olds could resist when a man three years older deliberately courted them, especially when he was the Crown Prince?

Anyway, that’s why Constance hoped Mia wouldn’t do anything impulsive.

If the Empress were to come out of the gazebo and click her tongue at Mia, people would start gossiping about the Crown Prince’s lovers again.

“Miss Zelen. Of course, I’m concerned when you’re acting like this.”

“Ha.”

Mia Zelen let out a derisive snort.

“Why? Constance, is it because you were the Crown Prince’s lover for what, a few months three years ago?”

As luck would have it, her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. Constance could see, out of the corner of her eye, passing nobles and servants biting their lips or quickly turning their heads away.

Constance was truly angry.

“Watch your words, Miss Zelen.”

As everyone could guess, the ensuing conversation was tedious and filled with personal attacks.

To summarize:

– Watch your words.

– Did I say anything untrue?

– No, but your outrageous behavior is making me look bad too.

– Were you impressive enough to be looked down upon? Considering how the Crown Prince dumped you after a few months, you couldn’t have been that great.

– I told you to watch your words. And you were dumped too!

– No, I wasn’t! He’s just taking a break!

– Taking a break? Even I would be sick of an obsessive woman like you!

– You seem pretty obsessed yourself! And don’t call our sacred love an obsession!

– Obsessed! Obsessed! Obsessed! You’re so creepy! No class! You’re not even His Highness’s type! You obsessive woman!

– Hey! Come here!

– Kyaah! You obsessive woman!

And that final “Kyaah!” was the scream Her Majesty the Empress heard from inside the gazebo.

The Empress, who had been unaware of the commotion outside due to Anais’s sarcastic remarks inside the gazebo, sighed upon hearing the story.

She had thought Anais was crazy, but there was someone truly crazy.

That was,

“My son is the craziest of them all.”

“Me?”

Looking at the two young ladies, both with completely disheveled hair, Abelard clicked his tongue nonchalantly with a “tsk” before his eyes widened.

The Empress burst out in irritation.

“Who else would be crazy, if not the Crown Prince! Whether it’s Miss Zelen or Miss Duran, they’re precious young ladies from good families who received proper education! And who made these young ladies grab each other’s hair!”

It’s you. It’s definitely you.

The nobles present exchanged glances before finally all turning to look at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince couldn’t even pretend to feel wronged. After all, the Empress was right.

“To cause such embarrassment when the Dragon Empire’s envoy is present—it’s unbearable!”

“…I apologize.”

“Does the Crown Prince even know what an apology means? I must have heard the word ‘sorry’ a hundred times in the past three years! Without showing any real reflection, and today again with another lady…”

The Empress fanned herself as if feeling hot at this point. People exchanged glances again.

Does that mean he’s been up to his tricks again? Who is it? Who could it be?

The masked Anais desperately tried to maintain a blank expression. Elliot also stood there with a complicated look on his face.

That’s when the Empress spoke sharply again.

“For the Empire’s sole heir to behave so loosely and show such poor judgment—what a disgrace to the Imperial family!”

It seemed that today was the day the Empress had decided to scold the Crown Prince thoroughly. That’s what everyone thought.

In truth, the Empress had been very patient until now.

The Empress had been somewhat naively clinging to the futile hope that ‘He’ll eventually find the right person and bring home a suitable Crown Princess.’

But the Empress seemed determined to abandon hope now.

More precisely, it had been since the Dragon Lord said, “He must marry his first love.”

After all, the Dragon Lord’s words could be interpreted to mean that the Crown Prince’s match wasn’t within the system.

Usually, she would have controlled Abelard while waiting patiently for the Dragon Knight Commander to bring a suitable lady, but the Empress no longer wanted to witness this disgraceful behavior.

“This won’t do. I shall personally issue punishment to the Crown Prince.”

Punishment. Abelard imagined what punishment he might receive.

‘At most, it’ll probably be confinement to the Crown Prince’s palace.’

After all, he was the Empire’s only heir.

‘Or maybe I’ll have to go to the temple and copy some sacred texts?’

Setting aside the fact that the imperial library already had over a dozen copies of sacred texts written by the Crown Prince.

“Given that the Crown Prince’s behavior is extremely unrestrained and shows no respect for the precious young ladies of the noble families that form the foundation of the Empire, this is my fault as the Empress. I should have provided proper character education from an early age.”

The phrase ‘character education’ stood out. Wondering if he’d been sentenced to copy sacred texts, Abelard listened to the Empress’s words with indifference.

The Empress continued.

“Perhaps even I, as Empress, failed to set a proper example. To become angry so easily like this. Ah, heavens. But who wouldn’t be angry at the Crown Prince’s misconduct?”

‘Misconduct—Mother’s words were a bit harsh.’

“But look here. The Dragon Lord, truly omniscient and ruling over the good of this continent, has sent us someone most upright and exemplary.”

The Dragon Lord, suddenly?

Abelard furrowed his brow. But the Empress had already made up her mind.

“I shall send the Crown Prince as Lord Resaloniki’s attendant to learn what righteousness means for one year.”

It was like a bolt from the blue. Not just for Abelard, of course.

Anais turned to look at Elliot. Elliot’s expression was equally bewildered.

Why are you the one making that decision?