When the Female Lead Went Off-Script, the Main Male Lead Became the Tyrant's Empress - Chapter 20.1
“Why did he entrust it to you?”
“Because I am the most suitable person.”
“I may be busy preparing for my accession, but I can still make time to select my niece’s lady-in-waiting. I’m qualified to choose Clary’s lady-in-waiting too. She’s currently under my imperial father’s protection, but once he abdicates, she’ll become my responsibility. Do you seriously think I lack enough judgment to interfere with the selection or choose the wrong person?”
“……Are you truly asking because you don’t know?”
At Haster’s question, every gaze inside the drawing room embedded itself densely into Arden’s face.
Even the saints and angels inside the masterpieces framed in gold seemed to be holding themselves back from saying something.
“Did you see any unfamiliar faces when you entered?”
“What?”
Arden briefly frowned at Haster’s contextless question.
“I asked whether there was a single woman you didn’t recognize among those you saw while entering. Was there even one woman there who hadn’t enjoyed a secret tryst with you?”
“What does that have to do with this?”
“It has everything to do with it. If you were the one conducting the interviews, rumors would spread even if your judgment was completely fair. It would damage not only those women’s reputations but also Clary’s honor for employing such ladies-in-waiting.”
Arden’s face flushed red with humiliation at Haster’s answer.
He wanted to argue at length, but because every word was true, he could only open and close his mouth several times.
The blue eyes watching the Crown Prince gape like a goldfish poking its head above the water narrowed sharply.
His debauchery was so undeniable that he couldn’t even claim otherwise.
It was deplorable that a man like that would inherit the throne.
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* * *
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By the time the late spring evening constellations rose in the eastern sky, the final candidate stood from her seat.
Inside the carriage heading toward Troanne’s salon, Haster reflected upon the day’s interviews.
If the next interviews went the same way, they would only be a waste of time.
Finding a suitable person to serve the Emperor’s precious granddaughter was not as easy as it appeared.
A quiet sigh touched the carriage window.
How many more interviews would he have to conduct before a suitable candidate appeared?
He had spent the entire day interviewing applicants, yet there hadn’t been a single candidate he found satisfactory.
‘It might be faster to ask the Countess for a recommendation.’
Countess Troanne had extensive connections throughout high society.
Her judgment of people was also excellent, so she would likely introduce him to someone suitable.
‘Though I would still need to interview her.’
Even if Troanne recommended the person, Haster needed to verify whether she could properly assist Clary.
That would prevent both the Countess who introduced her and Clary from being disgraced later.
“Ah, Lord Valtor. You’re here?”
A web of fine cracks suddenly spread across Haster’s expression as he entered the salon.
An exceedingly familiar blond man, whom he couldn’t have failed to recognize even if he wanted to, was lightly waving a hand at him.
“……Your Highness.”
Haster had been about to address him casually out of habit, but noticed the surrounding gazes and observed proper etiquette.
In private, he spoke informally with Arden’s permission, but he maintained courtesy at official events or when outsiders were present.
“I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
‘Why are you here?’
He had said he would observe etiquette. He hadn’t said he would be sincere about it.
His blue eyes, which couldn’t have been described as respectful even as an empty compliment, interrogated the Crown Prince.
Even beneath that piercing gaze, Arden spoke shamelessly.
“I came to learn how the world is changing. I have been so busy with military inspections and regency duties that I haven’t had an opportunity to meet talented artists and thinkers. Hearing opinions from a variety of perspectives is important for a politician. I happened to hear that the Duke of Lurie’s chaperone operates the most famous salon in the capital, so I decided to visit.”
Haster scoffed inwardly.
An excuse.
As though answering Haster’s thoughts, Arden subtly lifted the corner of his mouth.
Yes. It was an excuse.
However, Arden doubted that he would have found any time to meet Haster without an excuse like this.
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* * *
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Haster wasn’t sociable.
Even when summoned to the imperial palace, he often used his work as an excuse and abruptly returned to the North before even a week had passed.
For Haster to attend a social gathering of his own accord meant, ‘This is bothersome, but enduring you bastards constantly appearing before me is even more bothersome, so I’ll deal with all of you at once and be done with it.’
It was also a suitable place to indirectly reject requests for private meetings with vague answers.
Perhaps thanks to that, fewer people had begun visiting him at the imperial palace than before.
He occasionally formed connections and spoke with other nobles, but even those interactions were superficial.
The moment he returned to the North, he would surely forget everything about entering the central political sphere or anything else.
After all, Haster was a cold man.
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