When the Female Lead Went Off-Script, the Main Male Lead Became the Tyrant's Empress - Chapter 22.2
“Your Highness.”
Arden turned at the voice calling him.
Mishien stood with his hands clasped behind his back, waiting for his master with a blank expression.
Arden glanced at Mishien before turning back.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
After giving the two a slight nod, Arden left without delay.
“He’s finally gone.”
Troanne, who had been following Arden’s retreating figure through the crowd with her eyes, abruptly spoke.
“This is much better.”
Haster tilted his head toward Troanne, who had one hand on her waist and was rapidly fluttering her folding fan.
“That doesn’t sound like something a person who just told him to visit whenever he wished should say.”
“That was merely something I had to say. If I’d spoken honestly, I would probably have been ordered into seclusion for insulting the imperial family.”
And then I wouldn’t be able to hold the salon for a long time, Troanne added.
“Then wouldn’t it be enough to forbid him from entering the salon? Even the Crown Prince cannot force the salon’s owner.”
“Ha, and what would happen to my position if I did that? If I banned the popular Crown Prince from entering, all sorts of rumors would spread. No matter how much I dislike him, shouldn’t I distinguish between public and private matters?”
“For someone who distinguishes between public and private matters, you sure intrude every time I’m with the Crown Prince.”
“Hmm, you noticed?”
“How could I not?”
It would have been more strange not to know when someone was already complaining about that very matter.
“Seeing the Crown Prince clinging to Your Highness put me in a foul mood.”
“For such a trivial reason?”
“And I wanted to introduce you to talented young people and others who might interest you. Haven’t you formed quite a few valuable connections thanks to me? And.”
Troanne snapped shut the folding fan she had been waving and struck it against her palm.
“If I hadn’t done that, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have let you go.”
Haster’s brow briefly furrowed at Troanne’s firm declaration.
Arden had certainly remained near him, but…….
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“It was exactly that bad.”
Troanne flatly contradicted him.
“Except when he was participating in discussions or seducing women who caught his interest, he was glued to Your Highness’s side the entire time. He stubbornly remained even in situations where he should have given you some space. Earlier, he came rushing over the moment the discussion ended.”
“…….”
“……Just how long has he been following you around like that?”
Haster said nothing.
Including the social gathering, it had been around a month, and the period during which the Crown Prince had begun seriously clinging to him had only been a little over a week.
Haster’s indifference to whether Arden remained at his side had instead encouraged him to grow accustomed to Arden far too quickly.
Troanne gave him a pitying look.
Don’t get used to that sort of thing.
“Does the Marquis not visit?”
Haster avoided her gaze and changed the subject.
“Marquis Anberg? Not at all.”
Troanne shrugged.
“It has been some time since he came to the capital, but I haven’t heard that he has shown his face in high society. Ten years ago, he never missed a social gathering. His wife’s death must have been a terrible shock. He used to be such an active man. And with what recently happened to his daughter, Count Nestin, he must be devastated.”
Devastated? That man?
The man Haster had seen at the council had been quiet, but there hadn’t been the slightest trace of gloom about him.
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* * *
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Haster had first seen Marquis Anberg when he was fifteen, at the Emperor’s birthday banquet.
The nobles congratulated the Emperor on reaching his sixtieth birthday and wished him a long life.
“Your Majesty, congratulations on your birthday. For the sake of the nation and its people, may you remain in good health and enjoy glory.”
The reason Haster remembered Marquis Anberg wasn’t because he had presented the Emperor with an exceptionally precious jewel or moved those around him with remarkable eloquence.
It was because Haster had glimpsed the desire hidden in the deepest recesses of the man’s heart.
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