Celebrity Lady - Chapter 32

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 32
* * *
Whoosh—.
Plop, plop, plop.
“So, Bista…….”
Larque, who had just demonstrated a masterful Stone Skipping, asked me from beside him.
“He helped you to prevent yourself from being sealed?”
“Yes. He also hid my Hand Seal Mark. But, Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“Could you teach me too? Throwing a stone so it goes plop, plop, plop, bouncing several times on the water’s surface.”
“Ha.”
Larque laughed softly and glanced around the ground, then picked up a flat stone and pressed it into my palm.
“Right, the wrist snap is what matters. Like this…….”
“Like this?”
Whoosh—!
Following Larque’s guidance on my form, I hurled the stone with all my strength toward the lake.
Splash.
It simply sank.
“Ugh.”
“Hahahaha!”
Larque clutched his sides and roared with laughter at my despondent expression.
This place was Praha.
It lay about an hour’s carriage ride from the Capital Territory. I loved it here.
‘Prague in the old world was beautiful too.’
The fact that this place shared the name with that famous tourist city in another world stirred a curious nostalgia.
‘But this is better. No people.’
More than anything, the scenery of Gratia Lake itself was breathtaking.
The landscape of the low ridges encircling the lake seeped into the tranquil water’s surface like a single painted scroll.
How peaceful this moment was—sitting freely on the ground without regard for others’ eyes.
“You seem to quite like this place.”
“Yes, very much. It’s my first time. Going out to somewhere this lovely.”
“What?”
Larque tilted his head in puzzlement.
“I’ve hardly ever been outside the Capital Territory.”
“If you love it this much, why not come out more often? Why does a young lady prefer to stay at home? Ah, perhaps your father cherishes you dearly.”
“No. I don’t get along well with Biego. Victor is somewhat better.”
“……What? Why?”
“He dotes on the twins more. He likes Lilia far better than me.”
“……?”
Larque seemed somewhat startled. He narrowed his brows in silence and murmured,
“A poor older brother.”
“And there’s no one to go out with. Both my brothers are busy, and Father……well, you know?”
“Yes, that’s so.”
Larque nodded along with a clearing of his throat and added,
“But surely you have your grandmother? I heard from Victor that she’s like a mother to you.”
“Would you like to hear my third secret?”
“What is it?”
“My grandmother isn’t like a mother to me. She may be kind to Biego and Victor, but to me…….”
“What do you mean?”
“My grandmother doesn’t like me. Not since I was small. Not once.”
“…….”
“Child who devoured her mother, fool, idiot, stupid girl, family’s shame, half-breed…….”
I felt Larque beside me stiffen. When I glanced back, his brow was deeply furrowed.
“Grandmother said those things to me. When I was young, I didn’t even understand what they meant.”
“Mm.”
Larque, lost in thought for a moment, added,
“This is the most shocking secret I’ve heard from you yet.”
“Is it?”
“Does your father perhaps know this and keep it quiet?”
“No. Nobody knows.”
Whoosh—.
Plop.
I picked up a small stone beside me and threw it, then spoke.
“No one in my family knows. Father has no capacity to look after me, and Biego trusts only Grandmother, no matter what I say…….”
“But that makes no sense. What about Victor?”
“I hardly ever see Victor’s face. And even if I told him, would he believe me? That doubt made me keep quiet.”
“Ha…….”
Larque leaned his head back and let out a hollow laugh. His expression seemed to struggle with understanding.
Understandably. What fool would remain silent and endure such treatment?
‘But I don’t want to call Lubet a fool.’
She had merely been kind and timid.
The wrongdoing belonged to those who abused her—not to the one who was abused.
“You probably think I’m foolish. But don’t worry. Ever since I contracted with the Spirit, I’ve changed my mind. I won’t just endure and suffer anymore.”
“May I ask you something?”
“Yes.”
“The reason you changed your mind. It must be because you saw your own future?”
“Yes, that’s right. My future was so terribly bleak and sad. Living in silence, being pushed about from pillar to post, dying at merely forty-five.”
Larque drew a sharp breath and went rigid.
“I won’t live that way. So I’ve been making various life plans, and in them, you’re also there, Your Highness.”
“Me?”
“Yes. If I can help you with the future I know, then many people will surely become happy. Me, you, Victor, and the people of the empire too.”
“Ah…… So that’s why you decided to help me?”
“There are other reasons as well, but that’s the main one.”
“I see.”
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“To be honest, you’re dying to ask me something right now, aren’t you?”
“…….”
“About your own future.”
I said it with a grin. The corners of Larque’s eyes crinkled as he smiled back, joining my laughter.
“You got me. But I couldn’t ask for priceless information for nothing—it felt too shameless. I haven’t even become close to you yet.”
“Oh, don’t say such things. I told you already. That I’d help you. Instead…….”
I poked Larque playfully in the ribs.
“You’ll help me when I need it, won’t you?”
“Of course. I’ll grant you anything short of asking me to sell the kingdom. Though honestly, no request of yours could equal the value of the future you hold.”
“Perfect. Deal made!”
And so I’d secured a male model as well.
I broke into a grin before suddenly turning serious.
“In the future I know, you don’t become Emperor.”
“…….”
Just as expected, the moment that bombshell landed, Larque went rigid with shock.
“I’m not sure who you suspect as your rival right now, Your Highness, but…….”
“…….”
“From now on, be absolutely wary of the Second Prince. He’s making you distrust your aide right now.”
“Nathan, you mean.”
“Yes.”
“So my aide—you mean Ren—”
“He dies in the original timeline. Beheading. Falsely accused of Treason.”
“So in the end I…….”
“It’s not your fault. The Aristocratic Council made that judgment to push him to his execution. Do whatever you can to prevent it.”
“…….”
“Are you feeling guilty about something that hasn’t happened yet?”
I studied the darkened expression on Larque’s face and asked. He pressed his dry lips together before answering.
“It was going to happen soon. If you hadn’t told me this, if you hadn’t decided to help me.”
“Since you’ve decided to help, we’re fortunate.”
“Lubet.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“You say I won’t reach the throne—how should I interpret that? I’m currently the First Heir to the Throne. For the Crown Prince to be deposed would require no minor scandal. I wouldn’t cause such trouble myself.”
“That’s right. To be honest, this is hard to say……. I was hoping you’d guess for yourself.”
“So I die, then.”
Larque spoke plainly, and I answered with silence, looking away in affirmation.
“Ha…….”
“Clear up the misunderstanding about your aide first, and save him at any cost. He needs to be beside you to protect you. Always be mindful of assassination danger too…….”
I referred to assassination indirectly.
Sharp as he was, Larque seemed to have already guessed that death by assassination was the reason, and he nodded quietly without asking further.
“Lubet.”
“Yes.”
Whoosh—.
Plop, plop, plop.
As Larque called after me one last time, he drew Stone Skipping across the water again.
“I hope the heart you’ve given me—to help me—never changes.”
After those words, he fell silent for some time before turning to look at me and speaking.
“No—even if you do change your mind, that’s your choice. In our bargain today, I’m the one at a disadvantage. So I’m asking as a request. Don’t change.”
The man who seemed so unshakeable in his ease now wore an expression of reluctance, and I found it rather heartbreaking.
To lift the gloom from the moment, I broke into another grin and picked up a stone.
“If you teach me how to do the plop, plop, plop…….”
“…….”
Larque watched me quietly before breaking into a small smile.
“Happily.”
* * *
“It was so much fun today, Your Highness!”
“For me as well.”
We talked long into the dusk before parting ways.
After seeing Lubet back to the Duke’s Residence, I turned toward home.
Someone stopped Larque in his tracks.
“Your Highness, a moment please.”
It was Molga Diollas.
“Ah, Grandmother. What is it?”
“I had something to tell you. Our Lubet didn’t cause you any trouble today, did she? The child is still immature. Lately she’s been causing so much trouble that I worry constantly.”
“Mm…….”
Larque’s eyes flickered as he smiled.
“Not at all.”
“Then I’m relieved. But Your Highness, if I may speak candidly…….”
Molga’s expression grew awkward.
“Both the Duke and the Young Duke are displeased with your visit today. More precisely, with Lubet going out.”
“Why?”
“As you know, that child has some issues. She failed to contract with a Spirit this time, and…….”
“And?”
“She’s a pitiful girl, but outsiders speak carelessly about her. Because of that, Lubet’s temperament has grown sharp.”
“…….”
“Both the Duke and the Young Duke…… perhaps for the sake of the family’s image, hoped Lubet would stay quietly at home.”
“Why does this ramble on so long?”
At Larque’s irritated response, Molga hesitated suddenly, doubting her own ears.
“So you’re telling me not to see her? That you’d prefer she never leave home?”
“No, I didn’t-”
“Grandmother. When nobody knew, fine.”
Larque leaned forward, bringing his face close to Molga’s. He whispered quietly, for her ears alone.
“But I know now.”
“……!”
Larque straightened up again and smiled slightly as he continued,
“Your household has a mad foal, it seems. One who doesn’t even know where to dirty itself, and blunders before its master.”
“…….”
“So I asked. If it’s too hard for you, shall I educate it instead?”
Molga had gone ashen, trembling violently. At her reaction, Larque clicked his tongue.
“But it refused. Pity. I would have done something for the foal’s master.”
“…….”
“But it kept refusing, so what could I do? I decided to be patient with it for now.”
Larque, who had been murmuring playfully, suddenly turned sharp and cold.
“This is a warning.”
“…….”
“Before I start meddling in other people’s homes.”
And so Larque turned to the now-ashen Molga and whispered quietly before departing.
“Stop this filthy business.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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