How I Ended Up Becoming the Imperial Princess While Trying to Pay Off an Illegal Loan - Chapter 26

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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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026.
Watching his brother flirt shamelessly with his wife, Leon’s mood soured on the instant.
“What are you—”
“Oh my, how delightful! So you’re Leon’s brother. Of course, now that we’re married, we’re family!”
Before Leon could protest, Tamia greeted Simon warmly.
A new waltz drifted across the hall.
Simon extended his hand, and Tamia seized it eagerly.
“……!”
“By the way, First Prince.”
Tamia spoke in a voice only Simon could hear, and his face flushed crimson.
“I, I’m listening.”
“Family members overlook each other’s faults, don’t they? That’s what I was taught.”
“Yes? I, I suppose that’s true.”
Simon nodded without fully grasping what Tamia meant.
Her face brightened all the more.
“Shall we, then?”
Ignoring Leon’s murderous glare, the two stepped to the center of the stage and began to dance.
Simon felt transported to bliss as he slowly followed Tamia’s lead.
‘Surely this is a dream……ow!’
He barely stifled a rough cry of pain.
Tamia had just stepped on his foot—and it hurt terribly.
“The truth is, I can’t dance at all!”
Tamia whispered again, audible only to Simon.
“Leon guides me through even though I’m hopeless. You can do the same for me, can’t you, First Prince?”
“Of c, course—ow! Ah! Agh!”
“Shh, your voice is too loud!”
“……Ugh, u-ugh…….”
“Oops, I keep treading on you. Sorry…… Wait, where are you going, Your Highness??”
Before even half a verse had ended, Simon—his feet mangled—wrenched his hand from Tamia’s grasp and fled the stage.
‘At this rate I’ll be crippled and unable to walk!’
“First Prince?! But there’s still so much music left!”
“Simon! Have you lost your mind? What’s the meaning of such rudeness?”
Malisia cried out in shock from behind, but Simon barely heard her.
“So much for concealing family failings……”
“I’ll handle that instead.”
Leon emerged onto the stage and took Tamia’s hand gently in his own.
He led her with practiced grace, and the dance became steady and serene.
The chaotic stage grew tranquil in an instant.
* * *
[A shocking incident marred yesterday’s reception celebrating the marriage of Second Prince Leon and Imperial Princess-in-law Tamia. According to eyewitnesses, First Prince Simon approached the princess to request a dance, but soon after, he rudely withdrew his hand and hastily departed the venue.
This affront to the bride, the centerpiece of the wedding ceremony, has sparked considerable scandal. Society’s most prominent voices have condemned the act as beneath the dignity of the Imperial Family itself.
]
Malisia tore the Rumor Publication to shreds and flung it to the floor.
“What in the world is this disgrace! You’ve brought shame upon my very name! Summon Simon at once!”
“Your Majesty, please compose yourself. The First Prince says he is unwell……”
“Unwell? Nonsense! There’s no reason for him to be ill! Does he mean to defy even his mother now? Argh, ahhhhh!”
The lady-in-waiting trembled.
Malisia had once been renowned for her gentleness and grace; since Tamia’s arrival, she had become a vicious shrew.
‘Perhaps it’s time for me to step down……’
Lost in troubling thoughts, the lady-in-waiting suddenly noticed the Emperor enter.
“Your Majesty!”
Malisia rushed to him and threw herself into his arms.
“Ah, Malisia. You’ve seemed out of spirits since yesterday.”
“How could that be, my lord? Leon, who is as dear to me as my own son, has married. Surely I am delighted.”
“Then why are you crying?”
Malisia quickly dabbed away her tears.
“It grieves me that his elder brother Simon has yet to marry.”
“The boy is older than Leon, it’s true.”
“And Leon has suffered from his gynophobia all this time. I thought that if Simon married first, the scrutiny on Leon would only worsen, so I’ve kept Simon unwed as well……”
“And then Leon went and married before anyone expected it.”
“……Your Majesty.”
The Emperor embraced Malisia once more, offering comfort in his arms.
“That boy’s always had a rough edge to him. Our Simon, now—he has a gentle, rounded disposition.”
“Which is precisely why, Your Majesty.”
Malisia nestled in the Emperor’s embrace, her voice soft as a whisper.
“Please appoint our Simon as Crown Prince soon, won’t you? Yes?”
“Hmm.”
“Once he’s Crown Prince, the noble ladies who wish to marry Simon will be lining up at the gates. Don’t you want to see a grandchild in your arms soon?”
“I would—I truly would. But the boy simply hasn’t earned any great deeds yet.”
“Deeds, you say?”
Malisia withdrew from the Emperor’s embrace in one fluid motion, her eyes flashing upward in an instant.
“Think about it—Leon keeps bringing in Monsters from every quarter, winning the hearts of the people. But Simon has no such accomplishments.”
“Are you saying my dear sweet Simon should be forced into such a position?”
The Emperor caught the sharp thorns beneath Malisia’s words and began to falter.
“No, that’s not what I meant—”
Malisia turned her head sharply to the side, making no effort to hide her displeasure.
“Empress, don’t be like that. Why are you hurt?”
The Emperor quickly took both her hands in his, patting them gently.
“I’ll speak with the ministers again about the Crown Prince succession. First, let us find a suitable marriage partner for Simon. Shall we?”
“Ed.”
Malisia, her eyes still lowered demurely, spoke the Emperor Edmund’s pet name with gentle tenderness.
“I came all this far for you alone. If you abandon us—both mother and child—we truly have nowhere to turn.”
As tears began to fall from Malisia’s eyes, Edmund’s face went pale with alarm.
“Goodness, why must you cry now? Simon will be Crown Prince. I promise you this.”
Edmund hastily dried her tears and pulled her close against his chest.
In the Emperor’s embrace, the Empress’s gaze gleamed with subtle significance.
* * *
Brent, a baron in the service of the Arderin House, found himself struggling against an unforeseen calamity.
“Seize them! Don’t let a single one slip away!”
“Where did all these Monsters come from?”
A horde of Monsters had descended upon the manor of Arderin itself, swarming in from all sides.
Baron Brent commanded the Arderin Knight Order with desperate fervor, battling the creatures relentlessly.
“Baron! These Monsters—something about them seems strange!”
“Y-yes, sir! They don’t seem interested in us at all. It appears they’re trying to force their way inside the manor!”
“Nonsense! Monsters don’t possess that level of intelligence. Everyone, focus on the enemies before you!”
Yet even as he spoke these words, Baron Brent felt a gnawing unease in his heart.
At least most of the creatures were small ones, which made them relatively easy to dispatch. But there were so many of them. The defensive line could crumble at any moment.
“Aaah! Sir Baron!”
Just then, one of the knights defending the Study cried out in alarm.
Baron Brent turned his head toward the sound. Through the chaos, he saw small raccoon-like Monsters scrambling across a knight’s shoulder and leaping through a window.
Patter-patter, spring! Patter-patter, spring!
“Why are these raccoon-like creatures so impossibly nimble?”
“I don’t know! Don’t let a single one inside!”
Baron Brent cried out desperately, but contrary to his wishes, the Study window shattered entirely.
Crash!
The moment the glass gave way, the raccoon Monsters bounced all the higher, pouring madly through the opening into the Study.
“Get inside the manor at once and hold the Study’s door! The rest of you, try to contain them!”
Just as Baron Brent and the remaining knights surged toward the window—
“……!”
A group of masked figures, their identities unknown, suddenly appeared.
“W-who in blazes are these people?”
As the masked group gestured silently, every single Monster obeyed, turning and charging toward the Study.
More than half the window glass had already shattered. At this rate, the raccoon Monsters would soon overrun the entire manor.
“Who are you people? How are the Monsters obeying your commands?”
“…….”

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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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