I’ll Be the Heroine’s Competent Divorce Partner - Chapter 116
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 116
* * *
At that moment, at Bartsen’s townhouse.
All the servants were holding their breath and acting as cautiously as if walking on thin ice.
This was because the Marquis, who had just returned home, was in an extremely foul mood.
“How dare she!”
The Marquis ground his teeth.
Elodie’s sharp words still echoed in his ears.
‘So, Marquis. There’s no need for you to take in a woman who’s lacking as the mistress of a marquis house like some charity work. I’m quite satisfied with my current life.’
That cold expression.
Her reaction of disbelief.
Even that voice that spoke so curtly, as if he wasn’t even worth responding to.
…How humiliating it had been.
“How dare she, knowing nothing of the world… reject my proposal?”
A worthless wench who had even lost the Laventess name.
Even so, out of the affection he once had for her, he had magnanimously decided to take her in.
The way she held her head high and glared at him was just so, so…
“Unpleasant.”
A suppressed voice flowed out between his clenched teeth.
That wasn’t all.
What about Joshua, who had openly defended that presumptuous wench?
‘In fact, Uncle, you know it well too, don’t you? That the Princess is far too good for someone like you.’
‘No matter how much you slander the Princess, it doesn’t diminish her worth.’
Marquis Bartsen twisted his lips and let out an incredulous laugh as he mulled over those words.
“Ha!”
Joshua had always been his obstacle.
His brother, who had seized the throne simply because he was born earlier.
How long had he waited for that brother to fall?
He had believed without doubt that his chance would finally come, but because Joshua existed, everything had come to nothing.
Joshua, who had stolen the throne simply because he was his brother’s legitimate son.
How unfair this all was.
And now he was even trying to steal away the woman he had shown interest in!
“And yet he dares to try to lecture me?!”
Everything was irritating.
Old feelings of deprivation and victimization bubbled up from deep within his stomach.
My chest felt stuffy as if I had swallowed a huge boulder.
I wanted to somehow relieve this suffocating feeling that was choking my throat.
“Why, why must I!”
After clutching his head for a long while, Marquis Bartsen suddenly raised his head.
His sunken eyes glinted ominously.
“…Why must I only have everything taken away from me?”
Whether it be women or the throne.
He was sick and tired of having things stolen from him.
* * *
The Crown Prince thoroughly kept the promise I had made him make.
He came to find me as soon as a week had passed.
He even had the sense to send a letter two days before the week was up to arrange an appointment in advance!
And so, currently.
“Um, Lady Elodie.”
The Crown Prince sitting across from me cautiously addressed me.
“How are you feeling right now?”
“…”
Though I was deliberately putting on a sulky expression.
Watching the Crown Prince carefully gauge my mood made the corners of my mouth keep twitching.
What should I do? At this rate, I might burst out laughing!
“Well, not too bad.”
When I deliberately answered primly, the Crown Prince’s expression brightened considerably.
“Still, I was really hurt, you know. You understand that, right?”
“Of course. I completely understand that feeling.”
The Crown Prince quickly nodded his head.
I glanced at him sideways.
“Are you really sorry to me?”
“Of course.”
“Then treat me to something.”
I haughtily lifted my chin.
“I want to eat Marcel’s limited edition eclairs. Right now.”
“Alright. Let’s go out now.”
Lest I change my mind, the Crown Prince quickly stood up.
I desperately swallowed my laughter once again.
That man who was flustered and didn’t know what to do at my every word…
Honestly, he was quite adorable.
* * *
Marcel Bakery.
When it comes to ‘eclairs’ in the empire, this shop is definitely among the top contenders.
Their specialty eclair filled with custard and topped with chocolate coating is particularly famous.
“Hmm, there are quite a lot of… people.”
The Crown Prince looked out through the carriage window with a troubled expression.
The area in front of the bakery was like a bustling marketplace.
Well, it’s the fate of popular shops.
“Everyone please form a line!”
“Customers who want to dine in, please go that way!”
“Customers ordering takeout, please tell us your menu in advance!”
The shop staff were constantly raising their voices, trying to organize the bustling crowd.
Watching this scene, the Crown Prince muttered in a reluctant voice.
“…I suppose sitting down to eat would be difficult?”
It seems the Crown Prince had imagined sitting intimately across from me at a tea table, eating eclairs.
Oh my, Your Highness.
With such a weak mindset, you can’t claim Marcel’s eclairs, you know?
More importantly, what if strange rumors spread if we sit alone together?
It wouldn’t matter much to me, but if Your Highness were to become troubled…
‘Hmm.’
Somehow my mood became a little strange.
If such rumors were to spread, how would Your Highness handle it?
Would you deny those rumors? Or perhaps…
“Lady?”
Lost in deep thought, I suddenly snapped back to attention.
Before I knew it, the Crown Prince was staring intently at me.
‘Ugh.’
Such a situation hasn’t even happened yet, so why am I already getting worked up?
“Of course. Why do you think I specifically wanted this shop’s eclairs as an apology gift?”
Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, I deliberately responded more brazenly.
“This place is incredibly famous. If you want to eat inside, you have to wait at least an hour.”
Meanwhile, hearing my words, the Crown Prince looked utterly shocked.
“You… line up from morning to eat snacks? Well, it is a very famous restaurant after all…”
Well, I suppose this could be shocking to His Highness the Crown Prince.
He didn’t seem to be particularly fond of gourmet food normally.
“Then let’s get out of the carriage for now.”
The Crown Prince muttered this with a strangely weary expression.
“Since we’ll need to stand in line.”
At those words, I looked at the Crown Prince with a renewed perspective.
‘As expected of someone who will become a wise ruler in the future.’
In fact, if the Crown Prince wanted to, he could probably push others aside by wielding his power.
But he wasn’t even considering such privileges at all.
Of course, we had decided not to reveal our identities today, but such a humble attitude was truly admirable.
I lightly shrugged my shoulders.
“Well, we don’t necessarily need to sit down and eat here, do we?”
“Pardon?”
The Crown Prince’s eyes widened.
I surveyed the front of the bakery with eagle eyes.
The people eating at the bakery were lined up in an incredibly long queue, but fortunately the line for takeout was short.
That’s right.
I had been aiming for takeout from the beginning.
“What if other people see us if we eat inside the bakery for no reason?”
Feeling guilty about my earlier curiosity regarding the Crown Prince’s reaction, I deliberately asked back in an even more triumphant voice.
“There’s no need to create unnecessary rumors, is there?”
I-I wasn’t thinking anything strange.
Really, I’m telling the truth!
‘Hmm?’
At the same time, I felt a faint sense of unease.
‘Right now, His Highness the Crown Prince… why does he have that expression?’
And for good reason, since the Crown Prince’s expression had clouded over like an overcast sky.
But that dark expression disappeared in the blink of an eye.
On his handsome face, only his characteristic smooth smile remained.
“You’re right.”
The Crown Prince replied in a cheerful tone.
‘Did I see it wrong?’
Tilting my head in confusion, I first gestured to a bakery employee who was waiting nearby.
The employee quickly approached the carriage.
“How would you like to place your order?”
“Please package ten chocolate éclairs and ten vanilla éclairs for takeout.”
At that bold declaration, the Crown Prince’s pupils shook as if an earthquake had struck.
“So that’s twenty total?”
“Yes, why? Is there some kind of problem?”
“No…”
The Crown Prince’s lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but then he seemed to accept reality and wore an expression of enlightenment.
“It’s nothing at all.”
Since he was currently in a position of apologizing, I could see his admirable intention to accommodate all my unreasonable demands, even if they were bewildering.
‘Wow, this is really the first time I’ve seen His Highness make such an expression.’
I firmly suppressed the laughter that was about to burst out.
But it seemed like the Crown Prince would really fall into confusion at this rate.
So I decided to rescue him at this point.
“Don’t worry. I wasn’t planning to eat all of this myself.”
“Huh? Then….”
“I have somewhere to go.”
I smiled with my eyes, grinning.
The Crown Prince looked at me with a bewildered expression.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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