That Piece Of Trash Was Me - Chapter 32

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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 32

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White Tower.

The dream of countless scholars and a treasury of world knowledge.

But….

‘No time to appreciate it.’

There were too many people walking around.

‘And the atmosphere is surprisingly intense.’

The scholars and students staying at the White Tower, plus their attendants below, were already plenty in number, but now the Empress, Crown Prince, and Second Prince were coming too.

Knights and soldiers from the Imperial Palace, plus court ladies and servants….

‘Why are there so many knights from House Frazier too?’

When the Grand Duke said he’d assign knights to me, I had thought of five or six people.

That much would have been sufficient for a lady’s escort.

Moreover, I wasn’t going to some remote region or frontier, but visiting the White Tower where dignified scholars gather to devote themselves to research and learning.

‘That’s about a knight platoon, isn’t it?’

I glanced at the knights following behind me.

It seemed like Assis Grand Duke Frazier had split off half of the knight order he brought when coming up to the Imperial Capital.

‘There are quite a few nobles too. This worked out well.’

I am, strictly speaking, a 15-year-old who hasn’t had her debutante ball yet.

However, I’m the granddaughter of Grand Duke Frazier, who doesn’t need to stand at rigid attention just because the Imperial Family is visiting.

Of course, I was still the problem child of the Grand Ducal House with various rumors following me like a tail.

Even if the treatment I receive at the Grand Duke’s Castle is changing, there’s no one to acknowledge it now since I have no connections in the Imperial Capital’s high society.

But by bringing such a large knight order, I can indirectly show that my position within the Grand Ducal House has improved significantly compared to before.

I exchanged brief greetings with the Dean of the White Tower who came out in a hurry. He seemed even more flustered because of me than because of Schulz Schmidt, who had returned after a long time.

‘Though he seems more bewildered by Ruk Kelfosher who came with me than by me.’

Thanks to Ruk’s skill, the complicated greetings ended concisely.

I received a temporary access pass from the Dean to enter the special section of the “Sky Library,” which is the White Tower’s pride that can accommodate even a hundred thousand people.

Schulz Schmidt, who smiled slightly at me, excused himself and entered the building with the Vice Dean.

Ruk seemed busy, apparently having quite a bit to discuss with the Chairman.

“Ruk. I want to tour the library.”

“Ah, then I’ll immediately attend to you….”

“No. Finish your conversation. Just one or two knights should be enough for me. This is the noble White Tower, after all.”

When I deliberately said this while looking at the Dean, he seemed inwardly proud.

Ruk gestured to the knights and saw me off, telling me to have a good time.

‘Well then.’

Male lead candidate number 1.

Let’s go meet the Crown Prince.

But first.

“…Could you follow me from a bit farther away?”

“We have a duty to provide close protection for the young lady.”

When I spoke to the two knights who were following too closely behind me, a rigid response immediately came out.

“Then could you stay at a distance where you can rush over if needed?”

They moved 1 meter away.

“You can only rush that much in an emergency?”

2 meters.

“Are you soldiers instead of knights?”

50 meters.

“Good.”

Deciding to compromise at this distance, I pretended to walk toward the library while smoothly slipping into a side path.

Where would the Crown Prince likely be?

Of course, I had memorized it long ago while playing .

* * *

‘This is the beauty of shortcuts.’

I was able to quickly reach the very back section of the Sky Library by passing through a path where pure white flowers were clustered like snowflakes.

‘This is a place only accessible to the Dean, Elders among the Pneuma, and direct Imperial Family members.’

And it’s a place the ‘former’ Empress used to love.

Olivia, Emperor Alessandro’s first Empress.

She was said to have frequently visited this White Tower during her lifetime due to her great interest in learning and arts.

‘Thanks to that, a small garden exclusively for Imperial Family members was created here.’

I knew through the game that ‘Ferdinand,’ the current Crown Prince and one of the male leads in , always visits this garden whenever he comes to the White Tower.

‘This actually worked out better.’

I could meet the Crown Prince more certainly than at the Imperial Palace.

‘If not now, the Crown Prince will head to harsh battlefields, so I’d only be able to see him again after he becomes a complete adult.’

To see the Crown Prince ending in , you absolutely had to make an impression at least once during childhood.

In my case, since I need to achieve A-grade, I have to follow routes with all the male leads up to just before the ending.

I hid in an appropriate spot while looking at the beautiful marble fountain carved with mermaids, the swing where ivy vines were elegantly intertwined, and the spacious stairs.

Ferdinand.

While I was constantly practicing appropriate greetings, etiquette, and the most appealing harmless smile possible.

I heard the sound of a door opening and footsteps coming down the marble stairs.

When I turned my head in that direction, I unconsciously drew in a slight breath.

The shock I felt when I first possessed this game.

A similar amazement struck my head.

‘It’s really the Crown Prince.’

Sky-blue ceremonial robes contrasting with intense red eyes.

A boy was walking over wearing attire that only Crown Prince Ferdinand could wear—clothing like what priests wear but embroidered with gold thread in the solemn luxury characteristic of Imperial Family.

Having seen countless game characters including Tulia, I thought I wouldn’t be surprised by anyone anymore.

Yet seeing the Crown Prince’s face directly gave me a subtle tension, amazement, and slight excitement.

It must be because he’s a male protagonist.

Just as I was about to make a slight sound so the Crown Prince wouldn’t be startled and step out.

“Crown Prince.”

A noble yet seductive female voice rang out.

I immediately held my breath as if stopping my heart.

Click-clack.

A woman whose heel sounds on the yellow marble floor and stairs were elegant was approaching the Crown Prince.

‘That person is….’

Someone I’ve seen quite a bit in illustrations.

‘It’s the Empress.’

Empress Carmi.

The Empress the Emperor took after the first Empress died.

Empress Carmi was in a villain position similar to Tulia, but unlike Tulia who almost always dies, she was a villain who sometimes dies and sometimes doesn’t.

The cases where Empress Carmi doesn’t die were mostly due to failing to meet one condition.

Namely, failing to kill the Crown Prince.

‘Because the relationship between the Crown Prince and Empress Carmi is portrayed as the worst.’

Of course, as most power struggles go, only inwardly.

On the surface, Empress Carmi is depicted as more angelic than anyone else.

“I sent you clothing in advance for today’s outing to the White Tower, didn’t I? Why didn’t you come out wearing it?”

“The clothing tailored to the Second Prince’s measurements doesn’t fit me.”

“Ah. The servants must have made another mistake. Well then….”

Empress Carmi pulled her red lips into a smile.

“Dave is now 15 years old, and his height is growing rapidly like a young man’s.”

“Yes.”

“It’s regrettable. Crown Prince. If only Empress Olivia…. That is, if only the former Empress hadn’t forcibly pushed Divine Power into her womb like that, the Crown Prince wouldn’t look like this either.”

It was a voice filled with pity and sympathy.

It was remarkably so.

If I hadn’t seen Empress Carmi’s smile, I might have truly believed that voice belonged to an Empress who genuinely thought of the Crown Prince, whom she didn’t bear herself, as her own son.

But….

“If that had been the case, the Crown Prince would have grown not in this boyish appearance, but as a young man befitting his actual age, and His Majesty the Emperor wouldn’t have reason to find the Crown Prince uncomfortable to look at and avoid him as he does now.”

Every word she spoke was nothing but an insult directed at Ferdinand.

“The former Empress’s impatience left deep wounds on her son. Regrettably so.”

Crown Prince Ferdinand raised his red eyes and silently looked at Empress Carmi.

“….”

In that moment, I could see the smile of the Empress—who stood at the pinnacle of the Empire’s noblewomen and should have nothing to fear—crack slightly but unmistakably.

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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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