The Cooking Princess - Chapter 111

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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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The Emperor’s patience finally ran out with Claude, who showed no intention of reflecting and returning to the central government.

“I will elevate Shuel to the position of Crown Prince.”

He didn’t speak ambiguously about appointing him ‘soon,’ but announced the exact date and time.

The investiture ceremony was to be held in just one week.

Crown Prince investiture ceremonies usually take a very long time to prepare, but he had given people only a week’s notice for the ceremony.

Chloe and Shuel hurriedly began considering what attire to wear to the Crown Prince investiture ceremony.

Though the Emperor didn’t bother to explain in detail why he had finally decided on Shuel as Crown Prince, many people guessed it was because of the treason charges placed on Claude.

That was correct, but Chloe thought a little differently.

‘It seems he felt a sense of crisis seeing that Claude didn’t even bat an eye when the Empress was imprisoned.’

Given the Emperor’s character of only thinking about his own safety until the end, it seemed to bother him that Claude cared less about the Empress’s wellbeing than expected.

‘That makes sense. In the original story, the Empress caught her son like catching a mouse.’

The Empress used to give Claude orders in a particularly commanding manner.

Since Chloe was an outsider to the Empress and Duke Claude, they didn’t openly reveal the conflict between them in front of her.

But she could guess that they didn’t have an affectionate mother-son relationship.

‘Judging from those interactions, the Empress probably used Claude like her puppet, just like in the original story.’

If that assumption was correct, it was only natural that Claude, who already had a poor personality, wouldn’t care about the Empress’s wellbeing.

Exactly one week after the Emperor’s declaration, the Crown Prince investiture ceremony truly began.

The ceremony was held relatively simply.

This was partly due to the Emperor’s declaration that they didn’t know when a wartime situation might arise.

‘It seems like he’s worried about too much power concentrating in Shuel’s hands.’

This Emperor, in the final stages of paranoia, seemed to distrust not only Claude but Shuel as well.

Even while thinking this, Chloe solemnly maintained her position and finally witnessed with her own eyes the moving scene of the Emperor investing Shuel as Crown Prince.

The Emperor looked at the ceremonial crown placed on Shuel’s head with utmost solemnity and declared.

“Now, the Crown Prince of the Luzhiere Empire is Shuel Siclamene.”

With the long-awaited declaration, the sound of applause and cheers from the nobles could be heard.

The Emperor deliberately prepared food by someone else instead of Chloe’s cooking for the Crown Prince investiture ceremony.

The reason was simple. It was the Emperor’s consideration that the Crown Prince and Chloe, who would soon become the Crown Princess, should fully enjoy the investiture ceremony without having to prepare anything.

Though he called it consideration, it seemed he was wary that if Chloe’s cooking also shone at an event where Shuel was already going to shine, too much power would be concentrated.

Though she was disgusted by the Emperor’s inner thoughts, the food itself was satisfactory.

There was a huge cream cake made to celebrate, and an array of finger foods that could be picked up and eaten anytime.

Chloe’s eyes sparkled with joy at being able to just receive and eat the finest cuisine without lifting a finger.

‘This is it. Fusion dishes are appearing on their own even though I didn’t develop them!’

Among the simple finger foods were fish dumplings and bonbon au chocolat, which Chloe had struggled to make at first.

‘But why are dumplings and chocolates together?’

It seemed they were just placed together casually because they were similar in size, but they still tasted good.

And there was Korean food that existed in Chloe’s previous life, and even Korean-style pasta made by appropriately mixing pasta with samgyetang and perilla leaves.

To Chloe herself, it felt like a somewhat subtle fusion, but the taste wasn’t bad anyway.

‘Still, it used to have no taste at all, so coming this far is something.’

She couldn’t hide her joy as she savored the food.

Rather, the people from Chloe’s salon looked at her apologetically, consoling her that it was regrettable she couldn’t serve more delicious food at such an important occasion.

So Chloe honestly and cheerfully responded to their concerns.

“I’m in a good mood. To be able to taste such delicious food without having to step forward myself, I’m even looking forward to the future of the Luzhiere Empire.”

People were busy praising Chloe, saying how kind-hearted the future Crown Princess was.

After that, people would subtly ask about when Chloe and Shuel would get married.

“So, when are you planning to hold the wedding ceremony with His Highness the Crown Prince?”

Chloe broke out in a cold sweat from their persistent questioning.

‘Even if we do get married, that would be after all matters related to Claude are settled.’

Once matters were settled, all the people and issues blocking Chloe and Shuel’s relationship would disappear.

Shurya, who was the original female protagonist, seemed to have no particular interest in Shuel from the beginning, and the same was true for Shuel.

Unlike the original story, the two of them now had a purely business relationship.

‘From the moment Shurya ascended to the position of Pope instead of Saint, it became difficult to talk about the original story anyway.’

Chloe managed to deflect the people who kept asking about her marriage plans and successfully escaped to the empty balcony, breathing a sigh of relief.

While she was resting for a moment, she heard the sound of a door opening, so Chloe turned her head to check who was entering.

It was Shuel.

As soon as she saw him properly, Chloe smiled brightly and offered her congratulations first.

“Now you’re not His Highness the Prince but His Highness the Crown Prince? You’ve worked hard. Congratulations.”

At Chloe’s congratulations, Shuel smiled truly brightly and replied.

“Thank you for the congratulations, Chloe. Were you resting here? Did people bother you under the pretense of congratulating?”

From beginning to end, Shuel was only worried about Chloe.

Feeling flutter and joy at his thoughtfulness, Chloe glanced at Shuel for a moment before honestly confessing what the nobles had said.

“The nobles kept asking when we plan to get married now that His Highness the Prince has become His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Really?”

“Yes. When we don’t know when Claude might harbor ill intentions and try to invade the Imperial Palace, they’re talking about such things… Above all, such important matters should be decided together with Your Highness.”

Chloe expressed her difficulty, saying it was troublesome because they kept asking when she hadn’t even consulted with His Highness.

Moreover, to face sudden marriage pressure at a time like this.

‘Though Shuel likes me, he probably won’t welcome this kind of pressure.’

Thinking it would be quite burdensome for him too, Chloe continued chattering.

“And I thought it would be a burden for Shuel too,”

“What if I don’t feel burdened?”

“Pardon?”

When Chloe asked back in confusion, Shuel smiled gently and deflected.

“It’s nothing. You were being considerate of me. Thank you, Chloe.”

Shuel’s thoughts seemed different from Chloe’s.

“But I… Chloe, I’m curious about what you think of me.”

He looked into Chloe’s green eyes with those brilliant golden eyes and asked in a calm voice.

“What do you think of me?”

Only then did Chloe realize that she hadn’t given Shuel any certainty!

While Shuel had shown many signs of liking her, come to think of it.

‘I… was putting it off, thinking I should confess my feelings a little more coolly, a little more prettily, in a situation where I’m helping Shuel.’

It was a sobering realization.

She could understand why Shuel was feeling anxious and insecure.

Her mouth opened slightly in surprise.

Seeing this, Shuel seemed to interpret it as Chloe feeling burdened.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to pressure you. I just.”

Chloe looked at Shuel, who was lowering his head with a slightly sad expression, with a dazed face and thought.

‘This won’t do!’

At the same time, Chloe grabbed Shuel’s face with both hands and said.

“Of course!”

“Of course?”

At Shuel’s question, Chloe, who had been at a loss, thought she couldn’t avoid it any longer and burst out.

“…Because I lo-lo-love you, that’s why we’ve been having good conversations all this time!”

With those words, Chloe’s face blazed as red as her hair color.

Shuel watched this silently, with a slightly surprised expression.

“Thank you so much. I love you.”

A heartfelt confession flowed out along with words of gratitude.

At the same time, gradually, a red tint spread across Shuel’s face as well.

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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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