The Cooking Princess - Chapter 12

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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 Princess Who Cooks

Episode 12

‘Oops. Was that too close?’

It seemed like she had gotten too close while trying to convey her sincerity.

Realizing this fact, Chloe naturally withdrew her hand and smiled brightly.

“What have you been doing all this time, Your Highness?”

“I was studying.”

At those words, Chloe tilted her head.

‘Not studying in the prince’s palace, but staying in the reception room to study?’

She thought he had remaining business with the Empress, but that wasn’t it?

As if Shuel also noticed Chloe’s confusion, he averted his gaze and answered calmly.

“Because the Princess would return to the reception room. Since you were called here because of me in the first place, I should help you until the end.”

Shuel’s face looked truly resolute as he explained that he stayed here worried that something else might happen.

Just as Chloe smiled and was about to respond to him.

“Her Majesty the Empress enters!”

Along with the attendant’s voice, the Empress entered the audience chamber.

At this, Chloe hurriedly offered her greeting.

“I greet Her Majesty the Empress.”

Watching Chloe’s simplified but perfect greeting, the Empress opened her mouth somewhat irritably.

“Count Blair told me an interesting story. You received a wonderful gift from the Merchant Prince of the Kingdom of Konpa?”

It seemed the Count had reported to the Empress by reducing the transaction between them to the Merchant Prince giving Chloe a gift.

The Empress thought for a moment, then added this.

“I understand the Princess is remarkable. The Prince’s judgment as well, hmm. It might not be bad.”

At those words, Chloe’s face brightened, and before she could say anything, the Empress continued speaking.

“From now on, I have separate business with the Prince, so Princess, go to the garden.”

“Pardon?”

Chloe asked back in confusion at that sudden command, but the Empress’s order was firm.

“I’ll assign you a guide to show you around the garden, so you won’t be lonely.”

Though flustered by that unilateral command, Chloe bowed her head and responded.

“I accept Her Majesty the Empress’s command.”

It was time to go home, but suddenly the garden?

It was absurd, but sadly she had no power to refuse.

***

Even as Chloe headed to the garden following the Empress’s command, she was dumbfounded.

‘What? Suddenly the garden?’

She would have at least understood if she had been told to just go home now.

Feeling anxious about the Empress’s incomprehensible actions was only momentary.

Someone was standing at the entrance to the garden.

Since it was late evening and she couldn’t see the person’s face clearly, Chloe tilted her head while walking forward.

When she approached closer, it was some kid.

Glossy flowing black hair, white skin, and even an arrogantly straight nose bridge.

He appeared to be around Chloe’s age, but already had a perfect face with completed beauty.

‘Wow, the Imperial Court has so many handsome men starting with Shuel.’

Chloe was carelessly admiring this when she realized.

‘Wait. Black hair?’

The fact that the boy before her perfectly matched the characteristics of the villainous sub-male lead from the original story, Claude, Duke. Just as Chloe was about to confirm his face again and made eye contact with him.

“What’s this rude-looking thing?”

Having been cursed at right upon first meeting, Chloe couldn’t hide her bewildered feelings and made a dazed expression.

However, the boy didn’t wait for Chloe to come to her senses.

“What are you doing? You must have recognized me. Are you planning to stand there dazed without greeting me?”

He scolded her, assuming she would naturally recognize him.

Every word was sharp.

Among the people who would appear in the Imperial Court, the only one this rude was indeed Claude.

“It’s my first time meeting you. Your Grace, Duke Claude.”

Claude, the Empress’s son, had not received official recognition as a prince, so he had received a nominal title early on and was called Duke.

Chloe greeted him without adding any other words.

“Hmm.”

He shrugged his shoulders, looked Chloe up and down, then said this.

“Her Majesty the Empress told me to help guide you through the garden.”

At that ridiculous statement, Chloe barely managed to keep her mouth from dropping open.

‘The guide was the sub-male lead!’

What kind of idea is it to pair up the villainess with the villainous sub-male lead?

Does this mean if we’re going to be ruined anyway, go big and double down?

Chloe squeezed her eyes shut.

‘I’d rather become friends with Shuel.’

It was truly her unfiltered honest feeling.

Chloe barely managed her expression with her mind going blank.

As if the boy also noticed this like a ghost, he immediately approached right up to Chloe’s nose and sarcastically sneered irritably.

“How dare you ignore me?”

Only then realizing that she appeared to have ignored the Duke, Chloe hastily answered.

“I wasn’t ignoring you. I’m sorry. I was just thinking about Her Majesty the Empress for a moment…”

“Ah. Since you were just beside the Prince, you think it’s okay to ignore a mere Duke?”

Chloe raised her head to say that wasn’t it.

However, what she faced were Claude’s utterly cold eyes.

“That’s not it,”

Before Chloe could even explain, he coldly cut off her words.

“Stop being so annoying.”

At that irritating and sharp tone, Chloe was inwardly flustered.

Even if she fell short of Imperial blood, Chloe was clearly the only daughter of a Duke.

However, without considering such hierarchy at all, Claude displayed hostility toward Chloe.

‘What is this stupid behavior? The stupid villain was the original me, not Claude, wasn’t it?’

The Duke Claude that Chloe remembered, who was the sub-male lead and closest to being the final boss, was a bit more cunning and much more cruel.

He basically had a cold face, but he wasn’t lacking in social skills either.

He knew how to be sociable to his political enemies, and he had no hesitation in cutting down his political enemies with that smiling face.

Having thought that far, Chloe suddenly realized.

The fact that this was a full 8 years before the original story began.

‘Was he originally sensitive and irritable in personality, but changed to become cunning and crafty as he grew up?’

Having thought that far, Chloe was silent for a moment, then said.

“I never ignored Your Grace in the first place, you know?”

“Ah~ Well, sure. Let’s just say that’s the case.”

Claude shrugged his shoulders in a delinquent posture, then answered carelessly.

“I just don’t like you, and is there any reason to argue about it that much?”

Indeed, Claude was just being contrary because he simply didn’t like Chloe.

At that point, Chloe briefly considered whether to just quietly let this situation pass or fight back.

“I can see who you take after. Taking after that weak Duchess—”

But since she couldn’t tolerate trash talk that brought up family, Chloe widened her eyes and cut off Claude’s words.

“Your Grace is a Duke, and I am a Princess invited by Her Majesty the Empress.”

“So what? A mere Princess dares to say…”

“More important than me being a Princess is that I’m Her Majesty the Empress’s guest, isn’t it?”

Along with her words, Chloe didn’t even bother to hide her irritated attitude as she fought back.

“For you to treat me so rudely like this, I suppose it means Your Grace is disrespecting Her Majesty the Empress.”

At that bold, almost brazen statement, Claude blinked his eyes for a moment before letting out a scoff as if he found it utterly ridiculous.

“…Ha!”

And he added this:

“You. Do you not know who I am?”

It was a rebuke asking if she truly didn’t know that although he held the temporary title of Duke, he was the Empress’s son and the Emperor’s legitimate child.

To this, Chloe answered cheerfully.

“Of course I know. You’re Duke Claude, son of His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”

Since Chloe answered obediently, Claude’s expression became somewhat triumphant.

But as soon as her next words followed, it turned cold again.

“However, the reason Your Grace can be a Duke is also because of Her Majesty the Empress, so someone like me, a mere princess, finds Her Majesty the Empress much more frightening.”

Isn’t the power you wield also all because you’re the child of the Emperor and Empress?

What rudeness is this toward a guest of that very Empress? Would the Empress be pleased to know her guest is being disrespected like this?

It was a high-level provocation with that meaning.

Indeed, Chloe’s intention seemed to be well conveyed as Claude’s expression hardened instantly.

Claude replied with cold eyes as if he found it absurd.

“I’m curious how long that insolent attitude will last.”

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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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