The Cooking Princess - Chapter 45

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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 45

Chloe asked about her own engagement status, and couldn’t understand Shuel’s attitude, who seemed somehow displeased, so she pondered for a moment.

And she came to a conclusion.

‘His own situation isn’t going well right now, so it might be a bit frustrating if only his friend’s affairs are going smoothly.’

Without even considering for a moment that the handsome and good-natured Shuel might be interested in her rather than Shurya, she asked about his situation.

“How is Your Highness the Prince’s engagement situation?”

“Me? I am…”

He fell silent for a moment.

Chloe read his answer in that silence.

‘The Empress is blocking marriage arrangements with good families.’

Indeed, with the Empress absent and the current Empress wielding tremendous power, it was uncertain whether the next imperial throne would go to Shuel or Claude.

Probably until Shuel was officially appointed as Crown Prince, the nobles would only watch and hesitate to approach Shuel directly.

Unless it was the ‘original’ Chloe who had fallen for him at first sight, they wouldn’t dare propose rashly.

Sensing his isolated position, Chloe quietly observed Shuel’s mood.

“But why are you curious about that?”

At Shuel’s question, Chloe was at a loss for words.

‘Well, you asked first, so I just asked back…?’

Perhaps reading her answer from Chloe’s puzzled expression, Shuel’s face brightened completely.

“Haha, ha. Pfft, hahaha. No, sorry. I wasn’t laughing at you, Duchess.”

Though she didn’t understand why he was suddenly laughing, since Shuel’s expression had brightened considerably, Chloe decided to think that good was good.

“I think it’s really fortunate that you’re not interested in other people.”

At Shuel’s amused words, Chloe replied in surprise.

“What? I’m very interested in other people.”

“But you don’t have any particular thoughts about engagement yet, do you?”

That was true, so Chloe pondered what to say, and in the meantime, Shuel added as if whispering.

“That’s really fortunate.”

Those words sounded exactly like Shuel was interested in Chloe, but Chloe wasn’t fooled.

She didn’t think that Shuel, who had loved Shurya so much in the original story, would love Chloe instead of Shurya just because Chloe had changed a little.

‘Even if he has some fondness for me, it’s probably just confusion because he hasn’t met Shurya yet.’

“I heard that a marriage proposal also came from the second son of a marquis family. It seems like a relatively modest match with appropriate status, but it appears you have no intention of accepting it.”

“What? Yes. Well, I’m busy.”

When she answered that way, Shuel seemed to become very pleased.

“Really? That’s fortunate.”

Chloe looked at Shuel’s pretty smile with a blank expression, then quickly came to her senses.

At this rate, she might mistakenly think Shuel liked her.

“I can introduce you to a really pretty friend. She might even become Your Highness’s reliable ally—”

“I’ll decline.”

This friend was, of course, Shurya.

This was the first time Shuel had so firmly rejected Chloe’s words, so she couldn’t hide her flustered expression.

Even though he noticed Chloe’s bewilderment, he didn’t withdraw his refusal.

“Being close with you is enough for me.”

At Shuel’s unwavering words spoken like a nail being driven in, Chloe’s face contorted with puzzlement.

‘Wait, you’re a prince, but is it really okay for you to be fooling around with me like this?’

Although the original Shuel and Shurya first met at the debutante ball when they were eighteen, wouldn’t it be better to meet earlier?

After thinking that carelessly, Chloe retracted her own thoughts.

Rather, if she forced them to meet, the mystique of their first encounter might be ruined, or it might create ill feelings, so Chloe decided not to force it.

“I thought it would be nice if Your Highness and my pretty friend became close, but that’s disappointing.”

“It’s not disappointing at all. I like playing with you the most.”

Not ‘fun’ but ‘like’ the most. At these firmly decisive words, Chloe almost misunderstood for a moment.

Right. Anyone listening would think it sounded like a confession, but she steeled her heart once again.

Since his love in the original story was firmly established as Shurya, Chloe, who had feelings for him, wanted to help Shuel find his destined love without unnecessary interference.

‘It might be different if it becomes certain that Shurya and Shuel have no interest in each other, but they haven’t even met yet.’

Having thought that far, Chloe forgot her manners and grabbed her head while thinking.

‘Aaaah, I’m thinking based on the premise that Shuel is interested in me!’

Thinking this was all because of Shuel’s subtle attitude, Chloe struggled for a long time before coming to her senses at Shuel’s worried intervention.

After that, she continued to meet the Prince faithfully, playing together and serving him food, sometimes even meeting the Emperor while steadily expanding her network and business.

For Chloe, who had everything going smoothly, there was only one piece of news she disliked.

‘Claude achieved another military feat in the meantime?’

…Right.

Every time news came that Claude had achieved great military feats at the front lines, Chloe felt her stomach tighten.

Even though he was clearly sent to the front lines as punishment, he paid no heed and was showing off his swordsmanship.

Not stopping there, when she heard news that discussions had begun about whether Claude should be given the title of youngest Sword Master, her anxiety peaked.

And when Chloe heard that the front lines Claude was in charge of were being cleared up at a rapid pace, her stress reached its peak.

It hadn’t even been six months since he properly went to the front lines and couldn’t even attend parties, yet the front lines were being cleared up in that time – how did that make any sense?

‘It’s truly terrifying that it seems possible for Claude since he’s in the original villain position.’

So Chloe wanted to establish a position solid enough that she wouldn’t waver even if Claude returned as a war hero with a strengthened position and attacked her.

She worked hard, developing her estate and providing jobs for commoners, and even creating various items in collaboration with the Magic Tower.

But the forced confrontation with Claude came much faster than Chloe had imagined.

That day too, Chloe was heading to the Imperial Audience Hall, having received Shuel’s invitation.

Just then, a familiar voice came from behind.

“Long time no see?”

Though it was a voice she hadn’t heard in a very long time, she had never forgotten that malicious voice for even a moment, so Chloe barely managed to turn her creaking neck to look at the person who had spoken to her.

Claude stood there with a cold expression.

Chloe was greatly flustered as if she had seen a ghost.

‘When exactly did he return?’

As if he had returned very recently, his clothes were completely torn.

“While I was fighting hard in the war, it seems you were busy fooling around with the Prince.”

Whether she fooled around with the Prince or the Emperor, what business was it of his to make such an angry expression? Chloe didn’t know.

“Still, I remember Your Grace the Grand Duke occasionally showing your face in social circles.”

“Those social parties that you avoided one by one.”

Chloe’s expression naturally became sour, wanting to tell him to stop following her around if he knew she was avoiding them one by one.

“Seeing that you’re in the Imperial Palace rather than at a party venue, I suppose you succeeded in clearing up the entire front lines.”

Even as she said this, Chloe didn’t really think Claude could have achieved such great military feats in less than a year.

This statement was closer to meaning: ‘You just stopped by briefly because you had something to report to His Majesty the Emperor during the war, right? Have your audience with the Emperor and go back quickly instead of picking fights with me.’

But contrary to Chloe’s expectations, Claude answered with a sneer.

“Right. I had quite a hard time clearing up the front lines.”

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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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