Chapter 32

“…It’s huge.”

That was my impression as the Imperial Palace began to slowly come into view from inside the carriage.

Huge. Majestic.

Are there any other words that could perfectly describe the Imperial Palace besides these two?

If I think about it, maybe “gorgeous” could be one.

But more than its gorgeousness, the majestic and solemn atmosphere captivated me even more.

“Is this your first time visiting the Imperial Palace?”

“Yes, has Your Highness visited before?”

“I’ve been here a few times with my father.”

“I see.”

Well, someone of a Duke’s status would naturally have many opportunities to visit the Imperial Palace.

It wasn’t particularly special that Rebecca had visited the palace before.

“Then, can I expect Your Highness to guide me through the Imperial Palace?”

“…Are you asking your fiancée to escort you?”

Rebecca looked at me with a face that said she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

As if to say, what kind of fiancé asks their fiancée to escort them?

Her expression was as if she were staring at the most shameless person in the world.

But…

“It’s a long-standing tradition for someone who knows well to guide someone who doesn’t.”

“…”

I was an even more shameless person than the Princess had thought.

“Just kidding. Please relax your expression.”

Of course, I quickly stopped when I saw Rebecca’s face starting to scrunch up.

“Your face will look ugly if you keep frowning.”

“Did you just call me ugly…?”

“Except for the most beautiful fiancée in the world, of course.”

“…”

“Do you think I’d ever call the Princess I love ugly?”

“…Stop teasing me.”

Rebecca’s fierce expression, which looked like she was about to bite me, crumbled at the words “beautiful” and “love.”

It was always the same—she’d melt at embarrassing words, making her all the more adorable.

“…Why do you keep staring at me?”

“My fiancée is so beautiful that I can’t help but keep looking.”

“…”

As I spent time gazing at Rebecca’s flushed face, we soon arrived at the palace gates, where a guard stopped us.

“May I see your identification?”

“Rebecca Valencia of the Valencia Duchy, Albert Zernias of the Zernias Count family.”

“Please show me your invitations.”

The heavily armored guard, who looked very strict, asked to see our invitations.

“Here you go.”

“Please wait a moment while I verify them.”

The guard took the two invitations I handed over and carefully examined them.

“It’s taking a while.”

“Indeed.”

I wholeheartedly agreed with Rebecca’s bored tone.

If I had come in the carriage with my parents, we wouldn’t have had to go through this verification process.

– Your father and I will go ahead. You, our son, should ride with the Princess when she wakes up.

– …

Because someone slept in so heavily, the unfortunate situation of having to take a separate carriage from my parents occurred.

“Why do you keep looking at me?”

“…It’s nothing.”

It seemed like that someone didn’t even realize that her oversleeping was the reason for this delay.

The reason Rebecca overslept was because she stayed up late helping me with my dance practice, so I couldn’t really say anything about it.

Even though I pride myself on being shameless, I wasn’t shameless enough to scold someone who helped me for oversleeping.

“…Verification complete. Princess Rebecca of the Valencia Duchy, Prince Albert of the Zernias Count family. Welcome to the Imperial Palace.”

Once the invitations were verified, the guard welcomed us and opened the path, allowing us to step into the Imperial Palace where the main event of the original story would take place.

***

“…Did I come too early?”

I was now wandering aimlessly through the Imperial Palace alone.

It was still a bit early for the banquet to start.

– I’ll have to leave you for a moment.

– Are you going to see the Duchess?

– Yes. My mother told me to come find her as soon as I arrived.

Since Rebecca had to go meet her mother, the Duchess, right after getting out of the carriage.

– Don’t sulk just because I’m not around.

– …Stop teasing me.

After teasing Rebecca one last time, I sent her off.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t disappointed to part ways right after arriving, but debutantes have a lot to prepare for, so I didn’t show my disappointment.

In fact, I could have joined my mother and father if I wanted to.

Even though it was my first time at the Imperial Palace, I could have asked someone around to find out where my parents were.

But the reason I didn’t go to them was…

Well, the excuse was that I was fascinated by wandering around the Imperial Palace, which I had only seen described in the novel.

But the real reason was…

‘If I go, I’ll just be in the way.’

It seemed like my parents were enjoying some rare alone time, and I didn’t want to interrupt.

As their son, it wasn’t a bad thing that my parents were so close, but…

It was uncomfortable for both sides for a child to witness their parents’ affection.

What parent would want to show their affection in front of their child?

There might be some, but at least my parents weren’t like that.

So instead of joining my parents like Rebecca did, I chose to explore the Imperial Palace.

There was still about an hour before the banquet officially started, so I had enough time to look around.

I thought I could wander around a bit and then head to the banquet hall.

…Or so I thought.

“What’s your name?”

“…The Empire’s little sun. I greet the Crown Prince.”

The Crown Prince of the Empire and the protagonist of the novel I had transmigrated into.

Before I met Mikhail Schuelgart.

*

Mikhail Schuelgart.

The protagonist of the novel titled *The Crown Prince Wields the Sword*, who plays the role of the “Crown Prince.”

As the next Emperor, he has a cold and rational personality, with a setting that he cares for the people more than anyone else.

To borrow from the novel’s description, Mikhail was the most “Emperor-like” character.

In the original story, he was a protagonist admired by all the characters and readers alike, but…

“I’ll ask again. What’s your name?”

“…”

I didn’t like Mikhail as a character.

Even though the author had written the story carelessly, the reason Rebecca’s family, the Valencia Duchy, fell was because of this Crown Prince standing in front of me.

That’s why I dropped the novel, and because I dropped the novel, I ended up transmigrating into it.

There was no way I could have any positive feelings toward Mikhail.

“It’s clear you’re a noble since you’re wandering around so freely, but I’ve never seen your face before.”

“…Albert Zernias of the Zernias Count family.”

But even though I didn’t have positive feelings, it was clear that if I didn’t respond respectfully to the Crown Prince, the Zernias family would fall before the Valencia family.

So I answered as politely as possible.

“The Zernias Count family…”

Mikhail seemed to know who I was, even though we had never met.

He probably knew me as the person engaged to the only daughter of the Valencia Duchy.

“…The family engaged to the Valencia Duchy.”

As I expected, the Crown Prince roughly knew my identity through my connection to the Valencia Duchy.

“That’s correct.”

I didn’t deny it.

There was no need to hide my identity, and I wanted to end this uncomfortable conversation as quickly as possible by agreeing with him.

“…I see. You’re here for the banquet, I assume?”

“Yes.”

Fortunately, Mikhail didn’t seem interested in keeping me around for long, or maybe he had other things to do.

“The banquet will start soon, so it’s best to head to the banquet hall.”

“…Thank you.”

After giving me that advice, he walked past me.

Once I confirmed that the Crown Prince was far enough away, I finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Phew.”

I had expected to meet Mikhail, the protagonist of the novel, at some point after transmigrating into the story, but…

“…I didn’t expect to meet him so soon.”

I hadn’t anticipated meeting him this early.

Personally, I didn’t want to get involved with any of the original characters except Rebecca.

If I happened to run into them like just now, that was one thing, but I had no desire to seek them out and get involved.

If my presence as a variable caused any changes to the original story’s flow, I couldn’t even begin to predict what might happen.

As someone with the goal of protecting Rebecca’s Valencia Duchy from being destroyed for treason, even the smallest variable was unwelcome.

“…I should get going.”

Even though it was unwelcome, the Crown Prince’s advice to head to the banquet hall was sound.

“Excuse me, where is the banquet hall…?”

“It’s that way.”

After occasionally asking the palace servants for directions, I made my way to the banquet hall.

“…Why are you so late?”

There, I found Rebecca with a pouty expression.

Unlike the casual attire she had shown me before, she was now wearing a red dress that suited her perfectly, along with makeup and accessories that accentuated her beauty.

“…”

“…Stop staring blankly and come here.”

And that sight…

Was the most beautiful I had seen of the Princess in the three years I had known her.

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