He paused for a moment while he was trying to say something, then he brought up a different topic.

“I have to ask you for your understanding.”

“Pardon?”

“Like I did yesterday, I think I’m going to attend more official balls with Lady Jena. Sorry. I had to buy more time, but as I said I needed more time to verify her, I have no other choice.”

“Ah… I’m fine, Your Majesty. ”

I already knew that. Although I was still his official fiancée, Jiun was given the same qualifications as me, so it was obvious that he would change his partner at official events in the future. However, I didn’t expect he would seek my understanding on this.

Staring at me when I looked at him in surprise, he said uncomfortably, “Your dress… ”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“… It doesn’t seem to be the style you normally wear. But it looks good on you. ”

“Ah… Thank you, Majesty. ”

I suddenly realized that he was agitated a bit. Obviously, he knew that I received it as a gift. And he misunderstood me because he knew the meaning of a gift that a man gave a woman. Suddenly, my fingertips felt frozen cold. I was wondering if I should tell him it wasn’t a gift.

He remained silent for some time before opening his mouth.

“Aristia. I’m not going to ask you to be by my side yet. ”

“… ”

“But can you give me a chance?”

“…Your Majesty.”

I felt uncomfortable. Although he and I were engaged, I was a member of a dedicated noble family, so I felt bad since he kept showing his faint heart.

I suddenly became curious. Why does he respect my will so much? No matter how different he was from the old him, he is still the crown prince now. So, if he gives me an order, I have no choice but to obey him.

“Your Majesty… ”

“Um?”

“Why are you asking for my understanding?”

Hearing my question, he stared at me. Then he sighed as if he was frustrated and said, “Are you asking me because you really don’t know the reason?”

“…”

“If I claim my right as the crown prince and your fiance, you have no choice but to fulfill your duties, but…”

“… ”

“That’s not what I want. As a man before the crown prince, I would like to win over the true heart of a woman who I have at my side.”

His hollow blue eyes looked at me alone.

I was moved by his sincere look and desperate voice. I can’t live by his side or by anyone else’s, so I felt a bit sorry that he kept trying to come to me with hopes for my frozen heart.

“Sorry, Your Majesty. I am… ”

He reached out to me with a sorry face. While trying to put his hand on me, he paused for a moment and said, “… I know you are trying to shun me.”

“… ”

“… Let me go out first.”

I blankly watched him leaving the lounge. His last words kept bothering me.

How much time passed? I stood up with a deep sigh. I still felt bitter and confused, but I had to get out now.

I got a cup from a passing attendant and had a cold drink. I felt a bit better as if my complex feelings seemed to subside.

Then, a woman approached me and bowed deeply. She was Entea, the successor of Viscount Sharia and his merchant vessel group.

“Lady Monique, how have you been?”

“It’s been a while, Entea. It seems this is the first time I’m seeing you since the wedding of Niav and Sarah. By the way, are they doing well? ”

“I think so. It looks like at first they found it hard to adjust their lives after they went down to their estate from the capital. But they seem to be doing alright. ”

“What a relief! I hear Catherine is also getting married soon. Now only you are left by my side. Am I too greedy if I ask you to keep staying by my side? ”

“Not at all. It’s my honor if you think so, Lady Monique. I will always be loyal to you. ”

I came to know four young ladies who helped me establish myself when I decided to step into the social circles: Niav, Sarah, Catherine, and Entea.

Among them, I lost my association with two of them after they got married, but their families were brought into the influence of my family.

I gained a lot by associating with the families with quality jewelry mines and craftsmen as well as merchant vessels, but the biggest gain was that I made Entea, my right-hand man.

Ambitious and smart, she was an indispensable presence for me who was not so active in social circles.

“I heard lots of disturbances due to droughts and flooding. How about your trading business?”

“Didn’t you say that a drought was likely, given that it was so hot for the past five months?

So, I sold at a close figure the fabric and drinks I imported from foreign countries. Thanks to this, people began to have a better perception of our merchant business. Recently, I was praised by the crown prince. All thanks to you, Lady Monique.”

I walked with her while being briefed about what had happened. As I listened to her explaining to me calmly, I felt like my head, complicated by my encounter with the crown prince, became clearer.

“I’m glad to hear that. How about your estate?”

“Well, I heard that the staff out there will send the relevant documents sooner or later. I think you can review the details then. As for the flooding, you don’t have to worry about it because they were very well prepared. It was the drought that caused a problem.”

“I see.”

As there was nothing urgent about her estate or finances, the pending issue at the moment was to find out what was going on in social circles. As I had been at the summer palace, there must have been lots of rumors and gossip circulating.

I listened to Entea when she was quick-witted enough to bring up the topic about Jiun.

I could gather the high quality information from Frincia and Lady Genoa that I couldn’t get from Entea, so I needed to listen to her briefing first.

“There is a lot of talk about Lady Jena these days.”

“I guess so.”

“I was hoping she would have trouble with Lady Hamel, but she seemed to have brought her on her side in a short time. When I examine the situation these days, the young ladies of the noble faction seem to have been united behind Lady Jena strongly.”

I tilted my head with a puzzled look.

How can that be possible? Human nature does not change so easily. Jiun was once mocked in social circles when it was known that she called a maid her elder sister. Even though she once lived as the empress, how could she control and lead all the young ladies of the noble faction?

Little by little, my heart began to beat uneasily. I felt it when I saw her saying with a bright smile “It’s been a while,” but she was so different from the old her that I knew. What has changed her so much?

“… Is there any reason why she could control them in such a short period of time? ”

“Well, it seems that she had several meetings with them before the ball. I think something happened there, but I didn’t get any details. ”

“Got it. Anything else?”

“She seems pretty smart. She only recently became Duke Jena’s foster daughter, but she memorized almost all the names in the nobles directory. She dared to compare herself with you, arguing actively that she was a better candidate than you as the crown prince’s bride.”

Entea’s intelligence about Jiun was not very useful because I could easily recollect it based on what I knew before my return. What I really wanted to know was why she changed so much and why she was so hostile to me. I felt I needed to dig a little more.

“Hmm. Too little intelligence about her. I think I need to collect more … Do you have any progress in having the small and medium-sized merchant groups in our pockets?”

“Since Lady Jena appeared, there has been a lull in my activities, but I’m still trying.”

“Did you say you recently succeeded in bringing three of them to our side? It is important to weaken the noble faction’s power, but it is equally important to bring those who are neutral to our side. The more information, the better. ”

“I always keep that in mind, Lady Monique. Let me speed up my efforts. ”

“I always trust you, but as this is an emergency, let me ask you to try harder.”

“Sure. I’ll do my best.”