# 381
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381
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, so I’m sorry for having to say this to you. But if you’re worried about me, you don’t have to worry about it. “What you said a moment ago is clearly disrespectful to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Calm black eyes looked straight at Asuka.
Pointing out Asuka’s mistakes was the same as ever.
However, Asuka perceived it as taking one side in this situation. The other side.
“you…!”
Asuka felt betrayed and gritted her teeth. Charlotte’s words continued smoothly.
“And as the Grand Duchess of Rinosa, I came to the empire with the intention of conveying the will of the Grand Duke of Rinosa to the imperial family of the empire and to offer greetings, and I have no other intention.”
A calm voice came from her.
“I am still young and intend to help my father. “My father also respected my wishes.”
To put it bluntly, it was a rejection. Both the crown prince and Asuka. The crown prince and Asuka looked at each other.
The crown prince simply raised his eyebrows. Unexpectedly, there seemed to be no damage.
It was Asuka who became nervous. Isn’t the reason Archduke Farnese pushed for this marriage talk in the first place to keep Asuka captive?
Asuka asked urgently.
“So… are you here to refuse marriage talks?”
“No, I mean I want to take some time to think about it deeply. Because for me and for Linosa, it is not the time to think about such things. “That in itself does not mean any promise, so you can reject it if you wish.”
I’m not thinking about getting married at the moment, I just want to consider it later. Either wait until I feel like responding or step away.
To put it bluntly, it was like that. Her words were simple, as if she had no regrets about marriage talks.
The crown prince opened his mouth.
“It’s called a hold.”
“I was going to tell you this when I visited Archduke Farnese, but I feel like I need to make it clear here.”
The fact that Charlotte came here dressed as the Grand Duchess of Linosa rather than a prosecutor means that she will be faithful to her duties. As expected, Rinosa was her number one priority.
And it wasn’t for Rinosa’s benefit that she agreed to marriage talks, at least at this point.
Her ties to the imperial family are a good justification for Michael to argue that Linosa’s independence will be violated if she ascends to the throne.
Charlotte had no intention of giving up her position as Linosa’s successor. At least not yet.
Because as of now, it means giving Michael the position of successor to Linosa.
As a competitor, she had to maintain her position as a competitor to prevent Michael from taking it.
Even Grand Duke Rinosa, who did not choose Michael, would want it.
Asuka simply accepted it as ‘now is not the time to think about marriage talks,’ but the crown prince thought a little deeper.
He wanted to know if Charlotte had ambitions to become Grand Duke of Linosa.
It is true that when she helps Helmut, she is helping, and she deserves it.
It may be that while helping Helmut out of moral sense, she has no intention of yielding to him either.
he asked right away.
“What do you mean to assist Archduke Rinosa?”
“To the best of my ability. “I plan to remain by my father’s side as a prosecutor after graduating from Greta Academy.”
Will was visible in her resolute eyes.
It seems like he plans to confront Michael without any intention of running away.
But that couldn’t necessarily be seen as ambition.
The crown prince asked one more question.
“Is that your decision not to leave Rinosa in the future?”
“In the future… I don’t know. “I would like to think about that first, because the duties that lie upon me at the moment are heavy.”
Charlotte smiled faintly. After hearing her answer, Asuka gained hope, and the crown prince was lost in complicated thoughts.
Although the Grand Duke of Linosa sent Charlotte, he said that he respected her wishes, meaning that he had no intention of using his only wife as a tool of political strategy.
In this case, marriage talks cannot take place even if the crown prince pushes for it. That’s not just because he cares about his daughter, but because he also considers her as the successor to Rinosa.
In other words, it indirectly suggests to the Empire that Michael is not the confirmed successor to Rinosa and that someone else may take his place.
It was also an expression of Linosa’s position on Michael’s mistake of siding with the temple and trying to prevent its eviction – which even triggered the assassination of the crown prince.
That’s Michael’s dogma, not Grand Duke Rinosa’s will.
‘But the simplest and most complete way to repair the rift is through self-talk.
The reason he did not refuse marriage talks despite considering Charlotte as his successor was not because he was concerned that the relationship with the empire would become uncomfortable, but did it mean that someone other than Michael or Charlotte could become Linosa’s successor?’
The crown prince reached there. The speaking style of the imperial family and Rinosa is similar.
Every little and significant thing comes together to make one meaning. The crown prince was busy thinking while his brain was spinning.
‘I guess I can’t push marriage talks.’
In the first place, he was not the crown prince who would forcefully pursue marriage talks that conflicted with his interests. This is always the case with royal marriages.
‘Michael visited the Empire a lot. Some in Jedo’s social circles think he will be Rinosa’s successor.
Is this an opportunity for her? Imprint your presence on the empire.’
After organizing his thoughts, the crown prince opened his mouth again and asked.
“Didn’t you say you were conveying Grand Duke Rinosa’s will?”
“Yes, I am about to have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor and convey my father’s wishes.”
“Are you planning to leave right after that?”
“My father told me to stay in the empire for a while. Archduke Farnese also wants it. If the meaning does not change….”
“That is something I can decide within my power. The Grand Duchess can stay in the palace as long as she wants. Staying in the system and interacting with new people will also be helpful.”
The crown prince sighed leisurely. It is a right that Michael has often been given. If I were to be honest, he was much closer to Michael.
Archduke Rinosa strictly forbids entry into the empire, so even though he grew distant due to this incident, Michael is a guy who will naturally smile and talk to him.
However, the Crown Prince had no qualms about siding with Charlotte.
Michael is the one who actually thinks it doesn’t matter whether the Crown Prince lives or dies.
He must have simply felt embarrassed by the sudden actions of the temple forces within the empire.
Above all, he hasn’t given up yet. A bright smile fell on the crown prince’s lips.
It was the smile that made the noble daughters of the empire dream of becoming a crown prince.
“In return, I would like you to be my partner at the ball.”
It is an opportunity and honor that has not been given to anyone else.
At the same time as being the subject of marriage talks, it is also possible to make people think that she has the crown prince’s support on her back.
This time, Charlotte willingly agreed.
“That’s right.”
Charlotte’s eyes moved as she smiled. Her eyes immediately fell on Asuka.
Asuka, who had snorted, knowing that Charlotte would naturally refuse, remained frozen.
“what? “You two are partners at the prom!”
The face looks as if it has been hit by a counterattack. The gaze looking back at the crown prince was quite cruel.
Before Asuka could act on her whim, Charlotte asked him.
“Does Archduchess Farnese have anything to say to me?”
Asuka paused for a moment and blinked.
“huh?”
It was the first time I had been called by a title other than senior. It was very unfamiliar.
He who was just a commoner became Archduke Farnese!
Charlotte went into a little more detail.
“Prom isn’t something you only attend once, and prom isn’t the only social event. “I heard that Archduchess Farnese is also participating in social activities these days.”
“That’s right. therefore.”
Only then did Asuka understand what Charlotte was saying.
“Will you be my partner too?”
“Of course.”
Asuka’s anger seemed to have nowhere to go for a moment. His expression soon cleared.
It was Charlotte who quickly made Asuka calm down, as if soothing a child.
‘It doesn’t look like a fox, but maybe it’s a fox. ‘Does he just know how to handle Asuka?’
And the crown prince just watched with a strange gaze.
*
It was the very next day that Charlotte, who clearly conveyed her intention to the Crown Prince and Asuka, met the Emperor.
As I entered the throne room at the appointed time, I saw someone sitting on an ornate throne.
He was a middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a dignified look throughout his body.
This is a man who did not inherit the throne gracefully, but took it after a bitter succession war.
Although he is known to be close to a civil servant, the emperor gave off an overwhelming presence as if he were dealing with a powerful swordsman.
Charlotte politely bowed, feeling her body stiffen with even more tension than when she entered the competition.
“Meet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The Emperor of the Deus Empire slowly looked down at Grand Princess Rinosa who stood in front of him.
It was the first time I had seen her since I was a child.
Eyes filled with gunfire. Correct and upright posture. The Grand Duchess of Rinosa would have been raised as a princess, but she seemed to have no traces of flower-like fragility, and instead had a dignified elegance with added confidence based on her skills.
‘I understand why the crown prince was besotted with this child.’
The moment he saw her, he coveted her as the crown princess.
‘Michael is intelligent, but compared to this child, he somehow feels like a child.’
Swordsmanship is always expected from the lineage of the Grand Duke of Rinosa.
Michael did not have that, but he still managed to secure his position in Linosa, so his resourcefulness can be said to be remarkable.
The emperor’s memories suddenly reached the not-so-distant past.
Not long ago, he met another member of Rinosa’s bloodline at this location. A young man who looked stronger, had a more powerful presence, and seemed that much more dangerous than the Grand Princess Rinosa in front of him right now.
My encounter with him was so impressive that I could not erase it from my mind.
Clearing his thoughts, the emperor spoke to Grand Duchess Linosa.
“I heard that he boasts outstanding skills as a prosecutor. “You’ve grown up wonderfully.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
