Count Devar was notorious for being a gossipmonger. 

 

If one wonders what that means, imagine sharing a secret with a close friend at night, like still sleeping with a doll. If by the next day, everyone knows about it, then one of their friends was most likely the gossipmonger.

 

Lately, Count Devar had been particularly infatuated with one individual.

 

Ascal Debrue.

 

If one asked who was the most famous person in the empire these days, nine out of ten people would mention his name.

 

The one outlier was probably just mad.

 

"Would you like some snacks, my lord?"

 

"No, I'm good."

 

The Count was busy. He had to observe every move Ascal made. Watching this rising star was a treat in itself. Either soaring high, piercing the heavens, or plummeting to the ground.

 

'Which one will you be, Ascal Debrue?'

 

The Count took a sip of his wine. From a distance, he could see Ascal greeting the highest-ranking noble, the Duke.

 

'Hmm. If the Duke ignores him, then there's nothing worth discussing.'

 

Next to approach was Prince Kain.

 

'So, the rumors about the Prince taking an interest in him were true...'

 

At the party, Ascal had received acknowledgment from the two most powerful figures.

 

Everyone seemed preoccupied with their own affairs, but there was an underlying tension, with many covertly observing Ascal. 

 

Nobles wanting to connect with him, ladies hoping for a night's flirtation or maybe more.

 

It was a silent battle of wits.

 

And the one to break the ice was the Second Princess, Serena Barba.

 

'Ah! Princess Serena makes the first move.'

 

Many feared or were wary of Princess Serena, but Count Devar liked her.

 

Because she was always assertive. From a spectator's standpoint, she was the kind one couldn't dislike.

 

 

Soft murmurs echoed through the party hall. Even without listening closely, it was evident they were discussing about Serena.

 

Yet, Serena approached Ascal without hesitation.

 

“Would you honor me with a dance?”

 

Holding the hem of her dress, she elegantly curtsied.

 

It was a textbook-perfect dance invitation.

 

It would be hard for any man to decline such a request.

 

'Truly, they say the brave win the beauty, but this time it seems to be the other way around.'

 

“I apologize. My leg’s troubling me. Excuse me.”

 

'?'

 

But an unexpected twist occurred.

 

Leaving those words behind, Ascal vanished on the spot.

 

The Princess was left alone on the dance floor, her face frozen in disbelief.

 

"Peanuts, give me some peanuts!"

 

Count Devar grabbed some peanuts offered by a servant and hurriedly popped them into his mouth.

 

 

It was a scene too precious to just watch with a bare mouth.

 

Ascal was proving to be more entertaining than he had imagined.

 

 

The Duke's mansion was even grander than one could imagine.

 

It wasn't just a place to eat and sleep, but served various purposes.

 

For instance, hosting grand parties.

 

Or having a clueless empire official wander indefinitely within its walls.

 

"Where could she be... Sushia..."

 

It was exasperating.

 

Every person he met would say things like, "Oh, nice to meet you. I'm so-and-so. If you have time, shall we discuss the continent's current state?" or "The moon is beautiful tonight. They say even the moon has a partner; I wonder where mine is?" Politely declining each time was exhausting.

 

Nevertheless, Ascal had done his minimum duty.

 

Now, all he wanted was to meet Sushia, claim a resounding victory in their cookie contest, return home, wipe his feet, and get a good night's rest.

 

However, Ascal's hopes did not come to fruition.

 

"We meet again, Ascal."

 

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

 

He had run into the last person he wanted to see again.

 

With a friendly smile, Kain greeted Ascal, surrounded by young, capable nobles.

 

Likely his supporters.

 

"Pleased to meet you. I am Count Teheran."

 

"It's a pleasure. I am Ascal Debrue."

 

A noble radiating the aura of, 'At first glance, it's clear I've walked a path of success without a single setback. You're the same, right?' approached, feeling a bit overwhelming.

 

"I've heard a lot about you. Truly a capable individual."

 

"You flatter me."

 

Count Teheran extended his hand for a handshake. 

 

As they gripped hands, Ascal felt the moistness of sweat.

 

'If you have hyperhidrosis, you could've warned me...'

 

Hiding his discomfort, Ascal completed the handshake and discreetly wiped his hand.

 

"However, no matter how capable a bird is, it's meaningless without a nest."

 

Count Teheran offered a subtle smile. His confidence in taking the lead in the conversation came from the tacit approval of the Crown Prince.

 

From an optimistic perspective, the emperor's life wouldn't last much longer. Naturally, the discussion of the next line of succession was heated within the empire.

 

Among the nobility, the odds of the Crown Prince succeeding were more than ninety percent. No, more like ninety-nine percent.

 

Count Teheran was confident.

 

He believed Ascal would gladly grab onto this golden opportunity.

‘What did he say?’

 

However, Ascal, busy wiping his hand, missed Count Teheran's words.

 

He felt he was saying something, but it fell on deaf ears. Nonetheless, ignoring him would be impolite, so Ascal decided to offer some cookies.

 

"I baked some cookies, would you like one?"

 

"...Cookies at a time like this?"

 

Count Teheran was taken aback. Did this man even hear what he said?

 

"Cookies. They remind me of my childhood. My siblings and I used to share one cookie."

 

Crown Prince Kain took a bite of the cookie offered by Ascal.

 

"But now that we've grown, one cookie isn't enough for the three of us. Still, everyone wants a cookie."

 

"Fortunately, there are plenty of cookies."

 

Ascal fumblingly took out more cookies. The Crown Prince, with a smile, ate another.

 

"Would you like more?"

 

"Yes."

 

It was hard to decline when offered. Plus, the cookies didn’t taste bad. But eating them without a drink made the throat feel parched. The Crown Prince swallowed.

 

"Hmm. It seems there are still plenty of cookies left. Another?"

Kain was taken aback.

 

Just how many cookies did that guy have?

 

And did he understand the 'message' he tried to convey?

 

'Hold on.'

 

A realization flashed across Kain's mind.

 

- 'Fortunately, there are plenty of cookies.'

 

This could be interpreted as:

 

'The empire is vast, too vast for one person to consume alone. There's no need for three to fight over it.'

 

"Indeed."

 

Ascal Debrue.

 

Kain felt he understood why this man hadn't joined any faction yet. From the beginning, Ascal seemed to possess a 'different perspective'.

 

'How arrogant, Ascal Debrue.'

 

No matter how expansive the empire, without a core, it could easily split apart.

 

However,

 

When someone like Ascal, with countless achievements, speaks, his words carry a different weight.

 

Had there been any man who voiced his opinion to Kain so clearly before?

 

Until now, everyone just agreed with him, nodding in approval.

 

Perhaps what he needed right now was someone who could confidently say 'no' to him.

 

The prince's curiosity was piqued.

 

He began to desire Ascal even more.

 

'I will definitely have you, Ascal Debrue.'

 

 

And so, for a long time, Ascal was hassled by Prince Kain's entourage before he could finally break free.

 

'I need to... find Sushia quickly...'

 

This was his limit.

 

He felt like he was dying from exhaustion.

​

He had searched every nook and cranny of the first floor, but given that there was no sign of Sushia, she was most likely on the second floor.

 

As Ascal began to ascend the stairs, the surroundings became quiet.

 

Unlike the first floor, which served as a party hall, the second felt more like a living space.

 

'This feels a bit intrusive.'

 

At that moment, hushed voices filtered through a slightly ajar door.

 

- "The current situation is..."

 

- "So, how is the plan progressing?"

 

It was the voice of a middle-aged man and a young woman. He unintentionally overheard their conversation.

 

Just as Ascal was about to head back down, he bumped into the person he was looking for.

 

"Oh, Director-nim. What brings you here?"

 

It was Sushia. Normally she was a thorn in his side, but right now, he was genuinely relieved to see her.

 

"I've finally found you. Did you actually make those cookies?"

 

"Of... of course. You'll be in for a surprise when you try them."

 

Sushia was about to say something when...

 

The door opened.

 

Emerging from it was a stunningly beautiful woman with platinum-blonde hair and sapphire-colored eyes.

 

She wore a dress adorned with a golden brooch – a symbol reserved only for the royal family.

 

Almost reflexively, a name came to Ascal's mind.

 

"Lia?"

 

The woman, about to leave, turned her head to glance back at him.

 

Her gaze was intensely cold.

 

"It seems you've mistaken me for someone else, haven't you?"

 

"Your Royal Highness... the Princess!"

 

Sushia gave a slight nod and, pinching Ascal's thigh, she whispered,

 

"What are you doing? Apologize quickly."

 

Without hesitation, Ascal bowed his head.

 

"I'm sorry, Your Highness."

 

"It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes."

 

With that, the Third Princess Yulia left the scene.

 

For some reason, her departing steps seemed unusually brisk.

 

"......"

 

Ascal pondered deeply.

 

It felt as if he had experienced something like this before.

 

It was reminiscent of when he was in elementary school and mistakenly called his teacher 'mom'.

 

The embarrassment felt eerily similar to that incident.

 

So embarrassing.

 

But why didn't Sushia recognize Lia? Was her eyesight poor? Well, in this era, glasses were rare, so that could be the case.

 

 

"Haa... Haa..."

 

Yulia moved quickly.

 

Once she reached a secluded spot, she buried her face in her hands.

 

'Did he recognize me?'

 

The person she had just encountered was Ascal Debrue.

 

Her superior, who didn't know that she was the Third Princess...

 

...Someone precious to her.

 

Yulia struggled to calm her racing heart.

 

But it wasn't easy.

 

If he found out that she was Yulia, the Third Princess of the Empire, what would happen?

 

Would she still be able to stay by his side?

 

And if not?

 

The mere thought was terrifying.