CPSMBD Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Blabber mouth

My voice echoed through the reception room.

"Ah..."

A soft exclamation escaped my lips.

I lifted my head slightly to steal a glance at the Empress's face.

Where there had been anticipation, disappointment now filled her features.

'I'm a terrible criminal.'

Guilt carved into my heart.

The Empress spoke with a weary voice.

"I wonder what our son lacks, that he hasn't managed to capture a single woman's heart all this time... Or perhaps I'm expecting too much."

"No, Your Majesty! The fault lies with my strange judgment!"

"What fault could there be in Chief Violetta's eyes? It's all Friedrich's shortcoming."

"..."

She was right.

'To be honest, it's entirely His Highness Friedrich's fault.'

How many potential matches had the Empress introduced to the Crown Prince?

Not to mention the countless women who harbored feelings for him and pursued him.

Love letters constantly flew into the aide's office, whispering sweet words to the Crown Prince.

'If it weren't for His Highness's peculiar personality, he would have found a life partner long ago.'

After all, he carried the undeniable halo of being the Crown Prince.

But some truths, no matter how real, shouldn't be spoken aloud.

I forced myself to stop my head from nodding in agreement.

"Ah... I just wish for someone, just one person, to stand by Friedrich's side..."

The Empress heaved a deep sigh.

"Why must it be so difficult? Thinking about Friedrich's marriage gives me such a headache. I need to rest now. You may go."

Though my heart ached seeing the Empress's sadness, I had no way to console her.

The best I could do was to quickly remove myself - the source of her heartache.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave."

I fled the reception room like a bird with its tail cut off.

Although I had hurt the Empress's feelings, at least I had prevented an unfortunate entanglement with the Crown Prince.

'The Crown Prince as a romantic interest? That's absolutely impossible in my book.'

Besides, the Crown Prince showed not even a hint of interest in me.

Well, to be more precise, His Highness showed no romantic interest in any woman in this world.

***

I kept trying to find the right moment to contact Lord Dale, but ultimately failed.

A major incident had occurred.

The Emperor's 20th Anniversary Celebration was just around the corner.

Chief General Aide Kuan was away, discussing the Crown Prince's entry timing and movements with the Imperial Guard.

I was doing a final check of the commemorative speech that the Crown Prince would deliver at the ceremony.

The tailors were scheduled to visit in the afternoon with the ceremonial attire His Highness would wear.

Once we finished fitting the five ordered ceremonial outfits, all preparation work for the celebration would be complete.

I was working leisurely, feeling satisfied that everything was nearly ready.

That is, until a paper bird came crashing into the aide's office.

[URGENT! URGENT!]

[SCREECH! URGENT URGENT!]

The paper bird frantically flew around my head, pecking at me as if urging me to check the telegram immediately.

When I reached out, the bird spat out a small piece of paper from its beak. I checked the recipient.

"Fairdale Tailors? Why would they send an urgent telegram here?"

A chill suddenly ran down my neck.

Fairdale Tailors was currently the most popular men's clothing shop in the capital.

It was also where we had ordered the Crown Prince's ceremonial attire for the upcoming celebration.

Reservations were so competitive that we had placed the order for the ceremonial attire six months in advance.

'Surely they wouldn't send an urgent telegram just to confirm this afternoon's appointment? The owner didn't seem that thoughtless.'

As I unfolded the telegram to check its contents, I jumped up from my seat with a scream.

"No!"

"Eek! You startled me! Senior, what's wrong?"

Brahe, who had been working, looked up at me with round, startled eyes.

"There's been a fire at Fairdale Tailors. All of His Highness's ceremonial outfits for the Emperor's 20th Anniversary Celebration have been reduced to ashes."

"What?"

The celebration was only five days away.

And all of His Highness's outfits had burned to nothing. This was a complete emergency.

"Brahe, contact Fairdale Tailors to check if there were any casualties, and search for any other tailor shops in the capital that might be able to make even one ceremonial outfit for His Highness within five days."

"Yes, I understand."

"I'll go see the Head Chamberlain to check if there are any suitable outfits among His Highness's existing clothes."

***

I searched through the Crown Prince's dressing room together with Head Chamberlain Dominic.

"Chief Violeta, how about this one?"

"Doesn't the design seem a bit outdated?"

"You're certainly right about that."

Agreeing with my assessment, the Head Chamberlain immediately turned his attention to another ceremonial outfit.

When I spotted what seemed like a decent outfit, I asked for his opinion.

"Head Chamberlain, what about this one? Isn't it suitable?"

"Ah, that outfit wouldn't fit His Highness anymore. His shoulders and chest have grown broader since that was tailored."

Why did he have to build up his body unnecessarily? I hung the outfit back up.

We continued searching through the dressing room for quite some time, but outfits kept getting rejected for various reasons.

The color was odd. It didn't match the nature of the event. It was worn at the previous ceremony.

After considering everything, there wasn't a single suitable outfit.

'Well, that's why we ordered five new outfits this time.'

After searching through the Crown Prince's dressing room for a long while, the Head Chamberlain brought out a white ceremonial outfit.

"How about this one?"

It wasn't bad. However, it seemed a bit plain for an event where foreign ministers and royalty would be attending.

"I think it needs some grand flourishes to better display the Empire's dignity."

As I looked around, my eyes caught sight of a red cape.

'This is it!'

I brought the cape and draped it over the outfit the Head Chamberlain was holding.

"Head Chamberlain, wouldn't this work?"

"Indeed. This definitely looks better."

"Let's have His Highness try it on."

I immediately ran to the office and brought back the Crown Prince, who was buried in paperwork.

Though he had been grumbling, after hearing my report about all his ceremonial outfits being destroyed, he followed me without a word.

When the Crown Prince emerged from the changing room wearing the outfit the Head Chamberlain had selected, he frowned.

"It's a bit tight around the chest and thighs."

Did he just eat and build muscle? Why are all the clothes too small?

"Try tensing your muscles to make yourself smaller."

The Crown Prince looked down at me with a contemptuous gaze.

"So Chief Violetta can make herself smaller by tensing her muscles. What a mysterious talent you have. You're really too talented to be working under me. Don't you agree, Dominic?"

"Chief Violetta is indeed capable. So capable that Prince Friedrich was worried about what would happen if her matchmaking succeeded..."

"Head Chamberlain Dominic!"

The Crown Prince raised his voice to cut off the Head Chamberlain's words.

"Oh my, this troublesome mouth of mine."

Dominic slapped his own mouth repeatedly, then quickly disappeared saying he would bring the cape.

"Prince Friedrich... Don't tell me the reason you interfered with my matchmaking was..."

"Ahem, hem. While that might have been part of the reason, I genuinely wanted you to meet someone more suitable. That man wasn't right for you. Trust my judgment of people."

"Haa... Your Highness."

To think he interfered with my matchmaking because he was worried, he couldn't make me work overtime if I got married.

He was truly terrible.

Feeling indignant, I couldn't help but speak up.

"You were the one who told me to get married if I didn't want to work overtime. But how am I supposed to get married when you keep interfering with my matchmaking?"

"...When did I say that?"

I had heard these words directly from the Crown Prince just a few days ago.

Yet now he pretends not to remember?

I couldn't hide my bewilderment. My gaze toward the Crown Prince naturally sharpened.