CPSMBD Chapter 17

Chapter 17

How about a man?

"Go back out when I just got to work? Absolutely not."

I turned to look at Brahe.

Reading my thoughts through just my gaze, Brahe spoke up.

"Senior, it's your turn today. I absolutely cannot go!"

Swallowing a sigh, I opened the door to the aide's office.

The situation outside hadn't changed much since I arrived at work. If anything, there seemed to be even more people than before.

By the time I finally reached the Crown Prince's office, pushing through the crowd, I felt completely drained.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to his office with forced cheerfulness.

"Your Highness, good morning!"

"...Good morning? Do I look like someone having a good morning right now?"

The Crown Prince's icy voice greeted me as soon as I stepped into the office.

Indeed, he didn't look like someone having a good morning at all. His hair was a disheveled mess, and his sleeves were torn and tattered.

"No, you don't."

The Crown Prince pointed at the door and shouted in an outraged voice, "Did you see them? Did you see those evil hordes out there?!"

Goodness, I nearly jumped out of my skin. My ears were ringing.

"Evil hordes? They're all lovely ladies. That's rather harsh..."

When I didn't sympathize with him, His Highness stared into my eyes and enunciated each word clearly: "Listen well. Women are devils, and marriage is hell!"

It seemed the Queen's wish to find a match for the Crown Prince wouldn't be easily fulfilled.

'Nothing to be done. I'll have to help.'

"Then how about a man?"

"What?"

"Since you dislike women. The Queen hasn't placed any restrictions on potential matches, so perhaps a male partner..."

The Crown Prince's expression turned glacial. I promptly shut my mouth.

"Violetta Chief Aide, rather than provoking my anger, why don't you just keep quiet?"

"Yes, understood."

"Don't even open your mouth until I give permission."

"Yes."

"Don't even answer me."

"......"

"What choice did I have when he said not to speak? I quietly went about my duties.

I retrieved spare clothes from the wardrobe in the corner of the office and presented them to the Crown Prince.

After this same situation repeating for several days, Dominic the Head Chamberlain had taken to keeping spare clothes in the office.

The Crown Prince removed his ruined top and changed into the clothes I'd brought.

As he fastened the buttons on his new shirt, he glared at me.

"You knew about this, didn't you?"

"......"

I kept my lips firmly sealed. Though his subject was missing, I instantly understood what he meant. But fear of consequences - and perhaps a small desire for revenge over his earlier command for silence - kept me quiet.

How dare he ask me questions after ordering me not to speak until permitted!

"Answer me."

I shook my head while playing the role of an obedient servant. After all, one must follow their superior's orders.

"Speak."

I silently pointed to my mouth. The Crown Prince's brow furrowed visibly.

"It's fine, so speak."

What a shame. I would have gladly stayed silent forever if he'd ordered it. With no choice, I opened my mouth.

"...Yes. I knew."

"Why didn't you report it?"

"Her Majesty the Queen asked me to keep it secret."

"You're my person. You should prioritize my orders over the Queen's."

"I'm not anyone's person... I serve only the Empire."

"What does finding me a marriage partner have to do with serving the Empire?"

"Your Highness finding a good match and producing heirs is also for the Empire's benefit. So why not just close your eyes and meet one of these women who admire you?"

"Am I a breeding horse? To meet just anyone and produce an heir?"

"Well, if that's how you feel about it..."

The Crown Prince's eyebrows creased roughly.

Yikes, I might have pushed too far. Can't be helped. I tried to soothe him like a three-year-old child.

"Instead of that, why not consider marriage this time? Then you won't have to be chased by women anymore, and there won't be crowds gathering outside your office..."

"You heard how I view women, yet you still say such things?"

The Crown Prince looked at me with eyes full of betrayal.

"If you're going to talk like that, get out right now!"

Oh dear. I tried to comfort him but only provoked him further.

What power did I have? When told to leave, I had to leave.

This was one order I was confident in following.

I had finished my tasks anyway, so there was no reason to stay longer. I gave a quick bow and swiftly left the Crown Prince's office.

Through the closing door, I caught a glimpse of the Crown Prince holding his forehead as if nursing a headache, but what could I do?

This was Prince Friedrich's problem to solve.

The journey back to the aide's office was treacherous. Once again, I had to navigate through the crowd of people trying to stop me.

When I finally made it back to the aide's office, Brahe welcomed me.

"Senior, you made it back safely again today."

"Yes, but it's too exhausting. If I have to go to His Highness's office again, I might as well say goodbye to this world."

"What should we do? If this continues, it's going to interfere with our work. We don't just visit His Highness's office once or twice a day - we're constantly going back and forth."

"I know."

Brahe had a point.

But we couldn't stop the people who had gathered to meet the Crown Prince.

Since the Queen herself had ordered this and the Emperor tacitly approved, preventing it would be tantamount to defying imperial orders.

'Is there no way to resolve this situation without going against His Majesty's will?'

Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me. And with it, a way to get revenge on the Crown Prince for interfering with my matchmaking.

A cunning smile spread across my face.

"There's no choice. We'll have to sacrifice His Highness."

I dropped a fresh stack of newly prepared documents onto the Crown Prince's desk while he was deeply focused on his work.

The Crown Prince gave me a disapproving look before flipping through the papers. With each page turned, his expression grew increasingly rigid.

"What is this, Chief Aide Violetta?"

"It's a list of people waiting outside to meet Your Highness."

"And? Why are you giving this to me?"

"You need to meet with all of them individually."

"What? Meet with all these people? Who decided this?"

The Crown Prince's face instantly contorted.

"Then what should we do? We can't let this situation continue. It's becoming difficult to access your office, and it's affecting our work."

"Just mobilize the knights to drive all the women away."

"Your Highness, you want to use force against ladies?"

"...Then what do you suggest I do?"

Just as I expected.

While the Crown Prince was harsh toward women, he wasn't the type to completely abandon a gentleman's principles.

"You struggle every time you enter and leave your office too, Your Highness. So just meet with each of them for ten minutes. They've promised they won't wait outside your office anymore after that."

The Crown Prince's face grew serious. Then, as if giving up, he slumped in his chair.

"Fine. But three minutes. Make it three minutes. I won't compromise more than that."

"Yes, understood."

Noticing how gaunt the Crown Prince's face had become over the past few days, I offered some words of comfort.

"Who knows? Among all those people, you might find a woman who appears human to you rather than a monster."

"In my entire life, there's only been one person of the opposite sex who felt human..."

The Crown Prince stopped mid-sentence and let out a long sigh.

'Why did you stop? You're killing me with curiosity.'

"Never mind, forget it. There's no point in telling you anyway."

The Crown Prince rubbed between his brows as if fighting a headache and waved his hand dismissively.

It was clearly a signal to get out of his sight.

Having achieved my goal, there was no reason to linger.

I quietly slipped out of the Crown Prince's office.