Chapter 195: Don’t Hide, Executive Manager!
It took about two hours after entering the Emperor’s Office for me to finally make my escape.
I felt like I could sigh in frustration, but I held back. A careless sigh could spark rumors about discord between the Emperor and the Crown Prince, which would land me in hot water.
It would be highly unlikely, but even if the Emperor were to slap me, I had to wear a smiling face. That was the fate of the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness.”
Sir Hendrick, who had been waiting in the wings for those two hours, approached as I was reining in my expression. When the master is under strain, the guard knights suffer too. Sigh.
“It took longer than expected. The Emperor had so much to say.”
“How fortunate it is that the two of you share such a strong bond—truly a blessing for the empire.”
At Sir Hendrick’s words, I managed a faint smile. Who knew that a knight’s duty involved not just physical guarding but also emotional support? What a twist!
Nevertheless, I lightly nodded, appreciating his effort to put a good spin on things. Strong bond, huh.
I turned my head and smirked bitterly. What a ridiculous statement. While we weren’t outright hostile, claiming that we had a “strong bond” was stretching it a bit.
Of course, we pretended to be close in front of the subjects. I was only appointed Crown Prince after surviving a brutal family feud. Heaven forbid if the subjects found out that the Emperor and the Crown Prince were not on speaking terms.
Luckily, it seemed the Emperor was on the same page, as we hadn’t stirred up any nasty rumors yet.
“Question everything and inspect repeatedly. The moment you think you’ve won is the most dangerous—always watch your step.”
Suddenly, the words the Emperor spoke in the office echoed in my mind.
Would it be better if there were some gossip?
I seriously pondered that thought. Being hopelessly pressured by the Emperor or having a full-blown argument with him—was there much difference?
With external threats like the Great War and internal issues such as succession disputes, the aging Emperor’s health was rapidly deteriorating. Thus, he had stepped back from most responsibilities to focus on recuperation. Good luck with that, I thought.
However, this was a man who had spent his lifetime living in suspicion, fixated on the stability of the throne and the empire. Would someone like him truly devote himself to recuperation? Doubtful.
Thanks to that, I was frequently pulled into the office to hear what he called advice—which was practically just endless nagging. From the perspective of an old political beast, I was nothing more than a hastily assembled rookie, which probably didn’t offer him any peace of mind.
…But this is better.
After mulling it over, I shook my head lightly. Yes, it was a lot better to endure some nagging than to stir up more noise in the imperial court. Anyway, this struggle was something I could bear alone.
After all, here I was, with no fears of death in sight. How ungrateful of me to complain!
“It’s reassuring to know that you’ve found a good match.”
And it’s not just nagging; it gets worse!
Because he couldn’t.
An Empress married off for political gain; a companion found too late, which led to conflict within the royal family.
The Emperor’s expression only softened when he mentioned the Crown Princess, as if relieved that his successor wouldn’t suffer the same misfortune he did.
Is this his form of denial?
He was a man who had only lived as the head of the imperial family and the Emperor of the empire. He was far from the role of “dad” or “chief of the household.”
Still, even he must’ve had his own little denials. I guess that’s why he showed such soft expressions in front of me.
If only he had shown them a bit earlier, or just a tad more, then perhaps the deadly struggles between us brothers would have been avoided.
I wish you had stayed the same.
If he had maintained that coldness until his dying breath, I would’ve lived a life steeped in resentment and hatred.
Yet because of those fleeting moments of denial he displayed, I foolishly found myself hoping. It seems ridiculous to still have expectations from a man who murdered my brother. Oh, the irony!
“Your Highness?”
“Oh, I just got a bit lost in thought for a moment. Let’s head out now.”
Maybe I was getting a little too sentimental.
As the Crown Prince, my workload—combined with the duties I had to pick up due to the Emperor’s recuperation—had become quite hefty.
Because of this, I had to kickstart my work early every morning just to barely finish by evening. If I wrapped up by evening, that was already a win in my books!
The sheer volume of work sometimes tempted me to toss the papers aside, but there was just one thing that kept me going.
“Your Highness.”
“Crown Princess.”
Seeing her greet me with that warm smile seemed to chase away all my fatigue.
The mere sight of the Crown Princess welcoming me after I finished my work was the reason I endured through it all.
How would I have survived without her? I might not have even become the Crown Prince or even still be breathing!
“You’re later than usual today.”
“Tomorrow’s your day! I was delayed because I had to handle some work for that too.”
“Oh my!”
As the Crown Princess exaggeratedly widened her eyes and pretended to be surprised, a laugh slipped out of me.
“I wish you’d done the same last year.”
That comment knocked the wind out of me.
…Yeah, last year, I really dropped the ball on managing my schedule and ended up being late to her birthday celebration. It was a public matter, so she and her father were understanding, but I still broke out in a cold sweat every time this topic floated to the surface.
The careless jabs she tossed my way were enough to take down a Crown Prince! Yikes!
“I’ll be able to truly sense your love this year, right?”
“Of course!”
I nodded vigorously as she giggled.
Fortunately, it seemed my response delighted her, and she quietly nestled into my embrace.
“I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.”
So am I.
The next morning, we made our way to my father-in-law’s house in the capital.
While there was still time before the banquet kicked off, what could I do but oblige since the Crown Princess was itching to see her father? We had to go, even if it meant arriving at the crack of dawn.
“Y-Your Highness!”
“His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”
We might’ve arrived too early because some commotion erupted among the startled servants.
“The guest of honor at this banquet is the Crown Princess. Can you not see her?”
“Ah, no!”
“Just teasing.”
I tried to lighten the mood with lighthearted banter, but their response was overwhelming.
That was odd. The Executive Manager used to charm us with his dazzling compliments; they should be loving it!
“His Highness the Crown Prince! Your Highness the Crown Princess!”
Sensing the ruckus, my father-in-law appeared with his butler.
“It’s been a while, Duke. Have you been keeping well?”
“Of course! What would this old man have if not for his health?”
The Crown Princess sprinted joyfully to her father, laughing heartily by his side.
I knew it was perfectly natural, but my heart felt a twinge of nostalgia watching her rush over without hesitation.
Of course, she didn’t often get chances to see him, so I couldn’t begrudge her.
“Father.”
“Your Highness! It’s great to see that you’re healthy.”
The reunited father and daughter held hands and exchanged warm glances for quite a while.
Seeing such a sight made any remnants of my previous disappointment vanish in an instant. The Duke’s children were a sight for sore eyes—his son governing a territory, his daughter as the Crown Princess.
“I guess we arrived too early.”
Not wanting to interrupt their heartfelt reunion, I waited briefly before speaking up.
Sure, I did arrive at this hour as it was the Crown Princess’s wish, but the roles of a father welcoming his daughter and a Duke greeting the Crown Prince and his wife didn’t quite match, did they?
“Not at all, Your Highness! We were just preparing for a guest expected around this time.”
“Oh? At this hour?”
It was a bit surprising. Which leisurely person would bother coming to the banquet venue this early in the morning?
“Indeed. The Iron-Blooded Duke is set to arrive.”
It really was a leisurely soul, alright.
Jealous!
The Iron-Blooded Duke, living leisurely after handing his domain over to his children, had now earned my envy.
To be frank, he had struggled in his youth, so retiring in his old age was only proper, but still, it was hard not to envy that life. If I had my way, maybe I’d even consider abdicating in my twilight years.
“He said he was coming this early because his youngest daughter was visiting.”
“His youngest daughter?”
That statement sent me into a fit of laughter. If the Iron-Blooded Duke had a youngest daughter, it had to be Lady Marghetta.
Hearing that Lady Marghetta would be attending quickly snapped the pieces into place.
Her partner.
When my father-in-law mentioned this, it seemed that the Iron-Blooded Duke and Lady Marghetta would arrive separately. If she wasn’t coming as the Duke’s partner, the answer was very clear.
She must be the Executive Manager’s partner. Given they were both at the academy, it only made sense to travel together.
This could be hilarious!
My lips involuntarily curled up. The Iron-Blooded Duke’s dearest youngest daughter showing up as the partner of the Executive Manager? Now, that’s a plot twist! It wasn’t like a father could keep his daughter’s company forever.
The real conundrum was how the Iron-Blooded Duke felt about the Executive Manager and that his precious daughter chose the Executive Manager over him.
Oh, this is gonna be a disaster.
The Iron-Blooded Duke’s temper was legendary. Sure, he had calmed down with age, but that volcanic temperament doesn’t just disappear, does it? There are tales of him wrestling with enemy commanders during the wars and nearly clobbering them with his bare fists!
This is a big issue.
Sure, it’s a big issue. Both the Executive Manager and the Iron-Blooded Duke were loyal dogs—wait, I mean servants—of the empire. But if conflict erupted between them, what was I supposed to do?
Yeah, just hang back and watch, right? It would just be better for the royal family to stay out of what could be a messy dispute between nobles.
I feel for you, Executive Manager.
Barely freed from confinement, and now he’s about to face the Iron-Blooded Duke’s wrath? How unfortunate!
Just thinking about it has me shaking my head in dismay. Seriously unfortunate.
“Your Highness?”
The Crown Princess’s voice snapped me back to reality. I had been so consumed by concern for my loyal manager’s dire future!
“Were you thinking of something fun?”
As she smiled sweetly and asked, I unconsciously touched the corners of my mouth.
Hmm, maybe my lips did smile a bit too much.
“Yes, today is definitely a joyous day.”
Today was indeed a cheerful occasion. It was the birthday of my beloved, and I was overjoyed witnessing her reunite with her father.
And as for the Executive Manager… well, let’s not even go there. That’s not the kind of joyful thing we’re talking about! Awkward!
Don’t slink away on me, Executive Manager.
I trust he wouldn’t resort to sneaky hiding. Surely even he wouldn’t pull such a petty stunt, right?
Anyway, today’s a joyful day! 🎉
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