Chapter .19
Cecile lay prostrate before me and cried. As if, even if wrongly accused, there was nothing she could do since she had offended the Prince.
Another tactic of the Empress's faction. Making herself the sinner to make me the villain.
They don't reveal who lied, but unconditionally blame the subordinate.
At first glance, it looks like a lizard cutting off its tail, but in a situation where statements conflict, if I don't forgive the subordinate, it becomes a petty act unbecoming of a Prince.
Of course, it's something the absolute majority of royals always do, but people only criticize the weak royals.
Even if I take my side now, if the situation changes later, they will gossip again, asking if it was really the maid's fault, saying it was suspicious even back then.
"Do not worry."
I spoke softly.
"Will you forgive me, Your Highness?"
When Cecile asked, I nodded.
"I will gladly forgive you."
In a situation where I had to forgive someone who wouldn't reveal the truth that she lied, I spoke benevolently like the Empress.
Indeed, an enemy is the best teacher.
"The fact that you dared to speak falsely in front of the Emperor of Armatia is because you are cursed. So how could I not forgive a pitiful person like you?"
People dropped their jaws in the royal court. The unadorned appearance of the courtiers was pleasing to see.
"A curse!"
Cecile's face turned white.
Some put their hands in their bosoms to touch amulets or recited prayers.
Curses were a taboo handed down in the Armatia Imperial Family. Since the founding ancestor Balaska.
-The evil dragon cursed the Dragon Slayer Emperor.
A rumor that has not ceased since Balaska was suddenly assassinated one day. How could a hero who killed a dragon be killed?
Even now, only Balaska I exists. Since Balaska was a commoner and had no surname, he unified the name of the country and the Imperial Family as Armatia. Still, people often called the Armatia Imperial Family the Balaska Imperial Family.
Despite that, there are no Balaska II or III. There were rumors that it was a measure to avoid the curse of the first Emperor.
However, I mentioned the curse nonchalantly. It's not a taboo for me, the actual victim.
"If not a curse, are you saying you colluded with Roncer?"
"No!"
At Cecile's vehement denial, I nodded.
"So it must be a curse. If you do not break that curse, you will continue to live telling lies like that."
An implication that whatever Cecile says from now on is a lie.
It was something that shook her position as a courtier. Because in a place where everyone is a liar, the one who gets caught takes the blame for everyone's sins.
"Prince Leontes."
At that moment, someone stepped forward.
Duke Benedict Lauderdale. The Empress's older brother, Desmond's maternal uncle, and Cecile's father.
Actually, it was surprising that Cecile's siblings and cousins hadn't stepped forward until now. Unless the head of the family blocked them.
Although not as outstanding in appearance as the Empress, befitting the blood relative of a peerless beauty, he was handsome even in middle age. However, he lacked the intimidating presence of the Empress, nor the bright charm that softened such intimidation. Standing next to the Empress, his impression was faint like light and shadow.
But if he were merely a shadow, he wouldn't have been able to expand his power as he does now. A powerful man who knows well the nature of his sister, who disregards blood ties for her goals, and has faithfully followed her. In that respect, he was a proper noble.
The Duke bowed his head politely to me, letting his gem-embroidered hem droop.
"Please forgive my daughter's rudeness, Your Highness."
"I will gladly forgive her, Duke Lauderdale. However, your daughter must first admit her sin of lying and break the curse so that she does not do it again."
"Ah, there must have been a misunderstanding. I only apologize for the fact that my daughter offended Your Highness, I did not admit my daughter's lie."
"Ah, understood, Duke."
I nodded generously.
"The father of lies is misunderstanding. The daughter of misunderstanding is lies. Let us all etch that point deeply in our hearts from now on."
"Hahahaha!"
"That is a famous saying!"
People liked seeing powerful figures suffer, but they also liked famous sayings that poked at sore spots and were good for them to use. My popularity, providing both, was rising.
Duke Lauderdale's jaw twitched, but he managed his expression surprisingly well.
"Haha, it is an honor to be the subject of a famous saying. However, the only evidence that my daughter lied is Your Highness's word."
"Then do you claim in front of the Roncer ambassador that a Prince of Armatia tried to learn Roncer etiquette? Even lying in front of my Father Emperor?"
"It is not that―"
"Since it came up, Ambassador of Roncer, what do you think?"
I ignored Duke Lauderdale and turned to Duke Grimiati. Since they are two Dukes who have been competing since before the young Maximilian and Desmond competed.
"Did my brother Prince Maximilian, whom you have served closely, miss his late mother so much that he wanted to learn the Roncer bow?"
If enemies form an alliance, I will too. Pushing forward without caring about the enemy's intention.
Duke Grimiati stared piercingly at me. I also looked at him.
'If you don't agree here? Are you going to ruin the image of the First Prince you've built up until now, who inherited the blood of the Roncer Imperial Family but is loyal to the Armatia Imperial Family through and through?'
If it's because of me, it's a delightful thing.
As I smiled suddenly at that thought, Duke Grimiati's eyes sharpened.
But soon he opened his mouth calmly and spoke softly.
"Could that be possible, dear Prince."
Without giving Duke Lauderdale a chance to respond, I pounced on Desmond this time.
"My brother, Desmond, what do you think? If it were you, as a Prince of Armatia, would you want to learn the Roncer bow?"
"No! Absolutely not!"
Desmond said firmly.
"But what if it were Her Majesty the Empress's command?"
People's eyes glinted. Nodding as they found it more plausible that the Empress plotted to insult me rather than me trying to learn the Roncer bow.
"Mother would absolutely never give such a command!"
"Then why did your maternal cousin tell me it was Her Majesty the Empress's command?"
"It is Cecile's lie!"
In the next moment, Desmond's face turned pale.
Realizing that he ended up helping to turn the structure of 'either I or the maid lied' into 'either the Empress or the maid lied'.
"Well done, my brother Desmond. If anyone insults a Prince of Armatia like that in the future, you should do as I did."
I gave my brother a heartfelt teaching. A much better teaching than the Empress, who made me weak with abuse and then scolded me to blame myself and reflect on my weakness.
Desmond's eyes flashed.
"Who would dare insult my son?"
Looking straight at me as if asking if that person would be me if there were such a person, the Empress spoke.
"If it is someone who insults a Prince of Armatia, they would likely insult other Princes as well."
That is you.
"So that those who have not inherited the Imperial blood of Armatia do not disdain the Imperial blood, please watch over us, elder of the Imperial Family."
As I bowed politely to the Empress and said so, a spasm occurred around the Empress's eyes. Duke Lauderdale gritted his teeth.
Unlike them, Duke Grimiati, who inherited the blood of collateral royalty, wore a smile. As if he hadn't tormented me himself.
"Didn't I already rebuke the maid's fault anyway?"
"However, the maid and her father denied ever telling a lie. It is an act of disdain towards me, who acted thinking it was Her Majesty the Empress's command, and towards Your Majesty, who never gave such a command."
At my words, many courtiers looked at Duke Lauderdale with faces full of joy. Because even among the Empress's faction, there were many who competed for the Empress's favor and disliked the Duke.
The Lauderdale family members blamed Cecile instead of the family head. Because the competition for inheritance in that family is as strong as in the Imperial Family.
Following Duke Grimiati, a smile appeared on First Prince Maximilian's face as well. Towards Desmond, who was only biting his lips, as I, not he, stepped forward ostensibly for his mother's honor.
"It is my fault for not teaching my daughter properly."
At that moment, Duke Lauderdale bowed deeply to me.
It wasn't for Cecile. If he cherished his daughter, he wouldn't have used her as a political tool in the first place, but if he incurred the Empress's wrath any further, he himself would be in danger.
"My daughter made a mistake and lied out of fear."
Cecile bit her lip but did not refute. Because it's better to be a liar than a cursed person. She surely didn't expect me to bring up a curse just because she told a lie that every courtier tells. But the more of a lackey rat one is, the more they must be caught at once.
"I, too, as a father, was blinded by my care for my daughter. Thus, I committed rudeness to Your Highness, so I apologize deeply."
"Ah, is this how the Lauderdale family apologizes?"
I aimed at their weakness, their honor.
The humiliation I almost suffered was humiliation, but if I let it pass loosely, the courtiers watching with sparkling eyes now would be disappointed. For me, who has no backing, I had to throw bones to the dogs at the right time.
So that they pay attention to my every word and every action from now on. Not to ridicule anymore, but to send praise.
"As the head of the honorable Lauderdale family, I will compensate Your Highness."
"Ohhh!"
"Haha!"
Exclamations burst out from everywhere, and noble ladies covered their mouths with fans and laughed. Enjoying the sight of Lauderdale's humiliation.
"My daughter will now step down from her position as Her Majesty the Empress's maid, serve Your Highness with all her heart, and apologize for the rudeness she has caused."
Even the people who were admiring widened their eyes.
"Father!"
Cecile was terrified, but Duke Lauderdale didn't even glance at her.
I hate it too. Give me money.
"I hope Her Majesty the Empress will grant permission. My daughter wishes to apologize by stepping down from the position serving Your Majesty closely."
The Empress's maid had to receive the Empress's permission for everything, whether resignation or marriage. Although even if not a maid, the remarriage of an heiress or a widow requires the Emperor's permission.
Originally, bribes had to be offered to become a maid or to quit, but the Empress, who didn't want to owe me a debt for protecting her honor, approved the measure Lauderdale hastily proposed.
"Do so."
Like that, the Duke planted a monitor on me.
Commoner servants or maids can be easily detached, but noble maids or attendants could not. Because their real duty is being a conversation partner to entertain their master.
-Your Majesty, you look depressed. You will feel better if you hold a ball.
So-called loyal subjects who only give advice on how to squander the national treasury. There was even an Empress who miscarried while enjoying entertainment recommended by her maid.
But if I refuse, it becomes an insult to the Empress and the Lauderdale family. That was why the men of the Lauderdale family were watching me fervently now.
To nitpick if I refuse.
"...Prince Leontes... please forgive me....... I lied. I apologize."
Cecile asked for forgiveness.
"I will forgive you again and show mercy."
"Yes, from now on I will serve Your Highness with all my sincerity."
"But unfortunately, as Her Majesty the Empress also knows, my residence is not a place for a noble woman to stay."
Cecile bit her lip. If another noble woman said she would gladly endure it here, she would hear praise, but if it's a Lauderdale person, she would be ridiculed. As expected, they were not nobles.
"So I will show mercy to you again."
Saying that, I looked around at the people.
"Is there no knight who will serve me with loyalty in place of this woman?"