Chapter 94: The Two Princes (2)
Saying “The Crown Prince is looking for me” was way more effective than using the overused excuse of “I need to go to the bathroom.”
When Armand walked through the noble hall on his way to the Crown Prince’s reception room, many noble ladies, just like at past parties, started following him the moment they saw him. Some even forgot about keeping up their image and tried to get close to him, hoping to dance with this handsome Captain of the Knights. But all of them were quickly shut down by one simple sentence, ‘The Crown Prince is looking for me.’
After all, no one dared go against the Crown Prince’s will. If someone caused any delay that led to a loss, it wouldn’t be something they could bear. So once they heard that line, the ladies didn’t dare pester Armand any longer. Embarrassed, they all turned around and left.
Once he left the ballroom area, the rest of the way was smooth. Armand arrived at the Crown Prince’s reception room. After the knights outside announced him, he knocked and stepped inside.
“Ah, Sir Captain, you’re here.”
But the first one to greet him wasn’t the Crown Prince. It was his wife, the Crown Princess Daphne Astre Cleia, who was sitting across from him.
“Your Highness, Crown Princess.”
Armand lowered his head and gave a proper bow to the Crown Princess, who rarely appeared in front of others. His courtesy toward her was far more formal than usual. Not because he personally held deep respect for her, but because she was always so polite.
Even someone like Armand, who had no noble title, would be addressed by her with respectful words like “Sir.” To respond to that kind of courtesy, Armand had to show equal respect.
This Daphne was not from this country. She came from a neighboring kingdom, as a small princess from there, to be exact.
She had pure royal blood in her homeland, but her kingdom was much weaker than this one. So when she married here, everyone said she was marrying above her status. Because she was always polite and respectful in public, many claimed she was just a timid girl who could be pushed around. Some even mocked her, saying, “What kind of good woman can come from a small kingdom?”
But if that were really true, she probably would’ve died young, just like the two former royal consorts. And besides, those rumors only existed when she first arrived. Once her position stabilized, no one in the palace ever said such disrespectful things again.
In the world of politics, almost everyone is just wearing a mask. They all make up a version of themselves that pleases others, but none of them are really living as who they truly are.
But that’s not something Armand cared to think about. He was a man of the sword, not someone who liked to think too hard. He didn’t want to deal with complicated stuff. He just wanted to get everything over with and return to the small house he had prepared, enjoy his retirement pension, and live a peaceful life.
“You two have matters to discuss, so I won’t stay and disturb you.”
Daphne nodded politely and looked toward her husband beside her. The Crown Prince also nodded slightly as he watched his wife leave. The Crown Prince, who was known for his stern and serious face, only showed real gentleness when looking at his wife.
“Sit down,” the Crown Prince said, motioning for Armand to take a seat. Armand didn’t hold back, he stepped forward and sat across from the prince, then poured himself some hot tea using a nearby empty cup.
“Did you finish the task I gave you?”
“Of course.” Armand casually swirled the tea in his hand but didn’t drink it. “If I hadn’t completed it, I wouldn’t be relaxed enough to show up at the ballroom.”
Just as Armand expected, the Crown Prince asked about the mission.
Running into “that guy” at the clock tower was quite the surprise. Apparently, that informant had managed to offend both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince at the same time. What was he thinking?
But that “Red Crow” he ran into… felt a bit different this time. The movements were a little lighter than before?
Could it be that House of Nightingale’s food supplies are running low? Is the Second Prince facing some kind of financial trouble?
Even the "crows" he raised are skinny from hunger now?
Don’t tell me the reason he killed that informant was because the man dug up some dirt on the House of Nightingale?
Although, honestly, the House of Nightingale itself is already one big piece of dirt.
“It’s good that it’s been dealt with. After all, informants are the last kind of people you want to leave alive,” the Crown Prince said slowly, still sipping his hot tea. He was always confident in Armand’s work.
The Crown Prince never fully trusted anyone, but when it came to Armand, he was willing to give a bit more of his trust.
He was the one who raised Armand up to the rank of Captain of the Royal Knights. And naturally, if he ever needed to, he could just as easily bring him down. If Armand ever betrayed him, he wouldn’t hesitate to take him out.
But that wasn’t something he planned to do.
Since Armand had already pledged loyalty to him, there was no need to turn things into a bloody mess. A mutually beneficial relationship was always the most stable kind. When both sides had gotten what they wanted, they could part peacefully. That would be a good ending.
The two of them were already like grasshoppers tied to the same rope, so there was no need to worry that Armand might secretly do anything shady.
The first time Armand came to the Crown Prince’s side, he proved himself through an “accident.” Following the Crown Prince’s instructions, he pulled off a mission that was nearly impossible. With that incident, the Crown Prince not only took revenge, but also tied Armand tightly to his side.
And the Crown Prince kept his word. After that, he gave Armand enough protection to feel safe and helped him take on a new identity. He became the man now known as Armand Systalia, the Captain of the Knights. From head to toe, Armand was a persona the Crown Prince carefully built for him.
Just like Evelia, even his name was fake.
Though he was a little more real than Evelia, since his appearance was truly his own.
But in the end, the reason he took on that dangerous mission wasn’t only because he needed protection and had no other choice. It was also because he hated that woman too.
The woman who turned the world into a living hell.
“I heard you brought a dance partner with you tonight?”
Suddenly, the topic shifted. The mission was brushed aside with just a few words. The Crown Prince set down his teacup and looked more interested in Armand’s personal life than the task he knew would be completed anyway.
“Ah… your information is really up to date.”
“What’s so ‘up to date’ about it? Interesting things always attract attention. But I haven’t had a chance to meet the girl you brought tonight. I’m curious, what kind of person could make a stone like you finally bloom?”
“You make it sound like I’m completely heartless… I’m not that bad, am I?”
“Heh. Alright then, tell me, what kind of girl is she? Is it the one you were complaining about in my office last time?”
The Crown Prince seemed genuinely interested. Now that the serious business was out of the way, he relaxed and gave a rare, casual smile.
“Ah… yes, it’s her. I’m surprised you even remembered something like that.”
“Well, it’s not like that kind of thing happens to you often. Of course I remembered. So? You brought her here… are you actually interested in her?”
“How do I put this… the relationship is a bit complicated…”
There might be some interest, sure. But what exactly he was interested in wasn’t so clear. Evelia’s identity wasn’t ordinary. That alone was enough to make her… ‘interesting.’
“Are you thinking of getting engaged?”
“Engaged?”
To Armand, who had planned to live the rest of his life alone and carefree, those two words felt very unfamiliar.
"What's wrong? You look so surprised. Weren’t you planning anything like that? I mean, you even brought that girl to the ball."
"No, what I mean is... sigh, anyway, it’s not at that stage yet."
When Armand heard those two words, get engaged, his first reaction was frustration. Then, for some reason, his feelings became complicated.
"Oh? Armand, I didn’t think you'd be that kind of guy."
"No… please don’t say that about me..."
He knew all too well how much of a burden a family could be.
The Crown Prince sitting in front of him was someone bound tightly by family. Even though he and his wife were truly in love, for many years he didn’t dare have a child.
The Crown Prince still hadn’t secured his position completely, and in a royal palace full of danger and schemes, there simply wasn’t a safe place for a child to grow up.
And it wasn’t just the Crown Prince, Carle was the same. That guy used to be even sharper with words than Armand. But after getting married, he became much more restrained, and after having a daughter, he wasn’t as tough as before. All the changes he made were for his wife and daughter.
Armand didn’t want that for himself. Seeing what happened to the two of them, he was determined not to let marriage or children tie him down. Especially now, when he was basically already living like a man ready to retire. Getting married and having kids would only slow him down.
While Armand and the Crown Prince were busy arguing over whether or not Armand was a “bad guy” for not wanting to get married, back at the ballroom, Evelia was still obediently waiting by Carle and Melian’s side for Armand to return.
Evelia quietly listened to the couple chat. Out of the blue, they started talking about their daughter. Then, as if something reminded her, Melian turned to look at Evelia.
“Miss Evelia, do you really have no plans to get married and have children?”
“Hmm?” The sudden question left Evelia unsure of how to respond. “Umm...”
“Oh come on, Mr. Armand is such a great man. If you want to keep him, you need to become his wife and give him a child. I can see it, do you like him?”
“Like him?”
“I mean as a goal. Isn’t Mr. Armand your goal?”
Evelia paused and thought for a moment. If “liking him” meant “seeing him as a target,” then yes, she guessed she did like him.
“Miss Evelia, do you know how many women are after him? It’s like Carle here. Back then, a bunch of noble girls were all over him. But I grabbed the chance. If I hadn’t, such a great guy would’ve been taken away!”
Melian laughed as she wrapped her arms around Carle’s. Carle mumbled, “Why are you even bringing that up...” But he still let her lean on him, looking very affectionate.
“But…” Evelia rarely looked so confused and uncertain. “Marriage... and having children?”
She was originally brought here to be Armand’s companion in bed, so marriage itself didn’t really bother her.
But having children, that was a much more complicated matter. She had no experience with that at all.
“What’s so hard about having kids?” Melian laughed. “As long as the family can support it, you can have as many as you want! With Mr. Armand’s financial situation, I’d say you could easily have eight!”
“E-eight...?”
To Melian, and probably most other ordinary girls, that was clearly just a playful exaggeration to say Armand was rich and capable.
But when Evelia heard that… for the first time, she actually felt shocked.