ITIF Chapter 101

A Secret That Cannot Be Hidden

“Well… I like your honesty. I also appreciate that there’s no pretense.”

As far as she knew, Lady Blatnik was one of those nobles whose inner self didn’t differ much from their outer appearance.

So she wouldn’t be lying right now.

The situation was clearly beginning to flow differently from what Lady Howard had expected.

Then Lady Blatnik continued speaking.

“If you’d like, I can tell you about the Blatnik Ducal House’s position. But first, if Lady Amaterasu would give me one piece of information.”

****

Inside the carriage returning to the Cardia Ducal Residence.

Giselle Grante was lost in deep thought, reviewing the conversation she’d had with Lady Blatnik.

[I want to know about Crown Prince Joshua. Not the fake rumors inflated to praise him, but the real Crown Prince Joshua.]

Giselle Grante understood immediately what Lady Blatnik wanted.

Seeing her curious about Joshua, it seemed she was considering the position of Crown Princess.

‘She wanted to know whether he has the personality one could tolerate living with in marriage.’

Certainly, young ladies curious about the Crown Prince’s personality would be rare, but people who would tell the unvarnished truth when asked would be even harder to find.

Because if you said the wrong thing, you could be severely punished for insulting the royal family.

In that sense, Lady Blatnik’s choice of Giselle Grante as someone to hear the truth from was a very wise decision.

‘There’s probably no one else in the imperial palace who knows Joshua as well as I do.’

So Giselle Grante candidly and kindly exposed Joshua’s true face.

Focusing especially on the disqualifications a husband might have that a woman facing marriage should consider.

In particular, she conveyed the facts exactly as they happened on the terrace during the imperial ball.

Since it was an incident that could work against her, she was cautious about even mentioning it.

She was able to do so because she had faith in Lady Blatnik.

She knew that the lady wasn’t the type to carelessly gossip about others’ pain, and it was possible because she knew this.

Lady Blatnik’s expression after hearing everything Giselle Grante had to say was quite something to behold.

She looked shocked, then frowned, and by the time she looked tearful, Giselle Grante was certain.

From this moment on, the Blatnik Ducal House would find this marriage proposal uncomfortable.

But it wouldn’t be easy for them to refuse the imperial family’s proposal either.

Especially since this was a proposal the Empress was trying to push forward despite having a long-standing grudge against Duchess Blatnik, it meant the Empress was that cornered.

****

Upon returning from her outing, Lady Blatnik was lost in thought for a while.

The main subject of her thoughts was naturally the conversation with Lady Amaterasu.

“My lady, His Grace and Madam have returned home.”

What broke her reverie was a maid’s voice.

“I see.”

Lady Blatnik immediately left her bedroom. Then she called out to Duke Blatnik who was climbing the stairs.

“Welcome home, Father.”

“Yes. You said you have something to tell me?”

Saying this, Duke Blatnik looked back at the butler.

She had already given the butler advance notice. That when Duke and Duchess Blatnik returned home, she had something urgent to discuss.

“Yes. I think it would be better to make a decision as soon as possible.”

Duchess Blatnik, who was climbing the stairs late, asked with a puzzled expression.

“Why is everyone standing here?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Duchess Blatnik, who had been looking at her husband with a puzzled expression for a moment, soon nodded.

“I see. Let’s move to another place first.”

“Let’s do that.”

As soon as they arrived home, without even changing clothes, Duke and Duchess Blatnik sat down facing their daughter.

“So. What is it you wanted to say?”

“I heard something important today. I thought you both should know about it.”

At their daughter’s somewhat meaningful words, Duke Blatnik furrowed his brow, and Duchess Blatnik’s expression also became serious.

“I know you’ve both been looking into His Highness the Crown Prince. I’ve also been asking around everywhere about his character, but everyone just repeated the same things like parrots.”

“……”

“But today I happened to hear about his true nature. Contrary to the rumors, he’s quite the scoundrel, isn’t he?”

At her daughter’s bold statement, Duchess Blatnik frowned.

Although it was certain they were only with family, one never knew who might overhear and how they might relay it.

“Be careful with your words.”

Duke Blatnik immediately admonished his daughter.

“The story I heard today was so shocking that… I made a mistake.”

At his daughter’s immediate contrition, Duchess Blatnik asked admonishingly.

“Tell us where you heard what.”

Lady Blatnik revealed the story she’d heard at Marquis Howard’s residence today.

That Crown Prince Joshua had tried to violate Giselle Grante last time, and that Kavelaseth, who happened to be there, had saved her.

And also about how the Crown Prince had people tail and investigate both Kavelaseth and Giselle Grante after that incident.

To her shocked parents, she continued.

“Actually, I thought that if this marriage happened, the important thing would be whether I could tame the Crown Prince well. Like Her Majesty the Empress currently does.”

“……”

“I did feel it when I met His Highness the Crown Prince myself at my request… but it seems hopeless. If I refuse this marriage proposal, would it cause trouble for you, my parents?”

At her question, Duke Blatnik closed his mouth, and Duchess Blatnik shook her head.

“I was opposed to this marriage from the start. If you don’t want it, I have no intention of forcing it. Honey, what do you think?”

Even though Duchess Blatnik said this, the furrow on the Duke’s brow remained.

This marriage proposal wasn’t just the Empress’s idea alone.

The Emperor had also expressed his agreement.

Since the alliance between the Amaterasu and Cardia Ducal Houses had indeed shifted the balance of power to one side, if the Blatnik Ducal House refused this proposal, there was a high possibility the Emperor would suspect them of having other intentions.

Therefore, they needed to refuse the proposal without falling out of the Emperor’s favor as much as possible.

But that method seemed far out of reach.

“We should watch this matter a bit longer rather than deciding right away.”

At Duke Blatnik’s words to postpone the decision, Duchess Blatnik became indignant.

“How can you say such a thing when you clearly know our daughter will live being tormented by a shameless person?”

“No, dear. That’s not what I meant…”

Duke Blatnik tried to placate his wife while fidgeting, but once agitated, Duchess Blatnik couldn’t easily calm her anger.

Lady Blatnik, who had been quietly watching the familiar scene, carefully interjected.

“There’s a way to resolve this matter wisely. Would you like to hear it?”

“There’s a method?”

Duke Blatnik asked back while almost embracing his thoroughly upset wife.

“Yes.”

Lady Blatnik nodded. Then she reflected on her conversation with Lady Amaterasu today.

[Making a clean break is dangerous. You could incur the displeasure not only of the Empress but also the Emperor.]

When she expressed her unwillingness to marry the Crown Prince, Lady Amaterasu had casually said this.

[If it were me, I think I’d say I want to become the Empress’s lady-in-waiting first.]

There, Lady Blatnik found a thread to escape marriage with the Crown Prince without falling out of favor with the imperial family.

****

After the party ended, throughout the carriage ride back to the Cardia Ducal Residence, Kavelaseth was secretly stealing glances at Giselle Grante, who remained silently absorbed in thought.

She would appear to be continuing her thoughts with a serious expression, then occasionally her eyes would gleam wickedly—that sight was enough to make Kavelaseth’s heart race.

The villainous aspect of scheming political maneuvers inside while having an innocent appearance pleased him immensely.

He fundamentally liked good people. But he was wary of those who just took hits like pushovers.

Because one must know how to value oneself before being able to care for others.

“Why… are you staring at me like that?”

Giselle Grante, who had been deep in thought, belatedly sensed his gaze and asked.

“I’m curious what you’re thinking about so intently.”

“Ah…”

Giselle Grante sighed softly and covered her mouth.

She seemed to realize she’d been lost in her own thoughts without looking around, and was embarrassed.

“I had a bit of a conversation with Lady Blatnik earlier, you know? She seemed curious about the Crown Prince.”

“Did you harshly criticize him as a bad person?”

At Kavelaseth’s words, Giselle Grante burst into a small laugh.

“Since we don’t yet know what position the Blatnik Ducal House will take, I was as restrained as possible with my words. But I answered candidly about the parts Lady Blatnik wanted to know.”

“Well done.”

Kavelaseth, who had been gazing at Giselle Grante’s profile with a faint smile on his lips, reached out his hand without much deliberation.

Because he didn’t like her soft blonde hair covering her face.

After tucking the fallen blonde hair behind her ear, Kavelaseth leisurely admired Giselle Grante’s profile.

The smooth curve from her round forehead past her high nose bridge to her jawline was bewitching.

As Kavelaseth kept staring without taking his eyes off her, Giselle Grante’s white cheeks turned as red as a ripe apple.

Temptingly.