ITIF Chapter 50

Crown Princess’s Popularity

“Mark… do you mean?”

Joshua nodded his head.

Only then did Count Court Anwarz recall Lady Amaterasu whom he had seen at today’s imperial palace ball.

He only had memories of watching anxiously, wondering if she would cause a disgraceful scene and turn the imperial palace ball into a laughingstock as she had done before.

All he had done was watch from afar as she danced with Joshua; he had never encountered her up close.

Although recent rumors suggested that her ignorance had improved somewhat compared to before, Count Court Anwarz didn’t believe those words.

Count Court Anwarz was inclined to believe that while a person’s outward appearance could be adorned with any amount of decoration, a person’s inner essence could not be easily changed.

Even if she was behaving properly for now, he predicted that Lady Amaterasu would eventually cause a major incident.

The Empress had said that through marriage, they would first draw the Duke of Amaterasu’s household to Joshua’s side, and then if Lady Amaterasu behaved in a manner unbecoming of a Crown Princess, they could simply disguise it as an accident and dispose of her quietly. However, he found the Empress’s plan distasteful as well.

Despite her outstanding beauty that shone even among the beauties gathered in the imperial capital, and her impressive family background, Count Court Anwarz’s view of Lady Amaterasu remained skeptical—regrettably so.

“Yes, the mark.”

Faced with Joshua’s expectant gaze waiting for an answer, Count Court Anwarz drew in a sharp breath.

The palace was already in an uproar due to the Crown Prince’s attempt to assault Duke Cardia.

If it hadn’t been for quick handling, the news would have immediately reached the Emperor and Empress’s ears.

Of course, even if they tried to hide it, the news would soon reach the Emperor and Empress anyway, but it was better to keep them unaware for at least today.

And it was Count Court Anwarz who had been running around without a moment’s rest until now, silencing and threatening all the related parties to properly clean up the entire mess.

So if Joshua had any conscience, he should have offered at least a word of thanks.

But he was in no position to express such inner thoughts. He could only respond to the Crown Prince’s absurd words.

“If it were someone else, I would have to be suspicious, but if it’s Lady Amaterasu… I suspect she might have said it without knowing what she was talking about?”

Joshua’s gaze toward Count Court Anwarz suddenly sharpened.

At such moments, he looked exactly like the Empress, causing Count Court Anwarz to startle and tremble.

However, he cleverly began his persuasion.

“I believe Your Highness the Crown Prince has also heard the rumors about Lady Amaterasu.”

“I have heard the rumors…”

Lady Amaterasu that Joshua had directly encountered was completely different from the rumors.

No, rather, he thought she was the finest among all the young ladies he had seen today.

Her voice was clear and every movement was elegant. Her manner of speaking was gentle yet contained strength.

He could also sense the refinement characteristic of high nobility.

Above all, her body seemed naturally gifted for arousing his lust.

To the extent that he still regretted not having properly tasted her flesh.

“But she was quite different from the rumors.”

Joshua’s red tongue extended like a snake and slowly licked his lower lip. Feeling an inexplicable chill from that sight, Count Court Anwarz hurriedly spoke.

“There must be reason enough for Your Highness to be concerned. If you command it, I shall immediately begin investigating Lady Amaterasu.”

Having obtained the answer he wanted from Count Court Anwarz, Joshua nodded.

“Then rest comfortably, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

Though he said this to appease the sensitive-looking Joshua, the investigation of Lady Amaterasu had already been completed long ago.

And as predicted, there was nothing particularly special about it. It was embarrassing enough to report to the Empress who had given the order.

Still, having received the command, he couldn’t just sit idle, so Count Court Anwarz shook his head and quickened his pace.

He had to do so to report to the impatient Empress before the day was over.

****

Baroness Cypress had escaped from the palace early.

Her husband, Baron Cypress, had long since passed out drunk, and she was on her way to take him from the palace before he could cause trouble with innocent nobles.

Her natal family members were not attending this imperial palace ball and were staying in their territory. The noble ladies she was friendly with seemed intent on enjoying the ball until sunrise.

Just as she was thinking of returning straight to the baron’s estate, she discovered an invitation wedged like a sandwich between the carriage seat and cushion.

She thought it was perfect timing, as she had been itching to talk about what she had seen today.

Baroness Cypress glared at Baron Cypress, who was sleeping and snoring, then checked the date written on the invitation and smiled.

It would have been a waste to go straight back to the estate…

“Turn the horses around.”

“Where shall I take you?”

“To Count Tarel’s estate.”

The atmosphere at Count Tarel’s estate, which they thus arrived at, showed no signs of cooling despite the late hour.

“Welcome, my lady.”

“It’s been a while.”

After giving a brief explanation to Countess Tarel, who inquired about her husband’s well-being, Baroness Cypress walked toward the center of the hall.

Naturally, the guests who had arrived at the salon earlier turned to look at Baroness Cypress and Countess Tarel.

“Did you perhaps come from the imperial palace ball?”

Since there was no other particular reason for such elaborate dress and decoration, everyone guessed that she was coming from the imperial palace ball.

“Yes, that’s right.”

When Baroness Cypress nodded, another noble lady asked with sparkling eyes.

“How was today’s imperial palace ball?”

The eyes directed at Baroness Cypress were full of interest, as if expecting to hear some enjoyable story.

“I’d like it if you could laugh off what I’m about to say lightly and forget it when you return home. Would that be alright?”

Her words of caution before even beginning to speak brought a gleam to the nobles’ eyes. Rather, it stoked their curiosity and intrigue.

“Of course, naturally. Originally, conversations held here are forgotten when we return home. Isn’t that right, everyone?”

Another noble lady supported Baroness Cypress’s words.

The other nobles also nodded and looked at Baroness Cypress, as if urging her to continue with whatever story she had intended to tell.

“His Highness the Crown Prince expressed his feelings today at the imperial palace ball to someone he had been interested in.”

“…!”

The nobles each opened their mouths wide in amazement.

“Who is it? Which young lady has been blessed with such glory?”

“Ah… well, you see…”

Baroness Cypress slightly lowered her gaze and pursed her lips. The nobles then urged her with their eyes to speak quickly.

“It wasn’t a young lady.”

At those words, the nobles each began calculating rapidly.

If the woman the Crown Prince had set his heart on was married? And if that heart was sincere?

To obtain her, the Crown Prince would find ways to steal her by any means necessary, whether by killing the woman’s husband, framing him with false charges, or using any other method.

Only the husband would end up pitiable. Everyone was thinking such thoughts when someone asked.

“So that means it was someone who already has a husband?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Baroness Cypress shook her head. The nobles’ expressions became puzzled.

“It was Duke Cardia.”

At the sudden mention of Duke Cardia’s name, the nobles tilted their heads.

“Duke Cardia has no fiancée or lover that I know of? Am I perhaps mistaken?”

“No, that’s not what I mean. It was Duke Cardia himself.”

“…….”

At Baroness Cypress’s words, the nobles in the salon only blinked their eyes. One of them asked back.

“…Excuse me? I’m not sure if I heard correctly. Are you saying that the person His Highness the Crown Prince expressed his feelings to was Duke Cardia?”

Baroness Cypress quickly nodded, and the nobles gathered in the salon fell into confusion.

However, they were gauging each other’s reactions and couldn’t voice even a single word of what they really wanted to say.

“His Highness the Crown Prince must have had such a difficult time suppressing his feelings…”

Then Baroness Cypress spoke with eyes full of pity.

Then she immediately widened her eyes and pretended to roughly tear the shirt of a young man sitting next to her.

“My word! On the terrace, he forcibly tore Duke Cardia’s clothes…”

“…Forcibly?”

Concentrating on Baroness Cypress’s words, the nobles could only swallow their saliva.

“How urgent his heart must have been, to do such a thing outdoors…”

“…Outdoors?”

“On a terrace not far from the banquet hall where the ball was in full swing, he forcibly undressed Duke Cardia and then…”

At the most crucial moment, Baroness Cypress closed her mouth.

But that alone was sufficient for their imaginations to soar, and everyone remained frozen, unable to close their gaping mouths.

It had been quite some time since jokes had quietly spread that young men who had been attracted to women would suddenly turn to male relationships, captivated by Duke Cardia’s remarkably beautiful appearance.

But if that target was the Crown Prince, that really changed everything.

The Crown Prince, who had even completed his investiture ceremony, was a homosexual…

****

After the imperial palace ball, news that the Crown Prince was a homosexual spread throughout the capital’s social circles.

The Crown Prince’s sexual orientation was shocking enough to the nobles.

There were indeed some male nobles who enjoyed dating handsome young men.

That was their own business, and they couldn’t reveal it openly.

So it meant this was the first time a famous figure like the Crown Prince had openly revealed his unusual preferences, especially in a place where all the nobles of the empire had gathered.

So much so that whenever three or more people gathered, they would all bloom into discussions about the Crown Prince’s preferences.

“This should also dampen the enthusiasm for the Crown Princess position.”