The Crown Prince Who Raises Alt Characters

#Chapter 210 Demon Kron (8) - Eight-tenths Just because people see the same thing doesn't mean they will necessarily have the same impression. Like when looking at a picture of some animal, someone claims it's a rabbit while someone else claims it's a duck. Like when describing an elephant, someone claims it's 'an animal with a trunk like a snake' while someone else claims it's 'an animal with ears like a butterfly.' Because which aspect of something people focus on and how they interpret it varies greatly from person to person. Therefore, people's opinions were also divided regarding this incident caused by the Crown Prince. "When finding the culprit of an incident, you should focus on whoever benefits most from that incident. Since everything started with that young lady Kuella Ospin's petition, naturally His Highness the Crown Prince must have pulled strings for her, right?" The first opinion belonged to those who believed the Crown Prince caused this incident for Kuella's sake. Of course, nominally it was just that the Crown Prince happened to stumble upon related matters while looking into various things for property management, but wasn't the timing too exquisite for that to be the case? Among them, some even poured out opinions that the Crown Prince might harbor personal favor toward Kuella, but such public opinion didn't gain much sympathy. "Tsk tsk. Say something that makes sense. Both favor and interest require some point of contact first. How could someone residing in that lofty Golden Cloud Palace possibly know about a provincial noble's daughter?" "Well, His Highness the Crown Prince did attend the Imperial Academy, didn't he? That was the custom. Maybe some connection formed then?" "He graduated early in less than a year. Didn't all his professors cry?" Professors at one of the continent's three great educational institutions and the empire's most prestigious school aren't normally people who bow down easily wherever they go. But everything in the world is relative. No matter how much the academy professors were monsters who could slice steel like cutting radish with their aura, there was nothing they could do when senior alumni who could weave thread with aura came daily saying 'You can't teach our Crown Prince like that!!' and stubbornly interfered. But one couldn't possibly argue with the seniors, saying, ‘No, seniors, you usually resign your professorships saying you shouldn't have to teach kids at your level, so why are you only doing this now!’ (The incident where one professor challenged them to a fight, ignoring rank, and got beaten up was concealed as an internal secret). To say they met through other routes, the Crown Prince wasn't originally someone very active in external activities. More precisely, while he readily appeared at official events he was obligated to attend, he didn't easily set foot in parties or hunting gatherings personally hosted by specific nobles. This was truly exemplary student behavior, contrasting with how imperial family members in their prime typically tried desperately to create excuses to play, calling it all social activities. "It must be a warning, right?" "It can't be anything but a warning." Therefore, except for a few whose heads were filled with romance and love stories, people reached a more 'rational' conclusion. "Actually, after His Highness the Crown Prince collapsed once this time, there were subtle movements among other imperial family members, weren't there? Of course, it wasn't openly revealed, just testing the waters..." There are plenty of precedents in history where young geniuses overexerted themselves aiming for the next level, only to slip up and severely damage their bodies. For those who had been overshadowed by Crown Prince Alondre and weren't even allowed to look at the throne, this incident truly felt like a great opportunity. If the Crown Prince had moved his close associates as a warning to those showing such 'seditious' movements, it could explain everything. "He's establishing discipline, saying 'I'm fine, so don't harbor vain dreams.'" "Hmm. Was he really sick in the first place? I heard that incident was just a brief collapse, and he's been handling work normally afterward?" "According to those who work in cooperation with Golden Cloud Palace, work processing has gotten subtly slower. Originally it was the work of twenty people, but now it's the work of ten?" "Hehe, I don't know who it is, but that information source is quite exaggerated. If you're a bureaucrat working at Golden Cloud Palace, you're naturally an expert among experts. Does the work of twenty people even make sense?" "Well, isn't this always how subordinates' achievements become their superiors' and such?" Regardless of the ghost story-like tales about the Crown Prince's work abilities, to many sensible people and intellectuals in political circles, the Crown Prince's recent actions were perceived as a kind of political warning or threat. Especially those with high-level connections or information networks within political circles had obtained information that the 5th Prince was involved behind this incident, so they became even more certain of such speculation. "Anyway, that young lady Kuella Ospin is quite fortunate. She was merely used as a plausible excuse, but as a result, she ended up gaining two count titles and even territories, didn't she?" "Exactly. No matter how much the power of the nobles isn't what it used to be, that's not a level to be easily dismissed anywhere." "Some flies might start swarming though?" "Nah, surely not. They wouldn't be that thoughtless." "Hmm, is that really so?" Rational people like them who had sufficient information wouldn't make a move. After all, they knew that Kuella Ospin was all show with no substance. Those with somewhat lacking information who took 'the Crown Prince's favor toward Kuella Ospin and such' as truth wouldn't approach in other directions either, except perhaps for building friendship. After all, if that information were true, she'd be a woman the Crown Prince was interested in—who would be crazy enough to touch that? "Unless they're idiots who truly know nothing and are just blinded by the title of 'countess with two territories,' they'll stay quiet." "Hahaha, of course. How could people be that foolish!" (E/N: 3...2...1...) *** "Kuella. How about we go on an outing after such a long time? Hm?" Demon Kron looked at the man before him with the eyes of someone watching a ladybug visiting a dermatology clinic to remove its spotted pattern. In other words, he looked at him as if viewing an existence beyond common sense. [Kuella, what is this man?] To Kron's question, Kuella, who was wearing an expression similar to Kron's—no, even more incredulous—answered. [My fiancé. The second son of Marquis Silverheim, Lawrence Silverheim. Yes, quite infuriatingly so.] [Didn't you say that fiancé treated you harshly in various ways?] This was the first time Kron had properly faced Lawrence. However, his behavior that he had heard about through Kuella was far from that of a faithful fiancé, even as empty words. Socializing with other female students in the academy, dumping trivial errands on Kuella, and when Kuella protested or resisted, intimidating her using his family's authority. Honestly speaking, at this point it was questionable whether it was even okay to call him a fiancé. [Re-really, truly, this is too much. Last time he babbled about breaking off the engagement and not to bother him, and now how can he act like nothing happened...!!] As if something was surging up from within while speaking, Kuella's voice was trembling faintly. The resentment and sorrow she had experienced was being conveyed to Kron completely. Completely unaware of their conversation, Lawrence began fawning over Kron with a nonchalant expression. "Sometimes fiancés should spend affectionate time together, shouldn't they? Hm?" "...Didn't you say not to cling to you annoyingly last time?" "Hm? Haha, that was just a joke. What, were you sulking about that? How cute." It was a truly astounding level of shamelessness. And at the same time, it was a remark that clearly revealed what position the girl named 'Kuella Ospin' held in his mind. Now she was no longer a simple nuisance of a count's family but a proper family head and countess, yet the image from the past when he looked down on her still remained. How should this be dealt with to resolve the frustration Kuella had endured all this time? Kron fell into contemplation. *** '—Hahaha! What a windfall this is!' Kron's speculation was accurate. Indeed, Lawrence Silverheim wasn't reflecting on his past actions in the slightest. A sensible person would fear future trouble or at least offer apologies first if someone they had been treating coldly rose to a high position, but Lawrence didn't do that. Instead, he saw this as an opportunity. 'Until now there was nothing particularly to gain from being associated with Kuella, but now two count territories come with it, right?' The empire, influenced by the imperial succession law, was quite generous regarding women's inheritance of titles or estates. They viewed gender as a secondary matter as long as one had ability. However, there were quite a few within the empire who harbored subtle resistance to this trend. The Eizern Empire had only established this peculiar succession law due to the actions of early emperors during its founding, but looking at the continent's entire history, male succession rights were generally stronger, or women often couldn't inherit titles at all. If Kuella could properly fulfill her role as family head, that would be one thing, but if not, her husband could reign as the actual master. For Lawrence, who was from a marquis family but had no territory to inherit as a second son, it was an irresistibly attractive future. 'And her appearance seems to have changed somewhat too...?' Lawrence examined his fiancée's appearance with a lecherous gaze. The Kuella he remembered was a girl who seemed to wear the same similar dresses in rotation, with slouched shoulders and back due to dejection, poor complexion, and was excessively thin. She was so unattractive that even he, with his strong lecherous tendencies, had left her completely untouched. But the current Kuella had neat attire, had gained weight due to resolved malnutrition, and most importantly, her posture and attitude were proper. Her facial features themselves were the same so there was no room to mistake her for someone else, but the overall atmosphere was truly like heaven and earth different. Whether from personal preference or from a profit perspective, there was no reason not to make a move. Lawrence began his conquest of his fiancée. "I'll admit there have been some misunderstandings between us. But we're still engaged, right? I'll really do well from now on. Hm? Please forgive me just once, Kuella." Lawrence winked one eye and spoke as if acting slightly cute. Since his face itself was quite handsome, it was also a technique that worked very well on the girls he used to hang out with. With this, surely Kuella would also— '...Huh? Where is she looking right now?' Contrary to Lawrence's expectations, Kuella was extremely indifferent even to his cute act. Just as he was feeling slightly displeased by his fiancée's behavior of looking elsewhere during their conversation, Kuella approached one of the female students who had been watching their conversation nearby and politely bowed her head. "Excuse me, could you perhaps lend me those gloves?" "Yes? Oh, here you go." The female student who received the request seemed somewhat flustered, but soon obediently removed the women's gloves she was wearing and handed them to Kuella. "Thank you. I'll definitely repay you later." "Yes..." With slightly dazed eyes and voice, the female student nodded her head. Kuella's actions and gestures were extremely befitting of a noble young lady, but for some reason they were filled with a distinctive charm that one might feel from a handsome man in women's clothing. While everyone's attention was focused on what she might be trying to do, Kuella put the gloves on her hands once, then took them off again. And then. Thwack! "Urgh!?" She mercilessly threw them at Lawrence's face. "—For the insults and humiliation that 'Kuella Ospin' has endured all this time, I challenge you to a duel. Lawrence Silverheim."