AWWEWNR Chapter 32

As Hanaella sipped her tea with these thoughts, she quickly stiffened when Rosaryn returned from the restroom, deliberately tripped, and landed on Lloyd’s thigh.

 

“Ow!”

 

The angle and pose must have been premeditated, as without missing a beat, Rosaryn plunged into Lloyd’s arms.

 

The angle and pose had been deliberate, and Rosaryn’s arms were so tightly around Lloyd that he could see the swell of her breastbone. 

 

Hanaella’s eyes widened in disbelief that she would throw herself into his arms to be seen by Lloyd, even though she was in love with Tharrott. 

 

Lloyd stared, expressionless, at the ample cleavage bouncing in front of him as it threatened to spill over at any moment.

 

“Oh, I’m sorry, Your Majesty!”

 

Rosaryn jumped up, deliberately bumping her chest into Lloyd’s face.

 

“…!”

 

Thud. Rosaryn’s bulging breasts pressed directly against Lloyd’s nose. 

 

Embarrassed by her blatant assault, Lloyd quickly pulled away from her when his eyes locked with Hanaella’s, who was watching them.

 

Watching him with an amused, albeit embarrassed, expression on her face, Hanaella’s brow furrowed as her eyes locked with Rosaryn’s, who raised the corners of her mouth as if to say, ‘How the hell did she get to Tharrott?’ 

 

‘Is she really in love with him? Isn’t that the kind of woman who would leave the man she loves for another man, even if it means sacrificing him?’ 

 

Ah… the woman who abandoned him when he became a monster. 

 

Saying it was for the sake of Tharrott’s happiness, but really it was for hers. Yes, that’s the kind of woman she was.

 

“I am so, so sorry, how dare you…”

 

Rosaryn began, almost sobbing, and Lloyd told her it was all right, with a blunt face.

 

“Lady Hanaella, you’re not angry, are you?”

 

When Lloyd didn’t respond, Rosaryn began to sob, now looking at Hanaella.

 

“Please know that His Highness didn’t hug me on purpose, it was a mistake…”

 

“Lady Rosaryn.”

 

Hanaella stared at Rosaryn coldly.

 

“A single mistake of a word can create rumors that are incredibly misleading.”

 

“…”

 

“His Highness did not embrace Lady Rosaryn, you stumbled and sat ‘on top of him’.”

 

“…”

 

“I’m only saying this because I’m concerned that you might accidentally say ‘hugged’ when you meant ‘caught’ at a social gathering, as you did just now, so I hope you’ll be more careful with your words.”

 

‘…Bloody woman.’ 

 

Even if Lloyd wasn’t paying attention to her right now, Rosaryn was going to start a rumor that he’d ‘hugged’ her, as Hanaella put it, even if he wasn’t interested in her. 

 

How she knew this was the case was beyond her, but Hanaella had hit her first, making it difficult for Rosaryn to control her expression.

 

Lloyd fought to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up at the sight of Hanaella. 

 

The visible battle of the two women’s spirits was more entertaining than the unknown. 

 

Especially since Hanaella seemed to have the upper hand. 

 

The problem was, it was getting a little tiring.

 

“I think we should call it a day for teatime. It has been a pleasure, Lady Thearine.”

 

“I’ve enjoyed it very much, myself. I shall be delighted if we have the opportunity to meet again, Your Grace.”

 

“Perhaps we will see each other someday, Hanaella, but you must stop by my office for a moment.”

 

As soon as Lloyd had finished greeting Rosaryn, she bit down hard on her lower lip at the way he had spoken to Hanaella. 

 

When Lloyd didn’t look at her after all she’d done, she felt defeated, like she’d lost to Hanaella.

 

Not the Crown Prince, who hadn’t bothered to call her by her first name throughout teatime, and not Hanaella, who’d been so precise with her batting that she’d been afraid to say otherwise. 

 

It wasn’t as easy as she thought. In the carriage ride home, Rosaryn wondered what she could do to distract the Crown Prince’s attention from Hanaella.

 

💫

 

“Are you angry?”

 

Lloyd asked as they sat on the couch in the drawing room, drinking tea. 

 

Hanaella stared at Lloyd without answering.

 

“I wasn’t seduced by a young lady of the Thearine family like she wanted to, and I wasn’t drawn into it, so why are you angry?”

 

“Who’s angry?”

 

“You are.”

 

“Not at all.”

 

“…Hmm.”

 

Lloyd set his jaw and glared at Hanaella. 

 

She sipped her tea, trying to avoid his gaze. She wasn’t furious, but she was in a foul mood. 

 

And for some reason, she felt annoyed.

 

“Anyway, after all this, I don’t suppose she’s going to have the nerve to try to seduce me.”

 

Lloyd’s words made Hanaella seem to think for a moment, but then she shook her head and told him.

 

“No, she wouldn’t. She won’t be going to give up that easily.”

 

“…Hmm?”

 

“You saw how she pushed her body against you when you didn’t look at her, so I’m sure she won’t back down like this. After all, right now, she wants to tie me and Count Tharrott together at all costs.”

 

“…Mmm.”

 

“For now, don’t show any signs of weakness like you did today.”

 

“What do you mean, if I show weakness, my right to succeed to the throne will be jeopardized? You have no idea how many humans are after me.”

 

She clenched her jaw and spoke casually, but she had seen him almost die and had saved his life herself, so she couldn’t help but wonder. 

 

A life in danger must be hard and exhausting, so Hanaella said what she was thinking in her head.

 

“Don’t worry. I can’t bring you back from the dead, but as long as you’re still breathing, I swear I will.”

 

Or pay the price for using forbidden magic.

 

Lloyd stared at her in astonishment at those words, but then he smiled broadly. Like a child’s genuine joy.

 

“Wow— I’m invincible, I guess.”

 

Hanaella’s heart pounded at his cheerful laughter, his handsomeness dripping and overflowing even when he was still, but when he laughed, his handsome face became childlike and cute.

 

“Hmph. Anyway, Lady Rosaryn has decided to remain vigilant for the time being, and that… Duke Delioffe.”

 

“Delioffe? What about Duke Edward?”

 

“Lady Rosaryn intends to marry Duke Delioffe.”

 

“…”

 

“I can’t go into details right now, but I’m sure of one thing: their marriage would be a powerful move for the Empress, and I intend to make it impossible for Lady Rosaryn to marry Duke Delioffe.”

 

“…Are you really thinking of turning your back on the Empress?”

 

“…Not really, but… I’ll tell you about it later… another time, it’s not a story to be told lightly.”

 

‘And you may not believe me.’

 

“…I will wait.”

 

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

 

“But when you say you’re going to make it impossible for them to marry… you don’t mean you’re going to seduce him in the way that the young lady of House Thearine did, do you?”

 

“…Actually, I was going to do that at first, but I think that would be beyond my power.”

 

“I see.”

 

Lloyd’s way of saying that so quickly before she could finish her sentence made Hanaella pout.

 

“Because even I admit I’m less pretty than Lady Rosaryn, right?”

 

“It’s not a matter of pretty or not pretty, and admitting it isn’t something you do so easily.”

 

“…Anyway, I’ve been thinking of something else… why don’t we arrange for you to meet Duke Delioffe and Princess Leige?”

 

“…With Leige?”

 

“Yes. I know that both of them are interested in the Knights and black magic, and I was thinking of using the Knights to make my acquaintance with the Duke of Delioffe, but I thought it might be better to have the Princess and the Duke of Delioffe meet.”

 

“Well. Leige is currently infatuated with Tran.”

 

“And the Duke of Delioffe is rumored to be a man with no interest in women.”

 

“And you want them to meet?”

 

“I mean, not as a man and a woman, but as people with shared interests.”

 

“And?”

 

“If Duke Delioffe and Princess Leige become acquainted, I’ll start a rumor.”

 

“Rumors?”

 

“Yes. ‘Duke Delioffe and Princess Rage are in love with each other.’”

 

“…”

 

“Of course, I’ll ask the two of them for their understanding, and I’ll control the rumor so that it only fools the Thearine siblings and his entourage.”

 

“Do you think the rumors will be controlled that easily? More than that, I don’t think Leige will allow such rumors to spread, even because of Tran.”

 

“I’ll leave that to your Highness. Lord Tran is surely capable of convincing the Princess.”

 

“You want me to give Tran orders to convince Leige?”

 

“That would be the easiest and quickest way to do it, and I don’t think Lady Rosaryn would dare ask Duke Delioffe to marry her if such a rumor were to spread between the Princess and Duke Delioffe.”

 

In the past, Rosaryn had proposed to Duke Delioffe first, and he had said yes without question. 

 

Judging by the rumors that were circulating and the memories of the past, it was clear that the Duke of Delioffe didn’t have much of a taste for women.

 

‘I’m sure Rosaryn has made an offer that Duke Delioffe will accept, so I need to make an offer that he won’t accept.’ 

 

The first step toward that end involves using the Princess as a shield to prevent Rosaryn from easily reaching Duke Delioffe. 

 

Rosaryn Esri Thearine. 

 

In this life, you picked the first fight, and I don’t plan on losing twice. 

 

‘This life will not go as smoothly as you think it will, so you’ll just have to wait and see.’

 

“Lady Rosaryn… No, the Thearines are already the Empress’s people, and the paladin, Count Tharrott, will join hands with the High Priestesses to become her feet, so I can’t give them control of the Delioffe.”

 

“…”

 

‘Seriously, where did this woman come from? She’s certainly not like the uptight Duke of Ethan. She’s adorable.’

 

Lloyd looked at Hanaella with an affectionate smile.