CH 7

The male protagonist and the villain have become friends?

My head ached about whether I should praise this or not.

Instead of scratching my head, I asked Theodore a question.

“So you accepter her friend request?”

“Since she wanted to be friends, I asked her first to tell me why she was suddenly doing this. At first, I thought it was a change in approach to her leeching.”

'Since she wanted to be friends'...

Theodore was here, so the answer was obvious without having to listen.

I'm sure Vivian would have told him everything about what had happened with me.

After hearing those stories, Theodore must have come here out of interest.

Wait a minute. Perhaps?

In novels, it always came out that the male lead felt attracted to the changed villain and fell in love.

With that thought in mind, I opened my eyes wide and asked urgently.

“Did you come to like the young lady?”

Theodore's expression twisted mercilessly at my words.

****

[time skip]

Over the years, our relationship came to be re-established.

It was such a big change that I couldn't figure out why the situation had changed so much.

Theodore was always present when I visited Vivian's mansion.

And it went both ways. When there was an occasion to follow my father into the imperial palace, Vivian showed up somehow.

Naturally, the number of days the three of us were together grew and grew.

At first, I was very worried.

It was because I had all sorts of imaginations that this would end in a wedding between the two before the original work even started.

But it was a useless worry.

“Vivian, are you still asking Rosenta to tie your hair?”

"Huh? What does that matter?”

It was fortunate that the two had not become enemies, let alone marry.

Yes. Because this is an argument that can only be had when you are close to each other.

I tried to think positively, but I kept sighing at the sight of the two fighting childishly.

"Sigh. Can't you two stop fighting? Vivian, such a coarse habit of talking to His Highness that way.

I tried to tie the back of Vivian's hair into a half-up style.

At my words, Vivian puffed out her cheeks and pouted.

But the smirking Theodore shrugged once, then scratched at Vivian's temper again.

“In the past, it was Vivian who cried and asked me to be her friend, saying she was sorry.”

"Grrr… … ugh! I did not! I was blind at that time!”

Vivian jumped up from her seat.

"ah…”

All I had left to do was tie Vivian's hair together...

All my efforts were in vain by the sudden rise.

These days, whenever we meet, the two of them fight every day.

I raised my eyebrows fiercely and jumped out of the chair.

“I will leave since you two enjoy fighting so much.”

"No! Rosen! It's my fault!"

"Yes. I'm not saying that Vivian did something wrong...”

“Kyaaak! Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

Oh, my head hurts.

I sat back in my chair and put my arms on the table. And in the meantime, I buried my face into my arms and lay still.

For an instant, my surroundings became quiet.

Then, as if they were worried, I heard the voices of Theodore and Vivian.

“Rosenta?”

“Rozen?”

Actually, I said that I had a headache, but there was a gentle smile on my lips.

It was such a happy day today.

I had been Vivian's escort for her social debut, and I met with these two every weekend.

I was so happy that I was worried.

The story in the upcoming book wasn't that bright.

Even if it's just a year or two from now...

I got emotional. Then, with as pretty a smile as possible, I lifted my face.

"It’s just because I’m so happy."

****

Helios Imperial Calendar, Alexander year 45.

The year was marked by two tragedies.

The first star to fall was Duke Estella.

He was on his way to visit the temple.

However, it had rained the day before and the ground was muddy, and unfortunately, a landslide occurred on the road he was passing through.

Not long after the funeral, another grief occurred.

The emperor, who had become bedridden, fell into a deep sleep from which he could not wake up.

The emperor had clearly been fine until the day before. But everything happened suddenly.

Of course, I was suspicious, but I couldn't find any traces of murder.

But this was certain.

Now that the sun of Helios has set, the time has come for a new sun to rise.

Thus, the year of the Helios Empire, Theodore, was newly welcomed.

<The Thousand Year History of Helios, Theodore Calendar>

Book 2

It was the night shortly after the funeral of my father, Duke Caligo Estella.

It rained exceptionally heavily that day.

Dark clouds covered the sky and no light could be seen.

As if a divine punishment was being inflicted, thunder and lightning struck continuously and violently.

However, the new Duke of Estella was having a more violent and noisy night than outside.

“As a member of the Council of Elders, I’m having some difficulties recognizing the young master… … .”

The Council of Elders was an existence that one would barely realize actually existed.

It was to the extent that I had never seen them once since entering the Estella duchy.

But according to orthodoxy, I had to be 'recognized' by them.

“Shouldn’t he study a little more? He’s very young and inexperienced.”

“I didn't know that Duke Estella would pass away so early... … .”

“As originally planned, the young master is entitled to inherit the title, but twenty seems too young.”

I let them talk on their own.

My ears were open to them, but my eyes were staring elsewhere.

I looked through the large window on the wall opposite me. The curtains were drawn, so the torrential rain outside was unmistakable.

According to the novel, the death of the emperor will take place in the near future.

Would it be today? Tomorrow?

When will I receive the news? It hasn’t arrived yet, but thinking about the news that will come soon, my mind became complicated.

It wasn't because I cared about the emperor.

I was worried about Theodore...This sparked fears that the prologue of the novel would begin.

After wiping my face once with both hands, I put my complicated thoughts aside.

Right now, I had to handle the greedy people in front of me first.

“Hmm. Actually, I didn't want to talk about this, but... … . The Estella Duchy is a noble lineage created through the unions of generations of great nobles. But commoner blood!”

"That's right. I was hesitant to speak, but Young Master, is of commoner blood... … .”

He even brought up the story of my birth.

They laughed.

Once again, I didn’t respond.

When I didn't respond, the elders chatted among themselves as if they were even more excited.

"You're right! First of all, while Young Master is finishing his education our children... … .”

“Ugh! Nonsense! The closest one after Young Master is our family!”

“It must be someone close to the previous duke. We are his brothers… .”

It was common for the elders of the collateral families to belong to the Elders Council.

To them, the title 'Duke' was like a dream that they wanted to achieve, but could not dream of.

Good prey appeared for them, so they must be trying to get me to back down.

I wasn't afraid of them.

He was a father I was not close to, nor did I like him, but I learned a lot from him.

For example, how to suppress these people.

“We’ve agreed. Then, let’s ask Young Master directly.”

“Alright! Who would you like to be the regent?”

They were forcing me into a situation where they had already given tentative answers to each other.

Ok. I suppose I had listened to enough of this now.

"Silence."

In an instant, all sound disappeared.

As if nothing had ever existed there in the first place.

The sound of thunder, the sound of strong rain and wind outside, the sound of windows shaking violently, and the sound of their talking all disappeared.

The elders, as if embarrassed, grabbed their necks and trembled.

He shouted something at me with a pale face but no matter what they shouted, no voice came out.

I had listened to their unilateral words until now, so it was their turn to listen to me from here on out.

"You're right. I have just come of age and was born of a commoner's blood. But isn’t the one who was born most directly into the Estella family’s bloodline the strongest?”

The curse that erased sound was a demonstration of the extent of my abilities.

Of course, it was also meant to intimidate.

“I heard that the collateral blood is so weak it can barely make a flower wither… … .”

They kept their mouths shut while shivering like an aspen tree.

Seeing that, I laughed out loud.

In contrast to my icy tone, I smiled more affectionately than anyone else.

“So I wonder if any of you could really be my substitute.”

I broke the silence I had cast before.

"Clear."

Lightning flashed with the sound of rain.

All sounds returned to normal, but they said nothing. Even though I returned their voices.

“My father was unforgiving when his subordinates displeased him. But not me. I have the generosity to forgive once in a while. Of course, that would not be the case with enemies.”

I tapped the table twice with my index finger.

As if it had been promised, an attendant walked out from behind. The servant handed over papers to the elders one by one.

And I asked “Would you like to be on my side? Or would you like to be enemies?”