After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 54

Frederick, who had been gazing silently at Edward, admitted,

“That’s right. I had to confirm Leo’s intentions before announcing the competition.”

“I see.”

“Edward.”

Frederick stepped closer and gently patted Edward’s shoulder.

“I hope you don’t feel slighted. You and Leo are both equally proud sons to me.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good. Thank you for understanding. Happy birthday again. I’ve sent a birthday gift to your room. I hope you like it.”

“Thank you.”

“Now, enjoy the banquet. You are the protagonist of today, aren’t you?”

After patting Edward’s shoulder once more, Frederick turned around, and nobles gathered around him as if they had been waiting.

Edward stepped back and covered his troubled face with his hand.

He wanted to maintain his composure, but it didn’t go as planned.

A Crown Prince competition.

As he tried to understand the situation, Tatiana approached him with a worried expression.

“Edward, are you alright?”

“Mother.”

Edward belatedly checked Tatiana’s mood.

He thought she must have been surprised too, so he felt he needed to be strong.

However, he was relieved to see her face calmer than he expected, and he asked,

“Did you know?”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance. I didn’t know he would announce it here.”

“…”

“You don’t have to worry, son.”

Tatiana’s expression, as she stroked his shoulder, was resolute.

“It’s only a matter of time. You will be the Crown Prince in the end. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mother. I won’t disappoint you.”

“You have never disappointed this mother of yours. Don’t think like that and enjoy the banquet. They’re all waiting for you over there.”

Tatiana pushed Edward’s back and secretly glared at Leo, who was standing to one side.

‘As if I’d hand it over willingly.’

To her, Leo was nothing more than an enemy coveting her son’s position.

Soon, she composed herself and slowly moved towards the hall.

She exuded an elegant aura as she walked towards the noble ladies who were waiting for her to speak to them.

Amidst the crowd, she displayed the dignity of an Empress and thought to herself.

‘I am the Empress. I won’t be deprived like before.’

Now she had enough power to protect what was hers, and that was the only important reality.

As the banquet atmosphere was in full swing.

Marcus appeared before Ayla, who had finally escaped from the crowd and was talking to Vivian.

“Come with me.”

He appeared as if he had been waiting for Ayla to move away from Leo, quietly commanded, and turned to lead the way.

Ayla paused at the sudden situation, and Vivian, fidgeting, asked softly.

“Shall I call His Highness?”

“It’s okay. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Ayla smiled reassuringly and followed Marcus.

A while later, an uncomfortable silence flowed between the two sitting face to face in the drawing-room assigned to the Everett family.

It was because Ayla, who would normally have been affable, was silent, but Marcus, unaware of this, frowned for a moment and opened his mouth.

“Are you not planning to come home at all?”

“Home?”

Ayla involuntarily retorted and answered after a short silence.

“Don’t you understand yet? If it were a home I could return to on my own, I wouldn’t have left in the first place.”

Only then did Marcus’s eyebrows twitch.

He had momentarily forgotten. The fact that she had left home before this marriage.

Marcus, who was pondering the reason again, clicked his tongue briefly and rebuked.

“Did you dislike the young master of the Esteban family that much?”

“…”

“I am greatly disappointed in you. To ruin things with personal feelings. It was a decent match for you. You wouldn’t have had to go to that faraway place.”

“I made a choice for my own happiness.”

“I’m saying that choice is the problem. To call that guy a choice.”

“…”

“Enough. You must have heard about the Consecration Ceremony.”

“Yes.”

“Now that it’s come to this, put your name on the marriage contract as soon as possible. That’s the only way the child to be born will have rights.”

“Child?”

Marcus commanded Ayla, who was flustered, as if it were only natural.

“Give birth to a son, Ayla.”

“…”

“The First Prince’s mother is also a member of the Eisenfelt royal family, so at least the bloodline will be useful.”

“What is that?”

Ayla doubted her ears.

At least the bloodline will be useful, what kind of nonsense is that?

“Remember, and remember well, Ayla Everett.”

Marcus’s stern warning continued to reach her ears, which were in a state of shock.

“You must remember that you are in that position thanks to my efforts, and no one else’s.”

“What position is this?”

“What?”

“This position. What kind of position is it?”

Ayla’s agitated voice trembled.

Her blue eyes, filled with resentment, stared directly at Marcus.

Did he even know how hard it was for her when she heard that he had tried to kill Leomond?

She thought she had already cut it off.

She felt a surge of sorrow at his appearance, not considering how difficult it would be for her.

“This position is next to the person who had to be driven to the brink for the sake of Everett’s prosperity, which Father cherishes so much. I’m so sorry that I’m an Everett that I can’t even lift my head, and you’re saying that being in this position is thanks to Father’s efforts?”

Even though she was at a loss for words, there was no change in Marcus’s expression.

Ayla shouted at him, who had been frowning all along.

“How could you do this? Don’t you have a conscience?”

“What are you talking about?”

Marcus scoffed as if he was dumbfounded.

“Why would I need such a thing?”

“Why would you need it?”

“There is a reason for everything that happens. Not all of those reasons can be moral. Your birth is the same.”

Ayla felt breathless.

His gaze, sweeping over her as if she were filth, was as aggressive as that of someone who had been wronged.

“But I accepted it. Of course, it wasn’t easy for me either.”

“…”

“So now tell me, Ayla Everett.”

Marcus asked with a sneer.

“What did I do so wrong to you?”

Vivian was so worried about Ayla, who was not coming back, that she could not concentrate on the banquet.

She could well imagine how her cynical father would be treating her, even without seeing it.

‘I can’t stand it anymore. I have to go.’

Visiting the drawing-room of another family could be considered a breach of etiquette, but she thought that she was the only one who could take care of her now that Leomond was caught by Frederick. And Ayla was a person who was worth it.

Thanks to her, who had stepped forward boldly for her, who had been ridiculed as a country bumpkin, Vivian was able to protect her appearance and not hate herself.

Wasn’t Ayla the one who recognized her as she was and said she wanted to be friends?

She could endure any criticism for her sake.

It was when she was heading to the palace where the drawing-room was located, with a determined resolve.

“It’s really ridiculous, you know? I didn’t know Ayla was so selfish.”

The malicious words that came to her ears grabbed her ankle.

“Father says no, but she’s been out for a few days. How could I not know that my sister suddenly didn’t come home? I pretended not to know because I was afraid Ayla would be scolded, but suddenly she appeared at the banquet and said she was getting married.”

“Really, Princess? Did she really stay out?”

“That’s right. I knew she was upset because she didn’t like the person the family had chosen for her, but still, that behavior went too far.”

“Amazing. She didn’t look like that.”

“She’s my sister, but I was surprised too. Frankly, isn’t it natural for people like us to marry someone from a family chosen by our family? How could she act like that without even discussing it because she didn’t like it? And that’s the worst way to bring another man.”

The one who was spreading rumors about Ayla in the center of the ladies who had gathered with interested faces was none other than Shuel Everett.

Ayla’s older sister and the first princess of the Everett family.

Vivian’s face hardened noticeably when she found her.

She had already seen Shuel making remarks that belittled Ayla at the banquet, pretending not to. Until now, she had thought it was not a subject to intervene in, but…

Shuel’s hypocritical voice continued to be heard in Vivian’s ears, who was hesitating.

Support