Chapter 14: 13

“You have to try on all three sets of clothes, so let’s hurry up. Ah, I’m going to pick up some accessories from the merchant guilds that transacted with the imperial family in the afternoon as well. Before that, we have to decide what clothes to wear so that I can choose accessories that suit them.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary……”

“What are you even saying?! I’m going to dress you up to the fullest tomorrow. I will make sure no one says strange things when they see you, Your Imperial Highness!”

Louis clenched his fists with a grim expression like a knight going to a duel. He planned to put great effort into dressing Renato up so that he would stand out more than anyone else in the banquet hall.

“Uhm, before that, can I just go and see Trudy for a bit?”

“His Imperial Highness Trudy? Now?”

“Yes. We haven’t seen each other since the funeral, right? So we decided to have tea together today……”

Renato looked at Louis and muttered. After thinking for a while, Louis let out a sigh, thinking he could not help it.

“I think it will be fine if you visit him for a while.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Instead, please come back by noon.”

“Thanks. I will be back soon.”

Renato’s face brightened and he stood up. When he was about to leave right away, Louis hurriedly grabbed the signal rope.

“Please wait a minute, Your Imperial Highness. I’ll call Luna right now.”

“It’s okay. I can go alone. It’s just a step away……”

“Absolutely not! Don’t you know the saying that the bottom of the oil lamp is always dark? You have to be careful anytime, anywhere.”

Louis drew a decisive line saying that he should never move alone, then strongly pulled the rope once. Then, Luna, who was guarding the door, came in immediately.

“What’s the matter?”

“What else, I need you to escort His Imperial Highness. He will go to His Imperial Highness, Prince Trudy’s palace now.”

“What about you? Aren’t you going with us?”

“I have to prepare for the banquet tomorrow. I can’t entrust something like this to anyone else.”

Hearing Louis’ answer, Luna squinted one eye. The two, who believed in no one but each other, were in charge of Renato’s matters. In the first place, there was a chronic shortage of manpower here, so if they didn’t do so, the palace would not function properly.

Currently, the staff of the 1st Prince’s Palace consisted of Louis the chief attendant, Luna the exclusive guard, the chef, the coachman, and a dozen other palace servants. For a palace where the Prince of the Empire resided, the manpower was too shabby.

This was because there would be no way that the palace servants would want to work in the palace of a Prince who was in the blind spot of power. Even the Empress, the ruler of the inner palace, was providing only minimal support to Renato.

Should they consider it a fortunate thing that, at least, there were no palace servants who worked as Blanche’s eyes and ears?

In the past, there were several palace servants who worked as the Empress’ informants, but thanks to Louis and Luna’s constant search and expulsion, there was no one now.

Blanche, who was constantly monitoring Renato, stopped sending new people as soon as Tristan became ill and Ludmilla was also on the verge of death.

Over the years, his self-confidence had skyrocketed, and he seemed to be conceited that he could control Renato as he pleased.

Marquis Medus still seemed to suspect that Renato might have different intentions, but he did not actively monitor him. That was because he couldn’t afford to care about Renato when his influence in politics was growing.

Thanks to that, Renato had been able to enjoy some freedom over the past few years, such as visiting Ludmilla or going to see Trudy without the two of them knowing. Their carelessness and arrogance only benefited Renato.

“Don’t call the carriage. It hasn’t been long since I had breakfast, so I’ll walk to help digestion. I want to think quietly too.”

“Understood.”

Renato put on a cardigan and left the palace with Luna. Trudy’s palace and Renato’s palace were next to each other with a garden in between.

Chirp chirp.

Renato walked along the promenade in the garden, listening to the birds chirping. The familiar road that he could walk on even with closed eyes was the only passage between Renato’s palace and Trudy’s palace.

It was here that he first met Ludmilla.

A faint smile appeared on Renato’s lips as he recalled the old memories. It was now called the 2nd Prince’s Palace, but not long ago, that place was Ludmilla’s palace.

Renato’s eyes became filled with nostalgia as he looked at the palace covered with pine vines boasting greenery even in winter.

‘Oh my, what a cute young master-nim. How did you get here?’

One day, when a rumor struck the Empire’s capital that the Emperor had brought a beautiful Omega woman together with him after an inspection in the central region, young Renato ran into Ludmilla, who was lost while taking a walk as usual.

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‘Renato El Fleurette? Ah, you are His Imperial Highness! Oh my, please forgive my rudeness. My name is Ludmilla Bloom.’

The blonde-haired beauty with pointy ears did not frown or sneer at Renato. Rather, she approached him with a smile as bright as the sun. It was quite strange. It was the first time someone heard his name and smiled.

‘Uhm? You asked why my ears are so pointy? It’s because I’m an elf.’

‘Elf? The forest guardian clan that is a distant relative of fairies?’

‘That’s right! I belong to that forest guardian clan. These ears are elves’ characteristics. They look strange, right? Would you like to touch them? It’s alright, here.’

Ludmilla gladly lowered her head so that Renato could look closely at her ears. Not stopping there, she took Renato’s hand without hesitation. A hand that neither his mother, Blanche, nor his father, Tristan, would hold.

‘Ah, did I surprise you? I’m really sorry.’

Renato was greatly startled when she held his hand without hesitation. Seeing the stiffened child, Ludmilla immediately apologized.

‘You are so cute and pretty so I made a mistake, Your Imperial Highness. Can you forgive me?’

‘I, I’m cute……?’

Renato’s eyes widened because of the words he had never heard in his life. After only experiencing people who busily looked at him with a frown every time, or avoided him as if they didn’t want to be in the same space with him, this was the first time someone praised him as cute and pretty with a big smile.

‘Yes! You are super cute. The prettiest child I’ve ever seen! Your hair is also shiny…… May I try stroking your hair if you are okay with it, Your Imperial Highness?’

The child hesitated for a moment, then slightly nodded his head. Ludmilla, who had obtained his bashful permission, stretched out her hand, not missing the opportunity.

Renato involuntarily shrank his shoulders and tightly closed his eyes the moment Ludmilla’s hand came into his vision. He knew that Ludmilla wasn’t trying to hit him, but his body reacted first.

‘……?’

Renato, who had reflexively closed his eyes, soon opened his eyes again when he felt a gentle touch on his hair.

‘Wow, it’s so soft! Just like a doll!’

Ludmilla let out her admiration and stroked Renato’s hair. Her eyes resembling the fresh green of summer gleamed with joy. Her smile made the child’s stiffened body relax again. Because he realized that Ludmilla was being sincere.

‘We met again, Your Imperial Highness. You are so lovely today as well!’

It was a few days later that Renato and Ludmilla met again. Renato was formally invited to Ludmilla’s palace where she was appointed as the Imperial Consort. When he came to meet her in person, she smiled brightly with the same expression just like when they first met.

‘L, lovely…… You don’t feel bad when you see me?’

‘Feel bad? Me? Why? Last time you said so as well, but why do you think so?’

‘Because, I’m a Beta……’

‘Why does it matter that you are a Beta?’

Ludmilla tilted her head with a face saying she didn’t understand. Renato hesitated, unable to answer.

How could he say that? The fact that he was being looked down on by everyone because he was a Beta who did not have the right to the throne.

As his adorable lips closed shut like a clam, Ludmilla turned her gaze to the attendant who was quietly listening to their conversation behind. The attendant was at a loss when seeing her eyes asking for an explanation, then hesitantly approached.

‘Your Highness, please excuse me for a moment……’

The attendant bowed down and briefly whispered about Renato’s situation to Ludmilla’s ear. Renato lowered his head when the attendant’s voice occasionally came into his ears.

The child thought that Ludmilla would drive him out as soon as she finished listening to the explanation. However, Ludmilla’s reaction was different this time as well.

‘Oh my God! Discriminating against people based on their traits! Elves or the Empire are all the same!’

Upon learning about Renato’s story, Ludmilla was very indignant. After talking to herself in incomprehensible words out of anger, she grabbed Renato’s hand.

‘Your Imperial Highness, please listen carefully. You didn’t do anything wrong. So please don’t act like a sinner.’

‘Excuse me? B, but.’

‘The bad ones are the people who made evil laws to discriminate against Betas and point their finger at you, Your Imperial Highness! To torment a child like this when you are adults, such nasty humans!’

Ludmilla became more emotional and burst into anger. Renato blankly stared at her when she was angry as if it was her own matter. Then, his face contorted.

I didn’t do anything wrong.

With those words, tears welled up in his eyes. It was a phrase he often heard from his nanny and the Louis siblings, but it had never touched his heart. However, strangely, Ludmilla’s words pierced his heart.

Perhaps it was because she was a perfect stranger. Because she was not affected by prejudice, did not make political calculations, was not swayed by affection like his nanny and the Louis siblings, and just saw Renato as Renato himself.

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