Chapter 9: 9

I took Isaac’s hand and looked around after getting off the wagon.

I walked quite a lot, but I couldn’t tell where I was because the sun was setting.

Louis and I held each other’s hands tightly and followed Isaac, who was well versed in the layout of the Imperial Palace.

“We can’t risk being caught by Mother, so let’s sneak in through the back door.”

Perhaps because he had been in and out of the palace while training as a knight, Isaac took the two of us in through the back door of the Rose Hall, where the ball was held.

“Wow, it’s pretty.”

“Stay here for a second. Louis, you need to keep your eyes on Ciel.”

We stayed behind to explore the garden while Isaac greeted the social circles.

If the Duchy of Valentine has a contemporary and traditional style, the Palace was decorated in perhaps the most latest fashion to suit Princess Lotte’s taste.

“Ciel, look at this!”

“What is it?”

Louis, who discovered something, called me. There were traces of something buried under the garden’s soil.

“Oh, you found something?” 

In any case, I crouched and started digging, while admiring my third brother’s talent.

“Is that an earthworm?”

When Louis spotted it, he got up from where he was sitting and took a step back.

“It’s not scary at all. Oh, what’s this?”

I was really curious about what was buried, so I kept digging and found a paper bag.

Why does this seem to be ominous?

As soon as he realized the situation was serious, Louis immediately snatched the envelope from my hand.

“Give it to me… ’Personnel Verification File for Candidates for the Next Prime Minister’. What is this?”

“What?”

Even though I had just saved myself, I was afraid I had discovered something dangerous, and the ominous feeling grew stronger. Even if Louis could read it, he couldn’t understand the meaning of the words.

But I am different. I have the knowledge of an adult.

“Give it to me for a second.”

I quickly flipped through the documents. I’ve skimmed the contents and know there’s no reason for something like this to be buried here.

“What are you doing there?”

Louis and I, our hands covered in dirt, looked up at the man standing behind us.

Oh no. I think we’re screwed.

 

──・・✧・・──

 

Alex left the crowded party and went out into the garden.

He, who has already turned 14 this year, has been doing official duties for three years and has continued his duties under the orders of his father, the Emperor.

Negotiations with the neighboring kingdoms were successful. However, despite his consistent excellent results over the last few years, the Emperor has still not given any clear statement.

There’s not enough justification.

It was said that he still lacks justification to make himself the Crown Prince, and he had a good guess as to who could be behind it.

The Royal Princess, Princess Lotte. The mother of his enemy and appointed Empress of the Imperial Palace.

As the head of the aristocrats who valued legitimacy and authority, she always considered Alex’s existence as a thorn in her side.

Like sludge.

Alex’s mother was despised by Princess Lotte.

His mother was murdered by someone, because she, an unknown woman, dared to carry the Emperor’s seed.

He could tell who the culprit was without having to say it. Even though there were obvious signs of death from poison, those who feared the power of the Princess disguised his mother’s death as an accident.

After his mother’s unjust death, Alex made up his mind. He will surely become the Emperor and clear his mother’s name.

To do that, he would do everything he could.

If I marry Valentine’s daughter, the justification would be good enough.

The Emperor once mentioned Ciel Valentine in passing.

It’s ridiculous to make such a comment about a 10-year-old girl, but a royal family’s marriage requires proper status.

If he were to marry Ciel, Alex would have strong backing from Duke Christopher Valentine, the most powerful man in the Empire, who could not be treated carelessly by even the Empress of Rotte.

“Valentine.”

According to his research, the Duke of Valentine has five children in total.

Three sons, one daughter, and Clara, a bloodless foster daughter.

Clara was adopted because he didn’t have a daughter, but as soon as he did, Ciel, the Duke’s real daughter, was born.

Therefore, Clara Valentine would be in trouble.

“She always said she liked her sister the most.”

His mother was considered a troublesome person who was not welcomed by anyone in this palace.

When Princess Lotte was officially appointed, his mother naturally became someone who did not even leave a record.

So he had a preconceived notion without even knowing. Like the princess who tormented his mother for being less than herself, he knew Ciel Valentine would torment her adoptive sister, Clara.

However, the reality was different from his expectations.

When she said her sister was the best in the world and she wanted to make her happy, Ciel Valentine’s words never sounded fake.

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It was really surprising to see the rain of petals sprinkled on the head of her beloved sister. Of course, she failed to control her power and buried her sister in a pile of flowers.

To put it simply, a strange child. Ciel Valentine was somehow completely different from his expectations.

“Let go of me!”

There should be no one in the garden right now because the ladies who are about to make their first social debut today will be entering shortly.

But that kid’s voice sounded uncannily similar to Ciel’s, who shouldn’t be at today’s ball.

He can’t just overlook the sudden fuss, so Alex immediately drew his sword and proceeded to the garden.

There were two well-dressed children, and one of the followers of the royal family, Count Ruben.

“Let go of my sister!”

“You can’t have that envelope!”

‘What is going on here?’

Alex was speechless by the absurd scenery in front of him.

It is definitely Valentine’s third son, Louis Valentine, who is eagerly trying to pull the man’s pants to the floor.

And the girl, who held the envelope tightly and was trapped in Count Ruben’s grasp, was obviously Ciel.

“Lady Valentine and Lord Valentine, what are you doing here?”

“Your Highness!”

Fortunately, Ciel Valentine remembered Alex’s face.

Meanwhile, Louis, who stood next to him, attacked the vital spot of Count Ruben with all his might.

“Let my sister go!”

“Ugh!”

When Count Ruben’s body collapsed, Ciel jumped swiftly, grabbed her brother’s hand, and hid straight behind Alex.

“Your Highness, help me.”

“Your Highness, uh, Alex?”

“Count Ruben, what is happening?”

Because of the sudden attack, Count Ruben was lying on the ground, shaking his head in utter confusion.

In the meantime, Alex looked at the two children hiding behind him. He doesn’t understand why these kids are here.

However, if anything were to happen to Duke Valentine’s biological daughter, Ciel, who is known for being pampered by the Duke, a major problem would undoubtedly occur.

“Both of you, are you okay?”

“Your Highness, please look at these documents.”

Ciel Valentine was willing to present him the documents that she had not given up despite Count Ruben’s threats. Leaning towards the dim light shining through the window, he read the documents.

“‘Personnel Verification File for the Next Prime Minister Candidate?’”

“What is that?”

Lord Louis may not know, but Ciel Valentine seemed to have already figured out how important the document was.

He put the documents back in the envelope and asked Ciel.

“Where the hell did you get this from?”

“It was buried there. He’s here to get this.”

Ciel pointed out Count Ruben in a clear voice.

“I, I don’t know anything.”

The response of Count Ruben, who is trembling in fear, is suspicious. Alex went straight into the interrogation.

“You don’t know? What’s on here is about your father-in-law’s corruption. Are you saying you don’t know anything?”

Count Ruben’s father-in-law, the Marquis of Romford, is a candidate for the next Prime Minister and a supporter of Princess Lotte.

Judging from the original document, it seems that he decided to steal evidence from the royal family about his corruption and hand it over to Count Ruben, but Alex had taken the dirt-covered document and put it in an envelope.

“I’ll take this. If you don’t leave right now, you will lose your voice, not your father-in-law.”

That was the maximum generosity Alex could give.

Count Ruben ran away and Alex looked at the dirt-covered children.

Ciel’s actions were quite suspicious. She’s not like a young daughter who was raised with nothing but love; she even brushed the dirt off her whining brother’s clothes.

“Oh, my brother Louis, you’re so great. If it weren’t for my brother, I would have died.”

“That’s why you should have just handed it over to him. How come you didn’t give it to him?”

Ciel did not bat an eyelid at Louis’s nagging remarks.

“But this was really important. Don’t you think so, Your Highness?”

That’s true, but how did this little girl know about it?

It was quite difficult for a child to understand, and there must have been many words that she did not know.

In fact, her brother Lord Louis hasn’t figured out what it is yet.

“Do you know what this is about?”

“Sure, it’s proof of the new Prime Minister’s corruption. Now Marquis Romford will be dropping out of his next Cabinet post, which is a good thing for you.”

“Good for me, why did you think so?”

“Because he is the greatest threat to your authority in the future.”

Unlike when she acted cute with a short tongue in front of her sister, Ciel Valentine seemed to know exactly about Alex, as well as the fact that there was a Princess behind Marquis Romford.

Is it a coincidence? Considering that she has the blood of the Valentine’s, he cannot overlook her. He settled at that sensible conclusion.

“I believe I should express my gratitude in a formal manner, Lady Valentine.”

For whatever reason, this child is worth using. With that in thought, Alex willingly knelt down in front of Ciel.

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