Side Story 3

“So they keep telling me to settle down with a good person, but isn’t that annoying?”

Oscar grumbled non-stop. One of his eyes was bruised blue—a mark left after he tried to seduce a married woman and got beaten up by her husband.

“Hahahaha!”

The Crown Prince’s laughter made the pile of documents on the desk shake.

“What does ‘good person’ even mean, anyway?”

“Wasn’t your standard just anyone in a skirt?”

“I have high standards, you know? Anyway, what are the odds that such a person lives next door, or that someone would say just seeing my face makes them feel better?”

Since the Crown Prince didn’t agree, Oscar jabbed at his sore spot.

“Your Highness, do you even have neighbors? The court is full of masters of disguise, isn’t it?”

“Of course. Even as Emperor, you can’t live exactly as you wish.”

The Crown Prince had a fiancée chosen early on, a path he took to survive when his power was unstable. But she was famously proud and strong-willed, so everyone warned the Crown Prince to brace himself.

“Is there really someone around you who you can love so much that even their flaws seem beautiful, and you can be completely sincere? Is this just showing off, or… was it bragging?”

Oscar sighed deeply.

“Do you think anyone wants to be a playboy from the start?”

Only the Crown Prince understood the deeper meaning behind his words.

Marquis Riarsyan’s family was notorious for its drama and fierce power struggles, especially until the next Marquis was chosen. The Crown Prince knew well how vicious the faction fights were.

Oscar’s point was that he acted like a playboy just to survive, creating flaws to stay alive.

The Crown Prince valued Oscar’s skill in helping his eldest son Licht become Marquis, which was why he brought Oscar into his circle.

“I’ve seen too many ugly things lately. In that sense, I need a vacation…”

“You took one already. Didn’t you use up all your vacation days for life?”

“When did I?”

“You took time off to help the acting Earl Frost.”

“I didn’t rest at all—I worked myself to death.”

“Well, I gave you vacation, you used it. That’s it.”

Oscar made a sour face.

“Tsk. See, see. You just can’t trust anyone. Ugh, the real tyrant boss is right here.”

“Tyrant boss? Who’s that supposed to be?”

Just then, Princess Veronica slipped quietly into the office.

“Oh my, Niece, you’re here?”

“Oh, Uncle, pretending to be happy to see me when you saw me this morning?”

Failing to surprise the Crown Prince, Princess Veronica teased him.

“Uncle, if you so much as try to slack off, I’ll tell Mother about all your disrespectful comments.”

“Niece, even if we’re blood, let’s speak nicely. If you don’t keep up your manners, remember the Empress said she won’t lift your house arrest?”

“Mother’s plotting because I learned everything from you, Uncle.”

“Ugh, let’s not talk about it.”

Oscar started to rise but sat back down as Princess Veronica entered.

“So, Veronica, what brings you to see your brother?”

“I heard Uncle is ill. He’s always been good to me, so I need to visit him, and donate to a charity while I’m there…”

“She’s just using that as an excuse to invade Settenberry Dukedom, which is close to Frost Earldom.”

“When did I!!”

Princess Veronica snapped back immediately.

“Donate? More like hiring assassins to send to the acting Countess.”

“Eek! Do you have proof? I was born in the palace and don’t even know where to hire assassins. Don’t accuse an innocent princess!”

“Why did you put in a request with the fake assassin group I made?”

“Who would dare target a royal? And you call yourself an uncle?”

“That’s why you’re still under house arrest. I told you about the Duke’s illness, and you took the bait.”

“I’ll make a voodoo doll of you and curse you every night!”

Princess Veronica pulled a straw doll from her pocket and waved it.

“Go ahead, but remember, curses rebound if not received.”

“Eeeek!!”

Annoyed, Princess Veronica quickly messed up Oscar’s pile of documents and dashed out.

“Sigh, I’m already behind on work, and now the Princess made it worse. When will I get these papers sorted?”

Oscar grumbled as he looked at the messy stack.

“Everyone knows the Princess has a nasty temper, so they avoid her. Why does Your Highness think she’s so cute? You must be crazy.”

Oscar glanced at the Crown Prince’s hidden scar running from his chest to his left arm.

The Crown Prince knew what Oscar meant and just smiled wryly.

Everyone in the Empire knew the Empress hated the Crown Prince, who wasn’t her biological son, to the point of outright animosity. At first, she tried to hide it, but after repeated incidents involving the Crown Prince, everyone suspected her.

Yet the Crown Prince survived, and in the war, he miraculously met the acting Earl Frost and escaped death.

But there was another miracle.

Since the Empress’s beloved youngest daughter Veronica started practically living in the Crown Prince’s office using Sir Everett as an excuse, the Empress couldn’t act as viciously as before.

Of course, after Sir Everett’s marriage, Veronica was deeply disappointed and spent time making voodoo dolls, but soon recovered, becoming obsessed with Leonie, the daughter of Dean and Hailey, and regained her cheerful nature.

“See? She acted like she hated it, but she became Leonie’s godmother. She keeps even a single lock of her baby hair in a jewel box like a treasure. She may be rough, but do you know how deep Veronica’s heart is?”

Oscar, drinking strong tea, spat it out. Whether she was collecting hair for curses or as a substitute for Dean, only she knew.

“A future chancellor shouldn’t be so lacking in dignity.”

The Crown Prince frowned and clicked his tongue.

“Don’t just dream of high office—work on your manners first. If you can’t manage basic etiquette, you won’t get far.”

“That’s just an illness. Deep? My niece’s brain is smooth as glass—there’s no thought in there.”

“Acting that way is itself a sign of her deep mind.”

“Her mind is dead. It’s hard enough to embellish fake stories for the Imperial newspaper, and real good deeds don’t exist. You know all the details behind those fake articles.”

The Crown Prince looked out the window with his hands behind his back.

“No, she’s doing this to protect me from the Empress. How could I not find her adorable?”

Oscar spat out his tea and demanded a fresh cup, only to spit it out again.

“Ouch! Who brought this new tea? Don’t you know I like it brewed strong with lots of leaves overnight?”

Oscar yelled at the attendant.

His lack of caution, even in front of the Crown Prince, was why he hadn’t risen higher despite his skills.

Oscar was as infamous as Veronica, though he seemed unaware—or maybe he was.

“Enough. Even if you scold someone, you just end up surrounded by people you can’t trust.”

“You have to be tough to get people working fast. If they can’t handle it, weed them out. It’s my secret for finding competent workers.”

That’s why Oscar had to handle everything himself, unable to trust others, but he worked fast and accurately, so the Crown Prince didn’t mind.

“Just having someone trustworthy is happiness.”

He might not have other blessings, but at least he had reliable aides.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”

Oscar’s gaze was fixed on the documents again.

Trust and love were like dreams for Oscar, who always had to prove his worth.

The Crown Prince quietly left the room, knowing Oscar wouldn’t notice even if the Emperor came.

He resolved to work Dean even harder when the acting Earl Frost returned from Frost Earldom, where he was busy making a second child.

Dean, feeling a sudden chill far away in Frost Earldom, shivered.

“Cold? Come here.”

Hailey gently hugged him. Her embrace was warm enough to make him forget everything.

The End.