Now, Go Ahead and Stamp It - Chapter 29

The ladies of the first group were waiting nearby with their horses.

They couldn’t hide their excitement and began chatting as Ellen arrived.

“Oh my, Miss. How could you think of such a thing!”

“Did you see Duke Krembell stand up so suddenly?”

Lady Myers added a comment amidst the chatter.

“I’m worried he might do something harmful.”

She spoke with genuine concern, then kindly smiled at Ellen and asked,

“Lady Crient, I’d like to talk with you a bit more. Could you spare some time for me?”

“Of course.”

Ellen had no reason to refuse the offer.

She was also curious about why these ladies were being so friendly toward her.

Upon receiving her agreement, Lady Myers suggested they go to Ellen’s tent and led her there.

The others, deciding it wasn’t their place, left their greetings and dispersed to their respective tents.

Amidst the unexplained kindness, Ellen conversed with Lady Myers.

Your horse’s red mane is so beautiful, it seems well-loved. And your horse’s coat is so clean…

During such exchanges, a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder roughly from behind.

“Ugh!”

With a sudden jolt pulling her backward, Ellen staggered.

“Oh my.”

Lady Myers let out a low exclamation.

It roughly meant, “Oh my, really?”

“…I’ll speak to His Highness separately, so let’s head home. You seem very… tired.”

Gillian tried to contain his anger as he spoke.

“And Lady Myers, I’m sorry, but it seems she needs to return now, so perhaps another time.”

He spoke with a facade of calmness.

But even as he spoke, he didn’t release the force in his grip on Ellen’s shoulder.

As Gillian was about to drag Ellen away, Lady Myers exclaimed,

“Oh my, look at Lady Crient’s complexion!”

Gillian, annoyed, questioned her words.

“…Crient?”

“Her complexion is so pale. She needs to go to the infirmary immediately.”

“That’s something I’ll handle. And let me correct you. She is already married to me, so she’s Lady Krembell. Please be mindful of her title.”

With the typical arrogance of one issuing orders, he turned his back, as if dismissing a mere count’s daughter wasn’t worth his time.

“…It’s not something Duke needs to trouble himself with. If my complexion isn’t good, it might be due to the pain in my shoulder.”

“Oh, I see.”

However, Ellen’s words thwarted his actions.

Lady Myers, agreeing with Ellen, looked at Gillian.

Are you not going to let go of that hand?

A silent question was exchanged through their gaze.

Gillian gritted his teeth and released his grip on Ellen’s shoulder.

Freed from his grasp, Ellen dusted off her shoulder and spoke.

“Lady Myers and I have decided to have tea time together. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Duke.”

Gillian let out a large sigh and rubbed his face, as if he had a headache.

“No, it’s a husband’s duty to care for his wife’s matters. Stop arguing and go in. Rest.”

“No, thank you. I haven’t received that duty from you in the first place.”

“…Hoo.”

Gillian’s anger seemed to reach its limit.

Yet, he forced himself to hold it in.

It was only natural.

There were too many eyes watching.

Ever since Lady Myers shouted, the nobles had been glancing in their direction, and now they were openly gathering to watch.

And when such a commotion arises, the story inevitably reaches the ears of the Crown Prince overseeing the event.

Upon being informed, Kaiden headed to the scene at an alarming speed.

He approached at a brisk pace and grabbed Gillian’s shoulder.

“Gill!”

Gillian staggered backward.

The two men of similar height locked eyes directly.

“Your Highness?”

“…If you continue like this, what does that make me? Keep it in check.”

Kaiden warned in a low voice.

At those chilling words, Gillian’s expression hardened.

He took a deep breath and spoke.

“…I apologize, Your Highness.”

Caught in an unfortunate situation, Gillian clenched his fists tightly.

“Yes. I hope there won’t be a repeat of this issue at the event.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gillian bowed his head again, apologizing to Kaiden’s stern warning.

A sharp pain was felt in the palm of his hand.

Only then did Gillian realize he had been clenching his fist and released the tension in his hand.

‘It mustn’t be revealed yet.’

It was still too soon.

He had to remain a loyal confidant of the Crown Prince.

Yet, even as he resolved himself, his boiling eyes were fixed solely on Ellen.

* * *

“I’m sorry. I should have been more attentive.”

Kaiden pressed his head as though he was suffering from a headache.

“I’m really sorry. I was the one who insisted on staying close if possible…”

“No, it’s fine. I was the one who insisted on participating in the competition, and with so many people around, it wasn’t too hard to endure.”

Ellen shrugged lightly.

Kaiden felt a surge of frustration.

He had been genuinely worried, yet she seemed so nonchalant about it.

“Regardless. Is your arm alright?”

Kaiden asked with a displeased expression, and Ellen rotated her wrist to check her condition.

“It might be a bit stiff for a while.”

“Perhaps you should pay more attention to your safety.”

“I’ll try not to trouble Your Highness as much as possible. Don’t worry.”

Ellen recalled how he had seemed slightly displeased when he came to pick her up by carriage before.

“Your Highness is already fulfilling your part of the bargain by holding back Duke Krembell. I don’t intend to impose further, so really, don’t worry.”

At her firm words, Kaiden seemed to want to say something more but ended up letting out a small sigh.

“Hoo… Anyway, it seems Gillian is under a lot of pressure. To target a moment when peoples’ attention is focused outside, among the ladies…”

“It was indeed quite a sight.”

Kaiden looked at her, questioning what he had just heard.

“…What did you say?”

“I said it was quite a sight. Isn’t it? Struggling as he fell into the planned trap…”

At Ellen’s words, Kaiden looked rather taken aback.

“Then, I’ll be going. Lady Myers has been waiting too long.”

As she glanced over to where Lady Myers was waiting, Kaiden also noticed those sending him desperate signals and spoke.

“Ah, yes. Be sure to stay with Sir Cheshire until I arrive.”

“As you command.”

Ellen nodded with a faint smile.

Returning to Cheshire’s tent with Lady Myers, she quickly arranged a seat and expressed her apologies.

“I’m sorry for putting you through that, Lady Myers.”

Ellen placed her hand over Lady Myers’s neatly arranged fingers.

“But thank you for being by my side.”

Lady Myers overlapped her remaining hand over Ellen’s and smiled as she asked,

“No, did I really help by being there?”

“Of course.”

Ellen spoke sincerely.

Raising her voice appropriately, provoking anger at the right moment.

For those without power or influence, such actions were the best measures, and Lady Myers had performed her role well.

“Right? I think I have a pretty good sense.”

Despite the potentially frightening situation, she chatted as if it was genuinely amusing.

“Yes. Thanks to you, I’m sitting here now. Thank you.”

As Ellen expressed her gratitude again, Lady Myers laughed and said,

“Lady Crient. Aren’t you curious why I’m being so friendly?”

She asked in a tone that didn’t match her bright demeanor.

“I think, among my peers, I’m the best in terms of family, sense, and culture.”

It might have sounded conceited.

But the light in Lady Myers’s eyes was alive.

“I want a marriage proposal with the Crient family.”

“A marriage proposal? With Elsier?”

“Yes. Keep me by your side. I will surely be of help.”

“…Have you ever met my brother Elsier?”

“No, today would be the first time.”

“Then why?”

“Marriages between nobles aren’t based on just one thing.”

A hint of bitterness passed through Lady Myers’s smiling eyes.

“I’ve heard things, seen things… Above all, it’s a family that raised someone like you. Both my mother and I consider Crient the best match.”

“Someone like you could consider marriage with Marquis Avalanche or Marquis Port, who are currently single.”

“No.”

She spoke firmly.

“At least I won’t be marrying into a marquis family or higher.”

This is also my mother’s wish.

There was a trace of poignant sadness in her eyes as she spoke.

Count Myers’s family was a key force in the neutral faction.

Count Myers, the head of the family, was close friends with Marquis Avalanche, the leader of the neutral faction, and they supported each other in maintaining the neutral faction’s domain.

Thus, as a daughter of Myers, she was destined for a typical noble marriage within the neutral faction to strengthen ties within the same faction.

‘But proposing to us, who are aligned with the Emperor’s faction… Is this a signal that they intend to shift to the Emperor’s faction?’

Ellen pondered the unprecedented situation.

Is this the future I have changed?

“I understand. It’s a welcome story for me, but I will need to consider my brother and father’s opinions.”

“I understand.”

“Thank you for saying so. Then, shall we start as friends first?”

The two women looked at each other and laughed.