50 – Royal Scandal (上)

Sitting in the audience, Ascal looked at the stadium with a troubled expression.

His father, who suddenly declared that he would participate in the horseback riding tournament, went straight to the competition and made it to the final round.

Moreover, his opponent was none other than the crown prince.

“If he wins this time, His Highness the Crown Prince will achieve a triple crown! A comet-like existence that suddenly appeared, Arthur Devereux. Can he prevent the Crown Prince’s three consecutive victories in the tournament!”

For the record, the person commenting at the moment was not an official commentator. Just a drunkard suddenly got very drunk on alcohol, and he just grabbed a bottle and started to passionately explain the situation.

Just before the start of the final round.

The crown prince looked up at the audience seats.

Where Ascal was.

Naturally, the young ladies sitting around Ascal buzzed.

The crown prince pointed his finger toward Ascal and spoke loudly.

“I dedicate this victory to you.”

“Kyaaak!”

The noisy cries of the young ladies who mistakenly thought that the finger was pointing at them echoed in Ascal’s ears.

“Prince Cain looked this way!”

“No, he was looking at me!”

As Ascal’s eyes met with the Crown Prince, he desperately looked away.

The Crown Prince grinned.

‘I haven’t given up on you yet, Ascal Devere. No, Earl of Erindale. I’ll surely have you.’

Ascal was worried.

‘Father, please be safe…’

“The winner, Arthur Devere!”

“Phew, phew. I lost.”

As expected.

Ascal had never seen his father, Arthur, lose a fight. Especially when it came to riding a horse, Arthur was unbeatable. Even Mongolian cavalry in a previous life would have had to give in to him.

Beyond the perfect harmony with the horse, he was simply a horse itself.

That was Arthur Devere.

“It was an excellent match. You truly are the father of that son. I’ve learned so much from you both.”

The Crown Prince humbly extended his hand. Arthur Devere shook the hand and bowed slightly.

“It was an honor, Your Highness.”

“To think such a talented individual was hidden away… This too is a great loss for the empire, Baron Devere. Have you ever thought about playing in a bigger pond?”

“I’ll think about it, Your Highness.”

“hahahahaha, the loser speaks so long. Teach me again later.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Watching the conversation from a distance, Ascal sighed in relief.

There was no unexpected situation where his father accidentally broke the Crown Prince’s arm or leg, or took his life during the horse-riding competition.

It was a blood-curdling watch.

Feeling exhausted even though he hadn’t done anything, Ascal approached his father.

But Ascal did not know.

The real ‘event’ after the horse-riding competition was not the competition itself, but what came after it.

“Baron Devere! You’re so cool to beat the Crown Prince!”

“Look this way, please! My lord!”

“Would you like to have a cup of tea with us?”

Before Ascal could reach his father, numerous young ladies and noblewomen flocked to the newly-born star of the horse-riding competition.

Surrounded by the women, Arthur, who was getting further away, gave Ascal a thumbs up from afar.

‘Son, this is life.’

It was a lesson he didn’t want to learn.

Since then, Arthur deVreux had become the popular man of the empire’s capital.

Just like how the winner of a certain TV show emerges and gets attention for a few months whenever he steps onto the street, Arthur deVreux enjoyed the same fame.

Moreover, when it became known that he was the father of Aescal, he began receiving fervent love calls from unmarried young ladies. Even those who wanted to untangle their twisted fate joined the pursuit.

The fact that he was once widowed did not pose any barrier in front of his overwhelming fame.

Today, too, Arthur deVreux was enjoying his belated heyday while having a tea party with the noble ladies.

“By the way, I assume your son, the Count of Erendale, already has a partner?”

It was a casual question.

The empire’s sleeping dragon.

The Minister of Evaluation.

Aescal, who had recently received the count’s title from the emperor, was naturally the second most sought-after bridegroom candidate in the empire.

However, rumors circulated that he had already gone through matchmaking at the deVreux family, discouraging young ladies from actively approaching Aescal.

“No, he doesn’t have one.”

“Oh dear. No wonder I’ve only heard the news of his matchmaking, but never the name of the person. So that’s what happened.”

Lady Karen covered her mouth with a fan and laughed.

“My son, I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about?”

From afar, ladies were approaching.

“Count Erendale! What a lovely day for a walk, would you like to join me?”

“Count! Isn’t it a coincidence? Haven’t we met before? By the fountain. And now we meet again!”

“Oh my, isn’t this gentleman the Baron deVreux?”

Arthur calmly spoke.

Aescal and Arthur were currently rumored among young ladies as golden goblins.

With just one catch, life could take a whole new turn, and there were even ladies and their daughters with terrifying plans to grab the two wealthy men.

“Take care of yourself. The capital turned out to be a more dangerous place than I thought. Well then, farewell.”

With that, Arthur disappeared into the bushes. His movements were agile.

However, Aescal, who had forgotten his agility due to his long career as a bureaucrat, was caught by the ladies.

“Giggle. Come this way.”

“No, follow me.”

The smell of alcohol and strong perfume tickled his nose.

Ascal’s mind grew hazy.

The soft skin pressing against him here and there made his mind feel about to faint.

‘I have to escape from here…’

“Hey, where are you trying to run off to?”

One of the girls named Yeong-ae boldly crossed her arms upon seeing Ascal trying to escape.

“Leave it to me too.”

The other Yeong-ae embraced Ascal from behind.

As a natural hormone response, Ascal felt the strength of his whole body gradually draining…

‘This might not be as bad as I thought?’

What does life have in store?

From No ble mt L dot c om

He prides himself on having lived diligently up to this point. Who could blame him for taking a little bit of the marshmallow he’s been saving up and eating it?

‘No, get a grip, Ascal. Think of your efforts up to this point.’

Ascal pointed at the nearby ancient tree and spoke.

“Behold that deep-rooted ancient tree. My heart is the same as that tree. Just like the deep-rooted tree, my heart is now quietly…”

Crack!

“Agh!”

Suddenly, clouds formed and a bolt of lightning struck.

Ascal quickly covered everyone with his coat to protect them from getting hurt.

Fortunately, the lightning only struck once. The sky cleared up.

But a red mark was left on the ancient tree that had been struck by lightning.

Looking at the mark, Yeong-ae said,

“How romantic…”

It was a heart shape.

Although the mark etched by the lightning was coincidentally in the shape of a heart, Ascal didn’t interpret it that way. It was merely a product of chance.

However.

“So, this is your heart.”

Yeong-ae’s cheeks turned red.

“No, wait…!”

Last time it was a meteorite, and this time it was lightning.

Please, stop falling already.

Upon seeing the approaching ladies, Ascal let out a silent scream within.

-Why are you avoiding me? Lord Ascal. Don’t avoid me, don’t avoid me, don’t avoid me, don’t avoid me, don’t avoid me, don’t avoid me.

“Ugh.”

Startled, Ascal dropped the letter he was reading. And from that letter, things resembling a woman’s fingernails seemed to fall out.

-Lately, it seems you’re avoiding me. You see Lady Lize, so why are you avoiding me? I’m so heartbroken. Heartbroken enough to want to poke under my fingernails.

“Ugh!”

This time, a razor blade came out of the letter. If he had touched it just a little carelessly, his fingers would have been cut.

Ascal trembled in his room in the palace, unable to dare to go out.

Gurgle.

But he couldn’t hide forever. Ascal assuaged his hunger and stepped outside.

He was on his way to the dining hall.

“There’s Lord Ascal!”

“Lord Ascal! I missed you!”

They found him in an instant.

Ascal bolted at full speed, but his poor stamina forced him to stop soon. If he had known this, he would have chosen to be a warrior rather than a civil official.

Ascal deeply regretted his career choice once more since choosing the literary path.

“Hello. Long time no see.”

Purple hair and beautiful eyes reminiscent of amethyst.

The girl with a mischievous smile was, Serena.

“I heard you’ve been struggling? That’s why you shouldn’t play with a woman’s heart. Fool.”

“I never played with it… So unfair.”

“I have a way to end this situation. Want to use it?”

Ascal nodded, gasping for breath.

Please, someone take me out of this hell.

Then, the ladies caught up to Ascal.

With the eyes of a predator looking at their prey, the girls tried to capture Ascal but stopped upon seeing Serena.

“Her Highness?”

“Oh dear. Quite a lot of you came. Lize, Sonia, Raveena? Seems like you’re all in a hurry? But what to do? This guy has business with me right now.”

“Even if you’re Her Highness, you should keep your prior appointment…”

“Appointment?”

Serena laughed coldly.

“What’s the need for a prior appointment? This man is my lover.”

◆The imperial dragon, the relationship between the second imperial princess and her lover!?

Recently, the Count of Ascal Erindale, who has been the talk of the town by receiving a barony title. He is running the highest stock price and is often seen with the Empire’s second princess, Serena Varba.

Moreover, they appeared to be very close and affectionate…

Crinkle.

Unconsciously, Lia, who was reading the newspaper, clenched her hand. The newspaper was crumpled.

Her hair, which had been tied up, had come undone as she rose from her seat.

“You again,” Yulia’s eyes turned cold.

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