Chapter 119 – Baltian Master Strategist

Evelyn lowered her head in a swift bow as her gaze met eyes the color of amber, symbols of the imperial family’s unbroken lineage.

“May the Baltian Empire shine in eternal glory. I greet His Imperial Highness, Crown Prince of Baltian, the Empire’s prophet and master of its sacred honor.”

She forced a pleasant smile, though she felt certain her lips would soon twitch in strain.

For her, there was no figure in the Empire more difficult to face, save the Emperor himself, than the Crown Prince, Erden. Erden Liam Maximilian was the unquestioned heir to the throne. True to his reputation as the Baltian master strategist, every policy he proposed had met with unbroken success.

And yet, there was one reason why she found him so disagreeable.

“That will be enough courtesy. I expect nothing from a half-blood noble such as yourself.”

Now as ever, the Crown Prince dismissed her openly, his voice as cold as polished steel.

To him, her single unforgivable flaw was that the blood of commoners ran in her veins. Erden, a classist to his very marrow, regarded those of mixed heritage as nothing more than impurities. Imperial law itself decreed that illegitimate children couldn’t attend court banquets.

‘If I fall short of his standards, he could simply ignore me.’

Evelyn clicked her tongue inwardly, watching the Crown Prince take the trouble to acknowledge her only to deliver an insult.

The reason Erden showed hostility toward her wasn’t solely due to her being of half-noble blood.

“Where is Lord Valentino, that you wander about alone?”

Since childhood, he had harbored a strange sense of inferiority toward Axion. Among the gatherings of highborn heirs, the two were constantly compared. Axion, for his part, seemed entirely indifferent to such rivalry, yet that only sharpened the Crown Prince’s dislike. In his eyes, there was no reason to look kindly upon his rival’s fiancée.

In the face of his barbed remark, she forced a faint smile.

“My fiancé has stepped away for a short while.”

She saw no reason to offer Erden any more explanation than that. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince stroked his chin, the corner of his mouth tilting in a wry curve.

“In that case, I shall have the honor of escorting you myself.”

What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this now?

At the Crown Prince’s absurd proposal, Evelyn was left almost speechless. She barely restrained the sharp retort that threatened to slip out and instead answered with composed calm.

“Absolutely not, Your Highness. I could never presume to accept your escort.”

Yet even faced with her near-outright refusal, Erden showed no sign of withdrawing.

“It’s dangerous at this late hour. How could I possibly leave you here alone?”

At the blatant lies and cloying hypocrisy, her expression stiffened ever so slightly.

The Crown Prince, who on any other day wouldn’t have spared her a glance, was clearly doing this to provoke her fiancé. Rumor had it that Axion cherished his fiancée beyond all measure, so it was clear the Crown Prince’s true intent was to put him in a difficult position before the eyes of the nobility.

‘Did he really think I would fall for such a ploy?’

Seeing straight through his scheme, Evelyn lowered her head once more, offering a polite but firm refusal.

“That won’t be necessary, Your Highness. I’m to meet my fiancé here.”

“Hmm, you’re meeting Lord Valentino in a place like this?”

Erden cast a slow glance about their surroundings, then gave a dry, incredulous laugh. A secluded meeting between a man and a woman was enough to invite scandalous speculation. Though the truth was nothing of the sort, Evelyn chose not to correct the unsavory notion taking root in his mind. If it made him leave her sooner, so much the better.

“So, you truly mean to refuse my escort?”

“I shall hold Your Highness’s gracious concern close to my heart.”

Her refusal seemed to strike at his pride. His brow furrowed, and he spoke with a crooked edge to his tone.

“Perhaps it’s because you’re only half-noble, but it seems you have a very poor eye for men.”

To him, she was nothing more than something trivial, scarcely worth notice.

‘And just who is dismissing whom?’