Chapter 31

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Imperial Consort's Challenge
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It had been days filled with tears lately.

Bell and May cried in front of me, and in the end, even the burly man bawled his eyes out before me.

If only it had ended there.

But the last one was me.

I said I was going to find Billy quickly, but my disappearance had already reached home.

At this age, I ended up draped over my mother's lap, getting my bottom spanked.

It was the first time my mother had ever done such a thing, so I was shocked and flustered too.

“Espin, why do you keep vanishing on your own like this! Do you want to worry your mother? Huh? Are you going to disappear alone again?”

“I’m sorry! Mother, I’m sorry!”

She was a noble lady who had never lifted anything heavier than a teacup her whole life—how painful could her spanks be?

Instead, my mother’s hand turned bright red from hitting me.

Tears streamed down from the shame more than the pain.

I pleaded with my eyes toward my father for help, but he looked away.

“Espin. Your mother is saying this because she’s truly worried about you. What if something big happens while you keep disappearing like that? You even got hurt this time. I can’t live without you.”

My mother hit me and ended up hurting and suffering more.

“I’m sorry. I’ll really be careful from now on.”

Seeing my mother crying so pitifully, I apologized profusely, admitting my fault.

And as punishment for acting on my own whims, I was grounded from going out for a month.

* * *

I spent a grueling month in confinement.

It wasn’t just that I couldn’t leave the house, but for an active person like me, it was sheer torment.

During that time when I couldn’t go out freely, Luciano would often visit to play, which helped me endure somehow.

And finally!

Today, my grounding was lifted.

“Your Highness, I’m here!”

We hadn’t made plans, but I boldly showed up at Luciano’s place.

“You’re here?”

He was reading a book and didn’t seem surprised at all.

“Yeah! I’m finally free!”

Annoyingly enough, Luciano had supported my confinement.

At first, I thought he was on my side.

But once he learned I’d been locked up for vanishing on my own, he said my parents were right to do it.

The sense of betrayal back then.

“Congratulations.”

I sat across from him after receiving his half-hearted congratulations.

“Another book?”

“It’s fun.”

‘Is this the male lead’s dignity?’

Luciano really loved reading books.

“I prefer playing.”

Luciano chuckled softly, then closed his book.

“Want to play chess?”

“No.”

I shook my head firmly.

I had recently learned the hard way that chess was a game I could never win.

I wanted to play something I could win.

“How about bingo?”

My win rate was pretty good at this one.

“Shall we?”

As I lit up, Luciano moved to fetch some paper and a pen.

That was when it happened.

Knock knock.

A knock echoed in the study where we were.

Both I and Luciano froze.

There was no reason for a guest to come like this.

And then.

Knock knock.

A second knock rang out, as if urging us.

“Come in.”

Luciano responded with a hardened expression.

The door opened, and a familiar face I knew appeared.

It was the attendant from Imperial Consort Isabel’s palace—someone I wasn’t at all happy to see.

He stepped inside and merely glanced around, without showing any courtesy to the prince.

“What is it?”

Only after Luciano asked did the attendant speak.

“I’ve come with a message from Imperial Consort Isabel.”

My heart sank; it was definitely not good news.

“What did she say?”

“She bids you come to the imperial training grounds at once.”

Luciano’s face stiffened more than ever at the summons from Imperial Consort Isabel.

“Now?”

“Yes, she said to come immediately upon receiving the message.”

With that, the attendant stared at Luciano intently.

It was a signal to get up quickly.

Luciano gritted his teeth in frustration before relaxing and standing.

“Lead the way.”

“I—I want to go too!”

Before the two could leave, I shot to my feet.

Luciano gestured with his eyes for me not to, but I shook my head firmly.

“Espin, wait here. No—go back to the mansion.”

“No way. I want to go with you.”

Luciano’s gaze sharpened, but I met it with equal determination.

Imperial Consort Isabel surely hadn’t summoned Luciano with good intentions.

Who knew what humiliation she had in store?

Knowing that, I couldn’t let him go alone.

Luciano stared at me silently, and I held my ground without backing down.

“You must hurry.”

The attendant from Imperial Consort Isabel cut through our staring contest.

His arrogant gaze warned that dragging this out would lead to trouble.

He was so insolent it made me sick to look at him.

But there was nothing Luciano or I could do right now.

The reason the attendant acted so boldly was precisely because Imperial Consort Isabel favored him greatly.

And he knew it, which made him strut around like that.

“What will you do?”

“I’m going with him.”

I answered swiftly before Luciano could.

“Then let’s move.”

The attendant’s attitude suggested he didn’t care if I tagged along or not.

Unable to overcome my stubbornness, Luciano let out a small sigh.

He shot me a warning look that meant not to get involved no matter what.

But I pretended not to notice.

I didn’t even know if I could hold back if something actually happened.

And so, the three of us arrived at the imperial training grounds.

We were shocked.

Quite a crowd had gathered at the training grounds.

It wasn’t just the knights using the grounds.

Makeshift tables were set up around the edges, and nobles led by Imperial Consort Isabel were seated there.

The attendant led us to them.

Imperial Consort Isabel greeted us smugly.

“Come on in, Prince Luciano. I hope I’m not interrupting anything important?”

Was she going to send him away if he said he was busy?

“It’s fine.”

Luciano cut off my growing discomfort with a curt reply.

Imperial Consort Isabel smiled sweetly and turned to me.

“Oh my, Espin is here too.”

“It’s an honor to see you. I was with His Highness, so I came along to pay my respects.”

“Good timing. I called Prince Luciano because I have a favor to ask.”

Imperial Consort Isabel spoke to Luciano in a gentle tone.

Her cloying voice and gaze made my skin crawl.

It was definitely not a good favor.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing much. Our Prince Steven has been training in swordsmanship lately.”

Imperial Consort Isabel’s eyes flicked to Steven, who was swinging a wooden sword off to one side, then back.

‘Did she call him here just to rub it in?’

I was furious, especially since Luciano had basically been denied sword training the previous year.

By some means, not a single knight had stepped up to be his instructor.

So Luciano hadn’t learned proper swordsmanship.

And yet, they’d assigned the Knight Commander as Steven’s master.

She knew all about Luciano’s situation and still said this now.

Sure enough, Luciano’s expression hardened.

“I’ve heard. He has talent, they say.”

Imperial Consort Isabel’s smile deepened at Luciano’s empty words.

Was this why she’d called him? Just to brag like this?

That’s what I was grumbling inwardly when.

“How about Prince Luciano spars with Prince Steven?”

The proposal from Imperial Consort Isabel’s lips was beyond imagination.

I thought I knew how childish she was, but apparently, that wasn’t the end of it.

She knew full well that Luciano hadn’t received proper sword training.

Forcing him to duel her son, who had formal lessons from the Knight Commander.

And doing it in front of all her people? It was outright humiliation.

“A spar, you say.”

Luciano, who had been rigid, finally managed to speak.

Imperial Consort Isabel smiled benignly.

“Yes. It’s not a difficult request, is it?”

Not difficult?

This was absurd from the start!

As if sensing I was about to explode, Luciano’s palm gently touched the small of my back.

Startled, I looked at him, and he subtly shook his head.

A signal not to intervene. I gritted my teeth.

Truth be told, if I stepped in, it would only make things harder for Luciano.

Imperial Consort Isabel relentlessly tormented him.

“Prince Luciano, do you know how to ride a horse at all?”

Even though she never gave him the chance.

“Prince Luciano and Espin get along so well. Still, shouldn’t you make friends with boys your own age? You need proper friends.”

Mocking him for not having other friends.

She was desperate to provoke him when he stayed quiet.

Fed up, I’d stepped in pretending not to notice, just like the first time.

“Your Grace! Prince Luciano is really good at riding. He rode my horse with me and cleared all the obstacles!”

“What does gender matter between friends? Friends are friends! We’re proper friends too!”

I disrupted her schemes with an innocent smile, oblivious on purpose.

Of course, Imperial Consort Isabel was flustered and glared at me irritably.

I’d been satisfied at the time, but it turned out she’d bottled up that anger and taken it out on Luciano later.

Like omitting supplies that should have been allocated to him.

One day,

I happened to visit Prince Luciano’s palace on a delivery day.

“What? This is all the stuff allocated to His Highness?”

Even to my eyes, it was clearly abnormal.

It wasn’t that Luciano lived frugally; he was being forced to.

“This is too much. Let’s complain.”

“It’s fine.”

Luciano seemed nonchalant.

“Look at this. The quality and quantity are both outrageously bad.”

“Saying something won’t change it.”

No, it was resignation.

“It’s always been like this?”

“Not to this extent. It’ll get a bit better next time.”

“Better? Then why did it suddenly get this bad?”

“…….”

“Your Highness.”

“Imperial Consort Isabel’s pride is hurt. It’ll really be fine next time.”

“What did she have to be prideful about…….”

The only thing that could have hurt her pride was my backtalk.

“No way, is it because of me?”

“It’s not.”

Luciano said calmly.

Once I realized the situation late, I became more cautious in my actions.

Knowing my recklessness would rebound on him, I couldn’t act on impulse.

After that, I thought twice before stepping in.

As my anger subsided, Luciano removed his hand from my back.

“If it’s a spar, wouldn’t it be better to ask Steven’s instructor rather than me? The Knight Commander could oversee it properly.”

Luciano stared at Count Victor, the Knight Commander.

He steadfastly ignored Luciano’s gaze.

“Prince Luciano, really. It’s different from instructor-guided spars. Shouldn’t peers of similar skill clash to truly test themselves?”

Similar skill?

Who was it that prevented him from learning properly!

My body trembled with rage.

“I’m not sure I’d be of any help. As you know, I’ve stepped away from the sword.”

“Is that so? I hear you still practice. Since Prince Steven started later, it should be a perfect match, no?”

She said such nonsense with such brazen confidence.

It was impressive how she could spout that without shame.

“…….”

“I’d like Prince Luciano to spar with Steven.”

Imperial Consort Isabel gave a sinister smile.