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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: The Master's Identity Revealed
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“Never thought you’d recognize me. So, how about it? You must be beside yourself with respect for your master, right? Say it: ‘Thank you for teaching me.’ Come on, quick.”
Cale was brazenly full of himself.
His attitude made it seem like he wanted to broadcast to the world just how incredible he was.
If I let him keep talking, things were bound to get messy.
“Cale, this is Luciano Frederick.”
“Yeah. Luciano Frederick. My disciple’s got quite the impressive name…”
Cale’s lingering words came to a dead halt.
His eyes rolled as if he’d misheard something.
“F-Frederick?”
I nodded calmly in response to his seeking confirmation.
He had even served as the captain of the imperial knights.
There was no way he wouldn’t know the weight of the Frederick name.
And among the current imperial family members, it wouldn’t take long to connect it to Luciano.
After all, Luciano had been a prince back when Cale was knight captain.
Cale’s eyes shook wildly, as if he’d just pieced together Luciano’s identity.
“P-Prince?”
“Yes, it’s Crown Prince Luciano.”
As my words landed, Cale’s trembling gaze met Luciano’s.
Cale dropped flat to the ground like a bolt of lightning.
“Kill me—no, please spare me!”
“……”
It was a shockingly swift shift in demeanor.
“I was drunk and out of my mind! It’s all the alcohol—it stole my senses!”
Cale’s forehead pressed fully against the floor in perfect deference.
And just like that, he pinned the blame on the booze.
His attitude was so embarrassing that even I felt secondhand shame.
When I glanced at Luciano, he stared at Cale in utter disbelief.
With a sigh, he spoke.
“Enough. Get up.”
“I’m too ashamed to stand. I’m truly sorry. I’ll keep groveling on the floor until Your Highness’s anger fades!”
“It was an honest mistake. It’s fine.”
Luciano tried again, but Cale only bowed his head lower, refusing.
“No! I have eyes, yet I failed to recognize a noble presence. Someone with such worthless eyes deserves to live staring at the dirt forever!”
It might have looked like contrition, but the exaggerated tone made it pure theater.
The ploy was obvious even to me—Luciano couldn’t possibly miss it.
Luciano exhaled sharply in exhaustion, shaking his bangs.
“I said it’s fine. Stand up already.”
“How could I possibly raise my impudent head! I could spend my whole life like this, gazing at the floor!”
“It was ignorance, so I forgive you. Besides, he’s my master. How could I possibly punish…”
“Oh my, as expected of a prince—you truly know how to honor your teacher. My deepest gratitude for your mercy.”
As if he’d been waiting for exactly those words, Cale bowed once more and sprang to his feet.
He brushed the dirt off himself with a sly grin.
His shamelessness left both me and Luciano utterly speechless.
“Your pivots are lightning-fast. I heard you were once a pretty uptight knight.”
I couldn’t hold back and asked outright.
“When you’ve rolled in the gutters eating dirty looks, you turn out like this eventually.”
He just chuckled, as if to say, “What did you expect?”
Not a shred of embarrassment crossed Cale’s face.
Luciano and I shook our heads in unison.
What an all-time character.
* * *
The discussion with Cale wrapped up smoothly.
I couldn’t summon him straight to the palace just yet.
He agreed with that.
We settled on finding a suitable training spot and parted ways for the day.
“Why are you staring like that?”
In the returning carriage, Luciano noticed my gaze from across the seat and spoke up.
Ever since boarding, he’d been unusually subdued.
“Unexpected.”
“What is?”
“You taking Cale as your master.”
“Didn’t you introduce him for that purpose?”
“True.”
Still, for someone who’d shown initial reluctance, he’d accepted it far too readily.
As if reading my unspoken question, Luciano muttered flatly.
“His skills are the real deal.”
Fair enough—Cale’s prowess was genuinely astonishing.
I’d known he was an exceptional swordsman, but witnessing it firsthand was another level.
It was still hard to believe he’d toyed with Luciano so effortlessly.
“He really is incredible.”
I nodded along in agreement, and Luciano fixed me with a lingering stare.
“Why?”
He had the look of someone with words on the tip of his tongue, so I prompted him.
Luciano slowly shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“You sure you don’t have something to say?”
He turned toward the window, signaling he had nothing more.
‘Why’s he acting like this?’
Something felt off about his vibe, but I couldn’t place it.
Hold on.
This reaction was way off from what I’d anticipated.
Right up until they met, I’d been sure Luciano would be thrilled about his new master.
I’d even pictured him shedding emotional tears.
But things felt wrong.
I’d been baffled midway when their rapport seemed to sour.
Yet even after all the twists, with the master-disciple bond safely formed, he was just… calm.
‘This should be great news—why does it feel so off?’
I was stewing in complicated feelings when—
“Espin.”
Luciano called my name.
“Yeah?”
I hadn’t noticed when, but he’d been watching me the whole time.
His crimson eyes, fixed intently on me, rippled with quiet intensity.
That unrelenting gaze made my breath catch for no reason.
“Ah, what?”
The pressure brought out a snappish tone.
After a pause, Luciano murmured softly.
“Thank you.”
The words pierced through the stuffy haze in my chest.
Did he just… thank me?
Luciano?
That Luciano?
I bounced over to the seat beside him.
“What?”
Grinning as I leaned in, he flinched and scooted toward the carriage wall.
No good in a cramped space like this.
I wriggled closer.
“What is it, I said?”
With my eyes sparkling, I stared him down—only for him to feign ignorance and turn back to the window.
‘Such a shy little…’
I poked his cheek.
“Say it again.”
He shot me a glare.
As in, “Do you really need to hear it twice?”
“Say it again.”
I pressed him with a beaming smile.
“I said thank you.”
He did it again!
Again!
I was dying to do a little victory dance, but he’d probably sulk if I did.
“From now on, do what I say. Good things will come your way—even in your sleep.”
I couldn’t resist a touch of smugness.
* * *
Was it because so many things were in motion?
Time flew by in a blink.
In the meantime, the investment in Mabel kicked off in earnest.
We’d thoroughly analyzed the commercial districts and snapped up shops.
Interior renovations were underway.
My funds had taken a massive hit as a result.
“Haah…”
The sight of my empty account balance drew out an involuntary sigh.
I knew it’d pay off eventually.
I’d sunk the money in hoping for even bigger returns.
But empty was empty.
My heart felt just as hollow as that balance.
‘And lately, Father’s been skimping on allowance too…’
“Why the sigh, miss? Are you unwell?”
Lying on my bed with yet another sigh, Nanny asked worriedly.
“Nanny.”
I called out weakly.
She dropped what she was doing and hurried over.
“Yes, miss? What is it?”
Her hand gripped mine tightly, brimming with genuine concern, so I ventured carefully.
“If I ask Father for some allowance, you think he’d give it?”
Her tension deflated into exasperation.
“No chance. You’ve got plenty already, miss.”
Lately, Father had cracked down on my bottomless greed with an allowance cap.
He’d declared a strict monthly limit—no exceptions—and I’d already burned through this month’s allotment.
“Next month feels so far away…”
At my whine, Nanny flung my hand aside.
“Why are you so money-obsessed? Moderation in greed, miss. This is no good.”
‘No, I’m broke now.’
She had no idea how much it stung!
Only Billy—who’d tagged along on my outings—knew about the Mabel investment.
Pouting at her scolding, I dragged myself upright.
“Heading out?”
“Yeah. Staying cooped up just makes me antsy. Gonna head out.”
“Go on, then.”
Nanny sighed too, clearly not wanting to watch me mope, and let me go without fuss.
I hate you, Nanny!
My affection’s gone cold!
With puffed-out cheeks, I headed out.
It had been on the schedule from the start.
Today was apple day, after all.
May and Bell were participating in the market again, and I planned to drop by for a check-in.
I reached the central square and spotted May and Bell right away—their spot was prime real estate.
“May, Bell! All set?”
“Miss, you’re here!”
“Of course. You’re all prepped, right?”
“No more worrying about leftovers?”
“We’ve sold out completely every time so far.”
“We’re really hitting our stride.”
A few market runs in, and their confidence had blossomed.
That’s the spirit.
Mabel’s success already felt within reach.
“What’ve you got today?”
This time, I hadn’t given any pointers.
I’d left the menu up to them, so even I was in the dark.
At my question, May and Bell unpacked their baskets and arranged the goods on the stall.
“Fruit pies?”
I lumped them together—there were quite a few varieties.
“That’s right. Have one.”
I didn’t stand on ceremony and picked a blueberry pie.
I’d sampled their fruit pies plenty of times before and knew they were delicious sight unseen.
Familiar flavors are dangerous like that.
The mere memory made it impossible to resist.
I paid over their protests, unwrapped it, and took a bite.
Crispy crust and sweet filling danced in perfect harmony in my mouth.
“Not bad?”
Bell couldn’t hold back as I chewed.
I swallowed it all down and shot up a thumbs-up.
“Another sell-out today.”
Beaming smiles lit up May and Bell’s faces.
By now, they took my word like prophecy.
We exchanged grins, buzzing with excitement for the day’s sales.
That’s when a booming voice rang out from nearby.
“Miss! Been searching everywhere for you!”
I Thought I Was the Protagonist
