Chapter 29
29
* * *
The unpaved road leading to the capital. An old carriage carrying Viscount and Viscountess Murray struggled up the hill.
Christopher Murray, Viscount Murray, who was holding the reins, began to nag his wife.
"Why did you bring up the ball? We already got the academy recommendation, and Ermengarde's social debut is settled! What are we going to do with the money we received? Do you think he'll stay still if he finds out she's engaged to another man?"
Gertrude frowned deeply and retorted.
"It's obviously a lie. There's no reason for a man of high status to be stuck in the woods like that, is there? Unless he's a fallen noble."
"What do you know, coming from a commoner? You can feel it in his attitude and tone. His presence was extraordinary."
"You didn't know at first either! And is that all you have to say? Saying that to a wife who's suffered her whole life, we wouldn't be living like this if you hadn't been in debt from gambling! Ermengarde almost got sold off as a rich old man's concubine!"
Christopher slammed the worn-out steering wheel and shouted.
"If you had treated me like a proper husband, I wouldn't have had to do that! You married me because I was a noble at first, and now you're treating me like a servant!"
"What era is this? If you're poor, you're no different from a commoner! You need a lot of money to be a proper noble! I should have married a nouveau riche from the financial world, I was crazy, crazy!"
The carriage screeched to a halt, and the two spouses began to fight violently, shaking the carriage. Actually, Christopher was the one being unilaterally beaten.
When the shaking stopped, Christopher, whose tie was grabbed by Gertrude, gasped for breath and surrendered.
"Ouch, wait, it hurts, let go of this. Do you even know who the eldest son of the doctor's family is to be doing such a thing? He's a member of the Holy Knights, and he's involved with underground organizations. Georg and Ermengarde might get sold to an island. It's obvious we won't be safe either."
"What? How did you get to know someone like that?"
"...I actually met him at a gambling den."
At that moment, Gertrude's face turned red with anger.
"You should have told me that sooner!"
"I couldn't tell you I went to the gambling den again."
At Christopher's words, Gertrude bit her nails and looked out the car window.
After a while, Gertrude opened her mouth to Christopher.
"That man never revealed his identity until the end. Even if he's a real noble, he might not be a big deal. If we meet the doctor's son directly, Mia will change her mind. He's handsome, isn't he? Much better than that black-haired man we saw earlier."
Christopher, wiping away sweat and catching his breath, frowned.
"I'm telling you, he's a high-ranking noble. You stubborn, fierce, frustrating human being."
Then, the little hair Christopher had left was grabbed in her fist. And so, another marital fight began.
* * *
Under the mission to protect everyday life, Dante and I decided to participate in the Imperial Palace ball next week, pretending to be engaged.
However, since I had no connection to high society, I needed to receive crash courses from Mathias, a true noble.
When I approached Mathias, who was sitting at the garden table reading a newspaper, and asked for guidance, he clicked his tongue and glared at me.
"What is there to do at a ball? Just go and eat the food you like. The wine supplied only to the Imperial Family is quite good."
"I can take care of the eating myself, but I might have to talk to nobles, right?"
"If the other person supports the Taylor Party, just have prejudice and spit on them."
It seems my capabilities are insufficient to receive guidance from that man.
I smiled awkwardly and slowly backed away.
"Master, there's nothing more to learn. I'll descend the mountain now."
"Okay."
As I immediately turned and headed towards the mansion, I ran into Killian, who had brought real catnip and wild dogs.
He stroked the dog, who was wearing a leash and making a grimace, and said.
"This is a wild dingo brought from Austrand. Isn't it cute? Stroking a dog is like taking a break. It lowers blood pressure and has a psychological stabilizing effect."
He said that, but he was getting bitten a lot. Watching the dingo gnaw on his gauntlet, I briefly wondered what kind of positive effect he could get from that.
"Grrr..."
The sight of the snarling dingo's sharp teeth made the back of my neck prickle. It's very fierce. I'm scared of it. I don't think there's a dog trainer here.
I trembled and carefully spoke to Killian.
"Wouldn't it be better to send it back home? How scared and tired must it be to suddenly come to a strange place? It must be hard to adjust to the time difference, and the food might not suit its taste."
"Does this child even know what fullness is? It's a poor child who was locked up and starving in a dog fighting ring in Austrand. Please, Master, give it a name."
The salvation narrative is being copied. Then I have no choice but to raise it again.
I looked at the dingo, pondering a name.
It resembled a wonderful yellow dog with a pointed snout, perky ears, and yellow fur.
"Um... Yellow Dog?"
Whether he was impressed by my naming skills, Killian's horned helmet nodded up and down.
"A very good name. Alexander XII, let's get along well in the future."
That helmet must have a noise-canceling function.
Why did he ask me when he was going to name it himself?
I drooped my shoulders and suddenly had an idea, so I asked him.
"Killian, you're a noble, right?"
"I received a title for my merits, but my origins are foreign. Why do you ask?"
"Ah, I have to go to a ball, but I'm so ignorant in that area. Can I get some help?"
Killian scratched his helmet and said.
"I've only attended balls as a knight for security, and I've hardly ever done any social activities. Dike Brigadier General is the same, and he's such a person who doesn't care about what others think, so he won't be of any help..."
It was proven once again that Dante was a my-way type of person. After a moment of contemplation, he added a suggestion.
"How about asking Elluaerd or Ezekiel?"
"I will. And please socialize Alexander XII quickly. He's cute, but he's fierce and scary."
"Yes, I understand."
I turned away from Killian, who was desperately shouting, "Sit," and walked away.
And I walked around the flower garden with catnip in my hand, lost in thought.
I'll have to buy clothes, right? Like the evening dresses that actors wear at film festivals? It seems like the time has come to take out the money I've saved.
"Meow."
The cats summoned by the catnip jumped out from here and there and followed me. I scattered the catnip like a black magician taming familiars and muttered solemnly.
"Yeah, let's think of it as the cost of exorcising evil spirits."
Taking advantage of the moment, I touched the pink jelly of a cat intoxicated with catnip, and suddenly, one fact came to mind.
"But when does the female lead appear? Why do I feel like I'm directing everything?"
Am I a hidden key figure? Am I a bridge connecting the two main characters?
Could it be that I'm on board with a cliché development?
1. The male lead and the supporting character become lovers by chance.
2. When the real female lead appears, the supporting character tries to give up the male lead to the female lead and says goodbye.
3. The male lead becomes obsessed with the supporting character and imprisons the supporting character in a luxurious mansion.
4. The female lead defeats the male lead, rescues the supporting character, and the female lead and the supporting character get married.
"Wait a minute, is this right? What kind of novels have I been reading?"
It seems like it's been too long since I read web novels.
Still, thanks to the other world reincarnation buff, I roughly remember the contents of the original 'The Last Princess'.
'Ah! I'm a supporting character who appears in one line on page 15 of chapter 45!'
'That man! He's a villain who appeared in chapter 16 and left sadly!'
I don't remember such detailed details.
Dante Van Dyke, the Devil Duke.
He was constantly in conflict with the main character, the illegitimate princess. However, in the tension that drew the line between the relationship, there was a strange atmosphere between the two who didn't even hold hands. It tasted like a terrible hate-love relationship.
He interfered with the female lead who was trying to be recognized as a member of the Imperial Family, but he did not threaten her life, and even saved her from danger. It was a bit like a friendly rival.
The female lead was a demon realm ability user with a Magic Tool that summoned the Great Demon. However, due to Dante's scheme, she lost the Magic Tool and failed all her plans, and all the blood of the Imperial Family was annihilated, leaving only the illegitimate female lead alive.
"You're the devil, not me!"
Even though it was just letters, the female lead's voice, cracked with resentment, seemed to be heard vividly. It felt like someone who had been greatly betrayed by a loved one.
Many readers argued that Dante interfered with everything to save her because he could not stop the Imperial Family, which had lost power due to the flow of the times, from collapsing.
Why would such a spicy and delicious hate-love male lead get involved with me?
I'll know when the female lead appears.
What kind of flow it will go through, and what meaning my existence has here.
"It doesn't really matter if there isn't one. Does there have to be meaning in existence?"
I muttered, removing the eye boogers from a kitten.
I'm just living my best life since I was born. My safe and peaceful life is more important.
I hired the mastermind as a housekeeper
