**Stalker Duchess Episode 2**
They acted as if they didn't care whether I was listening or not. Even if the Duchess threw a fit, they knew the Crown Prince—higher in status and rank than her—would cover for them anyway.
No matter that the military prioritized rank over status, openly mocking a duke's daughter like this. How much of a joke must I have seemed.
I let out a sigh. If it had been the original Serabi's personality, she probably would have exploded in rage at the Crown Prince and his subordinates right here.
And that would be the reaction the Crown Prince wanted.
The Crown Prince had deliberately humiliated the Duchess in front of his men to tarnish her dignity.
The young Duchess Serabi might not have realized it, but his scheme was obvious to my eyes.
Glancing up at the Crown Prince, he stared back at me with a smirk on his pretty face.
He seemed to be waiting for me to flush red and scream.
The reaction he wanted was probably me turning beet red, grinding my teeth, and yelling,
"Raven! How dare you say that to me? What are you all laughing at?! Are you all mocking a noble?! Off with your heads!"
While calling the Crown Prince by his name without permission and pointing accusingly at his men.
Her reputation in the empire was already rock bottom, but especially in Distian, it was probably lower than a street mutt—or worse.
Even if I threw a tantrum here about nobles being insulted, without the supreme commander of this place—the Crown Prince—backing me up, it would just be a childish outburst.
Besides, the Crown Prince already resented Serabi's existence, so he had no reason to listen to me.
And no one here would take my side even if I cried. Throwing a fit would only make me look more ridiculous.
This, too, was likely what the Crown Prince wanted.
For now, it was best to bow my head quietly.
"I apologize, Your Highness. I will correct my behavior from now on."
"......What?"
I had simply responded normally, but the Crown Prince widened his eyes in shock, as if he'd misheard.
Since he seemed to doubt his own ears, I clearly repeated myself toward him.
"I apologize for disrupting military discipline with my sloppy attire unbecoming of a soldier up until now, and for offending Your Highness. I will make amends."
With that, I bowed my head deeply. The Crown Prince was silent for a while.
Well, it was understandable he'd be surprised.
Perfect etiquette and honorifics that were impossible to nitpick, plus my N-year veteran social skills infused into that folder bow—he seemed extremely flustered. Heh heh.
Only when my back started to ache did the Crown Prince finally order me to withdraw.
Before turning away, I glanced back; his face was filled with confusion.
Stepping outside, I let out a deep sigh of relief. Good thing the Crown Prince was still young.
If the 18-year-old peak-version final boss had appeared from the start, even I wouldn't have confidence in winning.
In brains, strategy, physical ability—every aspect, the 18-year-old Crown Prince far surpassed me.
But right now, no matter how genius he was, he was still just a kid who'd been born only 14 years ago.
There was an opening here. Possessing before the main story kicked off was a stroke of luck.
If I used this well, I could not only avoid the worst ending but even gain some benefits.
He seemed to hate me a lot now, but changing a kid's mind would be a piece of cake. It would just take a little time.
Anyway, I'd been told to withdraw and did so obediently, but where should I go?
In the bustling Distian military base where everyone was busy, I stood blankly like a fifth wheel.
Even if I tried doing what the Duchess usually did, she was the sole payroll thief in this army.
Searching through the novel's descriptions over and over, she had no actual duties. She just stuck to the Crown Prince's side, fawning over him.
Training like a regular soldier was impossible due to Duchess Serabi's inherently frail body, and she didn't have the Crown Prince's genius intellect to help with strategy or tactics.
In every way, the pre-possession Serabi was below average.
Her face was at least passable, but even that meant nothing against her rival, the stunningly beautiful Elf Queen. The Elf Queen's beauty was said to transcend human limits.
Hmm, isn't there something I can do?
For the time being, I planned to steer clear of the Crown Prince.
Changing my worst image would inevitably turn into a long-term battle, and loafing around at work forever would draw too much attention.
"Oof."
Standing dazed in the middle of the corridor like that, someone brushed past me with quick steps.
As I let out a small groan and nearly fell, the man who'd bumped me stopped and turned back. Among those I'd seen so far—excluding the Crown Prince—he looked the youngest.
"What the hell! You're in the way!"
His openly dismissive tone made my anger flare, but I barely held it back and spoke.
"Ah, I—"
"Oh, looking at you, you're that immature Duchess, right? The one always tailing behind the Commander?"
I'd tried to introduce myself, but he already knew who I was.
Whether because he was a soldier or one of those who harbored ill will toward me, his evaluation was merciless.
But it wasn't really my story anyway, and it wasn't wrong, so I just nodded once without reaction.
His face twisted subtly at that. His tone softened just a bit, ambiguously.
"What are you spacing out for? Standing in the passageway is a nuisance. Why don't you go chase the Commander instead?"
"I was looking for work to do."
"Work?"
The man looked at me with a puzzled expression. Brushing off his jab lightly, I nodded and said,
"I'll help wherever hands are short."
The man stared at me observantly, then spoke as if struck by a good idea.
"Follow me."
I followed the man, lost in thought. Was it okay to blindly follow this stranger whose identity I didn't know? But one thing was certain.
The man seemed intent on putting me in a tough spot. He definitely disliked Duchess Serabi.
Proof was that, knowing she was a noble, he used no honorifics at all. I didn't know his rank, but he spoke to me like a subordinate.
Even if the military prioritized rank over status, knowing her identity should have made him adjust his attitude unconsciously—but there was none of that.
Distian's soldiers basically all harbored ill will toward Duchess Serabi.
While they trained hard, she held tea times in front of them, teasing the sweat-soaked soldiers and clinging flirtatiously to their upright superiors. It was impossible to view her favorably.
The man stopped in front of the kitchen. Hmm, I see. For something thought up on the spot, it was a pretty good way to humiliate me.
"The kitchen's always short on hands. No soldier wants to do kitchen duty. You said you'd help wherever needed, right? Don't back out now."
Cooks were one of the professions scorned in the empire. With no mechanical civilization, slaughtering had to be done by hand.
Serving others and cleaning up after meals fell to the kitchen, so even among commoners, kitchen work was frowned upon.
Especially nobles—most had never set foot in a kitchen their whole lives, living utterly detached from cooking. Well, that had nothing to do with me.
"Good thing, then. Cooking's one of my specialties."
I rolled up my sleeves briskly and stepped into the kitchen.
The man who'd brought me here to humiliate me instead looked flustered.
Oh, these tools are pretty decent. As I inspected the kitchenware here and there, I heard the man mutter to himself,
"They said she had a real bitchy personality, but it doesn't seem that way."
* * *
"Today's quite...... lavish."
Crown Prince Raven looked at the spread of food on the table with a slightly perplexed expression.
After the previous head chefs quit one by one, intimidated by the soldiers' intensity, no one wanted to work at Distian, so soldiers had been taking turns cooking.
With only inexperienced men in the kitchen, mealtimes were always a ordeal, but it seemed they'd finally get a proper meal.
Raven subtly asked the subordinate beside him in a satisfied tone,
"Did we hire a new head chef?"
"No. Well, actually, Commander......"
Raven had asked intending to praise if they'd hired one, but the subordinate hesitated reluctantly before continuing.
Upon hearing the food's source, Raven's face gradually darkened menacingly.
"There's no way that crazy woman made decent food. It must be poisoned or—"
"Crazy woman? That's a bit harsh."
Raven turned at the familiar yet unfamiliar voice from behind.
His childhood friend and obsessive stalker, the pervert who clung to him wildly, the leech after his body and power—Duchess Serabi stood there expressionless.
Usually dressed so flashily and uncomfortably it burdened onlookers, now she looked utterly disheveled.
Had she sweated a ton? Her usually flawless makeup was mostly gone, and the pure white dress she'd throw fits over even for small stains was filthy. Yet Duchess Serabi seemed unfazed.
She stared at Raven with her bewitching purple eyes said to enchant people and said,
"Please, eat up. It was quite the effort making portions for everyone."
"Effort? Don't make me laugh. You must have slipped in an aphrodisiac like last time."
"......Aphrodisiac?"
Duchess Serabi tilted her head innocently, as if clueless. Seeing that, Raven clicked his tongue.
'Hah, so her meek apology to me earlier was just an act for this. I knew it seemed suspicious.'
Raven barely reined in his rising anger.
