208 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards Episode 208
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It wasn't something a knight who should prioritize his lord's life above all else should say, but the Crown Prince wore a faint smile as if it was nothing.
He was used to it now, since his close friend had been acting as if he would throw away friendship and everything else after falling in love.
However, it was just amusing how Aires, who used to believe in using everything he could, even people like himself, had changed so much.
What was there to fear from a man who would give up even his honor and position for her? He was even grateful that the Empress was openly supporting Roena and expressing her displeasure with Sissae.
"You should be grateful that I am an understanding person."
Aires retorted with a sneer at the Crown Prince's words.
"What are you talking about, you would have thrown me away a long time ago if my sword wasn't useful."
"I can't deny that."
"What's certain is that my sword will not be pointed at Idi, at you. It's just that Bischwartz Young Lady is prioritized."
"What if my uncle takes her hostage and tells you to kill me?"
"I would rather commit suicide in exchange for saving her life."
It was a frighteningly firm answer. The Crown Prince clicked his tongue and wore a disgusted expression.
"Wow, you don't even consider other options. How can a person change this much? Hey, Mel. Love is like sand in your hand, it feels full, but when you look at it, it leaves only dirty marks on your palm and disappears. You try to shake it off because you're sick of the feeling, but unless you wash it off with water, it's hard to erase completely. In other words, it's just a fleeting moment."
"No, if you love like it's a fleeting moment every day, that overwhelming feeling will be full until you die."
"Is Bischwartz Young Lady a woman worth that much?"
Aires looked at the Crown Prince and said in a casual tone. As if asking why he was asking something so obvious.
"Isn't that why you're so enthusiastic about the play?"
"Me?"
"Yes. Don't deceive yourself, Idi. If you respect me, be honest."
In an instant, their gazes collided in the air. The surrounding air rapidly became heavy, and a sharp tension enveloped them.
After a moment, the Crown Prince let out a sigh and opened his mouth. His thinly narrowed brow was deeply furrowed, as if telling of his discomfort.
"I am the Crown Prince, Mel. I dare say that nothing can come before the current situation. I have too many things to focus on. So, what you said earlier is close to speculation."
"Then swear to me. No, please do, Your Highness. If I bring you victory, promise me you won't shake her up anymore."
At Aires's request in a polite voice, the Crown Prince's face crumpled even more. He even tapped the table with his finger, as if he didn't like the current situation.
In fact, the Crown Prince was displeased with his close friend acting like a fool. He couldn't understand clinging to a single woman.
Of course, Cishe de Bishwaltz was a rare and attractive woman, but her beauty and personality would fade over time anyway. Familiarity soon meant boredom, and it was clear that it would lead to regret. Just like his mother, the Empress. That's why he felt Aires, who was acting like it would last forever, was foolish.
"It's only natural that you have to bring me victory. So that's not enough. Besides, she will surely become your weakness, so why should I let go?"
Then Michael took off the brooch with the Family crest engraved on his clothes and handed it to the Crown Prince. And he said to him, who was looking at him as if asking why he was giving it to him.
"We will surely win. And I will make the biggest contribution. I will not accept any awards that Your Highness gives me at that time. If you wish, I will abandon my family name. My brother is the one who will inherit the family anyway. I don't mind becoming a commoner. Then the thing that Your Highness is wary of will not happen."
If a meritorious subject gains power, there is nothing more dangerous than that. Michael Ayres was saying that he would give up all these rights for Sis, because that was what the Crown Prince was wary of. On the condition that he doesn't touch her.
"Are you going to leave me? Mel, you are too deeply immersed in her. Wake up. No one wants this sacrifice from you. Bischwartz Young Lady wouldn't either."
"How are you going to get me out of it?"
"What?"
"I'm saying, how will Your Highness solve something that even I have failed at?"
"You're crazy. You're completely insane."
"So, are you not going to accept this?"
The Crown Prince gritted his teeth and glared at him, then snatched the brooch as if taking it away. And he breathed roughly, as if growling, and said to Michael.
"Okay, I've accepted it, so tell me your honest feelings. This isn't everything, is it?"
"Yes, it is. Your Highness, I am afraid of you."
"Why, are you afraid I'll take her away from you?"
"Yes."
Michael Ayres's answer was unwavering. He didn't know what he was seeing to be so sure, but the Crown Prince thought his heart thumped for a moment.
It was right to deny his words, but even he couldn't be sure if this was real, so he couldn't bring himself to say it.
But now it was important to reassure Michael Ayres, so he needed to raise his voice and express his displeasure.
He was dumbfounded by his friend's behavior of putting everything on the line for a woman and even pressuring him, but on the other hand, he was experiencing a ridiculous sense of empathy because he could do even more than that for the Emperor's seat.
So, didn't he openly say that he couldn't let go of Michael Ayres's weakness because it was Cishe de Bishwaltz?
If the Crown Prince hadn't shown such an explicit move, Michael wouldn't have been forced to make such an extreme choice.
"What are you saying, looking at me? Hey, Mel. There are many more beautiful women in society than her. There are lovely women everywhere. So please face reality. Really, isn't your heart for her overflowing too much?"
The Crown Prince tapped his temple with his index finger and continued.
"I've said it over and over again. All I need is a woman who knows how to dress up prettily. I don't need a woman who retorts my words or acts actively for her own benefit. Bischwartz Young Lady is only dealing with me now because she is more useful than anyone else."
"If that were really the case, you would have acted like you did with Lüce."
"Sir Michael Ayres. Are you pointing out my attitude now?"
The Knight of Ice shook his head and denied the Crown Prince's sharp reaction.
"I apologize, Your Highness. I'm glad that Your Highness denies it, but I need certainty. That's why I put everything on the line."
"So, what do you want me to do?"
"Everything is decided by Bischwartz Young Lady. Your Highness, please promise that you will not force her."
The Crown Prince sighed again and pressed his forehead with his fingers. His face was slightly frowned, as if he was getting a headache from the current conversation.
"It's ridiculous. It seems like your lord is her, not me."
"I'm asking as a subject and as a friend, Idi."
"You will definitely regret it someday. You will have a sense of doubt whether it was worth protecting her this much. By any chance, did you agree with Bischwartz Young Lady in advance?"
"Why do you think so?"
"She did that before. She said she would become Cishe de Bishwaltz, not Cishe de Aires. If you want to get her, you have to be willing to become a Bischwartz? I laughed it off, thinking that would never happen, but seeing you now, I'm afraid it might actually happen. Anyway, fine. I'll grant your request. But if you cross the line any further, I won't stand still either."
Michael smiled and nodded. His face was much brighter, as if that alone was enough.
"This alone is enough."
"Well, will it really be? Everyone changes when they gain status and power. Even Bischwartz Young Lady, after becoming a noble from a commoner, covets her family. There's no guarantee that she won't be greedy for a higher position."
"She's different, Idi. She's very special. So sometimes it feels like a miracle. I dare say that no one can act like Bischwartz Young Lady."
"That remains to be seen. Of course, I won't force her as promised."
"Schemes to induce coercion are also not allowed."
"You're picky. But I can't help it if coincidences overlap."
The Crown Prince would surely create even those coincidences on purpose, but if he deliberately denied it, there was no way to prove it. He could only trust Cishe de Bishwaltz's self-control. And Michael Ayres deeply believed in her. No matter what choice she made, it would have been inevitable.
"Now, let's stop talking about the Bischwartz Young Lady and turn our attention back to our fight? Rather than waiting for my uncle to invade, I think it would be better to cut off the tails one by one and tighten the noose, but the problem is that we still haven't found his residence. I didn't know my uncle was so good at hide-and-seek. If I had known, I would have played with him when I was young."
"Didn't you find out the name he's using?"
"How many aliases would he have? He probably uses quite a few depending on the situation. He uses the surname 'Bitrice' when approaching Bischwartz Young Lady."
"Bitrice, where have I heard that before?"
As Aires tilted his head and wondered, the Crown Prince explained in a calm voice.
"Do you remember that my uncle's birth mother tried to assassinate the late Emperor through a sorcerer and was caught and executed? The name of that sorcerer was Bitrice."
"It was so long ago that my memory is hazy."
"Few people remember it. It's a forgotten incident even within society. It's unusual that you remember it."
"I thought the name was unique when you told me about it before, Idi. Anyway, he has a unique talent for naming things."
"That's one of my uncle's charms. Anyway, it's one of the names that has been accurately revealed, so we're conducting inquiries centered on it. And we're also checking if there are any merchants who are closely linked to my mother's family or have newly made deals with them. Since there are almost no families in the capital that own knights like the Bishvarts Family, it will be quite difficult to bring in troops. He'll try to find a way somehow. Then he'll somehow reveal his tail, so we just need to aim for that."
Aires took a baton and pushed one of the flags into a mansion drawn on the map.
"The Bishvarts Family is a noble family with no power, but they managed to have a knight in the mansion."
"Even though they have been far from politics in this generation, they were one of the meritorious families who made many achievements in the early days. But their distant ancestor was very interested in the business world, so instead of focusing more on business, he requested that a certain number of knights live in the mansion to protect the goods. And that was accepted. That's why my uncle targeted the Bishvarts Family so much. I don't think he's given up even now."
"Are you talking about the kidnapping case?"
"Yes. No one would look kindly on a commoner girl who failed to properly manage the legitimate heir. If Young Lady returns, they will probably hold her responsible and try to remove her. It would be easy to label her as incompetent. Not only my mother, but also Roena's maternal family, Madame de Lavalier, will not stand still. He has to cause an incident before that. Or have Cishe Young Lady find Roena herself."
"In the end, she solved it with her own hands, so I can't say anything more. I'll complain, though."
"That's right. If I were my uncle, I would take measures in advance in preparation for when Bischwartz Young Lady finds Roena. Maybe he'll meet her and say he'll help her to get her in debt, or he'll say he found her and try to steal Cishe Young Lady's credit."
"Is that why you've been burdening me with work for the past few days? So much that I can't go to the Bishvarts Family?"
"Yes. Because if you're there, my uncle won't approach."
Aires's face hardened coldly at those words. He was dissatisfied.
He had been working with the Crown Prince for a long time, so it was natural that he should be the main one, but after a woman named Cishe de Bishwaltz entered his world, the order of things was getting mixed up.
The Crown Prince was being lenient and pretending that nothing was wrong, but it was difficult because it was unclear what would happen if it went too far.
He wanted to think of Sis first, but it was clear that she would be in danger if he did, so the reality was that he had no choice but to stand by on some parts.
Is that why? Sometimes Michael Ayres felt sorry when he looked at Cishe de Bishwaltz's face. He felt a strong sense of self-doubt about his lack of ability.
