SLDS 31

The pleasant afternoon sun shone down on the outdoor terrace on the third floor of the east wing of Saint Palace, which boasted the most outstanding view.

The weather was fantastic, moderately warm, with even a gentle breeze caressing the skin.

Yuria had come to visit the imperial palace for the first time in a while. The only person she had come to meet was the crown prince.

“Duchess Vandel had another dress made for me. There’s no more room in my closet anymore.”

Yuria chattered ceaselessly like a baby bird. The imperial palace was not a comfortable place, but her expression was noticeably bright. In fact, she seemed more excited than usual as it had been a long time since she had met Alexis.

On the tablecloth, dyed in the golden sunlight, fresh fruits and sweet sherry wine filled the space.

It was all for the guest, so the crown prince did not touch a thing and kept his arms firmly crossed.

“So. When I told her that I wanted to wear pants instead of a dress.”

Yuria, who had been talking by herself for a long while, closed her mouth. With a slightly sulky face, she observed the person sitting across from her.

Today, it was clearly visible that the crown prince’s attention was elsewhere.

Alexis’s face was now completely turned to the side. With his long legs crossed, he sank his upper body into the back of the plush chair and watched the scenery outside.

The man with a straight nose, a sharp jawline, and hair more dazzling than the sunlight was glaring intently at something, his handsome face contorted into a deep frown.

Following his gaze, Yuria also turned her eyes.

Her eyes, which had been wandering over the vast scenery of the imperial palace, soon realized where the crown prince’s intense interest was focused.

Cecil Adrian.

A group of three or four people were attached to Cecil’s side as he walked along a path within the imperial palace, as if out for a stroll. Judging by their fine attire and advanced age, they seemed to be high-ranking nobles.

The sound of laughter was incessant, suggesting they were having a pleasant conversation. At a glance, it was a scene that seemed to have nothing special about it, yet Alexis could not take his eyes off it at all.

Yuria cautiously observed the situation. Her hand, which had at some point moved under the table, was now fidgeting, fiddling with her fingernails.

It was the first time Alexis had ever stared at someone so persistently.

Whether it was suspicion, vigilance, or some other emotion, Yuria could not rashly conclude.

“…How annoying.”

“Pardon?”

“Yuria, you can be alone for a moment, can’t you?”

“Your Highness!”

Alexis pushed his chair back and stood up before even hearing her answer. Yuria could only stare blankly at the man who was already leaving the terrace.

She tilted her head again and looked down outside. Unlike the peaceful scenery, she had a feeling that something bad was about to happen. Yuria quietly clasped her hands together. The only thing she could do was pray to God.

To others, it might have seemed like a friendly gathering, but Cecil himself felt like he was dying. His cheeks were on the verge of spasming from forcing himself to smile at the nobles.

Fortunately, he had a knack for controlling his expression, so none of the nobles noticed Cecil’s discomfort. Or perhaps they were all so hell-bent on flattery that they failed to notice.

“Have you heard the news? They say the perfume business has such a great outlook these days! Thanks to the perfumery techniques from the Kazarian Kingdom, they say it’s selling like hotcakes!”

An elderly noble, one of the empress’s close associates, was spewing spit next to Cecil as he spoke with passion. The perfume bottle he had brought as a so-called gift was already in Cecil’s hand.

“Perfume… well, it’s not bad. But the customer base can’t be that large, how much can one really make by selling a few hundred bottles of this?”

“Then what kind of business should one pursue to make a profit, perhaps?”

Cecil turned the perfume bottle he was holding this way and that. The beautifully crafted pink glass bottle sparkled like a jewel in the sunlight.

“Natural stones might be one thing… if one were to own a mine that produces diamonds, they could probably live off it for at least a few generations.”

At the word ‘diamond,’ the noble gulped down the saliva that had pooled in his mouth. The same went for the other nobles who were with him.

They all knew that Marquess Merque, the Minister of Protocol, had recently bought a mine after hearing Cecil’s suggestion. A gold vein was discovered in the mountain, which had been no different from a wasteland.

“There will be several mine auctions coming up soon. Among them, it would be good to aim for the Venezia mine. Geologically, the bedrock of Venezia has the perfect conditions for diamond deposits. The investment cost will be substantial, but it is undoubtedly a place where you can get that much value.”

These days, a mining boom was sweeping the empire. Nobles with any interest in business were coming around with bundles of money.

However, the amount was too large to invest readily, so they were carefully entering the business by hiring investment experts and geologists.

Mining was a kind of gamble. You wouldn’t know what would come out until you started digging. Cecil, who could see clearly what was to come, knew what was buried in that mine.

So he leaked information under the guise of giving advice to the nobles. Places that would prosper for a few months, or a year at most, before collapsing completely. He also made sure to single out only the empress’s associates.

They might get their hands on money for now, but it was certain that they would later squander their fortunes to the point of ruining their families. Unaware that they were stepping onto the path of ruin, the empress’s associates were desperate to get information from Cecil.

“Of course, you’ll have to listen to the experts’ evaluations as well. What I’m telling you is just a guess, after all. Was the mine auction in two days? Hmm… the timing is a bit off, what a shame. Just let this one pass and take an interest next time a similar opportunity comes up.”

“Yes! Yes.”

The nobles exchanged glances. Seeing their greedily gleaming eyes, it seemed they would probably try to participate in this auction even if it meant overextending themselves. Cecil secretly snorted.

“It probably won’t happen, but I hope you’ll keep this matter a secret. A strange rumor has been going around lately, and it’s been quite troublesome. So many people have been coming to see me…”

Cecil deliberately acted troubled. Recently, a rumor had spread that he had an amazing nose for money, and everyone and anyone was seeking him out.

“Oh, of course! Who would I leak such valuable information to? Don’t you worry! Hahaha!”

Hearty laughter spread far and wide. Just then, a few nobles from the neutral faction walked up from the opposite end of the path. They seemed to have been watching for an opportunity, as they took the chance to greet Cecil.

“Greetings to the little star of the empire.”

“It’s been a while, Lord Melvon.”

“Mr. Cecil, the weather is truly wonderful today. I have something to discuss with you, so if you don’t mind, may I request a moment of your time?”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not feeling very well right now. I will contact you when there’s another opportunity.”

When Cecil refused him flat out, the expressions of the neutral faction nobles turned sour. Along with them, the nobles of the empress’s faction held their heads high. They were feeling inwardly proud that Cecil was so openly taking care of only them.

“Yes, then please do contact us next time.”

The neutral faction nobles left without hiding their dark complexions. With such blatant favoritism, it was certain that more bad rumors would be added to the mix. But Cecil didn’t care.

After Roco’s suicide, a great change had occurred in Cecil’s state of mind.

He had quit pretending to be nice, pretending to be stupid, and pretending to be uninterested in political affairs. It was because he had realized that a friendly relationship with Alexis was already a lost cause.

He could not bridge the distance with Alexis. The hostility he held toward him was deeper-rooted than he had thought. He understood. In a situation where his mother was constantly pressuring him, how could he possibly feel favorable toward him?

The time given to Cecil was dwindling day by day. To look after Alexis’s well-being in that limited time, he had to let go of his own desires. Being hated was something he could endure. It was just easier to do things his own way.

He would surely be misunderstood and hurt again and again in the future. His heart would be torn to shreds, but since he had been through it once already, what did it matter?

As he walked a little further down the path accompanied by the nobles, his steps came to a halt once again. As fate would have it, he had run into the one person he least wanted to see right now.

Since Saint Palace was right next to them, it wasn’t particularly strange to encounter the crown prince. The problem, however, was that he was walking straight toward where Cecil was.

Alexis, who had blocked their path at some point, looked down at Cecil and the nobles with a considerably displeased expression.

A tense silence continued for a long while as he chewed on his lips, as if he had a lot to say.

“Greetings to the great star of the empire.”

While the nobles bowed to the crown prince, Cecil held his head up stiffly and stared at Alexis. Alexis, too, ignored the nobles and cast a cold gaze only at Cecil.

“What on earth are you doing?”

“As you can see, I am on a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?”

“You don’t stop by the office at all.”

“It’s become a bother. I’ve always been quite fickle. Just ignore it. Wouldn’t that be better for you as well, Your Highness?”

Cecil retorted without a single change in his expression. As Alexis continued to shoot him a silent glare, he simply gave a slight nod and started walking away.

He could feel a piercing gaze flying at his back like a dagger. Even without looking back, he knew that Alexis was glaring at him.

‘I’ll probably die after being hated for a thousand days.’

He did not expect Alexis to ever recognize his efforts.

Cecil forced himself to swallow the bitterness that rose up like bile. By now, even the feeling of disappointment had become chronic, so he could erase it easily.