Kneel Before The Villain - Chapter 117

At Claire’s question, young master Pline’s brow furrowed.

 

He looked down at her with a complicated gaze.

 

Claire and the princess had been fighting over the crown prince.

 

No, fighting was not an exact word to describe the feud between them.

 

It was unfair for Claire, a baron’s daughter, who was powerless against the Princess. It was right to say that the Princess was jealous of Claire’s beauty and the crown prince’s affection and harassed her one-sidedly.

 

The Crown Prince gave her affection, and as a baron’s daughter, she would not have been able to refuse.

 

But why should she face the damage alone?

 

Just like recently when the princess stepped up to the Crown prince’s arbitrary actions, the aftermath grew out of control, as if oil was poured on a blazing fire.

 

Because of that, lady Dana had to run for her life. It could be the Princess’s men, Baron Dana’s, or someone else who were sent after her but it would be easily resolved if the crown prince stepped forward.

 

However, only he did not step forward, he still wandered around the social world, revealing his lingering feelings and jealousy toward the Princess in front of people.

 

As the saying goes, ‘a shrimp’s back burst in a whale fight’*, it was Baron Dana’s daughter who was suffering the most between the crown prince and the princess.

 

[T/N: means When there is a fierce fight, the weak ones caught in the middle are the ones that get hurt.]

 

Certainly, young master Pline had been curious about the news of the two.

 

“I heard that the princess has been shutting herself in the mansion ever since the Duke left.”

 

After a moment of thinking, he added.

 

“Ah, come to think of it, I heard that the Second Prince’s attendant had been visiting the Duke’s residence several times.”

 

“The 2nd Prince?”

 

Claire widened her eyes in surprise. Seeing her puzzled, he explained calmly.

 

“Recently, rumors are circulating in the social world that the princess and the second prince are getting engaged.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“I can’t say for sure but it’s probably right. Didn’t he ask the princess for a dance first or even send gifts? Even if the princess is insignificant, the second Prince will definitely have an advantage in contending for the throne from the prestige of the Duke of Lillian.”

 

Young master Pline was cynical. He turned and looked at Claire.

 

The fact that the princess had already caught a new rope would not have been pleasant for Claire.

 

The two had been at each other’s throat because of the Crown Prince for a long time. The Princess was shameless as she dropped one prince then picked up another right after.

 

Although the identity of the forces pursuing Claire was unknown, the suspicions that it might be the duke still remained undispelled.

 

In the unlikely event that the princess became the second Prince’s wife and the second-prince ascended the throne, the poor young lady in front of him would have no future.

 

“Don’t worry too much. As long as the lady is here, no one can bother you.”

 

“Thank you. But I also have some shame, so I can’t bother you for a long time.”

 

“You don’t have to worry about that. I would like to help.”

 

“No. I was in such a hurry that I had no choice but to ask for help before, however, if I was found out while I was here, it would be a problem for the young master.”

 

Claire’s voice was soft but firm. Even when she was in a difficult situation, she was concerned about harming others. He couldn’t help but admire her kind heart.

 

Well, she wouldn’t be able to continue living in this small room.

 

In addition, his family did not know that he had hidden her here.

 

His parents, as well as his older brother, would not sit still when they found out about this.

 

Lady Dana would be kicked out, but the worst case would be his father reporting her whereabouts to the Princess or the Empress.

 

He (young master) would not be able to protect her for the rest of his life.

 

cannot protect her, Baron Dana, for the rest of her life. His time with her one day would come to an end. His expression darkened at the thought.

 

“It is true that I adored His Highness the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince was always thinking of the Princess. But the Princess secretly met another man, despite the fact that she was engaged to the Crown Prince.”

 

Young master Pline’s eyes went wide in disbelief. Claire continued speaking weakly, looking at the floor with a broken expression.

 

“I don’t know if the young master will believe it. The two of them had been fighting a lot lately. And they ended up breaking up.”

 

If what Lady Dana said was true, then all the rumors floating around the society were just nonsense.

 

The real reason why the princess and the crown prince broke off their marriage was because of the Princess’s infidelity.

 

How blinded the people were to take the Princess’s side.

 

The young master looked at Claire with a suspicious expression.

 

However, when he saw her pure and beautiful eyes, even a ray of doubt in his heart seemed to all but disappear.

 

Come to think of it, it seemed that the princess’s attitude towards the crown prince had changed a bit since some time ago.

 

Back then, he didn’t think deeply. He thought perhaps she gave up on the Crown Prince because of humiliation, but it turned out that there was another reason.

 

“Is the second Prince aware of this? If the princess is meeting the second prince, without sorting out her relationship with the Crown Prince, isn’t she deceiving the two of them?”

 

Hesitated, young master Pline carefully.

 

“Young lady, is there any evidence for what you just said?”

 

“You don’t seem to believe it either.”

 

When Claire’s eyes started to water again, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.

 

She took the handkerchief and looked up at him with teary eyes.

 

Young master Pline was embarrassed at the thought that he had made her cry.

 

Her clean, clear face made him feel even more guilty, as if he were looking at a small, fragile animal. He hurriedly shook his head and denied it.

 

“No. It’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just such a big deal….”

 

“There is no evidence. I wish it was different but what I just said is true. A young lady definitely saw them meeting in secret.”

 

“Who is she?”

 

Young master Pline asked with a serious face. Claire didn’t have an easy answer this time. Her tear-stained face looked frightened, as if she was afraid of something. In response, he took her hand firmly in his and said reassuringly, “I will keep your secret. I will keep your secret, so don’t worry too much. No one will know what the young lady said. I swear by the family name.”

 

Claire’s eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked down at the large hand holding her own. But it was only a fleeting moment.

 

“Then I will believe the young master. And I’m not saying this because I hate the princess. It’s just that, as a citizen of the Empire, I can’t stand to see the imperial family being deceived any more.”

 

“Of course. I understand.”

 

Young master Pline nodded his head solemnly.

 

Previously, he regarded that the Princess was just having a flirtatious affair, but now hearing the truth in Clair’s words was definitely unpleasant.

 

No matter how high the prestige of the duke’s family was, it was all due to the duke and there was contribution made by the Princess.

 

But how could a noblewoman with the power of her family on her back deceive the imperial family?

 

If this was known, it would cause a huge stir, but it would be possible to prevent the imperial family from being manipulated by a mere duke’s daughter.

 

The Princess would not be able to lift her head for a while and the hidden lover would be in great trouble.

 

Though It would be nothing compared to what Lady Dana had gone through but he couldn’t just watch the Princess keep on deceiving the world.

 

“The young master of Croix.”

 

When the completely unexpected name came out of Claire’s lips, young master Pline’s mouth dropped with a stunned expression.

 

Previously, he thought the Princess’s lover must be someone great, but there was no way he could imagine the young master of Croix.

 

“The Crown Prince, the 2nd Prince, and then the young master of Croix. The two princes have the throne to fight for, but why in the world is the young master of Croix….?”

 

The young master of Croix was a prominent figure and reigned high but was not easy to approach.

 

As he remembered the pair of red eyes that once looked down at him with contempt, questions filled his mind.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes. I saw them with my own eyes.”

 

Claire answered with a voice full of conviction.

 

Claire replied in a confident voice. There was no hesitation in her voice. If she was so certain, she must have had a reason.

 

A look of amazement appeared on young master Pline’s face.

 

“The young master of Croix…. I thought that he was indifferent to women but it turned out that he was like that kind of man. He pretended to be all high mighty but he was just a short-sighted man.’

 

 

Young master Pline recalled Elvin and laughed inwardly. He was puzzled at first but when he thought about it, they were really a good match. A troubled and arrogant son of a Grand Duke and a speculative and foolish daughter of a Duke.

 

They were both from prestigious families and outstanding appearances with arrogant and selfish personalities.

 

The more he thought about it, the more similarities there were.

 

Come to think of it, the princess was ridiculed as ill-fitting and frivolous, but she had recently become more tolerable.

 

‘Yeah, the only thing she has is her face.’

 

Compared to such a princess, the woman in front of him was truly an angel.

 

Not only was her innocent exterior beautiful, but also her interior was simple and gentle.

 

She was not the same and couldn’t compare to the stupid princess who tried to harm others out of jealousy.

 

“I don’t care about the harm that will come to me. But I don’t want to see the Crown Prince’s reputation damaged and the Second Prince, the hero of the empire, used by the Princess.”

 

“You can’t cover the sky with the palm of your hand*, can you? Don’t worry too much, the truth will always come out even if the young lady doesn’t have to step forward.”

 

[T/N: simply means ‘nothing can stay hidden under the light.]

 

Young master Pline carefully reached out and wiped Claire’s eyes. Her face stiffened at his action.

 

However, Claire soon smiled brightly with relief.

 

She had a bright, beautiful smile like a flower that had just bloomed but how strong was the strength in her fingers that clasped behind her.

 

* * *

 

The sunset dyed the whole world red.

 

Outside the carriage window, scenery passed by quickly.

 

I was tormented by the ladies-in-waiting all day to prepare to attend the empress’s birthday banquet and since I hadn’t eaten anything, I was starving.

 

My stomach seemed to growl at any moment but I had no appetite. Just like at Payne’s birthday banquet, the Duke’s assistants would prepare gifts for the imperial family and I only had to show up.

 

Still, I didn’t feel the slightest bit inclined to go. I did not want to attend but it was impossible without a special reason.

 

Moreover, as a member of the Duke’s family, my presence was required.

 

I didn’t even have to think about who they were targeting, since I was the only one left at this point after the Duke had departed.

 

Soon the carriage stopped in front of the large castle gate.

 

“My lady, we’ve arrived.”

 

Joan said with an excited expression on her face.

 

I turned my head and looked out the window and saw a line of knights standing guard with solemn expressions.

 

I had seen this scene many times before, but today it seemed especially vague.

 

****