Despite Prince Alfonso’s command, Cesare did not immediately let go of Ariadne’s wrist. Nonetheless, Alfonso walked up to Cesare without showing any signs of distress or excitement and spoke in a calm voice.
“Seems you didn’t hear me. Let go of her hand, Count de Como.”
Alfonso, who was four years younger than Cesare, was still unmistakably a boy. Fluff on his cheeks, soft skin, and immature voice revealed his age. Yet, the dignity in his demeanor overshadowed his youth.
Although Cesare was tall for his slim build, measuring 4 piedi and 3 dito (roughly 183 centimeters), Prince Alfonso, who was still growing and slightly shorter, stood unflinching next to Cesare with his broad shoulders and solid physique.
From this standoff, the prince gently spoke again.
“And it seems you have forgotten to show respect to the royalty.”
This was a statement that could not be ignored. Anyone who failed to show respect to the royalty could be punished for lese majesty. Cesare did not receive the recognition of Leo III. He was not officially royalty.
With his teeth clenched, Cesare made a courtesy to the royalty while still holding Ariadne’s wrist.
Alfonso glanced at Ariadne’s wrist held by Cesare and looked straight at Cesare before speaking again. The prince’s voice was extremely calm, with no highs or lows, as if a droplet of water was sliding on marble.
“Count de Como. Aside from that greeting. We are meeting for the first time today.”
In the Etruscan Kingdom, both men and women would kneel on one knee and bow their heads for the first greeting when officially recognizing royalty.
You could replace the greeting with a curtsey for men and a bow with holding the hem of the dress for women, if you met the royalty for the second time on the same day, or if the royalty granted permission due to old age or physical discomfort, or if you were very close.
Prince Alfonso pointed out this fact. Alfonso usually waved off formal greetings to the royalty nonchalantly, but this time he had no choice.
Cesare, clenching his teeth, let go of Ariadne’s wrist, stepped back, and knelt on one knee to Alfonso, deeply bowing his head.
Every one of his movements was slow and filled with resentment. The muscles in his jaw were so swollen from gritting his teeth. Ariadne thought Cesare would be so angry that he would not be able to sleep that night.
‘Cesare hates kneeling the most in the world.’
Especially to his halfbrother, Alfonso, who was younger than him.
One could think that a third of the reason Cesare decided to seize the throne at one point was so he wouldn’t have to kneel to anyone other than the Pope.
Alfonso didn’t even accept Cesare’s salute right away. Leaving Cesare kneeling, he turned to Ariadne, who had just been released from Cesare’s grasp and was massaging her wrist.
“Good afternoon, Lady de Mare.”
“I greet His Highness, Prince Alfonso, the little sun of the kingdom.”
Just as she was about to kneel in greeting, Prince Alfonso grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“Lady de Mare, we already met this morning, didn’t we?”
He meant that only Cesare needed to kneel, and Ariadne did not have to.
Ariadne had to try her hardest to suppress a laugh that was about to burst out. Fortunately, she managed to suppress the noise, and only Prince Alfonso saw her laughing. Cesare, who was bowing his head, did not hear anything.
Prince Alfonso smiled faintly and pulled Ariadne towards him.
“Lady de Mare, come this way. The Count and Countess Chiabo are waiting.”
Ariadne nodded her head and followed Prince Alfonso.
Cesare was still kneeling. Alfonso only acknowledged Cesare’s greeting as if he had forgotten about it, after Ariadne had moved a safe distance away from Cesare.
“Ah, Count de Como. It was nice to meet you. Now, let’s go.”
Towards Cesare, whose face was flushed with anger, Ariadne, standing behind Prince Alfonso, added a word.
“By the way, pay for the floor repair of the Cibo’s mansion!”
Despite being in front of Prince Alfonso, Cesare barely suppressed his urge to kick the stone.
That little rascal!
[This is the time separator]Ariadne and Alfonso shared a conversation as they walked to the main house of the Cibo mansion.
“You’re really amazing, Ariadne. Did you know that was a forgery?”
It was difficult to explain. She couldn’t say that she had seen it in the future of her past life.
“I just suspected it. The work was too clean. Fortunately, it was resolved well.”
“If you had given me a hint, I wouldn’t have bought it.”
“I didn’t know you’d buy it!”
Prince Alfonso smiled awkwardly. He felt like a fool only in front of this girl.
“That’s true.”
But soon after, he had a different thought. Were they not close enough to share even uncertain stories?
So the prince asked again.
“But why did you reveal it without being sure?”
Alfonso, though he was not aware of it, had something he wanted to hear. So, he persistently asked her for an answer.
“Ah, that…”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
