“It seems there have been too many rumors going around lately.”

“Indeed. Just a few days ago, there was news circulating that His Highness the Crown Prince had a secret meeting.”

When rumors spread that Admund had a secret meeting with some young lady at a banquet, the imperial citizens naturally hoped the news was true.

If it had been about someone else, they wouldn’t have cared at all, but the subject was the Crown Prince.

As the royal family was one of the main interests of the imperial citizens, they were also interested in Admund’s marriage.

They earnestly hoped that he, who would become emperor in the future, would soon take a wife and have children to continue the lineage.

So at first, they were very pleased and delighted with the news they heard.

“But the partner was a young lady named Clea, and she’s a wicked woman who nearly committed murder?”

“I can’t believe why our wise Crown Prince would have such a relationship with such a woman.”

“From what I hear, the young lady who was nearly killed was Lady Hersher.”

“Goodness, to that beautiful and kind young lady? Surely not.”

For a long time, people’s assessment of Clea had not been very favorable.

The nobles were already fed up with her arrogant attitude, and the ordinary imperial citizens also remembered her as a wicked young lady from what they had heard.

Perhaps that’s why people didn’t doubt much and accepted as fact the rumor that she had nearly committed murder.

Even though none of the parties involved had spoken up yet.

“But there are witnesses coming forward among the graduates who attended the academy together, as well as current students.”

The decisive reason to believe the rumor was at the academy.

Clea and Aria were the same age, and since neither of them had repeated a year, they graduated in the same year.

Although their terrible relationship was actually started by Lloyd, people only criticized Clea.

Many took issue with Clea bullying Aria, who was like a weak and small animal.

In such an atmosphere, classmates and juniors often ignored Clea.

It was a situation that arose simply because people liked Aria more than Clea.

“Then will Lady Hersher soon become the Crown Princess, pushing aside that wicked young lady?”

“That remains to be seen.”

The imperial citizens thought that unless there was an unexpected turn of events, Clea would absolutely never become the Crown Princess.

That is, if she really had attempted murder charges, and if the target was indeed Aria Hersher.

“But… have you all heard the rumors related to the Grand Duke’s son?”

* * *

“Are you really going to meet her?”

Oberon was a little scared.

His younger sister was waiting just beyond the door.

He thought that if she said even now that she didn’t want to meet, he would send Rupia back to the mansion.

“I said I would meet her.”

“Still.”

But Clea’s attitude remained unchanged.

She found it strange that Oberon was asking again now, when they had already agreed to meet earlier.

Clea gave him a suspicious look.

Oberon’s attitude of not wanting her to face his younger sister rather piqued her curiosity.

“Is there any reason I shouldn’t meet her?”

“There’s nothing like that.”

“No, answer clearly even now. I don’t like troublesome things.”

Clea was thinking of giving Oberon one last chance.

If he gave a reasonable excuse here, she was willing to go along with his wishes.

However, while Oberon didn’t want her to meet, he couldn’t think of a plausible reason.

His intuition was telling him.

That he shouldn’t just let the two of them meet.

But his counterpart was not someone who would listen with just that level of reason.

So Oberon just quietly looked at Clea without saying anything.

“Unless she’s Admund’s ex-girlfriend, I don’t think there’s any reason I can’t face your younger sister.”

“If she were an ex-girlfriend, I’d rather dream of a reunion than try to keep her by His Highness’s side, wouldn’t I?”

“You actually tried to push me away from Admund’s side.”

“That’s because you, young lady… Ah, never mind.”

Oberon turned away with a slightly sulky expression.

Clea found it hard to understand.

Clearly, he was the one who first said he would introduce his younger sister, yet suddenly he didn’t want to introduce her.

In the end, Oberon gave up and opened the door to go outside.

Outside, Rupia was standing with a bored expression, waiting for when the door would open.

Oberon, who had faced Rupia in the morning as well, swallowed a sigh and warned her.

“You, absolutely do not go in there and cause trouble.”

“I know without you telling me.”

“I’m not just saying it, so take it to heart.”

Rupia found Oberon’s behavior interesting.

Until now, he had been a person who didn’t back down at all even when dealing with dukes or grand dukes who had higher titles than him.

Seeing such a person now flustering over a mere young lady made her even more curious about the person inside.

“Absolutely do not ask any questions that might trouble her.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Oberon, suppressing his desire to send her back, let her in.

Rupia, who entered through the door Oberon opened, finally met eyes with Clea.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Rupia Philip. You’re as elegant as I’ve heard.”

“I don’t know where you heard such words, but I’m pleased to meet you too. I’m Clea.”

Clea introduced herself without adding her family name.

As she was no longer part of her family, there was no reason to use Odoi.

“Should I call you Her Highness the Crown Princess?”

“Just call me young lady comfortably. What Crown Princess?”

Clea answered refreshingly to Rupia’s probing question.

‘It seems she knows the outside situation better than I thought.’

Hearing Clea’s answer, Rupia realized that she knew how the current outside situation was unfolding.

“I have many questions for you, young lady.”

“You mean for me, not His Highness the Crown Prince?”

She personally poured tea into Rupia’s cup using the prepared tea set.

Rupia briefly expressed her gratitude to her for pouring it personally.

Rupia smiled, recalling how different this treatment was from what she had received before.

The people of Oberon’s family served different members of the royal family.

Having returned to her homeland after finishing her long studies abroad, she also wanted to be loyal to the royal family in line with her family’s wishes.

So Rupia wanted to confirm if Clea was worthy of being the object of loyalty.

“I wanted to confirm if you’re truly worthy of being the Crown Princess.”

“Hmm, what would you do if you think I’m not suitable to be the Crown Princess?”

Clea showed an indifferent reaction to Rupia’s words.

She looked towards the window while drinking tea, then put down her cup and looked at Rupia.

Rupia lost her words as she met Clea’s gaze.

If Clea had reacted sensitively, if she had acted sharply with an intimidating presence as the rumors of her being a villainess suggested, she might not have felt this way.

Rupia’s question was honest and rude.

Nevertheless, Clea seemed to feel more annoyed about having to react.

“Would you like to take it?”

“Haha, you’re quite good at joking too, young lady.”

“I wasn’t joking.”

Her cold expression and stiff voice.

“I’d like to hear your answer, young lady.”

The atmosphere of the place completely sank.

The only warmth felt was from the teacup held in hand.

Rupia felt breathless, not knowing what to say.

Sensing that it had become sufficiently quiet, Clea smiled at Rupia first and said,

“It was a joke.”

‘That was a poor quality joke.’

As Clea changed the atmosphere by saying it was a joke, Rupia felt she could breathe again.

Rupia thought.

It would have been enough to just say that she wasn’t even interested in something like the Crown Princess position.

But the other party already knew this fact.

She knew that Rupia had no interest in the Crown Princess position, yet still asked a provocative question.

‘She seems completely different from the rumors.’

The Clea that Rupia had heard about was a truly terrible young lady.

It was said that she would easily get excited over small matters, and when excited, she would act without thinking.

They said she had no grace to speak of, and was not aristocratic at all.

However, the Clea that Rupia faced directly was a completely different person from the rumors.

She exuded grace, looked more aristocratic than anyone, and her speaking manner overflowed with calmness.

She was a person with a charm that overwhelmed others with her atmosphere.

Rupia hoped to know her better.

“There are unfavorable rumors circulating about you recently, young lady. How will you shake them off?”

“Is there really a need to shake them off?”

“Then you won’t be able to obtain the Crown Princess position, young lady.”

As Rupia directly mentioned the rumors, Clea looked at her with an amused expression.

It was as she said.

If she couldn’t shake off the rumors here, she wouldn’t be able to obtain the Crown Princess position in the end.

‘Although I’m not obsessed with the Crown Princess position, it seems other people want me to become the Crown Princess.’

Clea still looked relaxed.

Rupia liked Clea’s relaxed appearance.

“Then wouldn’t it be enough to take actions that overturn those rumors?”

“Overturning the rumors.”

Rupia was a bit taken aback by the solution Clea presented.

It wasn’t the answer she thought Clea would give.

“Rupia Philip, I’ll give you a chance to be by my side for a while. Would you like to observe directly from beside me during that time?”

Rupia nodded immediately without hesitation at Clea’s proposal.

She truly began to look forward to seeing how Clea would act.