Surely There's One to the Princess' Taste (9 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 3
Prodia had met countless students through the imperial civil service examinations.
But there was one fatal flaw in those exams.
Namely, only children of nobles were granted the right to take them.
‘I need to check the status windows of non-nobles too. Honestly, this damn class-based society.’
Within the empire’s rigid social hierarchy, nobles comprised only a tiny fraction of the population.
Moreover, among the noble offspring, not a single one possessed enough karmic debt to fully eliminate.
So she had traveled far and wide, offering educational services, yet the results remained the same.
Still, it wasn’t as if she could possibly meet every single person in the empire.
Then, at last, an opportunity arrived.
Thanks to the prince consort selection contest, she now had a chance to meet all the empire’s youths at once—without any restrictions of social status!
Inside the reception room of Count Duser’s mansion.
Prodia sat right in the center of a long, large table.
She was there to meet applicants who had come seeking her out.
Piled beside her were countless documents.
These were the applicants’ self-introduction letters.
To view their status windows, she needed to meet them face-to-face, yet she couldn’t even spare the time for interviews.
Thus, she had ordered them to submit their self-introductions in person rather than by mail.
‘They might find it a bit bothersome, but so what? I need to see their status windows.’
Prodia spoke to her attendant.
“Please call in the next applicant.”
At that, the reception room door opened, and a young man entered.
“A-ah, um… h-hello.”
An ordinary-looking youth walked in, trembling violently.
“…Yes, hello.”
Prodia’s eyes narrowed slightly.
‘Just from your lack of confidence, I can already tell—you’re doomed.’
But she still had to verify it. She activated his status window.
‘Status window.’
Pop!
[Name: Nomar.Occupation: Apprentice Knight.
Dream: Life is all about one big shot.
…
Karmic Debt Eliminable: 19.]
Prodia clicked her tongue.
‘How is your eliminable karmic debt even lower than James’s back at my place?’
Taking his documents, Prodia gave a lifeless reply.
“Yes, we’ll contact you shortly. Next.”
Disappointment continued for a long while after that.
[Karmic Debt Eliminable: 84.]“Next.”
[Karmic Debt Eliminable: 172.]“Yes, thank you. Next.”
“…Next.”
Prodia was utterly exhausted.
It couldn’t possibly be this barren.
She’d stopped hoping for someone capable of eliminating all karmic debt entirely.
How could no one’s eliminable karmic debt even surpass three digits?
Prodia raised her hand toward the attendant.
“Sigh… I’ll take a short break.”
He nodded and left the reception room.
Her head ached.
What if she couldn’t find a suitable candidate this way?
“Guess I’ll have to travel the entire empire on foot then….”
She rose from her seat and walked toward the window.
She opened it, hoping fresh air might lift her spirits.
But seeing the crowd of applicants swarming outside gave her another headache.
‘Hmm, might as well just finish this quickly.’
Just as she closed the window and turned to return to her seat,
a startling sight suddenly caught her eye.
In the distance, applicants began parting like the Red Sea miracle.
“Huh?”
Through the gap, a man was calmly walking toward her.
Though his face was still too far to see clearly, one thing was certain.
With every step he took, applicants instinctively made way for him.
Prodia frowned at the sight.
“Must be from some distinguished noble family.”
It was obvious.
He was probably trying to cut in line, flaunting his status.
People like him never had noteworthy status windows anyway…
Just then,
a familiar name rang out from among the parted crowd.
“…It’s him.”
“It’s Irtis!”
Prodia’s eyes widened at the name.
“What did you say?”
She knew that name well too.
Roughly yanking the window open,
clunk!
she leaned far out to get a better look at the man walking through the parted crowd.
His face was now clearly visible as he drew nearer.
Blue-violet hair, mint-colored eyes gleaming brightly,
slightly upturned cat-like eyes, and a mole beneath them—
a face so stunning it could outshine any beauty in the empire.
Everything matched the rumors.
Irtis.
The mad dog of the Eastern Magic Tower… no.
The archmage hailed as the next Master of the Magic Tower was now walking into Count Duser’s mansion.
[This is the timeline separator]A few minutes earlier.
Count Duser’s garden was packed wall-to-wall with applicants.
All because of Prodia’s unusual instruction to submit applications in person.
“Why on earth in-person submissions? Wouldn’t it be easier for the teacher to receive them by mail?”
“Right? She’s not even conducting interviews.”
“Could this be another kind of test?”
“If it’s Teacher, she might very well do something like that. She’s impossible to read.”
Anyway, all applicants had received numbered tickets from the butler and formed lines.
There were so many people they had to split into several queues.
Yet no matter how long they waited, the lines showed no sign of shortening.
“Man, will we even get to see Teacher today?”
Everyone was boredly waiting their turn when suddenly,
the surrounding space warped violently.
Then, a violet flash erupted near the mansion’s entrance.
“?!”
Everyone turned around in shock.
Before anyone could react, the air tore open amid the violet glare, revealing a massive rift.
It was a teleportation magic circle.
From the pitch-black circle, a pair of long legs suddenly emerged.
Applicants screamed in terror.
“Aaaah!”
It was unbelievable.
An intruder using magic in broad daylight inside a noble’s estate!
As they panicked, the intruder’s full figure finally emerged from the dark circle.
He was a tall man clad in a black robe.
Fear gripped the crowd.
They had to warn Teacher immediately—or should they flee first?
They needed to alert the guards right away…!
Amid the chaos, the man slowly cast off his robe.
“…”
And finally, his face was revealed.
The feet of those about to flee froze instantly.
The figure beneath the robe was undeniably, breathtakingly handsome.
Could he really be an intruder…?
But soon, someone who recognized him let out a scream bordering on hysteria.
“I-I-I… It’s Irtis!”
“!!”
The applicants were stunned at the name.
Who did you say? Did I just hear that right?
They silently exchanged glances, cold sweat already trickling down their spines.
Irtis.
No one could be unaware of that name.
Archmage of the Eastern Magic Tower.
Possessor of seemingly infinite magical power. A terrifying genius hailed as the next Master of the Magic Tower.
And…
Irtis gave a huge yawn toward them.
“Aaahhhm.”
That laid-back appearance concealed a completely deranged—utterly insane personality.
Didn’t someone say he’d killed people just by yawning once?
The pale-faced applicants stood frozen, too terrified even to think of running.
In that instant, Irtis turned and began walking.
Thud.
His steps were clearly headed straight for the mansion.
Applicants instinctively cleared a path without realizing it.
Their instincts screamed:
Block his path,
and you die.
Those standing before Irtis parted like a miracle, swiftly splitting to either side.
Ah, this shouldn’t be happening. Teacher Prodia is inside the mansion!
But with a walking catastrophe right before their eyes, who’d willingly invite death?
While their instincts and conscience wrestled, Irtis had already entered the mansion.
Outside the window, Prodia tilted her head, spotting Irtis.
‘Archmage Irtis? What’s he doing here?’
She wasn’t particularly frightened.
The truly terrifying thing in this world was editorial hell—not some crazy mage like him.
She was just curious.
Surely he wasn’t here to join the prince consort contest?
‘Impossible.’
Mages were famously prideful. Such people would never stoop to becoming a prince consort.
Especially not someone hailed as the next Master of the Magic Tower.
‘Besides, it’s not even just about becoming a consort—you’d have to enter a contest.’
If that wasn’t his purpose, then why was he here?
While she pondered this, the reception room door burst open.
Unsurprisingly, it was Irtis.
He’d clearly ignored the numbered tickets entirely.
Prodia glanced at her attendant.
He looked half out of his mind with fear already.
‘No point scolding him.’
She gave a vague nod and gestured for him to leave.
Relieved, he fled without even bowing, slamming the door shut behind him.
Now only the two of them remained.
Irtis strode forward and asked,
“So you’re Prodia Duser?”
Prodia met his gaze directly and replied,
“Get a numbered ticket and come back in.”
“What?”
Irtis’s eyes widened.
“You can’t possibly be saying that… to me, right?”
“There’s no one else in this room but you and me, so yes.”
“Haha… ahahaha!”
Irtis burst into laughter—but his eyes held no mirth.
Coldly, he said,
“I’ve never met anyone like you. This is interesting.”
“I’ve never met such an impolite guest either. And frankly, not interesting at all.”
They locked eyes in silent confrontation, neither backing down.
Suddenly, Irtis raised a hand.
Violet flames ignited in his palm.
Clearly, he was about to cast magic.
Only then did Prodia feel a chill run down her spine.
‘Is he seriously trying to kill me right now?’
Was she really going to die like this? Again?
If she died before finishing her quest, she’d be sent straight back to editorial hell.
That’d be a problem.
Wait—this was outright murder. She should beg the gods for leniency. Since she’d die unjustly, maybe they’d reduce her karmic debt.
‘Hmm… if that could clear my editorial hell, it might even be worth it.’
Even in this moment, Prodia’s mind raced furiously.
Then, almost unconsciously, she blinked.
Irtis let out a soft chuckle.
Immediately, he shot the flame in his palm straight at Prodia.
“!”
Crazy bastard—he really was trying to kill her.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
‘Huh?’
But astonishingly, nothing happened.
Prodia cautiously opened her eyes.
What lay before her wasn’t her corpse,
but a mountain of…
numbered tickets piled on the table.
“Huh?”
Irtis jerked his chin toward the bewildered Prodia.
“Need more?”
“W-what is this…?”
“You told me to get a numbered ticket. So I brought them.”
“Where on earth did you get all these?”
“Just snatched every single one those guys outside were holding. Gotta know whose turn it is, right?”
“What?!”
So he’d…
‘Taken every applicant’s numbered ticket?’
At that exact moment, countless screams erupted from outside.
“My ticket!”
“Where’d it go?!”
Prodia stared at Irtis with an utterly dumbfounded expression.
He simply shrugged as if nothing was wrong.
Hey, you bastard. How’s this any different from cutting in line?
Anyway, if he’d come to see her holding a ticket, there was only one reason.
She still didn’t know why this mage wanted to become a prince consort,
but…
“…Did you bring your self-introduction letter?”
“Self-introduction letter?”
Irtis gave her a look of disbelief.
“Are you serious? Do you even know who I am?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then why would I need some stupid paperwork?”
“Formalities matter.”
The two locked eyes again in another silent standoff.
Irtis sighed.
“Whatever. You’re looking for someone to enter the prince consort contest, right? Pick me.”
He pointed toward the applicants outside the window.
“You can’t seriously think I’m worse than those guys, can you?”
“Well… that’s true…”
Right. Even if you gathered every single one of them out there, none could match you.
But the truly important thing was something else entirely.
Prodia smirked inwardly and silently called out,
‘Status window.’
Male lead says he’s pregnant — and it’s female lead’s child
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.
__________
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