There were rumors circulating that if the Crown Prince David were dethroned, the next in line for the Crown Prince position would undoubtedly be the Third Prince.

However, the Crown Prince David came to his senses.

“The Third Prince is going to make a move.”

Ariana muttered, and everyone stopped talking, turning to look at her. Sitting at the opposite end of the table from Cyrus, Ariana spoke.

“The Third Prince’s covert operations are about to begin in earnest.”

Andrei and Isaac widened their eyes in surprise.

Since the story was about the Crown Prince’s escape with his lover, it was unclear why the Third Prince’s story came up. However, with sharp red eyes gleaming, Cyrus asked Ariana.
“Why do you think that way?”

“I’ve heard stories about the Third Prince here and there. Everyone says he treats everyone with great humility and is very modest.”

“I’ve heard he’s a good lad.”

“Moreover, even the mother of the Third Prince, despite being an empress, received the love of the Emperor and the Empress. So, the power of the Third Prince in the palace is undoubtedly greater than that of the Crown Prince. Therefore, there are rumors that the Third Prince is suitable for the position of Crown Prince.”

Cyrus asked with interest, “Princess, where did you hear such stories?”

“Wouldn’t the bordering Duchy be interested in the news of the Imperial family?”

“Hmm.”

Cyrus clenched his fist, seemingly not believing Ariana’s explanation, but nodded.

“So?”

“The opportunity to become the sun of the Empire was right in front of me. If the Crown Prince had continued to be lost in his thoughts and run away with his lover, the Third Prince would naturally have become the small sun of the Empire, receiving treatment like the sun without any problems. However, the Crown Prince came to his senses, and now he’s trying to resolve the issue of the Crown Princess, which has been a headache for the Emperor and the Empress.”

“Could it be that the Princess misunderstood the Third Prince? The Third Prince might be a person without ambition, right?”

“A few coins placed in front of you might be easily ignored, but when it comes to a golden nugget, it’s impossible for a person to pretend not to see it, Empress. If one accepts that the position of the Emperor is bound to fluctuate like a mirage right before their eyes and accepts it as a matter of course, then that person has already transcended the realm of humanity.”

“Even if the Third Prince had no ambition, what was presented in front of him was too significant to ignore.”

“That’s right. It would have been better if the Crown Prince had firmly held that position from the beginning.”

Ariana picked up a peach slice in front of her with a fork.

“I missed a piece of meat that was about to enter my mouth. Will this hunger be relieved subtly?”

“You must be hungry. It might feel like a lingering hunger that you couldn’t ignore when you didn’t know.”

Ariana took a bite of the peach. The peach juice sparkled on her red lips.

“It will become very greedy. It’s to the point where you can’t tell whether it’s okay to eat it or not.”

+++

Ariana and Cyrus moved to the drawing-room. Isaac and Andrei wanted to join, but Cyrus refused them.

The butler brought cold fruit drinks for Cyrus and warm, fragrant herbal tea for Ariana. Ariana looked down at the herbal tea with rising steam, and Cyrus asked her with interest.

“Any guess about the Third Prince’s actions?”

“Well… there is a guess.”

“But?”

“If I tell you, will you help me?”

Cyrus stared at Ariana for a moment and then replied, “Forgot? I helped you even when the Princess didn’t say a word.”

“That seemed strange…”

“Strange?”
“Saying he uses me, yet he doesn’t use me and only does favors, it’s a bit uncomfortable not knowing the Empress’s intentions.”

“I am using the princess well enough.”

“Is that so? I don’t recall being used.”

“Sometimes the princess’s actions align with what I intended to do. If that happens again this time, we might be able to move together towards the same goal.”

The same goal.

The fact that such words came from Cyrus’s mouth was reason enough to feel reassured, though the reason could not be understood. One thing was certain; if their goals were aligned, things would likely become a bit smoother in the future.

“Tell me about the conversation when the Crown Prince visited.”

Cyrus calmly recounted what happened then. After listening thoughtfully, Ariana spoke.

“If the Crown Prince has decided to keep the Crown Princess to protect Chloe, he would choose a reliable ally as the Crown Princess. Given the Empress’s recommendation and the solid background, there’s a high chance that Uriah, the daughter of Marquis Matelin, who serves as a maid to the Empress, will become the Crown Princess.”

“Probably.”

“Marquis Matelin is from a powerful family close to a Duke in the Empire, and he manages a large estate and various businesses, so he is wealthy. It would be a great help to the Crown Prince.”

Cyrus nodded casually.

“There are many factions supporting the Third Prince, but they probably can’t compare to Marquis Matelin’s power. The Robenta Ducal House will also not go against the Emperor’s will. Therefore, the Third Prince will need the power of a family surpassing him.”

Ariana met eyes with Cyrus and said firmly, “The Third Prince will soon make contact with the West Duchy.”

Cyrus’s eyes narrowed.

“Why specifically the West Duchy? Aren’t there the North and East Duchies as well?”

“Think about which among your countries is the most desperate. Although your father was outside the Emperor’s favor, the climate in the East Duchy is good, making it the most prosperous place. The North Duchy has a powerful military, so there’s nothing lacking, and the South Duchy has maintained a steady relationship with the Empire. But what about the West Duchy?”

“The Princess faced a crisis with the custody trial.”

“The Emperor was disappointed in the West Duchy, and one of the major pillars of the West, the Bronthe Ducal House, has turned the situation around and is now being pointed fingers at. There’s nothing easier than attracting desperate people to my side. But the North Empress.”

Ariana asked with a smirk.

“Why are you laughing like that?”