Chapter 71

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 71

Chapter Title: Kneeling Before the Crown Princess

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Mrs. Filern trembled violently, trying to stammer out some excuse.

"I, I..."

But it was none other than the Emperor who reacted first.

"What in the world is the meaning of this?"

In truth, the Emperor had overheard the general situation from behind the curtain.

But he deliberately pretended to know nothing.

No matter how much he had stayed out of high society's squabbles over the years, he was still the Emperor.

His instincts for such matters had been honed sharp his entire life.

The moment he feigned ignorance, Evangeline seized the opportunity and rushed forward.

She collapsed to the floor as if crumbling, tears streaming down her face as she cried out.

"Your Majesty! Please judge my grievance fairly!"

"What grievance?"

Evangeline had her own confidence.

'Whether Hilia is recognized as Crown Princess or not, I've known the Emperor far longer!'

Evangeline had frequented the imperial palace quite often and met the Emperor more than any other young lady.

'And I've even been more favored by him than the Empress!'

In her childhood, as she acted cute, the Emperor had once said,

"If I had a daughter, she might have felt like this."

He had worn a rare faint smile at the time.

Evangeline had boasted about that incident everywhere since.

Because of it, her friends believed the Emperor doted on her like a stepdaughter.

Such rumors had helped elevate her status in high society, treating her as nearly royal.

And Evangeline was convinced those rumors were true.

She had insisted on it for so long that she had come to believe it herself.

She genuinely thought,

'He'll side with me more than that idiot!'

Evangeline repeated her earlier accusation in the most pitiful tone imaginable.

"Your Majesty, it seems someone doesn't like me at all. Because I'm not even royal, yet I've been favored by you and grew up close to Crown Prince Highness. It was just a situation I couldn't help."

The Emperor tilted his head at her words.

"Someone?"

Evangeline glanced briefly at Hilia standing beside Arpad, then drooped her eyebrows.

"I can't bring myself to say it with my own mouth."

That was when it happened.

A pointed remark came from the Emperor's lips that Evangeline had never anticipated.

"Why can't you point out the 'Crown Princess' right in front of you? You spoke so boldly just moments ago."

"...Your Majesty?"

Evangeline looked up in shock.

Only then did she realize it. The Emperor's gaze upon her held no favor.

The Emperor was always hard to read, with little change in expression, behavior, or tone.

But now, very rarely, his intent and emotions were plainly visible.

"I understand your accusation. You might feel wronged. It's understandable to want it revealed before me."

Evangeline's pale face regained a bit of color.

Just as she began to relax slightly, the Emperor thrust an unexpected issue at her.

"But everything has its order and propriety."

"Order and... propriety?"

The Emperor's cold voice pressed down on her shoulders.

"It's improper for you to refer to someone vaguely as 'someone.' You should address her directly as Crown Princess. Otherwise, it tarnishes my authority after just recognizing her as such."

Surprisingly, the Aksion Grand Duchess—who had a notoriously bad relationship with the Emperor—nodded in agreement.

"Indeed, Your Majesty. Titles must be correct. To uphold the order of the Empire and the continent, even the smallest courtesies must be observed."

Evangeline swallowed a curse inwardly.

'What does the continent or order have to do with anything!'

The Grand Duchess smirked mockingly at her.

"In my view, among everyone here, only one person has failed to show the Crown Princess proper respect."

"...!"

"Whether it's an accusation or pleading grievance, shouldn't there be a prerequisite?"

At the same time, the Grand Duchess bowed her head toward one side and stepped back a few paces.

This naturally brought 'someone' into Evangeline's view.

The very person she had euphemistically called 'someone.'

Hilia wore a serene, innocent expression, as if oblivious to it all.

Evangeline bit her lip.

No one so oblivious could fail to grasp the situation now.

The Emperor and Grand Duchess were essentially telling her:

'If you want to accuse or whatever, first show proper courtesy before the Crown Princess.'

And that courtesy, naturally...

'They want me to call that wench Crown Princess Highness and kneel?'

It was an unimaginable humiliation.

A horrific ordeal she wouldn't dream of enduring.

Evangeline looked around desperately for help.

But the Emperor, Crown Prince, and Aksion Grand Duchess—towering figures—already stood by Hilia's side.

And their justification was ironclad.

Unlike before, now officially recognized by the Emperor, she deserved respect as Crown Princess.

The western nobles, of course, sided with Hilia and glared at Evangeline.

"Her wording has been so strange from the start. Why keep saying 'someone'?"

"Right? It's like she hates calling her Crown Princess Highness."

"I've heard the rumors. That the Ruth Marquis's Daughter acts like royalty because her mother's the Empress."

"Could she actually think she's princess-level and refuse to say it?"

They pretended to whisper, but it carried clearly.

That was likely their intent.

Even so, the central nobles didn't come to Evangeline's defense.

They averted their eyes when their gazes met hers.

No one dared confront the Emperor for her sake.

'They fawned over me so well until now!'

Everyone seemed to demand it of her.

To kneel before Hilia and address her as 'Crown Princess Highness.'

Evangeline bit her lip.

'Fine. It's one step back for two steps forward. I have to retreat just this once.'

Her whole body trembled as she slowly rose.

'Yes. Endure this humiliation for now, publicize the dress issue properly, and question the new Crown Princess's character and manners!'

Hilia hadn't fully secured her position as Crown Princess yet.

She had to shake it now, before that.

For that, she could bear a momentary humiliation.

Evangeline swallowed the bitter taste rising in her throat and reluctantly bent her knee before Hilia, bowing her head.

In a trembling voice, she said,

"The daughter of Ruth... greets Crown Princess Highness."

I watched Evangeline bow with a strangely subtle feeling.

And hearing her call me 'Crown Princess Highness.'

It was a profoundly alien sight.

In all three regressions, Evangeline had never once bowed or knelt before me.

'Not even 'Crown Princess Highness,' let alone properly calling me Grand Duchess Highness.'

By the time Ludwig became Crown Prince, I was always in a criminal's state. So I'd never properly taken the Crown Princess seat.

The Grand Duchess position was different. Unwilling or not, I always ended up as Kielern Grand Duchess.

But Evangeline had always slyly dodged it with lines like 'We're friends, right?'

Refusing to use 'Highness' for me.

It would be a lie to say I'd never imagined a scene like this.

But it wasn't as exhilarating or triumphant as I'd thought.

'More like... oh, so this is it.'

The emotional impact was less than expected.

And surprisingly, Evangeline seemed to read my expression perfectly.

Because our eyes met as she lifted her head after bowing.

"...!"

Her pale face flushed red with humiliation.

It was a new expression I'd never seen.

I just smiled back at her. No particular reason.

'Because that'll annoy her the most.'

It was one step back for two steps forward.

Feeling as if swallowing poison, Evangeline knelt before Hilia.

The moment their eyes met as she raised her head...

She felt greater insult and humiliation than the act of kneeling itself.

It would have been better if Hilia looked triumphant or mocking.

Even outright hostility would have been preferable.

But neither.

She watched Evangeline's humiliation with indifferent, emotionless eyes, as if unmoved.

'As if... I'm not even worth the effort!'

Evangeline felt an unprecedented wave of insult and humiliation crash over her.

She grabbed Mrs. Filern's hand—who knelt trembling beside her—and yanked her up.

"Your Majesty, I just heard how Crown Princess Highness plotted against me moments ago!"

Evangeline pointed at Annie standing behind Hilia.

"First, that maid's dress is proof! Does it make sense for a mere servant to wear something so luxurious?"

Then she shoved Mrs. Filern forward almost violently.

"Above all, she confessed to me! That she stole my dress design and passed it to the Crown Princess!"

A confident smile curled on Evangeline's lips.

'With such solid evidence and witness! Think you can escape this?'

That was when it happened. Evangeline realized a bit too late.

Hilia's eyes, which had seemed faintly smiling with no emotion, now sparkled with vibrant life.

A creeping unease began to rise.