Chapter 50: Royal Scandal (Part 1)
Ascal, seated in the audience, looked at the arena with a troubled expression.
His father, who had abruptly announced his participation in the horseback riding tournant, had actually gone through with it and even made it to the finals.
Moreover, his opponent was none other than the Crown Prince.
"The victory in this round will grant His Highness the Crown Prince a triple crown! The cot-like ergence of Arthur Debrue- can he stop His Highness's streak of three consecutive tournant victories?"
It should be noted that the current comntator was not a professional. A drunkard, who had indulged in alcohol, had simply grabbed a bottle and started passionately comntating.
Before the final round began,
The Crown Prince looked up at the stands.
Towards where Ascal was.
Naturally, this caused a stir among the young ladies seated near Ascal.
Pointing his finger towards Ascal's direction, the Crown Prince loudly declared,
"I dedicate this victory to you."
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The shrieks of the ladies, who mistakenly thought they were the object of his gesture, assaulted Ascal's ears.
"Prince Kain looked this way!"
"No, he was looking at !"
Ascal, who had locked eyes with the Crown Prince, desperately looked away.
The Crown Prince smiled slyly.
'I haven't given up on you yet, Ascal Debrue. No, Count of Erindale. I will surely have you.'
Ascal was worried.
'I hope father is safe...'
****
"The winner, Arthur Debrue!"
"Huff, huff. I lost."
It was an expected outco.
Ascal had never seen his father Arthur lose a fight, especially not on horseback. Even the Mongol cavalry of a past life would likely have had to bow before Arthur.
Beyond a perfect unity with his horse, he was practically one with the horse.
That was Arthur Debrue.
"Well fought. Truly the father of such a son. I have much to learn from you and your son."
The Crown Prince extended his hand humbly. Arthur Debrue shook it and bowed.
"It was an honor, Your Highness."
"To think such a skilled talent was hidden away in obscurity... This too is a great loss for the empire. Baron Debrue, have you considered playing in bigger waters?"
"I shall give it so thought, Your Highness."
"Hahaha. The loser speaks too much. Teach again another ti."
"Certainly, Your Highness."
Ascal, watching their exchange from a distance, sighed in relief.
Thankfully, during the tournant, his father hadnt accidentally broken the Crown Prince's arm or leg, or worse, taken his life.
It was a nerve-wracking spectacle.
Even without doing anything, Ascal felt exhausted and approached his father.
But Ascal was unaware.
The real event of a horseback riding tournant was not the tournant itself, but what happened after it ended.
"Baron Debrue! You were magnificent! To beat His Highness!"
"Please look this way, Baron!"
"How about a cup of tea together?"
Before Ascal could reach his father, nurous young ladies and noblewon sward around the newly minted star of the tournant.
Arthur, surrounded and drifting away, gave Ascal a thumbs-up from afar.
'Son, this is life.'
It was a lesson Ascal did not wish to learn.****
Since then, Arthur Debrue had beco a celebrity in the imperial capital.
Just like a TV show winner who gets recognized on the streets for months, Arthur Debrue enjoyed a similar status.
Even the fact that he was Ascal's father beca widely known, and he began receiving enthusiastic advances from eligible young ladies. Widows looking to change their fortunes joined in too.
Being a widower himself was no barrier against his overwhelming fa.
Today, Arthur Debrue was enjoying his late blooming popularity at a tea party with noblewon.
"Speaking of which, your son, the Count of Erindale, must certainly be betrothed by now?"
It was a casually thrown question.
The empire's hidden dragon.
The Minister of the Evaluation Departnt.
Ascal, recently bestowed the title of Count by the Emperor, was naturally one of the most sought-after bachelors in the empire.
However, rumors that the Debrue family had already arranged a match deterred the ladies from actively pursuing Ascal.
"No, he is not."
"Oh my. I only heard about the matchmaking but never about the lady. So that's how it turned out."
Lady Karen laughed behind her fan.
****
"Son, I apologize."
"What do you an?"
In the distance, approaching ladies could be seen.
"Count of Erindale, the weather is lovely today, how about a walk together?"
"Count, what a coincidence. Didn't we et before? Near the fountain. To et you again like this!"
"Oh my, isnt that Baron Debrue next to you?"
Arthur spoke calmly.
Currently, Ascal and Arthur were rumored among the ladies as golden catches.
Snaring just one of them would an an instant life turnaround, and even a fearso plan was in motion by a widow and her daughter, aiming to snag both the wealthy father and son.
"Take care of yourself. The capital is more dangerous than you think. Ill take my leave."
With that, Arthur disappeared into the bushes, his movents agile.
However, Ascal, who had beco more of a bureaucrat than a man of action, had seemingly forgotten how to move swiftly. He was promptly caught by the young ladies.
"Hehe. Co this way."
"No, follow ."
The mix of perfu and cologne tickled his nose.
Ascal's head spun.
Soft touches pressed here and there, his mind growing foggy.
'I need to escape from here...'
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"
One of the ladies boldly hooked her arm through Ascal's as he attempted to flee.
"That's not fair. too."
Another lady hugged him from behind.
The natural hormonal response drained the strength from Ascal's body...
'Maybe this isn't so bad?'
Whats there in life?
He prided himself on living diligently so far. Couldnt he indulge in so marshmallows he'd been saving for a while?
'No, snap out of it, Ascal. Rember all your efforts.'
Ascal pointed at an old tree nearby.
"Look at that deeply rooted tree. My heart is like that tree. Like that deeply rooted tree, I am now silently..."
Crack!
"Ahh!"
Suddenly, clouds gathered, and lightning struck.
Ascal wrapped his coat around those nearby to protect them from harm.
Fortunately, it was just one lightning strike, and the weather cleared up again.
However, the old tree struck by lightning now bore a red mark. One of the ladies remarked,
"How romantic..."
It was a heart shape.
The lightning had coincidentally etched a mark resembling a heart, but Ascal did not interpret it that way. It was rely a coincidence.But then,
"This must be your heart."
The young lady's cheeks reddened.
"Ah... No, wait a minute...!"
Last ti it was a teorite, now lightning?
'Please, no more.'
Ascal inwardly scread as he saw the approaching ladies.
...
- Why are you avoiding , Ascal? Don't avoid , don't avoid , don't avoid , don't avoid , don't avoid ...
"Ugh."
Ascal was startled, dropping the letter he was reading. Out of it fell what seed to be clipped fingernails.
- It seems you've been avoiding lately. You et with Lady Lize, why avoid ? It's so upsetting, I feel like pricking under my nails.
"Ugh!"
This ti, the letter contained a razor blade. A slight mishandling could have cut his finger.
Ascal trembled in his room in the palace, too afraid to co out.
Gurgling.
But he couldn't hide forever. Hungry, Ascal stepped out of his room.
On his way to the dining hall,
"There's Ascal!"
"Ascal! I've missed you!"
He was spotted imdiately.
Ascal ran at full speed but soon stopped, weakened by his poor physical condition. He regretted choosing a bureaucratic path over a military one.
Once again, Ascal deeply regretted his career choice, wishing he hadn't chosen liberal arts over the sciences.
"Hello. Long ti no see."
Purple hair, eyes like athysts.
The girl with a mischievous smile was Serena.
"I hear you've been having a hard ti. You shouldn't toy with won's hearts. Fool."
"I haven't toyed with anyone... It's unfair."
"Do you want to use a way to end this situation?"
Ascal, catching his breath, nodded.
'Please, soone get out of this hell.'
Then the young ladies caught up to Ascal, their eyes like predators on prey, but they stopped when they saw Serena.
"Her Highness the Princess?"
"Oh my. Quite a crowd. Lize, Sonia, Ravenna? You all seem rather eager. But, unfortunately, this man has business with now."
"Even for Her Highness, you should honor previous appointnt..."
"Previous appointnt?"
Serena laughed coldly.
"Why need any? This man is my boyfriend."
****
-----
Empire's Hidden Dragon, In a Relationship with the Second Princess!?
Recently ennobled Count Ascal, a hot topic for receiving a county. The high-flying Count is often seen with the empire's Second Princess Serena Barba.
They even seem affectionate enough to be considered very close...
-----
Crumple.
Reading the newspaper, Lia unconsciously clenched her hand. The paper crumpled.
She stood up, her hair now undone.
"This woman, again this ti."
Yulia's eyes grew cold.
[TL: You can support the translation and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: /OracleTls]
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