THHAAWMF

Chapter 88

"A play?"

"Yes. It's about you, Dana, and Baron Alfred, and we're going to put it on at my little marquis celebration so people will know about it. You can decline, of course."

"Sounds good."

Leather chuckled without a second thought.

"But can we really do that at the celebration?"

"What the hell. It's my celebration."

I could do a handstand and people would applaud me for a job well done.

I smirked and told him not to worry and to get ready.

***

When I returned home after talking to Leather about the play, Marquis Lavirins was waiting for me, his dark aura in full force.

"I need to speak with you for a moment."

I wondered why he hadn't cheered up a bit since the crown prince's visit.

Bewildered, I followed him to his office.

As soon as the tired-faced marquis was seated on the sofa, he asked.

"What happened to you and Duke Absulekti?"

"What? What happened?"

"I heard there was talk of an engagement, and I was going to pretend I didn't know until it was finalized, but suddenly the Duke has left for the north... and there's no word on when he'll be back, so what happened to the engagement?"

"Oh, that's right, we decided to call it off, the Duke is too busy."

Duke Absulekti was no longer needed, as Reynos had decided to become a full-fledged crown prince.

He had returned to the north on urgent business, it was well known to the people.

A casual shrug eased the Marquis' worries a little.

He sounded genuinely relieved.

"Well done. Duke Absulekti is a good man, but northern men are rough, and I'm sure it would have been difficult for you if you had married him. Better a crown prince than that, ahem."

He was secretly pleased, which was ridiculous.

For my own peace of mind, I decided to blurt out some bullshit.

"I'm actually engaged to be married to the Duke."

"What?!"

The Marquis jumped to his feet, and I blurted out,

"I love the Duke, and I hate the Crown Prince. I'm going to run away to the north and marry the Duke."

"Don't talk nonsense! The crown prince is fine in position, fine in character, fine in personality, what else is wrong with him?"

By the way, Reynos's personality was known to the world to be shitty.

The empress was spreading false rumors to discredit the Crown Prince somehow.

I sighed.

"I'm just kidding. Just be honest and say it's a good thing the Crown Prince has a higher status than the Duke."

"... ahem."

The Marquis, who had been pierced, coughed in vain.

Then, his expression turned wistful and he muttered gloomily.

"I'm afraid that if you should fall out with the Crown Prince, you might be harmed. The future of our family depends on your behavior. No more Isabella, no more Gerald, only you, Ciella..."