A Stepmother's Marchen

Chapter 27

“Norah, I want you to apologize for your rude behaviour.”

“Why me? He’s the one who’s still bitter and whiny about losing his chance to buy the sword… Argh! Why are you hitting me again?!”

Is it a good thing that I’m not acquainted with Nora?

“His Majesty the Crown Prince is here!”

As someone announced that, we, who had been holding on to our children, and the guests who watched us while sipping their wine, all became quiet.

“We greet the young eagle of the Empire.”

“We greet the eagle of the Empire, the Crown Prince.”

The crow prince, Theobalt Von Baden Bismarck, now seventeen-year-old prince of the Crown, now the seventeen-year-old prince, is going around with his attendant.

His appearance was met with polite greetings from all over the place.

The crown prince, who came straight toward us, fluttered his shiny silver white hair, and soon opened his mouth, bending his golden eyes gently, “Finally, I met you, Mother of the Lions. Like rumored, your hair is like cherry blossoms and your eyes are as deep as forest.”

What the hell with this unheard-of greeting?

Mother of lions? In my previous life, the Crown Prince had never called me that way, but the squeaking sound of Elias trying to suppress his laughter was very annoying.

“We are honored by your visit today.”

“Who else will come if I don’t? Ha ha.”

“Your Royal Highness.”

“Uncle, aunt. I told you I’d be here, haha. Oh, my cousin, long time no see. It looks like you’ve gotten taller.”

I felt purified when I saw such a polite and gentle crown prince while dealing with two boys like beast cubs who had been snarling at each other until just now.

Looking at the polite and gentle prince talking to the two boys who were like wild beasts roaring at each other just before, I felt like my mind and body were purified.

It was then that Nora, who was rubbing his head, looked at the crown prince and uttered coldly, “Why, are you jealous?”

“Nora…!”

“Leave it, Auntie. Haha, you’re still blunt.”

“Your highness, you’re only as kind as I’m obedient,” Nora, who retorted in a cold and impudent tone, moved away.

Duke Nurembert let out a sigh, “I’m sorry, Your Highness. He’s been particularly…”

“It’s all right, I’m used to it.”

…I was wrong to expect anything. Prince Theobalt, who was swallowing tears of grief and watching me with strange sparkling eyes, said to me very affectionately, “You’re going through a lot.”

“Ahaha…”

“You don’t have to worry too much. Since there are a lot of kids of their age, wouldn’t they be occupied? Why don’t you have a drink with me first?”

Maybe it’s because the prince’s elegant words sounded very convincing. So I took the cup handed by Theobalt and moistened my lips with the fragrant wine.

“By the way, it’s my first time seeing you in person, but I feel like I’ve met you before. I should have come to greet you earlier…”

“It’s an honor to see you here today. Is the Emperor well?”

“He’s always healthy. Hahaha. Anyway, I don’t know why Jeremy is so sulky today. I’ve been close to him since I was young, so I’ll often visit him to hang out with him in the future. Please be welcoming.”

“Of course, your Highness is always welcome.”

As he responded with a gentle smile, his golden eyes immediately stood out. If I wasn’t mistaken, it was a sign that he sincerely wanted me to keep my words.

Hmm, this is another novelty. Even with that strange greeting earlier, was this Prince originally this kind to me?

Things are a little different now than then.

The current Empress Elizabeth was the second Empress. Prince Theobalt was the son of the former Empress, who died early of fever.

Before I came to Marquis, Theobalt and Jeremy had maintained a good relationship. It was out of consideration of the Emperor and my husband to make a peer companion for the crown prince.

Originally, the role should have been given to Nora, the nephew of Empress Elizabeth, but if I remember correctly, Nora and the Crown Prince weren’t very close.

…..It seems that Nora unilaterally dislikes Theobalt for some reason from what I saw.

Anyway, Jeremy’s relationship with Theobalt may have had a significant impact on what was later called the Crown Prince’s sword, but this decent Crown Prince wasn’t particularly friendly or outspoken to me.

Of course, I should avoid him. Not long after my husband died, I turned the society upside down by having a contracted lover. The notoriety I had at the time was incredible.

“Are you all right?”

“Huh? Ah…”

“Your eyes suddenly look sad. You must be thinking of the deceased.”

Well, good Crown Prince, that’s a very gracious thing to say. You just got it wrong.

“You can grieve to your heart’s content. You’ve been through a lot in the last month. I don’t know how to express the sadness I feel when you’re only about to come of age.”

His voice had a surprisingly sweet tone. For a second, I was wondering why this guy was doing this to me.

Maybe because I didn’t think anyone would say that to me, the corner of my heart tingled.

…What’s wrong with me? Is it because of the alcohol?

“Your Royal Highness.”

Both of us turned our heads when we heard a sudden voice. Then I faced an unexpected person.

“Cardinal Richelieu. I see you’re here too. How’s it going?”

It was Cardinal Richelieu, the silent servant in black robe.

I didn’t expect him to really come. The pitch-black eyes, stained by bright lights and seated under brown hair, alternately scanned us standing with glasses, and then it stopped at my face.

Then looking at me in the eyes, the words were to spit out to Theobalt,

“I have a few words to tell you about the previous tenant issue.”