Chapter 88: Chapter 88

Lard’s efforts to silence the rumors about his relationship with Wendy were quickly overshadowed by the prince. In a situation where her identity could be revealed at any time, he could never welcome the prince’s moves. If her status was exposed, the relationship between them would become a big scandal that would shock the noble society overnight. The nobles’ attention to the new legislation on the new hiring system that the prince was pushing forward would naturally shift. The Engre faction would also pay attention to their relationship. Of course, they would certainly be wary of the new legislation in the context of the relationship between the two.

“I trust you. I just don’t want the situation to change. Let me be responsible for her safety, so don’t worry. ”

“No, I can’t let you do that,” Lard said coldly and pulled Wendy closer to him.

“Take it easy, man. She seems to be surprised.”

The prince looked at her, pretending to act like a gentleman.

“You made a big mistake today. You made me angrier today than you did when you threw a sword at me a long time ago.”

Lard, speaking with a suppressed voice, pulled Wendy along with him and turned away.

The moment they were about to leave, they heard a bright voice that did not suit the atmosphere.

“Oh! Who is this? You must be Sir Schroder, right? ”

A woman with a bright smile walked towards them and laughed gladly, looking at Lard and Wendy alternately. The woman in a pearly elegant dress was holding a little baby in her arms. The blue-haired man who followed her also looked at Wendy and Lard with a surprised expression.

“Edmonds was right when he said there was an extraordinary scandal!”

The man who followed her rebuked her, clearing his throat, “Marian, it’s discourteous if you say that in front of them like that.”

The woman smiled with an elegant expression and asked for her understanding, “Oh, forgive me if you were offended. I was so delighted to see you that I forgot…”

“Sister, can’t you see your younger brother’s face here? I feel sad as you only care about these two,” the prince said with a grumbling voice.

“Of course, I’d be interested if you brought a beautiful girl like this woman.”

The woman called Marian told him off with a scornful gaze at her brother.

At that moment, the baby in her arms whined and cried. She instinctively dandled her baby with a perplexed expression.

“Oh, Asharon seems to have been surprised to see lots of people suddenly. Ma’am, can you help me? I think I should bring my baby to a quiet place. I hope there are not so many people in the women’s lounge…” she said kindly, looking at Wendy.

Lard opened his mouth as if to refuse, but couldn’t, because the baby was crying more loudly.

Signalling to Wendy with his eyes, she walked first. Wendy nodded to Lard, as if she was okay, then reluctantly followed her. As they moved, several knights suddenly appeared and walked behind them. Wendy glanced at them quickly and fixed her eyes on the crying baby’s face.

Fortunately, there were no people in the women’s lounge because the banquet had just begun.The knights stepped in and looked around the lounge before going out to remain on standby at the door.

Marian asked Wendy to bring a blanket folded on one side of the lounge. As the baby never ceased crying and continued to move, she had a hard time humoring the baby girl.

“I’m still clumsy in humoring my baby. I wish Asharon was milder, but she is stubborn.”

Marian smiled shyly. Wendy wrapped the blanket around the baby and smiled reluctantly.

“Sorry for asking for your help suddenly… As the moods of the three were not good, I led you here on purpose. I’ve never seen Sir Schroder make such an expression. My heart sank because I felt you might be in big trouble if I let you two go away like that. I wanted the prince and Sir Schroder to talk a little bit more. I just want Edmonds to mediate between them well. ”

“…”

Isaac… The crown prince is still poor at managing relationships with people. But he’s very good at hiding things. If he made a mistake, please generously understand him.”

The baby’s crying subsided. Wendy tried to think about how to respond before saying, “How can I dare judge him?”

“… Isaac is very interested in you. He has sometimes told me about you. I hear you run a flower shop, right? ”

“… Yes, that’s right.”

The princess knew Wendy’s status. It was not surprising that the prince knew her identity. She was ready from the moment he ordered Sir Fidon to forcibly bring her to him.

She couldn’t figure out what kind of conversation he had with Marian, but she thought Marian might know more about her than she thought.

“I don’t know how much you know, but the prince’s interest in you isn’t just for his efforts to get Sir Schroder’s help. Apart from the complex politics… he has a very good feeling about you. That’s why he offered the noble title to the winner of the hunting contest at the Brugonu forest.

I don’t think he wanted to involve you in his agenda from the beginning. I’m very positive about that. ”

Wendy stood silent and looked into Princess Marian’s brown eyes.

“I was not sure if I could say this. But when I looked at the expression of the three people a little while ago, I felt I could not ignore it anymore. ”

Marian paused for a moment and moved her lips up and down as if she tried to find the right words.

“… This morning, I received a letter threatening Asharon. It was not a simple threat….It’s because of the political agenda he has been pushing for. He has enacted legislation that allows commoners to take office without discrimination. It’s already been passed at the State Council level. It is now waiting for the emperor’s approval and promulgation.”

Wendy stared at the baby’s face, who now stopped crying, when she heard the phrase ‘threatening letter.’

“I and Edmonds were already prepared because we knew his agenda was dangerous. But I never expected my baby girl would be the target…”

Marian couldn’t finish her words and carefully touched the child’s hair.

“Is that the reason why he has brought me here?” Wendy asked.

“… Yes, the emperor needs fifteen days to approve the bill under the imperial law, so the prince wanted to distract him by all means until then. I’m really sorry. ”

“I think I know why Sir Schroder mentioned something like a shield…”

Wendy rubbed her dry lips with her hand. She couldn’t feel the need to get angry as she felt the princes’ move was too outrageous.

“Even though he knew that he might lose his biggest ally, namely Sir Schroder, he tried to protect his family by all means… Maybe you might think him so selfish…”

Marian lowered her head with a light smile.

Wendy responded heavily, “… I just don’t know what to say. ”

That’s all she could say other than silence. She suddenly felt tired.

“He won’t put you at risk. Of course, Sir Schroder won’t tolerate that even before I act…”

As if she knew she was now trying to comfort Wendy with poor excuses, Marian finished her words with a feeble voice.

“…Is he going to reveal that I am a commoner? ”

“No, he won’t do that.”

Wendy couldn’t believe it. If he wanted to promote her as a perfect shield, there would be no reason for him to hesitate to identify her because, by doing so, he could draw the attention of those who sent the threatening letter. It was probably part of the prince’s plan to bring her to the party here today. She felt his next move might be to expose her full identity on the occasion of the emperor’s birthday.

“I knew he was wrong, but I couldn’t stop him. I’m ashamed even to say sorry to you. I know how pressured both of you would feel today.”

Hugging her baby in her arms, Marian’s eyes welled with tears.

They were false tears. She seemed to be holding her baby desperately. Wendy knew they were also the scapegoats of unreasonable circumstances. Although she was like a pawn on a chessboard to be sacrificed by them, she did not want to make the foolish judgement about which of them was put in a more tragic situation.

“… I can’t even imagine how big a load I have on my shoulders, but I’m just an ordinary woman who runs a small flower shop. I don’t know much about the legislation that the prince is pushing for, and I really don’t understand why I should be involved in it against my will.”

The baby was breathing smoothly now. She was trying to protect her baby girl with all her might. Wendy stared at her with mixed feelings.

“… … But I think I can understand your sincerity about protecting somebody. I think the prince and you felt the same way. Even if I can’t agree with his method, I understand it, ” said Wendy with a bitter smile.