Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 214

What is she saying?

I stared at Esteban, dumbfounded.

Sure, Esteban and I have known each other for about seven years now, but that doesn’t automatically mean we get along better as time goes on.

‘If anything, he annoys me more as the years pass.’

When he was younger, I could at least excuse his behavior because he was a child.

‘Now he’s just creepy.’

“Hehe, they say people who are meant to be together get along from the start. I’m sorry, Your Highness, but it seems I get along better with the Princess.”

Liriel smiled playfully and moved closer to me.

“Right, Princess?”

“That’s right.”

More than anything, Esteban and I don’t get along at all!

Esteban chuckled and crossed his arms.

“It breaks my heart to see you ladies ganging up on me like this.”

Liriel smiled sweetly and took a step away from me.

“I couldn’t possibly break Your Highness’s heart. Princess, I’d love to chat more, but I must excuse myself as the Empress is waiting for me.”

Come to think of it, she did mention she was the Empress’s guest.

‘Esteban personally greeted and escorted her, so she must be treated as quite the VIP [Very Important Person].’

Well, she is a Saintess.

‘Even though opinions on the Saintess are still divided, the fact that Esteban was assigned to escort her suggests they might be trying to use Liriel politically?’

Being escorted by the Crown Prince upon her arrival would certainly generate buzz.

‘Hmm….’

I smiled and nodded.

“I see. It was nice meeting you.”

I was about to leave when Liriel’s words stopped me.

“Might we meet again? I have so many questions for you, Princess.”

She wants to meet separately?

Hmm.

“Now that the Saintess has come to the capital, I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon.”

“…I see.”

Liriel looked somewhat dejected at my refusal.

I smiled, nodded to Esteban, and walked past them.

* * *

Liriel stood there, motionless, watching Ruatisha’s retreating figure.

“She’s not an easy opponent, is she?”

Liriel flinched at Esteban’s words and turned her head.

Esteban was looking at Ruatisha’s back, not at Liriel.

“Just because Ruatisha showed you a little kindness doesn’t mean you can become close to her easily.”

‘So that’s what he meant.’

Not that she was an easy target to get rid of.

She was surprised he had noticed she was hostile towards Ruatisha.

“Many people try to approach Ruatisha. If you lined up all the people who have asked to meet her separately like you, they would encircle the entire Imperial Palace walls.”

“She certainly is an impressive person.”

“Indeed.”

There was a strange heat in Esteban’s eyes as he muttered those words.

Liriel watched him and subtly smiled.

* * *

The Saintess’s arrival caused a great stir in the capital.

“So, are all those rumors true?”

“They say the Saintess prayed with all her heart, and it rained.”

“But how do you know it rained because the Saintess prayed? It could be a coincidence.”

“No! It’s because the Saintess’s prayers reached the heavens! The crops that were dying from the drought came back to life thanks to her prayers.”

“Well, because it rained….”

“Hey, it’s not just that they came back to life because it rained, okay?”

“Come to think of it, I also heard that the Saintess stopped an epidemic from breaking out in the slums.”

“See? That’s not something you can do by chance, is it?”

“Well, if it were all just nonsense, would Her Majesty the Empress keep the Saintess so close?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

Everyone knew that the Empress, who had brought the Saintess to the capital, cherished her very much.

The Saintess, who monopolized the favor of the Empire’s Empress and the Crown Prince’s mother.

Everyone was curious about what kind of person she was.

“It feels like there’s a new energy. Actually, there hasn’t been anything new in society lately, has there?”

“What do you mean there’s nothing new? I find the dress designs this season new. Did you see the one Princess Paeraton wore?”

“Didn’t you read the newspaper today? Princess Paeraton and the Micheloain family jointly released the preliminary research results of an ancient civilization they excavated. They say history will have to be rewritten.”

“No, of course, new things always happen. But what I mean is that everything is ultimately related to Princess Paeraton.”

With the return of Prince Sidrian and the Empress being placed under house arrest, there were signs of turmoil in the political circles, which had been stable around Esteban.

However, the social circles, which always kept pace with the political circles, were rather quiet.

This was because Princess Paeraton had a firm grip on society.

“Hmm, I know what you mean. New things always happen, but since they’re all related to Princess Paeraton, they don’t feel that new.”

No matter how much of an object of envy she is, people tend to get tired of seeing her after a few years.

Many people secretly hoped that a new face would appear and bring a fresh breeze to society.

Especially those who had failed to get close to Princess Paeraton.

“Well, a Saintess might be different.”

“I’m dying to know! It’s been over a month since she came to the capital, and I still haven’t seen her.”

“If it weren’t for the house arrest, Her Majesty the Empress would have already held salons and tea parties to introduce her.”

“But we’ll be able to see her today, right?”

At those words, people fell silent.

That’s right.

The party being held today was much more crowded than usual.

It was hosted by the wife of Count Chesia, the Minister of the Imperial Household, who could be said to be a powerful figure, and Princess Paeraton was attending, so it was only natural.

But that wasn’t the only reason.

Today was the day the Saintess would make her first appearance in society.

* * *

“Welcome, Princess Paeraton. My goodness, are you seventeen now? That cute little girl has become a complete lady. You’re ready to get married.”

As soon as I entered Chesia’s mansion, Countess Chesia approached me.

“Thank you for the welcome, Countess Chesia. But please refrain from saying that where my family can hear it.”

“Hehe, I know very well that Duke Paeraton isn’t ready to marry off his daughter. But I don’t think he’ll be ready even in ten years.”

“Haha….”

I know, right.

I’m worried about that too.

Countess Chesia winked.

“How about it? My youngest son will be an adult by then, I think.”

“You’re too much, Countess. You’re quite the joker.”

The Chesia couple had a very good relationship, so they had a late child.

Countess Chesia linked her arm with mine in a friendly manner and led me into the hall.

I didn’t meet her often, but since my relationship with her husband, Count Chesia, was strategically very good, his wife was also quite cooperative with me.

The atmosphere inside the hall was a little different from usual.

A crowd of people was gathered around one girl.

“This is quite an unfamiliar sight for the Princess, isn’t it? You’re only used to seeing everyone craning their necks, eagerly waiting for the Princess to arrive.”

“I heard the Saintess would be attending.”

“Yes, she’s quite popular. At first, many people were wary, wondering if she was a fraud, but now, as you can see一.”

Countess Chesia gestured towards the Saintess in the center of the crowd.

“I happened to meet her at the Imperial Palace. She seems like a nice person.”

“Really? Hmm, that’ll make things more difficult.”

“You seem to be enjoying this, considering what you’re saying.”

“Well, a little? I’ve been bored watching because there hasn’t been a young lady who could rival the Princess. The social circles of young ladies should have some ups and downs.”

Hey, now.

“Why, if we did that, we’d be seen as meddling, but when unmarried young ladies do it, it’s full of ambition and spirit.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t particularly intend to compete.”

“Yes, but the problem is that the Saintess has become the Empress’s card.”

“…We’ll have to hear what the Saintess has to say about that.”

Just then, my eyes met Liriel’s.

“Princess!”

Liriel smiled brightly and waved at me.

* * *

The party was no different from usual.

Except for one thing, Liriel being by my side.

“Wow, you’re really amazing, Princess. I had a similar experience. Two years ago, there was a severe drought in the south一.”

The process of her bringing rain through prayer was quite exciting, and the young ladies around her sparkled with interest.

“So that was really true? I thought it was an exaggerated rumor. They say bringing rain through prayer was only done in ancient times. Like rainmaking rituals.”

“So it was something that could actually happen.”

“It wasn’t just the superstitions of ancient people, but they actually brought rain through prayer. The reason it can’t be done these days is because divine power has decreased.”

Everyone nodded at Liriel’s explanation.

“Come to think of it, I heard that the divine power of priests was stronger in the old days. They could cure illnesses in a snap.”

“Can the Saintess do that too?”

“It doesn’t always work, but there are times when He answers my prayers.”

“Wow….”

The girls admired her, their eyes shining like stars.

I smiled at how cute they were, but I saw Tiriel pouting.

“Why? Are you uncomfortable somewhere?”

When I whispered, Tiriel shook her head.

“No, it’s not that. I’ve been annoyed since earlier.”

“Why?”

“At first, she was talking as if she was admiring what Lulu did, but in the end, it’s all just bragging about herself.”

“She’s just answering because people are curious.”

“She’s the one who said she had a similar experience first, so they’re asking. When you think about it, it’s not even a similar experience!”

Seeing Tiriel grumbling like a child who had her candy taken away made me laugh.

‘Tsk, she’s cute.’

“People were talking about our Lulu, but she just stole it all and used it to brag about herself.”

“It’s her first time in society, so she’s bound to be excited.”

“It would be fine if it was just her. There’s always someone who tries to ride the wave一.”

“Oh my?”

A sharp voice cut off Tiriel’s words.

“Princess, you don’t seem to be very interested in the Saintess’s story? You’re just stepping back and whispering with Lady Tiriel.”

I turned my head and saw a young lady looking at us with a crooked smile.

“一shows up.”

Tiriel whispered to me, as if saying, “See?”

“The Saintess was agreeing with the Princess’s compliments and talking with her, but does this mean the Princess doesn’t want to listen unless it’s her own compliments?”

“Really? Is she the type of person who can’t stand others being praised because she always receives praise herself?”

“I wonder what they were whispering about.”

Wow, is this how they ride the wave?

I was dumbfounded.

I was about to unleash the dazzling eloquence of a romance fantasy novel reader.

“Stop it.”

Liriel stood in front of me as if to protect me.

“It’s not nice to slander the Princess like that just because she was talking to her friend for a moment.”

“But whispering like that while someone else is talking is rude一.”

“It’s the Princess’s freedom to talk to whomever she wants. Or is there a law in society that says you can’t freely talk when having a conversation?”

“Th, that’s一.”

“Then I’ll apologize. I don’t know much about the unspoken rules of society.”

“…No. There’s no such thing.”

“Then apologize to the Princess. How embarrassed must she be to be slandered for talking to her friend?”

“Th, that’s not it, we were, with good intentions……. The Saintess said that she was ignored when she met Princess Paeraton earlier. So一.”

What?

“When did I say that? Ah, could it be….”

Liriel frowned as if she had remembered something.

“Are you talking about when I happened to run into the Princess at the Imperial Palace and said I was very sad that I couldn’t meet her separately?”

“Yes, at that time一.”

“Haa……. I don’t know why you interpreted that as being ignored. I was going to say that I respect the Princess and really wanted to see her again, and I was excited that I might be able to do so today. Didn’t I say that at that time too?”

“You did. You did, but….”

“You’re distorting my words as if the Princess is bad, and you’re looking at the Princess talking to her friend in a twisted way. You’re being too harsh on the Princess.”

People’s attention was focused on the young lady.

“Ugh……. I’m sorry, Princess.”

Her face was bright red, and she finally bowed her head to me.

People whispered as they watched.

“She’s tried to get close to the Princess several times but failed. She harbored resentment and tried to take revenge, but she got played in reverse.”

“It’s funny, really. Why would she harbor resentment over that? Does the Princess have to accept everyone?”

“Anyway, I was surprised. The Saintess seemed only kind, but she’s a strong person, isn’t she?”

“She didn’t need to step in, but she stepped up to defend the Princess.”

“When you think about it, the Princess could have been upset that she wasn’t listening to her. She’s magnanimous.”

“In some ways, she’s very similar to the Princess.”

Tiriel glanced at me with a complicated expression.

She seemed sorry that she had caused trouble by grumbling.

I smiled to reassure her and said to the apologizing young lady.

“It’s okay since you quickly admitted your mistake and apologized. I hope this doesn’t make our relationship awkward.”

“Th, thank you, Princess!”

She must have thought she had become a lost cause.

The young lady thanked me much more fervently than I expected.

There’s no need to be so moved.

‘I feel like I need to have a deep conversation with her too.’

Liriel smiled brightly at me.

I met her gaze and gave her a warm smile.