Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 121

☆ Chapter 121 ☆

“We meet again, Lady Luatisha.”

Turning my head, I saw Prince Esteban smiling at me.

“Ah, yes. Your Highness is also participating in the Dawn Festival.”

“Indeed, royals can participate from the main rounds.”

“Yes, well then. May the blessing of dawn be with you.”

I tried to end the conversation with a simple greeting, but Esteban didn’t seem to want that.

“I wish to receive that blessing with the Lady.”

“Pardon?”

“Would you grant me the honor of being with you at the party?”

Prince Esteban extended a hand to me and bent one knee.

“Wow…”

“Oh my…”

“As expected, His Highness is elegant and graceful…”

The people who had been watching us with great interest exclaimed in admiration.

However.

‘Hmm, not my type.’

It was a different story for me.

“Luatisha was already in conversation with me, Your Highness.”

“But the Lady hasn’t agreed to be your partner yet.”

“She would have if Your Highness hadn’t interfered.”

“Do you really think so?”

Esteban wore a crooked smile.

“Lady Paeraton is the most promising lady at the Dawn Festival. All the participating young nobles are watching her with interest. Are you going to snatch her as your partner like that?”

“Since when has being the first to request a partnership become snatching?”

What is this?

Why are they making such a fuss on both sides?

Watching the two boys glaring at each other as if they were about to devour each other with me in the middle gave me a headache.

It was then.

Something cool gently, very carefully, wrapped around my hand.

Surprised, I turned around—.

“Sid… ?”

Hair as golden as the summer sun.

Violet eyes with a mysterious mix of blue and red.

Long, elegant eyes, a sharp nose, and a prominent jawline.

A boy with a face so beautiful that it was hard to tell if it was a dream or an illusion was standing there.

Our eyes met, and he slowly raised the corners of his lips in a smile.

In that instant, even the sounds seemed to fade away.

My reflection in Sid’s eyes felt unreal.

‘Why is he here… ?’

For a moment, or perhaps an eternity, we stared at each other in silence.

“Who are you?”

A sharp voice shattered the glass-like world.

* * *

I didn’t like the sudden intrusion of an uninvited guest, and Luatisha’s reaction was even more unsettling.

Confirming that made Esteban anxious with irritation and anger.

“I haven’t seen your face among the Dawn Festival participants. How did you get in here?”

He deliberately displayed his dignity and authority, scolding the other party.

“This is not a place for the unqualified to enter as they please. Can’t you just leave!”

Despite Esteban’s roar, the uninvited guest didn’t even bat an eye.

Instead, he looked indifferent, as if wondering where a dog was barking.

This was the first time Esteban had been treated like this in his life.

“How dare you treat me, the Prince, like this…!”

“Have you arrived, Your Highness?”

At the voice that cut him off, Esteban frowned and turned to the side.

But Count Cheshia’s head was bowed not towards him, but towards someone else.

“……?”

Doubt arose on the faces of everyone in Diluculum Hall, including Esteban.

“I am Johannes, the head of the Cheshia family, who is in charge of the Dawn Festival. It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

The words that followed seemed to confirm it.

It was an expression that could not be mistaken for a greeting to Esteban.

Gradually, different emotions began to spread across the faces of the people who had been full of questions.

The hall, which had been as quiet as a mouse, instantly became noisy.

“Your Highness?”

“Did he just call that person ‘Your Highness’?”

“Wasn’t Esteban the only Highness?”

No matter how great the shock to the people, it couldn’t compare to what Prince Esteban was feeling.

“What… did you say? Count Cheshia, what are you…”

“I believe this is the first time the two Highnesses are meeting today.”
Count Cheshia introduced calmly.

“Your Highness Sidrian, this is Your Highness Esteban. Your Highness Esteban, this is Your Highness Sidrian.”

Esteban’s face stiffened.

It was shocking enough that there was another prince besides himself, but Count Cheshia even introduced the other prince first.

This meant he was treating that guy, who came from who knows where, as someone higher than himself.

“Although it has been a long time since they were separated, I hope that the friendship between the two Highnesses will transcend time and deepen.”

Esteban wanted to grab Count Cheshia by the collar right away.

But he couldn’t.

Because Count Cheshia was acting like that so openly, it was clearly by the order of his father, the Emperor.

He gritted his teeth and glared at Sidrian.

Esteban was the Emperor’s one and only child, the Empire’s only prince.

He was certain that no matter what happened, the next Emperor’s seat would fall to him.

He knew that there were other children of the Emperor in the harem, but they were all useless and not even his rivals.

How dare those who hadn’t even been acknowledged compete with him, the legitimate heir?

And yet.

That arrogant guy dared to meet his eyes and smile.

A smirk.

‘That…!’

Just as Esteban, his vision turning red, was about to throw a punch at Sidrian without thinking, it was then.

“Well, the situation has become complicated. It wouldn’t look good for me, an outsider, to interfere in a family matter. I’ll excuse myself now.”

Esteban came to his senses at the voice of Lady Paeraton.

He realized that Sidrian was holding the hand of the Lady, who had an awkward smile, tightly.

The Lady tried to shake off his hand slightly, but Sidrian didn’t budge.

More than anything, the way he looked at her.

‘What is this?’

There was an atmosphere between them that didn’t seem like they had just met today.

‘I don’t like it.’

Whether Esteban’s face was distorted or not, Sidrian opened his mouth towards Luatisha.

“I also…”

Luatisha glared at him, and Sidrian smiled softly.

“May I also put my name on the list of the Lady’s partner candidates?”

Esteban immediately interjected.

“I asked the Lady to be my partner first. Are you a royal who doesn’t even know etiquette?”

“Well, you should look back at what you did earlier.”

It was a jab at Esteban for ignoring Raphael’s partnership request and interfering.

Esteban stared at Sidrian as if he had been hit.

Who would dare to take such a presumptuous attitude towards him?

“And why are you acting as if you’ve already received the Lady’s permission?”

“What?”

“The one who makes the choice is Lady Paeraton. Not you.”

Esteban couldn’t understand.

He was the Empire’s one and only prince, the Emperor’s eldest son.

Everyone wanted to be chosen by him.

No matter how aloof Lady Paeraton acted, she couldn’t possibly be seriously rejecting his partnership.

It was a chance to get closer to becoming the next Empress.

As if reading his thoughts, Sidrian’s lips curved into a crooked smile.

One step.

He approached Esteban.

Sidrian, who lowered his head, whispered in Esteban’s ear.

“You, got rejected.”

My master hates your type.

Sidrian swallowed the rest of his words and raised his head, smiling.

Esteban’s eyes wavered.

‘That crazy bastard dares…!’

He hurriedly opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Only after Sidrian turned his back did Esteban realize that he had been overwhelmed by the violet eyes looking down at him.

* * *

‘Wow, the atmosphere is really chaotic.’

The main round participants, who had been excited to form partnerships, were frozen, only looking at each other’s reactions.

That was to be expected.

Because they were people who knew what kind of repercussions the appearance of a new prince would bring.

In the end, the gathering ended vaguely without anyone deciding on a partner.

This was a very disappointing thing for me.

I was excitedly anticipating whether the taciturn Ackrin would convey his feelings to the shy Lady Quirell.

I was also curious to see if Lady Naisen and Winsten, who were famous for their bad relationship, would become partners.

In my opinion, it was clear that the two liked each other, but they growled and acted like enemies whenever they met, so it was fun to watch.

‘I was sure that they would choose different partners because of their pride, and then realize their feelings because of jealousy, and their relationship would change.’

In addition, I was excitedly looking forward to the couple’s success.

Isn’t this what enjoying a romance fantasy in 4D is all about?

‘Jasmine and Tiriel will be disappointed.’

I promised to let them know what happened to me.

I sighed deeply as I thought about that.

‘It’s driving me crazy.’

No matter how much I try to distract myself with other people’s love affairs, it can’t be helped.

Sid, who doesn’t take his eyes off me for even a moment.

Esteban, who looks at Sid and me with displeasure.

And even Raphael, who sends me glances asking what on earth is going on.

I was the one in the middle of this messed-up atmosphere.

‘Well, I should talk to them anyway.’

I didn’t step forward or leave my seat, but quietly stayed and left the hall with the others when the gathering ended.

Then, pretending to go separately from Raphael, I moved discreetly and went to the place where I had previously encountered Sid.

There was already a guest there.

“It seems you knew I was coming.”

“How could I not know, since you are my master.”

Sid turned to me and smiled.

I stared at him quietly.

Sid, standing in the sunlight, was more like a male lead than any male lead I had ever imagined.

His appearance shone even when he wore any clothes, but when he dressed in full uniform like this, I could feel what it meant to be different from birth.

I see.

You finally found your place.

I had expected it since I met him in the Imperial Palace before.

But facing it like this in reality felt different.

I spread my skirt wide.

“Luatisha of Paeraton greets His Highness the Prince—”

“Don’t bow.”

Sid grabbed my arm as I was about to bow.

“I didn’t become a prince so that my master would bow.”

“Then why?”

“To become my master’s partner.”

I frowned.

Various thoughts came and went.

None of those many thoughts felt like the right answer.

“…You regained your status as a prince to become my partner?”

“You have to take me with you, Master. Right?”

The violet eyes looking down at me still had an unknown color.

He was smiling the same smile as before.

When he handed me the key and the restraints himself.

“…….”

I opened my mouth and then closed it again.

I wanted to ask, but I felt like I shouldn’t.

“Master.”

He called me as if urging me to speak, as if it was okay to say anything.

I turned my head.

“Don’t call me Master in front of other people.”

“So, it’s okay to call you that when we’re alone?”

“…I know what Your Highness wants.”

Sid looked at me with very interesting eyes.

“You want to become the Emperor, don’t you?”

“…….”

“To become the Emperor, you have to get rid of Prince Esteban. But as Your Highness, who has just revealed himself, it will be quite difficult.”

The Empress had increased her power to the point where the Emperor was wary.

It was possible because Esteban was the only prince, but would the people who had ties to her turn away in an instant?

“Even if His Majesty the Emperor pushes Your Highness, there is a limit. It will be even more so since Your Highness has no in-laws.”

“So?”

“So, you need my power, the power of Paeraton, don’t you? Because becoming partners with me at the Dawn Festival is no different from announcing an alliance to the world.”

“No.”

“……?”

“That’s not what I want.”

That should be right?

I asked in a slightly sulky voice.

“Then what does Your Highness want?”

“First of all…”

He looked down at me and smiled.

“My master not using honorifics with me.”

What?

What kind of nonsense is this?

‘Could it be… did I make that guy open his eyes to strange tastes?’

The slave treatment I received when I was young led to dangerous tastes… no, no.

What am I thinking about a child?

This is a test.

“How dare I speak informally to Your Highness the Prince.”

“I was my master’s slave before I was a prince.”

“…I already threw it away.”

Sid grabbed my hand and brought it to his neck.

“But I gave it back to you.”

The location where the restraints were.

The eyes looking at me were very deep, perhaps because of the shadows created by the lowered eyelashes.

I shook off his hand as if I had touched something hot.

“Negotiations only proceed when both sides honestly state what they want. It seems like you don’t intend to do that today, so I’ll excuse myself first.”

I bowed my head and took a step.

He didn’t hold me back and readily stepped aside.

The sunlight stung my eyes.

“Next time, wear a hat or bring a parasol.”

He said something strange instead of saying goodbye.

“My master reads a lot of books and documents, so your eyes are weak.”

Only then did I realize that he was blocking the sunlight pouring down on me.

“…Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

I maintained my courtesy until the end and fled the scene.

It’s strange.

I wanted to see Echen at this moment.