All the adults are busy due to yesterday’s events. Frederick and the others were hanged today, no one really cared though. It was just thought of as a couple of bugs. People soon started minding their own business.

I wonder how I should handle the heat from now. Sure, most nobles will be angry with my actions.

I hope this doesn’t affect the Duchy’s progress.

“My lord, we have guests. Prince William is requesting your presence.”

“Oh, I suppose Lady Fiona has arrived.”

“My apologies, everyone except Lady Fiona is here.”

I asked for the merchant ship, but excluding that, the whole fleet is here in the palace. Currently, I am in my residence, after meeting with Lady Fiona, I will be fleeing to Ellen.

However, the Sebastian facing me says otherwise,

“Nooo!! I want to return to the Duchy immediately. What is wrong with Lady Fiona?!?”

“That is something I do not know of, but, her friends might know.”

“Eh?? Wait...So, who are the guests?”

“By Duke Landon’s dictionary, it would be the four idiots and their fiancees.”

“Then I suppose, I should go.”

...have to leave the foundations for future business opportunities…

“Then please follow me, I will take you to them.”

***************

“You got to be kidding me…”

“Even I have no words for this, My lord.”

In the garden, I see a girl surrounded by four boys. The scene is just too unreal. 

William!!!...I gave you my position to lead the country, not to lead it to imminent destruction...what’s up with the face, you dumb idiot?!?

They were all love-struck, there is also no sign of magic being used on them. 

“Sebastian, I heard love is blind...but for them, love is blind, deaf, and mute!!” 

“...I fear for the future of the country, my lord.”

“Yeah...and what about the fiancees?”

“They are sitting right over there, seems like they are on the verge of giving up on the boys.”

We speak as we walk towards the fiancees.

“I wonder what’s taking them so long. If I were in their position, the first job I would do is break off the engagement.”

“Very true, my lord.”

I have noticed this...but Sebastian never disagrees with my decisions...ah whatever.

“Good evening, Ladies.”

“And who are you?”, said one with a disgusted face.

Eh…

“We are indeed neglected by our finance...but that doesn’t mean we are free for anyone to hit on us.”, said another with a matter of fact face.

Hold up…

“Where are knights?...who let this fool enter??”, said the final with a cautious face.

Wait...to the least hear me out...it’s basic etiquettes

“Pfft”, Sebastian quickly covered his mouth. Even the old man couldn’t control his laughter.

Indeed, my clothes don’t look prince-like. But it looks cool and at the same time doesn’t suffocate me.

“Ahem...My name is Arthur Ellen Zemira, Duke of Ellen, and the First Prince of the Zemira Empire. Does it ring a bell?”

“““AHHH!!! Your Highness!!!”””, those three exclaimed while bowing their heads.

“Seriously you three, at least try to remember my face.”

“Our deepest apologies, Your..no, Duke Arthur. My name is Hazel Stuart of the Stuart family.”, of course, I know her, dark green hair with a darker shade of green eyes different from mother, and of course she is a daughter of the Stuart Ducal family. She is engaged to Richard Longe.

“Duke Arthur, please accept the apology for my impudent actions earlier. I am, Cecily Gramont, of Gramont Ducal Family.”, with dark brown eyes and her long Auburn hair, she is the daughter of the Gramont Family. She is engaged with Leo Gray.

And finally…

“Hahaha~ I hope you didn’t take anything into your heart, Duke Arthur. I am Louisa Dohna.”, this wild one is, with red velvet hair and pitch black eyes, is Louisa Dohna of the Dohna Family. She is engaged with Lady Fiona’s younger brother, Silas Hastings.

*sigh*

Letting out a deep breath I start asking my most concerning question,

“Who is that Lady, right there?”

The one surrounded by the boys, she has pink-colored hair with the same pink eyes. She looks like, someone who hasn’t seen the world’s true color.

“She is Lily Dormer. A Baron family, she has those four around her fingers.”, Hazel said with a face devoid of any emotion.

“A Baron family? And how is she sticking up with them?”, this is quite hilarious if I think about it.

Cecily continued, “People think of her as a pure, kind-hearted maiden. She is clumsy and is weak, in complete contrast to us.”

“And somehow, this wakes the protecting nature of the boys, or so I heard. Why the sudden interest, Duke Arthur...Haah!! Don’t tell me, you are interested in her too?”

“Lady Louisa, that’s overkill, even for a joke. There’s no-”

“Arthur.”

Ah, here he comes...Looks like the commotion here was too large for them to ignore.

“William.”, this guy completely hates me for whatever reason. 

“So, you did come…”

“Well, we are in the same palace after all…”

“True...anyway Lily here wants to meet you.”

“Hmm?”, I looked at Lady Lily.

“Du...Duke Arthur!!”

“Lily, it’s okay, stay calm.”, one of the four, namely Richard comforted her. 

Ah...Lady Hazel’s face does not have any emotion.

After taking a couple of breaths,

“Duke Arthur!! My name is Lily Dormer. I am from a countryside Baron family. I am happy to meet with you today. I was deeply moved by your actions yesterday.”

“I see, pleases to make meet you too.”, of course, I am gonna give the cold shoulder to her.

“Woo hoo~ looks like Duke Arthur’s defense is quite high.”

“Lady Cecily, it would be better if you kept silence”, I said as politely as I could.

“Hehe...I will do as you say, Duke Arthur.”

“Now then, let’s hope to meet again someday later.”

I hope that day never comes…Oh, I should ask them where Lady Fiona is.

Just as I was about to ask a question to Lady Hazel, William confronted me,

“That’s it?”

“Hmm?”

“I told you Lily, wants to talk with you.”

“We have already exchanged greetings. I doubt there’s anything else we have in common, to talk about? Right, Lady Lily?”

“Ah...No..I thought we could talk for a little bit more.”

“I see, it is unfortunate...but I have other important matters to attend to, so how about next time?”

“Are you saying our Lily is not important”, roared one of the boys.

“And, just who is this muscle-headed idiot?

*sigh* “He is my fiance, Duke Arthur. Please forgive his insolent behavior. Richard, please watch how you move your tongue in front of a Duke.”, Lady Hazel spoke in a monotone.

...Ah this is bad...things are getting hotter...if this goes on I don’t think I can slip out easily…

“Arthur, I am pretty sure you are going to read random books in a corner again...Why don’t you spend more of your time here?”

Is this a test to test my patience? If it is, I’m sure I’ll fail.

“If my memory is right, I have already informed you that I have more pressing jobs to attend to, William.”

“Ple...Please, stop.”

And why are you letting droplets of tears out??

“My sweet little Lily, please don’t cry. Arthur!! Apologize to Lily right now!!”

“I have no reason to. I did nothing wrong after all.”

“You have made Lily cry!!”, exclaimed Leo Gray. And those are the first words you utter to me.

“I can’t do anything if the Lady can’t accept a polite rejection.”

“...Duke Arthur, please apologize to Lily right now.”, and finally, Like father, Like son. You appear all of a sudden. Silas Hastings makes an appearance.

I have no reason to apologize for. This is annoying, most of the time today is wasted. If I am not able to Lady Fiona today, I have to stay here tomorrow too!!

“This is getting tiring...let’s all cool down and continue this later. Ladies, can you please answer my que-”

“No we can’t, we have to finish this right now, right here.”

This muscle headed right here…

“...tch..”

“““Duke Arthur??”””, all the Ladies looked at me questingly.

“...we will finish this right now, right here. Just like you want…”

“Wh...what do you mean?!”, ignoring Richard, I moved on.

“William, what is the event today?”

“A meeting between engaged couples.”

...just like I thought.

“I see...then what is Lady Lily doing here?”

“She wanted to see you, so I invited her to the palace.”

“I see...then Lady Lily, please give me your Permit for Entry.”

“Eh?...Ah...I don’t have the permit.”

“Arthur, explain yourself.”

“My, my prince. Don’t tell me you haven’t read the rules of the palace, yet? I’m pretty sure it was mentioned in one of those RANDOM books I read.”

“Ah...That!! Of...of course, I read that. But if I allow her in personally, then there’s no problem.”

...naive…feigning ignorance is not going to get you anywhere...

“No, it is a problem. She entered the palace without a permit, as a Royal, I have all the right to throw her out. And that is exactly what I am going to do, Knights!!”

Instantly, all their face turned pale. Lily was even shivering.

“Arthur...Leave her alone…”, William said in a low tone.

“Then, do I have to apologize?”

“No.”

“Good. And Richard, just like you wanted, we have finished it. Now, if that is all, you may all leave.”

All the five left reluctantly with a dejected face.

*sigh*

“Sebastian, look into Lily Dormer”

“Yes, my lord”

[Jane]

[*yawn*...yes, boss.]

[Look into Lily Dormer. I want it by the time I come back to Ellen.]

[Consider it done. Now, let me sleep…]

“Woaahh”

“Eh? What happened??”

“That was so cool, Duke Arthur”

“You actually closed their mouths.”

“That’s an achievement no one has done till now…”

The hell...is it that big of a deal??

“Ahh, whatever. More importantly, where is Lady Fiona??”

“Fiona?? She is in Hotel Vilnius… something about meeting with a new company, Elz, was it?”, spoke Lady Hazel.

...damn…

“Sebastian was there a miss communication?”

“It seems so, my lord”

“Hmm, what is going on??”,  Lady Louisa asked in a curious tone.

“Elz in my company...and the one Lady Fiona has to meer today is...me”

“HAHAHA~~~”, Lady Cecily broke into a burst of loud laughter.

...that is not ladylike, LADY Cecily…

“Ah, now it makes sense...so that’s the reason, the usual introvert Prince came out. Ohh...and that was why Duke Landon was waiting around here…”, Lady Hazel spoke as if remembering something.

Lady Cecily, recollecting, “Wait...isn't Duke, the one, who told Fiona to go to that hotel.”

“You are right. But unfortunately, he was summoned by the Emperor.”, Lady Louisa spoke in a free-manner tone.

*sigh* “Then I did nothing but waste time with those five.”

“No, it was not at all a waste. We enjoyed it after all.”

“Well, the show’s over. Thank you for the information, Ladies.”, I said as I moved out of the garden.

“Careful, Duke Arthur. She is quite scary if someone’s not on time.”

...the whole male side of the imperial family is nothing but trouble…

“Sebastian, can we make it in time??”

“My lord, we can only try.”

---

---

 

Artique, here!!!

I apologize, I was only able to publish two chapters today...had to go out.

Well, we had various new characters introduced in this chapter, if someone couldn't follow...

Richard Longe (Son of Imperial army captain)      -    Hazel Stuart (Ducal Family)

Leo Gray (Son of Magic tower’s headmaster)          -    Cecily Gramont(Ducal Family)

Silas Hastings(Brother of Fiona)                                  -    Louisa Dohna(Count Family)

 

Well, for those who expected the meeting between Arthur and Fiona in this chapter. I promise...they will meet each other in the next chapter.

 

Oh just saying...there will be no Harem in this story.