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Chapter 3
In all his life, Richard had never once considered dating a man. He had no inclination toward the same sex, and more importantly, he had never even harbored the desire to love anyone other than Daphne. Throughout forty-eight repeated regressions, he had been a man who suffered through a singular, agonizing unrequited love for one woman.
However, what would happen if he actually succeeded in seducing Caelus? What if he snatched him away before he could marry Daphne? The original ‘story’ would inevitably be derailed. Caelus would not marry her, and she would meet some other good man. And, naturally, she would never take her own life. It would be a true ‘happy ending’.
‘…Though I’d rather die than be with a guy like that.’
Of course, Richard hated Caelus. And Caelus, in turn, surely hated Richard just as much.
“It’s the second son of the Friedrich family.”
W е b̄ n̂ov̆e l Én u m а̄
“How intriguing. I heard he attended this banquet as Lady Beatus’s partner?”
The nobles whispered as they watched Richard appear in the center of the hall. Caelus was her former fiancé, and Richard was the man attending as her new partner for her first banquet since returning to social circles. It was the first meeting of the two men surrounding Daphne Beatus. From this day forward, the ill-fated relationship between Caelus and Richard would begin.
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‘But.’
The corners of Richard’s mouth twisted upward. With a crooked smile on his face, he began to stride forward.
‘If it’s for Daphne’s sake…’
For her sake, there was nothing Richard wouldn't do. Even if it meant seducing his most hated rival in the world.
Е́ n̈umа̊._і d
“…Oh my. He’s heading toward His Highness and Lady Beatus.”
“As expected…”
There she stood in the center of the banquet hall with a cold expression, and there was Caelus, kneeling and begging her. Richard stepped between them without hesitation, blocking her from him.
“…!”
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He saw Caelus’s brow narrow instantly. Seeing the gaze that was clearly wary of a new man, Richard smiled brightly.
“Your Highness.”
Ĕ ñ um̈ä ..і d̂
His long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Richard locked eyes perfectly with her former man.
“I would appreciate it if you didn't approach Lady Beatus any further.”
A tone that was soft yet carried a chilling edge flowed from his lips. It was an unmistakable warning. A warning to stop approaching her.
“…!”
“Good heavens…”
The eyes of everyone gathered in the banquet hall turned toward them all at once. What a fascinating sight. The Crown Prince, Lady Beatus’s former fiancé, and Young Lord Friedrich, the new partner she had brought. A battle of nerves between the two. With such a spectacular show to watch, no one present was focused on trivial matters. Expecting a fierce confrontation, even the nobles on the second floor leaned against the railings to watch below.
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“…I’m not sure I follow your meaning.”
“I mean exactly what I said.”
Richard replied with a still-beautifully smiling face.
“As a man, I find myself uncontrollably jealous.”
In that moment, the banquet hall fell dead silent. Soon, a wave of whispering rose.
“He must mean Lady Beatus is his woman, so don't approach her, right?”
W̌ è b̂ n̄о̀ v̆ еl_ Е́ n̂ũm̂ă
“To think the second son of the Friedrich family had such a forceful side… How surprising.”
The nobles spoke one by one, their eyes sparkling. Although they couldn't speak loudly because the Crown Prince was at the center of the commotion, they couldn't miss this entertaining spectacle. They waited with anticipation to see what he would say next. Would he declare that he was to be Lady Beatus’s new fiancé? Or would he tell him never to speak to her again?
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“…”
Bathed in the gaze of the nobles pouring in from all directions, Richard laughed inwardly. Unfortunately for them, it was neither.
“…Jealous?”
As he faced the red eyes that were wary of Daphne’s new man, Richard reflected on the past. No matter how much he tried to break and crush his opponent, no matter how hard he struggled to win just once, he—the sub-male lead—could never defeat the male lead. Therefore, if he couldn't break him…
Е́ ňūm̊ ӑ
‘I’ll take you for myself, Caelus.’
Richard slowly opened his mouth.
“It is because,”
Tension spread as everyone focused on his words. Richard blushed slightly as if shy and deliberately hesitated for a moment. Then, with a single sentence, he shattered everyone’s expectations.
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“The truth is, I have long harbored a deep affection for Your Highness.”
Clink!
Eñ ū m̃а̄ ._іd̊
A wine glass tumbled from the hand of a noble watching them.
“…Wh-what did you say?”
“He’s harbored affection for the Crown Prince…?”
The nobles’ mouths hung open. The eyes of a few looked as if they might pop out at any second.
“…?”
Caelus also seemed quite taken aback. No, he was greatly flustered. His face went blank, and his lower lip trembled faintly.
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“……What did you, say?”
Richard smiled thinly and slowly bent his waist to meet the eyes of the man kneeling before him.
“I said I love you, Your Highness.”
Then, he gently wrapped his hand around the man's wrist. Toward the dirty back of his hand… no, toward Caelus’s hand, Richard brought his lips. The distance gradually narrowed. It was just before Richard’s lips could graze him.
“…!”
Caelus jerked his hand away, his body trembling like a cat struck by lightning. Rising to his feet in an instant, he glared at Richard with eyes full of contempt, his whole body shaking. It was as if he had almost been touched by something filthy.
Е̃ n̂ūm̄.а́ .і̀d̄
“…”
Richard watched the display with eyes that had sunken coldly. The corners of his mouth curled up ever so slightly. After all, the feeling of loathing was entirely mutual.
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“Why do you reject me, Your Highness?”
“…Ha.”
The red eyes wavered, unable to hide the agitation.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
W̄ е̄b́ñ ŏv ėl̄ Enü.ṁ а
That look seemed to be asking Richard if he had gone mad.
“What do I think I’m doing, you ask…”
Richard lowered his gaze, pretending to be wounded for no reason. Thanks to his eyelashes, which were more beautiful and longer than most women's, he looked quite pitiful.
“Even if you are the Little Sun of the Empire, it breaks my heart when you trample upon my sincerity like this, Your Highness.”
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The problem was that, thanks to that pitiful appearance, Richard looked truly sincere. In other words, in the eyes of others, Richard looked like he had completely lost his mind.
“…Has Young Lord Friedrich gone crazy?”
W e ḃ ǹ о̊v̈ ё l̄ Е̃ n̄u m̄ å
“He truly seems to be out of his mind.”
The nobles stirred, their faces turning pale.
“…Haa.”
Caelus, who had been sighing repeatedly as if trying to control his confusion, bit his lower lip hard. He pointed a finger at Richard and spoke.
“You are a man.”
…And he was a man as well. Everyone could understand the omitted words.
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“…What is the problem with that?”
Richard tilted his head innocently as if he truly didn't understand. He could feel Daphne’s gaze watching him intently from behind, but Richard decided to focus on this conversation first. He had to achieve his goal, after all.
“…Well,”
Caelus stopped, looking as if he didn't know where to even begin explaining.
“…”
Frowning, he pressed a hand to his forehead as if dealing with Richard was giving him a headache. After appearing to organize his thoughts in silence for a moment, he finally offered an answer that was simple and logical enough for anyone to accept.
W е́b̂ňо v̂ e l Е̇ ǹ u.m̊ â
“You are a male, and your body is incapable of conception. Does that serve as an answer?”
“…”
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It was a rational answer filled with the desire to stop this foolish argument with Richard. However, Richard rolled his round eyes as if he still wasn't convinced.
“…Conception, you say.”
Of course, he knew. A man cannot have a child with another man. To begin with, same-sex marriage did not exist in Imperial Law, and furthermore, as the Crown Prince, he needed an heir. But what did that matter?
“I shall put in the effort.”
Е̃n̂ u m̄а . і̀ ď
You have to date me regardless. Whether you like it or not, it will happen. I’ll make it so. Because it was for Daphne’s sake.
“…?”
Toward Caelus, who wore a dumbfounded expression, Richard curved his eyes into a bright smile and said it once more.
“I said I would put in the effort.”
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The whispering grew even more intense. The nobles let out hollow laughs and threw in their own comments.
“…He can't be serious, can he?”
Е nũ m а̃
“…I suppose not. It’s not something that can be achieved through effort…”
It was clear that Young Lord Friedrich was truly not in his right mind. A man conceiving? How could that be done through effort!
“…”
Caelus, looking shell-shocked, couldn't say another word and stood frozen to the spot.
“Haha.”
Richard burst into a shameless laugh, like someone who didn't possess a shred of decency.
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“Since I’ll be putting in the effort, would you care to visit my estate sometime when you have the chance? Or, you could call for me to the Crown Prince’s Palace…”
Good heavens. Just as words that one could hardly bear to listen to flowed from Richard’s mouth and the nobles squeezed their eyes shut—
“Richard Friedrich!”
A noble man with a face turning red and purple rushed down the stairs.
“Y-you, right now…!”
The man, who had run to the center of the hall unable to hide his surging rage, grabbed the back of Richard’s head and pushed it down.
Е n û m̄а_
“I am sorry. Truly sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive the insolence committed by my illegitimate child.”
He bowed repeatedly toward Caelus while keeping Richard’s head pressed down.
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“…”
He was Richard’s biological father, Albert Friedrich. Richard, whose head was forced down, secretly twisted his lips into a smirk.
“Then, we shall take our leave…”
Albert grabbed Richard by the hair and dragged him away like a piece of luggage. His ears were red with embarrassment as he clenched his fist and spoke in a low voice that only Richard could hear.
En̄ um̄à
‘…Richard Friedrich, we’ll talk once we get back to the estate.’
It was a warning that he would show him a miserable time the moment they arrived.
“Heh…”
A laugh burst through Richard’s lips.
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“Hahahaha…!”
Albert’s face grew even redder.
Ӗ ñ u̇m̂ à . і ď
‘Th-this brat…! Has he lost it!’
He pulled Richard’s hair with even more brute force. Richard allowed himself to be dragged along while continuing to laugh.
‘…Ah. I should have watched that expression for longer.’
He recalled the face of the man that made him happy just by thinking about it. Caelus le Regnantia’s shell-shocked expression! It was truly a pity he couldn't see it for a bit longer.
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