The courtroom was filled with nothing but silence.
While the silence that accompanied the Minister of Administration’s speech before could have implied some sort of covert agreement or assurance, this time, it was clear that the silence stemmed purely from confusion.
And rightfully so—who in their right mind would utter such outrageous words to a member of the royal family?
What truly surprised them was that the prince who heard these words was not showing any particular reaction.
He simply sat still, slowly lifting his closed eyes, gazing blankly at his opponent without a trace of emotion.
“It’s lèse-majesté, Aiden,” he began in a soft voice, still well within the expected response.
“Think carefully about whether you have the resolve to take responsibility for your actions.”
However, there was an eerie chill in his voice that was enough to momentarily halt even Aiden’s movements.
“You are free to obstruct and oppose my will. But do not insult me. Do not insult the imperial authority. For that is tantamount to insulting the empire and its citizens, which I bear.”
“……”
“As the next ruler, my personal treatment is tied to the dignity of the empire. Do not forget that.”
Each sentence carried a sense of pride and conviction in representing the empire, not himself.
It was unmistakably a warning.
If negotiations were to be had, they should be carried out discreetly, not through scandalous and aggressive means that disrupt the imperial system in such a manner.
It was a line drawn to ensure ‘peaceful conflict,’ just as it currently stood—a line not to be crossed any further.
His words implied that if Aiden chose to act aggressively, the prince would be forced to respond in kind.
“Righteousness, propriety, integrity. A monarch. A patriot.”
Aiden silently scoffed as he mulled over the keywords he used to describe the prince in the original story.
What a gentlemanly warning this was.
For someone who uses dirty tactics, he had an oddly honest streak.
The prince’s next words confirmed this impression.
He closed his mouth, then softly whispered in a voice audible only to Aiden.
“I respect you. Not just you, but every member of the empire.”
“……”
“So, please, don’t force my hand. Let me be able to return you safely to your original life once all of this is over. What I desire is not your ruin, but the seat of the groom of the Lionheart’s. So don’t go any further. Let me continue to respect you.”
‘…How saintly.’
What refined hostility.
“I will hear the rebuttal to the Minister’s accusation later. Now, return to your seat,” the prince declared.
“False accusation is a serious offense under imperial law. Even the royal family is not exempt.”
The problem was…
Aiden had no intention of getting drawn into the prince’s carefully orchestrated scheme.
“…What are you trying to say?”
“It means that it’s not you, but I who am giving the warning, Your Highness.”
“……”
“Stop these petty disputes before I return them double-fold.”
This time, a hint of movement crossed the prince’s previously expressionless face.
Aiden, after a brief silence, opened his mouth with a faint growl.
“Aiden Kellerman, groom of the Lionheart’s heir, accuses the prince of falsely incriminating Lady Noel.”
He spoke clearly enough for everyone in the courtroom to hear.
– It was a bombshell declaration that froze the courtroom even more than before.
And then—
Rad and the prince’s faces hardened, having immediately grasped the meaning of Aiden’s words.
It was an outright declaration of war, signaling that he had the confidence to see it through.
Of course, it’s a move only a madman would make. If it fails, you’d have to immediately forfeit your life. Defying the royal family to such an extent carries that kind of weight.
But precisely because of that, Aiden’s statement at this moment holds both impact and truth. It’s enough to neutralize the attack meant to spread rumors and tarnish her reputation.
The “social attack” they launched against Noel here has now lost all meaning because of Aiden’s action.
‘That bastard…!’ Rad ground his teeth internally as he glared at Aiden, while a voice once again broke the silence in the courtroom.
“Schedule a separate trial. I’ll expose everything there.”
“……”
“Earlier, you asked me if I had the resolve to take responsibility for my actions, didn’t you?”
Aiden spoke while meeting the prince’s hardened eyes directly.
“Have you checked whether you have the same confidence yourself?”
***
That was just yesterday. Aiden had staked his life in a brawl with the prince.
“…Wow.”
Katia, walking beside him, let out a murmur of admiration as she flipped through the newspaper in her hand.
She had picked newspapers from various media outlets, but the headlines were the same regardless of the publication.
It was about Aiden’s stunt in the courtroom the previous day.
“Amazing. The whole empire is watching.”
“Thankfully, my story got cut off, though.”
It was probably thanks to Noel—and perhaps even connections to the emperor—that his personal matters were cut from the news. Somehow, he managed to avoid becoming overwhelmingly famous.
It’s fortunate that, while newspapers and TV exist, the internet does not. It’s how his privacy remains intact, for now…
…Well, putting that aside.
Aiden sighed inwardly and pulled up the system window in front of him.
– Quest Info
The events listed in this section carry massive penalties if failed!
Sham Marriage (Important!)
▶ You have been chosen as Lady Noel’s spouse. Maintain your contract with your partner until the end!
▶ A related event is about to occur. (D-?)
▶ This is a critical event, carrying “main quest-level” importance!
Completing it will drastically change your relationship with the target!
This update followed the incident from yesterday. While the timing for the “subjugation mission” listed under the main quest has yet to be revealed, at least this much has been updated.
It’s likely moving forward in sync with the previous one, similar to the mission with the Protector.
The phrase that’s concerning is the one about the relationship “changing drastically.”
Previously, when Katia had such a label, she’d been growling like she was ready to eat him alive, but now they call each other friends. Compared to before, it certainly qualifies as a drastic change.
The problem is…
Isn’t Lady Noel already incredibly friendly toward him?
In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she’s overly protective.
He gets that she feels responsible for bringing him into this position, but sometimes it’s almost enough to make even her flinch.
If this relationship were to “drastically change,” it would undoubtedly take another leap toward greater friendliness. But what should he do then…?
Honestly, it’s a bit worrying.
Even yesterday, right after the incident, it was clear…
…He got scolded pretty badly.
The moment they returned to the office, Noel had sat him down and berated him for hours.
– How are you planning to handle the aftermath? If you keep acting this way, anything could happen. As someone who wants to see you safely return to your family’s arms, it’s really troubling…
The sincerity of her anger, born out of genuine concern, was so palpable that he couldn’t even utter a word in response.
– Thank you.
Come to think of it, didn’t she leave him with those words at the end?
– You did it for me, after all. I never imagined you’d go that far.
With that, Noel had retreated to her room, almost as if fleeing.
She left behind words to let him know if he ever needed help.
‘Hmm.’
…Her face was bright red, too.
He’d heard her thank him once when she was drunk, but it was the first time hearing it from her while she was sober.
And, to be honest…
While he appreciated her offer to help, she couldn’t be brought along for this one.
“Why?”
“Because what I’m about to do can only be done by Katia.”
At his words, Katia, who had been matching his stride with quick steps, flashed a grin.
“Something only friends can do together, huh?”
“Yes, something like that,” he agreed, finding no reason to deny it.
Katia, with her robe pulled low over her face, chuckled as she clung to Aiden’s side, wrapping an arm around his as if to claim it for herself.
Is this really the distance typical of friendship?
Naturally, the question arose in his mind.
Well. He’d always thought this person had issues defining relationships, but sometimes even he was unsure what the term “friend” meant to her.
More precisely, he wasn’t sure what she thought of him.
It clearly wasn’t romantic affection, nor was it ordinary friendship, so what exactly was it…?
…Anyway.
The matter of Katia’s clinginess was something to ponder over time.
But there was something else that needed immediate attention.
‘The current objective is…?’
The goal is to reveal that the prince is attacking Noel through incitement, and it must be done in three stages: proving that the unauthorized import of weapons into the capital is unrelated to Noel, proving that the assault on the military headquarters is also not linked to her, and finally…
Fortunately, both of the first two goals can be rapidly approached with a single action.
There’s only one thing that needs to be found: the “operational organization” that serves as the common factor behind all three incidents.
He had received hints about it before.
– If it’s hidden well enough that I can’t find it, then the backer must be a high-ranking noble at the very least. You want me to dig up information about them? Do you want someone to lose their head?
He remembered Billy Hagan saying that when he asked him to investigate who was smuggling weapons into the capital. For even a competent informant like him to step back, it means there’s a “backing organization” behind all this.
The weapons smuggled in, including Hellbombs, the restraint cuffs used to kidnap Katia, and the Root 00 needed to create dimensional rifts—none of these are easily obtained through normal channels. So, the likelihood of an organization managing these operations is very high.
If such an organization exists, they would likely have ample evidence of being commissioned by the prince and the Minister of Administration.
At least, that’s the natural course of illegal affairs that Aiden has witnessed while working as a con artist.
“Oh, so you’re here to track down the pawns?”
Upon hearing this, Katia nodded as if she understood.
Even though she’s a royal who’s often out of the public eye, she’s still someone who lived within the intrigue-filled palace. She seems to know exactly how these things work.
Smuggling such items discreetly into the capital must be done swiftly and with a minimum of elite personnel.
Risky and covert missions require the fewest but most capable individuals.
The place Aiden was currently walking through could be described as the natural habitat of such people.
‘…Here we are again.’
The capital’s black market.
It’s the perfect place to start the investigation.
A den of crime, a zone beyond the law, and a place overflowing with near-unlimited information.
There was almost a sense of familiarity to it.
Thinking back, wasn’t this the place where he first met Katia?
“So, how do you plan to find these people? Even if they’re somewhere around here, you don’t have any information right now.”
“It’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”
If even the informants couldn’t gather information, it’s no wonder that these people are so thoroughly concealed. The analogy couldn’t be more fitting.
“So…”
Aiden let out a faint chuckle as he replied.
The method he had in mind was ridiculous, even to him.
“-Why not clear out all the hay? The needle will fall out eventually.”
For some reason, he feels bolder whenever he’s with Katia.
Maybe it’s because he’s catching the habit of seeking the strongest stimulation first, wanting to “feel” everything.
“What do you mean?”
When Katia tilted her head in confusion and asked, Aiden answered as if it were nothing special.
“Hasn’t life been a little dull lately?”
The moment she heard that, a mischievous grin spread across Katia’s face.
“…I knew I made the right choice becoming friends with you.”
It wasn’t hard to guess—he was clearly about to propose something extremely “stimulating.”
Cliche Novel 