I Will Seduce The Northern Duke
chapter-122

Her anxiety grew even more when the Crown Prince gave a reaction different from her thoughts. Since she was the Crown Prince's most important partner, Rosalyn had a firm belief that there could be no entity with a stronger bond than her.

Before cracks arose, small holes had already been dug in the surface of her faith… the holes were created by anxiety.

It was different from Irell’s time… It was different from the other women he had messed with before.

Rosalyn was well aware that the Crown Prince would approach a woman who was not swayed by him for fun. When she was young, she knew it, and it hurt her like her chest was burning. Still, as she grew up, it was okay.

Rather, she even cooperated with the Crown Prince and helped to drive the women.

…Because only she was ‘special.’

It was thanks to her family and her own influence that the ability to continue trading with the Crown Prince. Rosalyn could be more special than anyone else as long as she had that ability… as long as it confirmed her own specialty, she didn't care about the woman passing by.

However, Selina was different.

The Crown Prince showed genuine interest towards her. Rosalyn watched his eyes that were looking at Selina change from day to day. And eventually, her nervousness reached its peak.

"It won't change anything now, even if we drag on more time. That girl is just enough to satisfy your greed. We have nothing to do but take her out of the hands of Duke Renbird!”

"Well."

“There’s nothing more to dirty Your Highness's hands. Then, if she really covets the Crown Princess’ position, won’t it be annoying?”

As she desperately persuaded him, the Crown Prince instead imagined it in his head and smiled before he parted his lips.

“…Will it be fun?”

"What?"

“Think about it, what if a commoner girl with nowhere else to go ran away because she said she wanted to be the Crown Princess better than the duchess? How does the Duke feel?”

The Crown Prince was genuinely amused. On the other hand, Rosalyn was seized by an uncanny chill as if she had fallen into the icy water.

“Are you kidding…? Still, how dare you put such a commoner in the position of Crown Princess?”

So far, the Crown Prince has avoided commenting about the Crown Princess.

Rosalyn thought it was good as she left it empty to bring down Kalcion and that she would set up a puppet Crown Princess. After that, when he succeeded to the throne, the Queen's crown would, of course, return to her.

“No, it’s not bad, right? If it doesn't matter who sits in it. It’s better to have a kid with no backing and fun to play with, to sit there.”

“Yes, but… isn't it enough to just play with her and throw it away?”

Even if the Crown Prince wanted to play with her and throw it away, Selina was a variable.

She was fundamentally different from ignorant ladies who swayed around as he waved. Even now, she persisted in the place next to Kalcion, but when she tasted the place next to the Crown Prince, she didn't know how strong she would endure.

Rosalyn’s throat burned.

“I was worried about what would happen if she annoyed Your Highness later on because she was so tough, like a leech. I think it would be better to just take her off in advance.”

Even though she spoke with a laugh, it felt like her stomach was swallowing stones one by one. The Crown Prince was not someone Rosalyn could control.

It was a gamble.

‘Please, smile and say, ‘Well, you're right’.’

Despite her plea, what came to her was cold silence and sharp eyes. Rosalyn caught her breath in surprise.

"…Your Highness?"

She had often seen him look at others like that but rarely at her… because she was special. But this time, those eyes turned to her. Her specialness was stripped away in an instant, and a hot tension ran down her stomach, burning her intestines.

“Rosalyn. I decide what I will do.”

“….”

No words came out as if her mouth was glued together. If she said, ‘Yes, I understand,’ he would have passed it on. Still, her stomach burned, and the heat accumulated turned into anger that climbed up again.

“You decide what to do, but… I'm the one helping Your Highness the most. Can't I give you advice?”

“Who told you to give advice?”

Fear and anger met in her belly.

“…Do I not have that right?”

The Crown Prince's expression hardened visibly at her words.

"Right…? What do you mean by right? It was out of favor and love that you started helping me. When did we sign a contract?”

Rosalyn bit her lip.

“You’re right, but I am special to Your Highness. Did you forget that until now, thanks to my help, Your Highness was able to achieve what he wanted?”

"Therefore?"

“I will continue to do so. I'll help you sit on the throne, I'll help you deal with annoying political enemies, and silence socialites… Can't you give me the right to advise?”

Rosalyn might be feeble if she was counted as only one person. However, Marquisate Thiolan was completely on the side of the Crown Prince. The foundation on which the Crown Prince could run amok without paying attention to the world was Marquisate Thiolan.

Even if the Crown Prince went wild without a care, he would not be able to ignore Marquisate Thiolan. Rosalyn finished the calculation with her life as collateral.

The Crown Prince let out a long sigh and looked at her, who was arguing with agitation.

“Rosalyn.”

Were her calculations correct?

The Crown Prince's voice, which had risen with excitement at the same time, calmed down softly as usual. Seeing that, Rosalyn, too, took a breath before drooping her shoulders. Did he finally think about listening to her…?

“It was my goodwill and my right to allow you to do something for me. Will you pay it back like this?”

“Allow me to do something…”

Hearing the words sounding so absurd, a ringing came in her head. Meanwhile, the Crown Prince laughed at her reaction as if it was even more absurd.

"Of course. Isn't it an honor in itself to be able to work for me? You say you love me, so I repaid that love.”

“Love…”

The words dispersed like smoke before they even left her mouth.

“Is using me repaying my love? Then, at least you should have given me love…!”

Although he kept her most close, it was not affection. She prided herself on being closer to him than anyone else though she closed her eyes to the fact that it wasn't love.

“If you can’t tell me what love is, can’t you at least guarantee a place for me?”

"Why me?"

The Crown Prince asked like a child who really didn't know anything.

“You’ve been acting as you please until now, and now you want me to repay you? Why should I repay you?”

Rosalyn was stunned and only moved her lips.

He never asked for help first. In the first place, she approached him first and said she would help, and she asked him to just leave it to her no matter what. As the Crown Prince said, it was she who acted as she pleased.

Nonetheless, at some point, the Crown Prince also relied on her. He entrusted and relied on her for so many things.

Because he was special to her, just as Rosalyn was special to the Crown Prince, so…

Rosalyn realized that saying those words wouldn't work for him because she was nothing special to him. Just like giving a name to a passing cloud, it was enough just to turn his eyes away.

“…You cannot do this to me.”

"Why?"

"I'm sure you don't intend to turn the social world and Marquisate Thiolan into enemies."

In the end, all that was left was the deal.

Rosalyn couldn't give up everything just because she loved him. She was born to become a queen. After passing through as a duchess, she could become a queen or become the second wife. It was a process, no matter how, as long as she can sit there, it was just fine…

…Yet, if she wasn't guaranteed that, now she had to threaten.

The Crown Prince immediately cleared his expression, his eyes shining like those of a wild beast.

“How dare you make arrogant threats to me?”

“If you take it as a threat… That must mean I was playing an important role for Your Highness.”

Rosalyn was also keeping a straight face without losing. The Crown Prince would stumble if Marquisate Thiolan withdrew his aid.

As she believed it was clear, she was not intimidated.

“The absolute kingship that Your Highness desires, the Throne, will not be possible without me…huhp!”

However, Rosalyn's words did not continue until the end.

“Wh-what is this, kehk!”

The Crown Prince's fingers digging into her neck were firm. She really felt the will to kill her. Rosalyn struggled, clawing at his hand. However, the Crown Prince's hand was more powerful.

“As a daughter of a marquis, how dare you? No matter how strong you are, you are a dog under the throne. You need to know your place.”

“Ke, kehk…!”

"Throne? Did I look like I wanted the throne right now? Am I sitting as the Crown Prince because I can’t get rid of a senile or crazy old man?”

“Ka-huhk—!”

Rosalyn's fingers, which scratched the Crown Prince's arm, lost strength. Still, he did not stop.

"I can’t bother a dead person! Do you think I'll kill him nicely because of that senile old man who can't guard his lower body…? To say that in the end, the throne is occupied by the strong one? Ha, bullshit. Royal blood is special from birth. The special is only in the Royal Family!”

“…Kkurkk…”

As Rosalyn's arm eventually dropped, the Crown Prince’s excited shout also stopped. When he released the power from his hand, Rosalyn’s body slumped to the floor.

“F*cking bitch. I indulged her and she climbed up without end.”

Saying so, he kicked the corpse of his long-faithful dog and turned around. With her limbs stretched out and her eyes wide open, Rosalyn’s body no longer functioned as a creature.

“Annoying.”

It was his only impression.

The Crown Prince, who was about to head to the party, turned to the person he had forgotten about in the excitement.

“Oh, there you are.”