Chapter 50 - 49: Second Prince of the Empire

Chapter 50: Chapter 49: Second Prince of the Empire

"Could he be... feeling shy?" she wondered.

Lilia’s curiosity was piqued. Instead of changing the subject as he had clearly hoped, she pressed further. "Is this kind of fabric commonly seen in bars?"

"Yes."

"What kind of people usually wear it?"

"Bar dancers... or special entertainers." Lucian chose his words carefully.

Lilia nodded thoughtfully. "So basically, no nobles would buy this?"

"..."

Seeing that Lucian wasn’t speaking, Lilia pressed on. "Am I wrong?"

"...Well," Lucian said, "some nobles do buy it."

In fact, the fabric was so exorbitantly priced that hardly anyone besides nobles and wealthy merchants could afford it.

"Then..."

Lilia didn’t finish her sentence, but he understood what she meant. After a brief silence, he explained tactfully, "The ladies wouldn’t wear it, but the men might gift it to others..."

Oh. She understood now.

Nobles often had money and power; it was all too common for them to keep a few mistresses on the side. Come to think of it, Lilia had lived with the Beaumont family for so long, yet she had never once heard of Count Beaumont having a mistress. Perhaps because she had such a positive example right beside her, she hadn’t immediately thought in that direction.

Lilia thought for a moment and leaned a little closer to him. "So... have you ever bought it to give to someone else?"

Lucian looked at her helplessly. By now, he would have to be incredibly dense not to realize she was deliberately teasing him.

"You know the answer."

"No, I don’t." Lilia smiled. "We’ve only known each other for a week. Don’t speak as if I know you that well."

"...Alright," Lucian surrendered. "I’ve never bought it."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Hmph, I’ll believe you for now."

Lucian smiled and took her hand. He knew she was teasing, of course, but seeing that expression on her face always managed to brighten his mood.

"Let’s go," Lucian said. "We can take a look over there."

Some time later.

The mall was massive, filled with a dizzying array of merchandise. Every store displayed different items with almost no overlap. It took them an entire day of browsing just to barely cover it all.

At noon, Lucian took Lilia to try a flavorful grilled fish dish, supposedly a local specialty of Ovis. The skin was crispy, the meat tender, and combined with spices Lilia couldn’t name, it actually tasted reminiscent of Sichuan cuisine, filling her with a sense of nostalgia.

It was worth noting that before lunch, Lucian had actually provided several dining options. Lilia was the one who made the final call to try out this grilled fish restaurant. Lucian had been somewhat surprised by her choice, as Lien people generally disliked spicy food. It was even difficult to find chili powder as a seasoning in the local markets.

When the grilled fish was served, he had specifically given the staff a few instructions and quietly prepared clean water for rinsing and milk to soothe the spice. To his surprise, not only did Lilia handle the heat perfectly well, she actually seemed to enjoy it quite a bit.

"Maybe it’s because I’m not a native Taronian," Lilia said, speaking the absolute truth. "You don’t seem to mind it either."

"I have a diverse palate. I can eat anything."

"Because you grew up as a poor kid?"

Lucian couldn’t help but laugh. "Sure... let’s just go with that."

By the time they finished shopping, it was nearing dusk.

Lady Beaumont had repeatedly reminded her to return early, and Lilia naturally intended to follow her orders. She had thoroughly enjoyed their outing today. Although her feet grew tired toward the end—forcing her to sit and rest after every store—Lucian proved to be the most competent shopping companion one could ask for. He didn’t show the slightest hint of impatience and could even offer rich, insightful commentary on the most limited of subjects.

It felt as if there was nothing in this world he didn’t know.

As the two held hands and prepared to leave, they passed by the first-floor shop selling stockings where they had lingered earlier. Lilia noticed Lucian’s footsteps falter for a moment.

"What’s wrong?" she asked.

"...I saw a familiar face."

Lilia followed his gaze and spotted a young man standing inside the shop. He was wearing an expensive-looking custom suit, his short hair combed meticulously into place. A smile hung on his passably handsome face, the curve of his lips so perfectly standard it looked as if it had been measured with a protractor.

"...Theodore Augustus?" Lilia murmured his name.

"It should be His Highness Theodore." Lucian gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Do you know him?"

"I’ve met him." Lilia nodded.

The Beaumont couple had once brought her to a banquet hosted by the Royal Family. It was there that she first met this Second Prince of the Lien Kingdom.

The Eldest Prince and Second Prince of the Lien Kingdom were close in age, and since the King had yet to name a Crown Prince, the two were locked in a fierce, open rivalry.

The Beaumont family was a leading figure among the old nobles; naturally, anyone would want to win over such a powerful clan. At that banquet, Theodore Augustus had actively sought Lilia out. He heavily implied that although he couldn’t marry her as his Princess Consort, he could make her his mistress and guarantee her a lifetime of glory and favor—as long as she could persuade the Beaumont family behind her to support his claim to the throne.

The final outcome was obvious. After smiling and exchanging a few polite, noncommittal words with him, Lilia was rescued by Caius, who had happened to find them.

Rumor had it that Theodore made a fool of himself later that very night. While secretly rendezvousing with someone in the gardens, he accidentally tripped and nearly fell into the lake. The Beaumont family maids were all giggling when they mentioned it to Lilia. After all, everyone in the Lien Kingdom knew that the Second Prince’s private life had a terrible reputation. Though no one dared to discuss it openly, they never tired of spreading the gossip in private.

So, seeing him appear here came as no surprise to Lilia. She tugged at Lucian’s hand. "Let’s go."

Outside the mall.

The carriage parking area was quite a distance away. Considering Lilia had been walking all day, Lucian told her to wait there while he went to fetch the driver and bring the carriage around. Lilia nodded and waited obediently at the entrance.

The glow of the setting sun spilled across the plaza, casting a hazy, dreamlike filter over everything in sight, much like a vintage poster. As Lilia admired the bustling streetscape, a jarring noise suddenly broke out nearby.

"I’m sorry, I don’t know you..."

It was a young girl’s voice, timid and trembling with fear.

Lilia turned her head to look. Not far away, a tall, middle-aged man in a trench coat was grabbing hold of a teenage girl. The girl appeared to be a clerk from one of the mall’s shops, still dressed in her long uniform skirt. She looked terrified and was trying to push him away, but due to the sheer disparity in their strength, she struggled to break free.

Although many pedestrians were passing by, almost no one wanted to meddle in other people’s business. Most of the people frequenting this mall were either wealthy or noble. Coupled with the man’s obviously foreign appearance, no one was willing to get entangled in such a troublesome affair.

"N-No! Please—"

Finding a sudden burst of strength, the girl shoved hard, forcing the middle-aged man to stumble back a step.

Instead of backing down, the man seemed only more excited. He flashed a wicked grin and was about to advance again when he acutely sensed someone watching him. He snapped his head up, fully prepared to hurl an insult, only to catch sight of a slender, upright silhouette standing not far away.