The baron’s daughter, distraught, screamed about breaking off the engagement. However, the arrangement with Solié was already finalized—there was no escaping it.
"Thanks to the prince’s arrangement, we’ve secured priority access to importing Solié’s fabrics. Now, I’ll be able to commission even more beautiful dresses for my wife," I said, laughing heartily as my still somewhat rounded belly jiggled.
Though my initial motivation for orchestrating this development was a simple desire to gift my wife the finest dresses, it had taken on additional layers.
The prince had once sought to collect evidence of my misdeeds to bring me down. While my past is far from spotless, I had cleaned up my affairs since marrying, striving not to disappoint my wife, who somehow viewed me through rose-colored lenses.
Even so, I couldn’t let a challenge go unanswered.
This “young pup” dared to bare his milk teeth at me, the Prime Minister. And if he wanted to play this game, I was more than happy to teach him a lesson.
Upon deeper investigation into the prince’s schemes, it became clear that the baron’s daughter had planted the seeds of his plan.
It appeared she feared that my wife, having gained even greater power through her marriage to me, might one day exact revenge upon them. Her solution? To destroy me and my influence entirely.
They even had a replacement in mind for the role of Prime Minister—a young marquis with whom the baron’s daughter had a rather intimate relationship.
The prince, blissfully unaware of her true intentions, had been diligently working to frame me while she pulled the strings. How laughable.
"How foolish for someone without even a shred of wisdom to attempt such a thing."
The royal family, after all, had been nothing more than puppets of my lineage for generations.
In this kingdom, royalty was not required to possess wisdom, valor, or compassion—they merely needed to exist, sitting on their thrones and smiling for the masses.
If they couldn’t manage even that, then they were free to leave this kingdom entirely.
"Ah, today is a joyous occasion indeed! Let us all celebrate the young couple's new beginning! Wahahaha!"
It was obvious to everyone that I had orchestrated the situation. Their strained expressions were priceless, but I made no effort to stifle my laughter.
"Oh my, my mischievous husband is ever so charming," my wife said, her radiant smile banishing all thoughts of the prince and the baron’s daughter from my mind.
I found myself longing to whisk her away, to peel off her Solié gown slowly and thoroughly in private.
"The years are catching up with me. It seems this grand celebration has worn me out. Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you farewell for the evening."
I made the announcement to the crowd before pulling my beloved wife closer to me.
"Celestine, shall we head home?"
"Yes, let’s," she replied softly.
The prince stood frozen in the center of the room, dazed and unresponsive.
The baron’s daughter, her hair disheveled, continued shrieking incoherently. The shocking announcement had thrown the entire gathering into chaos.
And yet, amidst the turmoil, my wife and I walked away together, elegant and unbothered, continuing our journey along the path of the “Way of Evil Flowers.”
For the rest of our lives, we remained inseparable, side by side, savoring our wickedly delightful partnership.
[The End]
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