The third interview concludes, with surprising results, and Tara goes to confront the Prince.
This chapter is dedicated to Shelby Eggy, thank you so much for your generous ongoing support!
Disclaimer:
DO NOT publish our edits anywhere else. Especially on social media. Otherwise we may have to stop doing this. Thank you.
Episode 47. 80kg (12)
“....?”
"Who?"
"Oh, my God. It's Lady Tara."
Kyle nodded subtly, after seeing her determined expression.
‘Did I imagine that? I thought I saw a satisfied smile on his face? I must be mistaken. There's no way he smiled at me.’
Anyway, based on the information I had read earlier, there was almost a 90% chance of the thing I had predicted happening. But what if it was a smaller chance than that? I honestly considered it for a moment.
I didn't know if Prince Kyle would use my findings to alter his proposal, but I did know this much, he had already known about this outcome and prepared for it long before today.
"What do you mean 'repercussions'? Lady Tara?" asked Prince Joseph, who had remained silent until now.
"The repercussions will be large enough that the Council will have no choice but to pass the motion."
"What do you mean, Lady Tara? Do you know what you're implying?"
"Yes, I know exactly what I'm implying. This prediction should be treated with caution, but over the past year I've been seeing signs of it in both Imperial and foreign newspapers."
"Signs? Signs of what?" an interviewee next to me interjected, unable to contain his curiosity.
"A war."
"....!"
For a moment, the room was filled with deafening silence, as if everyone had been doused with ice water. Then, the dam broke and a flood of voices spilled out.
People were saying things like, "Why in the world would she think that?",
"She's insane!", "She must be out of her mind," but I simply waited for the room to go quiet again.
But, sure enough, the Second Prince gave me a chance.
"Do you have any evidence?"
Seriously? He had afflicted me with this and now he was offering me a cure?*
Nodding, I motioned to the administrator who had been quietly conducting the interview.
"Please go get the newspapers I tell you about."
***
Kyle remained calm and unflustered in front of the interviewers and the large crowd of interviewees, but, inwardly, he marvelled at Tara's ability to prove her hypothesis.
He’d never expected her to find external information and materials to illustrate her point.
Instead of finishing her explanation with words, she brought multiple newspapers and used them as a source to explain her theory. The newspapers were objective evidence she could use to back up her words, and it was the easiest way to prove her hypothesis.
She was unflinching in her judgement and execution. However, what was profitable when her judgement was correct, could be poison when her judgement was wrong.
***
People were being increasingly drawn into Tara's theory. The information she had gleaned from the newspapers was not 100% certain, but it was too plausible to deny.
Jason had left the council chamber during the part where Tara held up the newspapers, one by one, and introduced each article as a portent of oncoming war.
Chloe watched the whole thing calmly, while Aria looked a little surprised, but remained intent on watching Prince Kyle.
Logan, too, watched closely as Tara explained the indicators of a potential war, but he also scrutinized the way the Second Prince treated her as an interviewer.
Hans Button leaned against a pillar, smiling at Tara as she attracted more attention than he had, and whispered something so quietly that only he could hear it.
‘She has an interesting brain, that fat girl.'
***
Joseph flipped through the interviewee applications which had been assessed by the interviewers.
Kyle and Franz had already left the Grand Council Chamber, and Joseph was sifting through those who caught his eye. But then.
"There’s been an order from the Empress."
A man quickly approached and showed him a note out of plain sight. A first-rank aide of the Imperial Court and the Empress's closest personal assistant.
[Only show sincerity.]
"Just like that?"
"Yes. Count Lloyd Elias visited this morning. She ordered this done after the meeting."
"Hmm... I see."
After the aide left, Joseph pondered for a moment, then quickly pulled two of the applications out of his hand.
***
The hallways of the Great Council Chamber.
Everyone who had completed their interviews stood in front of a board, waiting for the announcement of their assignments.
I, too, stood there, feeling like my soul had exited my body. All I wanted was to go home and get some rest. I no longer wanted to feel the weight of people’s stares on me.
"I... Lady Tara. I enjoyed watching you today."
"....!"
I looked up, surprised to see a cute young lady, blonde with freckles, shuffling over to stand next to me.
"I'm Olive Benson. I thought you were amazing today. See you later."
"Oh... Yes."
The back of her neck was dyed bright red as she scurried back into the crowd, leaving me to wonder why she was so embarrassed.
Did she make some kind of bet that required her to talk to me?
Just as I was contemplating it, the test results were posted, and it was then that I received the deepest sting of the day.
[Tara Elias
Assignment: Military Administration
Assignment Location: Durban Tripoint. Non-commissioned officer.
Rank: Secretary Third Rank, Military Administrative Service.]
Ahhhh! The Second Prince must be crazy! The Military? He assigned me to a three-nation conflict zone?
***
I had no choice. There was no way he'd ever listen to me, but I had to try.
When I woke up and found myself in this novel, my family was doomed, I weighed 102kg, and I was a complete shut-in. In order to survive I had taken the Administrator's Exam and passed. My goal had been to work under the Second Prince, however, he had transferred me to a position 300km away from the Capital in Durban Tripoint.
I was so close to my goal, but in the worst possible condition to achieve it. I had to somehow meet him and persuade him.
"My name is Lady Tara of House Elias. I wish to see His Highness."
"You're not on the list. Do you have an appointment?"
"No. I'd like to request one now."
"Hmm. Please wait. I'll pass it along."
The knight, wearing armor emblazoned with a phoenix crest, called the soldier at the sentry post to deliver the message. He quickly ran into the Palace.
I leaned against the sentry post on the Palace ramparts, wishing the Palace doors would open quickly, but honestly, there was a high probability he wouldn't meet with me at all, so I didn't resent the passage of time that much.
***
The 2nd Prince's Palace.
Walter waited until his Lord came out of his bedroom.
In the evenings after work his Master spent most of his time in his study or office, but he often took long baths.
And today was one of those days.
Another half hour or so passed before hisLord finally appeared in the hall.
His hair was still damp, and he was clutching a thick stack of papers in his hands.
‘Hmm. So much for personal time away from work.’
Walter knew from experience that his Master hated being interrupted when he was working, so he decided to keep waiting.
After another 30 minutes, his Master, who was flipping through some papers, casually turned to Walter and asked.
"Walter. What's going on?"
"Your Royal Highness, Tara Elias wishes to see you."
"How long?"
"What?"
"How long has she been waiting?"
"About an hour, Sir."
"Tell them to let her in. Bring her to the drawing room."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
‘.... That easily?'
Walter shook his head as he stepped outside.
This was the man who wouldn't meet with a high-ranking palace official without a prior appointment. This was also the man who made excuses whenever the Emperor called.
‘He did seem interested in her.'
Even so, it was surprising that he had granted the unexpected request of a mere noblewoman so quickly.
‘He must have his reasons.'
With that thought, Walter called to the sentry at the front of the Palace steps and gave him instructions.
The soldier ran off to the Palace entrance, followed shortly by Tara Elias, who walked towards the Palace alone.
‘Why doesn't she have any maids? Ah! She just attended the administrative interview.'
Walter swallowed hard as he watched her approach.
A stubborn, determined expression. She wasn't walking unusually fast or slow, but there was something off about her gait.
‘What? What's this atmosphere?'
Walter remembered the last time he'd seen her briefly at House Elias and gave her a quick bow. She responded with a short nod, her face rigid.
"I'll take you to the drawing room."
"Thank you."
Walter was used to visitors to the Imperial Palace, so he found Tara Elias's demeanor somewhat disconcerting.
Then a hostile energy surged through him.
‘How dare she show up at the Prince's Palace without an appointment.'
Walter scoffed to himself as he escorted Lady Tara through the gates, he slowed his walking to a more restrained pace, one befitting the majesty of the Order of the Phoenix and the Second Prince's Palace.
***
I was secretly astonished. I hadn't expected to gain entry to the Second Prince's Palace so easily.
I’d been prepared to wait for at least three hours. He wasn't the kind of Royal who would easily agree to entertain a noble, even if they requested an audience in advance.
Still, I was confident that since I’d made it inside today I would be able to meet with him.
The Prince's Palace was located to the left of the Central Palace. After passing the guardhouse and entering the Palace gates, I found myself in a spacious and beautifully landscaped garden.
After passing through the well-maintained gardens, I came across the three-story Palace that accommodated the Second Prince.
The hall was simple. There was none of the typical furniture, no picture frames on the walls, and no statues or vases. A few tables and chairs were all that was needed. There were no curtains and no insignia symbolizing the family honour.
It certainly provided insight into his character...
After opening the drawing room door, Walter turned around. I took a deep breath, stepped into the room, and closed the door behind me.
And there, as expected, was the Second Prince, Kyle Amure, sitting on a simple black leather sofa, poring over some papers.
Whoa. I needed to calm down. Calm...
At the sound of the door closing, he looked up from his papers and stared impassively. His eyes, still unreadable, were as cold as always.
"What is it?"
"You know."
I took a step toward the couch where he was sitting and he set his papers aside.
"No way. You didn't come here for 206 gold, did you?"
To anyone else, his expression would have been unreadable. But now that I knew Kyle, I had a pretty good idea.
He was teasing me right now. A hint of mischief tugged at the corner of his mouth.
I struggled to contain the urge to explode on him and proceeded to speak in the calmest tone I could muster.
Because, if I couldn't convince him today, I'd probably never get another chance to discuss this.
"E-Earlier."
Ugh. Not again.
I took another step forward, my hands clasped tightly together. That was how impatient I felt.
"Sit down, Lady. Bring some herbal tea, then step out for a moment."
“...?”
I stared in bewilderment. I knew that the first sentence was clearly addressed to me, but the second was completely incomprehensible.
"Yes, Your Highness."
A voice came out of nowhere.
Ah!
I involuntarily crossed my arms over my chest and took a step back, flinching.
Holy crap!
I thought my eyes were going to pop out of my head.
___
Editor’s Notes -
* 병 주고 약 준다 - to give someone a disease and then also give them medicine. Or to create a problem first then help them with the same thing.
Enjoyed the chapter? Buy us a ko-fi!