Pilgrimage [Western Fantasy] - Chapter 19

This thought didn’t just appear out of nowhere. In truth, Wimborne had often wrestled with such doubts ever since the Crown Prince began acting in baffling ways over Hibel.

It wasn’t that the Crown Prince was blinded by love to the point of foolishness, but rather that his decisions were increasingly driven by personal preferences rather than fair judgment. Wimborne found it difficult to accept how the prince was letting private feelings override just laws.

Wimborne was a man of conviction. Born into nobility, he had severed ties with his family because he empathized deeply with the struggles of servants and peasants on their estate. He sacrificed his lineage, honor, and wealth to pursue his own ideals and seek revenge, journeying alone to the imperial capital. Thanks to a distant bl00d connection with the royal family and his own talents, the Emperor had taken notice and favored him. Eventually, Wimborne became an aide to the Crown Prince, with the Emperor intending him to one day serve as prime minister.

The Crown Prince assumed Wimborne’s loyalty was to him personally, but Wimborne’s true allegiance was always to his principles.

— When the Crown Prince eventually strays from the path of a righteous ruler, Wimborne will be pained by the betrayal of their friendship, yet he will not hesitate to walk away.

He hadn’t yet contemplated losing the Crown Prince entirely, but if the prince’s arrogance and disregard for the empire continued, that day wouldn’t be far off.

Wimborne was a true idealist.

This is why he respected Estelle, who fearlessly stood up for the oppressed women at the bottom of society.

After seeing off Marquis Luke and the sheriff’s men, Wimborne remained behind, facing Estelle with resolve.

“Miss Adelaide, I’ll make sure those girls are properly cared for. You won’t have to worry about Baron Pitt’s men taking them.”

She glanced at the composed and refined young man. “And what if they try anyway?”

Wimborne smiled slightly. “A new gem mine was just discovered beneath the Gariston Mountains. They’re short on labor.”

“Oh,” she responded, “then I won’t keep you.”

With that, she shut the black iron door.

Meanwhile, the Emperor’s closest attendants, including Luke, arrived at the Crown Prince’s palace after news spread that the nobles who had sought an audience with the Crown Prince vanished without a word.

“Your Majesty, what does this mean?” someone asked.

The old Duke, wrinkled and stern, glanced at his tearful daughter. “Why are you crying? I warned you from the start! This is the imperial capital, not some petty principality. It doesn’t matter if the title is stripped; that fool Pitt has caused enough trouble already.”

“Father!” the lady sobbed, eyes swollen from crying. “How can a title be inherited by someone without heirs?”

The old Duke frowned. “Then you find another heir. This pawn is useless. Must you continue playing with it?”

“Father, you know Sinkram hasn’t shared a bed with me since Pete was born!”

Feeling sympathy for his daughter, the Duke closed his book. “I’ll speak with Sinkram.”

Estelle ignored the political turmoil of the capital. She opened the many gift boxes sent by the Emperor, tossed aside the fine jewelry without interest, but carefully examined the thick astrology tomes in the last box.

“Get out!” she ordered.

At the Crown Prince’s palace, Wimborne Primo heard shouts of anger and the sobbing maids around him. One maid comforted another with flushed cheeks.

Taking a deep breath, Primo stepped forward. “Don’t send anyone to serve His Highness yet. Everyone should withdraw.”

“Lord Primo!” the chief maid protested, then hesitated and placed a tray of tea and snacks into his hands.

He opened the study door to find the Crown Prince’s face, once radiant and proud, now shadowed like a moon slowly swallowed by darkness.

“Father, what is this about?” the Crown Prince asked, clearly frustrated that Primo had consented to send Luke. “Did he consider me at all?”

Primo nearly laughed inwardly. Whether by justice or personal interest, the Emperor’s decision was sound. Nobles had ignored His Majesty and defied the Crown Prince’s authority—no surprise that the Emperor acted decisively.

He sensed the old lion awakening.

“Your Highness,” Wimborne said gently, “Though old, His Majesty remains wise and beloved.”

“You made a decision without my approval,” the Crown Prince grumbled.

“Miss Adelaide may seem unsuitable, but she abides by imperial law. The nobles’ anger stems only from bruised pride. Yet their honor can never supersede the law.”

“Imperial law is the foundation of the empire. If nobles ignore it in small matters, it signals defiance towards the Emperor himself.”

“Several dukes enforce private laws in their territories and have been harshly punished. Your Majesty mentioned this months ago.”

“The Emperor despises those arrogant families who act like tyrants in the capital. By defying His Majesty, they brought this on themselves.”

“As Crown Prince, you’re busy. You can avoid social events and focus on your duties until your birthday. If you’re embarrassed, simply admit fault and avoid seeing them again. Your birthday is near—you are still the Emperor and Queen’s only son. You can turn big troubles into small ones and small ones into nothing.”

The maid at the door heard the crash of breaking porcelain inside. Turning away, she saw Primo emerge with a gentle smile despite tea stains on his chest.

“Go change your clothes,” she said.

The young man nodded, polite as ever. “Thank you, Nancy.”

【Want to know what happened between Primo and the Crown Prince?】

Estelle was somewhat indifferent but curious enough to listen.

【The Crown Prince hit Primo.】

“How?”

【Smashed a teacup over him and made him fall.】

【Surprised?】

“Not really.”

Estelle toyed with her puzzle. “People like him, full of arrogance and blind to others’ suffering, never look inward.”

His Royal Highness, the empire’s noble Crown Prince, was probably cursing the Emperor’s harshness for ignoring his face.

【Primo went to change clothes. Want to see?】

?

Estelle frowned. “What image do you have of me? Some crazy girl interested in men’s nudity?”

The voice sounded embarrassed.

【Sorry, just trying to find something that interests you.】

She lowered her head and focused on the puzzle. “Wait a little longer. There won’t be much action now.” She muttered, “Aristocrats are hopeless—inefficient, obsessed with meaningless pride.”

After changing, Primo showered and sat on the sofa with hair falling over his face, expression unreadable.

He couldn’t grasp why the Crown Prince hated Adelaide so deeply. Though she looked remarkably like the Imperial Rose and was different from Estelle, the Prince treated her like a demon. No matter his dislike for Estelle, had he truly lost all reason?

Primo thought again of Adelaide’s face. Strange he hadn’t seen it before. He acknowledged Estelle’s extraordinary beauty but never felt dazzled or enchanted by her. Yet, seeing Adelaide open the iron door earlier, his heart raced uncontrollably.

He sighed, wiping his hair dry.

“You should visit Miss Adelaide again soon. What gift should you bring?”

The next day, Estelle waited but no carriage arrived. Instead, the sheriff’s captain came, explaining she didn’t need to visit the sheriff’s office due to an emergency.

Too lazy to argue, she nodded. “Should I come later?”

“No need.”

She thanked him, closed the iron door, and listened to his retreating footsteps. Leaning down, she played with tulips, murmuring, “The Emperor’s way really is the most effective.”

She waited, noticing the strange voice had become quieter, as if restrained.

The girl amid the flowers clapped. “Then let’s sneak into the palace today.”

Her words weren’t about an open visit, but using invisibility magic to explore the palace. Ever practical, Estelle tied back her hair and prepared to leave.

— Just then, the doorbell rang.

The figure that had almost vanished from sight stopped. Estelle, puzzled, wondered, “Who could be visiting at this hour?”