The Young Male Protagonist Who is Destined for Ruin Fell for Me - Chapter 22

Crown Prince Verdrelevan de Hail, or simply Verd.

Most people knew him as a minor villain in The Downfall of the Tycoon and After.

Verd was a reckless prince known for his childish antics and extravagant spending, viewing Kyle not as a friend but as a source of money. It was understandable that his pride was hurt, having to rely on the Duke’s wealth.

However, Verd went too far when he sent a separate invitation solely to Kyle, mocking and belittling him.

That incident led Kyle to realize that people only valued him for his fortune, prompting him to declare war.

…And I was the one who kicked this character right between the legs. Great. He might be ridiculous, but he was still the Crown Prince. I hadn’t just triggered a disaster flag—I had set an execution flag.

But to be fair, Verd wasn’t blameless. Regardless of how playful he was, why would a Crown Prince dress as a woman? And he was on probation for his pranks! Why did he have to breathe so heavily and scare people?

As I struggled to find the right words in my bewilderment, royal knights came charging in.

“Your Highness!”

“Are you alright?!”

“Did someone attack you?!”

Seeing their prince trembling and holding himself in pain, the knights were shocked but quickly focused on identifying the culprit.

It didn’t take even a minute.

“That woman… she… k-kicked me between the legs… ugh… and I haven’t even had the chance to…!”

Lying on the ground, Verd pointed at me. The knights’ gazes immediately turned threatening as they faced me.

But none dared raise their voices. Kyle was standing protectively by my side, holding my hand.

‘…Thank goodness. I’m safe. Life really is about power, wealth, and connections.’

Kyle’s intense gaze swept over the knights, as if committing their faces to memory. His expression alone was enough to make them step back.

“This incident involves my fiancée, so Chaield will take joint responsibility.”

With that, Kyle gripped my left hand firmly, where a ring had mysteriously appeared on my finger.

And, as expected, I could hear the inner thoughts of my younger, fated fiancé.

“Should I just destroy the royal family now and build a new empire? It might be overwhelming for her, though…”

Kyle paused, then continued his thoughts.

“But the book I read, How to Make Your Fiancée the Happiest Bride, said wedding gifts should be a little overwhelming.”

How wealthy does one have to be to have these kinds of thoughts? And why read such romantic books…?

I decided to redirect Kyle’s attention. The original war had started because the Crown Prince resented Kyle.

And now, with me, his fiancée, being the one who threw the crucial kick and Kyle defending me, how infuriated would Verd be?

Ugh. If a war started because of this, I’d be overwhelmed with guilt.

“Kyle, maybe we should get a doctor for His Highness…”

“Ah.”

Kyle responded tersely and instructed Haild, who was nearby, to handle a few tasks before approaching Verd.

“Greetings to the Empire’s radiant sun.”

“You’ve been watching this whole time. Why greet me only now?”

“The urgency of the situation made me forget.”

Kyle’s subtle smile was a jab at the prince before he continued.

“For now, please go to the Chaield hospital for treatment. Don’t worry about the costs or compensation.”

“Are you seriously saying that…”

“Well, why were you following someone’s fiancée? And in disguise, no less.”

Yes! Keep going! Push him further!

“You know I pull pranks like this all the time, right? Anyway, I won’t let her get away with trying to kill me. This is a matter of royal honor… Ugh.”

Verd winced and doubled over again, just as Haild arrived with Claire.

“…Lady Claire?”

Seeing her, the Crown Prince tried to compose himself and look serious, but it didn’t do much to enhance his image.

“……”

With sharp insight, Claire quickly grasped the situation, exchanged a look with Kyle, and knelt beside the prince.

“Your Highness, the guiding light of the Empire, are you alright?”

Claire brushed her long hair back with a concerned expression.

“Ahem… Yes, sister. It’s nothing serious.”

Anyone who saw Claire up close would probably react just like the Crown Prince.

“It’s a relief that it’s nothing serious. This is Lady Amelia Diane, daughter of Count Diane, former Commander of the Gun Corps. She will soon join the Chaield family.”

Claire’s voice was warm as she introduced me, then she put on a sympathetic expression as if lamenting the situation.

“I’m not sure how our dear Amelia ended up harming a member of the royal family, but according to protocol, she should be detained in the eastern tower for investigation.”

The eastern tower—a place for those accused of crimes against the royal family. The minimum punishment was imprisonment, and the maximum was execution. Not just any execution, but a public one or dismemberment. If the Crown Prince had indeed been rendered… incapacitated, execution would be inevitable.

But Verd waved his hand, surprisingly, and said,

“While an incident did occur, I share some of the blame. Detaining her in the eastern tower seems excessive.”

“Oh my… Is that truly how you feel?”

Claire was indeed a true Chaield. Without directly suggesting I be moved to a different holding cell, she managed to achieve her goal. With a charming smile, she exchanged a glance with Kyle and spoke again.

“Your Highness, it would be best for you to seek treatment.”

“But I can’t… move… ugh!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll accompany you.”

For a moment, Claire seemed like a grim reaper. She touched her left earring, and with a small gesture, she teleported herself and a few knights away.

‘Oh right, her left earring has an Arete crystal.’

Claire’s desire was freedom, and her Arete power was ‘teleportation.’

Once the Crown Prince disappeared, the knights left near Kyle and me spoke gently.

“Lady Diane, we must escort you to the holding room. Crimes involving the royal family are subject to detention during investigation.”

“D-detention…?”

“Yes. The standard procedure requires maintaining detention until the investigation is completed and charges are clarified.”

“How long will the investigation take?”

“It depends on His Highness’s condition. If your actions have significant consequences for the royal lineage, the charges will be severe, and the detention prolonged.”

This was bad. I should have slapped him instead. Why did I kick him there?

“Kyle, I… I’ll be back.”

To the cell. I sighed and tried to smile as Kyle held my hand tightly and smiled.

“Don’t worry, sister. This will be resolved soon.”

“Because I’ll make it happen.”

Hearing Kyle’s inner thoughts felt reassuring for once.

The Emperor’s chamber in the imperial palace.

The Emperor of the Hail Empire looked around his chamber with a satisfied smile.

Women with neatly flowing hair surrounded him, playfully vying for his attention, a sight that pleased him.

“Ahem… Well then…!”

Just as the Emperor took a step, a frantic voice called out.

“Your Majesty! Are you inside?”

It was Count Gargoyle, the Emperor’s secretary, sounding unusually urgent.

“What is it? At this hour? Hasn’t the banquet concluded?”

“Your Majesty… someone has requested an audience.”

“No. Send them away. I’m busy.”

The Emperor’s firm stance wavered at Count Gargoyle’s next words.

“It is the Duke of Chaield requesting an audience.”

“…!”

The Emperor’s indulgent thoughts were abruptly interrupted, replaced with urgency.

He quickly dismissed the women and changed into his formal attire, acting as if he were preparing to meet a sovereign unexpectedly visiting his home.

Naturally, he did this without hesitation, as if it were only right.

Despite the sudden visit, Kyle only had to wait five minutes before meeting the Emperor, who had hurriedly prepared.

“I apologize for the late visit. I greet the sun of the Empire.”

Kyle bowed respectfully.

“Haha… It feels strange to receive such a greeting from someone known as the sun of the continent, no, the world.”

The Emperor accepted the greeting warmly, though his mind was preoccupied.

As he changed, Count Gargoyle had informed him that Kyle’s cherished woman had kicked the Crown Prince’s… well, lineage.

For a moment, the idea that his son might be rendered incapable of producing heirs sent a chill down his spine, but just as he changed his shoes, he received word that the doctors had found no permanent damage.

‘Of course. He was taken straight to the Chaield hospital.’

A place known for bringing even the nearly dead back to life.

The Emperor feared the poised young duke before him more than the idea of the Crown Prince losing his ability and the royal line ending.

There’s a saying that “those who walk with ink will get stained.” Anyone immersed in the murky waters of politics and economics will inevitably become tainted. It was only natural.

Kylean Chaield, despite his youth, was a high-ranking noble who flawlessly managed his duchy and sat at the center of the global economy.

The true master of the political and economic mire was not the Emperor, but the young man standing before him.

And yet, Kyle remained pristine and untainted. The reason was simple.

‘Because this young man is the strongest.’

No one dared sully him. He was superior, clever, and decisive. This was why everyone feared and revered him.

The Emperor, who had watched his nephew for a long time, knew this well. Perhaps that was why he feared Kyle even more.

He was the youngest son in the fiercely competitive Chaield family, who had managed to overcome the odds and claim the title of Duke.

“So, Duke Chaield, what brings you to me at this hour?”

“I apologize for the late hour, Your Majesty, but I have come to make a request that requires your indulgence.”

“I heard about the incident involving your fiancée and the Crown Prince. Don’t worry. I’ll see to it that it is forgotten.”

The Emperor tried to sound reassuring, but Kyle gently corrected him.

“She is not just someone I cherish; she is my fiancée. And letting it go without due process would be against protocol.”

“…What are you saying?”

The Emperor was puzzled. Why bring up protocol when he was offering leniency?

“You’re not suggesting that we lock her in the eastern tower, are you, Duke? What do you want?”

While the Emperor’s expression was confused, Kyle maintained his composure and spoke.

“If protocol is ignored, she will face disgrace. So, I want to change the protocol.”

“…”

“Your Majesty, I ask you to submit a proposal to the council to amend the royal privileges. Immediately.”

Amelia’s arrest without the possibility of bail was due to the strict application of royal privileges when a crime involved the imperial family.

But Kyle had no intention of letting her stay in a grim cell. Hence, he demanded a legal amendment.

A proposal from the Emperor could be put to a vote even at night, and while there might be complaints about disrupted sleep, it could be done.

Moreover, showing he was willing to go this far for Amelia would ensure that no one dared to belittle her or the Diane name again.

This was Kyle’s true objective.

…And, of course, part of him wanted to show his sister that there were ways to use his influence for her sake.

The Emperor shook his head slowly.

“That cannot be done. If we relinquish royal privileges for one person, what will become of the royal family?”

“Royal privileges, you say.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow and seemed to ponder, making the Emperor feel a chill.

“If I propose it, the Emperor’s faction may support it. But what about the noble faction that holds the majority in the council?”

“Don’t worry about that. All I ask is that Your Majesty submits the proposal.”

“…”

The Emperor fell silent. Indeed, the council was divided between the Emperor’s faction and the noble faction, but only by a small margin.

The Emperor’s faction consisted of those who served under Kylean Chaield.

The noble faction was also led by figures aligned with Kylean Chaield.

In other words, both sides belonged to Kyle.

Most influential figures in the empire were merely pieces on Kyle’s chessboard. With his control of the council, Kyle could legally dethrone the Emperor and establish a new dynasty if he wished.

He could even claim the throne himself, given that he possessed the empire’s most prized lands.

But the Emperor knew why Kyle didn’t do this.

There was only one reason Kylean Chaield didn’t claim the throne.

‘Because of the matter of heirs.’

The Duke had no desire for children. The Emperor knew this fear stemmed from not wanting to push offspring into ruin like his father had.

But now, with Kyle softly saying,

“Your Majesty, wouldn’t a child resembling my fiancée, Amelia Diane, be delightful?”

The Emperor had no choice.

“…I will propose it at once. You handle summoning the council members.”