Chapter 64

"I think I really wanted to take only Lady Otilie."

"So, the target was indeed the Princess Einhorn."

"When was it...? My brother started asking me a lot about Lady Otilie."

"Brother... Ah, that's right. The person who monopolized the Princess Einhorn's side during the Hase family's tea party. So, it was indeed the elder son of the Hase family."

"Angust is fine. He's not my real brother, but my mother's younger brother."

"Uncle, then?"

"Yes, no, yes. My mother's family is led by my uncle, who is the immediate younger brother of my mother and has inherited the earldom. My brother is still a student, so he lives with my maternal grandparents in the townhouse."

"If it's hard to talk, you can change your tone."

"That person, Angust's brother, was actually his uncle. I thought they were brothers because they were close in age."

"Eventually, he started asking me to invite Lady Otilie to the tea parties at my house, and he started picking her up even when I hadn't invited her. He started talking to Lady Otilie in a familiar way, which seemed a bit strange."

"Not just a bit, but quite strange. Oh, that person, even if it's not the case..."

"Lady Otilie is kind to everyone and doesn't show favoritism, but she and Valm are quite close. When my brother saw this, he asked who that boy was with a scary face."

"That was before I started attending tea parties, right?"

"Yes, that's right. It was before Prince Albert attended the tea parties. I thought this was getting dangerous, so I made sure Valm didn't get close to Lady Otilie. I thought if Valm stayed by my side, my brother wouldn't harm him..."

"Ah, so that's why he was treated like a servant?"

"Baron Loeprechth's family is a foster family of the Einhorn ducal family, so I thought Lady Otilie might have been close to them, but it didn't work out?"

"Yes, my brother knew that Valm was from a family connected to the ducal family. Even so, he seemed like he was going to do something to Valm. Not just to Valm, but he also seemed angry at the female friends who were close to Lady Otilie."

"Wow, he was jealous of anyone who got close to the Princess Einhorn."

"So, with the help of my friends, I thought if we stayed close to Lady Otilie, Valm and the girls wouldn't be harmed. I was glared at, but I stayed away when my brother came."

"Serious. Really. He was completely charmed by the Princess Einhorn."

"Eventually, Lady Otilie only attended tea parties of families connected to the ducal family, and her own tea parties were only for girls. I thought it was safe. My brother was in a bad mood, but there was nothing I could do. Even when we sent invitations from my house, we got replies saying they were absent."

"You're right."

"But, Lady Otilie started attending tea parties where Prince Albert was present."

"Hey, was Angust trying to one-up me at the tea party because of this?"

"One-up?"

"'I'm better than the prince' kind of attitude."

"Sorry! I knew my attitude was bad. I thought it was disrespectful. But, I didn't think my brother would do anything to the prince, but he seemed unpredictable. He was getting more and more strange when it came to Lady Otilie. Besides, Lady Otilie seemed to avoid Prince Albert, but that changed, right? Given her family's status as a ducal family, it's not strange that she was chosen as Prince Albert's fiancée. I think my brother understood that too."

"The rumors were calming down as we planned."

"Then, Prince Albert stopped attending tea parties, right? Without Prince Albert, Lady Otilie returned to attending only girls' tea parties and events connected to the ducal family, which made my brother even more upset. So, he asked me to invite Prince Albert to outings and tea parties..."

"That annoying invitation had a hidden agenda. I did think I was being used as bait to catch the Princess Einhorn."

"Didn't Angust's parents say anything?"

"My brother is trusted by my mother and others, so when he suggested inviting someone, they agreed."

"Getting close to the royal and ducal families and gaining their favor is a common goal for nobles."

"Since Lady Otilie stopped going out, I thought my brother would calm down. But he didn't. He remembered that Valm's family was connected to the ducal family and started asking Valm about Lady Otilie. Valm knew it was wrong and initially refused. I also tried to stop him, saying we would get in trouble with our parents, but my brother wouldn't listen and... threatened Valm."

"Threatened? Like, 'If you don't listen, I'll destroy your baron family'?"

When I said that, the young Angust nodded.

Angust's 'brother' is the earl's younger brother, not the earl himself. So, even though the Loeprechth baron family is a foster family of the ducal family and a part of the horse industry, it's impossible for him to destroy them, but he probably didn't realize that.

If someone older and seemingly knowledgeable said such a thing, it's understandable that Valm might have believed it.

So, the young Valm, fearing the destruction of his family, told Angust's 'brother' that the princess would visit the horse ranch.

If you found this interesting, please like, bookmark, and give a ★ rating. It would boost my motivation, so I'd appreciate it.