The Male Lead Knelt Before Me

It was then I tried to speak, but the Crown Prince was faster.

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“But, for you, isn’t it still worth trying?”

“For me?”

“That’s right.
If you sing the song at the Emperor’s birthday banquet, a lot of nobles will listen.
Then, wouldn’t some of them pay attention and be interested in the play? I believe this is an excellent chance to promote the play to the nobles.”

“That sounds appealing, yet…… I don’t want to risk my life for it.”

When I imagined the furious Emperor ordering the knights to behead me, my head began to quiver on its own.

No matter how much I like play and theater, putting my life on the line is a no-no.
It’ll be over if I die.

“How come you risk your life?”

“Is there any possibility I won’t get beheaded for it?”

“Of course not.
Regardless of how much His Majesty the Emperor despises theater and theatrical songs, he is not someone who easily slashes Kitara’s throat.”

Enosh continued his words calmly.

“If His Majesty is someone like that, then he would not only forbid the play in the Imperial Palace but nationwide and slaughter all the actors as well.”

I-is that so?

“Well, even if what you say happens, I will take responsibility and save you.”

Why does that sound somewhat like ‘I will save you?

“Please make sure my body still attaches to each other perfectly.”

“Okay.
Then, are you going to do it?”

I was in agony.

As the Crown Prince said, this might be a good opportunity to introduce the play and theater.

The Emperor’s birthday banquet will be attended by a large number of nobles, and it’s possible that everyone who sees my performance will be interested in the play.

Not the one who uses sponsorship under the pretext to lure actors as in the situation presently.

However, the risk I had to deal with was also great.

Because, no matter how well the Crown Prince protects me, something unexpected is bound to happen.

Just as when I first encountered the demon beast, despite the fact that the Crown Prince had already dispatched his knights to protect me.

But……

“I will do it.”

If I were scared to risk my life right now, the theater industry would not have developed in the future.

Until the current Emperor dies, the theater will remain in its current state, which may degrade much worse.

“What do you need?”

“It would be convenient if I could deliver the song to the orchestra ahead of time.
It’s almost too hard to sing it without accompaniment.”

“Isn’t there anything other than that?”

“Yes, I don’t think I need anything more than that.”

All I need is just accompaniment anyway.

I nodded my head lightly

“Do you not require anything, such as a dress or accessories?”

“Ah, no.
I need them too.”

“Then I will ask the Count to send someone else to prepare the dress and accessories.
And starting from tomorrow, make sure to come to my office.”

“Yes? to your office, Your Highness? Not the Imperial administration office?”

“That’s right.
Instead of working as an aide, come to my office and practice singing.”

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I doubted what I just heard.

Did he really say that I should come to his office and practice singing?

“How could I practice singing in your office?”

“Isn’t it okay if you practice singing quietly?”

How can I practice singing quietly……?

Well, let’s say that I could practice with a quiet voice.

Since I could practice singing out loud when I go home in the evening.

“All well, then.
But wouldn’t it be a problem if I came in and out of here?”

“Problem? What are you worried about?”

“It’s exactly what I’ve stated.
Even if I am Kitara and have been asked to sing at His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday banquet, coming in and out of your office would be unusual to everyone.”

“They could assume you’re my lover.
Is that what you’re trying to say?”

Yes! That’s it!

I nodded my head violently.

‘You’ll take back what you said, right?’

What the Crown Prince did offer me in the first place was to seduce Caleb.

It’s strange for me to say this, but the Crown Prince ordered me to do it since I was an ‘actor’ at the time and there was a rumor that I was a yobu.

The Crown Prince ordered me, a member of a lowly family, to seduce Caleb and weaken his influence by marrying him.
If there was a rumor that the Crown Prince and I were lovers, I’m sure he’d be offended.

“I don’t care.
I rather want that.”

“……yes?”

“To be rumored as a lover.”

Excuse me? Have you lost your mind?

I swallowed the words at the end of my throat.

Even if the Crown Prince couldn’t kill me because of the royal oath, there’s nothing good to gain from blaspheming the Imperial Family.

“Will it become a problem?”

“Of course.
Very much.”

A languid voice penetrated my ears.

“Of course, I’m not as faithful as the Duke.
But it’s not like I only date once or twice, so everyone wouldn’t care if I had a lover who used to be an actor.”

It’s me who cares about it.

“Your Highness, I am still single.”

“I am single, too.”

“I’m saying that it would trouble me.”

I haven’t given importance to any of the rumors or scandals that have been swirling about me all this time.
However, no more false rumors or scandals should be allowed.

Especially, if there is a scandal about me and the Crown Prince, it would reach Caleb’s ears.

‘I don’t want that to happen.’

Even if I have nothing to do with Caleb.
And even there is no possibility of having to do with Caleb.

I just didn’t want the person I like to know about my scandal.

The scandal with Lord Vessel was so troubling, but I could deny it immediately.
Caleb also knew that wasn’t the truth, therefore it didn’t matter, but……

“Your Highness, if there’s a scandal about us being lovers, that scandal may follow me around like a tag for the rest of my life.
Then I won’t be able to marry in the future.”

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“Wasn’t there a scandal about you being someone’s lover already?”

“However, there is a significant difference between that rumor and the rumor of being Your Highness’s lover.”

“Do you mean it would be more difficult for you to marry than it is now? Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Of course, I want to get married, but we never know what will happen, right?

Exactly like me.
Who would ever think that I would fall in love with the Male Lead character?

And then, just like that, I might meet someone I could love again, and get married to him.

“Then, it would be fine if I just do it for you.
Marriage.”

H-huh? I think I just heard a dog barking.

“I have a hearing problem, so can you repeat it again?”

“I said I will marry you.”

I think people in this Empire think of marriage as a joke.
Or, is this just their habit of proposing?

“With this, I don’t think there will be any problems now, don’t you?”

Of course not.
There will be so many problems then.

“Didn’t you say this before, Your Highness? “The marriage of an Imperial Family member should be handled with caution.”

“People’s thoughts can’t always be the same.”

I wonder if his thoughts change too fast.

“You know about my origin and situation, Your Highness.
Isn’t that going to be a problem? No matter how much I think about it, I feel like I’m not good enough to be your wife, Your Highness.”

“You’re so pretty, aren’t you? With that, everyone will understand.”

Indeed, I am quite pretty……No, that’s not the matter!

Don’t tell me, could it be that the Crown Prince has fallen for me?

I stole a glance towards the Crown Prince, but his attitude suggested otherwise.

Heum, the Crown Prince has always been this kind of human anyway.
The unlucky and sucky man.

Then, there was only one reason left.

He’s lying in order to convince me.

If it’s him, it’s possible.
Right.

“Wouldn’t it be beneficial for you as well? Even if you are unable to do so, if you marry me, you will become the Crown Princess.
It’s hasty to talk about it now, but if the Emperor dies and hands over the throne to me, you will become Empress in the future.”

The position of Crown Princess is unquestionably triumphant.
The position that I couldn’t even imagine refusing.

‘But I don’t like you!’

Of course, I just say it aloud in my head.
I don’t believe this person would comprehend what I’m saying if I stated it out loud through my lips.

On the contrary, he would say, ‘What do I lack as Crown Prince that you refuse?’

It would be preferable if I gave him another excuse.

“I apologize, but I want to remain as an actor.”

“Is it because you’re worried you can’t meet other men?”

Men?

The Crown Prince noticed my doubt and he kindly added.

“If you bear a successor for me, I will turn a blind eye and let you live your life freely.
No matter what kind of man you bring in or how lavish your lifestyle is.
Of course, there will be a requirement that contraception is adequately handled.”

A feigned laugh came out of my mouth.

‘Because I’m an actor and there’s a ‘yobu’ rumor circulating around about me, he assumed I’d be looking for a man.
Is that what he believes?’

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People stated that when a person is truly angry, they do not feel anything.
That’s how I’m feeling right now.

“Thank you for your generosity, but I’m not refusing for that reason.
It’s just that I’m happy to be on stage.”

“I don’t understand.
Are you saying that you like being an actor more than an Empress?”

Look at him.
A person who doesn’t have any respect for people’s profession.

I confirmed the Crown Prince’s perception once more.
Then I thought about Caleb.

If it’s Lord Egon, he would understand what I was saying……

“More than anything else, I want to marry the person I like.”

“Contrary to what you look, it’s such an innocent wish.
Then, you want to marry the Duke.
Is that what you mean?”

“……I never said that it was Lord Egon, no, I mean the Duke.”

“Okay.
It would be better if you kept your dishonesty.
From what I’ve seen, the Duke didn’t seem to like you.”

“Don’t tell me, have you heard it from him directly?”

“I had observed him briefly at the last Imperial meeting.
That’s why I decided that you didn’t have to do it any further.”

“Ah……”

I could feel my mouth tilting into a bitter smile.

Although I had a vague hunch, having just self speculation and being told felt different.

“Anyway, the marriage to the Duke has already vanished, but it’s good that you’ve still got the benefit.”

“I think that as I through life, I will find someone I like again.”

In fact, I wasn’t sure as I said that.

Because Caleb is the first person I’ve ever liked, even in my previous life.

I don’t know if there’s any other man like Caleb, and I don’t know if I could like someone other than Caleb.

“Then, you can just like me.”

“what?”

What I just heard? I felt like I just heard a lot of nonsense.

“Is there any reason you can’t like me? Looks, wealth, power, or anything else, I think I have nothing that falls behind the Duke.”

What do you mean nothing? Your personality is fatally behind.

“You can’t change people’s feelings like that.”

“Well, you’ll at least get attached.”

Why is this guy so persistent? Did he really fall for me?

“I think I said this before.
I want to be an actor.”

“I will let you do it when I become the Emperor.”

“I want to return to the theater right after the contract period ends.
Since the time I accepted your offer, I have not been able to work as an actor for almost half a year.
It’s been a while since I’ve been on stage.”

With this, the Crown Prince couldn’t refute anymore.
It was an expected result.

He said he will let me become an actor after he becomes the Emperor.
But to become the Emperor right away, the current Emperor has to declare that he would hand over the throne or be killed.

The former is still a long way, and the latter is an immoral thing to do.

There’s nothing he could do.

‘It’s fortunate that the Crown Prince is still in his right mind.’

If he responds that he would do the latter because of me, then there’s no future for this Empire.

“I understand how you’re feeling.
I will take back everything I’ve said.
I don’t want to marry someone who isn’t interested.
But.”

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The Crown Prince added firmly.

“I couldn’t take back the thing I’ve said about you coming to my office to practice singing.”

“……”

“This is the gift I will present to my father, so I can’t just let it be handled carelessly.
I will watch you practice personally.”

“I understand your concern, Your Highness, but the rumors……?”

“I will tell the others about the matter, and I will try my best to stop the rumor about you being my lover.
But, it’s up to them whether they believe it or not.”

What he said really sounded irresponsible.

“Or, it’s fine if you want to reject my offer and go to the Imperial Administration office right now.
It wouldn’t be bad for you to just go back to the theater after the contract period.”

Is he asking me to choose between reviving the play’s reputation and stepping back because I’m afraid of rumors?

After contemplating while biting my lower lip, I ended up choosing the former.

To take advantage of the opportunity, despite the fact that I know it’s a rotten rope.

* * * * *

After Elena returned, Enosh let out his breath which he had been holding back.
With his facepalm, he rubbed his tired face.

‘It’s fortunate I got through it.’

Why is she so inquisitive and asking so many questions?

‘Well, I think she’s like that from the beginning.’

Enosh remembers the first time he met Elena.

Because she was the woman who dared to make him pledge a royal oath to spare her life.

Anyway, it’s fortunate that he could get Elena over.

Although he got her under the pretext of his father’s gift and revived the play’s reputation, the fact is that wasn’t Enosh’s ulterior motive.

Enosh’s ulterior motive is to make a rumor circulate about himself and Elena so no one can guess the relationship between Caleb and Elena.

Then the Grand Duke couple also would not be able to relate Caleb to Elena.

Enosh is certain that if he attended the Emperor’s Birthday banquet with Kitara as his partner, everyone would immediately assume that they had a special relationship.

‘It makes no difference to me what the reason is.’

And if it was revealed that Elena and Enosh had been engaged from the moment they were still in the womb, the public’s attention would be drawn entirely to Enosh.

So if he marries Elena and has the Grand Duke Couple on his side……

‘Perfect.’

As Enosh leaned his back against the back of his chair with a satisfied face, Elena’s scent of Jasmine, which was left as an afterimage in his office, tickled the tip of his nose.

Enosh smiled treacherously, looking forward to the day when this scent would linger in his bedroom.

* * * * *

Since the day after I saw the Crown Prince, I’ve been going in and out of his office.

Contrary to my assumptions that everyone would have strange thoughts about me, they seem unconcerned about me.

I don’t know if it’s because they know that I’ve decided to sing for the Emperor, or because the Crown Prince has so many lovers who stopped by his office.

Anyway, today was the day when I was busy walking to the Crown Prince’s office.

I walk through the same corridor, then soon stop.

Because I found Caleb coming from my opposite direction.

“……it’s been a long time, Elena.”

—————