Flower of Steel

Silence fell, and the Crown Prince looked at me, questioning my intentions. No, it wasn’t only him. Everyone else was also staring at me with a similar look.

‘Sympathy? No way.’ I just wanted to give her something small while grabbing a big one instead.

“How could she be so kind? Most people would allow her to be punished for disrespecting the royal family.”

“Forgiving someone who just swore at you so easily… I suppose prejudice is such a bad thing. We thought wrongly of such a lady.”

“Lady Schuteiner was a bit cold, though. She just dumped her follower.”

“But there’s nothing she can do in this situation.”

“She’s a daughter from the house of marquis. She didn’t do it. That’s all.”

I heard murmurs and had to suppress my laughter. Yes, I actually didn’t care if she died here. If she died, then I can’t use her. There’s no fun in that. It was better that she stays alive so I can use her to my benefit, which is why I’m letting her live.

As I save her, my fallen reputation will take a little bit of its honor back while lowering Elise’s reputation since she refused to rescue her close follower. Her reputation is hard to bring down, as she is a higher-ranked noble. It would benefit me to bring her down because of that woman.

“Please reconsider with mercy, Your Highness. She hadn’t committed that great of a crime.”

The Crown Prince coldly looked down at me. Did I use you? Yes, I did. I made a fuss because I knew you were here. Even if you hated me, I knew you wouldn’t let this slide if it was related to your honor. That would apply to everyone who has the noble blood within their veins.

“Marina von Harrant… I deem your words reasonable, so I will reconsider my judgment. Even though she didn’t directly insult the royal family, she has done so indirectly. As such, I will lower the rank of the house of Hudleton as a baron,” declared the Crown Prince.

It was the perfect outcome. I’m merciless in taking down my enemies, but I’m not a murderer who would be fine killing people for no reason. Besides, she won’t be around to harass me if she dies. There’s no way I can pay her back for what she did to me. Not only that, she became a mere baron now, so her pride must have hurt greatly. It would be much better to see her suffer while alive.

“Thank you, thank you, Your Highness!”

Matilda was sobbing with her makeup all washed down at miraculously surviving her death sentence. Although I felt a bit sympathetic, I didn’t feel any guilt. ‘She brought it upon herself.’

But I was a bit surprised when she suddenly got up to me and knelt, “Marina von Harrant, I will never forget your kindness.”

It hasn’t even been one hour since we glared at each other like sworn enemies. But now, she was looking at me as if I was some kind of savior while kneeling down. I felt quite weird. Humans are so interesting. If you felt betrayed by the one who you trusted in the most dire situation, you have to believe that the one who helped you is a god even if it is actually a demon.

I assisted her with standing up in her helpless state. The audience began to clap for us. Their actions made it look like a play. In that instance, I calculated the words that would strengthen my reputation, “I have been insulted by you, but I have no spite toward you. You misunderstood me because you did not know me.”