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I dashed towards the Crown Prince's palace after being caught sleeping by the cemetery caretaker with the sky as my blanket and the ground as my pillow. I was determined to avoid anyone along the way, even if it meant knocking them out.

Though it hadn't been long since the incident and it was highly unlikely that anyone else knew about my embarrassing display, I couldn't bear the thought of facing other people. It felt like I’d interpret even a simple morning greeting like ‘Good morning’ as ‘How did sleeping outside feel like?’

So when I saw the Crown Princess at the palace gate, my blood ran cold.

Should I knock her out?

My resolve to avoid anyone was so strong that my hands trembled at the thought.

I never imagined that I would run into the Crown Princess. Was not meeting the daughter of the Invincible Duke too much to ask?

"Good morning, Executive Manager."

As I stood there, half-drunk and lost in thought, the Crown Princess greeted me with a smile that could warm anyone's heart.

Seeing that smile, a wave of shame washed over me.

I'm so sorry, Your Highness. How could I even think such a thing?

"Yes, Your Highness. Seeing you really does make the morning good."

“Fufu, really?”

The Crown Princess laughed softly as I bowed my head in response, easing my guilt a little.

"But Your Highness, the weather is quite cold. Why are you outside?"

I carefully lifted my head and asked.

It wasn't a pleasant morning for a walk. It was chilly as winter was fast approaching.

"I was waiting for you. I heard you hadn't returned to the academy yet, so I thought you must still be in the palace."

"Forgive me, Your Highness."

I quickly bowed my head at her words.

Damn it.

It was frustrating. If I had known that this would happen, then I would've just returned instead of wandering around and making her wait.

Fortunately, the Crown Princess didn't seem to hold it against me. She gently patted my shoulder and spoke softly.

"It's fine. I just came out, so I haven't been waiting long."

"But still, making Your Highness wait—"

"It's really fine. I wanted to thank you in person, and I would've been disappointed if I missed you."

I glanced up at her words. Thank me? Why would she need to thank me?

Before I could ask, she smiled and continued.

"Lady Elizabeth is a very dear junior to me."

"Ah."

I nodded, understanding what she meant.

I also felt relieved. So the 1st Manager didn't bite her tongue and collapse. Thank God she had an incredibly strong will.

"Both the Crown Prince and I have been comforted by Lady Elizabeth at times. She was one of the few who genuinely celebrated our marriage."

"She’s a good junior, indeed."

"Yes, a truly good one."

The Crown Princess's smile didn't fade as she reminisced.

"Now that she's found her own path, how could I not be happy?"

Her voice was filled with relief and joy that was evident to anyone listening. It was clear how much she cared for the 1st Manager.

It never ceased to amaze me. How could someone as refined as the Crown Princess be so close to the 1st Manager? How did they become friends? Did the 1st Manager use some kind of brainwashing app?

So that's why she's so good at gathering information.

If she was using a brainwashing app, then her interrogation results would indeed be impressive.

"Of course, Lady Elizabeth's path is one she will not walk alone but will build together with others."

The gentle tone made it difficult for me to respond. It was a statement that was ambiguous to agree or disagree with.

If I agreed, then it would seem like I accepted the 1st Manager's confession; if I disagreed, it would imply that I was rejecting her...

"We don't know if it can truly be built together."

Understanding my hesitation, the Crown Princess patted my shoulder again.

"Just giving Lady Elizabeth... I mean, Eli, the opportunity to dream and the promise to see her fully is already enough for me to be immensely grateful to you, Executive Manager."

Her face seemed almost serene, as if she had finally found peace within herself.

Your Highness, you must have endured so much.

***

I returned to the academy with the Crown Princess seeing me off.

At least I didn't see the Crown Prince since he was busy with work. If I had seen that guy first thing in the morning, it would have ruined my day.

What a mess.

A faint smell became more noticeable as I changed locations. Unfortunately, it seemed to be coming from me.

The stench of alcohol from last night and the wild scent I acquired from rolling on the ground was an incredibly disgraceful smell to carry in an academic setting.

Damn it.

My head ached, not from a hangover, but from the sheer embarrassment of it all. An Executive Manager who got drunk and slept in the empire’s cemetery... This would be the talk of the social circles for a long time, an eternal black mark on my record and a disgrace of my own making.

At least it was a black mark with no witnesses. If someone had caught me in the act, I might have had to resign and disappear. So technically, things could be worse.

...Damned alcohol.

I tried to console myself, but the mere thought of alcohol made that self-consolation waver.

If it had been anything else, then it wouldn't have been so bad. If I'd eaten something and caused a scene, it wouldn't be this embarrassing. But no, it just fucking had to be alcohol.

— Woohoo!

The loud voice that echoed in my mind made me squeeze my eyes shut.

Anything involving alcohol always linked back to the Wise Duchess. I could already hear the whispers: ‘With an aunt like the Wise Duchess, no wonder the Prosecutor’s Office’s Executive Manager…’

Damn it.

There was no stopping my reputation from being wrecked now. I should just focus on washing up and taking care of my mental health...

—But even that plan was shattered before it began.

— Oh, Executive Manager. Is your back alright? It's been a while since you last slept on the ground.

"Shut up."

The 2nd Manager contacted me as soon as I entered my quarters, hitting me with my embarrassing story right away.

I expected him to find out quickly given his knack for digging up news, but I didn't think it would be this fast. Or maybe the rumors were spreading faster than I anticipated.

— Hey, why are you so serious? You should accept your subordinate's sincere concern with a smile.

My grip tightened on the communication crystal when the 2nd Manager laughed.

Magic needed to be more advanced than it already was. I really needed a spell that would allow me to punch someone through the communication crystal. If anyone could manage that, then it would be the Mage Duchess.

After laughing for a while, the 2nd Manager lowered his voice and spoke.

— Anyway, I'm doing my best to suppress the rumors about the 1st Manager. Completely stopping them is impossible, but I'm doing what I can.

"...Good job."

I was momentarily taken aback by his unexpected words.

I had been so preoccupied with being caught sleeping in the cemetery that I had almost overlooked the fact that the 1st Manager had a massive breakdown.

Even though it was late at night and on a deserted street, the capital was always bustling. It wasn’t unusual for there to be witnesses at any time.

It’s the perfect situation for misunderstandings.

Stories of the 1st Manager crying in front of the Executive Manager could easily spark rumors of a rift within the Prosecutor’s Office.

It could still cause problems even if people didn't know that it was the 1st Manager. In fact, it might be even worse. Imagine the rumor: the Executive Manager, who had received a confession from the Mage Duchess, was making a lady cry late at night. Wouldn’t that be an even more sensational story than an internal division within the Prosecutor’s Office?

— But it was easier than I expected. You created such a big distraction that everyone focused on that instead.

"Is that so...?"

It felt strange. I was relieved, but also irritated. It was awful, but also consoling.

— Besides, the 1st Manager was dressed inconspicuously. People knew someone was crying, but they didn't know that it was her.

"That's a relief."

— There were even jokes that the person was the Mage Duchess because of her white hair.

"Fools."

I let out a chuckle. Why would the Mage Duchess even come up in this context?

I tried to imagine the Mage Duchess crying in front of me, but it was so absurd that I couldn't even picture it. It was that implausible.

The 2nd Manager apparently felt the same as his serious expression quickly crumbled into laughter.

— Anyway, congratulations on your three wives.

"What?"

— Isn't it true? The 1st Manager just arrived, looking a little too happy.

I felt a strong urge to retort after watching the 2nd Manager laugh again.

It's five, you idiot.

I barely held back the words that were on the tip of my tongue. Besides, I had a feeling that the entire empire would know by the next day if I said anything.

"Don't worry about my wives. Take care of your own."

My counterattack shut the 2nd Manager up instantly.

He wasn’t the only one who held an advantage. I knew some of his fatal secrets, too.

"It seems like you’re going to get married before me."

My mocking words made the 2nd Manager's gaze drop slightly. Seeing that was incredibly satisfying.

I knew that he was passionately involved with the minister's niece. After all, I frequently saw him at Gerhardt's lab, and Christina herself mentioned it to me.

I hadn't realized that the situation had escalated.