Chapter 153 (1/2)

Chapter 153: Chapter 153

“What was so shocking to you? You always said that you would be the successor of the family. Were you worried that you might not get out of the imperial family? If not… is it because of what happened yesterday?”

“Pardon? What you mean by is…”

“Well, I mean what Duke Jena said about your mother.”

‘Huh? Why is he suddenly mentioning my mother?’

While I was puzzling, I flinched because something suddenly flashed through my mind.

‘Ah, yeah, I remember that.’

Although I was so shocked by the matter of Jiun, it was a very serious issue to me.

“… ”

He spoke, staring silently at me, “You should stay firm all the more in a situation like this. Steel yourself for it.”

‘Is this a matter that I can solve even if I steel myself for it?’

When he brought up the matter of my mother, I suddenly wanted to ask him something.

‘Why doesn’t he blame me?’

Any aristocrat values their pedigree. So, even though he doesn’t express his feelings about it openly, any nobleman would point his finger at me if he discovered my mother’s family background.

As a royal family member, the crown prince is no exception. But he hasn’t blamed me for it.

Even if Duke Jenna’s argument was partially true, the crown prince could despise me with legitimate reason, but he didn’t.

‘But why?’

“Your mother was a wonderful woman.”

“… ”

As I didn’t know why he said that, I was just looking at him blankly.

He continued, as if he understood my puzzlement.

“This is a secret between you and me. Your mother scolded me as a child.”

“… Really?”

Why is he suddenly talking about my mother? I was confused.

Nodding at my question, he continued, “Yes. Before you were born, I visited your house with my father. I didn’t want to hear the boring conversation of the seniors, so I wandered through the spacious mansion and found something. It was made of ruby, and it looked like a small marble I could hold in one hand. It was very beautiful because of its elaborately embroidered patterns with a blue tassel string.”

‘Was there anything like that in my house back then?’

I traced my memory, but no matter how much I thought, I didn’t seem to have seen it.

What was it then?

I momentarily forgot my complicated thoughts and listened to him. At first glance, it seemed to be quite precious, but I wondered if there was a precious thing like that in my house that I didn’t know. .

“I wanted to have it so much because I was a child, so I took it and came out of the place and I was caught by your mother. I was given a good scolding.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that.”

“Well, at first, I thought it was very rude for her to scold me because I was the crown prince. But only after I came back to the palace did I realize after hard thinking that your mother scolded me with so much affection. I’ve seen nobody admonishing me gently before. But your mother was an exception.”

As if he was reminiscing about her, he said, putting down the teacup, “Since then, I’ve often thought about your mother. But as I was scolded once, I felt hesitant to go and see her. Fortunately, your mother came to the palace, holding a newborn baby in her arms. Then I wept openly, held in her arms, for the first time since I was born.”

“… Oh I see.”