The Holy Cross Church welcomed an important guest.
The entire church was abuzz because of the extraordinary new student.
“...That’s all. Both board and lodging are provided here, but you’re free to go out in the evenings. If you’re staying out overnight, please be sure to…”
As the priest was busy welcoming the handsome young nobleman with blonde hair, the nobleman let out a big yawn. The priest’s face twitched slightly, but Gilbert apologized nonchalantly.
“Ah, I apologize. I’m sorry, but I already read about it in the pamphlet on my way here. I’m just a little tired from the long journey.”
The considerate priest apologized as if it was his own fault and addressed the others.
“No, I apologize. I was being hasty trying to rush through things you could take your time with. I can always explain the details of daily life here again. Let me show you to your room first.”
Gilbert was led to his room by the priest.
But contrary to the grand welcome, a small and desolate room awaited him.
Gilbert had never lived in, let alone even stepped foot in, such a room.
Had he been in one a few times when he seduced a pretty servant? Back then, even a small room had its own charm. He had enjoyed the feeling of being confined in a secret chamber.
But now he had to live in this room. Gilbert Forte’s face contorted in disgust, but he quickly masked it with a smile, assuring the priest that he liked the room and sending him away.
Closing the door, he looked around the small room again.
There was nothing much to see.
“Oh, really. I should have just gone to war.”
His father had forced him to choose.
Participate in the upcoming war against the Austin Kingdom or go to the Holy Cross Church and be buried there for a few years. Given the choice, Gilbert chose the Holy Cross Church.
Gilbert Forte, a nobleman to the core, had no desire to experience the chaos of the battlefield.
He wasn’t very skilled with the sword either. He was nothing like his father, the Swordmaster, and if he went to war, he would inevitably be compared to him.
That was the last thing Gilbert wanted.
So he chose the church. His father was disappointed once again, but what could he do? He had no talent.
He plopped down on the narrow bed.
They said he didn’t need to bring any luggage… It would have been a disaster if he had packed. Even twelve of these rooms wouldn't be enough to hold all his clothes.
Unable to contain his frustration, Gilbert muttered to himself.
“It’s all because of that damn princess!”
He was wronged.
He wasn’t the one who initiated the kiss! She was the one who, trying to avoid the gaze of others, had asked him for a kiss first.
Of course, Gilbert didn’t refuse. A true gentleman never refuses a lady's request.
He even went as far as to embrace the princess slightly, provoking the prince who was standing right there.
At the time, he thought it was because the princess wasn’t fond of the Austin Kingdom’s prince.
He didn’t even consider the possibility that she might have feelings for him.
He had some shame, after all. Why would a princess, renowned for her beauty and grace, choose him, the notorious philanderer of the Bellita Kingdom?
It must have been a convenient excuse to reject the prince.
Arnolf de Klaus, the prince of the Austin Kingdom, witnessed the scene and left in a fury. Since then, Gilbert Forte and Princess Chloe de Tartalia hadn't met again, as if they had no relationship whatsoever.
It was a kiss that caused a huge scandal, but there was no chance the blame would fall on Gilbert.
A prince was still from another country. There was no way he could harm him, and even if war broke out, it had nothing to do with him. His father, the great Swordmaster, would take care of it.
After the incident, he was reprimanded by his father and placed under house arrest for a few days. He considered it a cheap price to pay for kissing the kingdom’s only princess.
At the time, that is.
The problem was what the princess did next. As if the incident wasn’t enough, Princess Chloe caused a scandal with a man named Torton Tatian.
The political world was thrown into chaos.
Torton Tatian was the son of Marquis Benard Tatian, the leader of the Royalist faction.
The Bellita Kingdom's political landscape was divided into two main factions: the Swordmaster faction, centered around Count Hermann Forte, and the Royalist faction, led by Marquis Tatian, known as the Ruler of the West.
The King had withdrawn from politics long ago and remained silent, so the Swordmaster faction, which naturally held military power, had seized all sorts of authority and driven the Royalist faction into a corner.
If Marquis Tatian hadn't maintained a delicate balance by drawing in the neutral faction, the princess’s impulsive actions would have been meaningless.
However, the princess’s scandal, occurring amidst this delicate balance of power, carried significant weight.
She had provoked both sons of the leaders of the two factions, causing overt friction between the two sides who had been wary of each other.
The nobles whispered amongst themselves, wondering if the King was using the princess to create an excuse to oust the Swordmaster faction.
Gilbert grumbled as he opened the window.
He had no interest in such political affairs, but Count Hermann Forte took this matter very seriously.
The Count wanted to show, by any means necessary, that he was sending his son away from the capital. This was to signal to the Royalist faction to back down after seeing this gesture.
Thus, after much persuasion that felt more like coercion, Gilbert ended up here.
Me, known as the Libertine of Bellita, becoming a student at the Holy Cross Church's educational institution!
It was absurd.
Gilbert looked out the window.
There was nothing but religious decorations in sight, and the people walking around were all cautious of their steps, moving with piety.
The only songs he could hear were hymns.
‘I really came to the most boring place in the world.’
He sighed.
Thinking that he was the most unfortunate person in the world.
It is most definitely connected to Lena. I can guess what’s happen he will prob try to seduce Lena or something similar.
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