After everyone finished showering, I started telling them about what happened with the crown prince. I only covered the highlights—how the royal family visited my house, how the crown prince tried to flirt with Lina while I was gone, and how he called Lani a pet. Then Lina and I beat him up.
"So Steve actually did that to Ms. Lina? And he never told me? Mr. Karen and Ms. Lina did the right thing!"
"Yeah, he deserved it!"
Alice immediately sided with Grace. As Lina's biggest fan, Grace was obviously furious at the crown prince's behavior. Still, who would willingly share an embarrassing story like that about themselves? Pride exists for a reason.
"There's no way he'd admit something that humiliating."
Then it was Jacob's turn. He looked at me with an expression that said the whole situation was still too unbelievable to process, and spoke.
"Karen, I swear, you shock me more every time. Back there too—you just started yelling out of nowhere."
"If I didn't, would we have stalled long enough for his superior to show up? Talking to that fox-eyed guy was pointless. We needed someone higher-ranking who actually had a brain."
"Agree."
Ethefelis nodded calmly, and Jacob gave a crooked smile.
"You really just called him brainless in a roundabout way."
"I feel like Mr. Karen doesn't even see him as human anymore," Grace muttered. "But how did you know Steve and Sophia were talking bad about you?"
"Because I met the crown prince's fiancée that day."
"Why would you go meet Miss Butley?" Jacob asked.
"It's a long story."
Since the topic of the fiancée came up, I had no choice but to keep going. The crown prince got scared of her expression, wanted to break off the engagement, and even spread false rumors about her. So the king asked me to meet her myself.
I ended up asking her a bunch of personal questions, and I made the crown prince listen outside the door while she spoke honestly. In the end, everything worked out perfectly.
"I heard about the bullying rumors," Jacob said. "So they really were fake."
"You know fiancée too, Jacob?" I asked.
"What kind of phrasing is that? I don't know her personally. I just happened to see her bandaging a little girl who tripped after bumping into her."
"Then I didn't misjudge her. She really is kind."
"Yeah. She's nothing like a typical noble lady."
While Jacob and I were praising the fiancée, Grace suddenly looked annoyed.
"What's with you two? Did you fall for Miss Butley or something?"
"W-What!? Mr. Karen, is that true!?"
Alice shoved her face right up to mine in shock. I nearly jumped out of my skin, clapping a hand over my mouth and leaning back. She was way too easy to influence.
I pushed her away and turned to Grace.
"Don't be ridiculous. We're just giving an impression."
"No! I didn't fall for her, absolutely not!" Jacob panicked, rushing to clarify to Grace.
I immediately understood why Grace was upset.
"Grace, do you think Jacob was saying you're not kind? Don't take it personally — you and Ethefelis aren't ordinary noble ladies."
They were special cases.
"Even so… it still feels bad hearing it," Grace muttered.
"Same," Ethefelis added.
This conversation was going south fast. Time to throw Jacob under the carriage.
"If anyone's drawing swords, talk to Jacob. He said it. I just explained it."
"Don't dump this on me! Grace, Ethefelis, I didn't mean it like that! That's not what I was saying!"
Jacob shot to his feet, desperately trying to fix the damage. Ethefelis turned her head away from him. Grace narrowed her eyes, clearly unconvinced.
"...Oh."
She turned away too. Jacob looked like his soul had left his body.
"Hahaha!"
"Why are you laughing, Mr. Karen?"
I couldn't help it. The whole scene was hilarious. Alice looked completely lost. Jacob, on the other hand, grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently.
"You're laughing!? This is your fault!"
"Sorry—haha!"
"Stop laughing!"
"Hahaha—"
Another laugh cut through mine. Jacob stopped shaking me and looked toward the sound.
It was Grace. She was covering her mouth, trying and failing to hold it in.
"Miss G-Grace…?"
He even used a formal title out of sheer fear. Grace smiled sweetly.
"I'm kidding. I know you didn't mean it."
"O-Oh… that's good…"
Jacob's shoulders sagged in relief. I remembered him saying he fell for Grace because of her smile. From behind, I could see his ears turning bright red.
After he sat back down, Alice raised her hand.
"Mr. Karen, what are typical noble ladies like?"
Every noble lady I'd met was anything but typical. How was I supposed to know?
"I don't know."
"Ms. Grace?"
"Ms. Alice, typical noble ladies are… um… they're…"
Grace started confidently, then stalled out without naming a single trait.
I felt a little bad for her. She didn't really have female friends.
"Ms. Eis?"
"Don't know."
She was quiet as always, probably too busy training to care.
"Mr. Jacob?"
I assumed he wouldn't know either. He was a guy. But Jacob answered with surprising seriousness.
"Alice, typical noble ladies like drinking tea while talking about handsome men. They're vain, good at pretending, and if the guy they like already has a girlfriend, they'll sabotage her and spread rumors."
"Seriously? That's awful!"
It really was awful. Honestly, that matched my image too—but mine came from movies.
How did Jacob know? Romance novels?
"You learned that from love novels?"
"No. Personal experience. I've met a few. Same pattern every time."
"So people like that really exist… I thought they were just fiction," Grace murmured, stunned.
I was stunned too—but at Jacob.
Wasn't he supposed to be single? Had he lied to me?
And how did he know what they talked about in private? Guys don't usually get invited to those gatherings.
"How do you even know about their behind-the-scenes behavior?"
Jacob clicked his tongue.
"I got dragged into one of their parties. Because I was there, they talked in circles. They thought I wouldn't understand. I pretended I didn't until it ended."
"Wow. Why were you invited? That sounds miserable."
"No idea why just me. Probably gold diggers."
Ah. They wanted his family's wealth. That explained everything.
"Pathetic."
"Tragic."
"Uh… ridiculous?" Alice added after hesitating.
Grace immediately scolded us.
"Mr. Karen, Ms Eis, don't say that about Mr. Jacob. And Ms. Alice, you don't have to copy them."
"Thanks, Grace. I'm fine," Jacob said. "Stuff like that doesn't get me down. If anything, it taught me to be cautious around women."
It sounded like he was trying to look cool in front of her, like he valued personality over appearances. Grace made a strange little noise.
"Huh? "
"Something wrong?" Jacob asked.
"N-No, nothing…"
She looked flustered. Even as an observer, I could tell Grace was hiding something. But that's not something I should interfere with. Let them sort it out themselves.
Right then, exhaustion hit me like a brick. That fox-eyed knight had drained all my energy.
"Yawn… I'm going to bed. You guys should sleep soon too. Alice, wake up early. No oversleeping."
"Got it. Good night, Mr. Karen."
"Good night."
I stood, left the living area, and collapsed onto the bed the moment I reached my room. I was asleep instantly.