The Scholar and the Courtesan
The moment the word "money" was mentioned, the Emperor's internal alarms started blaring.
This mooch was even worse than his own daughter. At least Cassidy had the decency to pretend she was *borrowing* money, but this guy was shameless enough to ask for a straight-up handout.
"You have your own family, your kids are grown, and you're still hitting me up for cash? Have you no shame?"
Prince Ashworth wasn't embarrassed in the slightest. In fact, he looked completely justified.
"If you don't give me the money," he declared, "I swear I'll be reincarnated as your son in my next life. I'll eat all your food, drink all your wine, and then I'll give your throne away to some random guy I meet on the street."
The Emperor had to admit, it was a truly vicious curse. Just the thought of this freeloader being his son was enough to make him question if life was worth living.
He took a deep breath, his voice turning cold. "My private funds are not for bailing you out. You're a grown man. Figure out how to make your own money and support yourself."
Prince Ashworth's face fell. "But I'm swamped every single day! How am I supposed to find time to make money? That heartless daughter of mine won't give me a dime. If you don't help me, I'm just going to camp out here in your office and never leave!"
The Emperor's head throbbed. Seeing no other way out, he pulled two thousand dollars from the stack of bills Cassidy had given him yesterday and tossed them onto the desk.
"Get out," he snapped. "And don't let me see anyone from Ashworth Manor ever again."
With the cash in hand, Prince Ashworth was on his feet in an instant. "When I strike it rich, I won't forget you, brother!" he called over his shoulder on his way out.
"Get out!"
"On my way!"
Prince Ashworth happily tucked the bills into his coat and scrambled out of the study.
Meanwhile, Cassidy, who had no clue her father had just shaken down the Emperor, was perched on the wall of the Spring Breeze Tower with her maid, secretly watching the drama unfold below.
In the tower's backyard, a scholar was in a tense standoff with one of the courtesans.
Cassidy's eyes lit up. A scholar and a courtesan? Oh, this was going to be good.
"Percival, why are you so insistent that I leave the Spring Breeze Tower to become a seamstress for the Vance family?"
Lydia Sutton asked, her brow furrowed with hurt.
"Princess Solana has treated us so well since she took over. She set new rules so we only sell our talents, not our bodies. We're making a real living with our skills."
"And now the princess has made me a manager and doubled my salary," she added. "I can finally settle down and keep supporting your studies for the Imperial Examinations."
Up on the wall, the words "supporting your studies" made Cassidy's stomach turn.
"Damn it," she muttered. "He's a freeloader."
She felt the same helpless frustration as a gardener watching a gopher tear up their prize rose bush. And Lydia, bless her heart, was the prize rose, a love-struck fool about to get her roots eaten by a rat.
Impatience flashed across Percival Dawes's face before he quickly smoothed it away. He stepped forward, trying to take Lydia's hand, but she pulled back. He lowered his voice, his tone shifting to a persuasive, coaxing purr.
"Lydia, you're being naive."
"Come on, you know what Princess Solana is like," he scoffed. "Everyone in Argent knows she's an airhead who does whatever she wants. How many times has she made a fool of herself chasing after Heir Vance?"
"Her running this place is just a rich girl's hobby. Just you wait, once she gets bored or runs out of money, this tower will shut down. Where will you go then?"
Lydia shook her head. "The princess isn't like that. I believe in her." She'd never seen a hint of judgment in Princess Solana's eyes, only genuine appreciation for their talents.
"'Believe'?" Percival's tone was dripping with mockery.
"You believe some ditzy princess can run a business this size? The Vance family is powerful, with a strict reputation. Working as a seamstress there is hard, but it's respectable. It sounds better. I'm a scholar, a future official. Do you really think I can marry a woman who's worked in a brothel?
If you go to the Vance family, then once I pass my exams, it'll be easier for me to... manage your reputation, and we can get married properly."
He paused, stepping forward again to take her hand, his eyes full of practiced affection.
"Besides, you keep talking about money, money, money. Do you know how much it kills me every time I have to use yours? I, Percival Dawes, am a grown man, but I have to let the woman I love work in a place like this, playing music and entertaining men to support me. How can I live with myself?"
The words "entertaining men" stung. Lydia's face went pale, and she yanked her hand away, her voice trembling.
"Percival, you know perfectly well that I sell my skills, not my body. Every penny I earn is clean! Staying here at least ensures you have enough money to focus on your studies. If I go work as a servant for the Vances, the pay will be tiny and I'll have no freedom. How could I help you then?"
"Money again!" Percival snapped. "All you ever talk about is money. I don't need an accountant. I need a pure, respectable wife who will match my future status! That princess is a fool. What kind of future can she give you? Following her will only make you a laughingstock!"
*WHACK!*
Just as he finished speaking, a shoe flew through the air and hit him squarely on the forehead.
Fuming, Cassidy leaped down from the wall.
"You spineless freeloader, talking trash on my turf? I think you've lived long enough!" she yelled. "Reid, beat him up!"
Seeing Princess Solana suddenly appear, Percival went white, as if he'd seen a ghost.
Reid Donovan, who'd just had his shoe snatched, hopped helplessly on one foot over to Percival, then bent down to pick up his shoe and put it back on.
Then, under Percival's terrified gaze, he delivered a swift, clean kick.
It all happened so fast that Lydia, standing off to the side, didn't even have time to react. She could only watch as Reid sent Percival flying into the wall.
Cassidy shook her head at the stunned Lydia and clicked her tongue. "Girl, your taste in men is garbage."
"He's such a wimp. What do you even see in him?" she asked, gesturing at the unconscious man. "Do you like that he spends your money, or that he's a total failure at his age?"
She glanced at the man Reid had knocked out with a single kick and felt a wave of disgust.
"A guy like this, so bland and weak he looks like he'd fall over in a light breeze, and you're paying for his education? What, did he save your life or something?"
Lydia looked down, ashamed. "Princess... don't you think a woman from a place like this is unworthy of a scholar?"
Cassidy frowned, completely bewildered. "Why should you have to be 'worthy' of someone else? You earn your own money with your own skills. You're not stealing from anyone. The only person you need to be worthy of is yourself. Forget being good enough for some nobody;
focus on being a better version of you."
Lydia stared at her, her eyes filling with tears. "But the world looks down on women like us. Decent families won't even look at us, let alone marry us. When he said he didn't mind my past and was willing to marry me, I..."
Cassidy's frown deepened. "Are you unhappy right now?"
Lydia quickly shook her head. "No, Princess. I'm very happy now. The women here are wonderful, and with you watching over the tower, no one causes trouble. We're all so grateful to you."
"If you're happy," Cassidy said, her brow knitted, "then why are you trying so hard to be miserable?"
Lydia was taken aback. "But... a woman has to get married eventually."
Cassidy looked even more confused and glanced at Reid. "Is there a law in the Aethelian Empire that says women have to get married?"
Reid shook his head. "No such law, Princess."
Cassidy turned back to Lydia.
"It's not a crime to be single, so what are you so worried about? Relying on a man is the worst bet you can make."
"You can earn your own money, and you have a skill. Work hard for me, and you can buy your own house and live a carefree life."
"If you like kids, adopt one. That way you skip the nine months of pregnancy and you don't have to wait on someone else's entire family."
"If you want a man, earn enough to keep a few handsome, sturdy boy toys around. Why would you ever choose to suffer through marriage?"
"We only live once. Every day should be a happy one. Why would you choose to make yourself miserable?"