A Father-Daughter Conversation in the Study
Prince Ashworth was speechless. Had his rebellious daughter fallen into some kind of money pit? He shot a look at his steward, who just stared back, bewildered.
"What are you looking at?" the prince snapped. "Give her the money!"
The steward pointed at himself, his eyes wide. Were they really ganging up on him, a simple steward, for cash?
Prince Ashworth just nodded, dead serious.
At that, the steward threw his hands up and put on the most pitiful face imaginable.
"Your Highness, I'm completely broke," he wailed.
"I have an eighty-year-old mother to care for, little kids at home to feed! Life is so tight, we're living hand-to-mouth, we haven't been able to afford a decent meal in ages! I'm begging you, please, have mercy!"
The prince gave him a flat look. "An eighty-year-old mother? And since when do you have kids? If I remember correctly, you're single."
Caught, the steward squared his shoulders, trying to look dignified. "Well, I *will* have them someday! Getting married, having kids, taking care of my parents... it's all just a matter of time."
That made Prince Ashworth sit bolt upright, his inner gossip suddenly wide awake. "Clifford," he said, leaning in. "Do you have a crush on someone?"
Cassidy zipped over to the steward's side, her eyes huge with curiosity. "Uncle Clifford, who is it? Who do you like? Where is she? You've been hiding this so well! Tell me, quick! I'm an expert on wooing women, I'll help you."
Facing the intense, prying stares of his two masters, Clifford's face went beet red. He puffed out his chest defensively. "No! There's no one! I don't like anyone! Please, stop teasing me!"
The second he denied it, Cassidy's interest vanished. She pivoted back to her father. "Dad, forget about him. Just give me fifty dollars, and I'll tell you what's really going on with the case."
She pulled out the list her attendant had written for her. "The truth is right here on this paper."
The prince's eyes landed on the note in her hand, which seemed to be full of names. Curiosity piqued, he immediately pulled out fifty dollars and slapped them into her palm. "Fine, it's yours. Now talk!"
Cassidy pocketed the cash without a second thought, spreading the note on the table and pointing to a row of names. "Dad, I think besides our cousin, the second prince, the Duke of Crestfall has two other accomplices."
Anything related to taking down the Duke of Crestfall had Prince Ashworth's full attention. He leaned forward instantly. "What do you mean?"
Cassidy explained the two murderous glares she'd felt on the street the other day. "Dad, two of the people on this list want me dead. So far, I've only identified one of them: our other cousin, the third prince. I have no idea who the second person is."
Hearing that someone wanted to kill his daughter, the prince shot to his feet. He snatched the note out of her hand and scanned the list, his brow furrowing.
"These are all legitimate sons of high-ranking officials," he muttered. "Why are my nephews hanging out with them? Are they plotting a rebellion?" A thought suddenly struck him. "No wonder my brother was so furious today."
So his own sons were causing trouble again. The prince felt a flicker of sympathy for the Emperor before his focus snapped right back to the Duke of Crestfall.
"But the people on this list don't get along with the Duke of Crestfall," the prince said. "Are you sure one of his accomplices is on here?"
That caught Cassidy's attention. "Dad, is the Duke's reputation really that bad?"
At the mere mention of the man, the prince was wide awake and spoiling for a rant.
"You have no idea," he scoffed. "That old scoundrel only has his title because of his grandfather. The old Duke of Crestfall was a war hero who fought alongside my own grandfather. Out of gratitude, my grandfather gave his family the Iron Charter of Merit to protect their honor for generations.
But this one? He just rides on his ancestor's coattails and acts like he owns the place."
"He spends his days doing absolutely nothing, ignores all his duties, and just shouts at anyone he feels like in the Imperial Court. He's tried to get me in trouble more times than I can count." Just talking about it made the prince grind his teeth.
Cassidy tilted her head, her expression perfectly sincere. "But Dad... don't you also ride on your ancestor's coattails and do nothing all day?"
They were both coasting on their family's name, so who was he to judge?
Prince Ashworth choked. "Whose side are you on?"
Cassidy straightened her spine. "I stand on the side of justice."
Her father was speechless. *What a rebellious daughter.*
And just like that, Cassidy understood. Her dad and the Duke weren't enemies; they were just two rich layabouts who couldn't stand each other. She thought for a moment, then turned to the steward. "Uncle Clifford, what's my dad's reputation like in the city?"
Clifford's mouth twitched. He risked a glance at the prince, who was looking quite pleased with himself, before quickly lowering his head.
He chose his words very carefully. "Well, Princess... if the Duke of Crestfall has offended half the people in Argent, then our prince is in a league of his own."
"In this city," he continued softly, "aside from His Majesty and the Empress Dowager, most people... keep a respectful distance from His Highness. It's almost as if... they've isolated him."
The prince just raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with contempt. "I'm the one icing *them* out. My status is noble. I've always looked down on those good-for-nothings at court, and I have zero interest in wasting my breath on small talk. They aren't worthy of my friendship."
The steward looked at the defensive prince and, summoning all his diplomatic skill, added in a small voice, "Take all the banquets in Argent, for instance. Aside from the ones we're summoned to at the palace, our residence hasn't received an outside invitation in a very long time.
When other people throw parties... they never seem to think of us."
The prince's tone was impossibly arrogant. "As if their parties are worthy of my presence? Wishful thinking! I'm so busy every day I can barely keep up. Where would I find the time to deal with those people?"
Cassidy finally got it. That's why the fourth princess was at a different party every few days while she and her dad were stuck wandering the streets and teasing dogs. No one was inviting them.
She patted her father's shoulder. "Dad, you're right. Our status is too noble. We don't care about them. We're the ones icing them out."
Seeing his daughter finally on his side, the prince beamed.
He reached out and gently touched the strange, dollar-sign-shaped golden hairpin in her hair, his voice softening.
"See? My daughter understands me. Look at us, a prince and a princess. We're too distinguished. We refuse to play with commoners. It's a complete waste of our time!"
Cassidy nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly!" Then she paused. "But Dad, even if we don't want to hang out with them, how dare they not invite us? We can't let that slide!"
The prince snorted. "I wouldn't go anyway!"
Cassidy planted her hands on her hips, looking genuinely outraged. "Dad, we can choose not to go. But they don't get to choose not to invite us!"