In terms of rank, it was true that Climb was beneath them. They probably wished to show their distaste while Renner was not around. Having thought as much, Climb did not show any anger over their behavior.
But what Climb failed to realize was that his thinking spawned a vicious cycle where the maids would misunderstand his expressionless face as him ignoring them, infuriating them further. On the other hand, if he was the type who could notice such a thing then perhaps everything else would have been handled more smoothly.
It was also true for Climb that every time he was in the palace, his nerves would wear away slightly.
Although it went without saying, Renner and Ranpossa III were not the only people living in this palace.
Ugh?!
Speak of the devil, Climb moved to the side of the hallway, straightened his back and stood at attention with his hand over his chest.
Two people were approaching. The one following from behind was a tall, thin man with blond hair brushed behind his head.
Marquis Raeven, one of the six great noble families in the Kingdom.
The problem was the short, fat man walking in front of him. His name was Zanack Valurean Igana Ryle Vaiself, the second prince and second in line for the throne.
Zanack stopped his feet, his chubby face turning into a frown.
“Why, Climb. Are you on your way to show your face to that monster?”
There was only one person Prince Zanack would call a monster. Although he knew it was insolent, Climb could not let it stand.
“Your highness, I’m grateful for your words but Renner-sama is not a monster. She is kind and beautiful, some even call her the Kingdom’s treasure.”
What else could you call someone who got rid of the slave trade and proposed many policies in order to help the citizens? Although the number of them that saw light was small because of the checks in place by the nobles, Climb knew better than anyone else how much she cared for the people.
Every time a policy that would otherwise help the common folk was shot down for foolish reasons like nobles trying to save face, the kind-hearted girl would shed tears in front of him. This man, Zanack, who did not even lift a finger, had no right to say anything.
He was consumed by the desire to shout, to bring down his fist.
Even if they were only half-siblings– these weren’t words that should be said about someone who shared the same blood. However, he could not allow his anger to show.
Renner had said this: