The reason I chose <The Young Grand Duke and the Tower of Training> among so many novels is simple.
First, I’m from a ducal family, and the novel’s setting is very simple.
The protagonist of the novel, Young Duke A, is a beautiful and kind omega. His friend, Prince B, has admired the young duke for a long time.
The prince decides to confess his love and takes the young duke to an upscale restaurant overlooking the Serian River.
During the meal, the young duke shyly confesses. That he’s going to marry C, the captain of the imperial guard.
The captain of the guard, who has excellent skills and martial arts but no title, will become the son-in-law of the ducal family.
Though it’s a political marriage, as the young duke asks him to bless him saying he’s a good person, the prince smiles. Then, after drugging the food, he kidnaps the young duke and imprisons him in the clock tower in the plaza that only royalty can access. He sexually dominates the young duke, and the young duke falls in love while resenting him.
In short, it’s “beginning-scene-scene-scene.” A novel with no introduction, development, turn, or conclusion—filled with scene after scene from the start. There won’t be any strange narration or plot developments, and with few characters, there’s no worry about Hereis popping up in the dream. Plus, since it’s only scenes, he’ll feast for the first time in a while—no, for the first time.
Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing, but saving a person comes first.
Today, I’m going to follow exactly the path the young duke in the novel walked. I’ll have a meal at a restaurant overlooking the Serian River, and I’ll even go to the clock tower using my status as the Crown Prince’s fiancé. I won’t be able to go if I break off the engagement with Eldon. And I should buy some of the discipline equipment that appears in the novel…
“Oh, and I want to eat Hyeon cuisine.”
The young duke in the novel liked Hyeon cuisine, and the prince specially reserved a Hyeon restaurant. I almost forgot. I quickly added that. Then Raki nodded and said we should go there, taking the lead.
“So this is Hyeon cuisine…”
I let out a dumbfounded exclamation as soon as I arrived at the restaurant. It was like a Korean restaurant in a foreign country.
The menu was also a masterpiece.
Doenjang Jjigae, Bibim Rice, Cheese Dak-galbi…
Um… Is this the author’s humor? Or the limit of their imagination?
It clearly revealed here that the author was Korean.
“I’ll have the rice and doenjang jjigae, dubu-jeon, and stir-fried kimchi.”
I rolled my tongue with all my might while looking at the menu. Raki also ordered familiarly. Even while dining at an upscale restaurant filled with nothing but nobles, he wasn’t intimidated at all. Moreover, he seemed familiar with Hyeon Tribe cuisine, which was quite rare and expensive.
Come to think of it, he had a lot of limited edition novel books, and on his way back from errands, he’d stop by upscale cafes for tea. He didn’t hide it and would tell me casually. Plus, Raki’s clothes were luxurious enough for lower nobles to wear.
He’d been living like that even before I possessed this body.
Though it was never specifically mentioned in <Three Crowns>, Rosenthal didn’t seem to mistreat servants or oppress them with status.
He had no concept of high-status people enough to use the Third Prince or Crown Prince as stepping stones for social advancement, but there was no discrimination toward those below either, should I say? As long as they didn’t harm him, he seemed fair to everyone regardless of status. If I describe him as an egalitarian of sorts, would that be too much of an omniscient Rosenthal perspective?
Compared to Raki, who finished ordering skillfully, Forti’s eyebrows were deeply furrowed. Perhaps the dish names looked like code to him?
“Forti likes meat, right?”
I said, recalling the dream’s contents. He’d protested that he only ate meat because he was a wolf.
Raki and I liked fish and vegetables, so we hardly ate meat. Thinking about it, we’d been too inconsiderate.
“No. I like strawberries! Wild strawberries are good!”
…As expected, dreams are different from reality. I was relieved. Forti doing this and that to me was all just a dream.
“Ah, then this would be good.”
Raki explained the dishes kindly with the presence of a Korean food expert, and Forti chose the menu following his recommendations. I smiled contentedly watching them, then turned my gaze outside the window.
The Serian River, said to be the largest and most beautiful in the imperial capital, was a bit more modest than I’d imagined. I’d expected something like the Han River, but it was much smaller. Indeed, seeing something directly is different from imagining it. I was glad I came.
The clothing is diverse too. I looked at the people filling the streets. It was the first time I’d seen commoners’ attire, different from the upper class, in such detail. The range was wide, from medieval European-style clothing to innovative outfits I’d never seen before.
People transporting goods by boat, an exhausted coachman, a woman on a rickshaw covering her face with an old fan while observing her surroundings with bright eyes, a man selling skewered food at a stall, a crying child and a mother soothing them.
Everyone is alive.
I met a werewolf, became an incubus’s companion, and learned about Raki’s secret hobby. All stories that didn’t appear in the original work. And the people filling the plaza also weren’t described in the novel. They were people I wouldn’t have drawn even if I’d taken on the webtoon.
Is this really the world inside a novel?
At first, I denied reality, then thought it was just a world inside a book. But gradually, this place began to feel real.
“I want to eat quickly.”
Forti smiled brightly.
Forti is special. Without any thought, he makes this world, this space, this life feel real.
Raki is a kind character, Arleigh is a perverted character, Eldon is a subtly perverted character, Seha is…a mischievous pure character from others’ perspective, but Forti isn’t a character.
The people who came out to the plaza to enjoy the festival aren’t characters either. They’re not mere extras who don’t appear in the novel. They’re living their own lives regardless of the novel.
Then the food arrived. Like its name, it wasn’t perfectly Korean food. It felt like fusion Korean food made abroad. I memorized the dishes with some relief. For tonight’s dream…
Having an erotic dream for Hereis is also a story that doesn’t appear in the original work. Right now, I have one foot in the story of <Three Crowns> and one foot in this world. That balance felt somewhat burdensome.
I hope Eldon returns soon. I want to leave the palace quickly. Once I escape the imperial palace and completely distance myself from <Three Crowns>, I feel I’ll be able to enjoy my new life more fully.
“Rosenthal, why aren’t you eating?”
“It’s too unique and pretty—I feel bad eating it.”
“Still, please eat a lot. I’m so sad that our young master’s face has become half its size.”
Though it’s actually Hereis who became half-sized from starvation…
Anyway, let’s eat. To have a proper erotic dream, I need to eat and taste it. Today, I’ll make him feast no matter what.
As I put white tofu topped with stir-fried white kimchi in my mouth, a strong river breeze blew and my robe slipped off.
“Oh my, it’s Rosenthal.”
“It’s Chendewden.”
“Look. I told you it was Rosenthal.”
I hastily put the robe back on. I feel just like a celebrity.
Though I covered my face belatedly, the gossip that had started didn’t stop.
“That beauty and sensuality are consistent.”
“To come outside the palace—was he finally kicked out? I heard the Crown Prince took a Hyeon Tribe man all the way to his vacation spot?”
“Now even if the Crown Prince tries to hold on, he’ll leave on his own. He’s such a crafty bastard.”
“Is he going to the Third Prince?”
“What do you take Prince Arleigh for? You think he’d accept someone the Crown Prince sold off as a slave?”
“You think the great Rosenthal Chendewden won’t be able to marry? Worry about yourself.”
“I heard marriage proposals are starting to pile up at the duke’s residence again—should I send one too?”
“That bastard stole my sister’s fiancé…!”
My appetite completely disappeared at the voices chattering simultaneously from all directions. Even though it was Korean food I was tasting after a long time. I think I understand why celebrities get panic disorders.
It seems my life won’t be very smooth even after breaking off the engagement.
The past is too colorful and there’s too much resentment, so I probably won’t even be able to set foot in high society. Everyone’s just waiting to trample or pounce. I don’t particularly want to dominate high society anyway.
As expected, succeeding as a painter and living as a homebody is the best option.
I pressed the robe down even further.
“Young master, shall we leave?”
Forti glared at people with eyes that looked ready to overturn the restaurant immediately. Then Raki stopped him and spoke to me politely.
“Yes. Let’s go.”
We left the restaurant. Forti grumbled at the restaurant, seemingly unable to let go of his anger, but I soothed him by stroking his back.
Rosenthal was a much more famous figure than I’d thought. Even without someone announcing loudly at a party, “Lord Rosenthal Chendewden is entering,” everyone recognizes him.
“Young master, are you all right?”
“Of course.”
I’m fine. Anyway, it’s absurd nonsense, and I was a webtoon artist. Though I mainly received positive comments, given my profession, I’d heard plenty of bad words. It’s not even criticism of my abilities, and I can easily brush off things I didn’t do or rumors. It just ruins my appetite.
But there was one major problem.
I stopped Forti and pulled Raki’s arm to a corner. Then Raki bowed his head deeply.
“I’m sorry, young master. I should have told you everything. I was worried you’d be hurt by groundless rumors.”
He apologized for hiding the rumors all this time. He must have thought I was angry about that. Well, I know the situation because I read the original work and have no attachment to the Crown Princess position, so it doesn’t matter to me, but if that weren’t the case, it would indeed be a big problem.
“What can we do about what’s already passed? Instead, from now on, don’t hide anything and tell me honestly. Understood?”
“Yes. I’ll do that. I won’t hide even a speck and will relay everything I hear as is.”
I patted the shoulder of Raki, who was bowing deeply.
“It’s fine. You don’t need to be so discouraged.”
“Young master, your heart is truly as beautiful as your face.”
His genuine emotion was a bit embarrassing. But I didn’t call him aside to question him about the rumors. I stroked his back and pressed my body close. Then I whispered secretly.
“Raki, I have a favor to ask.”
“Yes. Please tell me.”
“…C-can you get me that.”
I tried to get it secretly without Raki knowing because it was too embarrassing, but it seems impossible. Rosenthal is too famous, so strange rumors might spread.
“That?”
“…A, a dildo.”
“…Pardon?”
I cast self-hypnosis on myself to act cool, fatal, and haughty, pretending this was everyday life, then spoke again.
“One with a realistic texture, and that vibrates…”
To fill my poor imagination, I need direct experience. But since actual experience is impossible, I should at least use a tool. Otherwise, Hereis will starve again today.
