Thanks so much for translating this chapter!

It’s fun seeing them include a new scene with the prince and have him tell us what actually went down during their meeting. In the novel Josephine went to speak with her brother and then came to Judith to tell her he agreed to the plan. He hadn’t been approached by Franz yet at this point. It was in the next chapter when we found out how his meeting went with Franz. I suppose since this is a visual medium they wanted to show instead of tell.

I am sad they cut the Luca scene so short. He really went in-depth about what a big deal is was for Rudy to play in a cricket match so publicly. It really showed us readers and Lucas how far Rudy was willing to go for Judith.

Here’s an excerpt of the scene:

“Huh. Yeah. I mean, it’s not like he cares what ther people think of him?” I said.

“He doesn’t care if people give him dirty looks, but his reputation is still important to him. I can’t believe it. Playing cricket! How could he do such a thing as a Winterwald?”

“But this is the guy who proposed in front of the entire nobility.”

I didn’t get it. Why was Luca flipping out like the impossible had happened?

Honestly, at that point, you could tell me Ruediger had done just about anything in the world, and I’d believe it. It was Ruediger, after all.

“Proposing to someone and playing in a cricket match are two completely different things,” Luca said.

“Okay… I’m not sure I see the difference, I said, tilting my head to one side. As far as I could tell, both were pretty good ways to make sure no one could stop talking about you. But I guess was wrong.

Luca shook his head firmly like I was being absurd. “Any nobleman will one day propose to a woman and get engaged. Ruediger just did it on a bigger scale. But the nobility doesn’t play games. It’s just not done. It’s like being a clown.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like being a clown.”

“I’m telling you, that’s how people see it.
And you’re telling me that man was out there playing in a cricket match? It doesn’t make sense. He’s the most aristocratic person l’ve ever met.” Luca said, in full denial. “You saw him! His cutoff is the collateral line of his own family. He doesn’t even acknowledge his relatives. He might not be obsessed with the dukedom, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an aristocrat through and through.”

“But… he did. He played in the match. It’s not a lie. He hit two home runs. People cheered.”

“You’re saying he stood there and let a crowd of people cheer for him? Not in a victory parade, but in a sports stadium?” Luca said, his mouth hanging open at my repeated explanation. His blue eyes were trembling violently.

“Luca? Are you okay?”

“Ruediger Winterwald… on a cricket pitch… The Ruediger Winterwald,’ he said, muttering repeatedly to himself.
Then he said he was tired and excused himself from the room.

He wobbled back and forth on his way to the door like he might faint at any moment. I got worried as I watched him.
He looked so confused as his little shoulders slipped out the door, one shaky step at a time.

Also spoiler for next chapter

Big spoiler for the upcoming chapters: