#20
* * *
Things seem to be happening faster than I thought.
In my time alone, I flopped down on the bed thinking about tomorrow’s great undertaking.
Whew, as I let out a long breath, it finally hit me.
The fact that they had… made a deal with me!
‘It’s a historic moment.’
They made a legitimate deal with the child of an evil spirit! That Your Highness even willingly revealed that he was cursed!
Of course, the Archduke, hyung-nim, and Sercil didn’t reveal theirs, but still.
“Originally…”
I stopped myself from talking aloud and thought.
My original goal was to make those two witnesses to the Crown Prince’s rampage incident at the ball and gain their trust.
To be recognized as a worthy trading partner.
But the elder’s surprise attack brought more benefits than expected.
‘Thank you.’
Actually, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand why the elder looked at me with such dirty eyes.
Unless he had unrequited love for Eris… no, if he loved her, that look wouldn’t make sense either, right?
Anyway, I couldn’t understand it at all, but thanks to him causing such a scene with me, I could make one thing really certain.
‘That I’m not on the side of the half-demons.’
At least that what I want is different in nature from what the half-demons want.
‘I wonder if they heard our conversation?’
That was a bit disappointing.
If they had heard, I could have given them stronger conviction that I wouldn’t mix with the half-demons, even if it made me more suspicious.
Still, it seems I’ll be able to protect them more safely than planned, so let’s be satisfied.
Drowsiness was creeping in when blood rushed up and I came to my senses.
I got up unsteadily and headed to the bathroom.
And I poured out a bowlful of blood while suffering from the poison that hit me a beat late.
“Ugh, what a waste…”
If only this wasn’t blood vomited from poison, I could collect it and use it to break their curses.
‘It’s still too early though…’
To endure tomorrow without collapsing, I need to sleep even a little more.
With only that thought, I repeated sleeping and vomiting blood throughout the night.
Dawn broke like that.
* * *
“Archduke!”
“Your Highness.”
The Archduke’s gaze seemed to linger a bit long on my mouth, then fell away nonchalantly.
I thought it was my imagination and approached him, who was angelically beautiful today as well.
Since he fearlessly extended his pretty hand, I lightly grabbed his sleeve and smiled brightly.
“Innocent Archduke… I’ll protect you.”
“…Your Highness, really.”
Then someone suddenly lifted me up as I was holding his sleeve and smiling.
“Hyung-nim, no, Se, Sercil?”
“Hmph.”
Of course, if it had been hyung-nim, he wouldn’t have lifted me in a princess carry like this!
“Eh?”
I tilted my head thinking of Sercil, who had no occasion to show off his strength before my regression.
Was he strong?
No, come to think of it, there was a description in the latter part of the original work about Sercil smoothly pushing open the large iron gate of his family estate…
“How is it?”
“…What is?”
“Fairies aren’t strong, right?”
“……”
I stared blankly up at Sercil, then stood upright when he set me down with a pat.
And I shouted:
“Sercil is a strong fairy!”
“I, I said I’m not, ugh…”
“Hah.”
I was grinning while watching cute Sercil trembling and unable to argue back properly, when someone pulled Sercil’s arm.
As expected, it was Theodore hyung-nim.
“Your Highness.”
I seriously called to him, who looked somewhat displeased. Your Highness glanced at me with cold eyes.
Anyway, I had to say this much.
“Please make sure to warn Sercil. Not to follow strangers who offer candy. Ah, and also tell him that this harmless 2nd Prince Your Highness is okay.”
“……”
Your Highness’s eyebrows twitched.
Sercil was looking at me absurdly, when the Archduke and Marcus hyung-nim, who had been talking over there, approached.
“Don’t bother Sercil.”
Marcus hyung-nim said with narrowed eyes.
Since I had never bothered him, I smiled wickedly and said:
“Want me to show you what real bothering is?”
“…Your Highness? To me?”
When I smiled with my eyes and delayed my answer, Marcus hyung-nim somehow looked disgusted.
Something… it seems like the protagonists treat me more comfortably when I play the villain role.
Regardless of likes and dislikes.
An unexpected benefit.
“Let’s go first.”
“Let’s go together!”
“Walk slowly.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
I was looking fondly at Sercil walking very energetically while following Theodore hyung-nim closely, when the Archduke suddenly asked:
“Do you like him?”
“Who. Sercil? …Ha, Archduke.”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t mean anything.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah.”
No matter who I find cute, who I like.
And even if I feel so tenderly toward someone that just looking at them brings me to tears.
“That’s how it is.”
That’s nothing but my own delusion.
The sun rose high in the sky.
The colorful papers decorating that sky and the cheers from the streets, the bustling laughter.
It was a scene I’d seen and heard many times already, but today it looked new.
Foundation Day, service time.
* * *
Only one person’s voice echoed through the quiet space.
“Thus Goddess Mielle, loving humanity, manifested as the first emperor of this empire, Ludwig I.”
The High Priest’s gentle voice was warm enough to purify one’s soul just by listening.
People were deceived by that voice and softly chanting ‘Oh God.’
“Fear not before death, and also… remember all of this.”
It was different content from the religious sermons I’d heard before possessing this place. It was structured around God and the Emperor under heaven, with noble ministers under both.
Why would he try to commit treason while giving such sermons?
‘No, is that why he chose to devour the empire rather than independence?’
Because doctrine inseparable from the emperor was established?
Anyway, it wasn’t my concern.
What mattered was that today, immediately after this service, there would be a ball, and during the ball, the High Priest would publicly request a one-on-one meeting with the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince couldn’t refuse that publicly.
Because it was just a meeting, nothing more.
In the original work, Sercil, who he’d fallen for at first sight, had eaten poison at this time, leaving him in no condition to refuse…
‘This time it’s not Sercil who’s collapsing, so he’ll be much more relaxed.’
At least he won’t be shaken by my blood and worry about me.
Even if Theodore doesn’t trust me and doesn’t move according to plan, he doesn’t trust the High Priest either, so it’s fine.
I looked once each at the Archduke and Marcus hyung-nim sitting on either side of me.
The Archduke was pretending to be serious while thinking about other things, and Marcus hyung-nim was blatantly doing something else.
“Hyung-nim. Are you… doodling right now?”
“Yeah. Your Highness, you play with this too.”
“…Hyung-nim, see over there? That little kid.”
Hyung-nim followed my finger with his gaze.
A commoner child about five years old was playing hand games with his sister and doodling on her hand.
“Just like hyung-nim.”
“……”
Marcus hyung-nim folded the paper he’d been doodling on with a disgusted expression.
I almost burst out laughing for real, but held it in.
Because I know that if I show too much familiarity, he’ll sharply keep his distance and be wary.
* * *
Marcus suddenly paused.
He realized he had unconsciously engaged in natural, comfortable conversation with the 2nd Prince.
A wave of revulsion immediately surged up. He’d seen many half-demons who wormed their way into people’s hearts like this.
Generally, their real faces were expressionless.
They’re bastards who know nothing about emotions or communication but only imitate, and use that imitation to deceive.
However, the moment he unconsciously looked to the side, Marcus somehow stopped breathing.
Because he discovered a gentle smile that wasn’t large but was quietly spread across his entire face, as if he was holding back laughter.
He never expected to see such an affectionate expression from the demon’s bloodline he’d have to deal with eventually, rather than from his kind friend.
“……”
Marcus stared intensely at that face, then quietly turned his head to look straight ahead.
His prey today wasn’t Ersen.
Right. Not this annoyingly irritating bastard, but that deceiver High Priest up front.
Though he didn’t say it aloud, he thought it was somewhat fortunate.
* * *
What I need to do at the ball is simple.
Appear like a villain and draw attention, cause a scene saying I’ll repay my debt to the elder, spill a drink on Sercil, then pick fights with anyone.
‘In other words, show on a large scale why the 2nd Prince needs two watchers attached to him.’
It’s not that the two will stick close to me, but their surveillance will be obvious.
The High Priest’s public blessing and request for a meeting with the Crown Prince happens not long after the ball starts.
So I need to accomplish everything within that time.
Of course, the four people didn’t give me a time limit during our meeting.
“That’s easy.”
When I said this with a strange smile, all four people’s gazes at that time were colored with distrust.
…Why?
I didn’t expect to be suspected for my ability to cause trouble?
But they couldn’t abandon their subtle distrust until the end.
‘I’ll show them properly.’
Fortunately, the occasional vomiting blood had stopped, so I was invincible now.
“2nd, 2nd Prince Your Highness and Archduke Your-“
“Noisy, open it.”
BANG!
I ignored the doorkeeper and kicked the door open with my foot, then hopped around in place because my foot hurt, and when I saw the door that Marcus opened with a cough sound, I quickly struck a slovenly pose.
The Archduke turned his head to look elsewhere, then looked back at me when I was ready.
…There was a hint of laughter on his face.
“Shall we go in, Your Highness?”
“…Yeah.”
“Doing what you’re used to is indeed best.”
“Right.”
Well, I don’t have this kind of image with you all…
Understanding this, I strode inside.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
