Chapter 71………….
“The First Prin—… oh, you have a guest.”
It was Dmitri.
Beside him, Bael gave me a polite nod and a smiling glance. Ever since I saved Dmitri’s life during the Iron Guard Alliance incident, Bael had looked on me with nothing but fondness.
Now, he silently mouthed to me:
“He just came to visit.”
Just to visit?
I blinked at Dmitri in confusion, but he furrowed his brow and said, “Is there something on my face?” making me shake my head in a hurry.
“N–No. I was just thinking you look handsome today as always.”
“…You too.”
“Uh… thank you.”
We awkwardly traded compliments, both looking away. Behind him, Bael was quietly stifling his laughter.
Then—
“Jeron of House Idrea greets the Little Star of the Empire. May the blessings of the goddess Eridium be upon His Highness Prince Dmitri Epsilon Kaliberg.”
“….”
Jeron stepped forward with a greeting, but Dmitri only stared at him in silence, offering no reply.
By now, he should have said something like “A pleasure to meet you, young marquis”, but Dmitri seemed determined to be stubborn for once.
I mentally placed a big question mark over my head. Bael, flustered, bowed in Dmitri’s place.
“I am Bael Alex, aide to the First Prince. A pleasure to meet you, young marquis.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Sir Alex.”
“Yes, well, ahem… if I may ask, why are the two of you together…?”
Bael knew exactly what was bothering Dmitri, so he cut straight to the point.
Jeron’s eyes curved faintly.
“I came to present Her Highness the First Princess with a beast I capture during the hunting festival.”
“Ah… a g–gift, you mean….”
Bael glanced toward Dmitri to gauge his reaction—
—and immediately snapped his gaze back forward. No wonder.
“Who is giving what to whom?”
“I will give the First Princess a beast I catch during the hunting festival.”
The way they clipped each word like they were tossing blades made Bael want to cry blood as he adjusted his glasses.
The First Prince’s gaze sharpened.
‘So it’s not just the First Princess who’s changed…’
Jeron looked Dmitri in the eye, then shifted his gaze to me—looking both puzzled and uneasy.
My body, carrying remnants of my past life, curled slightly at Dmitri’s killing intent. My shoulders trembled with fear, yet my face remained as indifferent as ever.
What’s with him?
That’s what I thought as I met Jeron’s eyes.
“Either way, I don’t need it. Wolf, tiger, bear—none of them.”
“A pity.”
“Now, go on.”
Shoo, shoo—like swatting away a fly, I pushed Jeron toward the exit. The longer the two of them stayed together, the more certain it seemed a fight would break out.
Bael visibly relaxed at my wise choice.
He glanced at Dmitri and said,
“We should be going as well, Your Highness.”
“….”
“Your Highness?”
“So… she doesn’t like animals…”
“Pardon?”
“Let’s go.”
“Ah, y–yes. Well then, Your Highness the First Princess, may you enjoy the rest of your day.”
Bael hurried after Dmitri out of the tent.
I still had no idea why the First Prince had even come to my tent.
“…He really did just come for a visit?”
After that commotion, all sorts of people began visiting my tent to pay their respects. Every noble came with their children in tow.
Not a single one of them looks at me with disdain anymore.
In my previous life, nobles had still come to offer formal greetings simply because I was royalty—but never with greed in their eyes. Back then, they came to sneer at my pitiful state, with nothing but scorn and mockery in their gazes.
“Your Highness has grown so splendidly! Surely the First Consort must be proud of you.”
I was quietly proud of myself for having pulled my standing up this far. At the same time, I found their flattery laughable.
The nobleman gave his son a push toward me.
“This is my son, Jofrick Molden. Go on, greet her.”
“H–Hello.”
“Nice to meet you.”
We exchanged greetings. The boy, two or three years younger than me, flushed red and fidgeted with his fingers.
Unlike his father, the son is adorable.
May you never grow up to be like him.
I curved my eyes in a small smile, offering the thought silently.
“If you have nothing more to say, may I admit the next guest?”
It was a polite way of saying, Enough flattery—leave. His hopeful face cracked ever so slightly.
Viscount Molden awkwardly forced a smile and rubbed his hands together.
“Haha, well, I suppose I’m not the only one eager to see Your Highness. But—how about joining my Jofrick for the hunt this year? He’s also been assigned to Zone 3.”
“Your son, you mean?”
“Yes, yes! Your Highness, the boy may look unassuming, but he’s a fine shot. Isn’t that right, Jofrick?”
“Y–Yes! I can hit any animal within three and a half meters…!”
That’s impressive for his age, but when you’re surrounded by monsters like the ones in my circle, it barely registers.
Ugh, tedious. How many times have I done this already?
Too tired even to shoo him out myself, I gave a subtle signal to Ilia and Mulin at my sides.
Get rid of him.
“I’m sorry, Viscount Molden, but you’ve taken up too much of Her Highness’s time. Others are waiting—please, see yourself out.”
“What? But I haven’t heard Her Highness’s—”
“Oh, yes, you have! Our Princess Lilien had a lovely chat with you, so please, off you go~ Take care!”
With Mulin’s bluntness and Ilia’s faux innocence, the viscount was escorted out. His mouth twisted furiously as the tent flap closed behind him.
I was sure he’d curse my name the moment he got back to his own tent.
Guests came in like sausages on a skewer after that—one after another.
None came out of pure goodwill. It was all business proposals, or questions about how I planned to use the orichalcum.
Each time, I deflected with a cheery, “Oh, I don’t have any to share just yet~”.
They came in smiling; they all left with the same sour face.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with them,” I said.
Mulin and Ilia agreed.
“They’re showing their greed far too openly.”
“Exactly! What’s the point of being nice to you now? It’s not like they’ll get anything out of it.”
I silently agreed.
I’m exhausted. I just want to go back to the palace.
Seeing my drained state from fending off nobles, Mulin and Ilia exchanged a look and nodded.
“Your Highness~ there’s still about thirty minutes before the hunt starts, so we’ll go get you some snacks!”
“And I secretly brought a fluffy heart-shaped cushion! I’ll fetch that too.”
“Alright.”
Desserts were always welcome, so I sent them off without a second thought.
Just then, my last guests of the day arrived.
One was familiar, the other familiar yet strange.
“Kawen Hesel Elliette greets Your Highness the First Princess. May the blessings of the goddess Eridium be upon you.”
The Duke of Elliette had come with his children. His gaze held neither greed nor expectation—just as it always had.
In fact, after Richard, he was probably the next person to have seen me as I truly was.
I was about to offer him a relaxed smile when he grinned widely.
“I must apologize for my son Richard’s rudeness to you. The boy has a rebellious streak.”
“That’s not true, Father.”
“See? He’s already talking back!”
The duke laughed heartily while Richard reddened slightly and pinched his father’s thigh in secret.
Next to him, Dina—two head-sizes smaller than Richard—looked at me with bright, expectant eyes.
Fairy.
She mouthed the word, and I smiled sheepishly.
The duke noticed our little exchange and beamed.
“I know it’s shameless, but I have a request for Your Highness.”
“You, Duke?”
I tilted my head, and he glanced at Dina with an embarrassed smile.
“You see, my daughter has been assigned to Zone 3 for the hunt, same as Your Highness. But Richard and I are assigned to Zone 1, so we can’t accompany her. If it’s not too much trouble, could you take her along as a companion?”
“Hm.”
I looked at Dina. Her sparkling eyes were simply adorable.
She’s not like Yevgeny—a child people despise.
Even before my poisoning in my past life, we’d kept in touch and gotten along well enough.
Truthfully, I’ve wanted to talk with her at least once.
I nodded, and both the duke and Richard visibly brightened. Dina too—her cheeks flushed red as she clasped her hands.
“Then… will you hunt with me too?”
“Of course. Or we can just explore the forest.”
“I can’t wait! Thank you, Your Highness.”
She curtsied, then smiled at her father, who gazed at her lovingly.
“Thank you for agreeing. I’ll send a gift to your palace later.”
“It’s only natural.”
“No, please accept it. It will put me at ease.”
So that’s where Richard got his stubborn streak.
The duke, his features sharper than his son’s, was just about to leave with his children when—
“I’d like a word alone with Her Highness. Could you go ahead?”
“What business could you possibly have with her?”
“We’ve even gone out together, you know.”
“…What?”
The duke’s eyes went wide, darting between me and Richard.
After a moment, he must have realized something, because his eyes turned sly.
“Well, well… if that’s the case, you should have told me sooner. I’ve gone and played the fool, haven’t I?”
“…Please go.”
Richard practically shoved his father out like an unwanted peddler. I shook my head inwardly.
Exposing your son’s first love like that…
“Not that it matters—he’ll find a new love the moment he comes of age.”
“…Pardon?”
“Talking to myself.”
“So… what is it?”
Richard fidgeted with his fingers and spoke awkwardly.
“From what I’ve seen, you don’t seem to like animals very much. Is that true?”
“Yes. I don’t care for them—too much trouble to deal with, and they scare me.”
“Then… is there something you do like?”
I thought about it, and the answer I came up with made him smile awkwardly.
“Money.”
“….”
“Power—so no one can ever treat me carelessly.”
“….”
“And a safe home.”
“….”
“Perfect, right?”
“Yes. So perfect there’s no room left for me.”
Richard gave a wry laugh, shadowed by a faint gloom. I actually felt a little bad.
Did I say “no” too bluntly…?
Like Jeron, he was one of the few young nobles who could compete for the top spot among their peers.
No wonder both wanted to give me something from the hunt. But my answer had been so materialistic that it clearly threw him off.
He lowered his head, and for a moment, an awkward silence stretched between us.
Just as I was about to politely tell him to leave—
“You like flowers.”
“…Huh?”
He met my eyes gently, with a soft smile.
“Don’t you remember? Last year, I happened to meet you and gave you flowers.”
“…?”
Uh… sorry… I’ve regressed, so my memory of when I was really young is fuzzy…
Wait—wasn’t that nine years ago? There’s no way I remember that.
I forced an awkward smile, and he frowned faintly, looking oddly hurt.
“So you don’t remember….”
“A–Ah, no, I do. Of course I do. I was just… surprised.”
“Then, do you remember what flowers I gave you?”
…
Think, Lilien. If you can’t answer, you’re dead.
I racked my brain with all my might. Nine years ago… so I’d met Richard even back then.
What could we have done?
Back when I was shy… I probably would’ve been crying, maybe.
As I thought furiously—
‘…They were blooming in the palace garden…’
A hazy yet strangely vivid memory surfaced—the sound of a voice, a grubby little flower in my hand.
“…Cosmos…?”
“! You do remember.”
His face lit up, and I sighed in relief.
He smiled brightly.
“I’ve heard Mount Mila has rare flowers. Would you accept one of those instead?”
“As long as it’s not an animal, fine.”
“Then I’ll have to find something truly beautiful for you.”
“Sure.”
I averted my gaze, drawing out the word. For some reason, his smile left me uneasy.
Like I’d done with Jeron earlier, I gave him a gentle push toward the exit.
Just before the tent flap fell, our eyes met again—and he gave me one last, tender smile.
