DSM 13

DSM

Chapter 13

I glanced sideways.

An arrow was stuck firmly into the tree beside me.

‘…That scared me.’

Not only was I startled by the sudden arrow, but the fact that an assassin was roaming deep inside the imperial palace was even more shocking. Was palace security really that bad?

‘I almost died while taking a walk, of all things.’

Pulling the arrow out, I stood up. The arrowhead was smaller and thinner than usual. To fire something like this with such precision—whoever shot it was highly skilled.

“Your Highness!”

“Wait.”

I stopped the knight just as he was about to shout. Already, he had drawn the sword at his waist and tilted his head in confusion.

Leaving him be, I examined the arrowhead again.

‘At least there’s no poison on it.’

Even if there had been, it was fortunate that I hadn’t been wounded anywhere.

But the real issue was that someone had fired this arrow at me in the first place.

‘Who was it?’

In the original story, the only one who directly targeted Shatrina was the emperor. But the timing didn’t match—there was a set schedule, so it didn’t seem like the emperor’s doing.

‘Too strange to be random.’

Even though I had met Cedric, I didn’t have any particular connection with him either.

‘I’ll have to look into it.’

It didn’t seem likely that Emperor Revillia, who had been doing nothing up to now, would suddenly try to kill me.

I needed to find out exactly who was after me.

‘Maybe I should visit a guild once things settle down.’

Even having read the original story, what I knew was limited. Establishing ties with a guild in advance wouldn’t be a bad idea.

If I could receive information and some form of protection, it would make moving around much easier.

‘I’ll think about that later.’

Suppressing my presence, I quickly scanned my surroundings. At that moment, I faintly sensed something. Narrowing my eyes, I focused on a figure in the distance.

‘?’

Squinting, I watched as the shadow gradually grew larger.

Looking more closely, it wasn’t just one person—there were two.

‘People?’

But one of them was being dragged along the ground like a sack of luggage. Slung over his back was an empty quiver, and he was firmly gripped by a rough hand.

The man dragging someone—whether unconscious or dead, it was impossible to tell—approached slowly.

Yet even in this situation, the knight did not attempt to stop him. Despite this being far more serious than an arrow flying at us.

I only realized why once the man came closer.

‘He couldn’t have stopped him.’

Before I could even lower myself, the knight dropped to one knee.

“I greet His Highness the First Prince.”

The First Prince, Arthur.

He was one of the figures considered a candidate for crown prince alongside Cedric.

And among the imperial family—excluding the emperor—he was currently the most influential.

‘…He’s handsome.’

Given the situation, this wasn’t really the time to think that, but handsome was handsome.

If Cedric and Mikael gave off generally gentle impressions, the man before me looked almost exactly like the emperor.

It was as if they had discarded their humanity and conscience, but made sure to thoroughly secure their looks instead.

Watching his appearance glow even in the night, I quietly nodded to myself.

“You are….”

While I was admiring his cool, intimidating aura, Arthur—who had been looking at me suspiciously—narrowed his eyes sharply.

As if my presence here displeased him greatly.

“I greet the First Prince.”

“Save the greetings for later.”

He dropped the man he had been dragging and brushed off his hands.

“That arrow.”

I glanced down at the arrow I was holding.

“I nearly ended up with a hole in my head.”

“……”

His audacious tone left me speechless, but he wasn’t wrong. If I hadn’t dodged, I really might have died.

Just as he said, the assassin’s arrow had been aimed precisely at me.

I silently acknowledged his words.

“Why is the Crown Princess here?”

“She was taking a walk.”

“At this hour?”

Arthur cast a suspicious look at the knight.

Just as I was about to respond, another knight beside him redirected the conversation.

“Was it an assassin?”

“……Probably.”

The man didn’t move at all. Judging by the blood soaking the center of his back, he was likely dead.

Impressive that he dragged him all this way.

“Is he dead?”

“He was noisy.”

“……”

The knight was left at a loss for words by that cynical answer and coughed awkwardly. Truly an answer befitting royalty. Thanks to that, I forgot what I was going to say as well.

‘No wonder they’re brothers.’

As expected, he was a member of that imperial family.

In the original story, there wasn’t much information about Arthur aside from his status, but judging by his personality, he didn’t seem all that different from his younger brother Cedric.

As befitted a seed of the final mastermind, even his behavior was extraordinary.

“I’ll take my leave.”

Better to avoid trouble than deal with it. I decided to withdraw before he stopped me any further. Staying here would only pile stress on me.

Just as I turned to leave in a hurry, Arthur suddenly spoke.

“You said you’re going to the Marquis Hendron’s estate with Cedric.”

It sounded less like something directed at me, and more like muttering to himself.

But with my sharp hearing, I stopped and turned back.

Then, in a clearer voice, he continued.

“When you go, stay as far away from Cedric as possible.”

If you want to live.

My eyes widened slightly at the unspoken implication.

I stared at him blankly, but Arthur—having said his piece—didn’t speak again.

He merely waved his hand as if telling me to leave.

All the way back to the palace, I mulled over Arthur’s words.

‘What does that mean?’

That said, even Cedric attending a social party at all was suspicious.

On the surface, it looked like he was going for networking and expanding his influence, but the real reason was probably something else.

‘…Do the princes know too?’

If my suspicion was correct, there was no need to interpret Arthur’s words deeply.

It simply meant: Don’t stand out. Shut up and stay quiet.

‘If that’s really the case, it does make sense.’

But even if the princes suspected Marquis Hendron’s household, nothing would actually change.

As planned, the only ones going were Cedric and me.

‘I won’t let them take it.’

And the corruption of the Marquis’s household—I would uncover it myself, not them.

The assassination attempt that occurred late at night quickly spread throughout the imperial palace.

There was some initial uproar over the fact that someone had targeted me, a member of the imperial family—but it soon died down.

Because Arthur had killed the assassin who fired the arrow at me.

However, the emperor, furious that vermin had infiltrated the palace, dismissed all the nearby guards.

Considering he didn’t execute them, was it crazy to think he was being merciful?

“Phew.”

“The weather’s lovely—why are you sighing so much, Your Highness?”

Exactly.

It was a beautiful afternoon, yet my expression looked like death itself. I’d lost sleep over what happened yesterday.

I had just finished lunch too, so drowsiness was creeping in.

“Would you like more tea?”

“Yes.”

I turned toward Anna, my new maid since yesterday. The maids who had originally attended me were all replaced by order of Rael.

Thanks to that, the new maids suited me fairly well. It wasn’t that I was shy around strangers—I just found things troublesome.

They were also far more capable than the previous maids, which explained why the chief attendant of the main palace had chosen them. For once, I was genuinely satisfied.

Though she did tend to lose her mind whenever it came to dressing me up.

“You’re going to Marquis Hendron’s estate tomorrow, right?”

“Yes. But don’t overdress me.”

Fearing another episode like last night, I warned her in advance. She was the same one who had sparkled-eyed while holding ribbons.

“B-But it’s your first party!”

“It’s precisely because it’s my first party that I don’t want attention.”

I’d already be going with Cedric. Even if attention would come later, I wanted to reduce it as much as possible. Why stand out by dressing extravagantly?

“Choose something comfortable. I’ll be sitting for a long time.”

In truth, it was so I could move around freely. I ignored the prick of guilt and sipped my tea.

Anna, holding the teapot, drooped her eyes in disappointment.

‘Good grief.’

Her sulky face left me dumbfounded.

“Why are you disappointed? Dressing up the shell isn’t that big of a deal.”

“Calling it a shell… You sound exactly like my grandmother.”

“It’s the truth.”

I could enjoy seeing others dressed up, but doing it myself was bothersome.

Just preparing to go out took an absurd amount of time.

When I shrugged, Anna puffed up her cheeks, clearly holding back many words.

Then, as if she suddenly remembered something, she set down the teapot and clapped her hands.