Chapter 34………………………………………….
Cassius focused his pheromones solely on Schwarz.
Schwarz felt as though a massive slab of stone were crushing down on his body.
He clenched his teeth and tried to endure it, but the indiscriminate pressure only grew heavier.
“Ghk…!”
With a short groan, Schwarz dropped to one knee.
The moment he was subdued by another alpha, Schwarz’s pheromones scattered completely.
The betas, who had been suffocating under Schwarz’s murderous intent, finally felt able to breathe again.
Having brought the situation under control, Cassius bent slightly and whispered,
“Why would you touch a woman who carries my pheromone?”
“……”
“If you covet her even once more, next time I’ll rummage through your head and leave you a mindless fool.”
This was no mere warning.
The moment Schwarz had stared intently at Sonia, Cassius had wanted to kill him outright.
***
Sertina had left, but my unease only grew.
“Did I make some kind of mistake with Her Highness? Lancelot, what do you think?”
“Your etiquette was flawless, Sister.”
“Then why…?”
It was bad enough that I hadn’t impressed her—I seemed to have earned her dislike instead.
After thinking it over, Lancelot replied,
“She’s been irritable lately, likely because her health isn’t good. She snaps at everyone, so please don’t take it to heart.”
That made sense.
Anyone would feel frustrated if they suddenly couldn’t walk.
I’d heard she lost the use of both legs overnight.
How despairing that must have been.
“If only the Sanctuary of Healing prayer weren’t written in ancient divine language…”
If I had fully awakened my power, I might have been able to heal her.
I grasped my necklace.
“Great Lord, please help me read the prayers of the Sanctuary of Healing.”
I finished the brief prayer.
My chest didn’t warm.
The god Magnus had not answered.
Lancelot, standing beside me, looked startled.
“Sister… you really did become a priest.”
“What, did you think I was lying?”
“Honestly… I thought you wouldn’t last three years and would come back.”
Three years?
“You—!”
“Ah—no. I mean, I was hoping you’d come back within three years. It was lonely without you.”
It sounded like he hurriedly corrected himself to avoid getting hit, but my anger eased anyway.
“You’ve learned to say nice things. You’ve grown up.”
I reached out to ruffle Lancelot’s hair—and froze.
“It’s so soft!”
The same silver hair I’d inherited from Father.
We were blood relatives, so why was his hair so much softer than mine?
“Is this the protagonist buff or something?”
No wonder three obsessive male leads latched onto him—no, wait, that’s not the point!
“What happened between you and Duke Lyndmere? Why did you enter together?”
“I’ll tell you if you pet me a little more.”
“Tell me. Now.”
“…Well.”
Lancelot spoke.
“Recently, whenever I attend gatherings, I’ve run into Duke Lyndmere quite often. Sometimes we talked.”
What?
This wasn’t even their first meeting?
Without me knowing, the encounters had been stacking up just like in the original story.
The man Lancelot mentioned in his last letter—‘someone who holds views different from His Highness the Prince’—must have been Schwarz.
“I thought it was the princess.”
Lancelot then began explaining what had happened before the ballroom.
***
After confirming the coachman had collapsed, Lancelot drew his sword and stepped out of the carriage.
He attacked the suspicious man standing behind the coachman—only to be countered and knocked unconscious.
The man who had felled Lancelot removed his robe.
It was Schwarz.
The corpse lying on the ground was a kidnapper sent by Prince Shane.
“Tch.”
Schwarz clicked his tongue.
He hadn’t intended to knock Lancelot out—but when Lancelot charged him, he reflexively countered.
Realizing his mistake, he’d pulled back at the last second, leaving Lancelot uninjured and merely unconscious.
Schwarz looked down.
The coachman lying beside Lancelot appeared to have fainted from shock after witnessing the kidnapper being slaughtered.
Pathetically weak.
Annoying as it was, he would have to take both of them along.
“So you treasure your family.”
Since Sonia treasured her family, he decided to bring the coachman as well.
He should’ve brought subordinates—coming alone had been a mistake.
The kidnappers Shane employed were predictable, but now he had extra baggage.
Just then, someone appeared and shouted,
“Who goes there?! Identify yourself!”
Several sword-wielding figures stood at the mouth of the alley.
“More nuisances…”
Worse yet, they were dressed as holy knights of the Holy Kingdom.
If he killed them like the kidnappers, the Holy Kingdom might truly ban him from entry this time.
“I’d rather not.”
Schwarz pulled his robe low.
Hiding his face, he confronted the approaching holy knights.
Though outnumbered, it was no problem.
He used only enough of his ability to avoid being exposed.
It was as though clouds had covered the moon.
In the already-dark alley—without even a streetlamp—all light vanished.
Hidden in the darkness, he struck each knight’s vital points, knocking them unconscious, then hoisted Lancelot and the coachman over his shoulders.
“Disgusting.”
Lancelot’s clothes were soaked with the kidnapper’s blood.
Judging by his appearance, he had intended to attend a ball.
Sending him off like this might make Sonia sad.
So Schwarz took Lancelot to his estate and handed him over to quick-handed attendants.
By the time Lancelot regained consciousness, they were already at the entrance to Schwarz’s residence.
The attendants, tense at first—thinking he’d brought back a corpse—relaxed upon seeing Lancelot unharmed and began dressing him in various outfits.
“You look good in anything.”
“Bring out everything!”
“The size is a little off, but we can alter it quickly.”
Commenting that he had the face and body that made dressing him enjoyable, they changed his clothes.
***
After hearing all that, I couldn’t believe it.
“Schwarz took Lancelot to his estate… and then let him go?”
In the original story, he would have imprisoned him for days and done all sorts of things.
“Thank goodness.”
Because it was different from the original.
Because my brother hadn’t suffered.
Because this didn’t turn into a vicious entanglement with Schwarz.
In fact, the one who tried to kidnap Lancelot was Shane—and Schwarz had helped him.
That made it the second time Schwarz had helped us.
But why had Shane tried to kidnap Lancelot in the first place?
Reporting it would require solid evidence—after all, the culprit was a prince.
Without proof, we could be accused of treason instead.
Since Schwarz had killed all the kidnappers, it was made to look as though Lancelot had handled them.
A knight killing suspicious attackers posed no problem.
Shane would’ve received a report that Lancelot had defended himself with superior swordsmanship.
Knowing Lancelot’s strength, Shane likely wouldn’t target him again for a while.
“Sister, I’m sorry.”
“Huh? For what?”
“For not listening to you. I won’t ever talk about changing my lord again.”
Yes—that.
Thanks to Shane’s scheme, Lancelot’s thinking had been corrected in one stroke.
I’d been worried about how to persuade him, so this was a relief.
After confirming Lancelot was truly safe, I prepared to return to the ballroom.
That was when a familiar man appeared from around the corner.
“Priest Sonia, there you are. I was looking for you.”
It was Jurgen, the Holy Sovereign’s escort knight.
“You were looking for me? Is something wrong?”
He shrugged.
“His Holiness says the ball has ended.”
It was still time for the after-party—ending this early meant something serious had happened.
As a priest, I had to obey the Holy Sovereign’s command.
“I understand. I’ll return to my lodgings.”
“No. His Holiness instructed that you are to stay at Count Theodore’s estate. I will escort you.”
He raised his hand politely.
As I reached for it, Lancelot grabbed my hand first.
“I’ll escort my sister.”
“This is a sacred mission bestowed by His Holiness. No one has the authority to interfere.”
It felt as though sparks were flying between their gazes.
Lancelot was acting out of familial concern, Jurgen out of duty—but we couldn’t stand in the corridor forever.
“Sir, please.”
I chose Jurgen.
I wanted to know what had happened at the ballroom.
I heard Lancelot mutter in complaint.
Thanks to Jurgen’s company, I learned about the confrontation between Cassius and Schwarz.
Worried, I headed for the Theodore estate.
***
Thanks to Cassius’s consideration, encouraging me to spend time with my family after so long apart, I stayed at the estate for two days.
I sampled the new perfume Lancelot had developed, shared ideas for his next creation, enjoyed tea with Father after he returned to the estate, and took a pleasant walk through the garden with Mother.
After two days, it was time to return to the Imperial Palace.
Since the schedule began early, I prepared before dawn.
Lancelot and Mother came out to see me off.
“Young Master, a letter arrived overnight.”
“A letter?”
It bore the imperial seal.
Lancelot opened it and said,
“It’s from Her Highness the Princess.”
I wondered what it could be about.
We’d met by chance recently—perhaps she was asking when he would present his sword.
But contrary to expectation, Lancelot stiffened as he read.
What could be written there?
“What did Her Highness say?”
“Ah—no… it’s nothing.”
“That’s not a ‘nothing’ expression. Tell me the truth.”
“……”
“Then give me the letter.”
After hesitating, Lancelot handed it over.
“Just thinking about having accepted you and then facing Lady Theodore gives me a headache.
Therefore, I have no need of Viscount Theodore’s sword.
I hope we never meet again.”
