Chapter 116…………………………………………….
“Y-Your Highness, Third Prince… and Duke Ibrante… W-welcome.”
Raymond’s guardian awkwardly stood and bowed his head.
I ignored him and took a seat at the table.
Leonhart quietly stood behind me and addressed the imperial knights.
“Which division are you assigned to?”
The knights swallowed nervously.
“…We are from the 8th Division.”
“So the 8th Division has nothing better to do if they’ve come all the way here.”
“N-No, sir!”
As the empire’s first Sword Master, Leonhart was an idol to the knights.
It was a huge honor for them that their idol occasionally trained and sparred with them.
Naturally, the knights revered him.
So in this situation, it was only natural that they felt awkward.
‘They must feel like they just stepped in… you know… stepping in something awful.’
They had come along without much thought, and now their idol was glaring at them.
Leonhart slowly turned his neck from side to side.
Crack… crack…
With every harsh sound, the knights’ faces turned whiter and whiter.
“My body has been feeling sluggish lately—this is perfect. The 8th Division will assemble on the training grounds before sunrise tomorrow morning. Purpose: physical conditioning and sparring.”
“…!”
“And your response?”
“Thank you, sir!”
“Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir!”
As soon as the imperial knights left, Raymond’s guardian visibly weakened.
After handling the knights effortlessly, Leonhart fell silent, signaling that he was leaving the matter to me.
I stared quietly at Raymond.
He didn’t dare defy me.
He must have heard of my fearsome reputation. He looked thoroughly intimidated.
Raymond avoided my gaze but vented his arrogance toward his guardian.
“Hey! Why are you just sitting there? The knights left! Go tell them to come back!”
“Y-Your Highness, that’s not something I can do.”
“Why not?”
“W-well…”
Sweat ran down Raymond’s guardian’s face, and he started scratching his arm.
‘Does he have a nervous habit of scratching himself?’
White flakes of skin fell onto the table. I shifted my gaze to Raymond.
“Raymond, why did you say those things to Piace?”
“I-I’m a prince… why… w-why did I… speak so… informally…”
“This is an academy. Professors don’t speak formally to students either.”
“…N-no…”
“Answer me. Why did you say that to Piace?”
“…I-I just…”
“Just to scare her by saying she’d be abandoned?”
“I didn’t mean to harass her! Father… Father said that if I said that, we’d become closer!”
No wonder it didn’t sound like something a six-year-old would come up with on their own.
‘So it was Carlisle’s doing. Teaching his son… such “good lessons.”’
Raymond pouted and his eyes welled up with tears.
“Piace always ignores me! Even when I ask to play, she says no! She only plays with the others!”
“…”
“Ah… she didn’t even invite me to her birthday…”
I had expected the arrival of a classic villain, but as usual, Raymond wasn’t one.
Bianca, though young, had magic and the audacity to defy me.
But Raymond was ordinary.
No magic, no genius-level intellect like Ruspell.
‘Well, he’s the Second Prince’s son, so his background is fine, but that alone won’t make him the final villain.’
Raymond was just a kid tormenting the girl he liked.
‘Sigh… what to do?’
He had terrified Piace by threatening abandonment, so I couldn’t leave it alone.
But once I realized Raymond was just an immature child, my battle instincts relaxed.
[Stage 1: (slamming the table) How dare you harm an Ibrante child! I will not let this slide! I will formally protest to the Imperial Family!]
…What a lunatic.
“Raymond, do you want to get along with Piace?”
“….”
“Shall I tell you how?”
Raymond was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Piace hates pain. Don’t pull her hair or hit her. Don’t push her either.”
“….”
“Try speaking gently. She isn’t used to rough words or actions.”
“….”
“If you want someone to smile at you, you must also treat them kindly.”
Raymond slowly nodded.
“Go wait by the bathroom. When Piace comes out, offer her a handkerchief and apologize. Then she will smile at you.”
Raymond glanced at his guardian, then quietly got up.
“Wait, Raymond.”
“Yes?”
Raymond turned toward me as he headed for the door.
I stared at him without blinking.
“Piace is kind enough to smile at you, but I am not. Never call her a commoner again.”
“…!”
“If you ever call Piace a commoner again, you will meet me alone.”
The color drained from Raymond’s face.
“Understand?”
“….”
“Don’t want to answer?”
“N-no! I-I’ll never call Piace… a c-commoner again… Waaah!”
Terrified, Raymond stammered and eventually burst into tears as he ran out.
“Your Highness!”
Raymond’s guardian bit his nails nervously.
Then, suddenly, his expression hardened.
“I’m sorry, but I cannot let this pass so easily!”
“Isn’t it enough that the children have reconciled?”
“B-But it’s true that Piace touched a royal! As you know, anyone who injures a royal can face the death penalty!”
Legally, it was trivial, but he could still grasp for loopholes.
A chill ran down my spine.
Leonhart was radiating deadly intent.
With him angry, my mind felt ice-cold.
There was no way Piace could be executed.
The Emperor would protect her as a saint.
‘But then Piace’s identity might be exposed… troublesome.’
The extra characters’ issues seemed left to handle themselves; the original author stayed silent.
Raymond’s guardian let out an exaggerated sigh and shook his head.
Scratching his arm again, he revealed his red, blotchy wrist.
“Whew… You have no idea how hard it was to prevent His Highness from ordering Piace’s immediate execution.”
“…”
“If I hadn’t risked my life to persuade him, Piace would have been in serious trouble.”
I remained silent, listening.
“Anyway, the Second Prince graciously decided to forgive her. What a relief.”
“…”
“Of course, given the nature of the incident, it cannot be entirely overlooked. Royal authority must be respected.”
“…”
“So, if you comply with a few requests, the matter can be resolved.”
I raised my eyebrows, signaling him to continue.
“Then, here are the Second Prince’s requests: First, Duke, you must personally visit the Second Prince’s palace to apologize. Second, send Piace to the palace once every four days. Third, ensure Piace does not interact with boys—except Prince Raymond. Fourth, Piace must obey Prince Raymond without question.”
It was basically making Piace Raymond’s puppet.
“What… is this?”
He smirked as if assuming I was pleased.
Raymond’s guardian shrugged and replied casually.
“Wouldn’t it be better if the children got along? Oh, there’s one more condition.”
He glanced at Leonhart, then handed me a letter.
“This is a message from the Second Prince. Please read it.”
“If you want to protect the child, support me.”
It meant: if you want Piace to survive, back him as Crown Prince.
[Huh? Wasn’t that man on the First Prince’s side? Last time he was like, ‘My elder brother should rule the empire.’]
[He must have been scheming all along. A truly cunning man.]
[No wonder he seemed shady… Right, Gnome?]
[(nods)]
Using a children’s fight to advance his own power was shameless—but Carlisle was that kind of man.
I folded the letter and looked at Raymond’s guardian.
“And you are…?”
“I am Albert, responsible for the Second Prince’s palace.”
“Ah, so you are the palace steward.”
I stiffened my previously gentle expression.
“So a mere steward was sitting here in front of me.”
“…S-sorry!”
Albert sprang up as if stung by a bee.
“Convey that I understand His Highness’ will and will visit soon.”
“Yes! Understood!”
As Albert hurried away, Leonhart held me back.
“Ignore the little prince’s demands. I will handle this.”
“Thanks, but I have a much better plan.”
“What plan?”
For example, using the two bite marks and raised welts on Albert’s arm as leverage.
I pressed a finger to my lips and winked.
“It’s a secret.”
