Chapter 60
“Ah, what a headache. Me? Compensation? That’s far from the kind of work I do.”
Hist, still strikingly handsome, flopped over the table and let out a deep sigh.
Modway giggled, playing with his purple hair with her beak.
I lightly shrugged at the sight of Hist.
“What can you do? All the Grand Duke’s magical tools are made directly by the Mage Tower. Even if the malfunction isn’t inside the tool itself, you still need to apologize.”
“Ugh, I hate it… back when I was holed up in the Mage Tower just doing research, none of this happened.”
“Your subordinate, the deputy Mage Tower master, turned the Mage Tower into a corporation, right? Then there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“So cold, Your Highness…”
[Ugh, such a weakling! Then what did you expect me to say to our master!]
[Hehe~, but the fact you teleported all the way here shows at least some effort~?]
[Hist! Cheer up! You can do it!]
“Oh? The spirits are cheering me on? You guys…!”
Hist spread his arms, trying to hug the spirits.
Of the spirits, only Modway obediently nestled into his arms. Marin and Nesgal slipped out and took their places on my shoulders.
I gently stroked their cheeks and spoke.
“Did you come to the Grand Duke’s house alone? Where are the others?”
“They’ll arrive the day after tomorrow. Our side’s a mess right now too, dealing with this fire and the magical tool malfunctions. We’re also busy forming a separate investigation team to study the mana distortions.”
Hist fiddled with Modway’s wings, sighing.
“Actually, nobody knows I’m here right now.”
“Ah, so that’s why you sent me this note?”
I tapped lightly on the note that had been left on the table. It read:
“Your Highness, it’s urgent. I’m about to teleport. Where are you?”
The note appeared through the business card Hist had given me earlier.
I tilted my head and looked at him.
“What would have happened if I hadn’t kept this card separately?”
“I knew a meticulous princess like you would keep it. Besides, you asked me for a favor in the first place.”
“I thought the teleportation seal on the card was for short distances. How did you send this note?”
“I just teleported straight to the Grand Duke’s residence and sent it from inside the castle—done.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at his reckless answer. The Telum Grand Duke’s castle is as heavily protected by magical wards as the royal palace.
You can teleport here without any problem?
‘Truly, his magical abilities are monstrous.’
“Oh? The princess just silently praised me, didn’t she?”
“Yes, I did.”
Hist immediately brightened and smiled broadly. I shook my head and took Modway from his hands.
“Modway, watch around this guest room for anyone coming near. Marin, create a sound-blocking barrier.”
[Understood!]
[Got it~]
The guest room in the Grand Duke’s castle wasn’t exactly a safe place. After setting up the minimum protection with the spirits, I looked at Hist.
“So why did you come see me beforehand?”
“Your Highness, how many days has it been since you arrived here?”
“Six days as of today.”
In the original timeline, the exact date of the fire wasn’t mentioned. I remember struggling to figure it out.
‘Luckily, my calculations were accurate, and the incident happened the very next day after arriving at the Grand Duke’s residence.’
After that, Moren and I tirelessly ran about with the Grand Duke to stabilize the territory. Personally visiting the residents was the best way to make them remember our faces.
Those busy days passed, and tomorrow would finally be the day to return to the capital.
Counting the days in my mind, Hist wore a serious expression.
“It’s only been a short time, but the rumor has already spread this far…”
I frowned slightly, sensing something off in his muttering.
“Is something happening in the capital?”
“Listen calmly. Your Highness, strange rumors are circulating at the Rornod Imperial Palace.”
“Rumors?”
Hist nodded.
“There’s a rumor that… the princess might not actually be Rornod.”
“!”
My heart sank at those words.
“Since when… how long has this rumor been circulating?”
“Not long. It started after you left.”
“What’s the basis for the rumor?”
“They say you vomited blood for no reason. Someone witnessed it. They didn’t appear publicly, though.”
“Blood?”
A memory flashed through my mind. Nesgal muttered as if thinking the same.
[Ugh, could it be… then?]
“I only vomited blood once. That was when I was in the Grand Duke’s territory.”
“So someone here must be a spy.”
“A spy, huh…”
I let out a deep sigh. Moren and I would surface after dealing with the fire, so we were prepared for other factions to keep an eye on us.
‘And so soon.’
I closed my eyes, suppressing the complicated feeling, as Hist spoke again.
“It’s organized. The rumor spread too fast.”
“…Someone benefits from swaying public opinion. One of my brothers.”
I slowly opened my eyes and murmured the name.
“Brindel Zelour Rornod.”
Was it you who bared your teeth the moment I left? I bit my lip, thinking of Brindel’s silver hair.
“I need to return to the capital as soon as possible.”
“Good idea, Your Highness.”
“…Hist Neten.”
“Hm?”
“Did you come here first just to tell me this?”
He confidently nodded.
“All the spirits who are your informants went to the Grand Duke’s residence. So I had to step in.”
“Because we’re friends?”
Hist blinked, muttering in a dissatisfied voice:
“Probably?”
“Why probably?”
“Just… I thought we had to act as soon as we heard a rumor unfavorable to you. Maybe it’s because we’re friends?”
Why ask me that?
I didn’t respond and stood up.
“Understood. Go join your colleagues. I have to go straight to the capital.”
“Can we handle it?”
“Of course.”
If there were clear evidence or witnesses that I vomited blood, it would have been news, not just a rumor. The fact that it isn’t…
‘It means there’s only circumstantial suspicion, no proof of my birth.’
[Of course! I already burned the piece of cloth with the master’s blood!]
Then it’s fine. I just need to meet Brindel.
Thinking calmly about the next steps, I looked down at Hist.
“Thanks for coming to tell me.”
“Oh? Well… I just want to look good in front of the princess!”
Hist’s ears seemed to twitch slightly.
It was fortunate that the capital wasn’t far from the Grand Duke’s residence. After parting with Hist, I returned to the palace, which took exactly a day.
As soon as I unpacked, I requested tea time with Brindel, and he agreed without hesitation.
‘As if he was waiting for me.’
Entering Brindel’s palace, he was sitting with his legs crossed, calmly waiting. I smiled brightly and greeted him.
“Good afternoon, Brindel.”
“Neroli, hello. I heard you had quite an ordeal on your trip. Are you alright?”
“Yes! After going through that, I feel I should value my siblings more~! We really need to cherish each other while we can.”
“Haha, that’s true. Neroli, you’ve realized something important.”
We sipped tea with our masks on, pretending to relax. A soft voice drifted in with the warm breeze.
“This place is rather calm. I expected a bloodbath with the prince competition, but not at all.”
Clack—.
I put down my teacup, puffing my cheeks like a timid little sister and glared at Brindel.
“Calm? I was so scared I temporarily took refuge at the Grand Duke’s residence!”
Brindel smiled warmly.
“You should be scared for me, standing in the middle of the competition. Why are you trembling, Neroli?”
He added casually:
“All because of Moren, right?”
In that short question, a subtle edge was hidden. My youngest sibling, who had a strange encounter with the Mage Tower master amid the prince competition. That alone would provoke Brindel, and then there was our activity at the Grand Duke’s residence.
‘If Brindel really planted a spy in the Grand Duke’s house, he must know everything that happened.’
Including how much the people praised Moren.
I frowned, showing my worry. Brindel spoke again.
“Moren is still a legitimate heir. And then that fire at the Grand Duke’s house… I heard Moren used magic to make it rain. Is that true?”
Was he testing how much I could reveal?
His question was more blatant than before. Naturally, I pretended to be unaware, widening my eyes innocently.
