If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 107

“Thank you. Truly.”

 

“…I thought you only knew how to say irritating things. But it seems you can say something pretty as well.”

 

I ended up looking annoyed again. All he had to do was respond like anyone else with a simple, ‘It was nothing.’ Instead, Dominic made me want to take back my gratitude.

 

“Where is the baby?”

 

“I’ve hidden him well. If you designate a date and place, I’ll send him there.”

 

“I’ll contact you soon.”

 

“Understood.”

 

I waited for what might come next, half expecting him to demand compensation. But Dominic merely gazed at me steadily, saying nothing.

 

Was that the end? Was it actually possible to end a conversation with Dominic this cleanly? My confusion did not last long. Dominic never failed expectations, at least not in a good way.

 

“You must have come to understand me well after today.”

 

“Yes. I’ll remember that you’re a knight.”

 

“Not that.”

 

“Then what?”

 

“I will not become a father who kills his child. Rest assured.”

 

“…” I was too dumbfounded to respond.

 

Dominic gave his usual sly smile and stepped back. I watched his retreating figure for a long time. So long that I almost forgot he was an irritating, frivolous man, because the chivalry he had shown in defying the mad emperor’s order left a deep impression.

 

“Sasha, the sun is setting.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Regen gently turned me back around. Faced with the handsome man filling my vision, I felt foolish for wasting time staring at someone else’s back.

 

“Let’s head back.”

 

There was a bit more strength in my steps as we returned to the Silver Bird Room. It felt as though at least one of the heavy shackles binding my ankles had been removed.

 

✦

Not long after, the punishment for Princess Blue Wave, Vivian, was decided. She was stripped of her title as princess and sent to a convent near the capital. There, she was to endure harsh labor and fill her hunger with coarse food. No term was specified.

 

The mad emperor was quick to lose interest. Even Vivian’s repentance failed to hold his attention for long. And if he was indifferent, forgiveness or pardon could not be expected. Whether this was a cruel life sentence or a long-overdue liberation depended on the one enduring it.

 

Meanwhile, immediately after Vivian’s deposition, Bellinger was also dismissed from his position as personal knight. Returned to the status of a prisoner of war, his miserable fate became fodder for noble gossip, some even placing bets on it. Yet as the seasons changed, their wagers yielded no result.

 

In the rumor-filled imperial palace, Bellinger vanished as though he had evaporated. Some nobles attempted to inquire into his whereabouts, but a single remark from the mad emperor silenced them.

 

“Bellinger? Was there such a knight?”

 

The cruel ruler of the imperial palace denied his very existence. In that instant, the nobles’ curiosity suffocated quietly. Thus, Bellinger became a man who did not exist, and his name became one of the imperial palace’s strange taboos.

 

12. The Traitor from Lohengrin

As the sweltering heat receded and cool fall arrived, something rather surprising occurred among the princesses. The regular princesses’ tea time, which many had assumed would be a one-time event, was held for a second time. The location was the Golden Deer Room, reputed to be the most beautiful chamber in the annex.

 

Hosted by Nanaen, the sisters gathered around a single table. There were not many of us left in the palace who could still face one another. Only five retained the title of princess: Orlette, Lilliana, me, Nanaen, and Shumel.

 

Nanaen smiled brightly. “I paid special attention to the seating arrangement. Since you seem to dislike round tables, I prepared a rectangular one instead. What do you think?”

 

“Isn’t this arrangement making you the main character, Sister Nana? Do you like the center seat that much?”

 

“Yes. The more people on either side of me, the more stable I feel.”

 

As host, Nanaen sat at the head of the table, with two seated on either side facing each other. It felt closer to a conference hall than a tea party. To Nanaen’s left sat Shumel and me; to her right, Sister Orlette and Lilliana.

 

As I quietly sipped my tea, Lilliana, seated diagonally across from me, gave her cool assessment. “It’s fine.”

 

“It seems you approve, Sister Lilli. I didn’t expect you to come.”

 

“Of course I came. Who knows what schemes the four of you might hatch without me.”

 

“Oh, we wouldn’t do that.”

 

“Then you’d gossip about me instead.”

 

“Ah, we might do that.”

 

“Hmph.” Lilliana snorted but did not look especially offended.

 

Though I feigned indifference, I carefully observed Nanaen and Lilliana. Come to think of it, Nanaen seems better than I am at getting under people’s skin. Yet somehow I ended up with more enemies.

 

Sister Orlette spoke. “Lilli, Sasha. I won’t force you to get along. Just have some tea and go.”

 

“There you go again, sounding like a mother.”

 

“Hey, if I were really your mother, both of you would’ve been smacked on the back by now.”

 

See? What did I even do to deserve being scolded alongside Lilliana? For some reason, I felt as though only my life had been set to a higher difficulty level. Without realizing it, I sighed into my teacup.

 

Nanaen immediately took notice. “What’s wrong, Sister Sasha? You look deeply troubled. Are you feeling remorse about your relationships with your sisters?” Her tone was clearly teasing, but I did not rise to the bait.

 

“Yes. I am.”

 

“Oh dear. Shall I tell you the solution?”

 

I decided to hear her out. “What is it?”

 

“Drop the stiff way of speaking and try something more affectionate. Now, repeat after me. Sisteeeer—”

 

“…” I simply stared at her with unfocused eyes.

 

Nanaen cleared her throat awkwardly. “Honestly, the person who should’ve born the eldest ended up awkwardly in the middle.”

 

The awkward air was brightened by Shumel’s cheerful voice. “Sister Sasha, when will you wear the birthday gift Shushu gave you? I thought you’d show it off at today’s tea party.”

 

I recalled the accessory she had carefully packaged in a velvet box. A pair of ornate hair ribbons. “I’ll wear them next time.”

 

“You must wear both together. Promise?”

 

“…Alright.” Perhaps I should style my hair in a ponytail, tying it at the top and the middle.

 

Sister Orlette sighed softly. “It feels peaceful like this. Like we’re ordinary sisters.” Paradoxically, that remark only made our abnormal reality more apparent.

 

The table grew quiet.

 

“…See, Sister Lette, you always have to say something like that and dampen the mood.”

 

“Ahem. Sorry, Nana.” As though taking responsibility for nearly plunging us into gloom, Sister Orlette offered up information likely to capture everyone’s interest. “Have you heard? Soon, one envoy from each of the Eastern Allied Nations will be arriving.”

 

“If they’ve all long since become vassal territories, can you even call them envoys?” Lilliana retorted bluntly.

 

My gaze cooled. Beside me, Nanaen was looking at Lilliana with similar eyes.

 

Fortunately, Sister Orlette handled it before I needed to intervene. “Technically, ‘governors’ would be more accurate. But remember, our personal knights are from the Eastern Allied Nation.”

 

“Ah…” Lilliana flushed, realizing she had been careless before the knights. At least she could recognize her mistake, unlike Sehera.

 

“But why are they coming? To swear loyalty?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

I elaborated further. “It’s to set an example and make them compete among themselves.”

 

“An example?”

 

Nanaen and Shumel both perked up, and I willingly explained more kindly to my younger sisters.

 

“Most of the appointed governors are defectors from the allied nation. They’ll gather them and bestow imperial noble titles on only a select few, to incite competition for loyalty.”

 

“Wow, that’s Father’s specialty. What titles are they giving?”

 

“For now, one marquis.”

 

“A marquis? Just how thoroughly did someone sell out their homeland to earn that?”

 

I watched Nanaen, whose voice had risen in surprise. Come to think of it, her personal knight is Killian. It would be better for Nanaen to know what I know.

 

“He contributed as greatly as Dominic Mizekal in dismantling the Eastern Alliance.”