If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 33

“Archbishop Gremol provided justification and public opinion, while Arondit supplied money and status. It’s a disgusting symbiotic relationship.”

 

Regen, who had been listening intently, commented. “Sasha’s intelligence network is truly impressive.”

 

“It’s one of the most valuable things I have. I inherited it from my mother.”

 

If I didn’t have this foundation, I would have just been an ordinary princess. As I was lost in thought, Regen suddenly asked me, catching me off guard.

 

“Have you investigated me with that intelligence network as well?”

 

I didn’t panic. I know well how to speak the truth without it being entirely true. “It’s still in process.”

 

How had he managed to survive while hiding his identity as a prince? What exactly was his relationship with Kilieon, Nanaen’s personal knight?

 

“It’s not easy.”

 

I’ve only uncovered about half of it so far.

 

“I see…”

 

Regen lowered his gaze, seemingly relieved. He must think that I’ve hit a wall and haven’t even been able to gather basic information.

 

Come to think of it, there’s one more thing I need to investigate. Who was the friend that betrayed him?

 

I abruptly asked, “May I ask you directly, Sir Regen?”

 

“…”

 

A clear look of distress crossed his handsome face.

 

If I were to ask for his real name, it would be hard for him to lie, given his personality. I could already picture him confessing that his name was Regenhart Lohengrin, then shuddering in self-loathing as he admitted to being a disgraced royal who had survived in disgrace. Of course, I had no intention of touching on that subject.

 

“How many close friends did you have?”

 

“…Why do you ask all of a sudden?”

 

“I’m just curious.” That way, I could track down that traitor and offer him a chance for revenge.

 

The prince, now slightly more relaxed, began to share his information freely. “There were four… Two died on the battlefield years ago, one was a strategist who betrayed me, so I suppose I can’t call him a friend anymore.”

 

A strategist. Since he wasn’t a knight, I should focus on noble families with scholarly backgrounds.

 

“What about the other one?” Regen had previously mentioned there was only one traitor, but I wanted to confirm just in case.

 

“He was a knight as well. I think he survived until the end, but I don’t know what happened to him. To be honest, my memory… it was cut off after I was taken prisoner.”

 

“Your memory is cut off?”

 

“Yes.”

 

That made sense. When I reunited with him, he was no better than a walking corpse.

 

But seriously, how did he even survive?

 

Regen had fought to the death in the Grand Canyon, only to be captured alive by the empire as a prince of an enemy nation. He was the number one target the empire would never let live. Even with a clear mind and all sorts of strategies, survival would have been nearly impossible. How could he, in a state so desperate that his memory had been severed, manage to hide his identity, blend in with the general prisoners, and keep himself alive?

 

It clearly means someone must have helped him… At that moment, new information was added to what I already knew.

 

“Now, the only person I can call a friend is him. I just hope that friend is still alive. He’s also my cousin, and we practically grew up together, so he’s like family to me.”

 

“…”

 

A cousin and a close friend. The two pieces of information I had were now connected as one.

 

I suppressed the urge to take a deep breath and spoke. “Sir Regen.”

 

“Yes, Sasha.”

 

“From now on, you have free time.”

 

“All of a sudden?”

 

“Yes. Don’t refuse.”

 

It was obvious where he would go anyway.

 

“Then I’ll escort you to the detached palace first, and after that, I’ll be training at the practice grounds. Call for me anytime you need.”

 

“Alright.”

 

After parting ways with him in front of the detached palace, I climbed the stairs to the second floor, where my quarters were. But the place where my steps stopped wasn’t the Silver Bird room—it was the Golden Deer room.

 

When I knocked softly, Nanaen’s maid appeared. She was startled to see me, quickly glanced around, and then let me in hurriedly.

 

“Why did Princess Silver Bird come here in person…?”

 

“Where’s Nana?”

 

“She’s in the bedroom. I’ll inform her right away.”

 

It wasn’t long after I started waiting in the parlor that Nanaen appeared. She must have been enjoying a nap, as she was dressed in a light indoor gown, and her blonde hair was slightly disheveled.

 

“Sister Sasha, what’s going on?”

 

“I have something to discuss with you privately.”

 

“Everyone, leave. I want to talk to my sister alone.”

 

I brewed Earl Grey tea as strong as poison to wake her up and handed it to Nanaen. The moment she took a sip, she glared at me with eyes that had completely shaken off her drowsiness. Now that she seemed ready to talk, I brought up the matter.

 

“Your knight, Sir Kilieon.”

 

“What about my stray cat? Did he cause trouble?”

 

“He carries the blood of the Lohengrin royal family. He even has a claim to the throne.”

 

“…So his very existence is troublesome.”

 

Kilieon was the child of a former princess of Lohengrin who had married into a ducal family, making him a cousin to Regen.

 

Nanaen pressed her forehead with her hand. Clearly shaken, she took three more gulps of the dreadful tea I had brewed.

 

“The Lohengrin royal family was completely wiped out, weren’t they? If this gets out, he’ll be killed immediately.”

 

“If you can’t handle it—”

 

“How could I abandon someone I’ve taken in? I’ll do my best to hide him.”

 

Nanaen was a deeply affectionate person. Especially when it came to things she had chosen herself, she never let go easily.

 

I threw out the terrible tea and brewed a fresh pot. A beautiful amber liquid filled both my cup and Nanaen’s.

 

In truth, the real reason I had come was just about to begin.

 

“Nana, there’s something I want you to look into.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Kilieon might have an older brother. Can you find out what happened to him?”

 

“Oh, if you’re talking about Kilieon’s brother…”

 

Does she already know? It was the moment I let my anticipation show.

 

“He’s dead.”

 

“…”

 

“I wasn’t trying to find out or anything, but Kilieon keeps having nightmares, so it’s impossible not to know. One time, he almost had a seizure, so I had to use medicine to calm him down. While he was under the influence, he said something. He said his brother’s body was torn to pieces and hung on the castle wall. He wanted to take it down but couldn’t.”

 

“…”

 

Something came to mind at the perfect moment. It was what the mad emperor had said.

 

“As for Lohengrin’s particularly impudent royal family, we made a fine example of them. We beheaded the king and princes in the town square for all to see, then impaled their heads and bodies upon spears, displaying them like grotesque puppets above the city gates.”

 

A chill ran down my spine. Then I realized that an even more chilling reality was unfolding right before my eyes. “Come to think of it… where is Sir Kilieon?”

 

“He should be at the training grounds.”

 

My bad premonition never misses its mark.

 

✦

The training grounds located to the north of the imperial palace were reserved for the imperial guard knights. While the regular knights followed a structured training schedule, such privileges were not extended to the knights directly under the command of the imperial princess. The approval process for sparring was complicated, citing the prevention of non-combat losses as the reason. Moreover, the imperial guard knights and war prisoners were not on particularly friendly terms, and it was unlikely that they would engage in a healthy manner. From the start, the black uniforms, reminiscent of funeral attire, were ostracized among the sea of blue uniforms that seemed to symbolize noble blood.

 

Regen reached for his leather canteen after an intense physical workout. His throat bobbed a few times, and the canteen was soon emptied. It was when he went behind the rest of the building to head to the water station. A shadow leapt out from the shade and ambushed him. Regen remained unfazed.

 

So, it’s finally happening. He had expected that someone would eventually show up to pick a fight. Whether it was to look down on him for being a war prisoner or out of jealousy for his position as Sasha’s knight.

 

Regen was ready to twist the bones of the hand that dared to grab his collar. However, the moment he saw the face of the person cornering him, his movements came to a halt.

 

“Regenhart.”

 

“…Kilieon.”

 

The man who had pinned Regen against the wall and grabbed his collar growled like a beast. “What the hell are you doing?”

 

“…”

 

“I asked, what the hell are you doing!”

 

The knight standing before him, clad in the same black uniform, was none other than Kilieon Ifrit. The second son of the Ifrit ducal family, who served the House of Lohengrin, and Regen’s cousin. He was also the younger brother of Regen’s close friend.