If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 53

“What’s with the first love?”

 

“Who says so, seriously.”

 

Each of us spat out a complaint, venting our frustration. Sister Orlette slammed her teacup down as if to shatter it, Nanaen stabbed her cake with a fork, and I scrunched the tablecloth under the table.

 

Sister Orlette gritted her teeth at the chamberlain. “As expected of our old man’s servant. Seriously, that lunatic…”

 

Nanaen and I were startled. “Oh my, did you just say ‘our old man’? That’s so crude.”

 

“Amethyst Room must have really good soundproofing.”

 

Sister Orlette’s purple eyes burned with intensity. “Promise me. No matter who becomes the emperor, we’ll behead the chamberlain.”

 

“That’s something we can do even before one of us becomes emperor.”

 

“I have no intention of becoming emperor, okay? Sisters can handle that exhausting stuff.”

 

“Ugh, just do it if I tell you to!”

 

“Fine.”

 

Only then did it feel like the air in the parlor had been refreshed. Nanaen’s soft laughter soothed the tension.

 

“Still, it was funny how we all came together earlier. Everyone had that disgusted look on their faces.”

 

“Of course. Who’s whose first love? Especially a man like the mad emperor? Are you insane?”

 

“If you’re in your right mind, you wouldn’t even glance at him. I swear, my taste is the complete opposite.”

 

“Same here.”

 

Sister Orlette and Nanaen exchanged a few words about their taste in men.

 

“Someone who behaves properly.”

 

“Speaks nicely.”

 

“Modest and reserved.”

 

“Dependable.”

 

“Charming.”

 

“Listen to me well.”

 

“And it would be even better if their status is lower than mine.”

 

“Of course, of course. Especially the last part, that’s crucial.”

 

I had no objections to the emphasis on lower status. As I traced the handle of the teacup with my finger, I analyzed the root of my preferences.

 

“Well, I’ve seen and experienced the worst kind of men with power up close.”

 

I let out a sigh into the empty teacup and stood up from my chair. The tea time was over.

 

“This is quite a shock to the mental system. Everyone, take care of yourselves.”

 

✦

“Did something happen?”

 

“…”

 

It must have been obvious that I was in a foul mood the entire way back to the Silver Bird room. As soon as I slumped onto the couch in the parlor, Regen finally voiced the question he’d been holding back.

 

What’s the point of hiding it? So, I answered honestly. “You know the head chamberlain came by, right? I experienced the greatest humiliation of my life.”

 

“…”

 

Not only Regen, but even my three maids had a cold glint in their eyes.

 

“What did the chamberlain say?”

 

“He said that all fathers are their daughters’ first love.”

 

“…”

 

The sound of a vase falling and shattering by the window echoed through the room.

 

“Be careful, Demia.”

 

“Yes, yes…”

 

Hamel and Sione covered their mouths, as if they couldn’t bring themselves to say anything. I wondered if Regen couldn’t relate, but from his awkward expression, it seemed he got it.

 

“That… Are you alright?”

 

“I’m not alright.” Honestly, I feel like moving up the timeline for the coup.

 

“Your Highness, have some cookies…”

 

“And some chocolate too. It’ll cheer you up.”

 

Sione and Hamel cozied up to me on either side of the couch, offering me sweets. I didn’t refuse and popped them into my mouth, continuing to vent.

 

“I really can’t relate to that sentiment, especially since my father is the mad emperor.”

 

“Even if he weren’t the mad emperor, most people wouldn’t understand.”

 

“Are there people who do? I can’t even imagine how doting a father would have to be for that to make sense.”

 

“Isn’t it something said from a father’s perspective? There’s no need to understand it from a daughter’s point of view.”

 

“Ah, you’re right. Is that kind of sentiment common among fathers?” I asked purely out of curiosity, but Regen seemed quite flustered.

 

“That… I’m not sure. I don’t have a daughter.”

 

He made it clear that he had no personal experience in the matter. Well, I had never asked about Regen’s past before, so I could understand why he might want to avoid any potential misunderstandings. But Demia, of course, couldn’t keep quiet.

 

“Oh my, then do you have a son?”

 

“No, I don’t.” Regen’s voice carried more weight than usual. “I’ve never been married, nor have I ever been engaged.”

 

“I see.”

 

I already knew that, so it shouldn’t have affected me, but for some reason, it felt like he was explaining himself to me, and that made me happy. I really need to fix this habit of interpreting his intentions however I please. It’s going to be a problem. To change the subject, I brought the conversation back to the original topic.

 

“The head chamberlain’s remark was unpleasant, but something amusing happened too. The tea time wasn’t exactly a harmonious gathering, you know. But thanks to him, the princesses were united, even if just for a moment. You should’ve seen us all making the same expression.”

 

“What kind of expression was it?”

 

“A look of disgust.”

 

Hamel handed me a glass of orange juice. Nothing beats a refreshing fruit drink to settle your stomach.

 

“The princesses’ taste has evolved to loathe men like the mad emperor. But to claim he was our first love? That’s so absurd. It’s one thing to insult our memories, but this crossed the line.”

 

I let out a small, derisive laugh, unable to hold back my emotions at the end. But strangely, there was no response.

 

“Sir Regen?”

 

When I lifted my head, Regen was looking at me with slightly surprised eyes.

 

“Did you have a first love?”

 

“…”

 

Is that the part that caught him off guard? Even the maids had expressions similar to Regen’s.

 

I felt a bit conflicted. Was it really so shocking that I had memories of a first love? It’s something everyone experiences, isn’t it?

 

“Of course.”

 

“…They must have been a good person.” Regen replied as if he was forcing the words out of his throat. It felt like he didn’t believe me at all but was responding out of politeness. “What kind of person were they?”

 

I had no idea why he was trying to continue this topic, but still. A mix of emotions swirled within me. It was a paradoxical situation where my first love was asking about my first love. A part of me wanted him to know, yet another part hoped he wouldn’t realize.

 

Impulsively, I opened my mouth. “He was a prince of an enemy nation.”

 

His golden eyes widened. I met his gaze confidently. After all, with enemy nations surrounding us on all sides, this much information wouldn’t be enough to identify him.

 

✦

It was shocking to think that there could be a man capable of capturing that woman’s heart. She wasn’t someone who even spared a glance at men, never gave her heart away easily, and seemed most fitting when sitting upright, exuding an air of solitary elegance.

 

Just as Regen couldn’t touch her, he thought no one else could either. But he was wrong. Who could it possibly be? Regen couldn’t even remember the last time he felt such a burning curiosity.

 

“He was a prince of an enemy nation.”

 

Regen found himself comparing that man to himself, and his heart reacted even more.

 

Sasha began to reminisce. The faraway look in her sky-blue eyes was, even to Regen, the unmistakable expression of someone opening the door to their memories of their first love.

 

“He was a wonderful person. I had only ever heard stories about him, but meeting him in person, he was even more impressive. I think it was love at first sight.”

 

“…”

 

She even admitted he stole her heart at first sight. It was beyond hard to believe—it was something Regen didn’t want to believe.

 

How on earth did they meet? As far as he knew, countless envoys from foreign nations had come to the empire seeking peace to avoid the flames of war. Even the Kingdom of Lohengrin had once considered sending Regen to the empire, though the plan had fallen through.

 

“Of course, being a prince of an enemy nation, I couldn’t even dare to hope.”

 

“And… did he not have feelings for Your Highness?”

 

“Not at all. To him, I probably didn’t even exist.”

 

“Really?”

 

“I was just one of many princesses, and above all, I was young back then and didn’t have the beauty I possess now.”

 

“Your Highness must have been beautiful even as a child.”

 

“…”

 

Suddenly, the tenderness of first love had vanished, and Sasha’s eyes narrowed. Regen, too busy admiring how beautiful she looked no matter her expression, was late to notice her discomfort and flinched.