If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 57

“H-How could… Your Highness did this to me…” Shocked, Reina couldn’t stop the tears streaming from her eyes.

 

Gwendellin turned away from her and shouted boldly. “W-Well! It’s not bad! If you’re favored, you get to live in the imperial palace! For a rustic lady from the outskirts, that’s an honor…!”

 

“Bring Lady Fabiet to my chambers.”

 

Sasha’s command once again protected Reina. Neither Gwendellin nor her maids could interfere with Sasha. Supported by others, Reina slowly made her way toward the detached palace.

 

Sasha fixed Gwendellin with a glacial stare. Unable to bear the silent rebuke, Gwendellin burst out in defense. “I-I had no choice! His Majesty ordered it. It’s not like it’s a bad thing for either me or Lady Reina…”

 

“Is that really how you want to live?”

 

“…!”

 

Gwendellin could hardly believe what she was hearing.

 

“W-What did you say?”

 

“Just because living like a decent person is hard, doesn’t mean you have to live like an animal.”

 

“…”

 

Gwendellin’s shoulders trembled. Sasha stepped closer, almost invading her space. Though it was clearly spring, a chill ran through Gwendellin’s entire body as if the season had reversed to winter.

 

Sasha then spoke. “Gwendellin Yvonne Magnarod.”

 

“…”

 

“From this day forward, I no longer have an older sister like you.” It was a declaration of war.

 

“Ah…”

 

The more beastly one is, the better one senses threats.

 

At that moment, Gwendellin realized her trembling was not from humiliation, but fear. But it was already too late to turn back.

 

✦

Tension only truly melts away when you’re somewhere safe. The moment Reina arrived in the Silver Bird chamber, she burst into tears like a child, and the maids comforted her gently.

 

Sasha returned when Reina’s sobbing had quieted to mere sniffles. Reina, her eyes puffy from crying, got up from the couch to greet Sasha.

 

“T-Thank you….”

 

“Sit down.”

 

Reina awkwardly sat back down, glancing at Sasha for her reaction. When Sasha looked up and met her eyes, Reina ducked her head as if to hide.

 

Hamel brought out tea. The warm tea seemed to melt a bit of Sasha’s cold expression. Seeming to be considerate of Reina, Sasha averted her gaze and spoke in a somewhat softened tone. “Lady Fabiet, there are two kinds of people in the world.”

 

“W-What does Your Highness mean?”

 

“One kind is grateful to those who do them a favor and tries to repay kindness with kindness. The other kind takes the kindness of others for granted.”

 

“…”

 

“The latter kind, interestingly enough, become submissive in front of those who oppress them but grow vicious to those who are kind. Honestly, calling them human isn’t even right. It’s the classic survival of the fittest instinct. But if you only follow your instincts, can you really be called human?”

 

“I…” Reina spoke with anguish. “Didn’t know how to judge people.”

 

She’d thought Gwendellin was a good person. Looking back at all the moments she’d opened her heart and been kind, Reina now felt utterly foolish and ashamed. Worse, she’d even developed harbored feelings toward Princess Silver Bird based solely on one side’s story. It was deeply embarrassing.

 

Sasha replied, “It does seem that way.”

 

“…”

 

It was a cold, blunt evaluation that cut her tears short. Thinking that Princess Silver Bird must also think she was foolish and pathetic for being so easily kind made Reina burn with shame. But it was important to listen to the end.

 

“So continue being kind to others.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“I told you. There are two types of people, and you can tell which is which by how they react when you’re kind. How else can you judge someone’s character if you’re not kind to them first?”

 

“…”

 

“Keep doing what you’ve been doing. You haven’t done anything wrong. Not even a little.”

 

Reina truly tried not to cry again. The princess’s maids had gone to such lengths to comfort her. But her eyes stung, and she couldn’t hold back the tears. Despite her attempt to sound composed, her voice broke with emotion. “I won’t forget your teachings and kindness.”

 

✦

Reina could leave with peace of mind because her father, Baron Fabiet, came to pick her up in person. With the crybaby gone, Silver Bird chambers felt quieter than usual. As I finished my tea, Demia spoke up gently.

 

“You don’t usually give advice to someone you just met.”

 

“True.”

 

“Was that young lady special?”

 

“No.” My answer came out immediately.

 

In the imperial palace, one should never make anything or anyone special or precious. Those things only make you desperate. And the more desperately you want something, the more the whole world seems to conspire against you. I decided to blame today’s whim on my bad temper.

 

“Seeing something so cute and pure made me want to teach them the harshness of reality.”

 

“I understand, Your Highness. Sometimes you want to corrupt a greenhouse flower that doesn’t know the bitterness of life.”

 

When Sione readily agreed, it left a sour taste in my mouth.

 

Demia’s cheeks puffed up. “So Your Highness teased her because she was cute? Was she cuter than me?”

 

“Demia, you’re cute but not exactly pure.”

 

“Ah, I can’t deny that.”

 

It seemed like I had given the baron’s daughter unnecessary attention. Deliberately lowering my voice, I warned. “Don’t get tangled up any further.”

 

There’s nothing good that comes from getting close to me. In a place where harsh winds blow, the delicate flower is always the first to lose its head. To come near me, one would have to at least be one of my own maids.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

As the conversation ended, Hamel softly called out, drawing my attention. She seemed to have something to report.

 

“Your Highness, the date of the second competition has been set.”

 

“It’s about time.”

 

It looked like the suffocating spectacle of the mad emperor’s game was about to begin again. I turned my head and gazed steadily at Regen.

 

“I am ready at any time.”

 

So am I. No matter what happens, no matter what it takes, I will protect him.

 

7. The Knight Derby

With spring halfway through, Dominic returned to the capital with news of victory. The imperial palace announced a grand banquet to celebrate the southern front’s victory and the emperor’s birthday.

 

The princesses’ succession competition was planned as part of this banquet. The princesses, rather than a troupe or acrobats, would be the entertainers for the day, making it a truly extravagant occasion.

 

“According to the information, it will be held in the form of a picnic in the Hydrangea Garden.”

 

Based on Hamel’s report, Sione and Demia added their thoughts.

 

“It’s a relief that the competition will take place inside the imperial palace. I was worried it would be held in the capital’s dueling arena.”

 

“Uuh, I remember. They did that to the princes during the founding festival five years ago.”

 

Back then, over a dozen princes had been crippled or killed.

 

My three maids were relieved to have avoided the worst, but my thoughts differed. Just because the competition was in the imperial palace didn’t mean it would be safe.

 

The ones who would compete on behalf of the princesses were none other than their ‘knights’. In other words, combat was only second nature. Marquis Osbond, who craved excitement, would never have knights behave like gentle gentlemen. There’s a high chance there will be fighting.

 

On the morning of the competition, I received evidence to support my assumption.

 

“The palace administration has sent a notice. Personal knights aren’t required to wear formal attire.”

 

That meant leaving behind cumbersome decoration and just wearing uniforms, an implication that there would be more intense activities than simply strolling around the picnic grounds.

 

Regen caught on right away. “There’s a high chance this competition will involve combat.”

 

I recalled the dead or injured princes. They were young men around Regen’s age, crushed and battered in the mud like fallen leaves in a storm.

 

Sensing my unease, Regen spoke with determination. “I won’t lose. Please don’t worry.”

 

“You can’t only expect fair play.”

 

“It’s the same even under unfair conditions. Your knight will never lose.”

 

“…”

 

My heart was oblivious. It responded more to the words ‘your knight’ than to ‘I won’t lose.’