If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 61

“…!”

 

Gasps of surprise filled the air as the deep kiss lingered for a long time. Her soft tongue slipped through the gap of his lips, diving in and exploring as deeply as it could. It was the first time he had been completely caught off guard. Regen accepted the sensations Sasha gave him without any defense, his throat bobbing once. Along with the words he had been about to say, something was swallowed deeply down his throat.

 

When Sasha finally pulled her lips away, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. Her light sky-blue eyes shone vividly.

 

“No matter what it takes, I will protect you.”

 

“…”

 

“You are mine.”

 

As if entranced by her words, Regen moved. This time, he pulled Sasha into his arms, holding her tightly as if to crush her against him. His lips brushed against her ear, whispering softly.

 

“――”

 

It was like an indecipherable code. When he released her from the embrace, Sasha’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“Memorize it.”

 

It was a secret message, disguised as an impulse, that Regen had subtly passed on to her. Turning his back on Sasha, Regen returned to the starting line. Sasha, unable to return to the pavilion, stood frozen in place for a long time, her heart aching with longing.

 

Suddenly, the sound of something shattering echoed from somewhere. In the middle of the chaos where one of the food tables had been overturned, Dominic stood with bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely. His murderous gaze was fixed on Regen’s back. The nobles, fearing they might become the target of his wrath, pretended not to notice. Even the host, Marquis Osbond, carried on with his duties, unfazed by the commotion.

 

“Now, let us begin the second event, the ‘Knight Derby.’ May today be remembered by all of you as the greatest festival.”

 

Bwooo. A long, resonant sound of a horn echoed. It was the signal for the race to begin.

 

✦

I returned to the pavilion and took my seat. My mouth tasted bitter. Rinsing it with the tea, I discreetly spat it out, pretending to wipe my lips with a handkerchief.

 

As I glanced slightly to the right, just off-center, Gwendellin was looking at me, struggling to suppress the twitching corners of her lips. The malice in her couldn’t be hidden, even by that pretty face. I met her mocking gaze with anger.

 

Things won’t go your way, Gwendellin.

 

While I had been away for a moment, an unfamiliar object had been placed at the center of the table. It was a wooden board with a simplified map drawn on it. The map depicted a winding circular route starting from the hydrangea garden, passing through several other gardens, and returning to the starting point. It was a map of the track for the ‘Knight Derby.’

 

“Maybe because it’s laid flat, it looks like a board game.” Sister Orlette’s guess was spot on.

 

The servants placed seven chess pieces at the starting point. All of them were black knights, differentiated only by the numbers engraved on their sides. Marquis Osbond, who had entered the pavilion, began to explain.

 

“Your Highnesses cannot directly watch the horse race. Instead, we will provide updates every three minutes so you can follow the race from here.”

 

“It seems like it would take quite some time to relay the information. Wouldn’t there be a delay in the updates?”

 

“Don’t worry, Princess Amethyst. The imperial palace’s sound signal system is well established.”

 

“You’re not going to tell us which horse corresponds to which knight?”

 

“That is correct, Princess Blue Wave. Guessing that is intended to be a small amusement for this competition.”

 

I considered the reason behind such meticulous control of information. Surely Marquis Osbond wasn’t doing this just to amuse himself by watching the princesses die of suspense. In this competition, the princesses must have their own role to play. For now, all I could do was wait.

 

“Three minutes have passed.”

 

The positions of the pieces on the board, which had been at the starting point, shifted one by one. The order from the lead was 7, 1, 2, 4, 6, 5, and 3.

 

“Horse number 7 is making a quick advance. However, the gap with horse numbers 1 and 2 isn’t very large.”

 

It was an obvious fact that anyone with eyes could see, yet the announcer pretended to narrate it anyway. The intention was clear. It was to insult the direct knights by treating them as racehorses.

 

“Three minutes have passed.”

 

The leader entered the next checkpoint, the cherry blossom garden.

 

“Horse number 2 has overtaken and is now in the lead. It seems the competition for the top spots is between horses number 1, 2, and 7. The middle ranks need to step up before the gap widens further. Especially horse number 3, who may fall even further behind at this rate.”

 

Several rounds of three minutes passed in this way.

 

“…Horse number 2 is firmly holding the lead. He has already passed the cherry blossom garden and crossed the Bridge of Oath. Not far behind, horses number 1 and 7 are neck and neck. In the middle ranks, horses number 4, 5, and 6 are competing for position. And as for horse number 3…”

 

The black knight marked with the number 3 was stuck in last place, unable to break free.

 

“The gap is widening. At this rate, it’s practically being left behind.”

 

“…”

 

As the commentary ended, the sisters began chatting among themselves. Unlike Marquis Osbond, the sisters didn’t treat the knights as mere racehorses.

 

“Knight number 2 is amazing.”

 

“Right? At this rate, he’ll take first place. Who could it be?”

 

“Number 1 and number 7 aren’t bad either. The gap isn’t so big that they could take over.”

 

“But knight number 3 seems barely able to move. Why is that knight falling so far behind?”

 

“It’s such a big difference compared to the leading one. About three times as much, maybe…?”

 

“At this rate, the last place is pretty much decided…”

 

Let me emphasize again, the core of this competition isn’t about who comes in first. It’s about who ends up in last place. Punishments are given to the bottom three. But for the last-place knight, the punishment is practically a death sentence. The punishments for the fifth and sixth places are relatively lighter in comparison. So, as long as one person is confirmed to be in last place, the rest are relatively safe.

 

“…”

 

I couldn’t join in the sisters’ conversation and just stared into the void. If Gwendellin came into my line of sight right now, I felt like I wouldn’t be able to suppress my murderous intent. Without any regard for my efforts to hold myself together, Gwendellin let out another frivolous, mocking laugh.

 

“Gwen, do you know something?”

 

“Huh? Me? About what?”

 

“Because you keep laughing.”

 

“I-It’s not like that, Sister Lette.”

 

Another three minutes passed, and the positions of the seven knights shifted. There were no changes in the rankings from before. If there was anything noteworthy, it was that the knight number 3 had fallen even further behind.

 

Instead of giving the usual straightforward commentary, Marquis Osbond added a twist this time. “I believe Your Highnesses have had enough time to observe the racehorses. Would anyone like to guess your personal knight corresponds to which horse?”

 

“…”

 

All we had seen were the game board and the chess pieces. It was obvious that the sisters were holding back their disbelief.

 

“No one?”

 

“…Sasha might be able to guess.” Gwendellin muttered as if talking to herself. She glanced at me over the teacup she held in her hands, clearly itching to provoke me but failing to get under my skin.

 

I decided to play along. “Marquis, is there any prize if I get it right?”

 

“There might be.”

 

“Number 3.”

 

As everyone was surprised by my choice of the lowest rank, Marquis Osbond grinned.

 

“That is correct.”

 

✦

Leaning against a cherry tree, Regen was breathing heavily. Ever since drinking the poisoned drink, his condition had deteriorated rapidly. For a brief moment, right after Sasha’s kiss, it seemed to calm down, but soon after, waves of excruciating pain began to hit him periodically.

 

Back then, Sasha definitely gave me something to eat. He thought it might have been an antidote, but judging by the severe, convulsive pain, that didn’t seem to be the case. Just then, a related memory surfaced.

 

“It kills slowly over two or three hours and reacts before any other poison or medicine.”

 

He was certain Sasha had used the poison hidden in her ring. To delay his death, she had given him another, slow-acting poison by mouth. What could she have been feeling when she made that decision?

 

“No matter what it takes, I will protect you. You’re mine.”

 

He knew. The princess cherished her people and had a strong attachment to what she considered hers. But that attachment, mistaken for affection, makes his heart race. If he were allowed to face her again, he wanted to hear those words one more time.

 

Regen wiped the blood trickling down his lips and pushed himself off the tree he had been leaning against. He had to return to the princess’s side.