If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 82

It seemed like he was also thinking about physical contact. I pretended to focus on writing a list to avoid his gaze.

 

After finishing our tasks, we all sat around the table and shared a red velvet cake topped generously with blueberries and raspberries.

 

Demia refilled my glass and spoke. “The Founding Festival is coming up soon.”

 

In mid-June, during the peak of the season when roses are in full bloom, the Founding Festival takes place. For three days, the capital hosts a grand celebration featuring night markets, acrobatics, fireworks, and the emperor’s parade.

 

“There won’t be another competition during the Founding Festival, right?”

 

“It hasn’t been long since the last competition, so the chances seem low…”

 

I reassured those in my residence based on Hamel’s recent report. “The Founding Festival is only two weeks away now. So far, there’s no sign that Marquis Osbond is preparing anything.”

 

“That’s a relief. If he were planning a competition, he would have started moving by now.”

 

“Exactly. So, you all can relax and go enjoy the Founding Festival.”

 

“Aah, that’s not what I meant…”

 

“Of course, I know. I just mentioned it since the topic came up.”

 

Going out during the Founding Festival was something exciting. I had no intention of taking away such joy from the maids. However, there was something I wanted to emphasize.

 

“The security in the capital hasn’t been great lately, so be careful.”

 

“Is it bad enough to worry about?”

 

“I’ve received reports that crime is on the rise. Not just fraud and theft, but even murders seem to be happening frequently.”

 

With the rulers indulging in provocative pleasures, it was no surprise that internal affairs were in disarray. Though it might sound shameless coming from an empire that started a war, the mad emperor wasn’t exactly a beneficial ruler for the empire either. The war only served to further fatten the pockets of the privileged, while the people’s livelihoods were left neglected.

 

“The biggest issue is that heinous crimes mimicking Marquis Osbond are appearing one after another. The imperial palace itself is corrupting the morality of the entire empire.”

 

What would be the end of a corrupt and depraved nation? Perhaps the goddess’s wrath would come faster than any human rebellion.

 

The gloomy conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. When I sent Demia to check, she returned with a distressed face, bringing an uninvited guest.

 

“Greetings to Princess Silver Bird.” A middle-aged gentleman with neatly combed-back hair, one side streaked white like a bridge, bowed politely to me.

 

“Chief Chamberlain, what brings you here?”

 

“His Majesty has summoned the princesses. Please prepare yourselves and come to the audience chamber in an hour.”

 

“That’s rather sudden.”

 

“Please don’t be anxious. It’s for a good reason.”

 

How many times has something good for the mad emperor turned out to be bad for any normal person? Sure enough, the additional remark from the chief chamberlain immediately put me on edge.

 

“It concerns your personal knight.”

 

✦

Sasha, having finished dressing within the given time, arrived at the audience chamber with Regen. Two imperial guards standing watch pushed open the massive arched doors from both sides. Inside, a chamberlain glanced at Sasha’s face and then raised his voice.

 

“Your Highness Princess Rosasia Trinite Magnarod, fourth in line to the throne, enters with her personal knight, Sir Regen.”

 

As they stepped into the audience chamber, the imperial guards on either side raised their right fists to their left chests in a brief gesture of respect. Though the gesture was formal, Sasha felt as if she had willingly walked into the center of an enemy encirclement. She lowered her gaze slightly, looking at the red carpet beneath her feet. It crossed her mind that even if her blood were spilled here, it wouldn’t leave a noticeable stain.

 

At that moment, Regen, who was escorting her, lightly grasped the tips of her fingers. “Sasha, do you remember?”

 

“Remember what?”

 

Just like Regen, Sasha kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, waiting for the rest of the words to follow.

 

“Three steps to the right.”

 

“…”

 

“If you’re within that range, I can protect you from everyone here, no matter how many of them come at us.”

 

To hide the sudden flutter in her chest, Sasha deliberately spoke as if scolding him. “… Don’t underestimate the situation just because Dominic isn’t here.”

 

“It’s unfortunate that you think so little of me.”

 

“But why are you suddenly saying something like that?”

 

Regen’s voice dropped a notch. “I smell blood.”

 

“…”

 

“It doesn’t seem like it was just one or two people.”

 

Sasha’s shoulders flinched. It implied that a massacre, close to an execution, had taken place in the audience chamber. The red carpet beneath her heels felt oddly damp, as if it had absorbed blood.

 

The imperial throne atop the dais was empty. While waiting for the mad emperor to arrive, the chief chamberlain assigned positions to Sasha and the other princesses. Six chairs were arranged in two rows of three, facing each other, with a carpet between.

 

Sasha took her seat according to the order of succession, and beside her, Regen stood upright, guarding her. The other five princesses and their personal knights arrived one by one.

 

Vivian with Bellinger; Orlette with Noah; Lilliana with Yulis; Rosasia with Regen; Nanaen with Kilieon; and Shumel with Ciel. Everyone took their designated seats, replacing greetings with mere glances. The atmosphere in the audience chamber, filled with armed imperial guards, was oppressively heavy.

 

“Glory everlasting to the reign of the Great Emperor! Pay your respects to Your Majesty, the Great Emperor of the Magnarod Empire!”

 

Emperor Axellion entered, leading his closest knights, including Dominic. The princesses stood from their seats and bowed as the emperor took his throne. Though their postures were demure, a few of them dared to lift their gazes and glare at the emperor. Sasha, too, imagined carving her father out of that throne.

 

Once everyone was seated, the emperor spoke with a tone that was almost playful. “My daughters, how do you feel after completing two rounds of the competition?” It was no different from torturing someone and then asking them to rate the pain, so no one answered.

 

The emperor, reveling in the contempt that filled the silence of the princesses, smiled in satisfaction. “I assume you’ve conducted a midterm evaluation in your mind. You must have assessed the capabilities of your personal knights and might even have some idea of the results of the remaining rounds. Some of you may feel confident with high odds, while others may have already given up due to low chances. But wouldn’t it be boring if the results were so predictable? That’s why I prepared something.”

 

The doors to the audience chamber opened once more, and dozens of men entered. They were dressed neatly, but their hands and feet were bound with shackles and chains.

 

“These are knights captured as prisoners on the southern front. If you wish to replace your current knight with one of them, you may do so.”

 

“…!”

 

The emperor’s tone was as casual as if he were suggesting discarding an old card and drawing a new one in a card game.

 

Replacing a personal knight was more than just a simple dismissal and appointment. It meant removing the imprint from the current knight and imprinting a new one. It was an act of binding and unbinding souls. That was not a decision to be made lightly. Moreover, there were practical issues beyond just emotional considerations.

 

With an expressionless face, Sasha asked the emperor. “If we take on a new personal knight, what will happen to the current one?”

 

“Since they become useless, I suppose they need to be disposed of.”

 

A sharp intake of breath echoed from somewhere. When the imprinting was removed, it essentially meant being abandoned from the perspective of a personal knight. Considering they were originally prisoners of war and had been treated as the princess’s slaves or possessions from the start, there was no hope for humane treatment. A shadow fell over the faces of some of the princesses and their direct knights.

 

Noah glanced at Orlette with a bitter expression. “Your Highness…”

 

“Stay quiet.”

 

“But—”

 

“I said stay quiet.” Orlette spoke without even glancing at Noah, her gaze fixed on the empty air.

 

Noah, who had pledged his loyalty and devotion to Orlette, couldn’t stop himself from speaking up. Even if it was something that would put him at a disadvantage. “I’m fine. Please think of yourself first, Your Highness.”

 

“You’re unusually disobedient today. Are you trying to make me repeat the same order three times?”

 

“Your Highness knows it yourself. I’m… not Your Highness’s best option.” Noah’s voice wavered slightly, a hint of tears breaking through.

 

Orlette, forgetting for a moment that they were in front of the emperor, whipped around to face him and spat her words like venom. “So what if you’re not the best?”

 

“Your Highness…?”

 

“Does that mean I have to become your worst?”