If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 87

No matter how cutely Shumel pleaded, it was useless. If even that didn’t work, then someone like me, who wasn’t cute at all, had no chance of wriggling out by coming up with a half-baked excuse.

 

As I breathed a sigh into the empty teacup, a teapot was held out. It was Regen.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

After exchanging glances for a moment, I quietly put down the teacup and waited. As soon as he filled my cup, I picked up a macaron with the tongs and placed it on his plate. Not a word was exchanged, but I could feel that the awkward atmosphere had been resolved.

 

Sister Orlette and Nanaen didn’t have any special business and just wanted to play. As we talked about this and that, they became interested in something I had pushed to the side of the table.

 

“What’s that velvet box?”

 

“It’s the birthday present Shushu gave for Sister Sasha!”

 

“You two even celebrate each other’s birthdays now?” Nanaen asked me in surprise.

 

“The birthday was just an excuse. You could say it’s repayment for yielding the pardon.”

 

“Ah.”

 

It seemed like they felt relieved after hearing a reasonable explanation, fitting for sisters who never celebrated each other’s birthdays since they were young.

 

At that moment, Sister Orlette made a serious suggestion. “Should we start celebrating birthdays from now on?”

 

“All of a sudden?”

 

“Come to think of it, life in the harem palace has been so bleak that it feels like we’ve become distant from each other. Maybe if we start now, we could become closer as sisters.”

 

“Sister Lette, you’re really serious about improving our sisterly bond.”

 

Of course, everyone reacted indifferently.

 

Sister Orlette sighed and pressed her forehead. “How did all of you grow up to be so indifferent? The harsh environment of the harem palace has completely ruined your personalities.”

 

“Hiing, Shushu grew up pretty and kind!”

 

“Enough. Promise me this. No matter who becomes the next emperor, you’ll shut down the harem palace.”

 

Nanaen and I pretended not to hear.

 

“Shushu, is the soundproofing in this room okay?”

 

“Right? I’m worried about the soundproofing. Kilieon, go check it out.”

 

Sister Orlette glanced at us fiercely, veins popping on her forehead. But for some reason, the sharp gazes weren’t just coming from her. Regen was staring at me, and Kilieon was staring at Nanaen, waiting for answers.

 

Nanaen and I quickly responded.

 

“Of course, we’ll do that.”

 

“I was actually more worried about you, Sister Lette. I thought you might fill the harem with men instead.”

 

At Nanaen’s comment, I silently agreed, and Shumel openly nodded in agreement.

 

“Are you crazy? Why would I ever want such a disgusting place?”

 

“Oh, that’s an unexpected reaction.”

 

“Nana, I feel like I’m going to develop a deer allergy too, so cut it out.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Nanaen was just joking around, but Shumel tilted her head as if she genuinely couldn’t understand. “I thought Sister Lette would like it. If there are a lot of men, it’d be easier to manage… isn’t that right?”

 

“Men? Manage?” It was Nanaen who responded. Her words carried a chilling sarcasm that made Shumel flinch.

 

I stepped in to explain on Nanaen’s behalf. “The fact that it needs managing is the problem, Shushu.”

 

“Hmm… Shushu doesn’t really get it.”

 

“Anyone who enters the harem palace gains an implicit status as the emperor’s consort. It gives them a justification to be involved in the succession.”

 

None of the women in the harem palace had ever been officially appointed as empress or imperial consort, but we princesses, myself included, treated them as equals to imperial consorts.

 

“And why is that a problem?”

 

Nanaen interjected, sounding exasperated. “Because there are multiple fathers. Do you think a child can grow up well in that kind of environment?”

 

“Eek!” Shumel immediately understood and let out a near-scream.

 

It seemed like the ones who didn’t understand now were the personal knights.

 

“Your Highness?”

 

I glanced to the side and saw that Regen and the other personal knights were wearing confused expressions. Why can’t they understand this? I wondered, but I kindly elaborated further. “A father could kill his child, can’t he?”

 

“…Ah.”

 

It wasn’t exactly a sound of agreement, more like a reluctant acknowledgment, but I decided to let it slide.

 

Nanaen, however, seemed to have a lot to say and let it all out in a rush. “Think about it. It’s always up to us to conceive a child, carry it, and give birth. But if we let fathers, who haven’t done a thing, to claim authority, all it does is give them the right to kill the child.”

 

“Not all fathers are like that…”

 

“Shut up, Kilieon. Who believes such nonsense?”

 

“…”

 

Exactly. This was common sense in the imperial palace.

 

“They kill their own even if they share blood. So imagine if they don’t. Isn’t that right, Sister Sasha?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“If you don’t get it, I’ll give you an example.”

 

“I already get it.”

 

“Let’s say you gave birth to Sir Regen’s child.”

 

“I said I got it!” I raised my voice, which was unlike me, but Nanaen didn’t listen.

 

“Do you think Sir Dominic would just sit back and watch that happen?”

 

“…”

 

It was an example that made my head spin.

 

“Wow! Shushu completely understands now.” Shumel clapped her hands and nodded enthusiastically.

 

I took a deep breath in and let it out.

 

“Nanaen, that’s enough for now, okay?”

 

“Yes.”

 

At that moment, Noah, Sister Orlette’s personal knight, raised his hand slightly and asked a question. “So, since the princesses don’t need multiple partners, are you saying you’ll only marry one person?”

 

“Nope.”

 

“Not at all.”

 

Sister Orlette and Nanaen immediately denied it. I silently agreed, sipping my tea.

 

“Your Highness…?” For some reason, the voices of the personal knights seemed to tremble.

 

When it came to matters like this, Nanaen, who had the clearest stance, spoke on behalf of everyone. “Marriage? Why would I do that?”

 

“…Aren’t you going to continue the imperial lineage?”

 

“Are you stupid, Kilieon? What have you been listening to this whole time? We can continue the lineage without getting married. Why would we deliberately give anyone a reason to harm the child?”

 

“…”

 

“For the heir, just pick an excellent man and spend a night with him. The child can be raised in a pure environment surrounded by maids and nannies, without a father.”

 

“…”

 

Kilieon seemed deeply shocked. He looked completely frozen, and I pitied him for a moment before realizing this wasn’t the time to worry about others.

 

Regen was looking at me with trembling eyes. “Does Your Highness feel the same way?”

 

“…Not entirely.”

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

The subtle expression left on Regen’s face seemed to mirror the ambiguity I had left behind. As I was pondering how to handle this uncomfortable topic, a maid burst in with an urgent knock.

 

“Apologies. I must intrude as there is an urgent matter to report.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Princess Blue Wave has collapsed.”

 

“What? Sister Vivi?”

 

“W-What to do… She hasn’t been feeling well lately…”

 

A bad feeling crept over me. I immediately stood up from my seat. “What about the imperial doctor?”

 

“Fortunately, by the time I received the news, they had already begun the examin—”

 

“No.” I cut off the maid’s words and turned to look at Sister Orlette. “We have to stop the imperial doctor.”

 

“What?”

 

“Sister Sasha?”

 

“W-What are you talking about?”

 

There was no time to explain to the bewildered sisters. The ominous feeling I had sensed took human form and walked into the parlor.

 

“So everyone gathered here. Greetings to the four princesses.”

 

“Chief Chamberlain.”

 

The moment we saw the lackey of the mad emperor, both Sister Orlette and I, as well as Nanaen, stiffened.

 

Shumel, who was slower to grasp the situation, asked urgently. “I heard about Sister Vivi. What happened? How is she? Is her condition bad?”

 

“Please calm yourself, Princess Amber. According to the imperial doctor, she is fine.”

 

“Thank goodness!”

 

“More importantly, please come with me to the Blue Wave Room. His Majesty has summoned all the princesses.”

 

“Huh? His Majesty is in Sister Vivi’s room?” Even the usually oblivious Shumel flinched at that.

 

The chief chamberlain, with his mask-like, unsettling smile, replied. “Yes. His Majesty is a man who loves his daughters. He personally came to visit, considering the condition of Princess Blue Wave, who is… indisposed.”

 

“Indisposed… what do you mean?”

 

The true nature of my ominous feeling became clear.

 

“Princess Blue Wave is carrying a child.”