Chapter 148
Chapter 148
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 148
Chapter Title: Romance Fantasy (33)
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No way... Is it a terrorist attack?
The sound of the building crumbling and people's screams fueled my worst imaginings. Maybe the princess's enemies had targeted her arrival in the capital and set something in motion. Realizing how serious this was, I grabbed Misa and bolted out of the building. The princess, who was supposed to be waiting in the garden, was in danger.
"Misa! I'm fine—go protect the princess first!"
"Got it!"
This mansion currently housed the princess's personal guard knights as well as the Crozet family's knights. In terms of raw combat power, it was one of the safest spots in the capital. But if they'd let an attack slip through right under their noses like this, it meant more than one or two intruders had shown up.
Damn it, I haven't even gotten my hands on her yet... I can't lose the princess like this. Things were just building up nicely—losing the chance now would be too frustrating.
So I had to stop it. I didn't know exactly what was happening yet, but no one was going to touch the princess. I had to protect her. That was the only way I'd get to have her.
Clack-clack!
With the sole burning desire to conquer the princess, I sprinted forward with everything I had.
Yeah, running out like that full-tilt was fine and all... but when I got to the scene, I realized something was seriously off. No, what the hell had even happened? Shockingly, there was only one intruder—and it was someone I knew very well.
"Ahh...! Father! You're safe!"
Why was Cecilia here when she was supposed to be in class at the academy? No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn't make sense of it.
It wasn't the first time I'd made house calls outside the academy. Word had spread through the capital that I'd become a doctor, drawing more and more patients my way. For the sake of connections and money, I'd gone on several such outings already. Days like today were routine for me. This absolutely shouldn't have been the kind of dire situation where Cecilia would come storming in.
She knew that better than anyone... and yet, something was off about her today. Normally, she'd just wait patiently in the infirmary or my room for me to return. But today, she'd gone berserk like I'd been kidnapped or something.
Had something happened that I didn't know about? As I hugged the teary-eyed Cecilia who came rushing to me, I turned my head to survey the devastation she'd wrought.
Craters dotting the courtyard everywhere, chunks of building rubble scattered around, flowers and trees in the garden utterly trashed... The Crozet estate, famed across the capital for its beauty, was a total wreck.
And leading the knight from Lance who'd come to see me that day, along with the handsome knight who'd visited the academy, their respective squads lay groaning and bleeding. It looked like they'd been through a war.
Because of that, Mrs. Crozet—who'd been enjoying a pleasant tea time—stood pale-faced and at a loss, while the princess, surrounded by her guards, glared at us sternly. Misa stood beside her, looking around in bewilderment.
...So Cecilia did all this by herself? I'd assumed some terrorist group had attacked...
The fact that Cecilia, showing up out of nowhere, had caused this nightmare alone was even more shocking. The two elite kingdom knight orders might as well have been children before her.
Our daughter's ridiculously strong. Daddy had no idea it was to this extent. You've really grown up.
Should I be moved? Angry? Praising her? My head was spinning. The situation was so absurdly tangled I just wanted to give up and escape back to reality.
"Father... I'm so glad! Really, I'm just relieved you're safe!"
Yeah... being safe really is a blessing. I had no idea why she'd worried so much, but thanks anyway. Though it looks like you'll have to keep worrying. We might get slapped with treason for threatening the princess's life.
Sensing I was in deep shit, I was racking my brain for a way out when a voice came from behind me.
"You two. Could we talk for a moment?"
It was the princess.
Long story short, we got through it without a hitch. Unreal? Well, that's what happened. Turns out both sides had messed up, and since clashing further would've done no one any good, we reached a dramatic compromise.
To explain in more detail: the handsome knight who'd come looking for me was the real culprit. Why didn't that bastard mention security protocols? That's what broke Cecilia's surveillance net. That rotten prick.
Because of that, Cecilia—out of my sight and assuming I'd been kidnapped—came to rescue me. The princess's knights mistook her fierce aura for a threat and tried to stop her, sparking the fight. The Crozet knights got dragged in while trying to mediate.
Anyway, since the princess's subordinate screwed up first, Cecilia's rampage got some leniency.
Of course, the princess questioned why installing a surveillance net at her father's workplace was wrong in the first place. But Mrs. Crozet's baffling defense—that it was natural for a dutiful daughter—got us off the hook.
...Is that natural? No clue, but if it's good, it's good. I nodded along from the sidelines in agreement.
Still, the princess could've made a fuss over treason. Instead, she asked us to join her side in exchange for letting today's mess slide.
"That vulgar brother of mine can't become king of this country. Help me. For the future of the nation, lend me your strength!"
Apparently, rumors of the prince being gay had spread through the capital, sparking talk among the nobles about changing heirs. She planned to use this chance to build her faction and steal the succession from him.
Even though she's a lesbian herself. Total hypocrite.
Anyway, I said sure for now. Gotta get past the crisis first. After hashing out our positions and intentions, we wrote off the incident as a mere mishap.
"Sorry, Father... I caused all this trouble because of a misunderstanding."
"Nothing to apologize for. You did it out of worry. I'm grateful, actually."
"But now you're under the princess's command because of me... Should I just kill them all? I hate seeing you take orders from anyone else. Why don't we wipe out all the annoyances and leave?"
No, that's a bit much... Maybe because her hidden strength was exposed, Cecilia had gotten radical. She seemed ready to love me with her full power, no more pretenses. Even as she spouted scary stuff, I gently stroked her soft cheek and replied calmly, as if to say not to worry.
"It's fine. I can handle the princess situation."
"...As expected of Father! You're planning to conquer even the princess with that magnificent cock of yours!"
Uh...? How'd she know? Well, yeah, but saying it so bluntly feels weird. Seeing her proudly call it a magnificent cock with that cute face stirred a strange sense of taboo thrill.
"Amazing! Targeting the princess too! You'll turn her into a cock slave and use her power to climb to the top of the country, right? See... I didn't even need to say it. You already knew the position that suits you best!"
"Uh...?"
"You'll rise to a place where no one can interfere with our love and declare our marriage, right? Ahh... so romantic! I don't know what to do with Father's love. I'm so happy...!"
What the—no, seriously, what's with her today? I'd planned to conquer the princess and nullify the subordination, but Cecilia was saying even more. Using the princess's help to become king? ...Do I even look like king material?
If it were any other day, I'd have brushed it off as nonsense. But after seeing Cecilia's power today, it didn't feel like total bullshit. Could this actually work? Like the princess said, with the succession in chaos, if I could just get noble support...
Absorb the princess's faction, have Cecilia handle the opposing nobles... Ah, something's clicking. My heart raced at how feasible it suddenly seemed.
"Hehe. I was already pushing for your engagement with Father, Miss Ober. This works out perfectly. Once they hear you'll make the princess your third wife, the Ober family head will agree to making Miss Ober your second!"
Wait, engagement? Since when?