Chapter 191
Chapter 191
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: The Princess's Scheme (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“Feed me till I’m full.”
Irina grabbed my face with both hands.
The sight was just like a saint beseeching her god.
“Veil…”
But in the shadow’s gloom, her clouded gaze.
It was like a lewd succubus possessing a saint’s body to devour the faithful.
“Mm…”
The empire’s princess invaded my lips from the shadows.
She slipped her tongue inside, marking every corner of my mouth with her saliva.
Daring to mingle with another woman.
“Haa…”
Was it because she clung so tightly to me?
Through the thin fabric of her dress, I could feel her lower belly.
“Delicious…”
Our practiced kisses mixed our fluids.
Afterward, Irina’s flushed face lifted her eyes slightly.
“It’s still not enough…”
She used to be too shy during kisses to even open her eyes.
But at some point…
“I want more.”
She kept her eyes half-open, gazing at my face while continuing the kiss.
At the same time, she pressed her lower belly against my crotch and began moving it bit by bit.
Riding a lewd wave.
“…”
In the time we’d been apart, Irina had grown even more lascivious, stirring great turmoil in me.
It wasn’t that I disliked her newfound boldness.
It was just that the current Irina was so wildly beautiful it was hard to hold back.
I wanted to cross that line with her right then and there.
As if responding to my desires, the Grand Aura sealed in my heart stirred.
It took considerable effort to soothe it.
‘No wonder the emperor has multiple wives…’
Restraining the surging urges was incredibly difficult.
“Fuu…”
I bent my knees slightly to continue the kiss.
Then, Irina slowly climbed her crotch up my leg.
After that, we steadfastly kept kissing.
“Mm…”
Only after several minutes of deep lip-locking.
Did Irina’s hunger seem sated.
“I think I’m okay now.”
Transparent saliva stretched between our lips.
Irina wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and composed her face.
“It was delicious…”
Looking up at the princess.
The plunging neckline of her dress revealed her ample cleavage.
It seemed even larger than before.
Swollen downward, fuller still.
She apparently didn’t wear a bra with dresses like this.
“I’m glad you’re satisfied.”
I forced myself to stare only at the rosary dangling between her twin peaks.
But Irina cruelly bent at the waist in that dizzying pose to fix even her bangs.
“Sadly, that’s all for today…”
Kisses alone no longer satisfied her.
I feared what might happen if her hunger truly struck.
“Why are you staring like that…?”
Irina tilted her head at my dazed face.
Sticky hot breath poured from her heated mouth.
“It’s your fault, Veil. You keep teasing me…”
The princess turned her head away with a shy expression again.
Then, as she adjusted her plunging dress, she murmured quietly.
“I’m getting greedy…”
In front of everyone, she was the pure princess packing lunches and smiling.
But once in the shadows, she became more voracious than anyone.
Like a she-wolf desperate not to lose her mate.
“…”
Still, I decided to understand her heart.
In my past life, she had chosen to die with me, for my sake.
Perhaps such desire was natural for a woman like that.
And during my time as her guard, I had been happy with her too…
“Princess!”
While we awkwardly stared at each other.
Dasha’s voice began echoing from afar.
“D-Dasha…!”
Irina hurriedly lifted her crotch from my thigh.
She smoothed out her wrinkled dress.
The hem around her lower belly was especially rumpled, taking some effort to fix.
“There you are! I was worried when I couldn’t see you!”
A silver-haired woman in a maid outfit approached.
Only after her purple eyes spotted Irina did she relax.
“Y-Yeah… Dasha, you’re here? I was just talking with Veil.”
Dasha glanced back and forth between me and Irina.
Our slightly ragged breaths.
And our flushed faces, disheveled hair.
“Is something wrong with how you both look…?”
As a former spy, she immediately sensed something off.
“It’s hot… So hot…”
“I was just about to treat everyone to ice cream anyway.”
I passed by them first and entered the mansion.
Irina turned her back to Dasha, as if hiding her disheveled clothes.
“Hm…?”
Self-proclaimed romance expert Dasha.
She just tilted her head at the sight of the two.
“Here, Dasha. Take this and share with the vice-captains too.”
I smiled and handed her the glass plates of ice cream.
The maid nodded and took the lead.
Thanks to that, we could steal glances at each other again.
“…”
Irina cautiously approached and walked beside me.
Then, she lightly brushed my hand with her fingers…
“Veil, no matter the results in this tournament…”
She soon interlaced our fingers and whispered.
“I won’t give you up.”
The princess said that and eased down onto her tiptoes.
I stared intently at her silver crown of hair.
Then, I replied.
“I’ll do my utmost.”
「―――――」
A week passed like that.
Afterward, the empire’s heart buzzed with one of its grandest biennial events.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword Selection Tournament.
――――――.
Rustum, the arena where today’s matches would unfold.
Crowds of citizens gathered around the domed stadium.
Lovers on dates.
Children dreaming of becoming great knights and their families out to watch.
All thronged together, forming a sea of people.
“A carriage is coming!!”
The tournament’s charm wasn’t just the knights’ flashy duels.
“It’s Princess Irina!!”
Irina arrived in a special roofless carriage prepared for the occasion.
In a beautiful white dress, she lightly waved.
With a holy, gentle smile.
“What stunning beauty…”
“She still hasn’t accepted any marriage proposals—wonder who she’ll marry…”
Young men sighed in awe and envy at her looks.
Passing them by, I leisurely headed to Rustum.
‘I wonder if they’d say the same if they knew Irina’s hidden side.’
「Whoa…!! Step back!!」
Following Irina’s carriage came a massive, majestic Eastern-style one.
It boasted enormous wheels developed in the East.
Even the prow bore a dragon’s shape, exuding solemnity.
But.
Its passenger was the petite, seductive Third Imperial Princess of the empire.
“Hmm… Yes, this much pomp suits a grand entrance.”
Lydia strode toward Rustum with hands on her hips.
Her twintails shook excitedly too.
But.
“Wow, she’s tiny.”
“Yeah, I thought she was still a little girl…!”
At the citizens’ blunt remarks, Lydia’s eyes narrowed sourly.
She snorted and entered Rustum leisurely.
After the Eastern carriage.
Finally, the symbol of the Leon Empire.
A platinum carriage emblazoned with the golden lion emblem appeared.
―――――.
“Lady Lea, the First Imperial Princess…!”
Unlike the first two princesses, the people shrank back at Lea’s arrival.
In her white uniform, icy blue eyes cold as frost.
A woman’s body, yet a national hero who had earned her rank as the empire’s commander.
However, her signature icy gaze and voice.
Naturally subdued the masses.
“She’s still incredibly beautiful, though…?”
“Yeah… That sensual figure in that sharp uniform suit…”
Even so, it was enough to stir men’s lust.
“…”
Leaving them behind, I entered Rustum.
Since I was just a spectator today, I found a suitable seat.
A pair of empty spots caught my eye.
I claimed one and waited for the opening ceremony.
Soon, the packed stands rose as one.
Then, majestic music rang from the central VIP seats on the first floor.
――――――!!
「His Imperial Majesty the Emperor enters.」
「All rise.」
I stood as well.
And solemnly watched his entrance.
“…”
Meanwhile.
Someone took the empty seat beside me.
A suspicious woman in a hooded robe.
It irked me, but I focused on the emperor’s opening address for now.
「I extend my deepest gratitude to all who have joined us for the empire’s second-semester knight evaluation.」
Leonhardt spoke from his throne.
「This is the first time the evaluation—once held only within the palace—has been opened to the public.」
His voice carried dignity.
He seemed much recovered.
「The knights have prepared thoroughly, and it’s a fine chance to show the people the empire’s strength.」
The emperor extended his palm.
And then.
「Thus, all knights—give your all in these matches, that this nation’s people may take pride in you!!」
Cheers and applause erupted from the citizens at his cry.
Crown Prince Leon beside the emperor.
Lea, Irina, Lydia seated alongside.
The tournament mattered greatly to them all.
Even to me.
‘This event might be as crucial to me as the purge day.’
I silently joined the applause.
But.
“…?”
The woman standing beside me.
She didn’t clap.
As if she weren’t a citizen of this land.
I stared at her intently.
Then, the woman slightly lifted her hood.
“…!!”
Snow-white hair like a mountaintop’s peak spilled from beneath.
Frost-pale eyelids blinked faintly.
“P-Princess Christina?”
“Shh.”
She greeted me amid the applause.
Finger to lips, she winked.
“Don’t worry—I’m just here to watch today.”
As the emperor’s speech ended, the people sat.
We followed suit.
“Does Leon know you’re here?”
“No, that’s why I’m in this shabby seat.”
Christina redonned her cognition-lowering robe.
Peeking only her eyes like a bunny, she spoke.
“Only the princesses know I’m here.”
She stretched casually.
As her body extended, her ample chest stood out beneath her shirt.
‘The princess didn’t come just to watch the matches…’
As Bakal’s strategist, she was sharp.
She surely had some scheme.
While I pondered alone, she whispered.
“Heard you became the vice-captains’ master?”
“…!”
Only the princesses knew that yet.
I was quite startled by Christina’s casual knowledge.
“How did you find out?”
“Everyone knows. Among young knights now, none are stronger than you, right?”
The foreign princess had already gauged our knight order’s level.
It was impressive.
“I heard you hate getting dragged into political fights.”
She tilted her head back slightly.
A fresh soap scent wafted from her pale neck.
“Yet you took on the master role—must’ve been a great offer?”
“Yes, very favorable terms.”
I responded quietly to her all-knowing air.
Unhappy with my reaction, Tina asked bluntly.
“Become the Greatest Sword’s master and marry them?”
Tina parted her robe slightly.
Leaning her face gently on my shoulder, she said.
“If you could become the Greatest Sword yourself, but chose this messy deal instead—you still hate political entanglements.”
Tina rubbed my cheek with her finger.
“Right?”
“I can’t say you’re wrong.”
As I chuckled, Tina smiled with her eyes.
“The princesses still burden you. And the emperor who dotes on them so.”
“…”
I had no reply to that.
The emperor, the final hurdle, was truly the trickiest foe.
“Don’t worry. You won’t become the Greatest Sword’s master anyway.”
I glanced at Tina’s meaningful words.
Meeting the narrowed eyes of the kingdom’s princess.
“My elite knight will crush all you Leon knights and take the win.”
Tina pointed to a knight in the first match.
A northern knight facing a member of the imperial order.
An outsider boldly joining the tournament.
But the moment I saw his face.
I realized who he was.
“That man…!!”
Yes—one of the two elite guards Tina had brought.
One of his kingdom’s strongest warriors.
“If you can’t be the Greatest Sword’s master, you’ll stay a baron forever.”
Tina slowly hooked her arm in mine.
And declared confidently.
“Then I’ll take you with me, Veil Mikhail.”
Christina smiled brightly.
“Our Bakal is nothing like this empire bloated with vanity.”
Her glacier-blue eyes gleamed with wisdom.
“No matter your origins, I’ll truly cherish you.”
She who had saved me from the werewolf hell I couldn’t escape.
Now, she offered me ‘another choice.’
Sweet and free—the north.