It's Mine
Mayer Duke was tense. The boy sitting before him was, after all, the son of Empress Milla Castina, the woman who had led the empire to revival. Rumors even swirled that he enjoyed her immense favor.
Even so, he believed this was his chance. All he needed was to sway Theodor Castina's heart. Then, his grand dream could come true as well.
The dream of becoming royal blood.
"..."
And what he had to offer was this awkward, nerdy-looking thing right in front of him...
"So?"
"Pardon?"
Theodor propped his chin on his hand and gazed at Mayer Duke.
"I can't know what you want unless you tell me."
"Ah, well..."
"You come at this hour without even making an appointment, sneaking down the corridors like some thief, knocking and asking to meet. Your timing and attitude are a mess from the start."
Tsk. Theodor clicked his tongue.
"No gift for an imperial royal, no official summons, nothing."
"...Th-that's..."
"Is this how the nobles of Cassius Kingdom behave?"
Theodor narrowed his eyes, and the petite girl beside him did the same.
He'd underestimated them too much. Tension rippled through Mayer Duke's body.
It was his mistake to assume the Castina Empire's royals would have pleasant dispositions.
Theodor was blood that couldn't lie, after all.
He gritted his teeth. What kind of guy is he, really? Some fool said Theodor Castina had the temperament of a saint.
This isn't saintly at all. Just a typical royal. Or maybe, for an imperial, this is considered decent? Because he uses polite speech?
What the hell are the others like, then?
His worried thoughts didn't last long.
"You must have a reason for summoning me like this."
Theodor continued in a cool voice, and the young girl nodded in agreement.
"I think you owe us an explanation."
"...It seems Prince Theodor has feelings for Princess Tina..."
Mayer Duke pressed on without giving up.
"I'll help you."
"Help us?"
Theodor narrowed his eyes again, and Mayer Duke swallowed hard.
"How, exactly?"
"...I'll arrange a secret nighttime rendezvous."
"You, Mayer Duke?"
Theodor raised one eyebrow. His expression screamed, You, dare?
Mayer Duke nodded desperately as Theodor stared him down.
"Yes."
"I don't understand why Mayer Duke is doing this instead of Cassius King himself."
It was a fair question, and Mayer had prepared an answer.
"His Majesty—er, the Cassius King—cherishes his daughter far too dearly."
He spoke slowly.
"He loves her too much to even consider a young man's romance."
"..."
"And with his time running short..."
Mayer Duke began his theatrical performance.
"I wish to serve you to the best of my ability, Your Highness."
"..."
The girl's face twisted briefly beside Theodor, but he ignored it, pondering before speaking.
"Very well."
"Really?"
Mayer Duke brightened, fiddling with something in his pocket, while Theodor nodded calmly.
"Yes. Where do I go?"
"I'll let you know the time."
The duke smiled smoothly.
With this, his plan was nearly complete.
So thinking, Mayer Duke stood.
"Then, until later."
"Understood."
Theodor replied evenly, and Mayer Duke stepped out, closing the door behind him with a thud.
Risky, but still just a fourteen-year-old boy. Good thing he'd come secretly before the other ministers caught wind. No—better this way. A royal who couldn't even control his own emotions meant no worry of his plan being exposed.
He was used to dealing with deranged highborns anyway.
With that thought, he walked off.
*
"He's a total idiot, alright."
Clue muttered flatly at the closed door, and I had no choice but to nod along.
No idiot like this one. This was going too far.
"Anyway, the time..."
"Not much left," Clue murmured.
Lucy popped up from under the bedcovers with a puha!.
"Your Highness, you really need to be careful."
"I told you not to worry."
"Even if you're a once-in-a-generation genius in swordsmanship and magic, danger is danger."
"Planning to kill me with shame?"
I glared at Lucy briefly before continuing.
"Anyway, I have to go."
"Then I'll..."
"Tell the ministers. I'll send too."
"Got it?"
Clue opened her mouth at my words, and suddenly people dropped from the ceiling with soft thuds.
"...This time I really searched with all my heart?"
How do they even hide like that?
"Aside from that little miss over there, it's not easy to spot us."
One of the replied confidently to my mutter, and Clue puffed out her chest.
"I found you."
"I know. Want more mana?"
"Could you not make my body heat up more?"
"Ahem!"
Lucy cleared her throat loudly at our exchange. When we looked her way, she widened her eyes.
"A-anyway. I'll go gather the ministers."
"Got it. Clue and I will head out."
"...Please be careful."
"Yeah."
As Lucy walked off, the followed.
"Take care. Of course you'll be safe without us, but..."
"Health first."
They added their farewells, leaving just me and Clue in the empty room.
"Clue. I'm counting on you."
"Don't worry, Master. I won't let them lay a finger on you."
Clue raised both hands triumphantly, and we each headed our ways—Lucy to the ministers, me diving into the enemy's lair.
Shouldn't it be the other way around?
We chatted idly as we walked the corridor.
"Clue."
"Yes, Master."
"If something happens, you'll protect me?"
"Even if Her Majesty comes, I'll get you out."
"No need to go that far."
"That's why I'm stuck looking like this."
Clue grinned, gesturing at her eternally youthful body.
"I look totally harmless. Like a little servant girl by your side."
"True."
That was the point.
How long had we walked? Tina's room appeared before us.
"Master, ready?"
"Yeah. You?"
"I'm not human. Always prepared."
"Got it."
"Or do you think dolls have no human heart—"
"Stop with the jokes."
Nearly ten years together, and these pranks still spook me.
I opened the door and stepped in.
"...Theodor."
Tina looked at me with a calm voice.
Yeah, I get what you're thinking.
Tina glanced around, and Clue did too.
"..."
I slowly extended my mana like threads.
Then moved them to probe the surroundings.
"..."
Soon, hidden figures nearby snagged on the mana threads.
About seven of them.
Tina seemed oblivious.
Assassins? No—assassins wouldn't get caught so easily.
Even evaded them.
Knight guards, then.
I retracted the threads, and soon Mayer Duke appeared.
"Your Highness."
"Duke Mayer."
I smiled softly at him, and he blinked before smiling back.
Yeah, it'd look weird. Like I was hiding my true self from Tina, pretending to be nice—like some psycho.
And that's what I wanted him to think.
So he wouldn't suspect me.
I sighed inwardly in relief—but only for a moment.
Mayer Duke pulled something from his pocket.
Two small orbs.
Orbs?
I felt a flicker of confusion.
"These orbs are magic artifacts."
Oh. Lying so boldly?
I stared at Mayer Duke, who smiled with feigned kindness.
"And they contain His Majesty Leon's opposing sentiments."
"Opposing sentiments?"
Tina murmured, and Mayer Duke smiled wider.
"Yes, exactly."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Break them, and he fully permits your meeting."
We're only fourteen, but treating us like total idiots?
I spoke up.
"Just break them, and that's it?"
Probably hypnosis on break. I took the orbs, and Mayer Duke nodded.
"Precisely."
"..."
Is everyone in this world an imbecile?
I held the orbs and eyed Mayer Duke.
Of course, I could play along. Lily sis and Mom had backups anyway.
But it felt wasteful.
"Clue."
At my word, Clue moved—or vanished, really.
She blew away like wind, and—crack!
Something shattered, and grown men collapsed from the corners.
"Th-Theo?"
Tina stammered in shock.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Wh-what?"
Clue snatched the orb from Tina's hand.
Tina yelped in surprise, and Clue handed it to me.
"Master."
"Thanks, Clue."
I met Mayer Duke's bewildered gaze.
Using such a fine item on me?
I'll take it and put it to better use.
For someone more fitting.
Mainly me.