Chapter 52
Translator: penny
Chapter: 51
Chapter Title: Friend
"Hehe, there's really no need for that."
Looking down quietly at Kairen, who had begun fiddling with his clothes to take them off, Yuriel spoke up with eyes that showed a hint of disappointment.
"It was a bet, so I have to follow through."
But Kairen, pausing as he undid the buttons, replied with a resolute expression.
"S-Sorry about that, Kairen."
The Crown Prince, who had been glancing sideways at Kairen, approached with a slightly apologetic look on his face.
"But! How could the Crown Prince of the Empire possibly strip in front of a lady?!"
But just as he was getting into it, the Crown Prince suddenly launched into his usual arrogant spiel.
"Haha, just sacrifice yourself this once."
"...Should've just left it alone."
"I won't forget what you did today!"
Kairen frowned at the Crown Prince, who laughed heartily as if all his earlier caution had vanished, and finally began slowly removing his shirt after fully unbuttoning it.
- Swish...
"Of course, your undressing as a kid doesn't hold the same value as the Crown Prince's..."
Watching him, the Crown Prince continued with his usual bright expression, saying whatever came to mind.
"...Hm?"
But as Kairen's bare skin gradually came into view, the Crown Prince furrowed his brow and tilted his head.
"What's with your body..."
Just as he opened his mouth in slight surprise,
"Stop that right now!"
A voice filled with fury suddenly echoed from the far end of the garden.
"Ah?"
The Crown Prince flinched at the voice and turned his head, his expression twisting in an instant.
"What in the world is this in the sacred imperial palace?"
"...Your Highness?"
"Even the Crown Prince and Belverk's second daughter shouldn't be doing this! ...Or so the Youngest Imperial Princess bids me say."
The Youngest Imperial Princess, exuding a cold aura, approached them accompanied by her attendant maid, who spoke on her behalf.
"Exactly, Your Highness. A strip game in the palace in broad daylight?"
"Uh, uh?"
"Honestly, it's too much. Though I had no choice but to join since it was Your Highness's solemn command..."
As Yuriel tried to deflect blame with a somewhat gloomy look, the Crown Prince stared blankly, glancing between her and the Youngest Imperial Princess.
"No, that's not what I..."
"......"
"Hey, this is a misunderstanding! Really!"
Seizing the momentary opening, the Youngest Imperial Princess grabbed Kairen's arm, glared coldly at the Crown Prince and Yuriel, and dragged him away.
"......"
And for a moment, silence descended upon the tea party venue.
"P-Please forgive the rudeness."
In that silence, the maid who had relayed the princess's words bowed nervously and quickly fled toward the palace, leaving the Crown Prince with an incredulous expression before he turned to Yuriel in an aggrieved tone.
"Isn't this a bit much?"
"...Hehe, you were kind of cool just now."
"R-Really? Haha, I am pretty cool!"
But at Yuriel's smiling words, he scratched his head and his anger dissipated immediately.
"...By the way, did I see wrong just now?"
"No, I think you saw it right."
"Huh?"
"Hmm... That's strange. I didn't have that information."
Muttering with a furrowed brow for a moment, he widened his eyes when Yuriel, resting her chin on her hand beside him, agreed.
"Looks like I need to follow and check it out."
"What?"
"I can't stand curiosity."
Yuriel suddenly stood up and headed toward where the Youngest Imperial Princess and Kairen had gone, with the Crown Prince hurriedly following behind.
"...W-Wait, take me with you!"
"Do as you please."
"R-Really? Thanks!"
"Your Highness, where are we..."
Suddenly grabbed by the arm by the Youngest Imperial Princess and dragged to a secluded spot, I cautiously opened my mouth while glancing at her.
"Are you insane?"
"Eek."
"Making such an unreasonable bet. You're not an idiot, are you?"
But before I could finish, she pushed me against the wall and began scolding me with a face full of anger.
"You're not even ten yet. You need to value your own body."
From the earlier situation, it seemed the imperial family was keeping her ability to speak a tightly guarded secret.
"Especially a fragile-looking kid like you."
"...Ah, yes."
"Why make that face when someone's worried about you?"
Of course, it was valid criticism, but wasn't she the same age as me? No, now wasn't the time to quibble.
"S-Sorry."
"No, you don't need to apologize to me..."
Seeing her flinch momentarily as I apologized with a gloomy expression while watching her reaction, she trailed off.
"By the way, Your Highness, what's with the bandages around your neck?"
Suddenly noticing the bandages wrapped tightly around her neck and shoulders, I asked worriedly, wondering if she was hurt.
"...You don't remember?"
"Pardon?"
"N-No, it's fine if you don't remember."
But for some reason, her face flushed red, and she started stuttering.
"No wonder it felt a bit off back then..."
"...?"
"...Could you stop staring like that?"
What was this? Why was she suddenly acting like Big Sister Lilien? Did they conspire or something?
"Perverted guy."
"Huh?"
"Haa, whatever."
With no clue whatsoever, I tilted my head in confusion, and she sighed before personally buttoning up my shirt.
"Anyway, don't do stupid things and get out of here. Belverks aren't welcome in the imperial family..."
For some reason, her hands tickled as they brushed my body, so I nodded quietly while looking away. That's when it happened.
"...Ha?"
The princess, who had been fiddling with my buttons, suddenly looked shocked and pulled open my collar.
"What is this?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
"Nothing? Move your hand."
I realized with a start as my scars were fully exposed, trying to close my collar, but her firm voice left me no choice but to relax my hand.
"This won't do..."
Honestly, earlier I had planned to badmouth Opstein in front of Second Sister and the Crown Prince since I was getting punished anyway.
"...My god."
But I hadn't wanted her to see this... Who would've thought it would turn out like this.
"Who did this to you?"
"......"
"...Don't tell me, Belverk?"
I wanted to keep my mouth shut and gloss over it as much as possible, but seeing her start to wear a murderous expression with a misunderstanding, I quietly began explaining.
"No, it's not Belverk."
"Then what lunatics would..."
"...Opstein and the Holy Church."
I had no idea how many times I'd given this explanation already. But I couldn't let Opstein regain influence, so I had to make it clear.
"I lived in Opstein until I was almost ten."
"So..."
"The marquis and the priests experimented on me almost every day there."
As I unwillingly began the explanation, her face paled while gently touching my wounds.
"These scars on my body are remnants of those experiments."
"......"
"But I'm happy now! Everyone in Belverk is overly nice to me. Hehe."
After finishing the brief explanation and glancing at her again, she quietly buttoned up my shirt fully and muttered in a low voice.
"...So that's why Opstein fell recently."
This was only my second time seeing her in person, but it was the first time her usually expressionless face had shown such emotion.
"...I didn't want Your Highness to find out."
"Why?"
"I don't seem reliable."
Feeling even more conflicted, I muttered that, and she shot me an incredulous look.
"Who are you to say that?"
"Well, I want to be a strength to Your Highness..."
"...Friends, right?"
At her quiet words, I froze with a blank expression, stopping mid-sentence.
"In the letter you sent me last time, you said that. You couldn't marry me, but you'd be my friend."
"Ah..."
"Still don't get it?"
Though we were the same physical age, she was far more mature than me in this regard.
"Friends help each other. Idiot."
Even with my past life memories, I couldn't refute that single line, and I deeply realized the truth of it.
"Thank you!"
"...Eek?"
Moved, I beamed and pulled the standing princess into a hug.
"G-Get off."
"Friends hug each other."
"...W-What nonsense is that."
I didn't have confidence in saying something cool like her, so I just did what suited a ten-year-old.
"Tch..."
But the princess, who had looked dazed for some reason, hesitantly hugged me back after a moment.
"Oh, right, Your Highness!"
"...Speak softly."
"You know, I came up with a name for you!"
Still hugging her tightly, I shared one piece of good news with her, who seemed a bit sulky.
"...What?"
"It's a secret!"
At my playful expression, she blanked out for a moment before quietly muttering.
"My name... is a secret?"
"......"
"So, you'll call me 'Secret' from now on?"
Her innocently pure eyes nearly turned my mind blank.
Seeing this, even if she usually seemed mature, she really was the same age as me.
"No, it means your name is still a secret for now."
"Ah."
"I'll tell you the name I came up with on my birthday!"
Correcting her misunderstanding, I smiled brightly again, and she averted her gaze, her face slightly flushed.
"I'll invite Your Highness to my birthday party then!"
Sharing the second piece of good news, her eyes widened.
"...Thank you."
Meeting my eyes again, she replied softly and slowly backed away from my embrace.
"See you next time!"
"......"
"Hehe, you have to come to my birthday for sure!"
Waving and smiling as she quickly left the back of the garden, I suddenly checked the system window floating before me and made a regretful face.
Make 3 or more new friends (0/3)
'As expected, it doesn't count unless it's a new friend.'
It was regrettable, but I hadn't expected much anyway. And according to the System, didn't she already consider me a friend from the start? That was more comforting.
"Ah."
Thinking that and emerging from the secluded back garden with a somewhat relieved expression,
"Uh, hey... I mean, Kairen."
"Your Highness?"
"About earlier, um..."
The Crown Prince, who had popped out of nowhere, blocked my path and started stammering.
'If not now, I won't say it.'
It was quite hesitant, but after a brief internal debate, I cautiously extended my hand to him.
"Wanna be friends?"
"...What?"
"Why so surprised? You were the one who called me a new friend first."
The Crown Prince looked genuinely shocked and stared blankly at me for a long while without responding.
"...Didn't expect you'd actually ask to be friends."
Hearing his strained words, he suddenly seemed quite pitiful.
"So, will you? Or not?"
"Uh..."
"Just say yes boldly in times like this!"
No helping it; in this situation, I, with the higher mental age, had to lead.
"...Haha!"
As I kept waving my hand, the Crown Prince, who had been looking down at me, suddenly burst into his signature arrogant laugh.
"Indeed, Belverk's promising talent has grasped my true intentions!"
"...?"
"Today's tea party was none other than my test!"
What nonsense is this now?
"You've passed my test, so I'll specially take you as a friend!"
"Ugh."
"Hahaha! Welcome to the Crown Prince's faction, Kairen!"
The Crown Prince, laughing uproariously, patted my shoulder and grabbed my outstretched hand, shaking it vigorously.
'...Should I cancel the friend thing now?'
A bad thought crossed my mind at his immediate arrogance after gaining confidence, but I decided against it, lest I get punished for giving him depression.
"By the way, where's Second Sister..."
"I'm right here."
"Ah, hello."
Heading to the carriage in a complicated mood after befriending the empire's nominal second-in-command, I was startled by Yuriel, who had appeared from somewhere, and greeted her.
'She wasn't eavesdropping earlier, was she?'
It didn't matter much, but the princess not being mute was a secret. The Crown Prince was a friend now, so I could manage him, but with Second Sister Yuriel...
"Are you heading back to Belverk like this?"
"...Yes!"
"I see. Well, of course."
While I was lost in worried thought, I beamed brightly at Yuriel's quiet question.
- Swish...
But Yuriel, looking down at me expressionlessly, suddenly started stroking my head.
"...Such a spirited child."
"Huh?"
"I'll visit properly soon."
For some reason, her squinted eyes seemed a bit serious—was it my imagination?
"...Anyway."
As I quietly tilted my head, Yuriel, about to see me off, suddenly grabbed my shoulder and whispered in my ear.
"Be careful of the Crown Prince and Second Prince."
"...Pardon?"
"I sense an energy Belverk can't ignore."
What was this all of a sudden? The arrogant Crown Prince aside, why the Second Prince?
"It was the perfect chance to confirm..."
But without time to resolve my doubts, she muttered lowly and walked away in the opposite direction.
Make 3 or more new friends (1/3)
"...Well, I made a friend, so it's fine?"
It had been a pretty complicated day, but clearing 1/3 of the quest was good enough!
Just as Kairen boarded the carriage and departed for Belverk with a roughly satisfied expression,
"Haa..."
Crown Prince Alberion Lumen Shinehardt trudged heavily to his room and slumped onto his bed, his sole sanctuary, letting out a deep sigh.
"Friend... friend."
He repeated the awkward word several times, as if it didn't quite roll off his tongue.
"...Ugh!"
Suddenly, his face paled, and he clutched his chest.
"This damn... again?"
After writhing in agony for a while, Alberion staggered to the mirror in front of him with a pained expression.
"......"
He removed his top and unwound the blackened compression bandage around his chest.
"...Damn it."
What appeared in the mirror on his surprisingly muscular chest was a black heart mark dyed in pitch darkness.
"What am I, a girl in disguise? How long do I have to keep this up... Ah."
Grinding his teeth at the mark, Alberion suddenly widened his eyes and shifted his gaze to the desk.
- Ziiing...
The top-grade magic communicator on the desk vibrated, stained black.
"......"
Staring at it fearfully, the Crown Prince gritted his teeth and placed his palm on the crystal orb.
"...W-What's up, little brother?"
As a familiar figure appeared above the orb, Alberion forced a smile and spoke brightly.
- Honestly, brother, you...
The figure glaring at him, strikingly similar in appearance to Alberion, was none other than the empire's Second Prince.
- Are utterly useless.
At the Second Prince's cold voice, cold sweat began dripping from Alberion's forehead.
- Excluding the Youngest Imperial Princess and assassinating Kairen. Was that so hard?
The Second Prince, ignoring Alberion's expression, spat out chilling remarks.
- I said I'd handle the cleanup. All you had to do was not withdraw the request and add a bit of holy water to the tea...
But surprisingly, Alberion, who usually listened cautiously, suddenly interrupted the Second Prince.
"No, but they're both too young..."
At that moment, the black heart mark on his chest twitched.
"Gaaaaaaah!"
A horrific scream echoed through the Crown Prince's room.
- I can't understand why you complicate things so much.
As the scream subsided, the Second Prince's icy voice pierced Alberion's sweat-soaked ears.
"Haha..."
An uncharacteristic laugh escaped Alberion's lips right after.
"Listen to me, little brother."
Staggering to his feet, Alberion was still pale and trembling, but
"Today, I made friends with one cheeky kid."
By the time he said it, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.
"...And I happened to learn of his hidden past."
At the changed atmosphere, the Second Prince's image in the orb fell silent, as if urging him to continue.
"And I realized something."
Looking down at the Second Prince, Alberion smiled brightly.
"Even that kid lives earnestly, so as Crown Prince, I can't fail to set an example."
After closing his eyes briefly as if pondering, he opened them with a serious expression.
"...So, I'm done following your words."
Silence filled the room for a moment.
- All that long-winded nonsense.
The Second Prince, tilting his head in the silence, sneered openly.
- But can a cowardly, timid brother like you handle it?
Alberion shuddered slightly at the words, but his voice that followed was clear.
"Haha, little brother."
Alberion slowly raised his hand high,
"Sure, I'm cowardly and timid, talentless, and a trash who only chases women..."
- Crash!
"...But still, I'm a descendant of the hero."
The next moment, Alberion smashed the crystal orb with all his might, grinning at the shards as blood seeped from his hand.
- You'll regret this.
After the ensuing silence, the Second Prince's voice crackled through the fragments amid noise.
"...You'll have to do that from now on."
But Alberion no longer stammered his intended words.
"A descendant of the hero, joining hands with the Holy Church and scheming from the shadows."
Instead, he roughly swept the shards off the desk to the floor and bellowed with his usual arrogant laugh.
"...In a way, you're even more pathetic than me!"
At the same time, the mark on his chest throbbed again.
"Hahahahaha! Cough! Damn..."
Stopping his laugh to vomit blood and clutch his chest, Alberion slumped back onto the bed, pale-faced.
"...So this is what a friend is."
But the smile on his lips didn't fade even in that state.
"Not bad."
With those final words, Alberion lost consciousness and collapsed limply onto the bed.