Chapter 53
Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Friends (2)
Somewhere in the outskirts of the Empire. An underground chamber shrouded in dark shadows.
"...Haa."
The Second Prince, seated in a rickety old chair, confirmed that his connection with the Crown Prince had been severed. He set down the magic communication orb he held and let out a cold sigh.
"Pathetic."
He rose from his seat, rubbing his temple as he quietly bowed his head.
"Looks like things have gotten a bit tricky."
"No helping it."
"Well, I wasn't expecting much anyway."
Before him spoke a mysterious woman shrouded in a hooded veil.
"That fool was a bit too much to use as a pawn from the start."
"......"
"I planned to deal with him before his tail was stepped on... but I didn't expect him to act first like this."
In response to the woman's words, the Second Prince replied in a low voice. Suddenly, he hurled the magic communication orb in his hand to the floor with all his might.
-Crack!...
Shards of the shattered orb scattered everywhere. The hooded woman furrowed her brow slightly and stared at the Second Prince.
"That's quite expensive, you know."
"It was just made for issuing orders anyway. No use for it now."
Still not satisfied, he ground the scattered fragments underfoot with a frigid expression. Then, he glared at the hooded woman and spoke.
"So, what's the plan now?"
"......"
"Even if he's a complete idiot, losing a card we could use however we wanted changes nothing."
The hooded woman, who had been silently watching him until then, let out a quiet sigh and answered the question.
"Don't worry. We still have one such card left."
"...As dumb as the Crown Prince?"
"Not quite... but at least one who'll obey our orders without question."
Seeing the Second Prince still eyeing her with suspicion, the woman smiled faintly and continued.
"Opstein's eldest daughter has been trying to make contact with us lately."
"...Ah."
"She might even turn out to be more useful than the Crown Prince."
Only then did the Second Prince's face show satisfaction. He calmed his excitement and sat back in the chair.
"By the way, how are we handling our idiot brother?"
"......"
"Looks like he's joined hands with that kid. Doesn't that make things dangerous?"
As he voiced his doubt with a furrowed brow, the hooded woman replied with a smirk.
"Aren't you worrying too much?"
With a snap of her fingers, an image of the Crown Prince appeared in the air.
"He's the poor soul cursed to forget he was originally a woman."
"Ah, right."
His short-cropped hair and compression bandages wrapped tight, he lay on the bed, breathing raggedly. The sight overlapped with the image of his long-lost sister, now only in the Second Prince's memory.
"Doesn't it bother him? To hide that repulsive chest, he'd have to bind it pretty tight."
"Right now, he's unconsciously hiding his true form, but at the right moment, it'll become the perfect weapon. Just bide your time."
Listening to her words, he relaxed a bit and muttered lowly.
"Well, the Shinehart Imperial Family has always followed primogeniture anyway."
"......"
"If things go according to plan, no need to worry."
For a moment, the corner of the hooded woman's mouth twitched upward, but unnoticed by the Second Prince, who continued muttering with a cold smile.
"Poor brother... no, sister."
"Haha. Do you feel any guilt toward her?"
"...If she'd just lived life as a pawn, she wouldn't have met such a miserable end."
A brief silence fell over the underground chamber.
"By the way, what's guilt?"
"Hm, indeed."
"Tch. You're no fun, as always. Is that a Holy Church thing?"
To the Second Prince's cold question amid the silence, the hooded woman schooled her expression and gave a vague reply. He turned away as if done with her and headed for the stairs.
"Still, you've given me plenty of entertaining experiences, so I'll let it slide."
Suddenly, he wore a dark smile and muttered in a low voice.
"Last time, she said let's have some fun like a debauched lady and gathered all those women—what do you think they did? Played board games."
"Ah, yes."
"Well, that's tame. But the report about muffled sobbing from her room every month, despite dressing as a man? I nearly died laughing..."
The hooded woman nodded along quietly, then cut him off mid-sentence with a cold smile.
"...Isn't it about time you went?"
The Second Prince frowned at her briefly.
"You've been getting on my nerves lately."
Moments later, he turned away with his smile restored and resumed climbing the stairs.
"See you next time. Time for the expedition soon."
"Yes, until next time."
"You just make sure the curses on our sister and the youngest princess don't get lifted."
With a flash of light, he vanished in an instant. Silence once again settled in the underground chamber, leaving only the hooded woman.
"Don't worry about that."
After sitting motionless for a while in the silence, she muttered lowly.
"...Even if the Crown Princess could be cured, the curse on the youngest princess can't be lifted unless the Demon King comes back to life."
Her pale eyes momentarily turned pitch black.
"Why are my ears so itchy..."
Back at Belverk, after a refreshing bath, I stepped into the hallway and tilted my head, scratching at the itch in my ear.
"Young Master! How was the imperial tea party?"
"You went without us!"
"Right! We were so sad!"
Suddenly, the maid big sisters swarmed me, all talking at once.
"...Maid big sisters. I said we'd work on improving my relationships, right?"
Asking just in case, their eyes changed in an instant. They smiled chillingly and replied.
"Yes! That's our specialty!"
"Anyone need some improving?"
"...Did the Crown Prince do something weird?"
They looked ready to cause a scene, so I waved my hands frantically to calm things down.
"No no, not the Crown Prince..."
"......"
"...Um, never mind."
Honestly, the one needing 'relationship improvement' was the Second Prince, not the Crown Prince.
I didn't know the details, but since my second big sister Yuriell had warned me so seriously, the real threat to the youngest princess was likely him, not the Crown Prince.
'It could blow up big time, so it's not the right moment yet.'
But charging in blindly could lead to who-knows-what.
So, I'd think of a way to handle the Second Prince slowly. Haste makes waste, after all.
No need to send the maid big sisters—Belverk had hundreds of ways to torment someone like him!
"Young Master, you're practically a full Belverk now!"
"...Just a bit more and you'll cross the line!"
"Haha. Young Master fretting so cutely..."
As I walked lost in thought, the maids trailed behind, teasing with knowing smiles.
"Eek, cut it out."
"Kyaa~! Such a spirited Young Master is cute too!"
"When I retire, I'll live in your shadow!"
What devilish whispers. Wait—these big sisters are devils, aren't they?
"Young Master, have you prepared in advance, by the way?"
"Huh?"
"It's almost that day, right?"
As I tried to flee to my room amid these silly thoughts, a question from the maids pierced my ears.
"The birthday you've been waiting for—Young Master's birthday!"
Hearing that, I froze in place.
"Gasp."
Come to think of it, my tenth birthday was just around the corner.
"Have you picked out friends to invite?"
"Wooow, so exciting!"
"I wonder how cool Young Master's friends are~!"
The problem was, from their mischievous expressions, it seemed my birthday party absolutely needed some splendid friends to grace it.
"Uh..."
Did I have any like that?
Make 3 or more new friends (1/3)
Excluding the youngest princess, my only friend was His Highness the Crown Prince—hardly splendid.
"...What do I do?"
Who on earth should I invite?
"Huh?"
About a day later. In Belverk's study.
"What... is all this?"
Astridje Nox Belverk, in the midst of her usual paperwork, stared blankly with her mouth agape at the three letters suddenly delivered to the study.
[Thank you for the invitation, Young Lord.]
The simple, straightforward letter from the Hakfrit Border Count's eldest daughter trembled in her hands as she set it aside, revealing the pile beneath.
[It is an honor to exchange with your house. As a lady of a swordsmanship lineage and a martial artist, I have great interest in the Belverk Ducal House's unique sword arts... (abridged)]
She skimmed the lengthy letter—over ten sheets—from the granddaughter of Marquis Sharhen. Her eyes settled on the final one.
[C-Can I really come?]
Having read even the short message from Marquis Magnaris's prized disciple, Astridje's expression grew even more dazed.
"It seems Young Master Kairen sent the invitations himself."
"......"
"The tenth birthday is family-only, so I don't know why this happened..."
Schwarz, sweating profusely beside her, trailed off. Astridje slowly turned and asked in a subdued voice.
"When was the last time Belverk welcomed outsiders?"
"...Exactly 357 years ago."
Schwarz answered lowly, gauging her mood. The study's atmosphere grew solemn.
"Haa..."
A deep sigh escaped Astridje, the 49th matriarch who had abruptly opened the Demon King's castle gates to outsiders, lingering for a long while.
"...Summon Kairen."
"Yes!"
"Sigh, looks like we'll need to call all the retainers too."
But the dice had already been cast.