The Princess's Carriage (3)
The headless goblin corpses lay piled in nauseating heaps, so many they turned my stomach. I stood atop them, crushing the bodies underfoot without a second thought, and wondered to myself, ‘As expected, it seems leveling up isn’t possible here…’
It had been the same during the griffon battle. I’d expected some kind of change in my body after slaying monsters, but nothing happened. Perhaps a game that had become reality was no longer a game at all. The world of Ariel had no status windows and no level-ups. Even if I made full use of my pre-possession game knowledge, my body’s proficiency would still need to catch up before any real growth could occur….
‘The mana signature has vanished too.’
The eerie energy I had sensed when the goblin wave first appeared was already gone. During the fight I had realized the truth: this abnormal monster attack was no natural occurrence. Someone had engineered it, and the moment their plan fell apart they had fled. The mana I felt had been disturbingly alien, and the goblins’ expressions and movements were anything but normal.
‘But why? The Fourth Princess is outside the line of succession… What possible gain is there in killing her?’
While those thoughts ran through my mind—
“U-um…!”
Rosaria approached me cautiously and spoke in a soft voice. Her red hair fell like silk, framing a deceptively youthful face. Long, elegant double eyelids lent her an air of grace that contrasted with her innocent features. Only now, after the battle, could I truly appreciate how striking she was. She lifted the hem of her dress, bowed her head, and said earnestly,
“First, allow me to offer my deepest gratitude! I am Rosaria di Violet, the Fourth Princess of the Violet Imperial Family!”
“Ah.”
I instinctively took a step back. Only then did I realize I had spoken to her informally the entire time. The situation had been urgent, and from my pre-possession habits she had simply looked like a girl around my little sister’s age. But in this world I was still a child, and she was a noble far above my station—the Fourth Princess of the Lianna Empire, no less. I suddenly worried whether my casual speech earlier might be considered disrespectful.
“…I am Cian.”
Since we attended the same academy, I deliberately omitted my family name. I didn’t want her hearing about my reputation. She might mistake me for a commoner, but that was preferable.
“Cian…! What a splendid name. Thank you truly for saving us! If not for you, I might have lost everyone precious to me…”
Tears shimmered at the corners of Rosaria’s eyes. It was understandable. The situation had been desperate only moments ago. Emile, her closest friend and exclusive knight, had been on the verge of death. The dozen knights guarding us had been wiped out. The remaining soldiers had been inches from annihilation. It had been a literal hellscape.
To her, I must have seemed like a hero dropped from the sky. I had charged in from nowhere, carving through the goblin horde with practiced ease, bolstering the defenders and reversing the tide in a single stroke.
But to me it had simply been the right thing to do. When someone is in trouble, you help. When you have the power to help, you do. That was the mindset I had carried from my previous life. Besides, watching someone who reminded me of my little sister suffer… what kind of man could ignore that?
I offered the tearful Rosaria a gentle smile.
“I only did what anyone should. I’m glad I could be of help.”
I nearly reached out to pat her head but caught myself.
“I truly wish to repay you… Might I ask if you are from the Empire?”
“No. I am from the Brace Duchy.”
“Ah! Our neighbor, then. I will be sure to speak well of the Brace Duchy to my father. I won’t forget your name, either, Cian!”
“It is an honor to be of service to diplomatic relations.”
“Hehe. And… do you perhaps attend Ariel Academy? Your uniform is the same as mine…”
“Ah…”
I flinched. I had completely forgotten our uniforms were identical. This was troublesome. As I mentioned earlier, my reputation at the academy was rock-bottom. To be precise, it was the original Cian’s reputation, but the last thing I needed was for it to become known.
There was an option to use Rosaria to flip my image, but I had no desire to do so. I wasn’t the type to obsess over reputation, and more importantly I hadn’t saved her expecting any reward. To me the academy was simply insurance—a quiet place to build strength, graduate quietly, and secure a quiet, comfortable future. To live peacefully, it was best not to create any connection between myself, Rosaria, and the academy.
So I changed the subject to the matter that truly concerned me.
“More importantly, I believe the monster attack earlier was deliberately orchestrated.”
“…Pardon?”
“I sensed a strange mana reaction nearby. Did Your Highness not feel it?”
“Um… I didn’t feel anything at all…”
“You didn’t?”
I was genuinely puzzled. ‘She felt nothing?’ The mana signature had been so disturbingly alien that it raised the hairs on my neck. No matter how chaotic the battle had been, there was no way she could have missed it.
‘Did the enemy conceal their presence?’
That didn’t add up either. Even if they had hidden it, I had still sensed it. Then there should have been no reason for Rosaria—who was hailed as a magic prodigy in the original story—to miss it. If I could detect a mana reaction that even she couldn’t, it would imply my Danjeon was on a higher level than hers.
So had I imagined it? No. That creeping, skin-crawling sensation had been all too real.
The same doubt seemed to occur to Rosaria.
“Are you a Sword Expert, Cian?”
“No, nothing of the sort. But I definitely felt it. Is there perhaps anyone who might bear a grudge against you?”
“A grudge…?”
Rosaria rested her chin on her hand and thought hard. After a full minute of silence she finally shook her head.
“I can’t think of anyone. I have no connection to the succession struggle… Truly, no one comes to mind. Well, there is one person, but… No, surely not them?”
She seemed to consider it again before dismissing the thought with a shake of her head.
Who is she thinking of? I wondered. Saying “surely not” usually meant the person was relatively close to her. Someone close to Rosaria… besides her exclusive knight Emile, I couldn’t think of anyone. Given her status as a princess she didn’t have many friends. So perhaps family?
…Family?
The realization hit me like lightning.
‘The Third Prince, Gerard…!’
He was the villain from the early heroine quest. I had forgotten because I’d paid little attention to those routes. The Third Prince Gerard—the main antagonist in Rosaria’s story, the heroine of the true protagonist. He was her half-brother.
The First Princess, Second Prince, and Third Prince were all born from the same mother. Only Rosaria, the Fourth Princess, was a child born to a commoner concubine—an illegitimate daughter. Those locked in fierce competition for the throne paid her no mind. As a bastard her place in the line of succession was low. She had no faction, no power. She didn’t even seem interested in authority. So they simply ignored her.
But Gerard was different.
He possessed no talent for magic and only meager talent for the sword. Compared to the First Princess, a swordsmanship genius, and the Second Prince who stood below her, he had always felt left behind. From childhood he had nursed a deep inferiority complex and resentment.
And then the illegitimate Rosaria had been born with their father’s blood and an overwhelming gift for magic. How it must have twisted his heart. From a young age he had openly tormented her.
Yet even through that abuse Rosaria had believed he would one day open his heart to her, smiling bravely all the while.
‘When in truth Gerard is probably wishing she would just disappear from the world…’
I felt a pang of pity for Rosaria, who stood there tilting her head in innocent confusion. But it wasn’t my place to interfere. Her life would be saved by Kain, the true protagonist of Ariel.
“In any case, I believe this was a deliberate act. It may have been someone close to you, so please remain vigilant.”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern. …Today’s events have made one thing very clear. Even if I have no desire for the throne, as a princess I must think of those around me…”
Rosaria murmured to herself, her eyes now shining with newfound resolve.
Leaving her to her thoughts, I gazed at the rising sun. The fierce battle had ended and dawn was already breaking. I had slipped out for training and hadn’t slept a wink; exhaustion weighed on me. The coachman and knights would be waking soon. I wanted to return to the carriage and steal whatever sleep I could.
“Your Highness, I must take my leave. My coachman and family are waiting.”
“Are you heading to the academy? Then perhaps you could travel with us…”
“I appreciate the offer, but we plan to depart early. Please take your time reorganizing with the injured knights and follow at your own pace.”
Rosaria glanced at Emile, still unconscious, and the many knights binding their wounds with bandages near the carriage. She seemed to realize immediate departure would be difficult.
“Then at least allow me to give you a communication stitch so we can—”
“Farewell! I’ll be going on ahead!”
“Ah, w-wait—!”
I sprinted away without looking back, reinforcing my legs with mana. In moments I had vanished from sight.
The stunned princess reached out toward the direction I had fled and murmured softly,
“The reward… I still need to give him his reward…”
“Where the hell have you been, you worthless bastard!”
The moment I returned to the temporary camp, Sara’s voice nearly shattered my eardrums. Everyone had apparently been searching for me after I disappeared. The atmosphere was tense, and when I reappeared all eyes turned to me in wide surprise.
We weren’t even late—we were still supposed to depart sometime between morning and afternoon.
“I went for some exercise.”
“Exerciiise? Exerciiise??”
Sara stared at me with an expression that clearly asked how best to murder me.
“Have you forgotten your position? If you vanish at dawn of course people will worry! You should have said something before leaving! Are you an idiot? Are you stupid?!”
“Uh…”
Sara leaned in so close her face filled my vision.
…Now that she mentioned it, she had a point. I was currently the son of a duke. My sudden disappearance would naturally cause alarm. No matter how urgent the situation had been, I should have at least left word.
“Sorry… I was short-sighted. Sister.”
“Your thoughts have always been short—!”
Sara glared, pressing her forehead against mine as she huffed angrily. I could feel her breath on my skin. W-what was this? Why did it feel so strangely burdensome today…?
“…Were you worried about me?”
“Whaaaaaat?! Hmph!”
Bang!
“Ow! Why did you hit me?!”
“Who would worry about a scoundrel like you?! Just drop dead!”
With that, Sara spun on her heel and stormed into the carriage.
…She really did have a terrible personality. She clearly hated me. Worry? As if. I must have lost my mind for a second. Once we reached the academy I’d make sure to avoid her completely.
*
After rapping Cian on the head, Sara muttered to herself as she walked toward the carriage.
“Crazy bastard… disappearing without a word and scaring everyone.”
She had been secretly startled by the sight of his sweat-soaked clothes earlier. Just how fiercely had he trained in the pre-dawn hours to end up drenched like that?
She had noticed his recent change in behavior, of course.
‘Damn fatty.’
Truthfully he had lost so much weight that calling him fatty no longer quite fit. Had he genuinely decided to stop acting like a scoundrel?
…No. People didn’t change so easily. There was no way her brother, who had lived as a rogue for ten years, could suddenly transform. Because people simply didn’t change.
Sara decided she would have to watch his future conduct carefully.
Then she recalled his earlier words.
‘…Were you worried about me?’
Crazy bastard. Who would worry about him?
Sara shot a glare at her detestable younger brother as he changed clothes.
A brief silence followed.
“…Sigh.”
After letting out a long breath, the tension left Sara’s shoulders. She murmured something under her breath, too quiet for anyone else to hear.