The Princess's Coming-of-Age Ceremony (1)
Crottia was a viscount household from a public duchy that operated a merchant guild. Jeon Crottia—the name you’ll be using from now on, so make sure you remember it.
Merlin poured in support exactly as he had promised, without holding back. He handed over concrete information on the Holy Relic and provided me with a spotless, laundered identity. And that wasn’t all.
“Here, take this too.”
“What is it? The address of the house you’ll be staying in for the time being.”
“It’s a little run-down, but it’s far better than drifting between inns, don’t you think?”
Of the three basic needs, housing—the one modern people placed absolute priority on—had been resolved. The location was perfect as well. Tucked away in a reasonably secluded spot so it wouldn’t draw attention, yet close enough to touch the imperial palace at the capital’s heart.
What the hell is his real identity?
He had helped, yes, but the suspicion that had taken root in a corner of my mind refused to disappear. How had he obtained information about the Holy Relic? What was his fundamental goal in wanting to escape this world? And above all else…
The heroines inherit their memories from before the regression.
“Fuck.”
Irritation surged up, making my head throb. How was any of this possible? Where had it all gone wrong? Everything felt hopeless. And it wasn’t limited to just Isabelle and Luna. It said the heroines. Which meant the imperial princess Rudine had also received every last memory from the previous round intact.
It’s still okay.
I could simply revise the plan. If anything, it was fortunate the penalty had been revealed this early. All I had to do was use the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony as a starting point to gradually build contact with Rudine.
Rudine’s ceremony was hosted by the imperial family itself, so it boasted a grand scale and iron-tight security. Invitations were extended only to houses with direct ties to the imperial court, which meant receiving one indirectly displayed a family’s prestige.
Jeon Crottia, viscount of a public duchy. It was clearly an identity that would prove useful someday, but it fell far short of qualifying for an invitation to Rudine’s ceremony right now.
No helping it. I would have to attend as Kyle Winfred, the bastard of House Winfred.
It was almost comical that my nighttime escape had come to this, but who could have predicted it? That the Holy Relic’s true form would be the princess’s Rosario, and that the penalty would involve everyone regressing together hand in hand.
My head already hurts.
Isabelle and Luna. Even though I would have to face those two insane women again, it was unavoidable. The moment they regained their pre-regression memories, avoiding them was no longer an option. All I could do was meet them head-on with resolve.
“Diana.”
“Speak, my lord.”
Diana’s face was as serene as ever. She must have overheard every word of the conversation between Merlin and me, yet she showed not a flicker of emotion.
“You heard everything.”
“…Yes.”
“I’m curious what you think.”
I was an outsider. The day would come when I left this world, and in the end Diana would be abandoned by the lord she had served, left behind alone. It was impossible for her not to feel betrayed. Any normal human would feel at least a spark of anger. Or was it even possible to remain this indifferent while listening to nonsense about crossing dimensions?
Was she stupid? Dense? Or did she simply think I was crazy? Every possibility felt like a question mark.
“My thoughts, my lord?”
Diana, who had been quietly watching me, slowly parted her lips.
“I don’t know.”
“…What?”
“Only that… it must have been difficult for you.”
Even as she spoke words of sympathy, her voice remained dry, stripped of emotion. The forced consolation made me laugh before I could stop myself.
“You’re not angry?”
“No.”
“Even though once I leave, nothing will remain for you?”
“……Does loyalty require a reason?”
Diana turned the question back on me. I was rendered completely speechless. Why? For what possible reason would she offer me such blind devotion?
“…”
“…”
The conversation went no further. As always, Diana guarded my back, and I continued forward. Strangely, her utterly calm attitude didn’t irritate me at all. On the contrary, her unconditional loyalty—asking for nothing in return—felt like faint comfort. The realization that I found it reassuring struck me as extremely selfish.
The mansion Merlin had prepared looked shabby on the outside, but the interior exceeded expectations. Of course, it was laughably plain compared to the Winfred ducal residence, yet it was more than enough space for the two of us.
I finally enjoyed a proper night’s sleep after what felt like ages. A small victory, but one achieved simply by stepping foot outside the ducal mansion.
Time passed.
At last, the morning of the coming-of-age ceremony arrived.
I rose at the crack of dawn, performed a light grooming, and changed into the prepared attire. I didn’t put much effort into my appearance. No matter how well I dressed, the eyes that turned my way would never be kind.
I ordered Diana, who tried to follow, to remain at the mansion. It wouldn’t do any good to let the princess see the empire’s greatest knight walking beside me at this stage.
I rode the carriage I had rented for a small fortune and arrived at the imperial palace. When I stepped down with the coachman’s assistance, a pure-white staircase leading to the palace unfolded before me.
As I climbed the steps, a servant waiting by the entrance hurried over to confirm my identity.
“The second son of the Winfred ducal house, Young Master Kyle Winfred, has arrived!”
With the servant’s booming announcement, the doors to the ceremony hall creaked open.
The gazes of the nobles enjoying the festivities snapped toward me all at once. I ignored them and kept walking. Murmurs rippled outward like a wave.
— Kyle Winfred? That bastard who does nothing but commit atrocities?
— I heard he broke his engagement with Lady Isabelle… Just how much of a disaster must he be…
Their expressions were quite the spectacle. It was a vivid reminder of just how notorious Kyle Winfred’s reputation had become. Faced with such blatant hostility, I simply smiled as though it meant nothing.
I strode unhesitatingly into the hall. I had no time to waste on these extras. My only purpose here was the imperial princess, Rudine Eckhart.
Where the hell is she?
I turned my head repeatedly while crossing the center of the hall. Before I realized it, I had reached the corridor leading deeper into the palace.
That was when it happened.
“…Kyle?”
A voice as pure and innocent as a young girl’s drifted from behind me. I slowly turned my head.
“Kyle! It really is you!”
Silver hair waved like frost settling on a midwinter night. Golden eyes that seemed to hold captured amber—the symbol of the imperial bloodline—and that detestable, guileless smile.
“How long has it been!”
Rudine Eckhart, First Princess of the Empire. And Kyle’s childhood friend from his youth. She ran up to me in a single stride, eyes sparkling.
I barely managed to smooth out my twisting expression. I must not forget. The fact that Rudine carried every memory from the previous round intact.
“…Rudine?”
“Kyle! You really came!”
“Whose coming-of-age ceremony would I miss? Of course I had to come.”
The answer I forced out made Rudine beam brightly.
“I already heard the story. You broke off your engagement with Lady Isabelle, right?”
The sharp question stabbed into my ear. I gave a small chuckle and answered as if it were trivial.
“It just turned out that way.”
“Really… Do you know how shocked I was when I heard?”
Rudine pouted, then lowered her head with an expression of exaggerated gloom, peering up at me.
“Are you all right? It must have been so hard.”
Her voice trembled with feigned tears as she worried over me. I barely swallowed the bitter laugh that rose in my throat. If I hadn’t known about the penalty, I would have been completely deceived.
It was then.
“…!”
The necklace around Rudine’s neck caught the light and sparkled. I had finally found it. The Rosario—the Holy Relic I had been searching for so desperately.
“Oh my.”
At that moment, a voice sharp as a blade of frost filled the air.
“Kyle?”
Luna Winfred. She had appeared before I knew it and was smiling sweetly at me.
“Oh?”
Rudine’s soft voice followed right after.
“What brings the Duchess all the way here?”
Rudine asked with a smile still on her face. While I stood frozen, at a loss for words at the sudden development, Luna gracefully curtsied.
“Luna Winfred greets the sun of the Empire.”
“Raise your head.”
Luna lifted her gaze. Then, in that characteristic tone laced with laughter, she answered Rudine’s question.
“The one conversing with Your Highness is none other than my younger brother.”
Fuck. Who the hell is whose younger brother?
While I swallowed my fury and searched for the right words—
“Hmm~”
Rudine tilted her head with apparent interest.
“How unexpected! I had no idea the Duchess regarded my close friend as her younger brother.”
“Is that so? How curious.”
Luna took a slow step forward.
“I, too, never imagined that Your Highness would consider my younger brother a close friend.”
“Hehe, is that right?”
“Oh dear, if I have caused any offense, please forgive me.”
The air froze over like the northern sea in midwinter. The suffocating tension lasted only a moment.
“K-Kyle…!!!”
A sickeningly familiar voice slammed into my ears.
“You were here…!”
It was Isabelle Ustia.