The Princess's Escort
Rudine’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh my, Lady Isabelle?”
“…I greet the Sun of the Empire.”
Isabelle immediately bowed her head at a perfect ninety-degree angle, showing the proper respect due to a member of the imperial family.
“Raise your head, Lady Isabelle.”
Rudine smiled faintly—the pure, untainted smile of an innocent girl.
“By the way, Kyle…”
Rudine playfully pressed her index finger to her lips.
“That’s rather strange.”
Her voice lifted at the end as she tilted her head in feigned confusion.
“I heard Lady Isabelle was jilted by the Winfred family…”
The blunt remark made Isabelle’s eyes harden. Rudine merely smiled, her eyes crinkling with apparent warmth.
“So shouldn’t you be more careful with your address?”
Her gaze was gentle, like an adult indulging a child, yet the warning beneath her words was unmistakable. You are no longer Kyle’s fiancée. Watch your tongue.
Isabelle’s arms trembled with humiliation.
Luna, who had been watching, covered her mouth with one hand and let out a soft laugh.
Crazy bitches.
Every last one of them was missing a few screws, and now they were tearing into each other. I crossed my arms and watched in disbelief.
Then Luna spoke, her tone deceptively light.
“Would the same not apply to Your Highness the Princess?”
“You mean me?”
“Today is the day the entire empire gathers to celebrate Your Highness’s coming-of-age ceremony, is it not?”
Her words were unnecessarily long. In my experience, that usually meant she was setting up an insult.
Sure enough, Luna blinked innocently and continued.
“People have come from every corner of the empire and are waiting in the hall just for Your Highness.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
“Of course. The ceremony is about to begin. The gentleman fortunate enough to escort such a beautiful lady must be truly blessed.”
Luna’s exaggerated praise made Rudine touch her chin, amused.
“It almost sounds as though you’re telling me to stop wasting time and go find an escort… Hehe. Perhaps I’m simply imagining things?”
“Of course. How could I possibly entertain such improper thoughts?”
“That’s a relief. I’ve heard a great deal about the Princess’s character from Kyle. They say your family bond is exceptionally deep. I’ve always found it admirable.”
“That’s quite embarrassing to hear.”
“Hehe. I’m surprised to learn that the Princess is capable of feeling embarrassment. You’ve surprised me in many ways today.”
Luna and Rudine traded words like hidden blades. They had always been unhinged, but inheriting their memories from the previous run had made them even more terrifying. Isabelle, standing there with a blank expression, almost seemed normal by comparison.
I watched their silent battle without intervening. My business was with Rudine anyway.
I cannot afford to fail.
I had already confirmed the existence of the Holy Relic. From this point on, I needed to be even more careful. This ceremony was nothing more than a single opportunity to build a connection with Rudine. If I continued to approach her slowly, an opening would eventually appear—an opportunity to kidnap her at the perfect moment.
It was then that Rudine lightly clapped her hands.
“It’s about time!”
She glanced at the clock on the wall.
“An escort…”
Her gaze landed directly on me.
I kept my expression dazed, doing my best to imitate the old Kyle.
After a brief silence, her lips parted.
“Kyle, would you escort me?”
Isabelle let out a strangled gasp. Luna’s eyes widened in shock.
An escort request, completely out of nowhere. I glanced at Rudine’s face but could read nothing from her expression.
“……Are you talking to me?”
“Yes. I am.”
Rudine nodded without hesitation.
Isabelle’s face twisted. “Escort? Are you serious?”
“Of course I am.”
“Was the noble son chosen to escort the Princess not already decided? Surely you aren’t thinking of changing partners on the day itself?”
“Hm? I don’t know where you heard that. I haven’t asked anyone to escort me yet, Lady Isabelle.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Enough.”
Rudine cut her off coldly.
“So, Kyle. What’s your answer?”
“…”
“You’re not thinking of sending me to my one and only coming-of-age ceremony alone, are you?”
In the previous run, Kyle Winfred had never attended Rudine’s coming-of-age ceremony. He hadn’t been allowed to.
— A bastard like you showing your face in the Imperial Palace would only disgrace the family name.
— Stay home and behave while I’m gone.
— At least do that much, like the watchdog you are.
Luna’s cruel words echoed in my ears. Because of them, I had been locked away, surviving on porridge and water until she returned.
— You offered to escort me, yet you don’t even attend?
— I don’t want to hear your excuses!
— Yes, it was my mistake to trust someone like you.
Isabelle, forced to attend without a partner, had been furious. The progress bar had risen slightly, but the memory still left a bitter taste.
And above all else—
— Princess Rudine Eckhart.
— The rosario she wears around her neck.
— That is the Holy Relic you’re looking for.
The rosario at Rudine’s throat gleamed.
I didn’t need long to decide.
“It would be my honor.”
Isabelle looked as though she had been struck. Her eyebrows twitched with visible betrayal. Luna stood frozen, lips parted but unable to speak.
“Kyle, this way!”
I silently followed Rudine.
****
“Attention! Her Highness, the First Princess Rudine Eckhart, the rising sun of the Empire, enters with Kyle Winfred, second son of the Winfred ducal house! Show your respects!”
With the attendant’s booming announcement, Rudine took the hand I offered and stepped forward.
Shocked gazes flooded toward us. The imperial princess, entering alongside the infamous bastard of Winfred. No one could openly disapprove, yet the situation was incomprehensible. Their faces were a mess of confusion.
Scattered, reluctant applause echoed through the hall.
Despite its grandeur, the coming-of-age ceremony was little different from any other noble banquet. Aside from being hosted by the imperial family, it was simply an occasion for nobles to exchange information and strengthen alliances.
Rudine ascended the stairs with effortless grace and took her seat upon the golden throne. It was a place reserved solely for the imperial family, offering a commanding view of the entire hall.
“Kyle, sit here as well.”
I carefully took the seat beside her.
Before long, the Emperor and Empress would arrive. If I hoped to kidnap Rudine in the future, I would eventually need to build favor with them as well. They would despise me, of course—but a few pieces of future knowledge would be enough to handle that.
I was still catching my breath when Rudine’s bright voice reached me.
“You know, Kyle… would it be all right if I asked you something?”
When I nodded, she continued without hesitation.
“I didn’t have the chance to ask earlier. How did the engagement break off?”
I swallowed the words that nearly escaped. Because I’m going to leave this world anyway.
“We simply clashed often. Personality differences, and other reasons.”
I chose my words carefully. When my answer came out bland and ordinary, Rudine’s expression turned sullen.
“Really? That must have been difficult.”
“It was. But I’m fine now.”
“Are you? Lady Isabelle didn’t seem fine at all.”
“……She’s still coming to terms with it. She’ll be all right with time.”
Why was she asking so many questions? I answered patiently.
Then came the question I hadn’t expected.
“Ah! I heard you sold the engagement ring at auction?”
The engagement ring. The auction. Information that could only have come from investigating me.
“A ring set with a sunstone. How romantic. So very like you.”
“…”
“You even participated in the auction yourself, didn’t you?”
“…”
“The very next day, you went to the count’s estate at dawn and demanded the engagement be broken.”
A warning bell rang in my head. I stayed silent, unable to find a safe answer.
Rudine smiled playfully.
“Lightflow Stone.”
“…”
“I was truly curious. Why did you specifically demand the Lightflow Stone as compensation? The Kyle I know has no interest in collecting ores.”
“…”
“Luna Winfred, Isabelle Ustia… every single one of them is strange, aren’t they?”
Her eyes were still smiling, but her lips held no trace of warmth. The air grew heavy with an unsettling chill.
“You know… I’ve been waiting for today for a very long time.”
Rudine let out a soft, coy laugh.
“Kyle.”
“…”
“Kyle Winfred. My one and only friend.”
A dangerous light flashed in her golden eyes.
“Have you returned as well?”