The Princess's Fake Illness

The gray figure spoke in a low voice. “The work is almost finished.”

A faint smile curved the lips of the golden-haired woman who appeared to be in her thirties. “Really? You didn’t leave any traces, did you?”

“Of course not.”

The woman nodded, looking satisfied. “Then you must have already sent word to the association as well?”

“Naturally. I informed them that Marquis Sade has been eliminated and that the remaining ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠payment cannot be made because he is dead.”

“Hehe. So the imperial princess now belongs to him?”

The man nodded as he watched the woman’s eyes sparkle with interest. “Yes. Just as you said, whore, everything is done. So if you fail, I’ll have to take your head.”

At the chilling warning, the blonde woman called “whore” broke into a bright smile. “Doppel, are you doubting my master right now?”

“How could I possibly doubt him? I’m doubting you.”

“Oh my? What exactly did I do?”

The gray man let out a deep sigh as he watched the woman smile with feigned innocence. “I didn’t come here to argue with you.”

He rose from his seat and continued. “That’s all I had to say. Don’t take my warning lightly.”

At his curt tone, the woman sneered. “Hehe. You’d better not underestimate me either. He and I share a very deep bond. Not even death can tear us apart.”

The faceless gray man turned his head to look at her. “I hope you’re right…”

With that, the gray figure vanished. The woman stared out the dark window and murmured softly.

“Ah… I want to quit everything and go see Master.”

Ever since the immortal Demon King was destroyed, the demon race and their worshippers had fallen into utter chaos. In this unprecedented situation, her master had been chosen to lead the demons. She had barely managed to summon him to this place, yet the woman still could not go to him. The current master was both the same as the one she once served and somehow different. So she comforted her loneliness once again, praying that her sleeping master would awaken soon.

Imperial Prince Ian’s head was currently spinning.

Quite some time had passed since Rene disappeared. The news that the Empire’s princess had vanished was serious enough to cause massive turmoil. And in the middle of all this, the United Kingdom’s ambassador was requesting a meeting with Rene.

The next king of the United Kingdom and Rene were currently in the middle of marriage negotiations. Naturally, after hearing that the Empire’s princess was beautiful, the United Kingdom’s First Prince had sent her a love letter, and the ambassador was asking for a meeting to deliver it.

Damn it… what am I supposed to do about this?

Ian’s head throbbed under the weight of the complicated situation. On top of that, he was currently ruling the entire Empire as the Emperor’s proxy and the Grand Duke’s proxy. Although his official title was still Crown Prince, his authority was equal to that of an emperor. Rumors were already circulating that since the Emperor had stepped back from state affairs and delegated full power to Ian, he was already no different from the Emperor himself.

Of course, the current Emperor, Teodora Augustus, and her husband Debian Ryan planned to abdicate in favor of Ian within a year or two anyway. Ever since the Demon King’s death, the two ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of them had handed over all the complicated administrative work to their son and were traveling to famous resorts around the world, enjoying their second life.

Having lived through multiple near-death experiences in their twenties and endured the razor-thin politics of the imperial court, they simply wanted to spend their later years in peace. Ian had vaguely understood how desperately his parents wanted to escape the hell of administration.

Until recently, as a Sword Master, he had thought that playing emperor would be manageable. The Empire was becoming an unprecedentedly powerful centralized state. The stronger the authority, the more work that inevitably followed. As a result, the previous Emperor and Grand Duke had been forced to keep a murderous schedule. But since Ian was a Sword Master, he possessed steel-like stamina. On top of that, he had inherited some of his parents’ intelligence and had accumulated experience under both of them.

That was why the once-confident Crown Prince was now regretting everything immensely.

Maybe I shouldn’t have told them to rest…

If it were merely complicated diplomatic or political issues, he could handle them himself. He had the authority and power to do so. But the current problem was something that even the Crown Prince’s power could not easily resolve. The princess who had been engaged in marriage talks with the United Kingdom had disappeared, and if things went wrong, it could spark friction with the United Kingdom.

The fully grown adult Crown Prince suddenly missed his mother and father terribly at this moment.

Should I really bring Mom and Dad back?

If a problem arose, it could throw cold water on the peaceful atmosphere between the Empire and the United Kingdom. Under the heavy burden, Ian let out a sigh without realizing it.

“Haa…”

Watching the Crown Prince, Prime Minister Sabinelli offered advice. “Your Highness, there is no other way. For now, please inform them that she has fallen ill and gone to a resort for recuperation.”

“What if they say they want to visit her at the recuperation site?”

The Prime Minister shook his head at Ian’s question. “Even so, if we give no answer at all, it will only invite suspicion.”

The Crown Prince had already ordered the Intelligence Department’s agents scattered across the Empire to search for a woman with gray hair and red eyes. Yet for some reason, the Empire’s proud Intelligence Department had still failed to bring back any news of the princess.

Do I really need to cut the Intelligence Department’s budget?

Ian’s head ached at the current situation.

“It has already been a full day since the ambassador made his inquiry. If we don’t respond soon, they will grow suspicious.”

When even Foreign Minister Müller began to press him, the Crown Prince finally made a decision.

“For now… do as the Prime Minister suggested. Tell them she caught a severe cold and left Roman for a recuperation site. Add that we cannot disclose the exact location due to security concerns and ask for their understanding. While we’re at it, inform the press of the same thing.”

Both men looked startled at Ian’s words. Rene was a princess beloved by the citizens of the imperial capital Roman. If she stopped appearing in public, rumors would inevitably spread. Ian was trying to get ahead of the situation.

“At this hour, Your Highness?”

Regardless, the officials found themselves in an awkward position.

“Why? Is it impossible?”

“Ah… well, it would mean stopping the rotary press… Without an official imperial decree, it’s difficult. But if an official decree is issued, the United Kingdom might find out…”

The rotary press was the machine used to print newspapers. At this time of night, the presses would be running at full speed. Stopping them would mean wasting all the labor costs, paper, ink, and communication fees already invested. To halt production would normally require the Emperor’s direct order, but such an order would inevitably leave evidence. Müller was pointing out the risk that the United Kingdom or terrorist groups might learn of it.

“Then let’s have it appear in the newspaper the day after tomorrow.”

At the reasonable suggestion, Ian closed his eyes and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠tapped his fingers on the desk before his eyes suddenly flashed open.

“Is that so? As far as I know, the Pieta Trading Company has invested heavily in various media outlets, correct? Tell them that as a major shareholder, we are replacing the president. Then they’ll listen.”

The Pieta Trading Company was secretly operated by the Emperor and the Grand Duke. In the past, they had poured enormous sums into companies with strong social influence. Ian intended to use that leverage to pressure the newspaper presidents.

Realizing how determined the Crown Prince was, the two men understood they could not stop him.

His Highness has inherited His Majesty’s less admirable traits…

This is exactly like his mother… tsk tsk.

Though they cursed Ian inwardly, what could they do? When the Crown Prince said to do it, they had to obey.

“There may be some complaints, but I will instruct them to meet the presidents and persuade them appropriately.”

Ian nodded at the Prime Minister’s words, then frowned. “Has the Intelligence Department still not found any trace of Rene?”

At the Crown Prince’s sharp tone, both men shrugged.

“That is…”

“We have received no reports either.”

At that moment, Prime Minister Sabinelli stepped forward and spoke in a casual tone. “However, please do not worry too much. Her Highness the Princess is a high-ranking mage, is she not? It is possible she simply went on a secret trip somewhere far away.”

Though the officials’ words were quite reasonable, Ian shook his head.

“She’s not the kind of child who would go far without saying anything. Besides, she has never caused trouble like this before.”

Compared to Ian, who had caused plenty of incidents even after becoming an adult, Rene had almost never caused any trouble. Ian found it hard to believe that the gentle Rene would create an incident that could cause such a massive diplomatic problem.

“However, there are very few people in the Empire who would dare attack Her Highness without fear. And even fewer who could handle it so quietly.”

Ian’s mind grew even more tangled at Sabinelli’s words. The Prime Minister’s point was convincing.

It’s true that there aren’t many who could subdue Rene without making a sound.

No one in her age group could defeat her with magic. And if she had run away on her own, the bigger problem was that there was no clear reason for her to do so. The imperial palace servants and maids took care of her with utmost comfort. Most of the family she loved were here as well. Of course, the Emperor and Grand Duke were absent, but still.

Could she have hated the engagement with the United Kingdom that much?

That didn’t seem like a sufficient reason either. If she truly didn’t want to marry into the United Kingdom, she could have said so from the beginning and things wouldn’t have come to this. The previous Grand Duke had promised Rene that he would never force her into an unwanted marriage. The current engagement was no different. Since Rene had not refused, it had been pushed forward.

That doesn’t seem right either…

“In any case, tell the Intelligence Department to find her as quickly as possible. If they don’t want to see something truly terrible happen…”

Ian’s words were menacing. He, too, would have preferred to handle things peacefully. Taking care of the Empire was difficult enough without having to worry about Rene. But he had no choice but to grow impatient. If the Emperor and his wife returned and learned that Rene had disappeared… not only Minister of Information Karl, but everyone present would be in grave danger.

“Minister Karl has not gone home and is doing his utmost.”

“That’s right. When I saw him last, his dark circles had reached all the way down to his neck.”

As the man responsible for resolving the Imperial Princess’s disappearance, Karl was working day and night out of fear that any mistake could land him on the guillotine.

“Huu… I see. Tell him to report immediately if any new information comes in.”

Ian rose from his seat.

“Understood. I will make sure to remind Minister Karl once more.”

The officials bowed respectfully as the Crown Prince left the room.

-Tweet! Tweet-tweet!

The noisy chirping of birds woke me up. I looked at the bright sunlight streaming through the window and thought:

I don’t want to get up.

But I had training scheduled today. Plus, I needed to buy clothes for Rene to wear. I had to wake up early.

I forced myself out of bed with a yawn.

“Haaap.”

My throat was dry, so I went to the kitchen and drank a glass of cold water.

-Gulp, gulp.

Maybe it was because of the refreshing cold water, but memories of yesterday came flooding back.

Hmm. It really seemed like Rene’s mind had been quite shaken. She had clearly been treated like a noble until recently, then suddenly sold as a slave. I hadn’t properly considered the mental shock that must have caused. From now on, I would need to take care of her mental state as well.

Should I wake Rene now?

I headed toward her room.

-Click.

When I opened the door, I saw Rene sitting up in bed.

“Did you sleep well?”

Our eyes met for a brief moment. She quickly turned her head, her face slightly flushed.

“Y-yes… I slept well.”

Where exactly did she sleep well? Her dark circles were extremely dark, and her eyes were puffy and swollen. It was obvious she hadn’t slept properly.

“Looking at you, how can you say you slept well?”

“Huh?”

I sighed at the puzzled Rene, went to the bathroom to grab a hand mirror, and held it out to her.

“Take a look at this.”

“This is… Kyaa!”

She let out a short scream upon seeing her own reflection. I clicked my tongue inwardly.

She must have cried all night. There was no way training would go well in this condition. She was supposed to feel the joy of being trained, but at this rate she would probably fall asleep during the session. Physical condition management was crucial in training. The schedule was tight, but there was nothing I could do.

After thinking it over, I let out a sigh and said, “Haa. You don’t look well at all. We’ll start training this evening instead.”

“Y-yes…”

Rene lowered her head as she answered. I spoke to her again.

“But it looks like you didn’t sleep at all last night. Are you really okay?”

At my words, Rene’s body trembled slightly.

“Ah… I fell asleep for a little while earlier, then woke up. I’m fine now.”

Falling asleep and waking up again wasn’t good… Proper sleep was very important for women. If she was stressed or didn’t get enough rest, she could break out in pimples.

“Breakfast will be here soon, so eat and then get some more sleep.”

Clothes were important, but her face was more important. If she got pimples and they left scars, it could become a real problem. In this world, unless it was a top-grade potion, there were no potions that could completely erase scars.

Whether she knew how anxious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I felt or not, Rene simply lowered her head and answered quietly.

“Yes…”

-Click.

At that moment, I heard an unfamiliar sound. It was the front door opening. I hurriedly left the room and headed to the living room.

In the living room stood a woman with dark brown hair wearing a maid uniform, along with a cart covered in white cloth. Was this the maid Veloki had mentioned?

Just to be sure, I asked the maid, “Who are you?”

She immediately bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.

“It is an honor to meet you for the first time. My name is Lili, a maid slave belonging to the association. I have brought your meal.”

She spoke as she placed the untouched steaks from the table onto the bottom of the cart.

“Today’s menu consists of bread and soup. We have mushroom soup, consommé, and cream soup. Which would you like?”

At her question, I called for Rene. “Rene, come out here.”

At my command, she hesitantly walked out of the room.

“Which soup would you like?”

After a short while, once Rene and I had chosen our food, the maid set the dishes in front of us and asked,

“Also, a newspaper is provided every morning… Is there a particular newspaper you prefer?”

Newspapers were very expensive here. I had heard they used magic communication devices to gather information from distant regions before printing. In a world without the internet or telephones, newspapers were an extremely important source of information and a privilege reserved for the wealthy.

But they provide newspapers here? Weren’t they supposed to be expensive?

“Is it free?” I asked.

Lili smiled and answered, “Yes, it is provided free of charge.”

The association really knows how to spend money.

“Then just give me any one.”

Lili took a newspaper from the cart and handed it to me.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you.”

I watched her push the cart away with precise movements, then unfolded the newspaper.

I skimmed through it. It was an article about the Intelligence Department rounding up demon worshippers who had been hiding. No matter where you go, there are always weirdos.

Hmm. Did they discover coal or something?

I continued skimming the newspaper while cutting the steaming bread with a knife, spreading butter on it, and reading on.

It was an article claiming that a certain marquis, buried under massive debt, had killed his entire family, set fire to his mansion, and then committed suicide.

“Tsk tsk. Why would anyone throw their life away like that?”

People really don’t know how precious life is.

At my mutter, Rene flinched.

“It’s nothing. Just an article saying some marquis went bankrupt, killed his whole family, burned down his mansion, and killed himself.”

“I see.”

I watched Rene dip her bread in the soup and eat it as I continued reading the newspaper.

“Huh? This one?”

I came across an interesting article while skimming.

The article said that Imperial Princess Rene Ryan-Augustus had suddenly fallen severely ill a few days ago and had gone to a recuperation site. It also mentioned that the citizens of the Empire were praying for her swift recovery.

Seeing someone impersonate a perfectly healthy princess… Rene really does have a mental illness, doesn’t she?

There was also an additional statement of comfort from the United Kingdom’s ambassador, but it wasn’t particularly important. Perhaps Rene felt some sense of kinship with the princess who shared her name. A princess with the same name. She must have projected her own miserable life onto that princess and eventually come to identify herself as the imperial princess.

But to go so far as to equate herself with the real princess… She must have had a severe case of princess syndrome from the start.

Well… I can fix it slowly.