Chapter 35
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Reunion with the Princess (3)
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Click-clack.
In the silent hall, only the princess's footsteps echoed.
Everyone swallowed dryly, their eyes fixed on her.
"Wait, hold on."
I'd figured she'd approach me since she'd personally invited me to the Founding Festival.
But I hadn't expected her to do it right here, in front of everyone.
As she drew closer, I couldn't help but panic.
"...Dragons are awfully possessive about what's theirs, right?"
Watching the way she looked at me, I suddenly recalled Gransesia's words.
Tap.
She stopped right in front of me, just as I'd expected.
She slowly looked me up and down.
"It's an honor to meet the princess hailed as the empire's treasure, Your Highness..."
I bowed to her as she approached.
But she moved even faster.
"Wh-what is that?!"
"Why is the princess...?!"
The quiet hall erupted in noise.
It was only natural. The princess had suddenly dropped to one knee before me, bowing deeply.
It was the highest courtesy, reserved for the emperor himself, so the chaos around us was understandable. Even I froze, unsure how to react.
"It's an honor to meet you like this, Sir Clay Banheart. Or rather, Count now, isn't it?"
She rose slowly, her expression utterly serene. She didn't care about the shocked onlookers.
"...You really do remember me."
"Hehe, how could I forget that day? Do you see this?"
She pointed to her waist, where a decoration made from a broken horn hung.
"I remember everything. Every word Count Clay said to me back then..."
With that, she glanced at my hand.
I wore a black glove on it.
She must have been looking at what lay hidden beneath.
"The gift you left me is still here underneath."
"That's a relief. Oh, and what about the scar on your thumb...?"
Was she referring to the wound from when she bit me?
I hadn't realized she still held onto something like that.
"It left a small scar, but nothing serious."
According to Michel, they'd been late spotting the injury on my thumb, so the treatment came after the fact.
A faint scar remained, but it wasn't an issue.
Her red lips curved into a soft smile at my answer.
"That's... really good to hear."
[Whoa, chills.]
Gransesia muttered as if creeped out by the princess's words.
What was so chilling about it?
I found Gransesia's reaction odd, but more importantly, I needed to figure out how to handle this. Every eye in the hall was on me and the princess.
Sensing my unease, she turned and spoke.
"The music has stopped. This is a banquet, after all—we can't let the mood die..."
At her words, the stiff orchestra resumed playing.
"This banquet is for the heroes who graciously attended our empire's Founding Festival. Please forget everything and enjoy yourselves. I'd be grateful."
Those watching us flinched and looked away.
There were still furtive glances, but far fewer than before. And with the princess nearby, no one dared approach easily.
'Well, this worked out better than expected.'
I hadn't anticipated things unfolding like this, but delaying wouldn't help, so I counted it as a win.
In a voice only she could hear, I whispered.
"Your Highness."
"Yes?"
"I have something urgent to discuss after the banquet. If that's alright with you."
"Oh my."
She smiled, delighted.
"That's welcome news."
As if she'd been waiting for me to say it.
* * *
"What exactly is your relationship with the princess, Count Banheart?"
Right after the banquet ended.
Alex, Eric, Gloria—they all crowded around me. Even Gelvin looked curious.
'Gelvin must have seen her from afar, but maybe not up close?'
Otherwise, he wouldn't be so calm after seeing the princess.
If it had been Michel, who'd seen her right in front of her face, she might have fainted on the spot.
"We met once by chance at the empire's New Year's festival long ago. That's it."
"For that to lead to..."
They didn't seem convinced by my explanation of a simple chance encounter.
I saw no need to convince them further, so I didn't elaborate.
"More importantly, I have a prior engagement with the princess, so I should head out."
"Wait, an engagement? With Princess Riya Asktalin?!"
Alex yelped in surprise but nodded and stepped back.
"...Understood. In any case, thanks to you, Count, we upheld the kingdom's honor today. My gratitude."
It was probably thanks for flattening Arsavin Hochen's nose as Dalsha's representative.
"But I'll definitely beat Arsavin next time."
Alex couldn't forget that humiliation—his eyes burned with fierce resolve.
'I thought he was a bit prickly, but he's actually decent.'
He'd started out speaking casually to me, but as he learned more about me, he'd begun showing proper respect.
A rough temperament, but not a bad guy.
That must be why he'd been chosen as representative.
If not for my appointment with the princess, I'd have liked to head back to the lodgings with them and chat more, but time was short.
"See you at the lodgings later."
I waved lightly, and they looked disappointed.
But they couldn't very well stop me from meeting the princess.
[You're bold, you know that? You really gonna meet her?]
'You were the one who suggested it first.'
[True, but... she's crazier than I thought.]
You're the only one who'd call the princess crazy.
It was baffling how a seventy-something saintess spoke like a mercenary.
[Hmph! Do holy folk have to use flowery language? That's just prejudice.]
'Aren't you a saintess, on top of being clergy?'
[Like I said before, I don't need that title packaging the power I earned as some divine gift!]
'And yet you'll pull it out whenever it's convenient later.'
What a convenient attitude.
My sarcasm hit home this time—Gransesia fell silent.
"Anyway, she said a maid would be waiting if I followed the path out of the banquet hall..."
I arrived at the meeting spot and looked around when I sensed someone behind me.
Turning, I saw a maid standing there, as if she'd appeared out of nowhere.
"We've been waiting, Count Clay Banheart."
Her voice was flat as she led the way.
As expected of the imperial palace— the paths were labyrinthine and vast. It took a good thirty minutes to reach the princess's residence.
"Her Highness is inside."
The maid spoke tonelessly and flung open the palace doors.
'Something feels off— like fear.'
I sensed a strange dread in the maid's demeanor. She feigned composure, but she was terrified.
'...Afraid of the princess?'
The doors she opened looked like a dragon gaping greedily.
* * *
The palace interior was dim overall.
It felt too gloomy for the residence of the princess dubbed the empire's radiant treasure.
Walking down a dimly lit corridor, I soon entered a large reception room.
"Welcome, Count Clay."
At the center stood Princess Riya Asktalin, in a pure white silver dress. She turned to me with a bright smile.
'Hold on— is she alone?'
I'd felt uneasy on the way here, but now it was clear.
She and I were the only ones in the palace.
Not a single maid or guard knight in sight.
"You said it was a private matter, so I sent everyone away."
Reading my thoughts, she smiled faintly and sat in an ornate chair.
I took the seat across from her, gazing steadily.
"Well then, Count."
"Please, just call me Clay. Honestly, 'Count' still feels awkward."
It was true—I wasn't used to the title yet. And since we were here, building rapport with the princess seemed wise.
Her eyes lit up, as if she'd been waiting for that.
"Oh? Then may I call you by name too?"
...Was she serious?
Calling the empire's princess by her first name casually would spark more than a minor incident.
Reading my mind, she smiled with a hint of regret.
"Hehe. Of course, it could be an issue with others around. But when it's just us...?"
"No, but..."
"Refuse, and we can pretend this meeting never happened."
What?
It was utterly absurd.
'What's the big deal about a title...?'
I couldn't predict how calling her by name might backfire later.
But given what I planned to discuss, ending the meeting here would be a problem.
After a moment's hesitation, I spoke.
"...Fine, Riya."
"Hmm."
I'd mustered the courage to use her name, but she seemed dissatisfied.
Was she offended now that I had?
"Not quite there."
"Pardon?"
"From my investigations, Clay uses casual speech with close ones. And his tone is more... well, rude—like something a commoner might say."
What the hell had she investigated?
And yeah, casual speech is normal with friends. What, should I use formal?
I wanted to snap back, but she was the empire's princess.
"I tend to be more polite with women."
"But you use casual speech with that maid, Mone?"
She's a maid.
You're a princess.
[Just give in and do what she wants... She won't get to the point otherwise. Ever.]
Gransesia sounded defeated by the princess's attitude. She had a point—resisting would drag this pointless banter forever.
"Fine. ...Yeah, got it."
"More roughly."
She had more demands than expected.
I tried varying my casual tone as best I could.
"Yeah, yeah. Got it, alright? Happy now?"
"Yes, perfect. That'll do."
It was the most uncomfortable casual speech of my life.
I still felt awkward, but seeing her satisfied face, I couldn't back out now.
"By the way, Your Highness— er, Riya— aren't you gonna go casual... no, use casual speech with me?"
Stumbling through the awkward casual, she smiled faintly.
"The empire's princess doesn't use casual speech lightly with others."
[Crazy bitch.]
This time, I couldn't disagree with Gransesia.