117. A clone that can't even read the room
117. A clone that can't even read the room
"Too bland~"
Hilda stared blankly at the Crown Princess reaching for the salt shaker.
-swish
"......"
"I'm the Crown Princess, isn't that look a bit much?"
"The missing knight report will drop tomorrow morning. I set the last sighting on the opposite side."
"Cough! Hack hack! M-miss... Gulp! Kuhk..."
Hilda glanced at the pale-faced Alman, then looked up at the ceiling.
Once her gaze cleared, the Crown Princess smiled and picked up the salt shaker.
-thud...
"Amber..."
The purple-haired maid, flustered by the Crown Princess's coquettish whine, grabbed her hand.
"Just once..."
"Y-Your Highness. Your condition isn't great, and if you keep eating salty stuff, it could strain your kidneys..."
"Enough! It's been so long since I've gone out, my mouth... Cough! Hack hack hack!"
Hilda quietly watched Amber awkwardly rubbing the Crown Princess's back.
What on earth had captivated a powerhouse like her...
She herself had been persuaded by the Crown Princess's strange charm, so she had no room to talk.
Not wanting to watch the farce any longer, Hilda snatched the salt shaker from the Crown Princess's hand.
-swish...
"...!!! W-wait, Hilda. People need salt or..."
"I put in enough to keep you breathing. Now, so..."
The moment Hilda moved the salt shaker aside, the Crown Princess sprinkled salt into the bowl with telekinesis.
-tap tap!
"Tw-twice...?!!"
"It's fine at this level... Hack! Hack hack! Hackkk!"
"C-Crown Princess..."
"...... Just let her sprinkle as much as she wants."
With tears hanging from her dry coughs, she deliciously ate the porridge laced with all sorts of delicacies.
"Nom... Mmm~♥ As expected, food needs to be a bit salty!"
"Y-Your Highness... Water. You need to drink lots of water."
"...So."
"Hm?"
Hilda, at the end of her patience, snapped at the Crown Princess.
"What's the next plan? Starting tomorrow, the Second Princess will start devouring everything you've set up."
The Crown Princess scooped up her porridge deliciously and smiled.
"Mmm... Nom nom... I've thought of everything! Don't worry!"
They were in the same boat, so how could she not worry.
A sudden wave of intense regret hit her, and Hilda furrowed her brow.
"Tell me that plan."
The Crown Princess, stirring her spoon in the porridge, grinned brightly.
"The split businesses are actually managed by one person. They'll waste about 42 days chasing a ghost. The nobles I usually hung out with? They're decoys. They'll probably give them headaches when they splash money to buy them off? More money when covering up scandals with flawed nobles. Those wanted posters from the Temple recently? All pinned on nobles in their place? I pulled protection, so the noose is tightening now. That peasant massacre case! Covering that will take another 26 days or so..."
"All of it."
"Hm?"
Hilda's eyes glared at the Crown Princess.
"The Second Princess has the power to ignore it all and push through. What if she just announces your death outright?"
The Crown Princess smiled with an expression like she was just too adorable to kill.
A ridiculous yet somehow sadistic, chilling smile.
"Can't."
"......"
"Know the Second Princess's weakness? She loves the imperial family too~ much! Anything else is meaningless to her. As long as the imperial family thrives, she doesn't care if elsewhere is wailing. Isn't it just precious? Tee hee hee hee hee!!"
So... because she loves the imperial family too much, there can't be any blemishes?
Hilda looked at the Crown Princess, whose eyes were slightly crazed, and got chills.
"Creepy bitch. Are all royals like this?"
The Crown Princess scooped a spoonful of porridge, then let it dribble down over the bowl.
"No~ She loves the imperial family too much. But I'm different! I love people too much!"
"..."
"You know, people shine brightly in their own colors. Isn't it beautiful? People burning their lives day by day are like stars in the night sky. They look amazing from the podium!"
Seeing the Crown Princess's sparkling eyes full of sincerity, Hilda shut her mouth.
The Crown Princess grinned foolishly at the finely chopped bits in her porridge.
"Hee hee hee... So we have to save as many as possible. We must show mercy to keep their flames from going out."
A mere human talking about granting mercy.
Hilda was convinced. To the Crown Princess, fellow humans were small, precious things to be ruled.
Arrogant and mad. But...
'No problem there.'
That's how rulers should be.
Only then can one sit in a position weighing human lives.
The Crown Princess, staring blankly at Hilda, blushed.
"As expected~ You understand me, right?"
"I'm just not interested."
"Playing hard to get~ As expected, my best fri..."
"Enough. We'll say you've bought time. Next?"
The Crown Princess scooped up her now-cold porridge and smiled.
"Munch munch... Mm~ I wanna go to the Labyrinth!"
"Cough! Kek! Kehek..."
"C-Crown Princess!!!!"
Hilda's mind went blank.
When she could barely stand up with all her strength, the Labyrinth?
"Rejected. Next option."
"There isn't! Find the Spring of Life on the 50th floor. End. Once I recover, I'll handle the rest."
"...I got played."
"Kekeke! Pretty barbaric method, huh?"
From the 50th floor where even Adventurer's Badges go dead, searching for a Spring of Life whose existence isn't even certain.
The Spring of Life, found with extremely low odds, heals any injury once for those who soak in it.
But the 50th floor isn't a joke... Drag the Crown Princess around there for days?
Arin and Cheon Hwa-ryeong immediately came to Hilda's mind.
'It's possible, but...'
Those two could do it, but the Crown Princess's body wouldn't hold out during the search.
Even stuffing her with good food right now was touch-and-go...
The air from the 40th floor would eat away at her.
Still...
"Not impossible. If you endure."
"I think I can endure!"
At the vague 'think,' Hilda's eyes blazed with fury.
"You should've... done that... from the start?"
"Eek... No, would the Second Princess leave me alone?!"
"Ha..."
Alman whispered toward Hilda's throbbing temple, looking enlightened.
"Pardon me for a moment."
-nod
Alman checked the communicator briefly and returned to stand by Hilda's side.
"...Conversation's over. Report."
"Huh?? I'm bored, let's play a bit more..."
"Shut it."
"I'm the Crown Princess..."
Hilda nodded, and Alman whispered in her ear.
'Jang Ryu-o-nim is crossing the main gate.'
"!!!!"
-jump!
Hilda shot up from her seat and headed for the door.
"Use the annex as you like. No outings."
"W-what about a walk? Just a little?"
"Rejected."
"I'm the Crown Princess!!"
Waiting for Hilda in the Duchy's reception room, the wall cabinet opened and Hilda appeared.
-rumble...
"??!??!? H-Hilda?"
Hilda saw me and trembled for a moment...
"...♥♥ Haa...♥"
-step... step... step step step!
"Mmph! W-wait..."
-swish! Swish! Smooch!
"Slurrrp♥ Hoo... Understand."
She roughly stripped my clothes while showering me with sticky kisses.
My dick was already hard the moment her lips touched.
I poured all my passion into soothing the somehow angry-looking Hilda.
'A thorough level 3 to vent it all.'
-pffft~
"Slurrrp♥!! ♥♥♥♥ Smmuuuuck!!!"
-psssshhh!!!
♥♥♥
♥♥♥
"At month-end... 30th Floor...♥"
I stroked Hilda's gooily melted head and said.
"Got it. You've worked hard. Food?"
"......"
"We'll eat together when you wake. Rest your eyes a bit."
Hilda, with a dazed face, grabbed my ear and pulled me close.
-smooch~
"Smack...♥ I love you."
"...Love you."
"Snooore..."
Hilda, enjoying pillow talk with me, fell asleep with her face all glossy.
I wiped the traces of passion from her face and body, then stood up.
'Borrow the training grounds...'
As I got up and dressed, I noticed the secret passage Hilda had used.
"......... Should I close it?"
Probably a passage only Hilda or specific people know.
But leaving it open felt uneasy.
Door wide open, like watching porn...
I was about to push the cabinet shut but stopped.
Pushing harder here might break it.
Seeing the well-maintained passage sparked curiosity.
"Hmm... Where does this lead?"
Even checking with Ki Sense, no traps seemed present.
If it were dangerous, Hilda's personality would've mentioned it.
Truth is, I've been making excuses since earlier.
I just wanna explore. Secret passage... A man's dream, right?
Time's floating, nothing to do...
"Just peek at the end and back."
If it doesn't close while I'm gone, it's automatic.
Is the ducal estate too comfy now?
Like a carefree kid, I burned with adventure.
-step step step...
"O... This passage only fits one or two people?"
Just an ordinary stone wall, but it was fun.
After walking a while...
"A door."
A door I really... no, desperately wanted to open appeared.
The urge to crack it open surged, but...
"Okay. Adventure ends here. Head back."
I thought to ask Hilda first, then come back.
Boredom eased somewhat.
The moment I turned...
-rumble
"????"
The door opened on its own.
Looking back again, a neat building interior came into view.
'Automatic? Recognized me?'
No need to sightsee, so I turned to leave...
-squeeze... shing...
"How'd you find this passage?"
Someone hugged me from behind and pressed a blade to my neck.
-squish!
'Mi... st...'
The massive chest and husky voice immediately told me it was a woman.
But that changed nothing. She held the knife hilt.
First, I tried calming her.
"I'm... not suspicious."
"ID."
-squeeze!! Squeeze~ squish♥
For the record, my clone has no patience.
Even when my life's on the line, it can't hold back.
Me and the clone... we're separate beings.
-jump!!!
'Ha... Life.'
Embarrassing, should I just ask her to kill me...
I'm lost now too.