The Prince and the Princess (1)
The members of the royal family who drew the most attention were, without exception, the princes. This was both an immutable and inevitable truth, for they had been born with the potential to inherit the throne. For the princes themselves, it could even be called a misfortune. Every word and deed could either illuminate the future of the kingdom or plunge it into utter darkness. Their daily lives were akin to walking a tightrope, or treading a path of thorns without shoes.
In that regard, the First Prince performed the role expected of him remarkably well on the surface. As the eldest son of the royal family, he was the one with the greatest likelihood of ascending to the throne. Praise and titles befitting a crown prince naturally followed the First Prince: a brilliant mind, an intellect that could be called extraordinary, and the qualities of a wise ruler. Though he was not an exceptional genius, the First Prince bore that heavy burden from a young age amid the support and expectations of countless members of the royal house.
The royal family believed it would not be long before the First Prince was named crown prince. He himself likely held no expectations for the throne, yet he would have accepted it as his destined fate.
And then the Second Prince was born.
The Second Prince possessed qualities markedly different from the First. A bold tongue, an equally exceptional intellect, and outstanding martial talent. The Second Prince’s abilities stood out far more than the First Prince’s. People began to compare the growing Second Prince with the First Prince, who had yet to receive the position of crown prince even as time passed, and whispered irreverent words.
‘It seems the First Prince’s qualities fall short of the Second Prince’s.’
‘His Majesty the King must have already decided in his heart to name the Second Prince as crown prince.’
‘Or perhaps the rumors about the legitimate firstborn are true after all.’
Despite the rumors swirling both inside and outside the palace and the suspicious glances directed at him, the First Prince did not crumble. That may have been due to his inherently unyielding nature, as well as the presence of someone who shared his fate.
“Your Highness, Her Highness Princess Michelle has arrived.”
At the servant’s words, Louis Ruard slipped a bookmark into the book he had been reading. When his studies grew difficult, the prince would immerse himself in the exploration of other texts. History, science, philosophy, and occasionally even the complex theories of magic. The servant gazed at his master with admiration, watching as he refused to set aside the thick volume even during his rest.
“…Let her in.”
Louis said as he closed the book. When the prince pushed the volume aside and let out a long sigh, the servant quickly opened the door. Beyond it, dark brown hair came into view. Michelle, the First Princess, approached Louis with graceful steps and offered a greeting.
“Louis.”
“Good morning, Michelle. Did you manage to sleep comfortably last night?”
“I thought I had woken in a pleasant mood for the first time in a while, but then I received sudden news… I’m sorry for coming to see you so abruptly.”
“There’s no need to apologize. That aside—”
Michelle Ruard, the First Princess. A young woman whose features so closely resembled the current king’s. Though overshadowed by the princes, she possessed talent equal to theirs. A royal born under a cruel twist of fate, her destiny swapped with the First Prince’s. Rather than envying each other’s fates, the First Prince and First Princess pitied one another. They were people who could not possess what should rightfully have been theirs, whose very birth and origins had been altered according to the kingdom’s will. Nothing about their fates had been decided by them. Nothing about their futures had unfolded as they wished.
Michelle and Louis were each other’s mirror and support.
“Sudden news?”
Michelle Ruard dismissed the servants and took the seat Louis pulled out for her. There was no telling where the eyes and ears of the Benning family might be lurking. Recalling the group that had suddenly entered the palace that morning, Michelle Ruard began to speak.
“…It seems new forces have been added under the Second Prince’s command.”
“Under Kyle’s…?”
At the way she addressed the Second Prince by name, the princess narrowed her eyes for a moment before quickly regaining her composure.
“That fellow has always been gathering troops whenever he could. What’s so new about it now?”
“They say an entire knight order has joined him.”
The First Prince furrowed his brow.
“An entire knight order. How blatant, Kyle… No, it must be the work of that count’s house.”
“You’re taking this rather calmly, Louis.”
To the First Princess, who spoke with clear displeasure, the First Prince offered a bitter smile.
“What can I do? I know there is no way for me to deal with it right now. Did you think I would go straight to Kyle and voice my protest? Ask him to stop his show of force?”
“You know I didn’t mean it that way.”
The First Princess let out a sigh.
“People have been assigned to me as well. People who can move according to my will. I never even requested them.”
The First Prince raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“What? Surely they didn’t…”
“It doesn’t seem to be that.”
Michelle shook her head, immediately dispelling the First Prince’s concern.
“Just one maid and four or five knights. I was able to speak with them briefly this morning… Their backgrounds are so clear that there is no room for suspicion.”
The First Prince’s eyes gleamed. He must have caught a fragment of the meaning behind Michelle’s words.
“Where did they come from?”
“Murat.”
The great eastern noble, Count Agon. Louis closed his mouth. Just what reason could they possibly have for sending people to Michelle? Sending her personnel like this carried the implication of supporting her as the next heir to the throne…
The First Prince’s mind went blank, as if struck by lightning.
“What on earth is Count Agon thinking, sending them to you?”
“In the current situation, the highest possibility would be that he intends to use me as a puppet to interfere in the succession struggle.”
The First Prince shook his head.
“I do not believe Count Agon is the kind of man who would do something so foolish. He is not one to abandon righteousness, nor is he stupid enough to support you and provoke a clash with the Benning faction led by the Second Prince.”
If that was the case, then the remaining possibility was…
Knock, knock.
The prince’s thoughts scattered at the sound of a knock on the door. Michelle’s worried gaze turned toward Louis.
“Who is it?”
It was the voice of the servant who attended him that answered the First Prince.
“A guest has arrived, Your Highness.”
“I am in the middle of an important conversation with Michelle. How rude. Send them away for now.”
Even as Louis rebuked the servant with proper decorum, the servant stubbornly persisted.
“I beg your pardon, but the matter also concerns Her Highness the Princess. It would be better if they could meet both of you at once…”
At those words, both Louis and Michelle’s expressions crumpled at the same time. Michelle looked at Louis with anxiously trembling eyes, while Louis bit his lip and fell into thought.
“Louis?”
“Let’s meet them first. They wouldn’t have come with the intention of harming us.”
Enter. The voice, masked with dignity to hide his tension, granted the visitor permission to enter. The door opened quietly, and the one who stepped inside was a female knight standing with perfect posture. Her hair, tied back and gathered behind her, exuded her distinctive presence.
“Yvonne?”
At Michelle’s reaction, Louis asked with a puzzled look.
“You know her?”
“…She is one of the knights who recently joined my command.”
“From Murat…?”
As soon as the knight entered the room, she knelt and performed the proper etiquette. Having been properly trained under Count Agon, there was not a single flaw in her manners.
“This servant, Yvonne Monet, first apologizes for the rudeness of visiting so suddenly.”
Michelle pointed out the rudeness in a cold voice.
“If the reason for this brazen visit is not justified, you must be prepared to receive appropriate punishment.”
“I believed this was the only opportunity to meet both of you without drawing attention. If I must receive appropriate punishment, I will accept it gladly.”
Louis’s eyes sparkled with interest at those words. This was not a situation where one could quibble over rudeness or etiquette. At the very least, this matter must not be caught by the eyes of the Benning family.
“Very well. You, who have entered Michelle’s service, what business do you have with me?”
The knight who had introduced herself as Yvonne hardened her expression even further at the First Prince’s proactive attitude.
“It is precisely because of that matter.”
“What, because Count Agon sent people under her command to support Michelle?”
“That is correct, Your Highness.”
Several glances that seemed to exchange opinions passed between Michelle and Louis.
“Rise and speak comfortably.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
The knight rose from her position without hesitation. Her movements were swift, as if she knew there was not a moment to waste.
“First, the reason Count Agon has sent people to Her Highness the Princess like this is, as you have guessed, to support Her Highness as a candidate for the throne.”
“You speak such words quite boldly in front of her competitor.”
Louis’s mocking tone did not last long before it changed into an expression of shock.
“And soon, the Margrave will send people to Your Highness the First Prince as well.”
The Margrave’s declaration. Louis’s eyebrows twitched.
“Just what are they planning?”
His voice now clearly carried anger. Even without the knight’s martial prowess or a mage’s magical power, the aura of royalty was enough to dominate a spacious room.
“You great nobles seem to want to use me and Michelle as shields to turn the succession struggle into a sea of fire and blood. Because of that foolish prodigal son Kyle, the dignity of the royal family has fallen to the ground.”
The icy voice began to tremble, as if it could no longer tolerate the situation.
“Do you all see His Majesty the King and the royal family as such a joke?”
Though the prince’s words were not loud, they carried undeniable authority. Yvonne, facing him, bowed her head deeply.
“It is a royal command.”
“…What?”
Louis’s pupils shook. Michelle, who had been listening, drew in a small breath.
“The great lord of Murat, the House of Count Agon. Watcher of No Man’s Land and shield of the border. Margrave Fey.”
The knight, Yvonne, calmly conveyed the royal decree.
“We shall obey the royal command and support both of you as the respective successors to the throne.”
The great lord of Murat, Count Agon, Watcher of No Man’s Land and shield of the border, Margrave Fey, hereby declares:
We shall obey the royal command and support the First Prince Louis Ruard and the First Princess Michelle Ruard as the respective successors to the throne.
“…It’s finally here.”
Rione Becker’s gloomy voice leaked out quietly. Paola glanced at her and gave a warning.
“Complain all you want, but you’d better be careful.”
“I know.”
Though the conversation between Rione and Paola was light, the atmosphere emanating from the group they led was anything but. The Raven Knight Order. The military force that had risen to become one of the kingdom’s foremost knight orders through their exploits in No Man’s Land now stood arrayed in the palace, clad in their distinctive jet-black uniforms. They did their best to suppress the fighting spirit leaking from them and calmly tempered their presence, but the sight of dozens of knights standing in perfect formation in black uniforms scattered an overwhelming sense of intimidation simply by existing.
‘What is that?’
‘Their uniforms are pitch black without a single decoration. Is that the Raven Knight Order I’ve only heard about?’
‘Are they here on dispatch?’
‘I heard His Highness the Second Prince is taking them under his command this time.’
The people of the court whispered among themselves.
“They should have told them to disarm at least.”
Tsk. Paola clicked her tongue. Today, the sword at her waist felt particularly heavy and uncomfortable. Rione looked back at Paola, who was openly expressing her dissatisfaction, with an expression of disbelief, but Paola merely looked around with an innocent face as if she had never said such a thing.
“Vice Commander.”
Only after Theodora gave a subtle warning did Paola’s face finally break into a slight smile as she returned to the dignified posture of a knight. Even after issuing the warning, Theodora seemed a little downcast, as if she felt sorry, and apologized in a subdued voice.
“…I’m sorry. Because of me, things have turned out this strangely.”
Paola shook her head. This was not something Theodora needed to apologize for. If anyone was to be blamed, it should be the Second Prince who had arranged the personnel transfer this way, or those close to him.
“Who could have imagined they would send a dispatch like this? I must have spoken too freely.”
Paola answered lightly and shrugged her shoulders. At that moment, a man who appeared to be a servant quickly cut ahead of the knights and approached Theodora, who stood at the front.
“His Highness the Second Prince is arriving.”
Theodora nodded and straightened her posture. Seeing this, Rione and Paola also corrected their stances, and the knights lined up behind them adjusted their postures with perfect synchronization, completing their preparations to greet their new superior.
Step, step.
The footsteps clearly announced their presence as they approached. Two presences could be felt, yet only one set of footsteps arrogantly declared its existence. At the edge of her vision, two figures appeared. Theodora did not hesitate and knelt on the spot. The sight of dozens of knights behind her simultaneously paying their respects was truly a spectacle.
“Hoh.”
The voice sounded impressed as it observed the knights’ aura.
“Raise your heads.”
Theodora slowly lifted her head and faced those standing before her.
“So you are Benning’s daughter, the commander of the Raven Knight Order.”
The dark-brown-haired man who arrogantly lifted one corner of his mouth was the Second Prince. Behind him, Leon Benning stood like a shadow at his side, gazing at Theodora with cold eyes.