The World Is Not Normal - (2)
The eleventh in the line of succession to the Gallia Kingdom. Among the royals with a claim to the throne, he ranked second from the bottom. The prince who had just turned eighteen this year—Léonard de Gallia—drew attention wherever he went in high society, thanks to his brilliant golden hair and gentle features. Yet behind the glittering salons, the nobles mockingly called him the Forgotten Prince.
Beneath the laughter and contempt, the twin royals known as the Forgotten Prince and the Golden Princess lived quietly in a remote mansion on the outskirts of the royal capital. For all eighteen years of their lives.
And now.
“Haa… Lydia…”
Léonard was urgently searching for his mischievous twin sister. The kind old gardener, Max, had told him that the carriage driven by the maid Mirian had just returned.
“Your Highness, the carriage Miss Mirian was driving just came in.”
“Thank you for letting me know.”
Unlike the other servants who pretended not to see him, old Max was the only one who remained polite and kind. And Léonard’s pride and ambition were far too great to be wounded by such things.
‘Someday, both Lydia and I will break free from the responsibilities of the Gallia royal family forever… For now, I must build my power base under Baron Valmont at the Foreign Ministry.’
The head of a prestigious diplomatic family and Foreign Minister of Gallia, Baron Cédric Valmont, was both an excellent gentleman and a fine mentor. Under him, Léonard had set aside his royal status and worked as a regular ministry official. Even at the age of eighteen, he was already being called a young leader within the Foreign Ministry and steadily building a reputation. At least, within the ministry itself.
…
But his poor younger sister Lydia seemed completely unaware of how precarious their situation had become. She didn’t seem to realize that the ugly desires of the noble faction were already closing in around the twins.
‘She said she wanted to see the outside world before entering the academy… Just what does she think the academy is for…?’
The twins’ plan was simple. To buy Léonard even a little more time, Lydia had taken the drastic step of enrolling at Arjen Academy, located in the neutral zone outside the Gallia Kingdom. There, she would at least be protected as an academy student for three years.
‘…But Lydia’s Vow of Chastity only has two years left. I must hurry and borrow Baron Valmont’s influence before the noble faction’s hands reach the academy.’
For a woman no longer protected by the Sun God and a discarded royal, Lydia’s fate would be nothing short of tragic.
…
Creak. Creak.
Normally he would have walked carefully down the old, noisy corridor. But as he worried in his heart about his frail, reckless little sister, his steps naturally quickened. Before long, Léonard spotted Lydia in the garden.
“!”
In the quiet garden, Lydia sat primly at the tea table, holding a teacup. After every unauthorized outing, she would return with exactly this attitude: See? I was perfectly safe. Of course, Mirian stood behind her.
…
Watching the scene, Léonard felt a tiny spark of anger, but far greater relief. He walked toward them.
“Lydia!”
“You’ve come, brother.”
“…You know how dangerous it is to suddenly leave the capital like that. Have you forgotten our plan? I’m terrified something might threaten your safety.”
“Mirian stayed by my side the entire time, so please don’t worry, brother. Under Mirian’s guidance, I absolutely did not do anything conspicuous or dangerous.”
“…”
“However… it was my fault for dragging Mirian along against her will, so I will gladly accept any punishment you give, brother.”
At that, Lydia’s maid Mirian, who had been standing behind her, offered Léonard a polite bow. Surprisingly, this former elite soldier from the northern front was both the twins’ reliable bodyguard and something like a nanny. She spoke to him earnestly.
“Her Highness Lydia was so saddened by the fact that she must remain confined for the next three years that I… All the fault lies with me. Please be generous and overlook it, Your Highness.”
…
Gentle Léonard would never have punished Lydia or Mirian, who was practically their nanny. It seemed both of them already knew that and had simply confessed anyway.
‘They strangely uphold my authority while clearly knowing they’re safe… it’s a little annoying.’
Seeing Lydia’s brazen attitude, Léonard lost the energy to even get angry.
‘…Fine. As long as she came back safely, that’s all that matters. In the end, staying alive and safe is what counts.’
The twins had always been like this. Léonard let out a helpless smile and sat down at the garden tea table. He wanted to enjoy one last tea time with his sister before she left for the academy. Mirian, ever perceptive, had already placed a teacup in front of him.
“…Thank you as always, Mirian. Even after I go to Baron Valmont’s estate, please continue to take good care of Lydia at the academy.”
“Do not worry, Your Highness. I will protect Her Highness the Princess with my life.”
“That would be troubling.”
“…Pardon?”
“I want both you and Lydia to live. That’s exactly why I’m working so hard at the Foreign Ministry.”
“…Thank you.”
Lydia watched the exchange and smiled faintly.
“Hehe…”
That night, in Lydia’s bedroom.
Mirian was combing Lydia’s hair after her bath. Her hands moved with care so as not to damage the fine golden strands, filled with warmth. Mirian spoke contentedly.
“…Even the Sword Master of the kingdom’s secret society, the Ember Knights, becomes a pitiful little sister in front of her brother.”
“Hehe, don’t tease me, Sir Mirian. We’re comrades in the same order, after all. Besides, we must hide our affiliation from the outside world. We’re a secret society that fights the demon worshippers hiding everywhere. There’s no malice in deceiving my brother—including the fact that I’m a Sword Master.”
“My, I was simply saying it’s lovely to see such sibling affection?”
“I can tell right away when my swordsmanship instructor and nanny is lying.”
“Hehe…”
Lydia suddenly recalled the distant past. The time before she was born—when she had been Lee Daehyun.
‘…Thank goodness I knew about the secret society that appears in the hidden route—the Lydia the Princess route. Thanks to that, I was able to save Mirian and my brother, who were supposed to die in the original story, and even join the Ember Knights myself.’
The Ember Knights. A secret society of nine powerful individuals, each hiding under different identities across the Gallia Kingdom to oppose demon worshippers. Lydia had become its tenth member.
In the distant past, the twins’ maid Mirian had actually been an Ember Knight who had infiltrated the royal mansion long ago while tracking traces of demon worshippers. In the original story, she had tried to raise the young but dignified Prince Léonard as the next member of the order. But both of them died in a suspicious carriage accident in the original game.
Princess Lydia: “All my precious people—my brother and my maid—have left this world. It happened on the way to my brother’s seventh birthday baptism. I found this elixir and swordsmanship manual in Mirian’s bedroom. After that, I was left alone in the mansion…”
‘To think that the elixir and swordsmanship manual given by the incompetent princess actually belonged to Mirian, who died in that carriage accident…’
Lydia remembered those details. So on the year she turned seven, she had deliberately delayed the date of Léonard’s baptism ceremony. Just that one change. The people who were supposed to have died early in the original story had survived and become reliable allies. She had also become Mirian’s official disciple and received proper instruction in both the elixir and swordsmanship.
…
The single most important clue that allowed Lydia to become a Sword Master had been resolved so easily.
‘…It’s actually for the best. To normalize this world, it’s more convenient for my brother to stay in the Foreign Ministry while I operate from the academy. I’m sorry I have to hide my identity from him, though.’
In truth, her brother’s plan had only been an excuse to head to the academy. Lydia’s real plan at the academy was…
“…Your Highness Lydia?”
“Hm?”
Lydia turned around. Mirian was looking at her with a worried expression. It wasn’t the face of a strong Ember Knight, but the face of the nanny who had cared for them since the day the twins were born.
“Are you nervous about going to the academy for the sake of the plan?”
“As if. Who do you think I am?”
“…”
“I am your disciple, a Sword Master, and a member of the Ember Knights who punishes demon worshippers. I’m not worried about something like this.”
“…I see. Of course. You are my far superior and proud disciple, after all. To think you’ve become one of the four Sword Masters of the kingdom…”
“Out of those four, two of us—including me and the commander—hide our identities, so publicly there are only two Sword Masters in Gallia.”
“To learn such a fact… it is an honor.”
“What are you even saying?”
“Hehehe.”
Mirian spoke with a distant look in her eyes.
“Who would have thought that instead of raising His Highness Léonard as planned, I would end up raising Her Highness Lydia as my disciple. Even the commander was shocked at first.”
“So are you regretting it? It’s too late now. The elixir has long since become part of my blood.”
“I’m saying this because I’m too happy about it.”
“Pfft…”
“Hehe…!”
“Ahaha!”
“Hehehehe!”
The night before heading to the academy, quiet laughter and conversation continued in Lydia’s bedroom until late into the night.
The next morning.
Two carriages stood in front of the mansion where the spring breeze blew. The two siblings stood before the carriages that would take them in opposite directions. Lydia bowed to Léonard.
“Then, brother, I wish you a safe journey.”
“Yes. Lydia, I hope you have an enjoyable… school life at the academy.”
“…Yes.”
Both of them knew. The path that lay ahead had nothing to do with enjoyable things…
But the siblings said nothing more. They simply embraced each other lightly. And so they faced a slightly long farewell.
With a determined expression, Léonard climbed into the carriage heading for Baron Cédric Valmont’s estate. The mansion’s gardener, old Max, who had brought his luggage, offered encouragement in a worried voice.
“If it is for Your Highness’s cause, Baron Valmont will surely understand.”
“Thank you so much. The only ones who support me are Lydia, Mirian, and you.”
Léonard did not scold him for being impertinent. Instead, he spoke with genuine gratitude. Perhaps sensing his sincerity, old Max bowed deeply.
Clop-clop!
The two carriages began to gallop in opposite directions. One headed for the estate of Gallia’s Foreign Minister, Baron Cédric Valmont. The other headed for the place where the youth of the three southern kingdoms gathered…
Toward Arjen Academy, built in the neutral zone.
…
Inside the carriage, Lydia’s eyes gleamed coldly.
‘I will not be swayed by the original story.’
From the moment she had entered this body, the so-called original story had already been twisted. Lydia had not the slightest intention of being pushed around by the small fry at the academy. That place was merely the setting of the original adult game and the location where the protagonist Arty would obtain his opportunities.
And the heroines and the protagonist would all become her loyal subordinates.
‘…I will prepare the clues that will solve your lives for you. In return, swear your loyalty to me.’
Lydia arrogantly crossed her legs and gazed out the carriage window.