Chapter 102
Chapter 102
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: The Imperial Palace (9)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“You’re here. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
The First Prince sat facing the First Princess.
While the Second Prince was their half-brother, the two of them were full siblings.
Typically, siblings don’t get along well.
But in Ludwig and Louise’s case, their bond was quite deep.
They were born into the finest environment, wanting for nothing.
They strove to maintain the dignity befitting their noble status, and so on.
There were many reasons, but the ultimate issue was that they had too many siblings.
A dozen or so children who shared the Emperor's bloodline.
Among them, the Second Prince, Karl, was the most troublesome.
They were fated to compete for the throne.
To stand against him, it was only natural for the siblings to join forces.
They were in the same boat, so to speak, sharing a common destiny.
Ludwig gazed at his cute and lovely younger sister.
She had been a good girl who followed him well since childhood.
Her intelligence was so outstanding that everyone acknowledged it.
Even the Emperor favored the First Princess, so there was nothing more to be said.
“I imagine you've guessed the reason for my visit?”
“Yes. I believe it's because of the Hero's party.”
The princess answered demurely.
She offered a faint smile, as if she already knew everything.
Was it because they were full siblings?
Or was it due to her innate intellect?
In any case, she grasped his intentions at a glance.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
If she had been a younger brother instead of a sister, she would have become a competitor surpassing the Second Prince.
“Yes. We need to have a talk about that.”
Ludwig rarely acknowledged anyone.
Louise was subject to his strict standards, yet she sometimes proposed solutions he had never considered.
Indeed, what would it be this time?
Aside from his expectations, he intended to seek her consent.
It was only proper to hear her opinion before proceeding with a political marriage.
Of course, it was merely a formality.
She was his lovely and precious younger sister, but if necessary, she was a pawn to be sacrificed.
Becoming overly entangled in sibling affection was a foolish act.
One who would be emperor should not cling to such things.
Even if she refused, he would force it through.
He presumed that wouldn't happen in the first place.
Eventually, she would have to enter a marriage alliance with someone.
If it had to happen, being paired with a fine man would be better for Louise as well.
In truth, this case couldn't be considered a sacrifice.
The heir of the Crodain Family and the man who became the Hero.
Jace was a first-rate suitor, a perfect match for the princess.
He needed to assess the situation a bit more, but for now, the picture looked good.
Along with the objective of securing the Hero's party's support,
his desire for his sister's well-being aligned with his goals.
With nothing holding him back, it was best to proceed without hesitation.
“First, we need to address that. I heard the Second Prince went to see the Hero's party…”
“I heard he met with misfortune during a sparring match.”
She had already heard the news.
The First Prince smiled in spite of himself.
She appeared to have no ulterior motives, but it was clear she was personally interested.
Louise was truly beautiful.
Her graceful demeanor was full of the dignity befitting a princess.
Sharp features. Eyes that held a spark of intelligence.
Her mere presence exuded an intellectual air.
Setting aside her brother's perspective, she was already loved by all.
She had already shed most of her girlishness.
At an age where her charms were in full bloom, she more than captured the gazes of men.
With her marriageable age approaching, she seemed to be mindful of a potential union.
“I find it rather refreshing, but… beating a prince is no small matter. Hmm, frankly, it's quite bewildering. I'd like to hear your thoughts.”
Jace's hidden intentions.
Figuring that out was the key.
If he was hostile to the Imperial Family, the problem would become serious.
Or perhaps he had another ulterior motive.
With Louise's intellect, there was a good chance she could see through it…
“My impression was that it was impressive.”
“Huh??”
“A man should have guts. The Hero is a hero for a reason, it seems.”
“…”
The First Prince was at a loss for words.
He had meant for her to guess Jace's intentions.
But the girl was merely admiring the outcome of the Second Prince being beaten.
*Huh? What's gotten into her?*
*This is the first time our conversation has gone astray.*
Just as the First Prince began to feel dizzy,
the princess's face flushed slightly, as if she were shy.
“!!”
*Good heavens. She can make an expression like that?*
They had spent quite a long time together, but today, his sister seemed like a stranger.
Judging by her reaction, her interest seemed to have gone far beyond mere curiosity.
“Is it that strange?”
“…”
*No, well…*
*It's a look befitting a girl her age, so it suits her.*
In any case.
Now that she was this excited, the option of forcing anything on her had vanished.
Deciding it was for the best, the First Prince put his mind at ease.
Judging by Louise's reaction, it seemed the process of seeking her consent could be skipped.
The only thing left was to see how Jace would react.
Who would refuse such a graceful girl?
If he were to be joined with the princess, the Crodain Family's situation would improve considerably.
The Imperial Family would no longer need to feel threatened.
And the Crodain Family would be freed from all its misfortunes.
It was truly a win-win situation.
“Do you truly want Jace?”
“Well… I'm not sure yet. For now, I just want to get to know him better.”
“Even though he treated the Second Prince so harshly?”
The possibility that he might be a brute.
Or that he might harbor hostility toward the Imperial Family.
The First Prince gazed silently at his sister.
How disappointed would she be if the Hero's true nature didn't meet her expectations?
“Hmm, I'm sure he didn't have any ill intentions.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Because he's the Hero. He must have had a good reason.”
“…”
A chill ran down Ludwig's spine.
It was a truly unbelievable situation.
What was this baseless faith?
Louise was his kindred spirit, a possessor of a rational mind.
But this time, for some reason, she lacked even a shred of logic.
Her eyes sparkled like a girl in love.
It seemed it would take some time to get used to this side of her.
“I actually sent him an invitation.”
“Did he refuse?”
“He said we should meet when he has more time. I suppose that's a refusal.”
He suddenly felt indignant.
He met with the Second Prince but won't accept my invitation.
Of course, the Second Prince had gone unannounced, so the circumstances were different, but he should have at least shown his face out of respect for a prince's dignity.
“There's nothing particularly strange about that.”
“Huh??”
“They only just arrived the day before yesterday. They'll need time to adjust.”
*The Hero's party must be exhausted in many ways.*
*It is the host's duty to consider the guests' circumstances.*
His sister was taking the Hero's party's side with that kind of sentiment.
The First Prince was overcome with a feeling that the natural order of things had been disturbed.
“…”
The girl who had always taken her brother's side.
She wasn't particularly affectionate, but she had always shown him the utmost respect.
She was a good child who would defend him even when he was in the wrong, so why?
Betrayal, jealousy…
Emotions he had rarely felt began to surface one after another.
His mood soured terribly, but the First Prince composed himself with adult maturity.
*Right, this can happen.*
*If she's found a man she likes, it's natural for her to leave my side, isn't it?*
If anything, it was a relief.
A man has appeared who can take responsibility for his sister.
It was a relief, in a way, but his heart still ached.
Ludwig suddenly realized something.
It would be impossible to become genuinely close with Jace.
If the political marriage went through, he would be dissatisfied in its own way.
Because it would feel like he was losing his precious sister to him.
The opposite case was the same.
It was unlikely to happen, but if Jace were to slight Louise, he would consider it a challenge to himself.
“…”
Well, his personal feelings didn't matter.
They were insignificant in the face of the greater cause.
What mattered most was using the Hero's authority…
It was time to bring up his main reason for being here.
Towards Louise, who was waiting with a demure attitude, Ludwig slowly opened his mouth.
“You understand what kind of existence the Hero is, don't you?”
“Yes. Enough to have a massive influence on the line of succession.”
The Hero is an apostle of the goddess.
He didn't know if that was actually true, but that was the public perception.
Just securing the Hero's support would be enough to turn the tables.
A fact that needed to be addressed.
Most past Heroes had not involved themselves in politics.
But he couldn't be complacent about that.
Because Jace was the heir to a great family, one could never be sure.
He was an exceptional individual; perhaps he harbored great ambitions in his heart…
“I need you to take on an important role.”
“By that, you mean…”
“I want to make Jace a part of the Imperial Family. That seems to be the best course of action.”
In short, it meant she was to be joined with the Hero.
Regardless of whether she liked it or not, she should have at least flinched.
Louise's only change was the faint smile that graced her lips.
It was a calm reaction, as if she had expected it.
But the First Prince read the emotions she wasn't showing.
She was merely maintaining her princessly dignity out of habit; the reality was this:
*Oh, I'm so happy!*
*The only one who understands my heart is my brother!*
“…”
It might be slightly different, but he didn't seem to be far off the mark.
He was starting to feel strange. *Is this right?* The question kept popping into his head.
A sense of regret began to creep in.
But how could he take back words already spoken?
He couldn't pour cold water on the girl's happy expression.
“Is this something that must be done?”
“What's wrong? Don't tell me you're unwilling? If that's the case…”
“Hmm, it's not that I dislike the idea… but there are many things that concern me. I wonder if it's really necessary…”
“Huh??”
The flow of the conversation was completely incomprehensible.
He thought she would welcome it with open arms, yet she showed signs of hesitation.
*What is this? Is she being coy?*
*She's acting coy now?*
*No, that was never her personality to begin with, was it?*
Faced with a side of his sister he had never seen before, the First Prince was bewildered.
Seeing her brother's troubled expression, Louise laid out her thoughts one by one.
“First… it's true that I admire the Hero.”
“But?”
“That alone is enough for me.”
“I don't understand what you mean…”
“Because if we get too close, the illusion might shatter.”
“…”
She had feelings for the Hero, but she just wanted to watch him from afar.
This subtle, unknowable feeling only served to heighten the First Prince's confusion.
“It would be one thing if the Hero had feelings for me, but forcing it doesn't paint a very good picture, does it?”
She cautiously voiced her concerns.
From Ludwig's perspective, it was a completely pointless worry.
A girl who possessed both beauty and intellect.
Louise was beloved by everyone in the Imperial Palace.
Her elegant yet intellectual air, her dignity, was second to none.
Who in the world would reject her?
Even the Hero would be no different.
The First Prince let out a small laugh and stated the plain truth.
“That's a needless worry. The beauty who represents the empire shouldn't think like that.”
It wasn't just her face that was beautiful.
Her personality, character, talents—she lacked nothing.
She was so close to perfection that the term 'all-rounder' fit her perfectly.
She herself must know this.
If she set her sights on Jace, he would undoubtedly fall for her.
Unless the sky itself were to fall, there was no way she could fail.
Ludwig's belief bordered on certainty, but Louise's thoughts were different.