10 Three Letters

I Tiffania has been taken against my will to my ex's mansion, even though for my safety, it happened in an instant, and he was so quick in setting the groundwork to take me away, okay I'll beat him up a bit later when none's looking. Well, we were neighbors before so I would often go to his room and hang out when I get bored, there's particularly nothing new to it, but right now I am Tiffania, as a lady and the daughter of a duke, it's rude!

"Plus the maids and my mother going, "Kyahh \u003c3" with hearts on their eyes were annoying"

He's become a little bit cheeky, or I guess, more romantic… in the past he would often give me a scornful stare whenever I try to coerce him to do the romantic stuff I point out on TV. I sighed as we finally arrived at his mansion.

"So… what do you plan from here on?"

"Hmm… nothing?"

"Nothing?! After everything that you did? Just so you know our domain is safeguarded by knights! If you only let me know I could have told father and we would bolster out security and yet you… "

"No, it's better to be together right now, I'm not a strategist myself, but according to the letter, they decided to harm the "people around me" not me directly, I don't know the reason, but that means if you are with me, it's hard for them to touch you because they only want me to give up the rights to claim the throne, until I can do that, I want to keep you by my side always"

"Are you really giving in to that threat? If you do that you'll lose everything you know?"

"Hmmm… not really, remember the old Tiffania got engaged with me even when she already knows my situation? If I step down from the throne and avoid conflict I will still have enormous funding from my father, the King"

He's right, no matter what happens, he will still have enough funds to live comfortably, he will still be a prince, the son of the king, but what will happen after? Maybe I'm a bit too concerned, unlike me he's cunning, I think he has thought about it far ahead than I could, it's useless to worry.

"I see, then like the usual, I'll leave it to you"

The days in his mansion was full of nostalgia, comedy and bliss, because the maids and his attendant Gavin would do everything for him, we would often laze around, talk to each other, play strange board games, and read in his library while eating the cookies that his maids makes for us, for each time he looks lewdly at one of the maids, would cost him five pieces of cookies, in one day I would get around the average of 25 cookies a day, which I think is bad for my health, so every day I would drag him out and jog with him around the mansion, the maids and the newly hired knights looked at us strangely before but soon they got used to it or gave up on the peculiar scene, although I wanted to remain as ladylike as possible, I can't do everything I want in this body yet, I have to prepare for the time comes when I get the freedom to explore more of this kingdom, and to the other kingdoms, and finally all around the world!

Today is a bit different, because Walter would relinquish his claim to the throne and will talk with his brothers about it. In my memories it's a bit odd, for a prince's who are rivals to talk about it, in other words it's an unspoken rule and is an action that will be surely seen as lowly until now the prince's would avoid talking about it while doing their best to top each other to get the favor of their father.

"So Tiffania, the maids have prepared cookies for you, don't you bully my cute maids just because they don't give you enough okay?"

"Ehehe, I'll kill you when you come back later"

I gave him a fake smile, deep inside I want to smack him, calling girls cute here and there, but is awfully shy when he is with me and treats me like a best friend, aside from that one confession, recently he didn't do anything romantic at all, maybe I should not forgive him after all? Hmmph!

These days we have gotten closer to each other.

"Bye Prince Walter, good luck!"

As I saw him off, I saw some of the knights we hired glaring at me for some reason, did I do something? Or was it improper? Technically we are engaged though? Am I too beautiful that they hate seeing us flirting?

…..

I immediately rode the carriage to hide my blushing face, thinking about the married couple-like thing we did, although we are engaged Tiffania herself has yet to give me an answer, but the days we spent to each other felt like just like before when we haven't reincarnated yet. Gavin, who followed shortly to accompany me, and sat in front of me.

"Hehehe, could it be that you are blushing Prince Walter?"

Ohoho, this old man is teasing me now, well he is someone like a grandpa figure to me so I'll let him off, I really hope though this old man stays with me even when I relinquish my claim to the throne, he isn't with me just because I'm a king candidate right?

"Shut it, Gavin, the responses are verified right? They will be coming right?"

"Yes, Prince Walter, in fact, they are very surprised with you taking action this time"

"Really? Why?"

"Well, if I'm not too imposing before you were what you call... Ummm…"

"A wimp right?"

"Y-Y-Yes Prince Walter, but you have changed greatly, and your subjects are very happy about it, you have been taking your duties seriously, you have manned up and taken Lady Tiffania under your home, and have been even training with her in "jogging" right? To raise your abilities?"

"Call me Walter when we are alone, you have done great service to me in all those years, if not for you I would have already been thrown out for being useless, so right now I'm being useful. Have some confidence in yourself, you helped raise me to become the prince that I am right now"

"Yes, Yes Walter"

For some reason the old man started crying, as he wiped his tears, with his sleeves. It must have been hard taking care of the wimpy Walter huh? But thanks to you he's been able to live a good life, at least according to my memories, the old Walter died without much pain.

I don't know why I said those words to him, deep inside I'm thinking of him as the old Walter's close aide, but since the day I was reincarnated into Walter's body and showed him my changes, he didn't change his attitude to me, he cares for me like a grandpa. Although I can't change my attitude to him because of my standing, it was the best way I could pass him the old Walter's and my sentiments combined.

Today a big change will happen, once I relinquish the right to the throne I might end up losing some important things, such as the cute maids, the knights and Gavin's loyalty, he might have been looking forward to making me the next king, but it's better than letting them get hurt.

Gavin may identify as a person important to me, as Walter's loyal aide, in other words he is also a target, aside from Tiffania.

We arrived at the mansion of the second prince, which is the best location to meet in the middle, the first prince's domain is farther than here. As I arrived I saw the number of knights gathered behind each of them who looked like they were sizing up each other, the insignia in their chests differed, the knights of the second prince had an iron cross with a red accent, the knights of the first prince had an iron cross with a blue accent but a sword behind it, diagonally.

The knights seemed to be wary of each other as if squaring off, I don't remember this being such an event.

"Hey brothers!"

I waved as I went out of the carriage to ease the tension a bit, in my black outfit composed of a long coat and breeches, the two only eyed me, the first prince Heinrich Wiedenfeld with a serious expression wearing a full plate knights armor, his face looks scary and has some scars on it, where is this man even battling? Aren't we in a federation?

The second prince Heinrich Wiedenfeld gives me a playful smile, wearing his house clothes, a simple long-sleeve white shirt with a string at its center, and breeches, he looks like a refreshing pianist who's about to perform.

Unlike them, I only have Gavin with me, so in other words, I'm the easiest prey they could get their hands on, this is also a message that I don't intend to fight, if one of them is the culprit of the death threat then this would be a good message.

"Brother Zack, thanks for letting me use your mansion for this meeting"

"It's okay if it's for my cute little brother, still it's strange, that you are holding a meeting this time, what brought on such change?"

Woah, as expected he's perceptive, and stop that unnecessary winking it's bothering me.

"Brother Heinrich, thanks for coming even when you are busy in the military ministry"

"It's fine, I have some business with you two after all"

As usual, he's tough, tight-lipped and warrior-like, he's the most likely successor of the throne, he commands the military of the kingdom, and is crazy on getting the favor of our father, as much as I'd like to support him, he's the warmonger type, a non-combatant like me wouldn't like to be involved with - though he is my brother, based on my memories he plans to rule with a strong arm, just as he is doing in in the military, I don't want to turn the kingdom into such a country.

On the other hand, the second prince is highly intelligent, I support him more, but he's got some personal problems like his playfulness, that doesn't pick any gender or race, it's becoming bad for my heart I see him as gay sometimes, it makes me remember the horrible BL movies Yuri forced me to watch.

I sat on the chair on the round table, with two of them adjacent to me, to begin the talks.

"Okay, I want to tell you about something today-"

But before I could continue the first prince banged the table with a letter with a ferocious glare to us. The second prince got startled, but I didn't.

"-it's about this right?"

He told us with a grim voice, the letter looked familiar, it has the same seal with the one I got with the death threat. Could it be that he also received the death threat? Which means… that the second brother is the culprit?

I looked at my second brother who helplessly smiled and took something from his pocket, I readied myself in case it was a dagger or something but what he took from his pocket was also the same letter.

"You too?!"

Shouted the first prince in disbelief, maybe he thought that it was the doing of the second prince, but it turns out that it isn't, the only one who didn't present the letter is me.

Both looked at me curiously, I wanted to talk about giving up my claim to the throne without showing them the letter, but it turns out we all had the same letters if I don't show mine I might get suspected.

"Gavin… the letter"

Gavin took a letter out from his front pocket and slowly laid it on the table, good thing I brought it with me or I would be the prime suspect.

All of us got the same letter? What is the purpose? Or could someone here predicted the situation and brought a copy of his own letter that he sent to us? It doesn't make sense! That warrior-minded first prince wouldn't have thought of it if anyone can think of the situation it would be the second prince who is known for his intelligence, but according to my memories he isn't such a cunning person, he is intelligent but he uses it to leverage the condition of his own subjects including the poor.

It's odd, and it's a bit creepy, I came here to give up the throne, but suddenly seeing us hold the same letter gave rise to a few questions.

What is the purpose of the writer? Is the culprit amongst us? If not, what is the purpose of sending us the same death threats?