Chapter 63

Chapter 63 – Coronation (1)

Winley’s mind went completely blank. She had come all the way here on impulse. What now?

‘What should I say?’

A boy, just as pretty as she was, stared at her. His gaze was piercing. She had to say something, anything.

‘You’re my dream?’

No, that wouldn’t work. If she suddenly started talking about dreams after suddenly approaching him, he would think she was crazy.

‘Well fought, that was amazing! As a princess who will one day lead this country, I’m so proud of you!’

......That wouldn’t work either. He’s a prince from another country, isn’t he?

‘Do you want to be my sparring partner?’

Sparring partner? Who was she kidding? Given their difference in skill, she’d probably just get beaten up every day.

Tremble.

Just the thought of it made her shudder.

‘But seriously, did he really have to hit me that hard?’

After all, I’m a princess of this country!

“......This is driving me nuts.”

Finally, Winley ran her hands through her hair in frustration. Why had she even come all this way?

“What are you doing?”

“......!”

Winley’s face flushed bright red. She had forgotten. She was still standing in front of him.

‘Yeah. Come to your senses, Winley Kun Hart. Just say what you want to say.’

All she needed to do was convey her true feelings.

‘I want to be like you.’

Yes. Watching him from a distance wasn’t enough. She had come to see him in person because she hadn’t wanted to regret this later.

“......Hey, um, you......”

Just as she was fidgeting with her fingers, struggling to get the words out—

“Hey.”

“......?”

Some fool interrupted her out of nowhere.

‘What’s this guy’s deal?’

Winley’s brows furrowed in irritation.

‘Why is he butting into someone else’s business?’

He looked like half-melted butter.

‘Why, I ought to beat him to a pulp and spread him over some toast.’

Like an animal that had detected an intruder in its territory, Winley put her hands on her hips and glared at him. Her eyes darted around restlessly, trying to convey a message.

‘Get lost.’

But then—

“Wait, wait. Why are you just standing there? Go on with what you were doing. Oh! Yes! That’s the face I was looking for!”

“......!”

At some point, a hand rested on Winley’s waist.

“How about this?”

Of course, it wasn’t her hand. She wasn’t a creature with three arms.

“......Huh?”

Winley let out a belated gasp of embarrassment. This had never happened before. She had never allowed a strange man to touch her.

‘What’s his deal......’

She started to feel weird, for no reason, when—

‘......Huh?’

She saw the boy out of the corner of her eye. His smug face seemed to silently scream, ‘Go ahead, hit me.’

‘......This bastard’s a real lunatic.’

But the boy’s provocation was effective.

“You piece of shit......”

Woosh.

Suddenly, the butter-faced bastard grabbed the boy by the collar.

“Hey. Let go while I’m asking nicely.”

“You filthy commoner...... Do you have a death wish?”

“Consider yourself warned. You’re the one not letting go. Grabbing someone by the collar is a form of assault, you know.”

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

“Cough! Cough! Oh, I’m dying, I’m dying!”

“......Crazy bastard. I’ll just crush you right here.”

Winley let out a startled ‘Huh!?’ in shock. Before she could stop him, the butter-faced bastard had raised his arm high.

It looked like he was about to slam the boy into the ground.

‘I-Is he trying to get that boy killed!?’

Fortunately, Winley’s worries were unfounded.

Whoosh!

“......!”

Winley’s eyes widened in surprise. Even with his collar grabbed, the boy moved with remarkable skill. He used his legs to wrap around the arm holding his collar.

Slide.

Using the momentum, he quickly freed himself from his opponent’s grip.

Squeeze!

Then, he climbed onto the butter-faced bastard’s back as if on a piggy-back ride, then wrapped his legs around his neck.

“Y-You little......!”

Bam!

He then landed a clean punch to the temple.

Thud!

“......”

The large, butter-faced bastard collapsed, going completely still.

‘Wh-What just happened?’

Everything had happened so quickly that Winley’s pupils were still shaking.

“This was for my student.”

The crazy boy said something cryptic. The other children, who had also been standing there, stunned, snapped back to reality.

“A-As you command.”

Though visibly surprised, the knight did not protest. On the other hand, Bobson Treman’s face twisted in frustration.

Creeeak.

“This is what justice looks like.”

Ancelot whistled as he walked out of the cell. Not long after.

“......He’s even more amusing than I’d heard.”

Left alone, Duke Kairos chuckled quietly. Of course, his decision wasn’t made because he liked the boy.

Rustle.

From within his coat, he pulled out a piece of parchment.

[Alias: Ancelot

Real Name: Andrew von Meeke (7th Prince of the Duchy of Meeke)

Notes: Currently staying with Count Arsene. Recent activities suggest personal connections with Duke Herman and Marquis Foltaine.

Further investigation is ongoing; additional reports will follow upon new findings.]

“He really is an interesting one.”

Duke Kairos read over the document again and chuckled softly.

***

At the Royal Knights’ quarters in the Royal Palace.

“Well, that’s the strangest baldy I’ve ever seen.”

Even after being swiftly moved to a new place, I was still surprised by Duke Kairos’s actions. However, that mystery was naturally resolved later that evening.

“Here we are.”

“Thank you.”

I heard a brief conversation outside, followed by a knock on the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.”

I quickly got up from the bed.

“......Huh?”

A surprised exclamation slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. The one entering was the last person I’d expected.

“Did you bail me out, Marquis?”

Because the visitor was none other than Marquis Foltaine.

“May we speak alone for a moment?”

“......Understood.”

Once the attendant had left, Marquis Foltaine looked at me.

“What on earth did you do? Why did Duke Kairos just let you go?”

“That’s what I’d like to know. But from your reaction, I take it you weren’t the one who got me released?”

“Why would I go through the trouble for someone like you?”

Then was it Count Arsene’s doing, after all? He’s certainly capable enough.

If Duke Kairos was the number one in law enforcement in this country, then Count Arsene was the clear number two.

“If you were released, why didn’t you return home immediately? Why stay in a place like this?”

“They told me to stay here for now, until all suspicions are cleared.”

“......And how long is that supposed to be?”

“I wasn’t told that.”

“......”

Marquis Foltaine seemed to be pondering something for a moment.

“......Tsk. Now I understand what that sly old fox is up to.”

He clicked his tongue lightly.

“Don’t keep it to yourself; help me understand what’s going on too.”

“It’s better for your safety if you don’t know.”

“That’s how people are. When you tell them not to go somewhere, that’s exactly where they want to go, and when you say not to look, they can’t help but take a peek.”

Marquis Foltaine’s eyes narrowed.

“I guess I’ll have to tell you the truth, just to see if that irritating calm of yours is real.”

“Your generosity knows no bounds.”

“......You may already know this, but the Empire’s delegation is currently in the palace.”

Of course, I knew. I’d gone through all this trouble just to see those guys.

“It’s not just the Empire’s delegation. After them, other delegations from various nations will arrive. The new king’s coronation is in a week, after all.”

Marquis Foltaine’s voice took on a meaningful tone.

“......And naturally, the delegation from the Duchy of Meeke will be among them.”

“......!”

“Now do you understand? That old fox plans to hand you over to the Duchy of Meeke alive.”

So that’s what he was thinking?

“Of course, the Duchy of Meeke will be grateful to Duke Kairos, and on the other hand, Count Arsene will find himself in a difficult position. It will appear as if he’d been protecting you all this time, despite knowing your true identity.”

Marquis Foltaine let out a chuckle as he sat on the windowsill, bathed in moonlight.

“Starting to feel nervous?”

“Not over something like this.”

“Enough with the bravado. I’ll make a formal proposal, become my son.”

“This again?”

“It’s the only way you’ll survive. If you accept my offer, I, Draksir de Foltaine, will protect you with everything I have.”

“......”

I looked at Marquis Foltaine for a moment before shrugging my shoulders.

“How about this instead? Let me make a counteroffer. If I manage to escape from that formidable baldy...... I mean, the Duke’s clutches on my own, what will you give me?”

“What?”

“If I raise my value, it’s only fair that the investment should increase too.”

“......”

Marquis Foltaine stared at me in disbelief, his mouth slightly open.

“Though I suppose it’s all the same since I’ll eventually take over the Foltaine estate anyway. However, I realize that five years might feel a bit too long for you, Marquis.”

We had made a promise some time ago.

In five years, the representatives of Count Arsene’s estate and Marquis Foltaine’s estate would face off, with the loser serving under the winner.

“A day in the life of an old man and a day in the life of a child differ greatly in importance, don’t you think?”

“......You cheeky brat......”

Finally, Marquis Foltaine bared his teeth with a smile.

***