Chapter 86: [Chapter 086] The Prince of Elakon
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A man slightly taller than the 9th Prince stood beside him with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
'Is he an attendant from Elakon?'
His skin was darker than that of the Rontans. His eyes were ashen, and his body was sturdy. His short pink hair, contrasting sharply with his physique, gave him a military-like aura.
Like Epero, he was adorned with many ornaments on his hands and wrists. He looked like someone from a land where jewels rolled around like pebbles. I blinked slowly, momentarily stunned by his flamboyant appearance. Just as I was about to blink again, the pink-haired man strode up to me. The crown prince opened his mouth to introduce him.
"That is, Elakon..."
"Woman. You. Famous. Elakon."
Wow. His clumsy Imperial language was bluntly thrown in front of me.
"...Yes?"
"Woman. You. Like. Elakon. People."
"Oh..."
I was so flustered that I could only open and close my mouth. The pink-haired, bear-like man boldly grabbed my shoulders and planted kisses on both my cheeks.
"Want to be. Good friends."
While I was staring dumbfounded at him, I could feel the crown prince watching us with wide eyes. I could sense a hot gaze from behind me, where Roardnes stood.
"Victor. That's not how you greet someone in Ronta unless you're close."
"Didn't know."
Did he know or not? I took a step back in confusion, and immediately felt a warm, solid body behind me. When I turned my head, Roardnes was pressed against my back, glaring at the man called Victor.
"Who is this rude person?"
"Brother, don't you see Epero?"
Roardnes asked the crown prince, but it was Epero who interjected.
"You're too obvious. Who's the guy you brought with you? Is he your pet?"
When the pink-haired man tilted his head, seemingly not understanding the word 'pet', Epero burst out laughing.
"Excuse me, madam. This is Victor Vanshake from Elakon."
Vanshake! I suddenly came to my senses and looked at the pink-haired man again.
"He is the Prince of Elakon, and also my close friend whom I've been studying with."
In other words, the 9th Prince Epero had returned with the Prince of Elakon.
"Roardnes, you should introduce the person you came with as well."
Epero's words, though delivered in a smooth, almost slimy tone, carried a strange undercurrent of respect.
"Those who know the Empire well say that you're this to my brother..."
He grinned, revealing slightly pointed canines, and held up his little finger. The large gemstone rings on each knuckle sparkled. It was a frivolous gesture that belied his status as a prince. Roardnes' facial muscles contorted in disgust.
"Epero, you little..."
"I apologize, but Your Highness the Second Prince and I are friends."
I spoke firmly to Epero, who was being incredibly rude. Surprised, Epero raised an eyebrow, slightly scratched, and sneered. It was as if he was saying that a noblewoman and a prince couldn't possibly be 'friends'. But did I need to explain myself to him? Feeling no need to, I remained silent. Just as I was about to, Victor, who had been eager to join the conversation, suddenly approached me again. He bent his large frame, bringing his face close to mine, and examined my face as if appraising a jewel.
"Don't understand. Woman. Beautiful. How friend?"
"- Roardnes. Second Prince. Me. Us. Friends."
I looked directly into Victor's ashen eyes and responded in Elaconian, using the same manner of speech. My Elaconian conversation skills were still poor, so I was at a surprisingly similar level to this pink-haired, bear-like prince. Victor's thin eyelids blinked slowly a few times. Then, he burst out laughing so loudly that it seemed to shake the entire audience chamber. The 9th Prince, standing behind him, widened his eyes as if surprised.
"I like you. Me too. Friend."
"I don't like it."
The reply came not from my mouth but from above my head. Roardnes had suddenly pulled me behind him, his arm wrapped tightly around me. The force was so strong I couldn't even stagger. A large, bear-like body stood like a wall in front of me.
"In Ronta, friendship isn't something you give to just anyone, Prince."
Roardnes stood with his hands behind his back, holding me tightly. I tried to turn around to face him, but he held me so tightly that I couldn't.
"...Your Highness!"
I called out to him in a low voice, but Roardnes didn't budge.
"Oh, it's been a long time since I've seen you look like that, brother. Isn't that right, Bardenaldo? If I had known there would be such an interesting spectacle, I would have come earlier and enjoyed it leisurely."
"You didn't even send a message, and now you're causing trouble?"
Roardnes replied coldly to the crown prince.
"Father's birthday is just around the corner, and both Bardenaldo and my uncle were so insistent that I couldn't resist coming."
"...Uncle?"
Roardnes turned to the crown prince, clearly confused. The crown prince looked completely drained. He seemed unable to reply, as he couldn't scold Epero for coming or blame the Grand Duke who was exiled in the north. I smiled slightly, using Roardnes' broad back as a shield. I had expected the crown prince to react this way. By abandoning Noevian, he had gained the support of both the western and eastern regions, but with Epero, the hope of the noble faction, arriving, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. The 9th Prince was the legitimate son of the current Empress Grace and had pro-Elaconian tendencies. Traditionally, the Empire had looked down on Elakon, but they couldn't simply ignore Elakon, which had a vast amount of resources and was strengthening its military. A few years ago, the Empire had suffered a defeat in a military conflict with Elakon, making the situation even more serious. The 9th Prince Epero had been a victim of that war. Elakon had offered the Empire a large gem mine in a disputed region, and in return, the Empire had sent the young 9th Prince Epero, the son of the current Empress, to study in Elakon as a gesture of goodwill. This somewhat humiliating exchange had changed when the 9th Prince Epero adapted well to Elakon and won the hearts of the people there. Friendship between Ronta and Elakon had strengthened, and the young Prince Epero had emerged as a bridge between the two countries. Naturally, the crown prince's faction was wary that the 9th Prince might try to claim the throne. With the Grand Duke out of the picture, the crown prince's faction would inevitably become unsettled if the 9th Prince made a move. It was a time when it was difficult to distinguish between friends and enemies. If I placed someone completely loyal to me beside Epero, people would surely suspect something. And if I placed someone completely loyal to the noble faction beside Epero, the crown prince himself would be uneasy. Peeking out from behind Roardnes, I pinched his arm hard, and he flinched, allowing me to free myself.
"Your Highness, may I ask why you've summoned me here today?"
"I would like to ask you to accompany Epero."
A woman, not a man. A married woman, not a single one. Someone who had become famous for successfully hosting a welcome ceremony for the Elakon envoys. A lady-in-waiting to the crown princess and, at the same time, the almost-wife of the grand duke whom the crown prince had banished. There was no one more suitable for this ambiguous position. Epero ruffled his already messy hair and grinned.
"I specifically asked for you. This pink-haired bear of a man I have to accompany really wants to meet you, and my brother is curious about his lover."
And there were few nobles who would openly support Epero, so he had also calculated that I, who had already developed a rapport with the Elakon envoys, would be willing to help.
"Epero, did you learn to bark instead of Elaconian in Elakon?"
Roardnes' cold voice interrupted Epero, who responded with a casual wink. But that playful expression only further angered Roardnes.
"There are plenty of people in the palace who can accompany you, you brat. Why bother someone like..."
I shook my head slightly towards Roardnes, who seemed ready to draw his sword. Then, I turned my gaze to the crown prince, who looked pale and tense, and straightened my back.
"Are you asking me as your advisor?"
I conveyed my meaning clearly with my eyes. It was the same look I had given him when I assured him that I would help him.
"...I would be grateful."
The crown prince sighed, his reluctance evident. I mustered all the warmth I could and smiled. Epero, who had been summoned to be my assistant, was watching me with curious eyes.
"Please. Well."
It was unexpected to have the Elakon prince tagging along.
****
Before leaving the crown prince's palace, the crown prince personally saw us off and asked me to take good care of not only Epero but also the Prince of Elakon. Since I had planned to do so anyway, the crown prince's request wasn't a problem. The problem was Roardnes. All the way back to the grand duke's residence, he had a stern expression that made it difficult to talk to him.
"...Is friendship something you give to just anyone?"
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It was the first thing he said after staring out the window for a long time with a hardened expression.
"If he's the prince of Elakon, it would be beneficial to have him as a friend. He's someone I need right now."
I had taken a risk to become the crown prince's advisor, but Prince Victor, whom Epero had brought, was a good variable for me.
"Maybe... I can learn more about Bliere."
I hesitated before finally speaking, but it didn't get through to Roardnes. The frown that had been on his forehead since earlier seemed about to deepen.
"I heard Bliere was a sorcerer from Elakon. No matter how much we investigate here, there's a limit to what we can learn about Bliere. If I become close with Victor Vanshake, I might be able to investigate Elakon a little more. Besides, the crown prince seems to need my help right now, so I'm going to carry out the task he has entrusted me with."
The crown prince had entrusted me with organizing the welcome ceremony for them, which was to be held two days later. Normally, this kind of task would be the responsibility of the empress and the crown princess who oversaw the inner palace, but since it was so sudden and they couldn't prepare on a large scale, and they were already busy preparing for the emperor's upcoming birthday, the task fell to me.
'Doris is going to be furious.'
If she could avoid working, she'd be happy for now, but I wondered how she would react when she found out that I was organizing the welcome ceremony.
'As the crown prince's advisor, not as her lady-in-waiting.'
My mind raced as I was lost in thought, and I didn't realize how long the carriage had been stopped.
"You seem busy even though you're not doing anything."
"Oh, when did we arrive? Goodness, I have a mountain of work to do. I might have to stay up all night."
Roardnes seemed in no hurry to get out of the carriage, even though he knew I had come to my senses.
"Um... Your Highness should probably return to the palace as well. I'd like to offer you a cup of tea, but with the welcome ceremony only two days away..."
My excuse, made out of a sense of urgency, didn't seem to affect Roardnes at all. He just stared at me with his chin raised. It was quiet, and it made me even more uneasy.
"...Is there something you want to say?"
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
It was cold outside, but his gaze was incredibly intense and hot. I nervously tightened the fur coat I was wearing. Roardnes' intense gaze followed directly to where I had tightened the coat.
"Wh-what do you want me to say...?"
"About secretly kissing me... and running away."
Ah. His gaze, as calm and hot as boiling water beneath the surface, seemed to lick at my lips.
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