“The subjugation failed?”
Eleanor sighed upon hearing the news.
The information delivered by the fourth prince, Rerhulta Jerman, was shocking.
“Yeah, I heard they failed to subjugate the demonic monster. It was bigger and faster than they expected, so they couldn’t inflict much damage. As a result, my brothers were severely scolded by Father.”
Could it really be described as just a scolding?
Compared to the lives of the soldiers led by the three, it was an excessively light word to use.
Since Eleanor and the fourth prince, Rerhulta, were only a year apart in age, they decided to speak casually to each other as friends.
“I heard the vassals barely managed to stop Father from taking matters into his own hands.”
Rerhulta grumbled to himself while chewing on the fruit he had brought for Eleanor.
He shook his head sharply, criticizing his stubborn brothers.
“I wonder why my brothers, who always trained and fought together, are suddenly cooperating. Father must be very disappointed.”
That damn ‘father’ word.
Rerhulta, the fourth prince’s faith in his father, was to an excessive degree.
Even now, with every sentence, he would add a remark about his father.
He had an excessive amount of loyalty and dependence on his father, King Ramahul.
That was how Eleanor saw Rerhulta.
“Ha, I hope Father doesn’t take to be the sa as my brothers. Of course, you too.”
Though seeing him wink was quite annoying, Eleanor thought for a mont after hearing that.
“How about making a confirmation first? This might be a chance to show the king your abilities, Prince.”
She smiled lightly.
* * *A few hours later.
The one who appeared first was the first prince, Rahul.
He didn’t make any attempts to hide his dark expression and was clenching his teeth in anger.
“Rerhulta!”
Rahul assud that Rerhulta, who was nowhere to be seen, might be with Eleanor.
And indeed, Rerhulta was spending ti in Eleanor’s room.
“Brother?”
Rerhulta looked at his eldest brother with a puzzled expression, but Rahul imdiately swung his fist at him.
Thud!
“Ugh!”
Rerhulta’s head snapped to the side as his body flew and hit the floor. Startled, he cried out while looking bewildered.
“W-what are you doing! Princess Eleanor is right here!”
“Shut up! How dare you insult in front of Father?! Are you that desperate to look good in front of him, even at the cost of betraying your own brother?!”
“N-no, Brother! What are you talking about?! I just brought up a way to subjugate the demonic monster!”
“Then why did you have to specifically point out the reason for our subjugation’s failure?! You knew I was in charge of the army!”
“Th-that’s…”
“Do you know how Father looked at because of you? You… You damn bastard!”
Rahul, who looked like he wanted to hit his brother a few more tis, stopped when he t Eleanor’s eyes. He clicked his tongue and stord out of the room.
This wasn’t the way to behave in front of a princess from another country, but it showed just how emotional and impulsive he could be.
“Damn it.”
After Rerhulta wiped the blood trickling from his mouth, he stood up and apologized to Eleanor.
“I’m sorry you had to witness such an embarrassing scene.”
Rerhulta forced a bitter smile and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
However, Eleanor shook her head.
“I didn’t realize Prince Rahul would be so upset. It’s my fault.”
This was because it was Eleanor who had advised Rerhulta on the strategy for subjugating the great demonic monster.
Since the Griffin Kingdom had expanded through invasions, they often dealt with not only indigenous people but also demonic monsters, which in turn helped them develop several strategies for handling them.
anwhile, the Jerman Kingdom was different; having lived in a place as harsh as the Sahar Desert, where even demonic monsters struggled to survive, the experiences they accumulated were not the sa.
At Eleanor’s apology, Rerhulta too shook his head vigorously, insisting it wasn’t her fault.
“No, thanks to you, I’ve gained Father’s approval. He’ll likely call on for the next subjugation due to your help.”
Having shared one of the Griffin Kingdom’s demonic monster subjugation strategies, Rerhulta genuinely felt grateful to her.
However, Eleanor’s expression darkened at his words.
“But isn’t it dangerous?”
“Huh?”
“The thod I told you requires a certain level of proficiency, along with magic.”
“…”
“If you are to accompany them as the proposer of the plan, then you’ll have to take the lead in executing it. But you have no experience on the battlefield yet…”
Upon hearing this, Rerhulta’s expression gradually darkened.
* * *“Haha, this… This is so embarrassing.”
The second prince, Rehul, was scratching the back of his head while eating grapes placed in the room.
Although Rehul had also participated in the failed subjugation along with the first prince, Rahul, and the third prince, Serhul, he didn’t seem particularly upset.
“I tried to send you back to Griffin, but I failed. I’m sorry.”
The second prince, Rehul, smiled warmly.
However, although he seed relaxed and carefree like a cloud, Eleanor could still see the greed hidden within him.
“Father was quite angry. And because the fourth prince, Rerhulta, pointed out flaws in Rahul’s plan, our eldest brother’s position has beco quite shaky.”
Listening to this, Eleanor grinned.
“It’s still nice to see brothers get along well.”
“…Hmm?”
With a subtle expression, Rehul asked Eleanor what she ant. She then responded, recalling the scene she had witnessed
“Although the first prince, Rahul, was certainly angry, he did reconcile with the fourth prince, Rerhulta.”
“…They reconciled?”
“Yes, Rerhulta decided not to participate in the next subjugation. And Rahul needed to regain the king’s trust.”
“…”
“As this kingdom’s future heir, it’s only natural for this arrangent to happen.”
Rehul looked at Eleanor with an expression suggesting that he hadn’t known any of this.
His previously relaxed expression had suddenly turned serious.
“Ahaha, I see. I didn’t know any of this.”
“Seeing how abruptly it happened in my own room, I was quite surprised as well.”
“…”
“I was a bit worried.”
Eleanor muttered with a concerned look.
“Prince Rahul, the eldest, seems to be a bit overly emotional. As a princess from a neighboring country, I found it slightly concerning.”
“…Yes, that’s quite understandable.”
After all, the heir to a neighboring country was emotional and known to have a fondness for won.
From Eleanor’s perspective, the combination didn’t seem very favorable, and Rahul could sense that she was trying to soften her words.
“In contrast, you, Prince Rehul, are very gentle. You seem very relaxed and at peace about everything.”
“Thank you.”
Rehul looked at Eleanor as he spoke, as if he were contemplating sothing.
* * *The third prince, Serhul, had a cold deanor. But it couldn’t be compared with Deus Verdi’s.
It was simply because he wasn’t much of a talker and preferred silence.
Even when he ca to visit Eleanor’s room alone, he sat quietly, just watching her.
Ssk. Ssk.
Eleanor was currently drawing.
With the help of the third prince, Serhul, she managed to obtain a canvas and various tools.
“Who are you drawing?”
Serhul secretly hoped she was trying to draw him.
However, the figure on the canvas was a handso man with a stoic expression and black hair.
“Deus Verdi.”
“The Soul Whisperer of the Griffin Kingdom? He’s beco quite famous recently.”
Eleanor had drawn Deus so many tis that she felt like she could do it with her eyes closed.
As the drawing neared completion, Eleanor felt increasingly calm.
Even though she was the one who made the drawing, seeing Deus made her happy.
“Hehe.”
For the first ti since arriving here, she let out a girlish giggle. Serhul, curious after seeing Eleanor’s shoulders shake and hearing her hum a tune, asked a question.
“Do you like that man?”
“Yes.”
“…”
Serhul was quite shocked as hadn’t expected such a straightforward answer.
However, he didn’t show it on his face.
“But things are difficult as he’s already engaged.”
“…I see.”
“Well, it’s a one-sided crush. There’s nothing much I can do.”
Watching her wear a sad expression pained Serhul more than he expected.
He found it both infuriating and enviable that the Soul Whisperer, despite already having a fiancée, had also won the heart of such an attractive princess.
Then, Eleanor, as if realizing sothing, alternated her gaze between Serhul and the drawing of Deus. She chuckled.
“Now that I think about it, Prince Serhul is quite similar to Deus, aren’t you?”
“Similar…?”
Him and that man?
Serhul had dull grey hair and copper-colored skin. He was relatively short, and although his body appeared thin, he had well-defined muscles.
After all, Serhul was still a warrior.
However, Eleanor smiled as she spoke.
“You’re both quiet.”
Watching Eleanor laugh so heartily, Serhul couldn’t help but entertain a glimr of hope.
* * *“Do you know what’s really bad about that girl?”
As we passed through the Marias Great Forest on our way to the Jerman Kingdom, Aria, who had co over to ride in our carriage, spoke as she chewed on a dried squid in her mouth.
“Did you really just refer to the Princess as ‘that girl’?”
Deia, who was sitting besides , scolded her in disbelief, but Aria paid no mind.
“The fact that she uses everything at her disposal without a second thought is what’s really threatening about her.”
It was indeed a skill that could be considered an advantage, but Eleanor saw it differently.
“When it cos to achieving her goals, she really doesn’t hesitate to dive in headfirst. Do you know how much I struggled to save those kids she brainwashed back then…”
Aria clicked her tongue and shook her head while continuing to chew on the squid.
Deia wondered what on earth she just started blabbering, and of course, she couldn’t make sense of it.
Because it was a story from the First Round.
“But it’s a relief that she’s completely changed, thanks to Professor. What was the na of her illness again?”
I stayed silent for a mont at Aria’s words and then shook my head.
“It wasn’t an illness.”
“Pardon? But the Eleanor right now is very different from the one I knew.”
One was a fallen princess.
And as the leader of the rebellion, she used propaganda to turn the academy students into rebels, inciting discontent against the kingdom.
The other was the innocent Eleanor.
Now, she would spend her ti drawing. If one were to call it a deviation, it would be the occasional sketch of sothing risqué, accompanied by her soft giggles.
Yes, you could say that she was a completely different person.
“No, Eleanor has not changed much since then.”
In the original story, the innocent Eleanor was trapped in a dream, while the Eleanor who acted in reality was burdened with royal responsibilities.
Now, the two personalities had rged into one.
So…
“She can be both.”
“…”
At my words, Aria swallowed a piece of the squid’s tentacle and, with a subtle expression, turned to and asked.
“She won’t cause any trouble, right…?”
To that question…
“…”
It was quite difficult to give a clear answer.
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