40 – Princess Maker (2)
“My dear little sister. I am writing this letter to talk about the party today. I’m sure you’re living a busy life, just like I am, taking care of the people. I can see that you’re having a hard time with the party. It’s the return ceremony of the hero who has finished subduing the Four Heavenly Kings and returning to the empire.
It’s difficult to miss amidst the busyness.
But don’t worry. Our father, Emperor, has decided to participate personally. There’s no need for us to go and show off. I won’t go separately either, so Daila, please rest your mind as well.
-Love, your brother, Ian Philodor-“
“…Hah, nonsense.”
Daila tore the letter apart after reading it all.
It was a letter sent by Crown Prince Ian Philodor. It might seem like a very affectionate letter, but she saw through the black intentions behind it.
“He already planted his eyes and ears in the party venue, but wants me to get involved?”
It was practically a restraint. By using the excuse of not participating himself, he was preventing Daila from participating. If she were to participate, she would be subjected to some kind of ominous restraint.
In the meantime, he would gather all sorts of information using the nobles. While isolating herself from politics.
“No way. I will never let things go the way you want.”
Of course, she had no intention of listening to those words.
She had to somehow make friends with the hero. That was the only path she could take as someone isolated from politics. She had to find a useful card.
And so, she forcibly participated in the party. She endured the noble’s scorn and carefully avoided any unforeseen restraint that could come her way.
Honestly, it was frightening and nerve-wracking, but she could overcome it for the sake of her future.
As time passed and the party began, when she finally met the long-awaited hero… she couldn’t help but be disappointed.
Because the hero’s first impression was simply the worst.
“Bring me some alcohol!”
He shouted with a rough voice, searching for alcohol.
The man she met at the party venue was a complete rascal.
He had no manners or shame, and he was a foolish idiot.
She couldn’t help but wonder how someone like that became a hero… She was amazed.
Feeling that it would be difficult to establish a normal friendship, she sensed it internally.
“I guess I have to give up on making a connection…”
Sigh.
A sigh escaped from her lips.
Empire of Pildo Or.
In the imperial family led by Emperor Morris Pildo Or, there were a total of five sons and daughters.
The first Crown Prince Ian, second Crown Prince Aidan,
First Princess Ayla, second Princess Elvira, third Princess Daela.
They are all shining stars of the empire.
Furthermore, Morris himself was not a particularly domineering figure.
What this means is that anyone can challenge for the throne as long as they have enough ability.
By now, we could predict one thing.
That there would be a storm brewing in the royal family.
Being able to place everyone in the empire under one’s control, who wouldn’t dare to challenge?
However, unfortunately, we didn’t have the opportunity to witness the blood-soaked battle.
“Well, it’s already almost settled.”
Death of the first Princess, downfall of the second Crown Prince.
Second Princess Elvira sided with the first Crown Prince, and most of the nobles support him.
In reality, the first Crown Prince’s election is practically confirmed.
And Daela, she was a latecomer who joined the competition in such a situation. Naturally, her circumstances were not good.
Furthermore, the first Crown Prince’s temperament was excessively violent, so the restraints were becoming increasingly severe.
Just by looking at the state of the first Princess and the second Crown Prince, it’s clear. Her life is practically like a flickering flame, disappearing anytime and anywhere.
But that’s why.
“We need to create an opportunity.”
There couldn’t be a better condition than this.
It’s not a time to be picky. We have to grab onto any opportunity, even if it seems like a rotten rope.
“The problem is how to seize the chance…”
It’s clearly going to be difficult from here. With so many people around, how can I approach first?
Whether it’s her being restrained from all sides or me being drawn into the wide-scale aggro, it’s equally challenging.
But it’s okay. Opportunities will come someday.
“For now, let’s just observe.”
While thinking so, I cautiously used one skill without being noticed.
[Activate ‘Focused Strike’!]
Hwaak!
For a moment, the purple color spread from my hand, and a small bug emerged on my palm.
The creature we had particularly captured in the Emperor’s Castle.
It was a compound eye bug. Its creepy eyes would certainly make excellent surveillance tools.
“Stick to that direction.”
I secretly attached one compound eye bug to her.
That’s it. Now I can know her whereabouts no matter where she goes.
Now all I had to do was watch her leisurely.
*
Although she gave up facing the hero, it didn’t mean she stayed still. Unlike the hero, his party members all looked like regular people.
With the feeling of a missed opportunity, she approached his party members. Of course, it wasn’t easy to approach them…
They received a fair amount of attention as well, although not as much as the hero. Being surrounded by numerous nobles, they seemed to be the center of the social circle.
Well, today, it wouldn’t be completely wrong to say they were at the center. After all, they had captured the Four Kings.
She looked at her party members with a hint of envy mixed into her face, then approached them and introduced herself.
“Hello. I am Daela von Philodor.”
The reactions from her party members varied.
“Nice to meet you, Your Highness.”
“It’s an honor to meet you.”
Camilla, as a knight from a prestigious family, expressed her respect with dignified gestures, while Yuris welcomed her with a compassionate smile befitting a saint.
Lily bowed her head 90 degrees as if she was flustered, and Adele lightly lowered her head with an expressionless face.
The reactions were all different, but within them, there was a certain amount of respect and courtesy. She felt a little better from receiving respect after a long time.
While in that state, she tried to continue the conversation.
Grumble.
If someone hadn’t grabbed her shoulder, that is.
“hahahaha, Your Highness, I was speaking first, wasn’t I?”
He was a noble with the rank of Viscount.
Just a Viscount.
A Viscount dared to put his hand on the princess’s shoulder as he pleased and even told her to step back.
Normally, it would be an offense worthy of severe punishment, even wiping out three generations of his family…
“hahahaha, I see…”
She had no choice but to step back just like that.
The Marquis is undoubtedly part of the first prince’s faction. No, not just him, but everyone here.
And from the beginning, she didn’t have the power to punish the Marquis.
What was given to her, who had no supporting forces, was nothing more than an apprentice-like escort knight and demoted palace maid.
This was her current position.
Without an ounce of power, just a title remaining, the princess.
For a moment, she felt a sadness when she thought about her situation, but as always, she controlled her emotions.
“It’s okay already.”
She was already used to it.
Isn’t she still working hard to get out of this situation?
She continued to receive similar setbacks afterward.
Whenever she tried to have a conversation with the heroes’ party, nobles would subtly push her aside.
It was the nobles’ way of not giving her a chance to make connections.
And as time passed in this manner, the banquet had ended without her realizing it. The nobles, who were drunk, were starting to return to the mansion.
The heroes were sleeping soundly on the dining table, and the servants, tired but with grim faces, were moving around to clean up.
“…”
Deyla, too, had no choice but to leave bitterly. In reality, she gained nothing in the banquet.
As she stepped out of the banquet hall, her escort knight welcomed her.
“Have you come, Your Highness.”
“Take me.”
She mumbled gloomily and stuck close to his side.
Just by doing that, the escort knight, who could predict her feelings, quickly comforted her.
Even though his skills were that of an apprentice knight, his sincerity in serving her was genuine.
“Things didn’t go well, Your Highness. But don’t worry. One day, everyone will recognize your virtue.”
“It should come sooner…”
Deyla forced a smile.
It had been over a year since she participated as a latecomer in the confrontation with the first prince. A lot had happened during that time.
Her close sister Elvia had moved over to the first prince’s side, and the knights and nobles who used to greet her warmly had all distanced themselves from her.
Certainly, they must have been persuaded or threatened by the first prince.
She was aware of that, but there was nothing she could do.
Since no one would stand by someone who was clearly losing.
She knew that, but she couldn’t give up…
Otherwise, wouldn’t it be too unfair for her older sister, Ayla’s death?
She walked with a gloomy expression for a while.
“Didn’t Prince Hwang warn you not to attend the gathering?”
“?”
Suddenly, a voice came from ahead.
When she looked up and saw, there were twelve people wearing flipped hoods.
“Even though we clearly warned you, if you come out like this ignoring us, we have no choice but to be rough as well…”
“Who are you… No, before that, only I know that I received the letter, how do you know?”
For a moment, the princess’s eyes were filled with doubt.
“Oh, don’t tell me…!”
But that was just for a moment, and soon her eyes widened as if realizing something.
“The assassination squad of the royal family?”
Assassination squad.
A group that works in the darker parts, similar to a bodyguard. Their main tasks include assassination, blackmail, and clean-up, the dirty work that cannot be done upfront.
And the fact that they came to find her… This time, she was the target. The client must be the First Prince, naturally.
She growled with a tense voice.
“How dare you… Are you trying to lay hands on the princess’s body? No matter how much Prince Ian’s order may exist, do you think you’ll also be alright?”
“hahahaha, do you think we would go as far as killing the princess?”
The man under the hood laughed lightly.
“We will just detain her for a while. The princess just happened to be briefly kidnapped after returning to the palace and meeting a villain. And that villain will be eliminated by the bodyguards in a few days, and the princess will be taken away. The sacrifice has already been decided.”
“What will you do if I blow everything up when I go back?”
From Noble mtl dot com
“hahahaha, who would believe the powerless princess’s words… And would we just let you go? We’ll cover it up to some extent.”
Suddenly, the man under the hood’s gaze flickered.
“Well… Some ‘persuasion’ will be necessary as well.”
Creepy!
In an instant, a chill ran down the princess’s spine.
He mentioned ‘persuasion’, but those who knew the assassination squad to a certain extent would know the hidden meaning behind that word.
It includes various threats and brainwashing. Suddenly, when she looked behind him, she saw another person wearing a hood raising dark magic.
That was evidence of a dark wizard. The assassination squad had a dark wizard, and they were trying to manipulate and threaten through curses.
Of course, the things she would suffer through the curse would be unimaginable for her.
The princess, who had imagined a grim future, trembled.
Seeing that, the guard drew his sword.
“Step back, Your Highness.”
“Hah, how dare an incompetent knight like you…”
However, his petty rebellion could only be stopped within a few seconds. As soon as the hooded figure in front snapped his fingers, the knight was pinned to the wall.
Thunk! Thunk!
The man didn’t stop there and grabbed the guard several times, throwing him to the floor. Daela was amazed at the sight.
“An Ability User!”
Ability (이능) – similar to magic but clearly a different power. A unique ability that others cannot replicate.
And among those she knew, there was only one Ability User who used psychokinesis.
Chief of the Assassination Unit, Kail.
A skilled fighter who was renowned within the empire and used psychokinesis as a basis for his combat skills.
That was the person who had come to capture her.
She quickly tried to run away, but even that was hindered by the barrier.
Thud! Thud!
Daela’s heart raced with tension.
“It’s useless. The work in this area has already been completed. No matter how much you cry out or scream, no one will come to rescue you today.”
“…Is that so.”
“Oh, I see.”
That’s when it happened. From a place where neither the hooded group nor the princess was present, a voice could be heard.
“Wow, it’s so difficult for even a single ant to enter here. No sound, no smell either. I don’t know who made it, but they did a good job.”
“Who are you!”
The startled assassins turned their heads to where the sound came from. Daela instinctively turned her head as well. And there…
“Hello~ I am a hero.”
There was a warrior waving his hand with a gentle smile.
A completely different atmosphere from what was seen at the banquet.
His face, which had been flushed with alcohol, regained its color and showed a calm demeanor.
His previously half-closed eyes were focused and observing the assassins.
Moreover, the strangely polite tone seemed as if it had become someone else’s.
A profoundly unfamiliar situation.
In such a situation, Dale couldn’t help but feel a chill down her spine.
“…What’s going on?”
