Chapter 109 · Rampage (1)

The moment Stella finished speaking, I turned to look at Leo. Leo had gone pale as a sheet. Stella grew even more triumphant, crossed her arms, and sneered.

“I never dreamed you would accept such a condition, Prince, when you carried yourself so arrogantly at the academy.”

“…”

“Yes, unless the terms were something like that, there’s no way Father would have let the prince of an enemy nation roam freely outside.”

When Leo could not reply and only glared at her fiercely, Rohas Orléans, standing behind Stella, chimed in.

“How surprising. For someone who accepted becoming a subject of a vassal state, aren’t you far too arrogant? How dare you think of touching Santran nobles?”

I screamed inwardly. This really was the worst.

‘I expected it, but of course it was that condition.’

A vassal state!

Becoming a vassal state is a deeply humiliating thing. It is something accepted only after being crushed in war beyond any hope of recovery, and after the nation’s royalty has been annihilated. Even if not annihilated, the royal family would have to give up their position. Once a vassal state, one can never be treated as equal to the Santran royal family.

They lose their autonomy as a nation and are constrained in domestic and foreign affairs. Moreover, the people of a vassal state must live their entire lives being discriminated against by the people of the suzerain state.

‘Leo accepted that so easily?’

There was no way he would. He must have had another thought. That was…

Something flashed through my mind like lightning, and I gasped.

‘Don’t tell me…’

While I was distracted organizing my complicated thoughts, Rohas kept provoking him.

“Ah, don’t tell me you only said that to His Majesty while thinking something else behind his back?”

I glanced nervously at Leo. The anger rippling in his cold eyes was beyond measure. How much humiliation must someone as proud as him be trembling with right now? He must want to tear the people before him to shreds this instant.

Rohas was setting a trap. If things went wrong, Leo could be accused of deceiving the king with lies.

Of course it was a lie, but I could not let him lose all the freedom he had barely gained. I quickly grabbed his forearm and pulled him.

“Leo, morning prayer is about to start. We should hurry.”

“Niece, the prince and I are in the middle of a conversation—what rudeness is this? You must show off that you haven’t learned royal etiquette.”

If we ranked people by rudeness, Stella would be first in all of Santra. I spoke irritably.

“I’m sorry, but what I just heard didn’t sound like a conversation—it sounded like muttering to yourself.”

Stella flared up and tried to shout, then heaved a breath and immediately changed her target to me.

“Niece, I’ve been wrong about you all this time. Now I see you’re quite the schemer. No wonder Father cherishes you.”

Wondering what nonsense she was going to spout now, I gave her a crooked look.

“Just how did you bewitch that prince?”

I was dumbfounded. Is that something to say to an eight-year-old!

I felt it wasn’t worth responding to, so I turned my head and dragged Leo along.

“If that prince persuades his father, won’t we achieve continental unification without spilling a single drop of blood! It will be recorded as the greatest achievement in Santran history—solving everything without lifting a finger!”

“Leo, let’s just go.”

“…”

But he was so angry, and it seemed he thought leaving now without saying anything would be seen as running away.

No matter that he was a young boy, he was three years older than me. The difference in build and strength meant he would not budge.

“He’s waiting for Leo to attack them. Don’t fall for it!”

Rohas shouted loudly after us as we slowly moved away.

“To be bewitched by a girl and sell your country, yet walk with your head held high. Ahahaha!”

Leo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. I urgently called out to him.

“Leo!”

He slowly turned his head, and our eyes met.

Those iolite eyes, which I had found so beautiful when I first saw him, were wavering aimlessly. Seeing eyes that looked deeply wounded made my heart ache.

I took Leo’s hand without a word. Then I felt him gradually calming. His face was still pale and his body was trembling, but Leo let out several deep breaths and followed me, looking ahead. His patience was astonishing anew.

But the laughter and whispering of the surrounding students kept flying at us. I babbled about anything to keep it from reaching Leo’s ears.

Leo did not reply and only kept his eyes lowered. Not knowing what he was thinking made me anxious.

Freesia, Mila, and Melvian greeted us. But all of them looked very strange.

“You two… your hands…”

Mila spoke, watching Melvian’s reaction. Melvian’s brow was deeply furrowed. Only then did I realize I was still holding Leo’s hand tightly and hurriedly let go.

“I will escort you to the great hall.”

Melvian looked coldly at Leo and held out his hand to me. I was so taken aback that I waved my hands.

“Ah, no… I’m fine.”

Melvian’s face stiffened at the outright rejection.

“I mean, um… we haven’t officially announced our betrothal yet. It would stand out too much.”

It was an absurd excuse, considering I had just been walking while shamelessly holding Leo’s hand. Melvian clearly did not accept it either, but he lowered his hand weakly.

Perhaps wanting to rescue me from this awkward situation, Mila quickly smiled and spoke.

“Princess, Father has set the date for the ship demonstration. It will be at the port of Salamis at the end of next month.”

“That’s sooner than I thought.”

“Yes, he worked really eagerly day and night. He kept saying he wanted to show the results quickly.”

The ‘magic-powered ship’ completed through my collaboration with Viscount Estevan had successfully passed review. Once the demonstration succeeded, it would enter full commercialization.

The king was so delighted that he even declared he would grant Viscount Estevan the rank of count after the demonstration.

“I want to go to the demonstration too.”

“Of course, the princess must come too. If it weren’t for the princess, it would never have been possible!”

Mila smiled brightly and added happily.

“I hope we get the honor of naming the ship after the princess. ‘The Anastasia’! Doesn’t it sound so wonderful?”

I wanted to absolutely discourage naming it that, but for now I just smiled.

“How long does it take to get to the port of Salamis?”

“Hmm, it’s quite far, so it takes a while. You’d have to travel by carriage for over two weeks.”

Mila asked worriedly.

“The princess has to prepare for the Foundation Day Festival soon—will His Majesty permit you to attend the demonstration?”

“I’ll cry and throw a tantrum.”

When I answered playfully, Mila giggled.

“Oh, come on. I’m sure the princess could get permission splendidly without doing that.”

“Then does that mean we won’t see the princess for a month?”

Freesia said in a gloomy voice.

“A month?”

Even Leo, who had said nothing, jerked his head up.

I was leaving Leo alone in the worst possible situation. Mila would go to the demonstration too, but the ones staying behind—Freesia, Melvian, and Ark—could not possibly get along harmoniously with Leo. And since the academy students had heard the conversation earlier, from today Leo would face ten times more mockery and ridicule than before.

As I hesitated over my answer, a priest entered the great hall and rang the bell announcing the start of morning prayer. All the students closed their eyes and began to pray. I too closed my eyes and organized my bursting thoughts.

‘I’m almost there…’

The reason I wanted to go to the port of Salamis was not to see the demonstration. It was to board the ship that would take me out of Santra.

That’s right. I intended to flee from there and never return.

Everything was prepared. I had saved enough money to buy residency, and I had paid off Cyrus’s debt, so for the time being we planned to stay with his younger sister somewhere in Eldina. If I made a few more magical tools and developed communication magical tools, I could rake in money. Then I could buy a suitable island with that money and worry about how to spend the rest of my life peacefully and happily.

But because of what happened today, my plans were about to wobble greatly.

The thought that had flashed through my mind earlier—that was war.

‘Kalisa is preparing for war.’

The King of Kalisa was clearly planning to attack Santra after getting Leo out. If Leo had no intention of escaping, he would never have accepted such an absurd demand. He accepted because he did not need to keep it. And Leo’s escape meant the start of war. Because it would mean breaking the armistice.

I quietly opened my eyes and looked at the sculpture-like handsome boy beside me.

Only now did it feel real. That this boy was the prince of an enemy nation. And what I had done.

I should have made it so Leo could never leave that tower. I should have informed the royal family and the temple of the barrier’s flaw, blocked even the last bit of mana, and sealed off every chance of escape. I should have realized early on the enormous disaster my clumsy sympathy might bring.

If war really broke out, Ark and Rizen, who had been knighted, would go to battle… And not only the three priestesses, but Freesia and Mila might be caught up in it. Especially Paeon… Paeon would stand at the vanguard.

But could I live in Eldina as if nothing had happened? Even if Santra fell into a sea of fire, even if my people suffered in that sea of fire, could I be unaffected?

◇ ◆ ◇

“Princess, are you listening to me?”

Snapping to my senses, I found myself in the carriage. At some point I had left the academy and was heading to the training grounds. I had no idea how half the day had passed.

Across from me sat Leo, and beside me sat Ark, who had come to escort me.

“Sorry. What were you saying?”

Ark furrowed his brow slightly.

“About the Foundation Day Festival, Princess. I was asking whether you would have me or Rizen escort you on the right side. The right side signifies greater trust—it’s a very sensitive issue!”

“Hmm…”

Just as I was about to suggest settling it by drawing lots—

Looking ahead, Leo’s condition was strange. He was curled up and trembling.

“Leo,”

Wondering if he had a stomachache, I leaned in and called his name…

‘This is…!’

I sprang up and shouted like lightning.

“Stop the carriage!”

“What?!”

“Right now!”

Ark was flustered but leaned out the window to instruct the coachman.

Without waiting for the carriage to stop, I opened the door.

“Princess, it’s dangerous!”

Ark cried out in alarm, but I quickly formed a barrier with divine power, hugged Leo, and threw myself from the moving carriage.

Crash, thud!

The impact was harsh. The hastily made barrier shattered the moment it hit the ground. I rolled over and over on the ground before I could finally gather my senses.

Leo had fallen far away and could not move.

Just as I barely raised myself to go to him—

Black light burst explosively from Leo’s body.