Chapter 361

Chapter 361: The Prince and the Princess

By the western side of the fortress beside the lakeside, in the tower room.

The room where Princess Evelyn usually stayed was luxurious and elegant, rarely visited by others. Today, however, it welcomed a guest.

“His Highness Edren greets you.”

Elin, as the princess’s trusted attendant, was still dressed as a maid today. After bowing low, she lifted her head and examined the two visitors with her bright eyes.

One was indeed Prince Edren, and the other was his attendant Ronald. Their sudden visit surprised her slightly, but considering the current chaos at the school, it made sense.

“Please wait here, I will inform Her Highness the Princess,” she said, having the two formally dressed maids in black and white uniforms bring in some snacks and tea. Then, she quickly withdrew and headed upstairs to the tower.

She didn’t have to wait long before Princess Evelyn’s footsteps echoed on the stairs. The sound of her high heels clacking against the smooth steps was orderly and crisp. Soon after, the princess, dressed in elegant clothes with a white base and gold edges, appeared before them.

“You’ve arrived,” Evelyn greeted, somewhat friendly, since they had known each other since childhood, though their interactions hadn’t been frequent.

“It’s been a while, Evelyn.”

Edren first exchanged pleasantries with Evelyn, reminiscing about the past, then began discussing the current state of affairs at the academy. At this point, the others in the room withdrew, leaving only the two of them.

“Regarding the abnormalities at the academy, I’ve reported it to the country recently, but haven’t received any substantial responses yet. So, I want to know how things stand on your end,” he said with a touch of self-deprecation. Although he was a prince, he was merely a figurehead without real power. As a member of the royal collateral line with little chance of succession, there were over ten such princes like him. Compared to the favored sisters Evelyn and her twin, his position was significantly lower.

“I’m in the same boat; no clear response yet. They just said someone would come to check it out later,” Evelyn replied, shaking her head as she sipped her tea.

“Now, the focus in the capital is on whether or not to declare war on the Snow Seven Kingdoms.”

“The southern Baskar family is strongly advocating for war and has pulled in a large number of military figures to support and pressure. They want to take advantage of the collapsing western winds and the recent establishment of Clancia to crush the enemy early on.”

“But things aren’t going smoothly,” Edren added, knowing well the resistance involved.

“Yes, the northern Treyi Duke’s family isn’t interested. Their territories are mostly in the north, so even if war breaks out, they wouldn’t gain anything and would have to travel a great distance away from their familiar cold regions.”

“The eastern Landsworth family is clearly opposed to the war because they’re currently cooperating very well with the forest elves. They are developing plantations and various popular industries. If war breaks out, they would not only lose the market in the Snow Seven Kingdoms but also have to cancel many operas and cultural events due to wartime laws, which is quite disadvantageous.”

“Thus, the only hope left seems to be the Griffin Duke, the Salus family, on the western side,” Edren analyzed calmly, a fact many high nobles already knew.

“Yes, so there are constant debates and arguments in the capital. What we princes and princesses encounter outside is minor. Besides, there’s no solid evidence yet. Making a fuss now would only make us look foolish,” Evelyn responded coolly and straightforwardly.

“If we really need to pay attention, it might be better to seek Jielanen. He is bound to become the Griffin Duke, and many people will watch and invest in him. Or Florasia could work too; Father and Mother hold her in high regard,” Evelyn remarked lightly, seemingly unconcerned about her lack of favor.

Edren did not respond at that moment. In his view, this was just Evelyn’s modesty. This princess was far from simple.

Edren placed his hands behind his head and leaned back on the sofa. “Forget it, discussing further won’t change anything.”

After talking with Evelyn for a while, they gradually grew more familiar, as if returning to their carefree childhood days.

“Is Tesselin still in the Emerald Forest? It’s been a while since we last met,” Edren asked casually, looking up at the ceiling.

“Mm-hm, she’s much more popular than me,” Evelyn said, pouring herself some more tea.

“That’s true. Everyone likes simple and pure girls.”

“Do you mean I’m scheming and unlikable?” Evelyn glared at Edren, speaking in a displeased tone. With just the two of them in the room, she felt free to drop her royal airs.

“Haha, not exactly. Men just fear overly clever women because they can’t handle them,” Edren replied.

“It’s not easy to fool them,” Evelyn commented, savoring the slightly bitter yet sweet tea.

“Mm, that’s true,” Edren responded casually.

“So, regarding Miss Lolan, you investigated her so thoroughly but didn’t pursue her. Was it because you were afraid of being humiliated if you couldn’t catch up, or simply because you didn’t want to offend Jielanen?” Evelyn’s words became increasingly sharp.

“Don’t mention it. Perhaps both reasons apply,” Edren sighed, then continued.

“As a royal, our starting point is high, but often, it means less freedom. If I compete with Jielanen and win, people will say the royal family suppresses other nobles, even trying to snatch the Griffin Duke’s beloved. If I lose, it looks bad too, even though I’m a collateral branch. Competing with others and losing would make me a laughingstock.”

“Unbelievable,” Evelyn replied briefly, putting down her teacup. She didn’t want to analyze the hidden reasons but wanted to move on.

“If you truly have feelings for Miss Lolan, you would dare to compete with Jielanen. But perhaps you have a more important goal or ideal in mind, unwilling to give it up,” she said.

“Not surprising, Evelyn. After all these years, you remain so astute, seeing through everything. Among my siblings, you are the one I fear the most,” Edren laughed, changing the subject. Suddenly, a powerful surge of magic energy came from afar.

Both looked out the northern window. In the mountains and forests, tall and dense trees rose.

“It’s starting, so soon,” Edren murmured.

“What’s happening?” Evelyn asked, still puzzled.

“I gave the Crimson Rose to Miss Lolan, along with the group of Nature Sequence societies around her. This should be enough to resist the ‘Black Veil.'”

“I thought you’d take matters into your own hands, especially after the fiasco at the gathering,” Evelyn said with a hint of disdain.

“No way. I’m a prince, and it would be embarrassing to lose if I couldn’t handle it. Also, Miss Lolan’s identity suits this task better. If I were to intervene, it might provoke resentment among the students from the Snow Seven Kingdoms.”

“I look forward to seeing what brilliance Miss Lolan will show in that position,” Edren stood up, finishing his tea in one gulp, then turned to bid farewell.

“Until next time. If you communicate with Tesselin, please convey to her that I always remember the kindness of our childhood. If she needs anything, she can come to me anytime.”

Another reminder of how much my innocent and simple sister is loved. Evelyn thought to herself as she watched Edren leave.

(The End)