Chapter 39

Both Rebecca and I were about to spend an awkward moment with our faces flushed red.

*Thud-*

“Ah, it seems it’s over now.”

Fortunately(?), the Crown Prince, who had left the reception room, returned shortly.

“Your Highness, what exactly has been over since earlier…?”

“If you don’t know, then stay quiet. That’s why you don’t have a wife.”

“…”

He brought along someone who looked like the Imperial Family’s physician.

“The Empire’s little sun. It is an honor to meet the Crown Prince…”

I reflexively tried to offer the greeting I had missed earlier.

“Let’s skip the formalities. If anything, it is I who should be thanking you.”

Mikhail stopped me with a wave of his hand, preventing me from bowing to him.

“First, I want to apologize.”

“…”

“Due to the lax security of the Imperial Palace, you and the Princess were harmed.”

“…It’s fine.”

This wasn’t just a polite remark.

The attempted assassination of the Saint this time was an incident that even in the original story remained unresolved, with the culprit never uncovered.

The protagonist, Mikhail, tried his best to uncover the truth for the heroine, Estelle, but ultimately failed, and the matter was left unresolved.

And this meant…

Even I, who had read the original novel, didn’t know who the culprit was.

Only the author who wrote the novel would know, but since I left the story before the author could reveal the details of this incident.

I had no knowledge of the culprit’s identity or motives.

Given that even I, as a transmigrator, didn’t know, there was no way Mikhail, who had only investigated for about a day, could have figured it out.

So, it was unfair to blame Mikhail for this incident.

“No, this is indeed my fault for not paying proper attention to security.”

“…”

Though Mikhail didn’t seem to think so.

“Thanks to the Saint, who coincidentally arrived today, I was able to save face in front of you.”

“…Is that so?”

As expected, the reason I woke up just a day after being hit by a poison arrow was thanks to the Saint.

Under normal circumstances, I could have suffered lifelong aftereffects, but…

The Saint’s Sacred Power, the strongest in the Empire, was beyond imagination.

That explained why I was able to open my eyes now.

“…Actually, if you think about it, the assassins who attacked you likely came because of the Saint.”

“…”

“But if the outcome is good, then it’s good, right? Haha.”

Mikhail laughed heartily, saying that a good outcome is still good.

‘…Was his personality always like this?’

In the original novel I read, he was the typical protagonist, always following justice and fighting for the weak.

So why does he now feel like a simple neighborhood big brother?

As I was feeling the disconnect between the novel I read and the situation before me…

“Prince Zernias?”

“…Yes?”

“Your fiancée is glaring at me like she wants to kill me. Aren’t you going to help?”

“…”

Mikhail sent me a distress signal.

Hearing that, I looked at Rebecca beside me.

“…”

Her gaze was filled with murderous intent.

As if she wanted to tear Mikhail’s mouth apart for saying such things.

“Princess.”

“…What?”

“If you’re not careful, you’ll be charged with treason.”

I didn’t want to lose my beloved fiancée to a treason charge, so I tried to calm Rebecca down.

“…Me? To him?”

“…”

Rebecca looked at me as if she genuinely couldn’t believe I thought that.

Her expression said, “I don’t think that way, but you do?”

Seeing that expression, Mikhail pounded his chest as if he was wronged.

“Look at this, Watson. Do I really deserve this treatment as the Crown Prince?”

“Shut up.”

“Yep.”

Even that was cut off by the Princess’s cold retort.

“…Did you two know each other?”

I was utterly confused.

Aside from the disconnect between the protagonist I remembered and the Mikhail before me…

In the original story, Mikhail and Rebecca were supposed to meet for the first time on the second day of the Imperial Banquet, which was today.

So, the Crown Prince and the Princess should be meeting for the first time now.

“Princess, no matter what, I am the Crown Prince…”

“I told you to shut up.”

“…”

That interaction didn’t seem like a first meeting but more like a pair of siblings who didn’t get along.

I couldn’t even begin to guess how much the original story had been twisted.

Perhaps sensing my confusion…

“…I had no choice but to know him because of my father.”

Rebecca precisely addressed the part I was curious about.

“No choice, huh? You should consider the listener’s perspective. It’s not like I wanted to know the Princess either.”

“What do you want me to do about it?”

“…”

They seemed much closer than I expected.

‘Did the author write it wrong?’

The content of [The Crown Prince Wields a Sword] that I had read so far felt entirely false.

The Crown Prince, who was being beaten by the Princess to the point of pity, barely managed to continue speaking.

“…Anyway, to continue what we were saying. The Imperial Family suspects that this incident was originally targeting the Saint.”

“…”

“You think so too, don’t you?”

“…Yes.”

I wasn’t just thinking it—I was certain.

In the original story, the assassins were after Estelle.

“Although we haven’t figured out why they targeted you and the Princess instead of the Saint.”

“…”

“Do you have any guesses?”

Mikhail’s gaze sharpened.

This was the Mikhail I remembered.

More lenient than anyone in personal matters, but sharper than anyone in official matters.

A person as sharp as a finely honed sword. ‘Mikhail Schuelgart.’

“…I’m sorry.”

Yet, what came out of my mouth was a denial.

I didn’t know anything, and even if I did, this incident was supposed to remain a mystery.

Even if I knew something, I couldn’t say it.

“…I see. Understood.”

Mikhail stepped back as if there was nothing he could do.

“I’ll leave Watson here, so take care of your condition.”

“…Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Then I’ll head to the banquet hall first.”

“Go ahead, Your Highness.”

With the physician named Watson’s final greeting, the Crown Prince left the reception room.

*

“Your condition is fine. You can go to the banquet hall and enjoy the banquet right away.”

“…Is that so?”

Fortunately, the Imperial physician’s words were positive.

“Yes, the Saint’s Sacred Power is truly remarkable. An ordinary person wouldn’t have survived such a poison arrow.”

“…”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

“Thank you for your time.”

“You should thank the Princess, not me. She stayed by your side the entire time you were unconscious.”

With the physician’s final words to thank Rebecca instead of him…

“…”

“…”

Only the Princess and I remained in the reception room.

‘…What should I say?’

I found the current situation incredibly awkward.

There were many things I wanted to ask.

What did that passionate hug earlier mean? How did she come to know the Crown Prince?

Did she really stay by my side the entire time I was unconscious, as the physician said?

…If that was true.

What was she thinking?

Countless questions raced through my mind.

After much deliberation…

“…Were you worried?”

“…”

The question that came out of my mouth was whether she had been worried about me when I collapsed.

Worry.

The fear that something might go wrong, trembling with anxiety.

There was no word less fitting for the relationship between Rebecca and me, who had only ever fought.

But now, the situation was different.

Before I was hit by the arrow and collapsed, I had essentially confessed to the Princess.

All the words I had used to belittle her were lies. All the embarrassing things I had said were true.

Whether Rebecca took it as genuine or as an excuse to get out of the situation, I didn’t know.

But I had said everything I could.

And.

“…Would I not have been?”

“…”

“You idiot took the arrow for me. How could I not have been worried?”

“…I see.”

Fortunately, it seemed my sincerity had reached Rebecca.

“Even though you’re much weaker than me. What were you thinking, taking that arrow?”

While her words were harsh, her face was slightly flushed with embarrassment.

“Really, what would you do without me…”

“The Princess is right. I must be quite lucky.”

“…Huh?”

“To have such a beautiful and strong person as my fiancée.”

*Flush-*

Rebecca’s face immediately turned red.

Now that she knew my words were genuine, her reaction was even more intense than before.

“Without my beautiful fiancée, I might not even be in this world anymore.”

So, I didn’t stop praising the Princess.

“Thanks to the Princess holding off the assassins while I was down, His Highness the Crown Prince was able to arrive in time.”

“…”

Watching Rebecca’s cheeks grow redder with each sentence was quite enjoyable.

“In fact, the Princess is practically my lifesaver.”

“…Then you better treat me well.”

Rebecca haughtily told me to treat her well since I owed her.

Seeing the Princess, still avoiding eye contact and acting coy, was adorable.

“So, I’ll make a wish.”

“…Huh?”

I was so in love it was driving me crazy.

“Suddenly, what are you talking about…”

Rebecca looked at me as if I was saying something absurd.

“I won the dance competition yesterday, didn’t I?”

“…”

It was true that I still had one wish left.

No matter what happened during the process, I was the winner of yesterday’s waltz competition.

“…What’s your wish?”

Knowing that, Rebecca obediently asked me what my wish was.

“It’s simple. Hug me like you did earlier.”

I boldly(?) requested the same hug as before.

“…You’re really shameless, you know that?”

The Princess slowly approached to fulfill my request but didn’t stop berating me.

“The world of competition is cold and ruthless.”

“…”

As always, her words had no effect on me.

*Thump-thump-*

The warm hug, where we could hear each other’s heartbeats, continued until my parents and Duke Valencia opened the door and entered upon hearing that I had woken up.

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