Pff! Ah, this unnie, really.
I spat it out—but fortunately, I avoided the princess’s face. I looked at the water with a devastated expression.
“Oh, you’re really hiding something, aren’t you? Are you afraid?”
“I’m not hiding anything; I’m just surprised that Your Highness was prodding me so much.”
Ahaha. It’s so hard to lie when those big blue eyes are staring right into your face… Damn it. I smiled as I switched to alert mode.
The princess plopped down beside me and began gathering her hair to tie it up. As I watched her with a troubled heart and anxious eyes, I wondered what she was going to say. The princess tied her hair very slowly, and even more slowly, she looked back at me and smiled softly.
“You’re a painting wizard, aren’t you, Nia?”
“… … !”
“From the same background as them.”
My heart dropped. Since when did she know?
I immediately drooped my eyes, putting on a sorrowful expression.
“Well, Your Highness, I’m not sure. I don’t remember.”
“It’s okay. Even if you don’t remember, one of them came to me and told me everything. I guess to have a guarantee of a better life. I can learn more about you, the person I cherish, so how could I refuse?”
As the princess said that, she reached out her hand and brushed my lips with her thumb.
“Normally, liars should be punished, but…”
The princess’s touch, which was subtle and teasing, tickled me. Deep blue eyes, like lapis lazuli, enveloped me. She then pressed her finger to my lips and smiled benevolently.
“I’ll forgive you this time.”
It was pointless to continue denying in front of someone who already knew everything. Above all, the princess’s eyes were saying, ‘If you lie any more, you’ll be in trouble.’
“You’re too mean, Your Highness.”
I put my brain into full gear and held out the fishing rod with the most suitable bait at this moment.
Since I was already caught, I might as well make the most of it.
“What?”
The princess asked me back, her eyes sparkling with amusement. I pouted and grumbled.
“It was my secret weapon. I was planning to reveal it if you ever found someone you liked more than me. But if you find out now, what will I do then?”
“You speak so cutely. Do you think I could like someone else more than you?”
“Right now, I’ve taken over Lady Crisiona’s place. And who knows who will take your favour away from me next?”
It was a cheeky remark. It was also a provocation. But Princess-unnie likes provocation.
“Well, well. It’s true that I care about you more than Perry right now, but…”
“But?”
“I don’t think anyone could take your place. You are special to me.”
Flutter. Princess-Unnie’s delicate fingers ran through my red hair, messing it up. Then she gently grasped it and kissed it.
My heart pounded at the sight of such an overwhelmingly sexy sight, regardless of my sexual orientation. As if she noticed my excitement, the princess raised her eyes slightly and smiled at me.
“I don’t think there’s anyone more interesting than you, so why don’t you stop thinking silly thoughts?”
Ah, unnie…… my unnie is so intoxicating… … .
Lacius and the princess—does the royal blood make them all so dangerously perfect? If being flawless is a requirement for royal lineage, then there would be no one in this country capable of committing treason. Who could possibly usurp the princess’s position? Even if a dragon fell from the sky, it would not be able to replace the princess.
I sighed involuntarily and raised my head. And it was that moment.
“… … !”
Boom!
Was it a mirage? Just as I thought I had seen a mirage, something dark appeared. It fell at high speed and landed, burying itself deep in the ground and blowing up dust.
“W-What is that!”
Everyone was very surprised by what suddenly happened. Most closed their eyes, and more than half instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces. Only three were able to stand upright and stare ahead. Only Lacius, the chief of Kun, and the princess.
“What a grand welcome.”
In that brief moment, the princess, who had embraced me protectively, twisted her lips. I tried to figure out the situation by looking over Lacius’s back, which was covering me and princess-unnie.
It’s an attack, but this… … .
“A steel cage?”
“Yes. It must be them.”
A long row of bars as thick as a child’s forearm. The material is hard enough for most swords to break. Moreover, it’s so wide that it wouldn’t do much good to cut through any one of them. It must have been a painting magic summoned to trap the army at once if they attacked.
‘I’m glad I drew it, just in case.’
I was pressed for time, so I received a little help from Dua. I glanced at Dua, who was turning blue. Dua, who was turning her head here and there, unable to find a place to focus, also saw me, and our eyes met. I tapped my right thigh. It was a signal to be prepared.
“Welcome, I’ve been waiting for you.”
After a while, several footsteps were heard. Then, a man with dark purple hair wearing a long veil appeared. There were people wearing bird masks on either side of him, and there were a lot of them.
‘Is that all of them?’
Or is there more inside? I didn’t know, but at least the guy who calls himself God came out. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I was certain that he was the same person after hearing that annoying tone of voice.
“Come here, number 1092. Don’t you have something to return to me?”
This is a tone that can only be used when you are sure that you are the one standing ‘above’ everyone else. However, such a thing only suited princess-unnie. It angered me that this insignificant person was using it, as if stealing Princess-unnie’s way of speaking.
But just as I was about to get angry, the princess who let me go stepped forward, ahead of Lacius. She stood right in front of the steel bars, calmly assessing the enemy.
“That’s funny, that thing.”
You can now sponsor a chapter by buying me a Kofi! 1 Kofi = 1 extra chapter
