The Prince Seduces Me with His Body

Rebecca spat coldly, then charged at Kayden with Ferand.

 

Bang! Chains and blades clashed with a thunderous noise.

 

Blocking Rebecca and Ferand simultaneously with an enlarged sword, Kayden shouted. “Pat!”

 

“Don’t worry, Milord!”

 

At Kayden’s call, Patrasche transformed the hammer he was holding. With small wings attached to both feet, he began to run through the knights. His speed was so fast that it was hard to follow with the naked eye.

 

“Stop him!”

 

“He’s going that way… Agh!”

 

The knights of the first order, flustered, ended up collapsing a defensive line. Patrasche quickly exploited the gap.

 

Rebecca twisted her lips and swung her sword again. “…It seems you’ve taught him some tricks.”

 

“With the freedom to not worry about what’s behind me, I could place talents where they can best use their abilities.”

 

Patrasche’s specialty was his nimbleness. Previously, the need to guard the flag prevented Kayden from daring to keep him away. But now it was different. With Antar around, Kayden, relieved of the burden on the defense team, boldly entrusted the flag to Patrasche.

 

Rebecca and Ferand thought they had Kayden tied up here, but it was the opposite. While Kayden held Rebecca and Ferand, Patrasche would steal Rebecca’s flag, and Antar would protect Kayden’s flag. That was the strategy for this defense battle.

 

I can do this. Kayden summoned Elfand and gritted his teeth, swinging his sword.

 

The fourth order’s knights were indeed less trained and equipped than Rebecca’s knights. But they had stayed in the fourth order, trusting Kayden, even though they could transfer to other orders. What they were most confident in was their tireless effort and endurance.

 

As Kayden had thought, knowing this was their last chance, the knights of the fourth order fiercely pushed their opponents. Rebecca and Ferand’s advance was slower than expected due to the fierce resistance. Meanwhile, Patrasche had reached the vicinity of the 1st order’s wall.

 

Just hold on a little longer.

 

Even for Kayden, holding back two orders alone was undoubtedly exhausting. He felt his magic waning and breathed heavily. Glancing sideways, he saw Patrasche somersaulting and kicking a 1st order knight trying to grab him.

 

Despite his struggle, Kayden couldn’t help but smile. We’re on a roll.

 

His heart pounded fiercely. At this rate, it would be an easy victory. For the first time, they would really defeat Rebecca and win the defense battle.

 

Looks like they’re holding up well too. Even while facing Rebecca and Ferand, Kayden glimpsed the large sand walls created by Antar.

 

“Get over it! Get over it!”

 

“Damn it, I can’t get a foothold to climb up!”

 

“It’s not catching fire…!”

 

The knights of the first order were helpless before Antar’s sand wall. They couldn’t approach Diana even when they tried to climb over it, as their feet sank into the sand. Attempts to burn or solidify it with fire or water were quickly covered by new sand.

 

Among the imperial knights, Antar was the only mid-level earth elementalist besides Duke Yelling.

 

It’s truly miraculous timing. Kayden kicked Ferand in the abdomen with a hint of satisfaction, clicking his tongue inwardly. Had he not recruited Antar just in time, they would have lost to Rebecca again this year, and she would have led the founding festival parade. But the note Diana had passed and learning about Antar’s existence changed the situation completely.

 

Come to think of it, Diana…

 

As his thoughts flowed in that direction, his gaze naturally turned to Diana. Then he witnessed white flames shooting toward Diana, and she froze in shock. Without thinking, his lips parted.

 

“-Enka!”

 

* * *

It was a moment ago.

 

Huh?

 

Diana, sitting on the wall watching the battle, noticed someone in the corner of her vision and blinked.

 

That’s the vice-captain of the first order. He usually commands the defense team, so why is he coming this way?

 

Diana’s brows furrowed slightly. He was cleverly avoiding people’s eyes, approaching her.

 

Diana looked down towards where Antar was. “Sir! Are you alright?!”

 

“…I’m fine, for now.”

 

Antar was struggling to maintain the sand wall. Other knights were also busy fending off those trying to get around the sand wall.

 

Bang!

 

“Graaah!”

 

At that moment, an explosion occurred near Rebecca and Kayden. A knight screamed, clutching his charred hand. While everyone’s attention was on the explosion and the screaming knight.

 

“…!”

 

Diana felt a surge of magic nearby. She turned her head sharply in that direction.

 

Huh…?

 

She locked eyes with the vice-captain, who was aiming flames at her with a large opera diamond in hand, looking startled that she had noticed him. Everything felt slow. In that brief moment, Diana instinctively sensed someone watching her. Turning her eyes to the side, she saw…

 

“Ah.”

 

Among the confused people, Rebecca was precisely looking in her direction. In that instant, Diana realized that Rebecca had ordered this and couldn’t do anything. If she used her magic while Rebecca was watching, her identity as an elementalist would be revealed. So even as the flames shot toward her, Diana remained frozen. Just as she reflexively closed her eyes.

 

“Enka!”

 

A sharp cry shook her ears, and a swarm of golden butterflies appeared before her. Low-level spirit of light, Enka, swarmed in front of Diana as if poured out by someone.

 

<…!>

 

The Enka silently screamed as the flames touched them, burning up instantly without time to flutter their wings.

 

Is this… Kayden?

 

Diana turned back toward Rebecca’s direction. She unintentionally opened her mouth at the following series of events.

 

“Cough!”

 

Kayden vomited blood from the excessive reverse summoning. As a result, Elfand, blocking Rebecca’s sword, disintegrated into light particles.

 

Shrrk— With the obstacle gone, Rebecca’s sword slashed across Kayden’s back. He couldn’t even scream…

 

Patrasche’s cheerful cheer with Ludwig’s hand in his grasp felt distant. Diana watched people scream and rush to Kayden, unable to move a single finger.

 

“…Your Highness!”

 

Someone’s voice snapped her out of it. Looking down, she saw Antar, who had lowered the sand wall, created stairs connected to the wall, and shouted.

 

“Come down!”

 

Diana finally regained her senses. She hurriedly got up, descended the steps Antar made, and reached the ground.

 

Kayden. Diana pushed through the crowd, heading toward Kayden. The closer she got to him, the stronger the smell of blood grew. Her hands trembled, and her steps slowed.

 

“…Kayden?” Her voice barely whispered out like a breeze.

 

Diana stopped a few steps away from where Kayden lay. Thump, thump. Her heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears. The scent of blood tugged at memories from the past.

 

“From the first time we met, I didn’t get a bad impression from you. Actually…”

 

“I liked you. I wanted to be friends.”

 

“Your Highness! Get a hold of yourself!”

 

“Prince Kayden!”

 

The knights of the fourth order cried out, binding Kayden’s wounds with torn clothes. A pool of blood spread out. His disheveled black hair soaked in it. The sight resembled the execution scene she had witnessed before returning.

 

“…”

 

Diana took a few steps forward silently. Ignoring her dress soaking in blood, she held Kayden in her arms.

 

“Dia…na…”

 

Despite his hazy consciousness, Kayden sensed Diana approaching and called her name. Hearing him, Diana lowered her gaze, and he managed a smile.

 

“Did you get… hurt?”

 

“…”

 

“Are you… okay?”

 

“…”

 

“…Why are you crying? It hurts to see you cry.” Kayden smiled with a face that was grimacing from pain.  He barely lifted his hand to wipe away Diana’s tears.

 

For the first time, Diana’s face, usually as emotionless as a porcelain doll, crumpled in despair.

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