Cedric burst out laughing when he saw Yuri’s expression.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“Uh… it’s nothing…”
Yuri struggled to hide her embarrassment.
“I was just caught off guard, that’s all…”
“Just kidding.”
“Huh?”
“You’re not actually meeting Ekaterina, but her cousin.”
“Oh, really?”
Yuri didn’t like the fact that she felt relieved.
After calming herself, she asked Cedric, “That’s good. Since when?”
“Since the royal ball at the palace a while back. Ekaterina came with her.”
At the time, Yuri had been too preoccupied with Georg and Ekaterina to remember much else.
“We got to know each other then and kept in touch through letters. Over time, we developed feelings for each other.”
“Sounds like she must be really smart.”
“She is. Katrina and I just click.”
In his previous life, Cedric had never dated or married. Yuri had assumed he wasn’t interested in women, so hearing he had a lover now threw her off.
Was this another change brought about by her altering history?
Her mind was spinning, but she decided to congratulate him.
“Congrats, hyung.”
Cedric smiled brightly.
“Thanks. I’ve talked about you a lot, too.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Even five years ago, Katrina said she admired how you stood up to Georg. She expected you to shine in the Alliance army.”
“Oh, that’s nothing. Heh…”
Yuri didn’t know much about Katrina, but she seemed like a good person.
“When you go to the Empire, you should meet her. She’ll be a big help.”
“Thanks.”
Since Katrina was Ekaterina’s cousin, she was also royalty. That kind of connection would definitely be useful in the Empire.
Yuri had a feeling that, thanks to Cedric, things in the Empire might go more smoothly than expected.
He really was the eldest brother.
She looked at Cedric with respect.
“Thanks. I’m always indebted to you.”
“I’m just finally paying you back after all the times you’ve helped me.”
They shook hands.
“But hey…”
“Yeah?”
“Earlier, your reaction…”
“What reaction?”
“Ekaterina.”
Cedric smirked behind his glasses.
“I heard Joshua’s head over heels for her. Do you have feelings for her, too?”
“No.”
“You seemed flustered when I mentioned her name. She is pretty.”
“I was just surprised to hear an unexpected name.”
Yuri denied it firmly, and Cedric didn’t press further, just chuckled.
“Right, right. That’s how it should be. You’re already dating the princess of the Holy Kingdom…”
Yuri swallowed hard and started coughing. Cedric patted her back.
“You okay?”
“No, it’s just… where did you hear that…”
“The rumors are everywhere.”
“What?”
“You know the Empire has long-distance communication, right?”
“Uh…”
“When they reported on the Alliance army, they even mentioned you and the princess dating. So the rumors started spreading from the Empire.”
“Ha…”
She really shouldn’t have gotten herself into this. She hadn’t expected it to spiral like this.
“Isn’t that true?”
Yuri explained why she had started the fake relationship, and Cedric just laughed.
“So that’s why you were surprised when you heard Ekaterina’s name?”
“Exactly.”
“Neither of you really interested in each other?”
“Of course not.”
“Anyone you like?”
“No one.”
Yuri smiled slyly and pointed to herself with her thumb.
“I don’t do love.”
It was an unnecessarily cool smile.
Cedric looked at her silently for a moment, then awkwardly nodded.
“Right…”
Several days had passed since Yuri returned to the palace. A lot had happened in the meantime.
First, Fiore and Moyongchan had faced off.
The outcome was unknown.
They greeted each other warmly when they met, then went down to the underground training hall and didn’t come out for a while.
Later, both emerged looking fine.
When Yuri asked about the result, neither gave a clear answer. But judging by their behavior, it seemed Fiore had the upper hand.
After the duel, Fiore showed no change, but Moyongchan occasionally clenched his fist and looked regretful, rubbing his head.
A sign of someone recalling past mistakes.
Yuri was glad. It meant Moyongchan had one more reason to stay in Briol.
“Hmm…”
As she sliced steak, Yuri furrowed her brow and looked up.
“Doesn’t anyone say anything to you?”
“Say what?”
“About eating with the prince?”
Jared was chewing quietly.
“Well…”
He hesitated, busy swallowing his food, so Hernando answered instead.
“The prince shouldn’t be doing that.”
“What did I do?”
“Sir Jared is now officially on the prince’s side.”
Hernando wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“You raised him all the way through the Alliance army. Do you think he can just stand guard at the palace now?”
“That’s his problem.”
Jared looked at Yuri.
“Wow…”
“Why the disappointed look?”
“You really don’t care about me. I’ve changed departments.”
“To where? The gardeners instead of the guards?”
Hernando shook his head.
“Sir Jared’s sense of pride wouldn’t allow that.”
“Right?”
“Ha…”
Jared stuffed a big piece of meat in his mouth.
“I’m now the prince’s personal bodyguard. The prince said it’s better since he’ll keep bossing me around.”
“Bodyguard?”
Yuri snorted, then covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.
“Are you mocking me right now?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re ignoring Jared, the third prince’s personal bodyguard?”
“You’re going to guard me?”
“Sometimes…”
“Alright, Bodyguard Jared. Train hard.”
Jared pointed at Hernando.
“Same goes for Sir Hernando.”
“My bodyguard?”
“No, as an advisory mage.”
After the Alliance army disbanded, Fiore had reorganized the staff to make these two his close aides.
“Sir Hernando.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“It’s an honor to have a mage like you as my advisor.”
“The honor is mine, Your Highness.”
They bowed to each other.
Jared cut his meat with a pout.
“We’ll see about that…”
While they enjoyed their lunch, Ena approached Yuri.
“Your Highness.”
“Hmm?”
“There are many guests.”
“Guests?”
“Yes. Distinguished visitors here to see you.”
“Who?”
Yuri tilted her head.
The only visitor she expected was Guillermo, vice president of Elaine Trading Company, but no meeting was scheduled.
Jared spoke up.
“Obviously, as your reputation grows, nobles come to get a glimpse of you.”
“Ah.”
“We had been blocking visitors so you could rest, but starting today, the doors are open.”
“Jared, you’re more useful than I thought. You’re officially a bodyguard now.”
“Phew…”
It was a fair point.
Yuri smiled.
“They’re really simple-minded.”
Since her duel with Georg’s champion five years ago to save Ena, no noble had approached her.
Rumors spread that she was marked by royalty, and the third prince wasn’t exactly promising, so no one paid attention.
But as soon as word got out about her exploits in the Alliance army, they suddenly started showing up.
“Tell them all to leave.”
“They’re all high-ranking nobles.”
“Who’s the lowest rank?”
“Let me see…”
Ena pulled out a list and scanned it.
“Hmm… this one. Fides?”
“Fides?”
Yuri chuckled.
“What’s he doing here?”
Jared frowned.
“I’ve heard that name before…”
“He’s a soldier in the Alliance army. A fast runner. Hernando, I sent him during the last battle. Don’t you remember?”
“Oh, right.”
“His hometown’s far away. He must have run all the way here again.”
Fides was the soldier Yuri had instructed Hernando to prepare magic for when they planned to kill the shaman during the fight with Okua.
Yuri finished her meal and stood up.
“I should go greet my guest.”
Ena raised an eyebrow.
“Your Highness.”
“Yeah?”
“You said ‘guest’ singular, not ‘guests.’ So I’m guessing you only want to see Fides. Am I right?”
“Exactly. You know me too well.”
“This might get noisy…”
“What are you going to do about it?”
“Sigh…”
Yuri headed toward the reception hall near the palace entrance with Jared and Hernando.
As she appeared, the guards at the gate saluted loudly.
“Your Highness! Loyalty!”
“Yeah, loyalty.”
Thanks to the recent war, Yuri’s status had risen, especially among knights and soldiers in her field.
“Your Highness, we respect you!”
“Thank you.”
Yuri patted the guards on the shoulder and entered.
The loud salutes stirred the crowd inside the building, which was packed with people waiting in line, visible even from afar.
A staff member approached Yuri to ask for her understanding.
“Your Highness, there are too many guests. We’ll have to split them by rank…”
“No.”
Yuri shook her head.
“I’m only seeing one person.”
“Pardon?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No, no. Understood. May I ask which visitor you intend to meet?”
“A guy named Fides…”
Yuri rubbed her chin.
“Well, it wouldn’t be fun to just call him right away…”
Fides tapped his leg, grimacing.
Running was his specialty, but after a long expedition and barely any rest, he had sprinted all the way to the palace, and his legs ached badly.
But he couldn’t sit down.
“Hey, you.”
“Yes?”
“Go get me some water.”
“I’m not the baron’s subordinate, you know…”
“So you’re saying you refuse?”
The baron raised his eyes sharply.
“Fine…”
Although Briel’s class system wasn’t as strict as the Empire’s, technically commoners were supposed to follow the orders of nobles. And this baron had three knights under his command.
Fides didn’t want to make things more troublesome, so he simply fetched some water.
“Tastes awful.”
But he didn’t even take a sip, setting the cup down on the table.
“Why are there so many people here? Even commoner scum like you showing up, claiming you want to see the prince…”
Compared to the other nobles who had come to see the third prince, this man’s rank was low. He hadn’t even been given a separate waiting room and was stuck here with Fides.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“What business do you have seeing the prince?”
“I’m under no obligation to tell you.”
“Cheeky brat.”
With a nod, he signaled one of his knights to step forward.
The knight approached Fides and said, “You’d do well to be a bit more respectful.”
Fides sized him up from head to toe. Not a single scar.
Though he was a soldier, this knight looked like he’d never seen a real battle. Fides had fought countless battles against orcs. This guy was no threat.
“Y-yes,” Fides replied half-heartedly. The knight’s eyebrows twitched.
“Baron, I think I should personally teach this one a lesson.”
“Enough. Don’t make a scene.”
The knight glared at Fides once more before turning away.
The baron sat back, fanning himself as he spoke.
“To go through all this trouble just to make a connection… must be nice to have good blood, huh?”
“Yes.”
“If only I’d been born royal, I’d have had it so much easier. Lucky you.”
Fides snorted quietly at that.
The very man who was tormenting him just because of his bloodline was now mocking the third prince, who had fought on the front lines himself.
“The little brat making everyone wait just because he’s royal…”
Fides tried to hold back.
“Obviously. Probably just stood back and let others do the fighting, then stole all the credit. So cunning for someone so young. Has he ever even fought orcs properly?”
At that, Fides suddenly stood up.
“Baron, that’s enough.”
“What?”
“If you insult the prince any further, I won’t hold back.”
The baron’s face flushed red.
He jumped to his feet, glaring at Fides.
“Were you eavesdropping? Insolent…”
“How could I not hear when you’re spouting such nonsense out loud?”
“Calling it nonsense, are you?”
The baron’s face twisted in anger as he shoved the knight standing beside him.
“Yeah. Looks like we’ve got some time before our turn. Might as well have some fun. Make sure this brat lives the rest of his life crippled. If anyone asks, just say he left early.”
The knight strode forward. Fides met him head-on.
Even if this ended up in court, Fides wasn’t going to let the baron’s words slide any longer.
Glaring at the baron over the knight’s shoulder, Fides said, “Insulting the prince is an insult to the entire allied army, you bastard.”