Confrontation with the Second Prince
“What…?”
Lloyd stood still for a moment, then his face twisted like that of a demon. He pointed at me with his finger and raised his voice:
“Do you think this argument will work?! My knight only obeyed my orders, so there is nothing wrong with that...!”
I interrupted him quickly like a bullet, before he could finish his words:
“Your Highness Prince Lloyd! My offense was for the purpose of preventing a fight between your Highnesses, but this man pushed Prince Edwin for no reason, and his crime is even greater!”
My voice was so loud that the leaves trembled.
“If I punish him first, I will also accept my punishment with good will!”
I hugged Edwin and bowed deeply. Whispering began between the servants and the audience.
“Her words are not wrong. How could a knight dare to push a prince?”
“No matter how despised the Third Prince is, that is too much…”
“Even if he is the Second Prince’s Knight, pushing him like this is excessive.”
“A knight like this does not know honor. What faction is he from?”
Knight Lloyd realized that the situation was turning against him, so he grabbed me by the collar of my dress and shouted:
"What did you just say, you little bitch? My crime can only be judged by Prince Lloyd! How dare you?!"
I answered him sternly:
“So do I! My crime can only be judged by my lord, Prince Edwin, and you have no right to interfere!”
"Slut! Are you playing with words!"
His face turned red with anger, he grabbed my wrist and raised his sword. The sword blade sparkled under the afternoon sun.
“Ugh—!”
The knight suddenly screamed and fell to the ground, his wrist holding the sword being twisted.
“Swords should not be waved recklessly in the Imperial Palace.”
A deep, low voice sent shivers down my spine.
I slowly raised my gaze and saw a man wearing dark armor standing in the knight's place.
“This is dangerous.”
He turned the sword in his hand lightly, and it was the same sword that had fallen from the knight's hand.
She looked at him in astonishment, while Lloyd walked forward with sullen steps and said in a respectful tone:
“King Caiden.”
He is the king of the young Adamant Kingdom, King Kaiden. He nodded lightly towards the second prince, who furrowed his brows in coldness.
“What brings you, Your Majesty?”
Kayden smiled and said:
“I was passing by and saw a woman being attacked by a miscreant, so I intervened.”
Even though the knight was clearly wearing silver armor, Caiden feigned ignorance, as if he was mocking Lloyd.
“That man is not a scoundrel, but a Persian!” Lloyd shouted.
“Oh really?” Kaiden raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Excuse me, but all I saw was a scoundrel waving his sword at a woman.”
Lloyd gasped angrily. Kayden replied with a calm smile:
“Before you criticize others, fix the affairs of your men first, Your Highness the Prince.”
"What…!"
“And before that, reform your habit of issuing orders to cut off people’s hands for the most trivial reasons.”
“Stupid?! How dare you talk like that...!”
Just as Lloyd was about to explode, a loud voice rang out:
“Lloyd, how dare you be rude to a guest!”
"my dad…?"
A middle-aged man appeared, wearing a red cloak and a jeweled crown. He is Emperor Cavellius III.
Despite his simple appearance as a peasant, his vision exuded majesty.
“Hail the Sun of the Empire!”
Everyone knelt on the ground. Even Lloyd knelt down on one knee in confusion.
“Second Prince Lloyd greets his father!”
The Emperor said sternly:
“Lloyd, what is this noise in a sacred palace?”
“I was punishing this woman for insulting me.”
“Insult? In what way?”
“Okay...” Lloyd stumbled, realizing he was sinning.
The Emperor sighed:
“That's enough. If you don't answer, I'll listen to someone else.”
Then he turned to me.
“Get up.”
I obeyed his command and bowed. “Peace be upon the sun of the empire.”
“Were you the one who screamed a while ago?”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor.”
“Your voice is strong. I heard it on my way.”
"I apologize."
“Is it true what you said? That you tried to prevent a quarrel between the two princes, and that this knight pushed Prince Edwin for no reason?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The knight interrupted in horror:
“Your Majesty! I am innocent! I did not mean—!”
The Emperor's gaze froze like ice:
“Didn’t I give you permission to speak?”
“I-I apologize.”
I bowed down, secretly mocking his foolishness.
“So you confirm that his crime is greater than yours?”
“I did not say that I was innocent, but I asked that he be punished first because he assaulted the prince.”
"they."
The Emperor nodded, then raised his hand. His imperial guards advanced.
“Take him to the execution field. Cut off his arm and strip him of his knighthood.”
The knight's face turned yellow.
“Your Majesty! I am innocent! Your Highness Prince Lloyd, save me!”
But his master had abandoned him from the beginning.
Then the Emperor turned to Edwin, who stood trembling beside me. He looked at him for a moment, then looked at me again:
“Your behavior was rude, but your intention was good. I will forgive just this once.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Lloyd shouted angrily:
“Dad! This woman grabbed me and pushed me too! How…!”
“Enough, Lloyd.”
"my dad-!"
But the emperor did not change his rule.
“I'll find you a new guard myself. It's over.”
Lloyd growled as he looked away, then walked out with angry steps.
The Emperor said regretfully:
“It is shameful for the prince to lose control of his emotions like this.”
Then he smiled at the man next to him:
“Sorry, Your Majesty, I witnessed a miserable scene.”
“It's okay. Boys at this age are full of enthusiasm.”
That man was none other than King Kaiden, King of the Adamant Kingdom.
'I never felt his presence.'
I remembered the moment he appeared. Even the knight's sprained wrist I couldn't anticipate. Is it possible that the rumor of him fighting a hundred monsters alone is not just an exaggeration?
The Emperor said:
“It's hot, let's continue the conversation in the palace.”
“As you command, Your Majesty.”
When he passed by me, I bowed. King Caiden passed by in turn, and then I smelled a familiar scent: jasmine.
The scent of the soap I used in my previous life, mixed with a light touch of mint. It was only sold in a small, remote pharmacy... How could a foreign king carry it?
This is strange.
I slowly raised my head, and there was a low voice alone whispering:
“I thought you were just good at hiding, but you seem to be very smart, too.”
My face froze. Stealth?
I looked up, and my eyes met his bright amber eyes like those of a monster. He smiled lightly, then left like a breeze.
“See you next time.”