Chapter 11: Princess Isis Is NOT the Heroine (4)

“…Though they might not be a threat to this lady, it’s undeniable that they’re buds that could threaten Arthur’s position. That’s why, this lady wishes them dead.”

“Is it really that serious? Aren’t they just an adopted daughter and an illegitimate child?”

Lee Han couldn’t understand why Crown Princess Isis cared so much about the two of them. In his view, even though they were the top students of the Academy, their bloodlines were nothing compared to Arthur’s. Both of them might be people who were born with diamond spoons, but compared to the kid’s spoons, theirs might as well be as worthless as the spoons sold in the street shops.

“Yes, that might be the case… For now.”

“…For now?”

“The thing that this lady is about to say from now on is a top secret only known to her and three others. So, don’t go around talking about it.”

“Can I just…refuse to listen to it?”

“You can. But you should still listen.”

…What a heartless tyrant…

“First, Irene Windler. The reason why this lady’s uncle adopted her into his household is because that girl looked exactly like his late wife.”

“Tsk tsk, as expected of a noble, his taste really is sophisticated. He even went out of his way to take in a substitute for his wife.”

“Cut the sarcasm. The feeling of longing is something that both commoners and nobles feel. That just shows how much he missed this lady’s aunt.”

Yeah, but that still doesn’t excuse him adopting a woman who looks like his wife…

“This is still just a speculation made by some of the royal family members… There’s a high possibility that Irene Windler is his ‘real child’.”

“…Sorry?”

“Irene Windler could be this lady’s uncle—the person who’s second in line to the throne—real daughter. This lady’s aunt’s official cause of death was from a fall. But at that time, she was in her late-stage pregnancy, so there’s a big possibility that she survived the fall, but passed away after giving birth instead.”

“D-Do you really think she survived the fall?”

“Aunt was a pure-blooded fairy. She was a noble person possessing a mystic ability that wouldn’t lose out to even the royalties, so it’s not impossible that she survived the fall, gave birth to her child and passed away after.”

“…”

“Surprised? Well, even this lady was surprised when she first heard about it.”

“…Ugh.”

While they were both surprised, the reasons behind that were different for both of them.

Huh…? That kind of story…feels familiar…

Secret of one’s birth, an extraordinary bloodline, becoming a mage even though she came from a poor family background and becoming a top student on top of it. Not only that, she was even adopted by a duke’s family and that same duke might be her biological father since she resembled the late duchess so much…

Isn’t this…?

The setting for a main character in a rofan?

Back when I was working as a non-commissioned officer, there were many comics with that genre. Sometimes, I’d read them to relieve my boredom whenever I had night shifts. Most of them are stories about the main character’s life getting turned for a better after possessing a character from a game or novel—

N-No. I’m probably overthinking it.

Lee Han tried to brush his thoughts off, telling himself that he was thinking nonsense.

S-She’s a woman with such a sad past, it’s normal for any adult to look at her with warmth… Surely…

“-But there’s something odd about Irene Windler. Every day, she’d always mutter ‘I have a place to return to’ to herself. This lady even received information that she had made a strange contract with the duke, saying that her adoption should be canceled as soon as he brought in a new adoptive daughter in two years.”

“She’s the real thing…”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“A-Ah… N-No, it’s nothing…”

“?”

Those words made Lee Han sure…

That woman was definitely a transmigrator.

…There’s another one aside from me…?

Of course, Lee Han always thought of the possibility that there was someone else who was stuck in this unusual situation. But never in his wildest dream that he’d come to know of their existence in this way.

The genre was such an obvious one too.

Wait, does that mean that this world is a rofan?

Why the hell is it so bleak and hopeless then?!

As Lee Han was having such thoughts…

“However, that’s still nothing but suspicion. No one knows for sure if she’s truly Uncle’s daughter or not. This lady isn’t even sure if there’s a way to prove that. Until that changes, Irene Windler’s status will remain as a potential enemy. However, it’s a different case with Lionel’s illegitimate son.”

“What about him?”

What, is he someone who’d become the future Northern Archduke? Like what happened in those rofans?

“There is a suspicion that he might possess ‘Future Sight’.”

“…”

“According to the reports, the young man called Roen suddenly began to stand out seven years ago. At the age of 13, he defeated the archduke’s apprentice knight and turned him into his squire. Then, he managed to succeed in all the business he developed, even though everyone else thought that they were useless endeavors. He even managed to prove himself to be a genius as he kept on showing off new and much more advanced combat techniques.”

“…Huh…?

“Since then, that young man became one of the most promising candidates for the Lionel Family’s succession. Due to his achievements and talent, this lady’s maternal uncle must have decided to give him a chance while putting his status as an illegitimate child aside. Not only that—”

Lee Han couldn’t bear to hear any more of her explanation. Well, he already understood what happened without hearing the rest anyway.

Because his story was just as obvious and cliche as Irene Windler’s.

What? This time it’s a regression story?!

Like rofan, that was one of the most popular genres in his previous life. If he were to plaster a title on this young man’s story, it would probably be something like ‘I’ve Returned from a Ruined World and Became the Savior of the World’.

Is this really happening right now…?

As Lee Han’s emotions became more complicated, the Crown Princess’ explanation reached its end.

“-It’s impossible for his actions to succeed if he doesn’t know the future. We are betting on the possibility that he had awakened the mystical ability that the Legendary Mage was reported to have: Future Sight. Needless to say, if someone like that were to become the archduke, he would become a great threat to the royal family.”

“…Yeah, that sounds about right…”

“Hm? Have you thought of something?”

“A-Ah, n-no. I-It’s just that, when I looked at him, he didn’t seem like he’d be a threat, you know?”

“I assume that this must be related to your ‘instinct’. Alright, this lady will keep that in mind.”

“…A-Ahem.”

Though he wasn’t lying, he still felt conflicted.

I don’t think your worries are going to come true, Big Sister, but… I don’t even know how to explain this to you…

Like, where should I start? From how they remembered their past lives? Then, the transmigration and regression part? But, even if I do, it would be a miracle if you don’t treat me as a lunatic…

Whatever, let’s just forget it.

And so, he decided that he wouldn’t tell her about it. He believed that as long as he kept his mouth shut, everything would be fine. After all, that was the rule that applied in this medieval fantasy world.

Who cares if this world’s genre is a rofan or a regression?

As long as I got good food and a good life, it’s all good.

…And if there’s anyone who’d bother me, I’d just need to crush them. It’s simple.

Like that, Lee Han made a vow in his mind that he’d rather live a simple life than a complicated one.

“Now that you’ve heard this lady’s explanation, you must have understood why this lady wishes to kill them.”

“Yes, yes, they’re dangerous indeed.”

“…This lady doesn’t feel a shred of sympathy in your expression.”

“No, no, I am very sympathetic for you, Big Sister. Well, now that I’ve heard your explanation, what is it that you need me to do?”

“…Seriously, you mannerless…”

Even though Isis found the situation to be a serious one, since the other person reacted so poorly, she couldn’t get the mood to be serious with him either.

And so, she just spoke to him bluntly.

“This lady needs to know whether those people are a threat or not to Arthur’s power.”

“Why don’t you just call them over and ask them yourself?”

“Are you expecting this lady to trust their words? This lady has no way to know their hearts.”

“Then how can you trust someone?”

“From their circumstances and present situation.”

“…”

Lee Han had to admit that it was a really good line. Actually, he could see where she was coming from. Truly, someone needed to be this charismatic to become a monarch.

“In any case, that’s why this lady wants you to get to know them. This lady believes that with your eyes, no, senses, you will be able to figure out everything.”

“…Your explanation was so long-winded, I thought you’d ask me something big… But, it’s just this…?”

Lee Han was already thinking of ways to refuse her if her request ended up being too much for him to accept, and yet she just asked him to use his senses to determine if they were a threat or not…

This anticlimactic conclusion to such a grand prelude left him extremely disappointed.

“But, you can’t make your judgment just by looking at them once.”

“…??”

“They are still young. Though they might not have a desire for power and authority now, their nature might change as time passes. That’s why this lady needs you to constantly supervise and observe them.”

“…I’m asking just for reference. How long will this last?”

“At least for three years that they attend the Academy. This lady believes that we’ll get the desired result if we were to watch them for that long.”

“…”

“So, can you—”

“No. I won’t do it.”

“…Don’t you know that it’s bad manners to interrupt someone when they’re talking?”

“On the contrary, in this specific situation, it’s good manners to do that.”

“…Hmph.”

“Uuuu?”

Arthur tilted his head cutely, as if he wasn’t used to seeing his mother showing such discontent as things didn’t go her way. Meanwhile, Lee Han just stared at her without feeling anything in particular.

“We are done, right? Then…”

And so, he decided that it was time for him to leave. He didn’t need to entertain this kind of childish—

Thud-!

“…Hmm?”

“Drink it.”

Suddenly, Isis threw a small glass vial with purple liquid sloshed around towards him. He casted a glance at it, clearly confused.

“Can’t I know what this is first before drinking it?”

“No need to worry, you won’t regret it. This lady swears on the name of the Pendragon that there are no bad things inside that potion.”

“…”

Swearing on their surname for someone with royal blood was the equivalent of vowing by using their soul on the line.

Say that a guy made a lot of promises to get elected and swore on that same oath, but he didn’t keep his promises later. In Lee Han’s previous world, he would get away with it without any repercussions, but in here, he’d feel the pain of his soul being torn apart ten thousands of times a day.

In other words, it was an oath that would only cause suffering throughout one’s life before they were eventually snuff out.

That was why Lee Han–

“Jeez.”

–Decided to drink it.

Pop-!

He opened the lid without hesitation and emptied the liquid into his stomach.

Crown Princess Isis told him that it wouldn’t harm him and he figured that this was something that could convince him to take up on her request, but…

“…Hmm?!!”

“Hahaha!”

While Lee Han was left speechless and shocked from the potion’s effect, a winning smile bloomed on Isis’ face, as if declaring that the winner of their game had been decided.

And she would be correct to assume so.

…T-This… I have to get this…! I have to—!

And that was because…

Lee Han’s thing that had become ‘incapable’ was finally able to move again, albeit just a little.

Feeling the sensation he had never felt for the past [15 years], he felt like he was about to cry.