Ch.227227. Eleanor

“Failure in the subjugation?”

Elenoa sighed deeply upon hearing the news.

The information just delivered by the fourth prince, Lerhulta Zerman, was that shocking.

“Yeah, I heard they failed the subjugation. I was told the monster was bigger and faster than expected, so they couldn’t even inflict much damage. So my brothers got scolded badly by father.”

Was it appropriate to simply describe it as being scolded?

It seemed like an excessively light expression compared to the value of the lives of the soldiers the three had led.

By the way, since there was only a one-year age difference between Elenoa and the 4th Prince Lerhulta, they had agreed to speak informally as friends.

“The vassals barely managed to stop father from saying he would go himself.”

Lerhulta mumbled while chewing on the fruit he had supposedly brought for Elenoa.

He shook his head vigorously as he criticized his rough-edged brothers.

“I wondered why my brothers, who fight every day claiming it’s training, were suddenly working together. Father must have been very disappointed.”

‘That father of his.’

The 4th Prince Lerhulta was excessively devoted to his father.

Even now, he added his father’s reaction to every statement he made.

An excessive loyalty and dependence toward his father, King Ramahul.

That was the man Lerhulta was, as Elenoa saw him.

“Sigh, I hope father doesn’t see me the same way as my brothers. You too, of course.”

His winking was truly detestable, but anyway.

Elenoa fell into thought for a moment after hearing those words, then.

“Why don’t you try proving yourself? This seems like an opportunity to show your abilities to His Majesty the King.”

She smiled subtly.

* * *

A few hours later.

It was the 1st Prince Rahul who came.

His expression was noticeably dark, and he was grinding his teeth in anger.

“Lerhulta!”

Rahul, who thought Lerhulta might have come to see Elenoa since he was nowhere to be seen.

In fact, Lerhulta was spending some time in Elenoa’s room.

“Brother?”

Lerhulta looked at the eldest son with a puzzled expression. But the moment Rahul saw him, he immediately swung his fist.

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

His head twisted as his body lifted off the ground before collapsing to the floor. The startled Lerhulta shouted with a dumbfounded expression.

“Wh-what are you doing! Princess Elenoa is right here!”

“Shut up! You dare humiliate me to father? Were you that desperate to look good to him? Even if it meant selling out your brother?!”

“No, b-brother! What are you talking about! I just suggested a way to subjugate the monster!”

“Then why did you have to point out the reasons for the failure of this subjugation! You must have known I was commanding the army!”

“Th-that’s…”

“Thanks to you, do you know what father’s expression was like when he looked at me? You damn bastard!”

Rahul looked like he wanted to hit him a few more times right away, but after his eyes met with Elenoa who was standing by watching, he clicked his tongue and walked out.

It wasn’t a sight to show in front of a foreign princess, but it revealed how emotional and self-centered he was.

“Damn it.”

Lerhulta wiped the blood flowing from his mouth as he got up and apologized to Elenoa.

“I showed you something unsightly.”

With a bitter smile, Lerhulta awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

But Elenoa shook her head.

“I didn’t know Lord Rahul would be so upset. It’s my fault.”

Because it was Elenoa who had given Lerhulta advice on strategies for subjugating large monsters.

The Griffin Kingdom had expanded through invasion. This meant they had not only dealt with natives but also frequently faced monsters, so they had various strategies for dealing with large monsters.

Their accumulated experience differed from that of the Zerman Kingdom, which had survived in places like the Sahar Desert where even monsters struggled to survive.

In response to Elenoa’s apology, Lerhulta vigorously shook his head, insisting it wasn’t her fault.

“No. Thanks to you, I received recognition from father, and I think he’ll call me for the next subjugation too. It’s all thanks to you.”

Lerhulta was genuinely grateful because she had shared one of the Griffin Kingdom’s monster subjugation strategies with him.

But at those words, Elenoa’s expression darkened.

“Wouldn’t that be dangerous?”

“Huh?”

“The method I told you about requires a certain level of skill, along with magic.”

“…”

“If you go along, you’d have to lead the operation as its proposer, but you don’t even have battlefield experience yet…”

At those words, Lerhulta’s expression gradually darkened.

* * *

“Haha, this is so embarrassing.”

Eating grapes placed in the room, the 2nd Prince Rehul scratched the back of his head.

Despite having participated in the monster subjugation with the 1st Prince Rahul and the 3rd Prince Serhul and failing, his expression didn’t seem particularly bad.

“I tried to talk about sending you back to Griffin, but I failed. I’m sorry.”

The 2nd Prince Rehul smiled kindly.

He had an atmosphere that seemed relaxed and leisurely like a cloud, but Elenoa could read the greed within him.

“Father was quite angry. Plus, the fourth son Lerhulta pointed out problems with brother Rahul’s strategy, so my brother’s position is in trouble.”

Listening to the story, Elenoa smiled brightly.

“Still, it’s nice to see that you brothers get along well.”

“…Hm?”

When Rehul asked with a subtle expression what she meant, Elenoa answered recalling what she had seen.

“The 1st Prince Rahul was clearly angry, but he still made up with the 4th Prince Lerhulta.”

“…Made up?”

“Yes, so Lerhulta decided not to participate in the next subjugation. Since Lord Rahul needs to rebuild His Majesty the King’s trust.”

“…”

“That’s natural since he’s the heir apparent.”

The 2nd Prince Rehul looked at Elenoa with an expression suggesting he knew nothing about this.

His once relaxed expression had now turned serious.

“Ahaha, I see. I didn’t know that.”

“It happened suddenly in my room. I was surprised too.”

“…”

“But I was also a bit worried.”

Elenoa muttered with a concerned expression.

“The eldest son, Lord Rahul, seems to have a tendency to be a bit too emotional. From my position as a princess of a neighboring country, I was slightly concerned.”

“…Yes, that could be.”

The heir of a neighboring country being emotional and also known for his interest in women.

Rehul could tell that from Elenoa’s perspective, this wasn’t a good look, though she was phrasing it diplomatically.

“In contrast, Lord Rehul, you’re such a gentle person. You have composure in everything and are peaceful.”

“Thank you.”

Saying that, Rehul glanced at Elenoa, as if contemplating something.

* * *

The 3rd Prince Serhul was a man with a cold demeanor. But if asked whether he was similar to Deus Verdi, that wasn’t quite right either.

It would be more accurate to say he simply remained silent because he wasn’t good with words.

Even when he came alone to Elenoa’s room, he sat silently watching her without saying much.

Scratch, scratch.

Currently, Elenoa was drawing.

She had been able to get a canvas and various tools by asking the 3rd Prince Serhul.

“Who are you drawing?”

Serhul had secretly hoped she might draw him, but.

What was being drawn there was a handsome black-haired man with an indifferent expression.

“Deus Verdi.”

“The Spiritmaster of Griffin. He’s been quite famous recently.”

Elenoa felt like she could draw Deus with her eyes closed now, having drawn him so frequently.

As the drawing neared completion, Elenoa felt increasingly calm.

Though it was her own drawing, seeing Deus made her feel good.

“Hehe.”

The first girlish laugh since coming here. As Elenoa hummed a tune with her shoulders bouncing, Serhul asked with a subtle expression.

“Do you like that man?”

“Yes.”

“…”

Serhul was quite shocked as he hadn’t expected such a resolute answer.

But he didn’t show it in his expression.

“But it’s difficult. He already has a fiancée.”

“…I see.”

“Well, it’s a one-sided love. Can’t be helped.”

Serhul found it more painful than expected to see her sad.

He felt both resentful and envious of the Spiritmaster who had won the heart of such a charming princess despite having a fiancée.

Then Elenoa, as if realizing something, looked back and forth between Serhul and the drawing of Deus before chuckling.

“Come to think of it, Deus and Prince Serhul have something in common.”

“Similar…?”

This man and himself?

Serhul had dull gray hair and tanned skin. He was shorter compared to Deus, and though he looked thin, he was well-muscled.

After all, Serhul was a warrior.

But Elenoa said with a smile.

“You’re both taciturn.”

Watching Elenoa laugh as if something was so funny, Serhul began to harbor a hopeful feeling.

* * *

“You know what’s really bad about her?”

While passing through the Great Marias Forest on our way to the Zerman Kingdom.

Aria, who had come over to our carriage, spoke with dried squid in her mouth.

“Did you just refer to the princess as ‘her’?”

Deia, sitting next to me, cautioned her with disbelief, but Aria paid no attention.

“The really bad thing is how she casually uses everything she can without any hesitation.”

It could be seen as a talent, but Elenoa was a bit different.

“For her goals, she really doesn’t care about the means and just charges ahead. You have no idea how much trouble we went through trying to save those kids she brainwashed back then…”

Aria clicked her tongue while biting the squid and shaking her head.

Deia wondered what on earth she was talking about, but naturally couldn’t understand.

Because it was a story from the first timeline.

“Still, thanks to you, Professor, she completely changed, which is fortunate. What was that illness again?”

At Aria’s words, I remained silent for a moment before shaking my head.

“It wasn’t an illness.”

“What? But the Elenoa now and the Elenoa I knew are very different.”

One was a fallen princess.

As the leader of a rebellion, she used propaganda to turn academy students into rebels and make them dissatisfied with the kingdom.

The other was an innocent Elenoa.

Now she just draws pictures. If there was any deviation, it would be occasionally sketching suggestive drawings and giggling to herself.

So they could be seen as completely different people, but.

“Elenoa hasn’t changed much from back then.”

In the original work, the innocent Elenoa was trapped in dreams, while the Elenoa with only royal responsibilities remained active in reality.

Now, the two personalities have become one.

So.

“She can be both.”

“…”

At my words, Aria gulped down a squid leg and asked me with a subtle expression.

“She won’t cause trouble, right?”

To that question.

“…”

I found it difficult to answer.