Imperial Princess 2

“Is it an important matter?”

Theodore asked Louise, the Imperial Princess of the Britannia Empire who was requesting him to spare time, whether it was important.

“Yes. It’s a very important matter. I would like to speak with you alone.”

Louise immediately answered that it was important. Hearing her answer, Theodore nodded as if understanding and said.

“Then please contact me when I have time later.”

“Yes, then… what?”

Louise, who had naturally expected Theodore to accept, showed confusion at his unexpected response.

“But… it’s an important matter? What do you mean by later?”

Louise emphasized that it was important, showing signs that she wanted to talk now, not later. However, Theodore looked at her as if finding it strange.

“That’s peculiar. Didn’t you say we’re meeting for the first time?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

“Then that means you and I, Imperial Princess Louise, are meeting here for the first time, and we have no previous connection, correct?”

“That’s right.”

Imperial Princess Louise seemed unable to understand why he kept talking like this. However, Yuria could guess what Theodore was trying to say.

“I met Imperial Princess Louise for the first time here, and we had no previous connection until now, right? So why should I have a private conversation with the Imperial Princess?”

“Be-because it’s an important matter.”

“Important enough to hide from my fiancée?”

When Theodore pointed at Yuria herself as he asked, Imperial Princess Louise seemed to realize what he was trying to say.

“I have no relationship whatsoever with the Imperial Princess, and I have no memory of creating any inappropriate secrets that would need to be kept from my fiancée, nor could such a thing happen, which is strange.”

“Ah, that…”

Imperial Princess Louise seemed momentarily speechless.

It seemed clear that this beautiful Imperial Princess had approached Theodore with some ulterior motive, and Theodore didn’t seem to want to deal with her.

“Lord Theodore, did you just get a confession from the Imperial Princess whom you’re meeting for the first time?”

Yuria spoke, thinking she should play along with the act appropriately. However, at this moment, she was surprised to find her own words coming out slightly sharper than intended.

“It seems so. They say that beautiful flowers gather around outstanding men, but this is unexpected.”

“W-wait a moment?!”

As Imperial Princess Louise showed signs of embarrassment, Theodore slightly smiled and took Yuria’s hand, which surprised her a bit, but she quietly allowed herself to be led by his hand.

“Let me offer some advice to the Imperial Princess: even if it’s unavoidable to harbor warm feelings towards a man who is already engaged, simply because he is too outstanding, I would advise you to try to suppress those feelings as much as possible.”

“Wait a moment?! Y-you’re misunderstanding something…”

Imperial Princess Louise tried to say something as if feeling wronged, but Theodore didn’t listen to her anymore.

“Let’s go, Lady Yuria.”

“Yes, Lord Theodore.”

Yuria felt her mood improving for some reason.

With that thought, the two of them left the place together and moved to a location with no people around.

“Lord Theodore, what do you think was the real purpose of the Imperial Princess just now?”

Yuria asked Theodore after they had moved away.

She wanted to know the definite answer as to why the Imperial Princess had asked Theodore for time, saying it was an important matter.

“She’s trying to confirm something.”

“Confirm?”

“Yes.”

Yuria could guess what confirmation Theodore was talking about.

‘Theodore Artin. She wants to confirm if Lord Theodore’s identity is really him.’

With the incident involving Duke and Duchess Artin, plus the abilities he had shown at the academy today, it wasn’t strange that the Imperial Princess herself would show interest.

“Lord Theodore. What do you want to do from now on?”

“I’m going to watch.”

Theodore immediately answered Yuria’s question.

“Watch?”

“Yes. I’ll just let them watch on their own.”

At those words, Yuria didn’t ask any further questions.

“Whatever your past is, honestly, I don’t feel it matters to me.”

Instead of asking questions, she began to share her thoughts.

“To me, you’ve always been Theodore Skyroad, and always will be. You were adopted into House Skyroad, and from your appearance to your abilities, you were annoyingly excellent and knew it, making you an annoying person.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Recently you haven’t been treating me annoyingly, but still, it’s inevitable to feel a bit jealous towards someone so excellent.”

At Yuria’s words, Theodore nodded.

“That’s actually a good thing. Jealousy isn’t necessarily negative. If you use it as a driving force and nurture the thought of someday surpassing me, jealousy will turn into competitive spirit and the desire to win, which will become a force for growth.”

Having said that, Theodore lightly clenched and unclenched his fist.

“It’s a problem if you don’t have such emotions. It means you’ve given up on the idea of growing further, abandoning all possibilities for development.”

At Theodore’s words, Yuria lightly placed her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist.

“The possibility of development… that’s right.”

Yuria smiled slightly.

“I think I can develop even more because of Lord Theodore. Whether it’s the thought of landing a hit on you someday, or the feeling of growth I experience as I aim towards Lord Theodore.”

“That’s good. Many people might get discouraged when results don’t show immediately, but if you don’t give up, there will definitely be gains just from that. Especially for someone like you.”

At Theodore’s advice, Yuria nodded and said.

“Yes, I think I understand.”

Yuria felt like she was gradually understanding what Theodore Skyroad meant to her.

Since she had no intention of breaking off the engagement with him, her fiancé, she thought they might hold the wedding ceremony right after graduating from the academy.

Previously, she had only thought of it passively, following the engagement between their families, but now she asked herself what she truly thought. And she got her answer.

“Lord Theodore, that Imperial Princess won’t give up after this, will she?”

“Right. She’ll stick persistently. Even if it’s just a possibility, she won’t give up until she’s completed her confirmation. And if she learns the truth… she’ll stick even more persistently.”

She might even readily use seduction.

With that thought, Yuria felt a sense of displeasure.

Beyond feeling tightness in her chest, just the thought made her feel hostility rising towards Imperial Princess Louise, confirming that a change had occurred in her heart.

Just a short while ago, she might have simply thought Imperial Princess Louise was foolish and not given it much more thought. But now…

“Lord Theodore. Do you perhaps have time?”

“You want to spend time alone with me?”

At Theodore’s question, Yuria nodded.

“Yes, it’s a very important matter to me.”

Yuria’s answer was similar to what Imperial Princess Louise had said. But Theodore’s attitude towards her words was completely different from how he had treated the Imperial Princess.

He had an expression as if he knew what she was thinking, but he just smiled lightly and spoke gently.

“If it’s important to you, I should gladly make time. Yes, what is it about?”

And Yuria felt deep satisfaction at this response from Theodore.

She had tried to return the smile Theodore gave her, but her smile momentarily faltered.

It was because of her reddened cheeks and her heart that began to beat roughly.

Unlike how he had treated Imperial Princess Louise, he spoke to her like this and gave her special treatment, making her strongly realize how she was regarded by him, and she felt an ecstatic joy rising.

‘Ah, I… get a grip!’

After urging herself to get a grip, she took a deep breath.

“I, I think I’ve realized something from what I just gained… I need help.”

It felt too embarrassing to say even this much.

At Yuria’s answer, Theodore nodded.

“Yes, it’s definitely important. I’ll gladly help. If it’s about helping you soar more splendidly than anyone else, I should make time whenever needed.”

At Theodore’s words, Yuria realized that he had become excessively kind to her.

Yuria Arsein, who clearly felt his nature of becoming excessively kind to people he had given affection to, was almost dizzy from the intense emotional changes it caused.

“Just a moment.”

When Theodore personally touched her body and carefully adjusted her posture, her thoughts were momentarily interrupted.

She became temporarily unable to think.

---

“This is troublesome.”

Imperial Princess Louise gritted her teeth, recalling Yuria Arsein, Theodore Skyroad’s fiancée who had been by his side.

‘I need to confirm if he is Theodore Artin! But there’s an annoying obstacle attached to his side!’

The reef was stronger than expected.

They said she was the foremost beauty of the Arcan Empire, and indeed, even to herself, who was somewhat famous as a beauty in the Britannia Empire, Yuria’s appearance was dazzlingly beautiful to the point of making her doubt if she was really a person.

Moreover, her sensual figure seemed sufficient to captivate men just by her body alone.

‘And on top of that, she’s the eldest daughter of House Arsein and even an outstanding swordswoman. If Theodore Skyroad’s identity is Theodore, and he is the real Chosen One…’

She had to use whatever means necessary to make him return to the Britannia Empire’s side.

However, it seemed the Arcan Empire wasn’t stupid and had prepared for this by placing the best woman by his side.

‘I need to separate Yuria Arsein from him somehow.’

Feeling the need to separate her from Theodore’s side even momentarily, Imperial Princess Louise’s eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

‘Theodore Skyroad.’

And if he was the Chosen One…

‘I’ll make you become my husband.’

She would definitely make him hers.

She would make him fall for her so deeply that he couldn’t escape.

Even if it meant using any dirty means.