Etrion Royal Castle (2)

Elizabeth Etrion.

She holds the special position of being the beloved youngest daughter in the Etrion royal family, which is full of princes.

Officially, she has five older brothers.

Unofficially, there are four more half-brothers who are presumed to be the king’s illegitimate children.

To the king who has only seen sons all his life, Elizabeth is a precious daughter and at the same time.

A kind of strategic asset that can secure a solid alliance through the means of marriage.

She learned about the duties of royal women from her mother.

She thought such a moment would come someday, but.

She never imagined it would be today.

• Daughter.
• Yes, Father.
• I’ve found a suitable match. I won’t say to hold the wedding right away, but how about having an engagement ceremony and getting to know each other gradually?

  Finally, what was bound to come has arrived.

• May I ask who the other party is?

  Along with the question.

  Elizabeth quickly sorted through the families that could be considered as potential matches.

  The most powerful house in Etre, the Duke of Lukli?

  The Sicili Count family, the kingdom’s martial house that has produced upper expert-level knights for generations?

  If not those two, then the ruler of the south, the Count of Solas?

  But an unexpected answer came out.

• We’ll need to verify, but it’s someone who has recently caused quite a stir in society.
• What? Then could it be…
• Yes, a man worthy of the title of legendary hero has appeared. His name is Ethan, I hear.
• Ethan…

  He was a man who remained in her memory due to his unconventional actions.

  He took in children with nowhere to go.

  He cleaned up the city’s ruffians.

  And it’s said he contributed to punishing corrupt nobles.

  Recognized for his abilities, he became the assistant to the mayor of a free city.

  Is that all?

  They say he personally found a mine to solve the kingdom’s mana stone depletion problem.

  Defeating the demon worshipper that appeared in the process was just a bonus.

  ‘What kind of person could he be? Is he kind and strong like the rumors say?’

  Elizabeth, who was very curious, was intrigued.

  Rather than marrying self-important nobles and being treated like a pretty ornament.

  It seemed better to live freely by the side of a hero with a brilliant future, even if he was a commoner.

• If you’re not against it…
• I’ll meet him!
• Oh? You will?
• Yes, so please leave it to me, Father.

  Elizabeth headed straight to the annex upon hearing that Ethan and his group had entered the castle.

  Before opening the door.

  She tidied her clothes one last time and.

  The moment she dismissed her attendants to have a private conversation.

• Creak.

  The door opened.

  “Hello.”

  “Yes, hello.”

  ‘What’s this? Is he a servant employed by the hero?’

  As he looked like an ordinary man, she turned her head to look inside through the door gap, but there were only young children and women.

  Even that, she couldn’t confirm properly as the man kept blocking with his body.

  This happened three times.

  ‘Could this man be…?’

  Elizabeth cleared her throat and asked.

  “You’re Ethan, right? Don’t you know me?”

  “Excuse me, but who are you…”

  “It seems you haven’t been informed yet. I am Elizabeth Largen Schloss Etrion.”

  The man who looked blank for a moment soon.

  “…Are you the princess?”

  He uttered such an obvious statement.

  ‘Well, he’s not ugly, and he doesn’t seem foolish. He has that pure commoner feeling from outside the castle that Jenny told me about?’

  Elizabeth recalled the ‘adult stories’ her personal maid Jenny used to tell her.

  She remembered the lesson that if a gentle-looking young man is judged to be capable, he must have a devilish charm.

  ‘Is this what they call a reverse charm?’

  If anything, this made her more interested.

  “Could we talk for a moment?”

  “Y-Yes. Please come in.”

  Somehow, she felt her favorability rising.

  Elizabeth thought this must be the devilish charm that Ethan possessed.

  Of course, she had no idea it was the intimacy-increasing effect given by the World Tree’s root.

‘Why did the princess suddenly come to visit?’

Ethan responded calmly.

The only daughter of the current King of Etrion.

Elizabeth Etrion.

If not for Ethan’s intervention, she would have become a puppet queen in the future.

“Unni, your blonde hair is so pretty!”

“Thank you. It was Hwaryon, right? Your red hair is pretty too. Are you from the Selarne continent?”

“How did you know?”

Watching Elizabeth seated on the throne and.

The friendly conversation between Hwaryon, who would manipulate the Kingdom of Etrion as the Black Baroness in the future.

He felt somehow strange.

To confirm if his memory was correct, he opened the Story window.

「King Pellis II of Etrion was full of worries.

It was an anguish that anyone would experience if they were the king of a country and the abilities of the sons who would inherit the throne were all similar.

Who on earth should be named as the successor?

The situation on the continent was becoming increasingly serious, and the nobles were gradually breaking free from royal control.

Most of the prestigious families were growing their power with the enormous funds earned through the underworld.

The kingdom was in a great crisis both internally and externally, but Pellis II had grown too old to grasp control of state affairs, so he had to hurry and choose a successor.

But Pellis II fell ill without deciding on a successor.

Five princes and four illegitimate sons.

The nobles each chose one, showing off their influence to create the future king.

Naturally, a war of succession broke out in Etrion.

Around the time when all of Etrion was becoming a wasteland.

The Black Baroness Hwaryon, who appeared out of nowhere, took control of Etre and quickly cleaned up the instigators of the civil war by mobilizing the nobles under her command.

Finally, when the second prince, who had fled to the west, was defeated and committed suicide, Hwaryon left Etre and enthroned Elizabeth, who had been hiding, as queen.

It was the moment when the black rose rooted in darkness spread out to the bright world and bloomed.

Elizabeth, who sat on the throne unwillingly.

Her end was similar.

Etrion, which had been controlled by Hwaryon and the underworld, was ultimately defeated in the great war against the allied forces of Ligrion, the Holy Spirit Realm, and the anti-Hwaryon noble faction of Etrion.

Elizabeth was classified as Hwaryon’s sympathizer and executed.」

Closing the Story window.

He looked at Elizabeth.

Seeing her like this, she seemed pitiful.

‘Elizabeth wanted to escape from the stuffy castle all her life.’

A woman with a free spirit unlike a royal.

The fact that such a bright girl was forced to become queen and had to go along with evil deeds was one of the important parts that highlighted Hwaryon’s villainous narrative.

Although Hwaryon will no longer become the leader of the underworld.

And the nobles won’t expand their power due to the underworld’s downfall.

The problem of succession to the throne still remains.

‘Maybe that’s why she came.’

She might ask Ethan, who is mistaken for a hero, to be her strength.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have any particular power.

“Ah, I’m sorry. The children are so cute and lovely that I completely forgot why I came here!”

“It’s alright. More importantly, what business did you come for…”

“Hmm~ It’s nothing much, Father hopes that I get to know you.”

‘As expected, is it a calculation to build a friendship with me to help the princess?’

If not, there would be no reason to send the princess to meet Ethan, who is just a commoner.

“It’s an honor.”

“Fufu, I’m grateful just for those words. It’s an honor for me to meet the hero of the new era.”

“Hero? That’s nonsense.”

“What else should we call someone who has defeated three demon worshippers and prevented a demon summoning ritual, saving tens of thousands of lives?”

“……”

Looking at Ethan who seemed to think ‘Is that so?’

‘Not only pure, but humble rather than boasting about his achievements.’

Elizabeth thought this man was quite decent.

“It really is different meeting you in person.”

“…Is that so?”

She smiled and stood up from her seat.

“You must have been tired coming all the way to the castle. I’ve taken up too much of your rest time.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Let’s meet at the victory celebration banquet in two days.”

The princess disappeared as suddenly as she had come.

• Crunch.

  The sound of something breaking repeatedly was heard from somewhere, but.

  Ethan couldn’t find the source of the sound.

The award ceremony for the demon worshipper subjugation, which was originally planned to be held on a small scale.

But when Etre was in crisis.

When the person scheduled to receive the award not only detected the crisis in advance but personally stepped forward to defeat two more demon worshippers.

“Increase the scale even more grandly! Hold a banquet and summon all the nobles of Etrion to the royal capital!”

The king stepped in and started to expand the event.

The award ceremony soon became a grand event called the victory celebration ceremony and banquet.

Nobles who received the news arrived in Etre one after another.

And before long, the day of the victory celebration ceremony arrived.

“Cecil!”

“Oh, Princess. It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”

“I’m always the same. Count Sharian, it’s been a while too, hasn’t it?”

“Yes, have you been in good health?”

Count Sharian, who had become the ruler of the northeast, was also invited.

The count made way for the two girls, and.

Elizabeth took Cecil to a secluded corner of the garden.

“Cecil, actually, I…”

And Elizabeth told her about what happened recently.

But then.

“P-Princess?”

“What’s wrong? Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Although Elizabeth didn’t mention the other person’s name.

Just hearing a little, it was immediately clear who it was.

‘You want to have a romance with him?’

Cecil had such thoughts too.

If she took such a promising man with that much power and authority as her husband.

The family would prosper and the northeast region would surely become the best in Etrion.

But.

That’s only possible if the other party wants it.

A man who easily eliminates nobles and demon worshippers if he wants to.

He might even annihilate the royal family if he thinks the Etrion royal house is getting in his way.

“H-Have you confirmed the other party’s intentions?”

“Of course~ He didn’t seem to dislike it.”

Elizabeth gently wrapped Cecil’s hands.

“That’s why I wanted to ask for your advice.”

The two usually exchange letters.

The main topic was about the romance novels they had read.

Although they had no actual dating experience.

Cecil was a kind of senior who had encountered romance novels earlier and knew more than Elizabeth.

“Advice… you say?”

Cecil composed herself and.

Thought of things that would be most helpful to Elizabeth.

“You must, absolutely must not say anything rude. And if the other party shows signs of displeasure or makes an unpleasant expression, apologize first. You must do this.”

“Hmm?”

Elizabeth seemed perplexed as it was different from the answer she expected.

She wanted ordinary dating advice, but.

The advice from her friend she met after a long time was not about the dating target.

It was more like advice that would be helpful when taming a ferocious monster.

“You must never make him annoyed, and you shouldn’t whine or act coy. He probably doesn’t like having his alone time disturbed either.”

“R-Really?”

“You must keep this in mind! The fate of the kingdom depends on it!”

“Alright, Cecil. Calm down.”

Elizabeth didn’t know Cecil was so worried about her.

And at that time.

“His Majesty the King.”

“Welcome, hero.”

Ethan was having an audience with Pellis II.