The Prince and the Prince (4)

After hearing Agnes recount her first meeting with Prince Antonio, I could somewhat understand his sudden obsession with her.

From Antonio’s perspective, it must have felt like a knight in shining armor-no, more like a sudden encounter where she saved him from danger and then disappeared without a trace.

It didn’t really matter what Agnes’s intentions had been. In Antonio’s mind, she would remain the woman who saved him and vanished without even revealing her name.

Even though Agnes herself thought it wasn’t a big deal, the fact that I could still understand it meant that, from Antonio’s perspective, the memory was likely exaggerated even further.

‘Antonio isn’t a bad person per se…’

Though he claimed to have no ambition for greater power, that was more a result of his upbringing forcing him into that position.

His basic temperament was gentle, and while he always wore an inscrutable smile, that suspicious expression was just a survival tactic, nothing more.

He never betrayed anyone in the story, and aside from being slightly lacking in ability, he was a decent guy.

And even that “lack of ability” only referred to his performance in the Demon King subjugation force-it wasn’t like he was lacking as a person. Judging someone solely by combat prowess was never an objective measure to begin with.

‘Well, it’s not like my opinion of Antonio matters much now anyway.’

Even if the incident stemmed from Ethan and me attending the masquerade ball as Snowball, this was ultimately a matter between two people unrelated to us.

Naturally, the decision about their future was something they had to figure out themselves.

No matter how much I praised Antonio’s good points, it wouldn’t mean anything if Agnes wasn’t interested. And the same went for the opposite.

All I could do was listen to Agnes’s worries and offer a little advice.

“What do you want to do, Agnes-yang?”

“……Huh?”

“It was a sudden confession, but a confession is still a confession. Running away won’t make it disappear, Agnes-yang.”

“…I know.”

Agnes leaned against the railing, gazing at the scenery outside the imperial palace with a complicated expression.

The capital was bustling even in the evening, with lights illuminating the dim streets. If she became the crown princess, this would be the view she’d see every day. Or perhaps she was just feeling conflicted.

If I were in her shoes, I’d be troubled too.

“First, I’ll check if he’s serious.”

“And if he is?”

“…Then I’ll do it.”

“Wait, really?”

“It’d be advantageous for the succession battle. If I get engaged to a prince, most of the qualifications the old farts at home demand will be met.”

…Even in something this important, she’s still calculating based on her succession issues.

I wasn’t trying to interfere with Prince Antonio, but personally, I hoped Agnes would make a more careful decision.

If she accepted the engagement now just because it was “necessary,” she might miss the chance to truly understand each other.

“I understand how you feel, Agnes-yang… but do you really need to decide right now?”

“……Huh?”

“An engagement with Prince Antonio would benefit you, but an engagement is still a step before choosing a lifelong partner. Isn’t it too hasty to decide after just two meetings?”

“…….”

“Regardless of whether you want to get engaged to Prince Antonio, wouldn’t it be better to take some time to get to know each other first? He’ll be enrolling at the academy next year anyway, so you’ll naturally have more chances to meet.”

At first, Agnes looked skeptical, but as she listened, she began seriously considering it.

After all, she’d already benefited from my advice once before. And since I was one of her few friends, my words probably carried more weight.

Though I could tell she didn’t want to let this rare opportunity slip away.

“But what if Antonio gets upset and calls off the engagement entirely?”

“Then he was never worth it to begin with. An engagement with someone like that would only bring misery, so there’s no need to regret it.”

“…You say that so easily. Not everyone gets a chance to marry a prince.”

“The same goes for you, Agnes-yang. How many people get to be the next head of House Elizabeth and the future master of the Crimson Tower?”

“W-wait, the next head of Elizabeth… the future master of the Crimson Tower… Hmm, you might have a point, Lilith.”

…Her pride in herself is as strong as ever.

As I mentioned before, in the original game, Agnes mostly ended up with solo endings unless she paired with the hero.

In other words, you had to be at least as good as the hero to have a chance with her.

Objectively speaking, Antonio was the one who got lucky here.

Agnes hadn’t even joined the Demon King subjugation force yet, nor had she been officially recognized as the next head of House Elizabeth. This was the only time he could stand on equal footing with her.

“Romance is a game where the one who cares less has the upper hand. If you accept a public confession like this without prior discussion, how do you think Prince Antonio will treat you afterward?”

“…How?”

“He’ll think, ‘This woman will tolerate any disrespect from me,’ and act even more carelessly. He might push for intimacy before marriage, ignore your preferences during dates, or even bring in concubines and second wives.”

“…R-really?”

“Yes. That’s why you need to set boundaries now. Make it clear that his public confession was inappropriate, and say you think an engagement is too soon-you should get to know each other first. That way, he’ll realize, ‘This isn’t a woman I can manipulate easily,’ and ‘She’s taking me seriously, not just because I’m a prince.'”

“…….”

“Of course, this is just my opinion. The decision is yours. If you still want to accept the engagement just because he’s a prince, I won’t stop you.”

I might have exaggerated a bit to scare Agnes.

Given Antonio’s personality in the game, it was unlikely he’d demand intimacy before marriage or take multiple concubines.

But it didn’t hurt to be cautious. People aren’t always consistent, and who knows how meeting Agnes two years ago might have changed him?

Just look at Ethan-the current Ethan and the “disgusting route” Ethan from the game are practically different people now.

…Though in Ethan’s case, it was a change for the better. But not all changes go that way.

-Bang!

“F-found you! You’re here!”

“Ah, Lady Agnes! No, Your Highness the Crown Princess! You must return to the Sunflower Hall at once…!”

At that moment, imperial guards burst into the outdoor garden and hurried toward us.

Judging by their exhausted looks, they must have searched floor by floor before finally reaching us.

…Well, the timing wasn’t bad. I’d already said everything I needed to.

“Lady Agnes, Prince Antonio is still waiting in the banquet hall-“

“Don’t call me ‘Crown Princess.’ Nothing’s been decided yet.”

“……Pardon?”

“And don’t crowd me. I’m not running away. I just needed time to think.”

“Y-yes, my apologies!”

The guards immediately stepped back at Agnes’s firm tone.

Even if she wasn’t officially engaged yet, she was still the woman Prince Antonio had his eyes on.

I followed her back to the Noontide Sunflower Hall, and as we walked, Agnes glanced at me and brought up our earlier conversation.

“You said romance is a game where the one who cares less has the upper hand?”

“Yes, Agnes-yang.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Since it’s coming from you, Lilith.”

“Thank you, Agnes-yang.”

“Watching you and Ethan, it doesn’t seem like you’re wrong.”

“……Huh?”

Before I could process her last remark, Agnes pushed open the doors to the Noontide Sunflower Hall and stepped back inside.

Now, all that was left was to quietly watch and see what decision she would make.