Chapter 18. None of Your Business

Chris stared at me strangely as I changed my clothes.

“Are you planning on stealing something?”

And he started a fight.

“Are there no spies in the North?”

“There are. Is that not why Your Highness is wearing the same clothes?”

“Then why are you talking nonsense?”

“What is there to spy on here?”

That’s true, too. But you can’t say there’s absolutely nothing to do.

“I didn’t find out everything at the banquet.”

“Didn’t you see the 4th Prince, the 3rd Prince, and the 3rd Queen? You even got a rough idea of what kind of person the 3rd Queen is. You also figured out that both the 4th and 3rd Princes are 1st Circle.”

“That’s all I found out.”

“So, was there something else to confirm?”

“Something came up.”

Something that I must find out. But a strange displeasure was smeared on Chris' face.

“What’s with that expression?”

“Is what you need to confirm in the Royal Entertainment House?”

“You should be more specific. The dormitories of the dancers belonging to the Royal Entertainment House.”

“That sounds even more problematic.”

Chris frowned as if he had seen something dirty.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s definitely not that. Don’t look at the world with such vulgar eyes.”

“You’re visiting a dancer’s dormitory at night in such an outfit, how can I not have strange thoughts? If you cause trouble now, it will not end with just Your Highness' problem.”

He was the one who made people mistake the Margrave for my guardian, there’s no way he doesn't know that. But what can I do? If a problem arises, he’ll have to suffer a bit. The old saying isn't wrong. You have to look carefully when making friends. Why didn't you make friends more carefully? Still, I’m trying my best not to cause trouble.

“That’s why I’m dressed like this.”

That’s the reason I’m dressed in a black mask, black tights, and even black shoes. The sword I packed separately is also painted black. Its sharpness is less than a regular sword, but it doesn’t reflect light, so it’s good for moving stealthily.

“What on earth are you planning to do?”

Chris asked. Even though I repeated that I wouldn't cause any trouble, he couldn't trust me one bit. For a person to have so little trust in another. This is why you can’t deal with mages.

“I told you, I’m going to look into someone.”

“It does not seem to be the children of Willford, Dickens, or Blace.”

“Of course not. She is a person of far greater value than those crude fellows.”

If she is indeed a descendant of the person I’m thinking of.

“A person of value…”

Chris' forehead was full of wrinkles. His face was asking who among the dancers was so valuable as to go to such lengths to find.

“You’ll find out soon enough. By the way, did you finish saying what you had to say to the king?”

“I did.”

Chris wore a calm expression. If the commander of the North requested a private audience with the king, it would be by no means a light matter. It might be related to Uresra, which came up fleetingly during the conversation with the 4th Prince. Or it could be something even more serious.

“You do not need to worry about the affairs of the North. Your Highness should only worry about not causing trouble. It is important that you return safely to the military academy.”

“I am well aware of that without you telling me.”

I shook my head and covered my face with the mask.

“I’ll be back soon. If anyone looks for me, just handle it appropriately.”

Though I don’t think anyone will be looking for me.

* * *

It is a night with a full cloud cover, and even the moonlight is faint. Very good. There are guards protecting the Royal Entertainment House, but thanks to the weather, it seems I won’t be easily discovered. The only problem is that I’m confused about which side the dancers’ dormitories are on.

“Mmm, mmmph!”

I was running diligently between buildings and across rooftops to find the dancers’ dormitory.

But then, a strange movement caught my eye. A very bizarre picture of three thugs, their faces covered like mine, putting someone in a sack and carrying them away.

‘Isn’t this a palace? They’re crazy.’

If you commit a crime within the palace and get caught, you can’t avoid execution for contempt of the royal family. No matter how lax Poinus is, it wouldn’t go so far as to overlook contempt of the royal family.

Hmm…

‘Contempt is contempt. As long as you don’t get caught, it’s fine.’

If someone saw me, it would be no different from committing contempt of the royal family, so I should quietly find the dormitory. Since they are guys who treat me like I don’t exist even though I’m the 5th Prince.

“Mmmph! Mmm!”

As I was about to pass by, the sound came again. And even louder. Listening to the sound, the person being taken is a woman. Kidnapping a woman at night…

‘A woman?’

I have a bad feeling for some reason. If the building right in front of me is the dancers’ dormitory…

‘It could be the 3rd Prince’s doing.’

If that’s true, then an act like that happening inside the palace would make sense. Since it’s an order from a powerful prince, they would have faith that he would cover for them even if they got caught. A futile faith, though. In that case, I should check it out.

“Hey.”

I called out to the thugs while hiding in a tree. They were groaning under the weight of the sack containing a person.

“Didn’t you hear me? Hey.”

“Wh-what?”

“Who is it?”

Do they all have night blindness? They can’t even find where the sound came from properly.

Still, they stopped moving and looked around.

“You’re looking in all the wrong places.”

“Who are you? Show yourself immediately.”

“Would you, if you were me?”

“……”

The stupid fools are thinking. I don't know what the person who ordered them to do this was thinking, with their condition being what it is.

“…Who are you?”

For that to be the words that come out after deliberation, it’s amazing.

“Someone like a thug. Where are you coming from?”

“Mmm! Mmmph! Mmph!”

As if my voice reached the woman inside the sack, she struggled with all her might.

“Stay still.”

One of the men kidnapping the woman struck the sack. It seemed to have landed properly, as the woman’s struggles subsided.

“You have a nasty habit.”

“Who are you? Come down. Are you not coming down?”

“Answer my question. Then I’ll come down for you.”

“Crazy bastard. You’re talking nonsense.”

Oh? They’ve gotten a little smarter. But that’s as far as it goes.

“You’d better. If you don’t, I’ll scream.”

“……”

The men swallowed hard. Even if they had a reliable backer, getting caught would be troublesome.

“The Entertainment House’s member room.”

The skinny guy at the very back gave me an answer. Even though he’s wearing a mask, it looks like he’s breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Then the girl in there must be a dancer. Did you like her dancing?”

“Aish, damn it. Come down. Or I’ll set a fire.”

“Do you have the guts to set a fire?”

“……”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. I knew it. Who ordered you?”

“……”

The men remained silent. However, the silence they showed was no different from an affirmative answer.

“The 3rd Prince?”

“Keuk!”

One of the guys with a weak heart seemed to have been startled and choked. A very honest answer.

“He’s young, but he’s really into women.”

“Insolent! To His Highness the 3rd Prince!”

“Did I say something wrong? You’re doing that because it’s true.”

“Come down. If you want to live, come down now!”

Since they want it so much, I guess I should go down.

“What? It’s a kid.”

“Ha! Fuck, what’s a little kid doing?”

The guys relaxed their tension upon seeing my height. They must think they can easily solve this with their fists. I think so too.

One is a pig, one is a stick, what’s the other one? Just tall… a mantis? Judging by his use of his feet and his physique, he seemed far from martial arts.

“Hey, who are you?”

The pig sneered.

“A champion of justice who has come to save the woman.”

“Did you read too many novels and mess up your head?”

“I think I’m more sane than the idiot who’s committing contempt of the royal family, in the palace of all places.”

I told them the truth. The guys ground their teeth. They must be offended that someone smaller than them is speaking the truth. Well then, I can’t help it.

“I’ll give you a choice. Do you want to get beaten and put her down? Or get beaten to a pulp and put her down?”

“What?”

Smack!

I used my palm heel to strike the skinny stick’s chin in one go.

Thud!

The stick fell to the ground without even letting out a cry.

“A-are you crazy?”

“He’s crazy.”

They must have been shocked that the stick did a full rotation in the air.

“Too much talk. Just get beaten to a pulp.”

I lunged forward and struck the pig’s head with my knee. But the fellow did not fall. The impact probably didn’t go deep because of his size.

“Keuk! Fuck, who is this bastard? Just kill him.”

The pig, pushed back, drew the sword he was wearing.

“K-kill?”

The mantis seems shocked by the pig’s words.

“If we don’t, we’ll die. Either by that bastard’s hand or the prince’s.”

“Th-this… fuck.”

The mantis also drew his sword.

I looked at the two guys holding their swords clumsily and let out a sigh. To think that those who have never killed a person before are trying to act tough.

“I won’t kill you because I have something to ask, but you should have some regrets.”

I drew the sword I had prepared. A pitch-black sword that has never seen the moonlight.

Clang!

The sword that was clumsily held in the mantis' hand fell between his legs.

“Eeeek!”

The mantis had a seizure.

“Move!”

The pig pushed the mantis aside with his body and swung his sword at my head. Hasty movements, a clumsy sword path, a wavering sword tip. It seemed he had learned the sword somewhere, but nothing was properly executed.

Swoosh!

“This!”

Swoooosh!

“No, fuck. This!”

Swish! Swish! Swoooosh!

The pig did his best to imitate the swordsmanship he had learned. Dust flew everywhere. It's not like he's doing gymnastics under the moonlight, I wonder what he's doing so foolishly.

Tap.

The pig was sweating buckets and panting heavily. I placed the tip of my sword at his nose.

The pig was so surprised he had a seizure. His eyes were open so wide they looked like they would pop out, and he was gasping for breath.

“Hey, breathe. Breathe.”

It would be a pain if he fainted from not being able to breathe.

“P-please spare me.”

They give up quickly.

“I won’t kill you. Don’t worry.”

I won’t kill them. I don't know about the 3rd Prince, though. Still, it will hurt a little. Even though I won’t kill them.

* * *

“What is this?”

Chris, who was reading a book and drinking tea, had a dumbfounded expression. I put down the fainted dancer instead of answering. It was the very dancer with bright red hair and a small frame that the 3rd Prince had his eyes on.

“It’s as you see.”

“Did you kidnap a woman? Don’t tell me it’s a dancer?”

“I didn’t kidnap her, I rescued her from being kidnapped.”

“Who did it?”

“The 3rd Prince’s lackeys. Oh, and there was a guy named Armand Blace there too. He’d gained a lot of weight. But wasn’t he on the 4th Prince’s side?”

“Since it’s a wealthy family, they probably have a foot in both camps.”

Chris replied as if it were no big deal and stared intently at the dancer.

“Why did you bring her here? If she’s a dancer, you should have taken her to their dormitory.”

“I have something I want to ask.”

“Did you bring her here for me to wake her up?”

“No, for her to sleep here.”

Chris' brow furrowed deeply. His gaze was also one of strong protest, as if everything I said was nonsense.

“Calm down. Call me when she wakes up.”

“No. Take her to Your Highness' room.”

“My room is in a place where people come and go often. Lord Dorléans' room is in a secluded place where people rarely come.”

“No… haa… Then what did you do with those kidnappers?”

“You don’t have to worry. I didn’t kill them.”

“That’s a given.”

Chris' voice was slightly agitated. I could read his worry that even if I didn’t kill them, I might have crippled them somewhere.

“I didn’t cripple them either. I just beat them up a lot. But they don’t know who beat them.”

Even while beating the guys to within an inch of their lives, I didn’t take off my mask. I was out of breath and sweating, but I absolutely did not take it off. So when they asked who I was, I only gave them a taste of my fist.

‘The sons of Counts are doing dirty deeds. The discipline is a mess. The country is rotting.

Tsk, tsk.’

Because the period of peace has been long, the young punk is obsessed with women and doing crazy things, his younger brother is trying to kill his even younger brother, the king doesn’t care about the nation’s treasury, and the woman called the queen is trying to erase legitimacy just to fill her own greed. With the top being like this, the bottom is obvious without even looking. It’s a rotten country.

“How did Your Highness know and rescue that woman?”

Chris asked.

“It was a coincidence. I knew the 3rd Prince had his eyes on her, but I didn’t know he would kidnap her right away. I was lucky.”

“Lucky or not, why did you rescue her?”

“Then should I have just let her be kidnapped? Who knows what he would have done to her?”

“That is… you did well. But is that woman the one Your Highness was looking for? The person of value?”

“We’ll have to ask when she wakes up. Whether she has value or not.”

Chris let out a sigh as if he couldn’t understand my words at all. He also shook his head violently. I looked at Chris and showed him a crystal-clear smile. Because if the Michelle I found is a descendant of the person I know, he will have to go through another hardship. The one called Count Edan Chris de Dorléans.